
                       Quake III Arena Point Release
                                  BETA1 
                              Version 1.27g 
                           December 22nd,  2000 


       TABLE OF CONTENTS

       i What's new

       1 Files
       2 Known Issues
       3 Contacting Loki Entertainment Software


-------------------------------
(i) What's new
-------------------------------

This is a public beta release of the upcoming Linux Point Release of 
"Quake3: Arena". This release also includes code for the "Team Arena"
missionpack on sale for Win32. There are two tarballs, one of which
contains only the dedicated server and datafiles.

The beta has been tested internally against baseq3/, but testing
against missionpack/ was done only during the initial porting process.
We hope for feedback on baseq3/ while we take care of the known issues, 
before we move on to TA.

  http://fenris.lokigames.com/enter_bug.cgi?product=Quake3

Bug reports on the new "Team Arena" features are welcome:

  http://fenris.lokigames.com/enter_bug.cgi?product=Quake3-TA



---------
(1) FILES
---------

The tarball contains a public test release of Q3 1.27, plus the DLL 
set for Q3A (baseq3/) and TA (missionpack/). It also containes two 
new pak files required for the Q3A mode of the 1.27 point release. 
You have to have the pak0.pk3, pak1.pk3, pak2.pk3 and pak3.pk3 as 
required by the 1.17 point release in addition to these two new files.

The files have to be copied manually, if necessary on top of a clean 
install of Linux Q3A. Make sure to remove all old mods, either in the 
install directory or located inside your ~/.q3a/ directory. If you want 
to preserve the old binary, make sure to move it manually.

These binaries have not been systematically tested with the
missionpack/ data and QVM files. Loki does not make any guarantees
that this release works with "Team Arena". Per id's decision there
is no Linux retail version of "Team Arena". If you want to use these
binaries with "Team Arena", you will have to purchase and install 
the Win32 release.


----------------
(2) KNOWN ISSUES
----------------

The code base used for Linux Q3 1.27g is based on a snapshot close to 
the id Software Win32 1.27g RC4 source, with additional fixes id applied 
later that might or might not be in the Win32 CD version. The binary also 
includes fixes that Loki assembled following the 1.17 point release.

Known issues for Beta1:

 - XFree86 4.x DGA 2.0 support not yet added
 - brightness slider not yet fixed
 - fraglimit/timelimit do not get propagated properly (also Win32)
 - sound artifacts (double sounds) in menu
 - framerate drops in video playback, sound artifacts
 - keyboard only traversal of TA menu broken (also Win32)
 - loading 1.17 mods does not abort gracefully
 - some GL drivers segfault on exit(0)
 - shoot instead of pain/hit animation 
 - failure to load head for body (baseq3/)

Bugs fixed since 1.17:

 + autodownload workaround
 + mods menu
 + case insensitive demo loading (q3_ui/, not in QVM yet)   
 + first version of joystick support added
 + r_logfile GL log works again
 + Linux DLL loading bug

If you encounter a problem, please try
  +set sv_pure 0 +set vm_game 0 +set vm_ui 0 +set vm_cgame 0 
on the commandline to reproduce the problem using the DLL's.
You can also try 
  +set sv_pure 0 +set vm_game 1 +set vm_ui 1 +set vm_cgame 1 
to use the interpreter instead of x86 compiler for QVM code.
To avoid confusion, I recommend using
  +set sv_pure 1 +set vm_game 2 +set vm_ui 2 +set vm_cgame 2
explicitely to make sure that the x86 compilation in the Q3 VM is
enabled.

The VM compilation code has been changed significantly, and
between 1.17 and the 1.25 releases, certain parts of it were
changed twice with respect to floating point to integer conversions.
The Linux version now explicitely sets the FPU control word when
snapping vectors or converting during VM execution. Beta1 uses
the same (Linux default) precision as 1.17 with ANSI-mandated 
"truncate" rounding behavior for both DLL and QVM. The Win32 
(and possibly Mac) version do not use explicit control and might 
still differ in precision or rounding behavior. If you should 
observe any differences in the physics (movement) or menu 
(interaction) between DLL vs. QVM, or Linux vs. Win32 vs. Mac 
version, please provide us with a detailed description. 


------------------------------------------
(3) CONTACTING LOKI ENTERTAINMENT SOFTWARE
------------------------------------------

Please note that Loki does not offer official Q3 support for this beta
release, and that "Team Arena" is not a Loki product. If you do not 
feel comfortable with this, please wait till the final point release 
for Linux is available before upgrading your Q3 install. However, if 
you are encountering problems, by all means send us a notifier at 

    support@lokigames.com

and consider issuing a bug report at the Loki bug tracker, at

  http://fenris.lokigames.com/
  http://fenris.lokigames.com/enter_bug.cgi?product=Quake3
  http://fenris.lokigames.com/enter_bug.cgi?product=Quake3-TA

There is also an official FAQ 

  http://faqs.lokigames.com/faq.php3?view=index&product=Q3A
 
Further information can be found on the official websites, and the
newsgroup maintained at Loki:

  news://news.lokigames.com/loki.games.quake3

  http://www.quake3arena.com/
  http://www.quake3world.com/

Enjoy!
 

- The Loki Quake III Arena Team

    Bernd Kreimeier
    Michael Vance (Joystick code, userdir workarounds)
    Andrew Henderson (1.27 assembly)
    Andy Mecham, Mike Phillips (QA)

