Since some of the latest newsposts got lost during our downtime, I'll post the 2.4w changes list again:

2.4woop
Gameplay:
-Duck has been removed, instead:
-Added new way of dodging. Need to set it unter controls. It makes you dodge to the walk direction; forward in case you don't walk.
(ducking still works until you change it. the duck key is supposed to be used for dodging...)
Maps:
-DB-SmallcubeSE: New Crowd Sounds

Re
Wb
thx
np
DB?
ip?
dbl1
ok

Errr, just meant to say...hurray, the page is back up!
gg

It's Operation Na Pali's 5th Birthday.
For those who have no clue, it is the previous Team Vortex project, a Singleplayer Modification based on Unreal Tournament.
We developed it from January 2000 to June 2002.
Relation to Deathball? None...

We moved to a new server. Why am I telling you that?
You wouldn't even notice it.
Anyway, we can brag with php5 big time now!

Now that April 1 is over I can reveal all details of the April fools version to you.
There are 8 gimmick settings that it randomly choose a few from.
(You can get it by setting your system time to April 1)

The settings are:

*DoubleBall       1	
(2 balls)
*Gibball          2	
(ball kills players if they don't hold rmb, which can only be held 
for a short moment)
*Keeper-Stays     4	
(keeper can't leave his box; there is a trick to get out, but it 
cannot really be done in a match)
*1 Hit 2 Kill     8	
(can kill all field players with one hit)
*Multi Jumps     16	
(unlimited jumps...floating)
*Carrier No Move 32	
(ballcarrier can't move or jump)
*Elasticity      64	
(ball bounces a lot)
*Banana*4       128	
(banana intensity increased by 4)

You can still use this stuff anytime with the console 
command (eg) map db-cube?settings=X
x stands for a number, which you get out of 
the sum of the options you want to use.
So if you want to use DoubleBall and 
Multi Jumps it would be 1 + 16 = 17
so you put map db-cube?settings=17
(255 enables all)

What I got out of playing this is that some of the things 
are actually funny for the actual game (just not that 
exagerated). Multiball will be done anyway, but multijumps 
was tasty. Maybe 4 isn't enough and 6 could spice things up 
(only boosting would become way too good again).
Also the extreme banana is kinda cool. Just not x4.... 
But IMO x1.5 or x1.8 could be really cool 
(only for side banana...up and down stays). We'll see.
The other things are mainly rubbish and can be forgotten :P

Today every match will have it's own special rules. Some combinations might suck, others are funny. Never know what you get :)
Happy/random april's fools day!

Version 2.4t exe (60MB)
Version 2.4t zip (75MB)

Update from 2.4s to 2.4t (10MB)

You have to delete your deathballuser.ini to be able to use the new shot mode.

Changes
Gameplay:
-Plenty Eastereggs (will be explained in detail on the deathball.net news when it's about time :))
-Dead untouched ball spawns in the middle now
-Shake time can't get longer anymore (by getting jumped on your head)
-Magnet added (3rd firemode) - MUST DELETE OLD Deathballuser.ini for it to take effect - You can suck balls and players nearby to you. The radius is 250uu (volley is 290uu). Too fast balls are being distracted, which can also be put to good use (or ab-use).
-3rd firemode produces dump-shot when you own the ball (it can still be done via 2nd fire + 1st fire though)
(Thanks to Toxeen for the sucker sound)

Other:
-Practicemode: goal msg showing only once, assist points are being given
-Menu cursor no longer changing size (requires deletion of deathballuser.ini)
-In host and botmatch menu the "gametype" screen gets skipped
-Goal jingles fade out properly
-Added audio menu option for goal jingles
-Menu Audio sample for crowd noise has a more accurate volume and plays a crowd sound now
-Added a countdown until you can spawn for people who switched teams twice or reconnected to the server
-As spectator you now watch players in First Person View (need no more console command to switch it)
//-As spectator the camera will go back to where it was before the goal
-Removed "ball carrier can't move" option
-Fixed tooltip of shortwaittime option

Maps:
-DB-Curve: Fixed Keeper Spawning
-DB-SmallcubeSE: less shiny surfaces

Here is the way the controls are meant to be used. The best case:


Bugs:
-Sometimes one spectator camera on DB-Smallplatform is being weird
-2nd ball might show thru in replays sometimes (please tell us if you can reproduce it)
-Sometimes you see no radars and need to restart Deathball to fix it
-Bots are not yet working properly with 2.4 (they still play with 2.3 logic and fail big time)
-Match time sometimes wrong at the end
-New bot bug: once they used the magnet tool, they won't pass anymore...not giving the ball to anyone. So botplay is totally screwed atm >_<


PS: you get it all for free <3

One more time, awarded with mod of the month.
This time in the German Game Magazine GEE

Click here for the article:


For all who don't understand German...it basically says "DB pwns...kthx"
German just has longer and more complicated words, so this fills a whole column.

