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Archived News:
An Enigma: Rising Tide: Sink the Hood teaser
website is online, holding place for a full launch to follow E3. The site
offers an E3 teaser movie in four different variants, some or all of which are
mirrored on 3D Gamers
and
FileFront. Also, the Codename Panzers: Phase Two E3 movie is now available,
showing off Stormregion's upcoming World War II real-time strategy game. The
movie is available on 3D
Gamers and Gameguru Mania.
- Call of Duty 2
Opening
Up the Action in Call of Duty 2 on GameSpy is a Q&A about Infinity
Ward's upcoming World War II shooter sequel with Grant Collier, Vince
Zampella, Zied Rieke, Steve 'Funkydooda' Fukuda, and Jason West: "Usually, a
level will have some sort of "story" to it or sequence of events that should
happen -- you have to take over a town, and hold up to a counter-attack,
that sort of thing. Instead of making you go through the exact same route
every time, you take out building #5 over here and then this building over
here, the hotel or whatever, and try and seize all these structures in this
area, so it offers more replayablity. Basically, the gameplay does follow
some order of events, but within that structure you're able to sort of
freestyle."
- The Witcher
The
Witcher Q&A, Part 1 on GameBanshee talks with the CD Projekt Team about
their upcoming RPG, while
RPG Vault's The
Witcher Update Q&A likewise talks about the game with Michal Kicinski as
they prepare to show it off at E3: "For the last 12 months, we've put great
effort into our work, which has resulted in a huge progress. We've
introduced a new, charismatic protagonist - Geralt, we have rewritten the
combat sequences and perfected the game's graphics. The list of new features
comprises the introduction of Kriterion Karma real-time physics and
ragdolls, soft dynamic shadows, light reflections and refractions, advanced
pixel shader-based special effects, dismembering the opponents, characters'
mimics in dialogue sequences and engine-based cutscenes."
The promised "Q-Course" update for America's Army: Special Forces is now
available, bringing the Unreal-engine shooter to version 2.4. Details on the new
version can be found in
the announcement from earlier today, where there's word on new randomization
features, four new Special Forces missions, and two new weapons. Due to an
engine upgrade there are no patches for prior versions, so the full 855 MB
version 2.40 client download is available on
3D Gamers,
AusGamers
(Australia),
FileFront, FileShack
(registration required), Gameguru Mania,
Gamer's Hell,
GameSpot DLX (registration required), and
Worthplaying.
id Software and Activision announce Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, a class-based
multiplayer shooter in the works at Splash Damage to debut at E3. The game will
be built on a new technology from id called MegaTexture™ "that crunches millions
of polygons and a gigabyte-scale texture into a single, seamless and un-tiled
landscape with unique detail down to the square inch or the un-obscured distant
horizon" (though the Splash Damage
Website clarifies this is on top of the DOOM 3 engine). Accompanying the
announcement is a (massive)
first screenshot, and here's word, which does not include a release date or
target platforms: Santa Monica, CA – May 16, 2005 – id Software™ and
Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) today announced the development of ENEMY
TERRITORY: QUAKE WARS™. Developed by Splash Damage and built on id Software’s
new MegaTexture™ rendering technology, ENEMY TERRITORY: QUAKE WARS pits the
armies of Earth against the invading alien Strogg in the ultimate online
strategic shooter. Featuring strategic team play, persistent character
promotions, day and nighttime combat missions, and the universe’s most powerful
weapons and vehicles, ENEMY TERRITORY: QUAKE WARS transports players to the
front lines of an epic new war for Earth.
“For years, fans have enjoyed incredible battles on the Strogg home planet; but
with ENEMY TERRITORY: QUAKE WARS, we’re taking players back to the war that
started it all – the Strogg invasion of Earth – where the choice is to fight
with the humans or the alien Strogg in a massive campaign for survival,” said
Todd Hollenshead, CEO, id Software. “Like all great id Software games, ENEMY
TERRITORY: QUAKE WARS unites bleeding-edge technology, a fantastic universe, and
meticulously balanced gameplay to deliver an engrossing and futuristic gaming
experience.”
“We have been so proud of Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory’s™ rave reviews, ‘Game of
the Year’ awards, and massive fan-base, so to work with id again in developing
ENEMY TERRITORY: QUAKE WARS is an amazing opportunity.” states Paul Wedgwood,
Lead Game Designer and Owner of Splash Damage Ltd. “The stories of the Strogg
invasion of Earth have always fascinated me, and now through ENEMY TERRITORY:
QUAKE WARS, we’re able to bring this incredible war to life with an
uncompromising level of detail and realism.”
