1996

The dawn of Quake!

Quake is released:
 * February 24, 1996 -- qtest release
 * June 22, 1996 -- shareware release
 * July 22, 1996 -- full version release
 * December 17, 1996 -- QuakeWorld release

Tournaments

 * A Frag in the Darkness
 * Danish Quake League
 * Fragfest 96

New clans

 * [[Image:flag_de.gif]] Empire of Azeroth (1996-02-27)
 * [[Image:flag_at.gif]] Artists of Death (1996-03-??)
 * [[Image:flag_de.gif]] Die Fette Faust (1996-05-??)
 * [[Image:flag_no.gif]] The Vicious Vikings (1996-08-28)
 * [[Image:flag_de.gif]] Quadaver (1996-08-??)
 * [[Image:flag_de.gif]] Braindead (1996-08-??)
 * [[Image:flag_se.gif]] Clan McCloud (1996-09-15)
 * [[Image:flag_se.gif]] Swedish Chefs (1996-09-18)
 * [[Image:flag_fi.gif]] AEsir (1996-10-18)
 * [[Image:flag_de.gif]] Ocrana (1996-10-30)
 * [[Image:flag_dk.gif]] Nasty Beasts Inc (1996-10-??)
 * [[Image:flag_no.gif]] Spawn Clan (1996-10-??)
 * [[Image:flag_se.gif]] Tribe of Tjernobyl (1996-12-12)
 * [[Image:flag_no.gif]] Clan Ragnarok (1996-12-20)
 * [[Image:flag_us.gif]] Clan Knightmare (1996-??-??)
 * [[Image:flag_no.gif]] Carnage Clan (1996-??-??)
 * [[Image:flag_se.gif]] Icon of Pain (1996-??-??)
 * [[Image:flag_uk.gif]] Terminal Gibbage (1996-??-??)
 * [[Image:flag_uk.gif]] Demonic Core (1996-??-??)
 * [[Image:flag_uk.gif]] Quake Police Department (1996-??-??)
 * [[Image:flag_no.gif]] Grendel Warriors (1996-??-??)
 * [[Image:flag_no.gif]] Insomnia (1996-??-??)
 * [[Image:flag_se.gif]] Devil's Advocates (1996-??-??)
 * [[Image:flag_fi.gif]] Finnish Allied Quakers (1996-??-??)
 * [[Image:flag_dk.gif]] The Green Machine (1996-??-??)
 * [[Image:flag_us.gif]] Death Row (1996-??-??)
 * [[Image:flag_se.gif]] Crusaders (1996-??-??)
 * [[Image:flag_dk.gif]] Clan Armageddon (1996-??-??)

Clients

 * Linux Quake v0.91 (1996-07-05)
 * Linux Quake v1.01 (1996-09-09)
 * Quake v1.01 (Patch) (1996-07-23)
 * Quake v1.05 (Beta Patch) (1996-09-13)
 * Quake v1.06 (Patch) (1996-10-02)
 * QuakeWorld v1.25 (1996-12-17)

Tutorials

 * Quake Strategy Guide (1996-09-17)

Interviews

 * [[Image:flag_???.gif]] Interview-title (YYYY-MM-DD)

Maps

 * map-name by author-name (YYYY-MM-DD)

Movies

 * movie-name by author-name (YYYY-MM-DD)

Tools

 * Quake C (1996-07-25)
 * QBSP
 * Worldcraft
 * QSpy

Mods

 * Team Fortress (1996-08-24)
 * ReaperBot (1996-10-03)
 * Capture The Flag (1996-10-04)

Websites

 * IdSoftware - Creators of Quake
 * Blue's News - Gaming News
 * FragZone - Gaming News
 * QuakeWorld - Official QuakeWorld Site
 * Threewave - Creators of the CTF mod.

Taken from MethosQuake

 * Qtest released Feb 24th, 1996
 * Quake shareware released worldwide on June 22nd, 1996. It is at this point that most people realize that their trusty 386 computer will need a * drastic upgrade to play Quake
 * Linux shareware version released on July 5th, 1996
 * On July 22nd, 1996, the full release was shipped to people who ordered directly from id Software
 * id Software releases first "bug fix" for Quake to allow modem play on July 23rd, 1996
 * Illegal European full version of Quake shows up in USA stores on July 25th
 * Quake C source and compiler is released allowing programmers to start making wonderful mods on July 25th, 1996
 * First ever Quake tournament to be called Quake Gibfest 96' announced on Aug. 2nd, 1996. It would feature "four on four teamplay with a referee and have separate contests for modem players and direct players"
 * Creative Labs releases first ever 3D drivers for Quake (or any other game) called Verite for use with the Creative PCI 3D Blaster 2meg video card. There will be many more 3D cards and drivers to come
 * John Romero announces that he is leaving id Software for a new company tentatively called "Dream Design" on Aug 7th, 1996 (becomes ION Storm on Sept 25th, 1996)
 * First confirmation that John Romero was "asked to quit" revealed by John Carmack on Aug 17th, 1996
 * Quake full retail version hits USA store shelves on Aug 30th, 1996
 * First "real" version of Quakespy released on Sept 7th, 1996 with lots of bug fixes to follow. Later becomes Gamespy
 * Roger's Wave of Canada tests first Cable Modem with Quake (through Quakespy) on Sept 30th, 1996. About 1/2 of the servers ping less than 100. After a week of testing, they quote "All in all, I am blown away. Everyone will have one of these in their home real soon". This is done months before 56k modem are available
 * David "Zoid" Kirsch sets up the first Threewave Capture The Flag server on Oct 2nd, 1996. CTF (in various forms) will go on to become the most popular Quake mod ever made
 * Steve Polge releases first ever ReaperBot for Quake on Oct 3rd, 1996. Not the first bot released and certainly not the last but, the Reaperbot was considered the best bot until the Omicron bots, which were optimized for DM levels are released. My favorite Quake bot was the VictimBot which didn't shoot at you but, ran around in free for all games and stood right in your face yelling "Help Me!" and "Run AWAY!" over and over. If you killed it, you would lose a frag from your score.
 * First "Ranger Gone Bad" Quake movie released on Nov 6th, 1996
 * Quakeworld released on Dec 17th, 1996 after being talked about for 4 months in John Carmack's .plan