As you know the dictatorship in china is blocking all pages that might help people find out stuff about their own country.
Anyway, we are blocked too for whatever reason \o/
http://www.greatfirewallofchina.org/

Version 2.4s (60MB)

Update from 2.4r to 2.4s (12MB)

Changes
Gameplay:
-Maybe fixed dissapearing ball bug (we need to know when it happens, as detailed as possible)
-Fixed not being able to owngoal from close range
-After a goal, the current keeper is set to "i want to keep" and can dissable it, and so make sure he wont keep the next round, even though he is in the pbox
-Fixed bug where you catch a ball right after spawning and are unable to release it until you get killed once

Other:
-Added Shakebar for players, so you see how long they are still shaking after they got hit. Bots currently don't shake, so they don't have a bar.
-No more countdown after replay of the last goal (in case of a hit goal limit)
-After Short-replay you go right back into the game (there was a LITTLE phase where you could run around)
-You can finally switch between player and spectator before the match started! (If it causes some bugs and Epic hat it off for a reason?)
-Added options to turn off menu and ingame music separately
-Fixed bug with 2goal difference and overtime

Maps:
-Added DB-Flat - Changes since latest separate release: Changed the walls completely, sky a bit darker, clouds shouldn't be in your sight when you look straight up
-DB-SmallcubeSE - Added shaders to many textures

Bugs:
-Sometimes one spectator camera on DB-Smallplatform is being weird
-2nd ball might show thru in replays sometimes (please tell us if you can reproduce it)
-Sometimes you see no radars and need to restart Deathball to fix it
-Bots are not yet working properly with 2.4 (they still play with 2.3 logic and fail big time)
-Match time sometimes wrong at the end

The first tests were pretty cool gameplay wise. It offers quite some new things.
It's also doing good as 3on3 map even though it's aimed for 4on4 or 5on5.
I've now made the map and the sky less bright and the wind sounds are less noisy.
Also added a 2nd easter egg somewhere \o/

Check the previous post for the download link.

I designed a new map called DB-Flat.



It's U shaped and has a few walls. The rest is flat, and you can run out a few miles if you like....not that it's any useful. You just can't take the ball with you. It cannot leave the map.

The servers DBL1 and DBL2 run the map so far!

Download 4MB
(unzip ut2 file into ut2004\deathball\maps and utx file into ut2004\deathball\textures)
Whoever can't read and asks me in IRC about how to install it will be made fun of....for a lifetime!
PS: it's not funny to ask it if you have read it
PPS: it's not funny either to ask it in order to make fun of the PS....neither of PPS. Thank you :P

Version 2.4r (57MB)

Update from 2.4q to 2.4r (21MB)

Changes
Gameplay:
-Fixed issues with new ball spawn technique => might fix all weird bugs (ball dissapearing, goals not counting, David's team not winning etc) So people tell me if something still occurs...
-We RBB (removed ball boost). Can't any longer boost your own team with the ball (gg timeplay)
-Reduced self-volley power by 100 more units

Other:
-Improved bottom radar icons: "me" now has a green dot on it. Keeper icon split up in "other player" and "me" (so ALL "others" now being a donut shape ...mmmh donuts...)
-Improved tooltips in option menu (the hint for the option "trilinear filter" being "enables trilinear filtering" was just so helpful...gg Epic)
-Tooltips stay forever (until you move mouse away)
-Added keeper selection tool after goal: Left Mouse Button toggles "want to spawn as keeper", Right Mouse Button Toggles "Skip Replay". So going back into the own penalty box isn't needed anymore and the new selection overwrites the person in the box. To avoid interferences you can not any longer kick or catch the ball in the celebrating phase
-Replays skip with 50%+ votes
-Aftergoal-HUD cleared up. Less text. New Goal console message that contains all info now. Move replay and skip info to the bottom right corner (so it won't overlap the Chat) and others. Replaced U-Logo in Spectator+Replay-HUD
-No more replay skip in ShortWaitTime-replays
-Team Color Trail also changes colour after deflect, so you don't see a red ball going out and respawning at the red goal

Maps:
-Blocko and Tribun Lighting less blinding
-Fixed SmallcubeSE roof (fully flat now)
-More grass for you addicts on November (can be disabled with foliage option) - Can't get on top of the fence anymore
-Added new ballspawn method to Smallcube
-Curve - Fixed Camera track going through geometry - Reduced ambient sound volume a bit - Player's can't reach the top of the map anymore - Ball shouldn't get stuck in corner of goal anymore
-Smallplatform - New side platforms, new texturing

