Quake Zero not actually in web-browser News • News • Eurogamer.net

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Just launches from there.

Quake Zero has been billed as a free, browser-based game of Quake 3 Arena supported by advertising revenue, but those of you worried that it'll be written in Java or something can rest easy - id's Steve Nix tells us it just uses the browser to get going.

As we bumbled inarticulately through a question about Quake Zero during our QuakeCon interview (yes we're still transcribing it), Nix cut across us: "Well, it'll be launched from a web browser. It's not going to be written in Java or really running in the web browser."

We pointed out that the first reaction on our comment thread was: 'Please. Not. Flash.' "Right," he said, laughing. "That's not going to happen."

Nix promised that Quake Zero would be very quick to load. "It's modified to have a front-end in a web-browser where you launch the game. And they've already done a lot of the architectural work - the way the game loads - where it's primarily just shifting the file structures and everything, but the game loads very very quickly, so basically you've never played it on a given machine, you can go to the web-browser, click 'play' and almost instantly get into a game.

"Though it is loading to your machine in the background, there's not going to be a lot of wait time or an install process and everything."

Speaking on Friday following its announcement, John Carmack said Quake Zero would be a starter project for id's brand new second development team, which has been seeded with company veterans and will eventually embark on a full Quake Arena product based on id Tech 5.

"It may work, it may not," he said of Quake Zero. "[But] I think there's at least the possibility that we could see millions of people play this."

For more of our QuakeCon coverage, check out the QuakeCon 2007 coverage page. Right, back to Nix. He's a talker!

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Comments (21) Latest comment 4 years ago

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Poorandugly #1 5 years ago

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Sounds like something you could have fun with at the office after working hours
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Dizzy #2 5 years ago

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That was obvious no? Did you really expect them to write Quake in javascript?
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Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #3 5 years ago

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Funny you should say that. His next words were: "The idea is people can quickly jump into a game - you know, they change computers at work and they want to jump in, there's not a lot of wait time and messing around with installing and loading and those typical PC headaches."
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jack_klugman #4 5 years ago

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Nice work, xandoodle.
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Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #5 5 years ago

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"That was obvious no? Did you really expect them to write Quake in javascript?"

Given all the bloggers' mock-ups of Q3A in a browser window and the phrasing on Friday, I thought it was worth the clarification. If I am wrong, you may shoot me (although bear in mind you can not do this from within the browser window).
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Lim-Dul #6 5 years ago

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Yeah, xandoodle, you're friggin famous now! Nix answered your comment. :-D
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krudster #7 5 years ago

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Is it like Coke Zero?
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JohnnyWashnGo #8 5 years ago

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'That was obvious no? Did you really expect them to write Quake in javascript?'

I thought the article said 'It's not going to be written in Java'

Java != Javascript
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Lim-Dul #9 5 years ago

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Is it like Coke Zero?

I hope not. =)
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Tweakmonkey #10 5 years ago

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Q3A in office? Sounds like fun but will probably get blocked by corporate firewalls though
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space_ace #11 5 years ago

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coke zero is great!!
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JamesBrophy #12 5 years ago

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Beyond a free version of quake 3. What's the point of it?

Is it easier to develop for, can novices build levels? Surely they don't think that there is anybody out there that had been avoiding giving quake death match a go.
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Skeletor #13 5 years ago

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Hehe, just like I posted in the comments on Saturday
Anyway...
"Beyond a free version of quake 3. What's the point of it?"
First of all, it's a clever experiment in ads sponsored gaming. Then it's clearly something aiming at what you can call "ultimate accesibility", means it's free, will therefore have a huge community in no time which will probably/ hopefully not only consists of hardcore players but lots of different people and last but not least it will be interesting to see how this "hop in and hop out in no tiime" Nix mentioned really works. Could be the ultimate way to spread the name of Id Software on a truely global scale, this is Carmack and the boys pioneering new ways of game distribution. Looking forward to it

Edited by 1 at 07/08/07 @ 16:39
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Brocken #14 5 years ago

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Be a good idea to use this kind of thing for MMORPGs
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Skeletor #15 5 years ago

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I wouldn't be surprised if this is exactly what they're aiming for in the long run, though probably a little more action oriented. I think carmack stated already that Quake Zero is a learning project for a new team.
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YourMessageHere #16 5 years ago

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Will it be mod friendly? I'm sure there's as many people out there who'd happily play something like Urban Terror through it as would play vanilla Quake III. Not to mention small stuff like character models and maps, etc.
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Raya #17 5 years ago

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This friday go to miniclip.com and play Frantic - a true web based FPS and see if you think ID couldn't have done it that way!

preview vid at: http://we b.mac.com/rayamedia/iWeb/Rayame...
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Azazel #18 5 years ago

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Like Sprite Zero?
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Skeletor #19 5 years ago

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@Raya
I guess the whole point of it is that using existing code instead of coding again from scratch keeps the costs down = zero risks.
Btw, no quicktime = no video. I'll check it out on friday then
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X #20 5 years ago

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Might just be me but "and will eventually embark on a full Quake Arena product based on id Tech 5." gets my pulse racing. Possible next Quake being multiplayer only?
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spiny #21 4 years ago

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"eventually embark on a full Quake Arena product based on id Tech 5."

Awesome!
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