I ask for an pickup channel + server for nexuiz.

What is a pickup game?

It is a public game, but a lot more interesting then those standard public games. First of all, Maxplayers are set. CTF 3v3 and TDM 2v2, like in laddergames. Normally you can add yourself for the next pickup game over a bot on an IRC Channel. A standart IRC BOT for this is ECHBOT. Here you just write !add and you get added. When enough players are added, the bot query you, telling the server IP and PW for the server.

When all players are on the server as spectators, 2 captains have to be choosen. These 2 captains choose their players.

Of course, this is more balanced then standard public games, more competetive and maybe more fun for some players. It is a good training for real 3v3 CTF / 2v2 TDM Wars, which doesnt happen to often in the ladder. Maybe this would help to get these ladders alive.

As an example, heres an IRC Q3 Pickup channel for Frozen Tag games. People really like it, because its a lot better then playing standart public games! #q3ft.se

Just to add ...

I really think that players would get more interested in playing laddergames with a clan, when they get the chance to test it through pickup games. It i a lot more teamplay involved, because of the limited players (3v3).

Maybe someone would like to give it a shot and set up a channel/server for that.

How could this bot be hosted? If you tell us it is an mIRC bot/script, chances are close to 0% it will ever be hosted (because it would require a windows server, but this is a commandline-linux-use-vim-for-everything-like-1980 community, you won't ever find someone with a windows server here, Sorry for being sarcastic xD).

Anyway, I do like the idea, however, I wouldn't start with 4v4 TDM and 5v5 CTF but with 2v2 TDM and 3v3 CTF. This way the matches are organised more easily and they would fit the current ladder equivalents.

I've looked up the echbot @ www.echbot.com - it seems that these guys do host the bot, so this shouldn't be a problem. However, we would need a channel populated with idlers first in order to get the L bot, and we would need a dedicated nexuiz server (one that stays online all the time).

A few of us chill in #nexuiz.pickup from time to time.

yeah, I forgot about it for the last 2 weeks I think but there's always someone there.

Also, I got working code for locking teams at match start (with the SVN sv_ready_retart with countdown), I'm gonna see if it can get added to svn. So you can play 2v2, 3v3, 4v4, etc. on the same server while allowing spectators (they can't enter the game while one is going).

Very nice, but I would also like to see an european server for that. I prefer to play with low ping ...

I would play and idle too, but I will play on eurpean servers only.

@Bundy: Sure, just get a euro server admin to put it on his server. If it can't be in 2.4 I will release it as a mod I suppose, so it'll be a simple progs.dat and a cvar to be enabled.

We got a Server. We got a channel. But we need more people in channel #nexuiz.pickup to get the pickup bot.

/join #nexuiz.pickup and stay there

We done it. The channel is complete and the echbot is running. All who like to play some pickup 3v3 CTF games (TDM will be set up soon!) join #nexuiz.pickup. It is easy and fun, GOGOGO

If you want to join the next CTF game just write that in the #nexuiz pickup channel: !add ctf
If you want to join the next TDM game just write that in the #nexuiz pickup channel: !add tdm

If you choosen the wrong game, just use !remove to get removed from the list.

Hello again, good news from #nexuiz.pickup! Today we added one USA TDM 2v2 Server. If anyone got an american 3v3 CTF Server which can be used all time for pickup games, just tell me and I will add it, too!

Thanks to all who join, use and support the channel allready frequently. We had in the last three days over 20 pickup games. Very nice, keep on playing!

We added some more features, to make this channel more userfriendly. If you write !help, mkzelda´s bot will give you informations, how to add for the next game or remove yourself from the list. I hope we get some more visitors the next days. Good luck and have fun

biggest thanks to green´marine, diomedes and mkzelda, without them I would have never been able to get the channel that far in such a short time.

We finally done it: we got an american CTF Pickup server. Have Fun!

The 100th game has been played. Happy birthday #nexuiz.pickup

Anyways, we are missing players in here, especially from the US. So please join it and find out, how much fun it is. Why #nexuiz.piclup @quakenet? Competive gaming with friends and others!

All games are played with ladder rule settings:
1v1.EU
1v1.US
2v2 TDM.EU
2v2 TDM.US
3v3 CTF.EU
3v3 CTF.US

We also have a Teamspeak server running in europe. US VoIP server coming soon!