The Qtracker Homepage has public beta 2 of version 2.3 of the Qtracker server browser program. This release adds subnet-broadcasting, and aid to those with switched networks or multiple subnets. There have also been several bugs squished, mainly relating to autoposting on the JediBoard and XWingboard.

There is now a complete list of cheats for Requiem: Avenging Angel on Requiem-HQ. (Update -- they've since been pulled, but are still posted over at Voodoo Extreme).

Ritual Programmer Mark Dochtermann updated his .plan with an update on the status of Sin 3DNow! support, which is not included in the version 1.04 patch. Here's the deal:

3DNOW update
============

We are currently in the middle of doing optimizations for 3DNOW with AMD, unfortunately they were not ready in time for version 1.04. Version 1.04 includes the same ref_gl_amd.dll that I had released as beta 2 weeks prior. If everything goes as planned, we should have a new beta dll sometime next week.

A list of Starsiege TRIBES Call Back Functions have been posted on the Tribes Players page, the first release of the TRIBES Scripting Documentation, the rest of which is expected within a week, or so. Thanks James at Datumplane::Starsiege.

Ritual Programmer Scott Alden's .plan contains the announcement that Sin 1.04 is available at Ritualistic on this download page. Here's word on the release, which includes SinCTF built in:

Sin 1.04 is out at www.ritualistic.com

This update contains CTF built in. Thanks to all those involved who helped make SinCTF a reality.

Give it a try while you're waiting for that other game. There's a server up at sinctf.ritual.com.

Have Fun!

id Software's John "Hellrot" Cash updated his .plan on the mainstream press, The Matrix, and a mention that Graeme Devine's .plan is the source for Q3A info with a tantalizing Jerry Pournelle quote:

To quote Jerry Pournelle... "Real Soon Now". Graeme's plan is the place to go for the offical Q3A info.

Sony Sues Dave is a GameCenter article announcing that Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. (SCEI), and Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc. (SCEA), have filed a lawsuit against ActionWorld, Inc. over copyright infringement, contributory copyright infringement, and unfair competition. The Sony suit, filed in the U.S. District Court of Northern California, turns out to be the cause of the recent shutdown (story) at emulator site Dave's Classics, ending a lot of wild (and mostly inaccurate) speculation over who was the source of the "recent legal action" that closed the site. Thanks Ant. According to the article, Sony alleges that "ActionWorld willfully copied the proprietary PlayStation BIOS onto the site, and made it available as a download to visitors up until at least March 23." In an interesting note, as this is being written, Dave's Classics is back on line (at least for the moment).

4gamers.net's Unreal Tournament Preview offers some never-before-seen shots from Epic's upcoming Unreal Tournament.

The Coven's Deadlode II page has the new public beta of Deadlode II for Quake II. The new version adds support for visible weapons, a "vastly improved menu system," a new improved HUD, player id, and of course, bug fixes, tweaks and improvements to this goal-based teamplay mod for Quake II.

The Orange Smoothie Productions page has a new Version 1.32 of OSP Tourney DM, their tournament control mod for Quake II that was used at Extreme Annihilation and for portions of K9CON. The new release is available for Windows 95/98/NT, Linux/x86 for libc5/glibc systems, Linux/Alpha, Solaris/Sparc and FreeBSD/x86, and offers the option to allow clients who've disconnected to recover their score upon reconnection, optional auto-pausing of one-on-one matches when one player gets disconnected, and much more. From the page: "This release constitutes a full upgrade from all previous versions. It is a *highly* recommended upgrade for any servers running *ANY* version of OSP Tourney DM."

Version 0.9.2 of Quake II Java, the mod that allows Quake II mods written in Java, is now available. The new release adds support for reading/writing map information in XML format, which allows mappers to define new XML tags. Included are example Java gamelets which let admins easily set CVars and load/unload other gamelets on a map-by-map basis just by editing an XML file.

Clan MaX Homepage for Starsiege Tribes has posted an updated version of their TAWA (Tribes Advanced Weapons Analysis), offering weapons tips, etc., now almost double its original size. Also, the Xtreme Gaming Network has released another pair of TRIBES maps as well as a pair of new maps for Shogo: Mobile Armor Division made by the head mapper for Tow Arena.

Sloshy Software Inc. has released version 2.37 of the Quick Start - Eraser Bot Wizard that fixes a few bugs in this front-end for the Eraser Bot for Quake II. They've also announced their latest project, "The Swapper," a program that will function as a huge database of add-ons such as mods, maps, models, skins, cfg files, etc. for games like Quake II, Half-Life, Starcraft, Q3A, etc.

The Pixel-lab has a new version of Texl, the noisy seamless texture generator written in Java. The latest version supports 256*256 textures in 24-bit color, and is described as "a kind of image synthesizer you can play around with, creating seamless textures that don't look too square-edged or mirrored."

• Teamplay.Net is a newly opened site offering team-oriented competitions. They host four TRIBES servers across the US where they track the histories and statistics of every member and team that plays. Tournaments and leagues are planned soon.
• Registrants in the Professional 3 on 3 Half-Life League who have not received an email regarding teamplay.net, please email ck231@home.com with your team name and number and you will be given a password to enter the tournament.