Bugs:
-Sometimes one spectator camera on DB-Smallplatform is being weird
-2nd ball might show thru in replays sometimes (please tell us if you can reproduce it)
-Sometimes you see no radars and need to restart Deathball to fix it
-Bots are not yet working properly with 2.4 (they still play with 2.3 logic and fail big time)
-Match time sometimes wrong at the end

Download Deathball V2.4q (57MB)

Changes
Gameplay:
-Whilst powering up a shot the gun starts to shake the harder you power. The gun also pulls up a bit when you release the ball.
-Firing very hard shots kicks you back a bit (can also be abused as selfboost :D)
-Shaking effect lowered a bit (96000 -> 80000)
-Ball no more sticking to wall, without being able to touch it (thanks to Noko for showing how to reproduce it)
-Added level design option to spawn the reseted ball at the enemy goal (see map changes). It will be untouchable by the reseting team for 5 seconds (a bar indicates this). It can also spawn in the penalty box after the kick off.
-Ball works properly with blocking volumes again (for example causes no more annoying deflecting from the walls in November)
-Reduced self-volley power by 200 more units (a full power shot has 3100)
-Default keeper hold time 4 seconds

Other:
-Text to speech fixes (for example "mb" is now "my bad" and not "megabytes" anymore; characters like !?-_<> and others are being ignored now) - requires to delete your old deathballuser.ini to take effect
-Bottom Radar: All new Icons, Keeper has it's own icon. You see when someone locks you.
-Middle Radar: Keepers appear orange. You see when someone locks you. Ball carrier direction showing at the border (only ball direction was showing before) as requested by HimbiJimmy
-Fixed menu option for "menu music"
-Firetrail and ball sparkle now appear in replays
-Replays smoother
-Maybe fixed server crashing after replays matches. Please report if it happens!

Maps:
-Added DB-Smallplatform, made for 3on3 (DB-Platform for 4on4-6on6 will mostly likely be made too...the same, just bigger)
-Readded DB-Curve, DB-Tribun, DB-Blocko
-DB-Smallcube: Ball resets to enemy penalty box and starts there after a goal
-DB-Cube, DB-November, DB-Echo: Ball resets to enemy penalty box when it's shot out of the field
-DB-November - Can't duck on enemy goal to score anymore, New Goals
-DB-SmallcubeSE - Added Reverb, New Goals, New Roof

Bugs:
-Occasionally goals don't count (tell us if you have it or if you know how to reproduce; probably has something to do with the new ball spawning)
-Sometimes one spectator camera on DB-Smallplatform is being weird
-I'll update the side-platforms on DB-Smallplatform next version
-2nd ball might show thru in replays sometimes (please tell us if you can reproduce it)
-Sometimes you see no radars and need to restart Deathball to fix it
-Bots are not yet working properly with 2.4 (they still play with 2.3 logic and fail big time)
-Match time sometimes wrong at the end
-DB-Blocko and DB-Tribun too bright
-DB-Blocko has a reset bug
-Ball once got stuck in the air and nobody could pick it up, nor did it reset
-Radar-Locks don't work everywhere

We are done with the next version. It will be released sometime on Saturday.
Plenty new/old maps, bug fixes, improvements and features! I pretty much like this version already, and I know exactly what people will moan about for 1 week (simply because it's new :P).
And good to see so many 5on5's every night these days! Reminds me of 2003 times.

PS: we won't release an update, because I updated all maps and all graphic packages, so it wouldn't be worth it.
PPS: gg for 6on6 at 3:20h at night

Good news about the servers. After complaining about the high pings and packetloss, they are good again now (at least I dropped from 144 to 56 ping and had 0 packetloss when I tested)
TV1, TV2 (private betatesting atm), DBL1, DBL2, DBL3

Hurray for Bazzi, who fixed the last small bugs on the website. The only obvious change for users is, that you can now edit and delete your comments. Especially the last one could be used more often by some. Or just don't post in the first place \o/
j/k

The 5th beta of DB-SmallPlatform is out now, you can check out the latest version at this link at any time.
Please tell me, what you would change.

We'll bring back Tribun, Curve, Lego (did I forget some?) and I've come up with a new one.
It will be called DB-SmallPlatform and it's aiming for 3on3.
So you know what to expect here are 2 screenshots:



It will be a reset based map, as you can guess. You can reset yourself and the ball everywhere. To make it a bit fairer for keepers there is a vertical platform near the goals to volley the ball against...otherwise you couldn't get any saved ball.
It's as long as Smallcube but a good with wider and could also work 4on4 maybe.
In the first pic you can also see some of the new lower radar icons.

