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              <p><font color="#0000FF"><b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#0000CC">volume 
                1, issue 15</font></b></font></p>
              <p><font color="#0000FF"><b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#0000CC"> 
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              <p>  <p><font face="Courier New, Courier, mono"><b><font color="#339900" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Today 
                in loonygames:</font></b></font></p>

<P><font color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">New!!</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> The Archives have been cleaned up, fead links fixed, and printable versions restored! Also, don't miss the new comments <a href="../../../index.html">on the front page</a>!</font></p>
              
<P><font color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><a href="../../2.15/feat/index.html" target="">Livin' 
  With The Sims</a></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">: 
  theAntiELVIS explores the wild and wacky world that is Will Wright's <b>The Sims</b>, 
  asking the inevitable quesiton, &quot;is <b>The Sims</b> the first step toward a virtual 
  life where everyone is Swedish?&quot;</font></p>
<P><font color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><a href="../../2.15/pixel/index.html" target="">Pixel 
  Obscura</a></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">: Josh 
  Vasquez on <b>Omikron: The Nomad Soul</b>.</font></p>
<P><font color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><a href="../../rl/index.html" target="">Real 
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              <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><font color="#339900">Related 
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              <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><a href="http://www.planetquake.com">PlanetQuake</a>: 
                These guys host just about every <b>Quake </b>mod in existance.</font></p>
              <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><a href="http://www.telefragged.com">Telefragged</a>: 
                The rest of them can probably be found here. :)</font></p>
              
              
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        <p align="LEFT"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="+3" color="#0022A8">Tune 
          Up Your Game!<i></i></font></p>
        <p align="right"><font color="#804000"><b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">By 
          Rowan &quot;<a target="_self" href="mailto:sumaleth@frag.com">Sumaleth</a>&quot; 
          Crawford</font></b></font> 
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<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/2.15/">Jump to an Archived Issue!</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/2.15/">2.15: Livin' With The Sims</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/2.14/">2.14: To the Extreme</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/2.13/">2.13: Not Just a Passing Wind</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/2.12/">2.12: It's Not Easy Being Green</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/2.11/">2.11: Inside Origin Systems</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/2.10/">2.10: Game Networking 101</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/2.9/">2.9: Tell me a Story</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/2.8/">2.8: Anatomy of a Video Game</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/2.7/">2.7: 1999 loonygames Awards</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/2.6/">2.6: PC Fight Club</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/2.5/">2.5: Paul Steed '99</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/2.4/">2.4: Sounds From All Over</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/2.3/">2.3: Kicking Back with a Bear</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/2.2/">2.2: End of the Line</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/2.1/">2.1: American McGee's Alice</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.41/">----- Volume 1 -----</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.41/">1.41: Put a Little Love...</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.40/">1.40: Game Programming...</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.39/">1.39: More loonygames @ E3!</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.38/">1.38: loonygames at E3!</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.37/">1.37: The ReRuns Issue</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.36/">1.36: Inside Raven Software</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.35/">1.35: Waking Graeme Devine</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.34/">1.34: Writing the Game</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.33/">1.33: Totally Tribal</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.32/">1.32: Under His Skin</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.31/">1.31: The Glory of G.O.D.</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.30/">1.30: Chillin' w/Jason Hall</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.29/">1.29: Extreme Annihilation</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.28/">1.28: Adventures in ASCII</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.27/">1.27: Serious Brass Ones</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.26/">1.26: Two Programs...</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.25/">1.25: The Unreal Cliffy B!</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.24/">1.24: Gimme Your Money!</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.23/">1.23: Old Crusty Gamers</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.22/">1.22: Bugs!</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.21/">1.21: 2001</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.20/">1.20: Can't Please Everyone</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.19/">1.19: The Rise and Fall...</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.18/">1.18: romuluSngan HoH!</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.17/">1.17: A Very Geeky Christmas</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.16/">1.16: 5 Years of Doom!</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.15/">1.15: Tune Up Your Game!</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.14/">1.14: NT + Games = ???</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.13/">1.13: Blue and Levelord...</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.12/">1.12: When It's Done!</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.11/">1.11: Hangin' With John Romero!</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.10/">1.10: Still Sick of Games</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.9/">1.9: Gettin' Odd with the loonies</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.8/">1.8: LAN Parties...</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.7/">1.7: The Community Summit</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.6/">1.6: DRAW Pardner!</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.5/">1.5: Taking Aim at Paul Steed</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.4/">1.4: Play Where You Like!</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.3/">1.3: *Special Duke Issue*</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.2/">1.2: Are You Sick of Games?</option>
<option value="http://www.loonygames.com/content/1.1/">1.1: Chris Taylor Gets Some!</option>

