PK3 Downloads Section Added for DarkPlaces

[scar3crow]

I must say, this is potentially the best thing youve done on this site yet.

[Baker]

There is a new downloads section (go there) here dedicated to PK3 files for DarkPlaces. PK3 files are similar to PAK files, but compressed, and can be placed in quake\id1 without being renamed.

The various new all-in-one PK3 downloads include:

1. AirQuake
2. QuakeOne Maps Pack
3. Slide
4. RQuake Map Pack
5. Rocket Arena
6. Threewave CTF

More may be added in the future.

Long-Winded Explanation of what a PK3 is

With Pak files, you have to rename them and Quake only supports 8 maximum. Plus they aren't compressed so really you should zip the pakx.pak into a zip file.

PK3 files can be in a compressed format, so you can upload/download them directly.

Additionally, they do not need to be renamed. Merely place them in c:\quake\id1 (or where ever your Quake is) and they work.

This allows easy and more thorough downloads that are not in the form of an installer. Many of the downloads ideally should have sounds, and in fact, the installers do! Some of the installers include loc files.

In an ideal world, the zip versions of the installers should have maps and sounds, but most do not merely because someone opening the zip would be confused as to exactly where it goes.

As an example: a zip with both maps and sounds should be unzipped to c:\quake\id1 not c:\quake\id1\maps. A zip with a gamedir and maps and sounds should be unzipped to c:\quake. And a zip with just maps goes in c:\quake\id1\maps. A zip with just textures goes into c:\quake\id1\textures ... etc.

No one wants a degree in Quake to just play a game.

And PK3 support makes life easier because all of this complexity can be stored in a single file that is compressed, does not need to be renamed and does not require an installer.

The only engine that would be realistically used to play NQ online that currently has PK3 support is DarkPlaces.