As the invasion begins, players choose to battle as one of five unique classes
in either the EDF (Earth Defense Force – humans) or the barbaric alien Strogg
armies, each augmented with specialist weapons and combat hardware. Troops
utilize over 40 conventional and futuristic vehicles, deployable structures, and
defense systems like quad-bikes, tanks, and alien walkers for epic ground
assaults; or helicopters and anti-gravity ships to lend firepower from the air.
Throughout each battle, teams establish bases, deploy defense structures,
artillery, radar, and advanced forward-command systems into enemy territory
while constructing and demolishing obstacles to speed progress and gain a
tactical advantage over the enemy.
With realistic dynamic lighting and shadowing from headlights, searchlights and
even the moon, battles can be fought during the day or night; while accurate
simulation of the atmosphere, weather, and vegetation combine to create an
unparalleled degree of realism. Battlefields are perfectly rendered using
MegaTexture, a totally new rendering technology developed by id Software that
crunches millions of polygons and a gigabyte-scale texture into a single,
seamless and un-tiled landscape with unique detail down to the square inch or
the un-obscured distant horizon.
Players can take on class specific missions or join a fireteam to utilize
advanced command and communication options, including voice-chat and the game’s
context sensitive mission order system. With bitterly contested multi-battle
campaigns, each soldier fights not only for victory, but to gain valuable
skills, special rewards for team-play, and persistent military promotions and
medals. ENEMY TERRITORY: QUAKE WARS will debut at this year’s Electronic
Entertainment Expo in Activision’s booth #1224 in the South Hall.
Digital
Jesters reveals development of Dogtag (thanks Tiscali Games), an upcoming special
ops-themed first-person shooter in the works at
Diezel Power due for the PC and
next-generation consoles in Q2 of next year. The
first screenshots from the project are online, and here's the deal: A
Marine battalion has been sent in to replace a retreating rebel faction. A few
weeks later, intel confirms that the colonel leading the battalion had engaged
in a mutiny against central command with the support of some or all of the
troops under his command. His reasons, at this stage, are unknown.
An elite Special Ops Squad is sent in under your command. Your team’s mission:
Arrest and retrieve the command structure behind the rebellion. If retrieval is
not possible, neutralize the battalion command. Can you still pull the trigger
when the enemy is your friend?
Features
• Intense urban combat in ultra-realistic modern day city and
industrial environments
• Unique cover based gameplay - use every aspect of the
environment for defensive manoeuvres and utilise blind-fire tactics to destroy
the enemy.
• Tactical squad based movement against an enemy who knows
all your moves
• Face an entire battalion of soldiers, equipped with the
latest military hardware, vehicles and weaponry
• Marine vs. Marine as the distinction between good and evil
disappears
• Proprietary game engine with full environmental and player
collision physics, dynamic shadowing and global illumination light
mapping
Blizzard Entertainment
Acquires Swingin' Ape Studios announces that Blizzard has completed
acquisition of the developer currently at work on Starcraft Ghost. Swingin' Ape
will continue to work on Blizzard console titles going forward. Financial terms
of the deal are not being revealed.
Uncle Sam sends along their plans for a version 2.4 update later today for America's
Army: Special Forces, the military first-person shooter.
The lengthy announcement describes plans for the Q-Course update, which will
include a combination of random spawns with random and dynamic objectives,
"carryable" objectives, random extraction points, four new Special Forces
missions, and two new weapons.
The Unreal Tournament 2007 Teaser
Website is now live (thanks Frans), dedicated to the upcoming installment in
Epic's shooter series. There's nothing there at the moment except for logos and
links to Epic, Midway, and the ESRB.
Legacy Interactive announces the completion of ER, the game based on the hit
hospital television series of the same name. The announcement gives the game's
availability as later this month, which
EBgames further
narrows to May 31. Here's the deal: Hollywood, Ca., (May 16, 2005) –
Legacy Interactive, known for its expertise in developing entertaining PC games
based on the hottest properties on television, is pleased to announce that the
upcoming title ER, has gone gold and been released to manufacturing. Shipping
later this month for PC CD-ROM, the ER game is licensed by Warner Bros.
Interactive Entertainment and will be published by Legacy Interactive and
distributed by Vivendi Universal Games. ER will have an SRP of $29.95.
