It figures that the one time I actually go away, there's important news to post. But here it is only a little late:

If you are interested in attending QuakeCon 2003 with total VIP treatment, and want to support a great cause in the process, you should check out this auction on eBay. The package includes roundtrip airfare (from within the 48 contiguous United States), limousine transfers, rooms at the QuakeCon hotel, VIP status, fancy dinner, and much more for TWO - and 100% of the proceeds go to charity. We estimate the value of this package to be nearly $2,000. Time is limited, so go bid NOW.

QuakeCon 2002 has been featured in several gaming magazines which are on newsstands now! Computer Gaming World focuses on the Doom 3 presentation, and Computer Games magazine focuses on the tournaments. In addition, CGW will be doing a special feature next month on the process of making QuakeCon a reality. Be sure to pick up a copy!

UPDATE: PC Gamer also has some QuakeCon coverage in their November issue. It's titled "QuakeCon Goes All to Hell". I'm just going to assume they are refering to Doom 3. Or maybe it's about the weather in Mesquite. Regardless, special thanks to RedDevil for sending this in.

If you know of any other magazines which are featuring QuakeCon, be sure to let me know

Also of note, all the demos from both tournaments have now been posted online. They are available over at Challenge-TV.com. You can find the Quake 3 matches here, or the RCTW matches here. Give them a look!

QuakeCon will be hitting the small screen once again! Starting today and running throughout the week G4 - TV 4 Gamers will be running a show with heavy focus on QuakeCon 2002. The show is called Pulse, and you can get more information and peruse the schedule on this page here. G4 is available to many satellite and digital cable subscribers.

I was just sent a cool new addition to the QuakeCon 2002 video library. The employees of Netzone Centers in Houston have put together a 7 minute, 24mb video of the event. It chronicles their trip to Mesquite and the excitement they found there. Go watch it now!

The camera men/editors are red.falcon (Lawrence Johnson), Lightning Quick (Josh Garcia), Warrenkreuk (Warren Akhtar), and Wolfwood (Brian Buffington)

Good work guys!

First of all, there have been several new additions to the Gallery page. Check 'em out. If you don't, EvilJohn will come to your house and ridicule you.

Next, I'd like to follow up on the missing RTCW scores. We're still trying to get to the bottom of the whole affair and hopefully we'll have something to share with you soon. The only thing I can offer with assurity is that we will have full demos available in the near future. Hopefully within the next week. Hang in there.

Several camera crews were in attendance this year, and tonight we get our first chance to see the results. Tonight at 9pm EDT on TechTV, the gaming-related show 'Extended Play' will feature a spot on QuakeCon 2002. You can see a preview here on their site. (At least I think it's a preview... it might be the whole thing.)

In case you miss it, the episode will be aired several more times over the weekend. So check TechTV's listings.

TechTV is available from most digital cable providers.

I hope everyone has gotten home safe and sound by now. You all need to get plenty of rest so you can be ready for next year.

First tonight, there have been quite a few new additions to our Gallery page. It's great to see so many people sending their links in. It's the best way for people unable to attend to get a feel for the event. It's also great for attendees who just want to reminisce, or who were too sleep deprived to remember everything clearly.

Next, I wanted to make some sort of link to the Tournament result pages on the top of the news here... but it seems that ZoneStats has removed the RCTW link from their scoreboard. I'm assume it's just temporary, but I'm going to wait before I make any site changes. It should be available on this page here which also has the Q3 Tourney stats. Those are still available.

Finally, Pappy-R from PlanetQuake/PlanetWolfenstein wanted me to let you know about the winner of their OPC/PlanetQuake PC giveaway. The lucky winner was Kim Corman who is pictured here along with Jody from OPC, the PC, and Pappy. Congratulations!

Keep sending in those pics!

QuakeCon 2002 is now over, but a great time was had by all. Our staff has returned home to recover and begin planning for next year!

We invite you to check out our Gallery which has been updated with coverage and images from this year's event. It contains all the links I am currently aware of, but no doubt more will be added over the next few weeks. If you would like to have your page added, just let me know!

On behalf of the entire QuakeCon Exec team, I would like to sincerely thank all of our volunteers who worked tirelessly for days to make QuakeCon a reality. You guys rocked. I would also like to thank our generous sponsors who donated acres worth of equipment as well as cash and prizes, all for us gamers, all free of charge. And of course, big thanks go to id Software and Marty Stratton in particular. Even though they don't have to, and even though it is almost unheard of in the industry, id always displays unwavering dedication to their fans. This is what allows QuakeCon to exist.