We have a lot of new players and old players coming back.
To get a ladder going it would be nice if some could form clans/teams.
You can use this forum to look for a team to play in or to look for players for your team (if you wanna start one):
http://forums.gameservers.net/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=29

So if we happen to get a sufficient amount of teams I'll run a ladder, because friendly matches all day long get boring for everyone. ;)

Download V2.4p  Vollversion (51MB)

Handbuch: Um zu lernen wie man Deathball spielt hier klicken.

Chat: irc.quakenet.org #deathball
Die Anlaufstelle für alle Deathballspieler um organisierte Matches zu spielen. Am einfachsten mit diesem kleinen Tool.

ps: this is German, because Deathball was on German Giga TV

Added the stuff section

Download Update (1,6MB zip) (from 2.4o  to 2.4p)
unzip it to \ut2004\deathball\system\

Changes
Gameplay:
-Hammer bug fixed...although we just got used to it :'(
-Volleys are now easier to hit - The hit cone stays in the air for 0.15 seconds (150 ping). Hint: Try to hit a bit earlier to have a greater chance of hitting the ball
-Hammer bug fixed (Goldy says: "99.995% fixed")
-Self volleys get slowed down by 200 power units (about 13km/h)
-Bounce angle fixed - It's now 225° for real
-Hammer bug fixed (again 'cuz it sounds so nice)
-When you get hit as ballcarrier there will now be a real shake of your view
-Hammer bug fixed (let's not hope for the 0.005% case then)

Other:
-Fixed the bug where the 1 man team never spawns at the ball
-Announcer has one more "goal" sound and now says "last minute" instead of "1 minute left"

ps: Hammer bug fixed (well if it happens though, tell us and see crying :'( )

Bugs:
-Replays still laggy online
-Fire trail not yet showing in replays (bug only occurs in multiplayer)
-Server often crashes during map change when replays were shown
-Bots are not yet working properly with 2.4 (they still play with 2.3 logic and fail big time)
-Match time sometimes wrong at the end
-November goal exploit that I won't spoil here until it's fixed

Download Update (1,6MB zip) (from 2.4n  to 2.4o)
unzip it to \ut2004\deathball\system\

Changes
Gameplay:
-Using Dump shot mode keeps you slowed down for 1.0s after releasing (so you can't run as fast as you want with the ball if you do it right....did)
Additional Fixes to this:
    *After releasing a low power shot you are not being slowed down so long anymore. Only 1.0 seconds instead of 2.5s before)
    *The slowing down is slowly fading out instead of the instant speed change we had earlier.
    *Keeper is not being slowed down anymore (because dribbling in his own penalty box is of not much use \o/)
-"Weird HAX" fixed
-Duelcube works fine again
-Self volleys with more than 7 players on the server are no longer being slowed down
Instead: all self volleys are the same speed at any time, only slowed down by 200 down to 1600 (full volley power is 1800)
-Hard shots (the ones with fire trail) will hurt and kick enemy field players in case of deflect
-Using bounce on a curved shot removes the spin from the ball in order to avoid an unfair exploit
-Dribbling (held rmb) does no longer cause a volley delay for the enemy, so he can kick the dribbled ball away easily (already since last version, but wasn't listed)
-Balls don't go through players anymore (got screwed up last version)

Other:
-You don't see your own rings anymore when you look down in Cube as ballcarrier
-Ballcarrier now also has the ball-sparkle effect
-Center Spawning Player is now randomized (It used to depend on the keeper. So if the keeper was always the same, the middle spawner was the same too)
-All balls now have trails, also pass and dump (already since last version, but wasn't listed)
-Duelcube automatically disables replays, because they screw up the goal order and you may have 2 goals opened at the same time
-Server no longer crashes when you hold the ball during map change (finally)
-Goldy pahoons

Bugs:
-Replays still laggy online
-Fire trail not yet showing in replays (bug only occurs in multiplayer)
-"Hammer bug" sometimes occurs online (your hammer keeps on hitting but only the others hear it. Get killed or catch a ball in order to fix it)
-Server often crashes during map change when replays were shown
-Bots are not yet working properly with 2.4 (they still play with 2.3 logic and fail big time)
-Match time sometimes wrong at the end
-November goal exploit that I won't spoil here until it's fixed
-One man teams might not spawn at the ball

-The 'weird HAX' bug seems fixed.
-Duelcube is also working fine again.
-We've stopped the Dump mode exploit which could be used for 'dribbling'...so you had full speed even though you had the ball.
-The players are all gonna sparkle when they have the ball, like the ball does now. Looks pahoon!

There are some little issues left, but then we'll release 2.4omglol