ER captures the intensity and unpredictability of the award-winning television
series. With celebrities Noah Wyle, Mekhi Phifer and Sherry Stringfield lending
their voice and likeness to the game, fans will get a chance to interact with
their favorite characters from the show. Starting as a newly hired intern at
Chicago’s County General Hospital, the player’s skills are quickly put to the
test as they come head-to-head with challenges ranging from the day-to-day drama
of the emergency room to the frenzy of widespread toxicological epidemics. The
player will also have to take on hospital politics and establish personal
relationships - even romances!
ER is the first game to utilize Legacy Interactive’s STORI game development
technology. This highly-developed technology facilitates the creation of
engaging and distinctive story-telling capabilities. With ER, Legacy Interactive
is utilizing this technology to create a one-of-a-kind gameplay experience which
combines open-ended “sandbox” play with mission-based directives, all building
from the ER universe. The combination of both gameplay mechanics makes for an
authenitic ER gaming experience.
This Strategy First Downloads Page (thanks Frans) features downloads of the
first patch for Supreme Ruler 2010, a 3 MB download offering a new "German
Advance" mission, new "future" units, AI diplomacy improvements, better low-end
video hardware support, and more. The same page also offers the official demo
for BattleGoat Studios' just-released strategy game. Here's the description of
the 96 MB download: "This demo is a fully functional version containing three
scenarios and two missions; it supports Single Player and Multi Player gameplay.
(Matchmaking using GameSpy is planned but not available yet). The Demo Version
does not include any 'Campaigns', and it also does not include Nuclear Weapons."
The Falklands
War: 1982 Downloads Page offers a playable demo of this wargame based on the
relative brief conflict between Britain and Argentina. Here's how the 16 MB
download is described: "This demo includes two scenarios: a tutorial that covers
a SAS raid on Pebble Island, and a regular scenario detailing a British attack
on Argentinean defensive positions."
Game Factory Interactive sends word that reports that Jagged Alliance 3D has
been renamed African Alliance ( story) are erroneous, and that
African Alliance is a new and separate project, being developed concurrently
with both Jagged Alliance 3D and the similarly titled Jagged Alliance 3: Jagged
Alliance 3D was not canceled! Its development runs according to the schedule and
very soon the audience will see new details of the project. As it was stated
before, Jagged Alliance 3D is the sequel of the famous series of tactical
turn-based games, presenting the new level of quality and following the best
traditions of previous games. The unique turn-based system, high game world
interaction, true physic and well-know characters - everything to make happy
even the most zealous fans of JA.
Moreover, Mist Land development team is preparing to start the Jagged Alliance 3
(logical JA2 sequel) development. This project is on pre-production stage now
and more information on it will be available later.
At the same time Mist Land South is in developing real time tactical strategy
titled African Alliance. The official presentation of this project will take
place at this year E3 show. This project has original story-line, unique style
and characters and it’s not related to Jagged Alliance series. As far as we
understand, this unannounced project was the reason that brought chaos to news
lines and provoked false gossips about “one more Jagged Alliance”.
African Alliance will be announced in the nearest time. And official page of
this project, where you could find more info about the game, will be open soon
and could be found on Mist Land’s website! So, watch for our news and wait for
official press-releases!
The Adventure Company unveils Journey to the Center of the Moon, an upcoming
project from Kheops Studio that's (sort of) based on a Jules Verne novel. Here's
the announcement, which carries no release date: Toronto, May 16, 2005.
The Adventure Company, a leading publisher of PC adventure games, today
announced it will publish Journey to the Center of the Moon for Windows®. A
captivating graphic adventure based on legendary author Jules Verne’s From the
Earth the Moon, this game will debut at the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo.
In this not so distant past, the far side of the moon conjured up the most
fascinating theories. Even some of the world’s greatest scientific minds
believed that our natural satellite had an atmosphere that could, and did,
support various life forms. Based on the premise of Verne's novel, Journey to
the Center of the Moon follows as a group of scientists create a space capsule
with the intent of landing on the moon’s surface. Where as in the novel, their
mission fails, leaving them floating high above the lunar surface, in this
fascinating adventure, they succeed!
As scientist Michel Ardan, players are able to wander the surface of the moon in
an unstable but breathable atmosphere and witness the explosion of plant life at
dawn. Players will explore fantastic locations including the space capsule, the
lunar surface, an ancient temple, and other mysterious ruins. They will also
encounter a subterranean civilization inside the moon, as well as the Selenite
City, the home of an ancient but highly intelligent race, the Selenites.