Also, I should probably mention some guys whom I forgot when I was giving individual thanks the other night. First is Red Barchetta and FonFon. Not only did FonFon write the code for GTV and WolfTV which made in-game broadcasts of our tournaments possible, but the pair showed up and manned the controls, themselves. In addition, we would like to extend our gratitude to the guys from PlanetQuake3.net. Among other things, they are responsible for projecting the GTV and WolfTV matches onto the walls of the BYOC for all to enjoy. This technology gave a great boost to people's enjoyment of the Tournaments this year. And there was a definate synergy when it was combined with the exciting and comprehensive audio broadcasts from TSN. I, personally, have never seen so many riveting matches presented so professionally and I have heard countless others express the same thoughts. Big thanks to everyone who made it possible!

That's it for now. Definately visit our Gallery page, and remember to check back frequently for updates.

What a day! I don't even know where to start. There probably would have been an update earlier if today had not been so jammed pack with fun and excitement.

The tournaments came to an explosive end amidst cheers and applause. Congratulations to Lexer, the Doctors, and all our winners. I think everyone agrees that the coverage provided by TSN was truly top notch and added a level of excitement not previously seen in any major tournament.

In addition to the main tournament, several side competitions also concluded in the BYOC today. VIA and AMD were gracious enough to donate some nifty prizes to the winners.

VIA and id Software threw a huge blowout party for all attendees featuring local Dallas band, Edgewater. Following that was a truly hysterical lambasting of the movie Crossroads starring Britney Spears. The heckling was professionally carried out my Austin's Mr. Sinus Theater 3000 and should not be attempted at home.

Gaminghorizon.com held an impromptu Miss QuakeCon contest on their site and congratulations go out to the winner, IGOTTARASH. They received over 33,000 votes in the contest, if you can believe it.

Tons of free stuff was given away today. For starters, there was a great deal of free food and drink to be had by all. And then late at night, Marty Stratton from id came down to the BYOC and tossed out more goodies than you could shake a stick at. The good folks at GeekWearz.com and GearGrip also were consistently generous with this wares.

Lastly, I would also like to give kudos to SpeakEasy who provided connectivity for both the QuakeCon website and the event itself. Of particular note, last night we were linked to from Slashdot. But because of SpeakEasy's all around greatness, we were not actually 'Slashdotted'.

Well, I know a lot more happened today, but it's 3:30 in the morning and my memory is failing. Teardown happens tomorrow so I'm not positive I will be able to get in another update. But if not, I just want to say that this has truly been the biggest and best QuakeCon ever. I know I speak for the entire staff when I say that it has been an absolute pleasure to run this event, and we look forward to doing it again next year!

As promised, here is another batch of QuakeCon pics from staff photographer, foto. Enjoy!

The switch that makes it all possible.


This year we had the BFG from the start.


The line begins to form for early check-in.


The hard working registration team.


The NOC staff looking busy.


A gamer checks out Enemy Territory.


The VIA BBQ.


The Dance Dance Revolution Tournament.


QuakeCon is a family affair.


John Carmack talks about Doom III.


Sometimes there just isn't room for one more. =(


The BYOC at night.


Spectators enjoying the Tournaments.


Clan Amish.


Your webmaster hard at work.

We are both happy and sad to announce that the Bring Your Own Computer network at QuakeCon 2002 is now full. We are happy because this represents a milestone for us as we have never been filled to capacity before. Of course this is also sad because it means that we've had to turn people away for the first time. It is truly an amazing sight to see over 1300 computers and gamers in one room

Also, id Software finished their presentation a little while ago and it seems to be generally agreed that it was one of the highlights of the 'Con so far this year. They started off by demonstrating the integrated Doom III editor with several id programmers and artists showing off their resprective parts of this powerful program. John Carmack followed with a long and highly technical talk, and a question and answer session with fans.

Our staff photographer foto has been hard at work and has almost 1000 pictures snapped so far. We'll be putting a selection of them online later this evening, but as I said before, we won't have a full gallery until after the event is over. But be sure to return here later for the latest update on all the action!

If you have been following the QuakeCon 2002 Tournaments, you will want to head over to this Zone.com page which features all the stats and information you could want. The action is really picking up and the competition is fierce. Be sure to tune into TSN and/or GTVfor live broadcasts from the matches.

We will return tomorrow with exclusive coverage of the infamous Dance Dance Revolution tournament which just may prompt a DDRCon sometime in the near future.

At long last, QuakeCon 2002 is underway! There are well over 1100 gamers happily fragging each other in the BYOC, with many more in general attendance. There are still a few small technical oddities which are being ironed out, but by and large things are running smoothly.

