bit-tech.net

Google ports Quake 2 to HTML5

Published on 5th April 2010 by Joe Martin

Google has ported a multiplayer version of Quake 2 to HTML5, which runs in Chrome or Safari.

In order to showcase the potential of HTML5 over HTML 4.0.1, Google has made a multiplayer port of Quake 2 that will run in Chrome and Safari browsers.

Quake 2 was made open-source by id Software a while back as part of a habit of turning older games over to modding communities once newer titles are released.

The HTML5 version of Quake 2 (via Shacknews) shows off a number of new features, such as WebGL and Canvas API, and is based on the Jake2 Java port of Quake 2.

On the downside, the framerate perhaps isn't as high as it should be to properly enjoy Quake 2 and it's hard to be all that impressed when id Software has already released a multiplayer version of the technologically superior Quake 3: Arena which also runs in browsers; Quake Live.

If you want to have a go at running Google's Quake 2 port yourself then you'll need to head over to the official site, otherwise you can check out the video below and let us know your thoughts in the forums.

27 Comments

Discuss in the forums Reply

Mraedis 5th April 2010, 09:04

Lol, I really wonder whether this could get popular.

Cupboard 5th April 2010, 11:22

I don't think that is the point really is it?

dec 5th April 2010, 13:11

you cant even see your bullets and the grenades arent that satisfying.

Mraedis 5th April 2010, 13:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cupboard
I don't think that is the point really is it?

No, but I still wonder. :o

mjm25 5th April 2010, 13:42

Id would've vommed in their cereal if you'd told them they could do this 15 years ago.

Joeymac 5th April 2010, 13:57

Bah. I thought this would just be on a webpage you can navigate to. You've got to download a load of crap, install lame and ogg vorbis, run a local server and then download the actual demo, compile it and THEN it will launch in the browser.... How very tedious and un-google like.

Gunsmith 5th April 2010, 14:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by dec
you cant even see your bullets and the grenades arent that satisfying.

screw you hippy, id rather play this then your modern horseshit 2

Zurechial 5th April 2010, 15:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunsmith
screw you hippy, id rather play this then your modern horseshit 2

:):):)

Sig'd.

hodgy100 5th April 2010, 15:07

Yes but can it run crysis?

pendragon 5th April 2010, 18:20

I think I'd rather play a real copy with an offhand grapling hook bound and a Keys2 mod. Powerups = teh awesome.

Psytek 5th April 2010, 18:24

lol, I think the author and most commentors are missing the point. Google aren't looking to win critical acclaim for the quality of a game they didn't make, they are simply demonstrating that this MARKUP LANGUAGE is so powerful that it can be used to build full 'games'.

Goty 5th April 2010, 18:56

This raises the question of how it would perform in Firefox. I expect the game only runs in Safari because it is also a WebKit-based browser, but if they've truly ported the game to HTML5, shouldn't FF be able to run it, as well?

eek 5th April 2010, 19:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goty
This raises the question of how it would perform in Firefox. I expect the game only runs in Safari because it is also a WebKit-based browser, but if they've truly ported the game to HTML5, shouldn't FF be able to run it, as well?

Why doesn't it run in the latest Firefox releases?
We would love to support FireFox. We would not have WebGL today without Vladimir Vukićević's pioneering work on Canvas 3D and WebGL. Actually, FireFox was the first browser to support Canvas 3D. Our main problem with FireFox is JavaScript performance: While WebGL shifts a lot of the work to the graphics card, there is still a significant amount of JavaScript code that needs to be executed. The frame rates we saw when doing experiments with FireFox were just too low to make the game playable.

Goty 5th April 2010, 19:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by eek
Why doesn't it run in the latest Firefox releases?
We would love to support FireFox. We would not have WebGL today without Vladimir Vukićević's pioneering work on Canvas 3D and WebGL. Actually, FireFox was the first browser to support Canvas 3D. Our main problem with FireFox is JavaScript performance: While WebGL shifts a lot of the work to the graphics card, there is still a significant amount of JavaScript code that needs to be executed. The frame rates we saw when doing experiments with FireFox were just too low to make the game playable.