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        <p align="LEFT">&nbsp;</p>
        <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Unofficial missions are produced 
          independently of the original game's creators and, to date at least, 
          have been a sole side-product of id Software games. While the games 
          are produced independently, according to the license agreement for <b>Quake</b> 
          and <b>Quake II</b> the add-ons still need to be passed by id Software. 
          A couple of add-ons in the past, such as '<b>Juggernaut</b>' and the 
          mod, '<b>Shrak</b>', both for <b>Quake</b>, actually attempted to ignore 
          the license agreement and avoid paying id Software royalties. I asked 
          Todd how id Software approached this practice, as well as the exploitative 
          compilation CDs mentioned above:</font></p>
        <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">"I don't believe it is prudent 
          to discuss our intellectual property enforcement policies in any level 
          of detail. Any discussion would have to be so generic that it would 
          be worthless from an information standpoint and would only provide avenues 
          for unscrupulous people to exploit in the future. Suffice it to say 
          that id Software has very valuable intellectual property rights and 
          we will defend them via whatever means we deem to be appropriate and 
          necessary."</font></p>
        <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Are there too many mission 
          packs? One or two official mission packs seem like a reasonable number 
          when you consider the development periods between major game releases, 
          and extending the life of a game you enjoy is always going to be an 
          attractive prospect, especially at a competitive price.</font></p>
        <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">However, there is going to 
          be a point where the large choice of mission packs and mods spreads 
          the consumer dollar too thin, invariably leading to sales figures that 
          are too low to recoup the production costs. How many mission packs a 
          game such as <b>Quake II</b> can support is anyone’s guess, but, in 
          the "official" category at least, id Software believe two packs to be 
          the right number.</font></p>
        <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Looking at the production 
          side of mission packs, a commercial 'mod' actually requires significantly 
          more work than a mission pack. As the term 'Total Conversion' suggests, 
          a commercial mod needs to replace each an every model and texture from 
          the original game, whereas a mission pack usually only adds a small 
          number of each to the existing base. Not to mention the task of establishing 
          and maintaining a whole new storyline and gaming style. The risk is 
          also greater; a mission pack in a known commodity, whereas a buyer doesn't 
          know what sort of gameplay they might be getting with a commercial mod, 
          and that often leads to making the safer purchase choice.</font></p>
        <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">It's easy to be critical, 
          or skeptical, of commercial add-ons for popular games, particularly 
          in the case of the unofficial variety which aren't endorsed, and therefore 
          aren't guaranteed of quality, by the original company in any way. However, 
          it's just as easy to miss the <i>real</i> reason people make them, and 
          it's not the 'get rich quick scheme' that a lot of people might imagine; 
          the real reason is that creating these types of add-ons represents a 
          way for everyday gamers, with a bit of talent and a lot of determination, 
          to take that first step into the gaming industry. The enormous 'mod' 
          scene that has embraced <b>Quake</b> and <b>Quake II</b> is testament 
          to the creative aspirations found in the players of the games, and it's 
          these people that create most of the unofficial mods and mission packs. 
          In other words, it's a passion, and in a lot of cases it actually leads 
          directly into to the big scary world of creating games professionally. 
          A dream for many.</font></p>
        <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">So there you have it, the 
          world of add-ons under the microscope. I started this article interested 
          in discovering whether I thought they were hurting or helping the gaming 
          industry, and particularly the gamers, but having reached the end I 
          find myself drawing the conclusion that they aren't can't be judged 
          in those terms; their success or failure depends entirely on whether 
          players are happy to buy them. If players buy them then it's hard to 
          imagine they aren't worthwhile from everyone’s point of view, and player 
          <i>are</i> buying them, and will probably continue to do so for the 
          foreseeable future.</font></p>
        <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Why? We just can't seem to 
          get enough of games we like!</font></p>
        <p align="RIGHT"><i><font size="-1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">- 
          Rowan &quot;Sumaleth&quot; Crawford is a member of Team Impact. His 
          most recent project has been the upcoming <b>Quake 2 Internet Pack: 
          Extremities</b>.</font></i></p>
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    <td><i><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-2"><b>Credits:</b> 
      Illustration &copy; 1998 Dan Zalkus. Tune Up Your Game! &copy; 1998 Rowan 
      Crawford. All other content is &copy; 1998 <a target="_self" href="http://www.loonyboi.com">loonyboi 
      productions</a>. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited, dangit.</font></i></td>
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