The VIA BBQ was a lot of fun and an absolute ton of burgers, dogs, and fried turkey legs were consumed. The tournaments are about to get underway. And the Doom III booth is systematically overwhleming people's senses.

For those of you not able to attend Quakecon, you can still get in on the action. The EnterTheGame network is the Official IRC network on Quakecon, and you can connect to irc.enterthegame.com to get up to date on all the latest news on Quakecon during the event. Check channel #quakecon for more information.

Here is a letter to the same effect from GTV gurus, Brad Whitehead and Red Barchetta:

Not attending quakecon, but still want to watch the tournaments? You can! Starting Thursday we will be providing full coverage of the tournaments with GTV (Quake3) and WolfTV, programs which allow you to watch LIVE on your own computer. Speakeasy will be providing enough servers and bandwidth for all to watch, and Clanbase will have some European relays. Using GTV and WolfTV is easy. To watch the Quake 3 (GTV) matches simply connect to gtv.speakeasy.net:27970 using Quake 3. To watch WolfTV follow the install instructions, and then connect to wolftv.speakeasy.net using RtCW. After connecting you can use the gtv_nextgame and gtv_nextview (or tv_nextgame and tv_nextview for WolfTV) commands to watch. You will also need the latest version of the HREF="http://www.orangesmoothie.com">OSP mod. Additional server IPs and help will be available in IRC. Here is a list of official IRC event channels: IRC server - irc.enterthegame.com #quakecon #qcon-scores1 #qcon-scores2 #gtv #TsN And you can also get help and information on the GamersTV page. We hope to see you there!

The TSN servers linked at the top of this page have been extremely popular and therefore you may have trouble connecting. Keep trying every now and then and eventually you will get on.

One final thing this afternoon. This might be a good opportunity to send a BIG hello to my wife Tara who got mad at me last year for not mentioning her in my posts. And while we're on the topic, I should probably say 'Hi!' to CC-Wolf's wife (with whom he is in the dog house). And also to Nash's wife who usually has to do without her husband on their anniversary. This year he WAS home for it... but of course he still managed to get the day wrong. And finally to Tapper's wife and son who, unlike last year, are safe and sound at home.

Wow, what a long grueling day. Setup is almost entirely complete and all of our early registrants are checked in. We only have to wait until 9am tomorrow for the action to begin in earnest.

As you have no doubt noticed, there has been a large addition to the top of this page. The Team Sportscast Network has arrived and plans to broadcast live 'net radio throughout the entire event. Their program includes interviews, conferences, tournament matches, and of course music. If your browser supports IFRAMES, then you should see a box with program information and a link to listen immediately. If not, there should be a link to TSN's homepage where you will be able to connect from. You will need a program such as WinAmp to actually listen.

Anyway, things have been so busy today that I have not been able to get together any additional fun pictures or movies... and for that I am sincerely apologetic. But fear not! The fun is only just getting started! In the meantime, tune in to TSN and vicariously enjoy the 'Con. ;)

Tonight we have some treats for you to peruse before things really start swinging here. First up is a themed video by our own official videographer, DaFragsta. It's basically a chronicle of the first two days of setup that has been made to resemble a certain cable series we all know and love. You really don't want to miss it, so click here!

Next, our staff photographer, foto, has been hard at work snapping an obscene amount of pictures. We probably won't get a full gallery together until after QuakeCon is over, but here's a small taste chosen with no real rhyme or reason:

This guy is a serious gamer.


Tournament PC's awaiting assembly.


QuakeCon uses more CAT5 cable than your ISP probably does.


A bird's-eye views of the BYOC.


The ATI guys set up their lounge.


Don't ask.

Almost the entire staff and a healthy number of volunteers have arrived here at the Convention Center and setup continues apace. Actually we reckon that we are ahead of schedule. I just hope I haven't jinxed us.

But speaking of schedules, the Official QuakeCon 2002 Schedule is now up for your viewing pleasure. It can also be accessed from the handy menu on the left. Of course I have to put out the caveat that any and all information is subject to change without notice... but we're pretty confident that the schedule will stand as-is.

Lastly, I just thought I'd mention a little word of comfort for anyone driving here for the first time. If you are not sure you will be able to find the hotel... well... let's just say you can't miss it:

First of all tonight, I would like to say that updates to these pages may be sporadic (or non-existant) over the next few days. I will be leaving for Texas tomorrow morning, and I cannot be sure what kind of connectivity will greet me when I arrive. But we shall see. QuakeCon is almost upon us, so hang in there while I'm gone!

Now, here are some last bits of news to hold you over.

The details about VIA's Trick Jumping Competition have been posted over on VIA's website. This includes rules and a schedule for those interested in participating. Various events will run through Friday and Saturday. Check it out.