I am just assuming, based on the wording of the article, that it does not run in Firefox. I'm currently not somewhere where it would be appropriate to be seen playing games on my laptop =P.

oasked 5th April 2010, 21:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joeymac
Bah. I thought this would just be on a webpage you can navigate to. You've got to download a load of crap, install lame and ogg vorbis, run a local server and then download the actual demo, compile it and THEN it will launch in the browser.... How very tedious and un-google like.

QFT.

Sounds impressive, but I really don't care unless I can click on one link to play. Bah. :p

super_eggbert 5th April 2010, 21:42

It's getting there GLGE is getting there see: http://www.glge.org/ and you can walk around the level with one click.

knuck 5th April 2010, 23:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunsmith
screw you hippy, id rather play this then your modern horseshit 2

not enough rep could possibly be given to express how awesome what you just said was :)

wuyanxu 5th April 2010, 23:18

hopefully a new form of browser speedtest will soon pop up: frame rates :P

Xtrafresh 6th April 2010, 01:35

Guys, this is a TECH DEMO, not a game demo. It's a demo, a little insight in what will be possible in the near future. And that google-like linky-linky-pew-pew that you are all looking for will no doubt happen soon enough, but for now you have to set some stuff straight :)

I'm thouroughly impressed, and very anxious to see the new generation of web 3.0 sites that take full advantage of this. However i also fear for the level of work that needs to go into creating a competative website. Just like with games, all the graphical enhancements could make it impossible for small studios to compete and deliver quality, thus handing the entire business over to investors that dont care one bit about what it is they are investing in.

In short, i really fear for the Modern Horseshit 2 equivalent site o Bit-Tech :D

xaser04 6th April 2010, 09:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goty
Quote:
Originally Posted by eek
Why doesn't it run in the latest Firefox releases?
We would love to support FireFox. We would not have WebGL today without Vladimir Vukićević's pioneering work on Canvas 3D and WebGL. Actually, FireFox was the first browser to support Canvas 3D. Our main problem with FireFox is JavaScript performance: While WebGL shifts a lot of the work to the graphics card, there is still a significant amount of JavaScript code that needs to be executed. The frame rates we saw when doing experiments with FireFox were just too low to make the game playable.

I am just assuming, based on the wording of the article, that it does not run in Firefox. I'm currently not somewhere where it would be appropriate to be seen playing games on my laptop =P.

The paragraph you quoted actually states they tried running it in firefox but it ran too slow to be playable.

perplekks45 6th April 2010, 12:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunsmith
screw you hippy, id rather play this then your modern horseshit 2

More awesome than anything you ever posted in the demot thread. :p

rep++

Gunsmith 6th April 2010, 13:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by perplekks45
More awesome than anything you ever posted in the demot thread. :p

rep++

I'm confused as to how this is awesome, Q2 was and still superb, brill level design, banging soundtrack and a brilliant 56k online community :?

perplekks45 6th April 2010, 21:04

It's that awesome because it's true. ;)

*goes and digs out his Q2 CD*

Gunsmith 7th April 2010, 15:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by perplekks45
It's that awesome because it's true. ;)

*goes and digs out his Q2 CD*

lol, me too, and amazingly it still works on my system, hey theres a point! i wonder if we can get it working multiplayer?

thehippoz 7th April 2010, 15:59

oh you don't want that.. I could probably kill 1v all of bittech with the blaster (I'm serious )

Gunsmith 7th April 2010, 16:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by thehippoz
oh you don't want that.. I could probably kill 1v all of bittech with the blaster (I'm serious )

actually I would, I get the satisfaction of A: playing a real game with real gamers and B: putting you in your place with my railgun ;);)

thehippoz 7th April 2010, 16:03

lol yeah.. I might have some demos laying around- have to reinstall it.. been years really XD

there was guys in my old clan who could hand me my ass too.. that would be cool if it could be played in a browser- but looks slow