With each step of the journey, questions arise as to the fate of the Selenite
people: Did they deteriorate, like so many of the statues they left behind? Did
they leave the surface to seek refuge in the center of the moon? Once players
answer these questions, they may find their way to back to earth with news of
their fantastic discoveries.
The game features a variety of ingenious puzzles and a unique, built in
Intelligence Management system. Actions made by the player throughout the game,
as well as the puzzles they solve, are awarded points, raising their score and
earning the respect of the Selenites. Along the journey, players will interact
with a huge cast of mysterious characters and creatures.
Journey to the Center of the Moon is developed by Kheops Studio with an
anticipated ESRB of ‘T’ for Teen and “12+PEGI.” For more information, visit
www.adventurecompanygames.com.
The Adventure Company announces The Sacred Rings, a sequel to Aura: Fate of the
Ages. Here's word on the game, being developed by Streko-Graphics and slated for
release this fall: Toronto, May 16, 2005. The Adventure Company, a
leading publisher of PC adventure games, today announced it will publish The
Sacred Rings, the sequel to Aura: Fate of the Ages, for Windows®.
The Story:
Since ancient times, a clan of Keepers has guarded a collection of sacred rings
that, when united with several hidden artifacts, grant the holder infinite power
and immortality. When a rival clan, led by Durad, makes known its intention to
obtain this power for an evil purpose, the Keepers send their prized student to
uncover the artifacts and deliver them, along with the rings, to Grifit, the Old
Master. Umang’s journey leads him to the portal of a world unknown even to the
powerful Keepers.
In The Sacred Rings, the portal transports Umang to Manula Valley and a series
of truths are revealed. To his dismay, Umang discovers that this world was once
inhabited by the Keepers, hundreds of years ago, until it was taken from them by
Durad and his clan. More disturbing, it is revealed that Umang’s arrival in
Manula Valley is just one more step in a plot manipulated by Durad to bring
Umang and the rings one step closer to evil. He must now outwit Durad’s powerful
forces to complete his quest and return the sacred rings to his clan.
Game Features:
• Easy to navigate mouse-driven, point-and-click interface.
• More than 25 inventive cerebral puzzles and challenges.
• Three vast worlds to explore: No Man’s Land, Manula Valley,
and the Keeper’s Land.
• Proprietary engine blends together beautiful pre-rendered
graphics and environmental interaction with immersive special effects.
• Non-linear style of gameplay with multiple choices that can
affect the journey’s outcome.
• More than 40 minutes of incredible cut-scenes.
• More than 400 beautiful locations to fully-explore.
• A fully realized cast of characters to interact with.
• An astonishing musical score with 8 varied themes to
compliment gameplay.
The CellFactor Website is online,
heralding production of an upcoming first-person shooter in the works at
South-American developer Immersion Software & Graphics. The game utilizes the
Reality engine that's been in the news lately, though other details like a
projected release date are not provided. Word is: CellFactor is an FPS
set in a warfare industrial atmosphere. As the plot develops, you'll gain access
to other two main characters as well, each one with distinctive singularities in
the game play. You'll count with a great amount of traditional and experimental
weapons, and even your character will get more powerful as the game goes
along.
The MetalHeart Website (thanks
Frans) has word that MetalHeart: Replicants Rampage is gold, and undergoing
a final prerelease test. It's not clear what territories the announcement
covers, as this is all it has to say: Akella
and Numlock Software are glad to
inform you that the post-apocalyptic RPG MetalHeart: Replicants Rampage is
complete! The gold master is sent for the final prerelease test. The exact
release date will be announced next week. Please feel free to explore the
Metalheart web site to find the comprehensive information concerning the
game.
The Cartel Games Website now offers a
"new and improved" version of the Mythic Blades demo (thanks Frans). Word is:
A new Improved Mythic Blades Demo has been released. The 17.0 MB Demo
features 2 playable characters. Choose to play as the powerful Minotaur or the
graceful Hippolyte, Queen of the Amazons. The new demo is slightly easier for
the new player to get into the game. Enjoy!
Operation
Flashpoint 2 VTV page now offers a teaser saying "Armed Assault Coming
Soon," revealing a name change for the shooter sequel formerly known as
Operation Flashpoint 2. The teaser then redirects to
armedassault.com, a domain owned by
Bohemia Interactive Studios. The site no longer bears the Codemasters logo, so
the name change may indicate a change in publishers as well. Thanks Tiscali Games.