Also, I should probably mention that we've officially closed pre-registration for QuakeCon. We will still accept walk-ins at the convention, itself, but we are no longer accepting reservations for BYOC or Tournament spots.

That's about it. Several members of the QuakeCon Team are already down in Mesquite getting ready. The rest will be arriving over the next few days. We shall endeavor to make this year's event the best QuakeCon ever!

See you in Texas!

Here are a couple of fun new items for your enjoyment this evening. If this year's QuakeCon gets any more exciting, I'm not sure I'll be able to take it.

We all know ATI will be a major force at QuakeCon 2002 with their tournament sponsorship and superlative hardware. But now we have word of a new special offer only being made available to attendees of QuakeCon. For a great low price, you can get a RADEON™ 9700 Pro, a copy of Doom III (when available), plus more goodies. Seriously, this is a very cool offer. If you are waffling about whether to attend QuakeCon or not, then this just might sway you. Do not fail to check out the details.

Next, if you haven't started packing yet for QuakeCon, then you are behind. Doom III is already on the road. Yes, it's 'Mesquite or Bust' for the previously mentioned Doom III booth which will be featured at QuakeCon 2002. The entire booth, broken down for transport, has been loaded onto three large semi trucks which are enroute to Dallas as we speak. QuakeCon fast approaches. Rejoice!


Finally, our Art Director, Rao, has once again handed in some fine work. We proudly make available to the public the Official Desktop Wallpapers for QuakeCon 2002! These wallpaper will be found on all official computers at QuakeCon, but you don't have to wait. You will find them in a variety of sizes over on the bottom of the lefthand menu on this page. Go nuts!

A few days ago we announced a BBQ and contest hosted by VIA which will kick off QuakeCon on Thursday afternoon. Today VIA's own James Espinoza sent in the official details:

Heads up! The arrival party to end all arrival parties, sponsored by VIA Technologies, is fast approaching... Make sure y'all come down to the Mesquite Convention Center parking lot on Thursday, Aug. 15 with your bodies painted and cars decked-out to show your love for Quake! Please RSVP to James Espinoza, The Bohle Company, at james@bohle.com - please specify whether you will be entering the car decorating contest or body art contest when responding. Below is a press release with detailed event information. Happy Decorating! James VIA Technologies Invites QuakeCon-Goers to Compete in Outrageous Car, Body Art Contest QuakeCon 2002 Kickoff With Style, Free BBQ MESQUITE, Texas - Aug. 7, 2002 - VIA Technologies, developer of silicon chip technologies and PC platform solutions, is adding mesquite flavor to this year's QuakeCon by holding the first "Quake-ify Your Ride and Bod" contest and barbecue party on Thursday, Aug. 15, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Mesquite Convention Center parking lot. Contestants are asked to deck out themselves and their cars with paint, tattoos, stickers, masks, wigs and costumes - anything that is wild and emulates QuakeCon, the greatest LAN party in North America for true PC game lovers. Prizes will be awarded to the winner and runner-up in two categories: car decorating and body art. VIA will also provide a free BBQ lunch for all participants, with BAWLS providing beverages to cool the Texas heat. Painted participants and their tricked-out rides must sign in at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 15. All interested parties must RSVP to reserve a spot by emailing James Espinoza, The Bohle Company, at james@bohle.com.

Sounds fun! I can't wait for a genuine Texas BBQ... nothing tastes better. And remember, if God didn't want us to eat animals, he wouldn't have made them out of meat.

There are a few bits of news worthy of your attention this evening. Let's get right down to them, shall we?

First, you'll remember that VIA promised a few special contests in the BYOC throughout the weekend. Here are the details about one of them. It's the VIA TrickJumping Challenge! The winner will receive a newfangled VIA motherboard with all the trimmings. There are several different competitions that make up the challenge... and good times will be had by all. You can read the details right here.

Next tonight, we have an update to our FAQ concerning the use of powerstrips in the BYOC. We are reversing our policy from previous years by allowing attendees to bring their own. Not only that, but we are strongly recommending real surge protectors, not just mere power strips. (i.e. ones that say 'suppressor' or 'surrestor' on the box). The full information is here on our FAQ. And if you have never read the entire FAQ before, now might be a good time!

Finally, if you are an official QuakeCon volunteer, you should have received an e-mail from our Volunteer Director, Nash. If you thought you were a volunteer but did not receive the mail, definately let Nash know. You can read the text of the message here on our forums.

Well, 9 days and 11 hours left. This year's QuakeCon looks to be bigger and better than ever. But we still have lots of work to do to get all our ducks in a row. So let's get quackin'!

