OpenArena DM Pickup

[GN--Gigabit]

I have setup a pickup channel, bot and passworded server, on irc.geezernet.org.uk #openarena.pickup

irc://irc.geezernet.org.uk/openarena.pickup

If you are uncertain how to connect to IRC, or have never seen a pickup channel, please ask for help!

For those that are familiar with this, i am fully open to suggestions!

Please keep in mind that this is a new channel, so its quite empty at the moment. (me and the bot )



The basic premise is that many users idle (to sit in even when they are not at their computer) in a IRC channel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Relay_Chat#Channels).
When they are active and looking for a OpenArena game, they issue a command to the channel's bot, which maintains a list of game seeking players, to indicate they wish to play.
When there is enough players, the bots calls all players to the game server.

The benfits of such a system are that players are less likely to leave the server mid game, because they signed up to play!
Although not so important in FFA games, it can be a pain in CTF/DM games, which creates an unbalanced team.

There is also the availablity of non-playing channel vistors (perhaps connecting from work), that will are still willing to chat with like minded OpenArena players.

[pikaunforgiven]

to clarify, basically the channel is to organize and "pick up" people to play DM games?  if so sounds like a good idea to me.
you may want to add a few links to some popular irc clients to your post, personally i use chatzilla for firefox from here: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/16
some people might also like mIRC: http://www.mirc.com
there are also numerous linux irc clients like bitchx, xchat and ircII

i may jump on eventually, just got stuff to do first.

[GN--Gigabit]

A java based client can be found here : http://www.geezernet.org.uk/infusions/irc_chat/irc_chat.php

Set yourself a nickname and alter the Channel to openarena.pickup

then click Login.

[pikaunforgiven]

that works too but i dont recommend for most people since java tends to be rather bloated and will cause cpu spikes ingame. probably not much of a problem for people with dedicated gaming rigs, but ordinary players such as myself would be better off using a real irc client or chatzilla.

[zuma]

you would need to explain what pickup is in this thread- to gain more players and channel visitors.

[GN--Gigabit]

you might be right there zuma, added more info to first post.