Archived News:

Sunday, Apr 12, 2009

Leaked StarCraft II Details?

OS X Reality and StarcraftWire.net each now offer alleged StarCraft II details, said to be from Blizzard's upcoming StarCraft II Battle Report II. The info is reportedly from Blizzard's website, where some simple detective work allowed users to find the next set of revelations about the upcoming RTS sequel. These articles contain spoilers, though since none of this is officially confirmed, they could be fake spoilers.

Airborne Rangers Cancelled

Ash Monif's LinkedIn page lists Airborne Rangers on this developer's résumé as a cancelled project, so this shooter revealed in February '08 is now dead. We never got any details on the project, but he describes the game as a subscription-free online shooter for PS3, X360, PC, iPhone, Windows Mobile, and Web for which he produced "a fully functional Vertical Slice Demo." The description also indicates this was a cross-platform game: "Key features included: Virtual monetary point system (reward & paid), Extensive character & weapon customizations, Pervasive cross-platform interactivity & mini-games, Compelling 3D social space, Web-Client, and Progressive in-game fiction timeline." Thanks superannuation.

id the "Multiplatform Developer"

Hollenshead Rages about PC gaming, E3 surprises on GameSpot talks with id Software CEO Todd Hollenshead about Rage, QUAKE LIVE, and more. When asked about multiplatform support in Rage and whether id still considers itself first and foremost a PC developer, the answer was no:
Well, actually it's been a fundamental, sort of philosophical shift at the company, is that we really have transitioned from, first and foremost, a PC developer to a multiplatform developer. And so when John [Carmack] developed id Tech 5 (see below), it really was targeted from the initiation as a multiplatform technology solution.

Now, there's no question that our roots are in PC gaming. And when I play a first-person shooter, keyboard and mouse is the configuration that I want to play on. I'm devoting my gaming time right now on the PC to Quake Live. I like a little Rock Band on the console, to be honest about it. But we feel like, in terms of your triple-A, big-budget, big-market title, that you really have to be cross-platform to be successful, unless you're a first party.

So as an independent developer, we feel like we have to be on all the relevant platforms. So we don't really view ourselves as PC first. I think I would say that John says that probably the primary development platform for Rage is actually the 360.

Op Ed

Times Online - We have films, books on Iraq, why not games?
"The horrified response in some quarters to Six Days in Fallujah is a consequence of that outdated viewpoint. If, indeed, this were a game where you simply blasted enemies to boost your score, it would be a disgusting exploitation of the events in question - but talented game developers evolved the medium away from that long ago. War games, both modern and historical, are now often exercises in accuracy and balance, concerned with documenting the reality of conflict as much as with providing an entertainment experience."

Gamasutra- The Gaming Analysis Process (GAP).
"What is the GAP? No... It's not the trendy shopping outlet where you get your fix for Polo shirts and Khakis... It's a definitive video game profiling system that uses random integers to determine a subject for in-depth analysis and also acts as a new method of exploration into the often uncharted and overlooked world of video games and the deep composition associated with them. GAP attempts to distinguish and study several key stages of a games molecular makeup, ultimately the base mechanics that compose all games everywhere."

Mod DB - Creativity in Constraints.
"So where have we seen this in mods? Many projects seek to put themselves out there in comparison to retail AAA products, utilizing every facet of technology that engine X can afford them plus more. Many modders are set to make their “best game ever” on their first go, and as a result their project takes a nosedive after a tumultuous development period or proceeds down the long road of development that rivals the incubation period for the fabled Duke Nukem Forever."

Sunday Q&A Roundup

Sunday Screenshots

Game Reviews

Hardware Reviews

Out of the Blue

Happy Easter to all who are celebrating, and Passover continues as well. Today is also Orthodox Palm Sunday, and on a more secular front, today is also National Licorice Day and apparently "Walk On Your Wild Side Day," so we've got candy lovers and transvestites covered as well.

Easter Links: Thanks Ant and Mike Martinez.
Play: Easter Eggs.
Links: Gaming's Top 10 Easter Eggs.
Abrams and Stars Show Star Trek To Troops in Kuwait. Thanks Mark.
Time Travel Cheat Sheet. Thanks Art.
Stories: Getting the inside scoop on the Cadbury Creme Egg.
Rabbits make home under Sydney Harbour Bridge in time for Easter.
Woman rubs chilli pepper seeds in her eyes after setting new world record. Thanks Digg.
Science: When to switch off your lights.
Auctions: Blade Runner blaster gun lands on auction bloc. Thanks Neutronbeam.
Images: Peeps on Parade- 2009 finalists.
Linux & Cats.
Media: LOLz 4 DEAD.
Going Green is the Only Way To Stop the Zombies.
Cat Drive-By Attack.
Follow-ups: White House Puppy crisis—OVER!
The Funnies: Fox Trot.
About That Ad Blocker
We see you're using an ad blocker. While we strive to make our ads behave, we understand your desire for peace and privacy. So please consider becoming a supporter to take advantage of the no ads version of Blue's News. This will help sustain our efforts to bring you the best in gaming and tech news without requiring you to see ads or suffer a guilty conscience. You'll even get a nifty forum badge that will be the envy of the neighborhood!
Support the Site!