How do you feel about defrag nowadays?

[Finalspace]

How do you feel about defrag noways? I personally play it randomly - when i feel it or got inspired by some movies. Yesterday i found some old dvd´s in the basement and guess what - there was tons of old defrag/freestyle movies on it - ready to get disposed All the good old stuff - i a blink of an eye i got sucked in and watched most of it. Man that was really a good time and i miss it.

In the last 4 years i tried to change that somehow and created two movies which some knows, some not. The "PcP-Movie" which taked forever (2 years at least) and my "finalize" movie what was created in some weeks this year. Also i tried to do some mapping again and create some awesome maps - but then i realize that i dont have time for that anymore.

But i dont think its the time to say goodbye - most all ppl(people) i know which played defrag does indeed play it unfrequently - when all the great next-gen games/stuff does bore they.

What about you, how do you feel about defrag?

Greetings from a very old tricker you might know or not
If not - go watch my damn movies right and play my maps!

[SenMatSu]

If ppl(people) can organize a nice DFWC(without intentional bugs and weird clipping (or not even clipping)) and somebody can do a nice movie(ex.: trixo) afterwards, maybe some ppl(people) start again.

[<hk>]

In the early years of defrag I played a lot but discovered pretty soon that I have no chance against those who play all day. So I focused on plasma and it was good for a while but in the end defrag wasn't for me I guess. It's just so demanding.
That's why I switched to the programming side of defrag. Keep the servers running, introduce a new feature here and there.

It's not that we are in the end days of defrag. We are just different people. All the oldschool players have grown up to a point where there is no time for defrag anymore. Usually they simply stop playing and fade away quietly. Having a thread about how defrag sucks now as a reason for leaving the community is a relatively new phenomenon.

I don't think defrag is going down. There is always something going on on the servers and this forum has become active too, finally replacing the OPC forums that some still moan about.
Movies are as good as ever. I dare say that there is no game that has such a high standard for ingame movies as defrag.

I don't spend as much time with defrag as I used to but I am always reachable for others. I am making sure that q3df.org is not going the way of german-defrag or breakdown-hq. I am looking forward to reading the forum every day.

[khetti]

I find it has aged well, especially when compared with games of its era, though the longer I play the fewer maps I find interesting.
Even a relatively minor flaw in a map can kill motivation, but I am picky

While Defrag as a game is still fantastic fun - for me moreso than any other game - it must be said that Defrag as a concept has absolutely outgrown its current limited form.

And that is saying something, given the insane number of worthwhile maps, the maturity of the records set on each, and the ease with which one can find people to play with at any hour.

There is still much life to wring out of Q3, but an engine that meets my requirements would not take long to replace it.

[Timothy]

As someone who's pretty new in defrag (started in 2010, which is new to most). As long as new quality maps are being made I will keep enjoying this game. It's the mappers that keep this game alive for me.
That said, I think defrag still has huge potential if it would just go open source. There is currently little to no development going on which saddens me a bit.

[Newbrict]

That said, I think defrag still has huge potential if it would just go open source. There is currently little to no development going on which saddens me a bit.

Hit the nail on the head in my opinion.

Defrag needs more exposure, If I ask someone if they've ever heard of defrag their usual response is " Oh yeah mean the disk cleanup utility thing? "

I think we also need a good set of beginner tutorials because right now it's near impossible to get into defrag unless you have a friend there to help you out with all the basics ( unless you have the patience of a shaolin monk or something )

There's a lot of work to be put into defrag, and I think there could be a 'new beginning' for it with lots of new interest if only we could satisfy the things I mentioned.

Anyone interested in figuring out the best way to teach defrag with me?

[khetti]

The confusion with the disk defragmenter isn't just a popularity issue, it's a name collision.
Some things are 'ungooglable' due to their terms matching those of another subject.

Be more verbose and specific and there is no problem.

The best way to teach Defrag is to have a committed student, in mine and probably most other cases this is a result of the new player being awed by skilled performance.

There is a subforum here called 'how to Defrag,' a 'how to teach' topic would be appropriate there.
Setting challenges and explaining practice methods is a practical starting point.

[ZeeL]

I feel the same bout defrag today as i felt when i started like 3 years ago : in love.

Some people explained me very briefly how to play and i knew that the progression was pretty much endless. I'm progressing everyday i play, sometimes faster when i learn a new trick or route, sometimes slower when you spend 1 hour doing the first meters of a map. I never feel i played for nothing even tho it sometimes feel discouraging.

I spent maybe 2 years playing strafe only maps, and i slowly start to enjoy weapons more and more, because it seem that learning to strafe has prove usefull for weapons. I guess i did the thing in the good order for me

i always loved die and retry type of games. From SMK on SNES to trackmania, defrag or super meat boy and all shooting games i play I just love this kind of games. Defrag is for me a step above in matter of racing. I feel that i have a total control on my character and seeing how players evolve, how the records are beat all the days it seems the skill cap is simply limitless. It can be super hard for new players tho, wich i can understand very easily.