As you may already know, the Team Sportscast Network will be on the air live throughout all of QuakeCon 2002. This is fantastic news for anyone unable to attend in person. In addition to covering the matches and important conferences, they plan to get behind the scenes and give you a real taste of what it's like to be at QuakeCon. Here are some details:

TsN QuakeCon Schedule With QuakeCon nearly upon us TsN has put together a better idea of what listeners can expect from our coverage of the event. Our Live coverage will begin on August 15th at roughly noon EST and will continue, non-stop until the LAN draws to a close 4 days later on the afternoon of the 18th. Coverage during this time will include the following. Q3 Elimination Tournament coverage RTCW Elimination Tournament coverage Pre game/post game commentary Live interviews with some of the worlds top ranked Gamers Live coverage of the John Carmack Speech Live Interviews with various industry leaders from Id software, ATI, Activision and more! Hourly updates on tournament scores and upcoming matches to watch for Morning warm up show and evening wrap up show discussing the events of the day After hours shows featuring QuakeCon personalities mixed in with some ass kicking music to help get you through the night and best of match replays. This is the basic line up so far with more specifics to be added on a daily basis from now until the event itself. TsN in conjunction with Speakeasy.net is set up to handle as many listeners as required for the duration of the event so connecting will not be a problem. The goal of TsN is to make listening to QuakeCon almost as much fun as actually being there. TsN Marketing Director Glenn Lane aka “Boomerman” boomerman@tsncentral.com Websites www.tsncentral.com www.speakeasy.net www.quakecon.org

There you have it. TsN's coverage promises to be both entertaining and informative. It will truly be the next best thing to being there!

Last night we posted the list of acceptable cvars for ATI's Return to Castle Wolfenstein Team Tournament. Since then we have added a few items which were inadvertently left off. There was also one typo which has been corrected. If you are participating in the Tournament, be sure to check the list. You don't want to be surprised when you arrive at QuakeCon!

I won't keep you waiting. Here's the good stuff:

DOOM III™ THEATER TO JOLT QUAKECON™ 2002 id Software™ to Conduct First Fan Demonstration of Game at Ultimate LAN Party id Software and Activision’s DOOM III theater, which unleashed its fury at E3 2002, last May in Los Angeles, will endure a 1,000 mile journey to arrive in Mesquite, the home of id Software, in time for QuakeCon 2002. The theater will showcase a demonstration of DOOM III, a mind-searing mixture of cutting-edge graphics, design and revolutionary 5.1 sound design. Members of the id Software team will also host a special session, offering a guided tour of the DOOM III world and talking about the game’s development. The preview at QuakeCon 2002 is a terrifying journey through over 12 minutes of gamplay running completely in-engine. This exclusive opportunity for gamers is only available to registered attendees of QuakeCon 2002. Each attendee will receive an admission ticket for the preview upon registering at the event.

Wipe that drool off your chin and start packing!

Also, if you are participating in ATI's Return to Castle Wolfenstein Team Tournament, you will want to take a look at the at the rules page. We have added a list of acceptable cvar setting which must be used during matches at QuakeCon. You can check them out here on our Tournament page.

UPDATE! - 1:02am - There have been a few additions and one correction to the cvars originally posted. Please double check that you have the right ones.

Have a pleasant evening, and drive safely.

With less than two weeks left until QuakeCon 2002 opens it's doors, things have really begun to pick up pace. I know I speak for the entire QuakeCon team when I tell you we are just as excited and anxious as you are. There are still a few more big surprises in the works, and we can't wait to share the fun with everyone!

One new feature we would like to introduce for the website is a Sponsor Spotlight. I can't stress enough how important our sponsors are in terms of making QuakeCon a reality. It is their contributions (both financial and physical) which get the 'Con off the ground and make it the fun it is. So in gratitude, we would like to call attention to some of the fine companies and the products they will be demonstrating at QuakeCon in a series of spotlights. We are starting off with VIA, purveyors of the best chipsets in the business. Their hardware will be powering all of our tournament machines and game servers. Find out more about their exceptional product line by reading our Sponsor Spotlight on VIA!

And speaking of VIA, we briefly mentioned the BBQ planned for Thursday afternoon but perhaps we should further explain. This will be a free party and Texas-style BBQ for all attendees of QuakeCon. It is being brought to you by the aforementioned fine folks at VIA, and will also feature beverages from... drumroll ...BAWLS! This BBQ will be held in the parking lot of the Mesquite Convention Center and should be a lot of fun for all involved. Make sure you arrive at QuakeCon bright and early on Thursday so you don't miss the fun!