DOFUS, the
successful MMORPG made in France sets out to conquer the world… is the press
release announcing plans to market this oddly named MMORPG outside its native
France: Ankama Studio announces the world release of DOFUS, a massively
multiplayer role play game on Internet. This international version will be
available on the first of september 2005. Armed with the rising success of DOFUS
French-speaking version, Ankama Studio takes the world by storm with the
international launch of its MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing
Game). Available in French since September 2004, DOFUS is yet a reference in
France and French-speaking regions of Canada, Belgium and Switzerland.
With more than 100 000 registered users and almost 15 000 total subscribers,
Ankama Studio has accepted the challenge to carry out and market on its own a
MMORPG.
Ankama will take advantage of the E3 Expo in Los Angeles to officialize its
international display (May 17th-20th, 2005).
The first stage will be the recruiting of Anglophone testers in order to
validate DOFUS new technical infrastructure. Registrations will open the 17th of
May 2005 on the official site (www.dofus.com)
and beta-tests will start in Summer 2005.
- SWAT 4
The
SWAT 4 Q&A on Gamesplanet
talks with Bill Garner about the latest installment in the tactical police
shooter series: "One of the biggest changes is the interface. Given the
complexity of the game and the considerable number of commands you can give
to your squad, we felt we had to give this aspect an overhaul. In the end,
we created a command interface that’s both intuitive and a blast to use.
Being able to give your team advanced commands with a single click is very
empowering. That said, we did our best to make sure nothing ‘disappeared’.
To keep fans of SWAT 3’s interface happy, we’ve also included the 'Classic
Command Interface'. A few other major changes include more less-lethal
weapons, new multiplayer modes and a radically updated look thanks to our
own custom enhanced version of the Unreal Engine."
- Sparta: Ancient Wars
Gameguru
Mania's Sparta: Ancient Wars Q&A is a chat with Ingo Horn and Torsten
Hess about IMC's upcoming historical RTS game: "Beside that it will give the
genre some cool new ideas and elements that will be unveiled at E3! But for
now, we already can tell you, that for example the player can vary its
transporting units with its load. Based on the units, e.g. placed on a ship,
the ship will be capable of ranged attack (archers on board), able to move
faster (workers on board) or even be a siege ship (catapult on board). But
beside this, you actually can see the units on board - so it is possible to
fight against an enemy, while seeing what he has loaded on board. For all
kind of tactics this is a very new feature."
- Ankh
The
Ankh
Q&A on AdventureDot discusses Deck 13/Rebel Games' upcoming adventure
game with creative director Jan Klose: "Well, it takes place in a fictitious
ancient Cairo, a magic place with lots of strange characters around. Assil,
son of a rich pyramid architect, stole the key to a new pyramid to have a
little party with some friends. This doesn't end well, however, as Assil
becomes cursed with a Death Curse, given by an angry mummy. So getting rid
of this curse before it's too late is his task in this wild adventure. Along
the way, he meets lots of weird characters who either help him or try to
steal the "Ankh" - the ancient Egyptian symbol of life - that he has stolen
from said pyramid."
- Warhammer 40,000: Winter Assault on
GameSpot.
- ASPIRE X-QPACK-AL/420 Black/Silver Aluminum MicroATX Case w/ 420W PSU
on TWEAKNEWS.
- EPoX 9NPA+ Ultra (nForce 4 Ultra AMD) Motherboard on
TweakTown.
- i.Tech Bluetooth Virtual Keyboard on
TrustedReviews.
- Logisys Case-51W on
Techgage.
- Logitech Z-5500 THX Certified Digital Speakers on
Xtreme Resources.
- OCZ EL PC-3200 Gold Series Dual Channel Kit on
ExtremeMhz.
- PowerNotebooks PowerPro A 2:21 Laptop on
GotApex.
- SonicWALL TZ 150 Wireless Router on
TrustedReviews.
- Thermalright XP-90c Heatsink on
PC
Perspective.
- Thermaltake Circlefire Front Panel on
Gruntville.
- Transcend JetFlash 110 512MB USB Flash Drive on
bigbruin.
We suffered some downtime over the weekend, apologies about that. The site was
actually up, but something went wrong with how the site was accessed via DNS,
and so we may as well have been down. The fix was made in the wee hours of the
night by Peter from UGO, and I'd like to offer him some heartfelt thanks for
going above and beyond the call of duty for making a house call on the server in
the middle of a Sunday Night, which was actually his second visit to the data
center after trying earlier in the day.
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