Speaking of new players, i have to agree with khetti. Defrag need new blood to survive. I was thinking about doing something like a youtube channel that could serve as a tutorial base for them, but i'm so bad when it comes to video editing and shit that i would need a LOT of help I really often see new players when i play, i try to teach them the little i know, bu at the end, most of them stop too soon.
Not later than today, on this forum, someone was asking for help with cgaz hud and how to handle staircases. I tryes to help but the best i had to offer was a bit of text and the same answer i always give :"try to check Genesis the Beginning of" on youtube (

I really think a well made serie of videos to teach the basics could help a shitload of people. I really would like to help them to keep them in the game, showing them it s one of the most fun game when you know how to play but it s not really working

Even with new players, it's still a niche niche niche niche game. a MOD of a niche niche niche niche game. Sometimes played with a MODDED physic on top of that. The UI of the game is terrible. You have to handle dozens of commands in a really underground console that explains you NOTHING.
A slightly more easy to use UI could already help a lot of new comers to get used to it. Quake Live did a great job regarding this with better menus for exemple.

I will always play defrag i think. There's no other games that makes me feel the way this one do. Jumps, speed, reflex, double jumps, slides, strafe, air control, precision, aiming, route planning and more with ONLY move, jump and shoot possibilities. No vehicles, teamplay, fancy useless graphics, minimap, gazillion of similar weapons.

Move, jump, shoot, progress, have fun !

[zgaz]

waz up i register here couple mins ago when i saw this topic.
noobs and beginers are great part of every game comunity and thats the biggest problem of defrag. no new players. defrag comunity and players who knows how to play was always repulsive for new players. and i understand that becouse defrag cant be learned for couple days or by someone simple advice. i played defrag first time before about 10 years, and from the first time i played i was in love and now after 10 years i feel prety much same. everything i know i learned on most difficult way by just trying and playing. i live in a shity country and didnt have luck to learn from someone who already played or even from internet.until 2-3 years when i start to send demos for competitions was totaly noob, i mean i learned more for like 3-4 months then from 10 years just by looking other and better players demos. didnt even know basics stuff like ob,side strafe, dont want to even mention gazbust or some complex 2xrj,3xrj. so first "part" of my defrag carrer was just easy strafe maps and nothing more. for me most anoying thing is that people dont want to give defrag a chance next to new hd,3d,need 400euro graphic card to play low config, and "press E to win" games. have few friends who dont even belive me i know what im pressing when playing thinking thats just a shoot and jump randomly low graphic game.

so my advice for new players is just give it a fucking chance and be little patiente. and for those who already playing to be more internet cool and friendly minded

and yes, i feel totaly fine about defrag i love it and i dont care whats going to happen with it. defrag is best genius game ever made and without rivals for me. so defrag yourself

[/cdtu/xas]

From my experience, defrag has its attraction among many people indeed, but most of them get blocked.

I think the most important part for defrag exposure is a fine tutorial. I myself learned everything on my own and it took me 5 years just to clear cos1_beta7b white lane(which means old tutorial was totally useless for me), and all those in Chinese quake community who wanted to learn a bit or two got stuck at the basic stuff. I had some ideas for beginners but I don't have the time for them. Here are some of my points of view for tutoring:

1. Strafing is the basis for Circle Jumping. CJ=circling for a good offset speed + low-speed strafing. Previous tutorial stuff I've seen puts CJ before SJ, which I think will waste much time learning two vital strategies at the same time.

2. Do explanations for every move underway. One would only do something instantly and firmly when he knows exactly what he is doing and those moves would lead to, otherwise there would be hesitation that break things up. For example, when making through a pad lane, "circling" for good offset speed, "jumping" for move up, "strafing" for acceleration, "releasing jump" for one push only works once, "pushing and holding jump when landing" for keeping in air to avoid friction, "air changing" for adjusting moving direction, etc. Make sure the learner can understand everything the tutor is doing in demonstration. Explaining some special features like skimming and ramping is necessary too.

3. Weapon usage is much more complex in teaching than strafing but those special figures will definitely help, like 71-72 for PG wall.

4. It's not necessary to hold advanced movements up when the learner is still not skilled enough. Advanced movements are actually more fun to practice and they help for basic skills too.

5. Encourage the learner to play various maps themselves. Defrag is actually all about creativity regardless of the skill levels. Execution power only matters in competitions.

6. Complex cfg stuff shouldn't matter when learning. The learner can get a random cfg or even default and practice with it unless he is really uncomfortable with that, like 90 fov or 8 for PG by default. Useful commands for tutoring are those df_ commands that helps.

As for me, I tried once with one who never played any FPS games. It worked out he can strafe quite well though(beat my 3 years effort in less than 1 week, even without CJ start), but when it comes to CJ, 3D vertigo comes.