• Wages of Sin is reviewed on GameSpot UK, snagging an 8/10.
• Tweak3D reviews the Voodoo 3 2000.
• The 4 ATX Case Round Up is up on Hot Hardware.

• ‘Melissa’ virus suspect arrested reports MSNBC. Thanks Kreed. They did not post his email address...
• Another key Mozilla figure departs is a CNN article reporting that John Giannandrea, another key Netscape veteran, has resigned. This hot on the heels of the announcement of Netscape employee No. 20/Mozilla cofounder Jamie Zawinski's surprise resignation (story). Thanks + Raze2k...
• GA-Source's AMD on Class Action Law Suit offers a short comment from AMD on the recently announced Class Action Suit Against AMD, which alleges fraud...

Woo, another dead horse to beat (I have a smelly, but quiet, stable full of them): To follow up on some recent rambles, it turns out Kevin Spacey did a sketch on SNL a few years back playing Christopher Walken auditioning for the part of Han Solo. Matt "Hastur" Dimmic did some digging, and came up with the Spaceyland Listening Booth, where there's a .wav file of this sketch under the heading "Kevin as."

There are seven new Spec Ops 2: Green Berets screenshots on Gibbed.com showing off a pre-alpha build of the sequel currently in the works over at Zombie.

Doomworld interviews John Carmack talking to id's lead programmer about the days way back when Doom was being created. Good stuff, including the first revelation I've ever seen of where Doom got its name:

Carmack: There is a scene in "The Color of Money" where Tom Cruse shows up at a pool hall with a custom pool cue in a case. "What do you have in there?" asks someone. "Doom." replied Cruse with a cocky grin. That, and the resulting carnage, was how I viewed us springing the game on the industry.

After yesterday's April Fools joke about the Rainbow Six sequel, today comes the real deal, as Tom Clancy's Rogue Spear has been announced by Red Storm Entertainment. Thanks Billy at Voodoo Extreme. Here's the dope on the sequel:

Feedback from players showed an interest in a more realistic, real world story-with that in mind, we're considering the idea of two vastly different, well-known international terrorist groups forming an alliance. This alliance would join forces in an effort to achieve even greater, more sinister goals worldwide than those they could accomplish separately. As in the original, the missions will progress in a linear storyline, with the first few crisis situations appearing to be unrelated, and leading up to a challenging and explosive ending.

The sequel is currently scheduled for sixteen separate levels, and eighteen unique missions (some levels will be used in different time periods during the game). Again, as in the original, there will be a mix of hostage rescue, surveillance, and demolitions missions.

SOME (not all) New Features:

• REPLAY: Players will be able to record missions and watch them later. Viewers will be able to watch from the perspective of any operative on the team.
• Improved AI and Team Behavior: No more team members crowding, or getting stuck behind you!
• Improved graphics: including revised special effects and lighting
• Weather Effects: including snow and rain.
• New Weapons and items: will include a grenade launcher
• Observer mode: (originally in the Mission Pack, but it will carry over into the sequel)
• New Multiplayer game types
• Multiplayer Feature: A special Multiplayer "arm patch" option, so that teams/squads can customize their uniforms and distinguish team members during multiplayer firefights.

Version 1.17 of the Mac Descent/Descent II 3Dfx patch is available. Thanks Billy at Voodoo Extreme.

Jenni from Valve just sent along word that the TeamFortress Classic release, originally planned for last Friday then rescheduled for today, has been delayed again. The bad news has some corresponding good news, a new map will be included when the release does occur. Here's the update:

The Bad News:
- TFC isn't going to release today. We have to do simultaneous releases in all languages, and we haven't finished QA on the international versions. Once that finishes up, we're going to do final acceptance testing on all the different language versions for 24 hours, and then release. I'll let you know as soon as that 24 hour clock starts.

The Good News:
- There will be a new map in the release, called Push. We were going to keep this a secret until the release went out the door, but in a desperate attempt to reduce hate mail, I'm going to try to buy you off with this information.
- The Team Fortress Classic review in today's issue of 'USA Today' gives Team Fortress Classic 4 out of 4 stars, calling it "incredible" and "spectacular", and saying it "rocks"!
- Remember, Team Fortress Classic will be the BEST FREE GAME you've ever played.

There is a Slave Zero Q&A on GA-Source talking with Slave Zero Producer Matt Powers about Accolade's upcoming third-person giant robot game, offering four new screenshots.

The Linux release of version 5.2 of Loki's Minions Capture the Flag for Quake II is now available.

Jamie Zawinski has resigned as head of Mozilla.Org, citing the reasons behind the decision in this post, which offers some interesting commentary on the world of big software development. Thanks Beta Bites.

3DO's Official Requiem: Avenging Angel FAQ is online offering frequently asked questions and their answers about this just-released first-person shooter (here's a link to the Unofficial Requiem FAQ). The FAQ mostly covers screen darkness, and similar video issues at the moment. Thanks Requiem HQ.

WarZone interviews Tim Sweeney talking to the Epic programmer in a brief Q&A about progress on the 223 (or perhaps now 224) Unreal patch and Unreal Tournament.

WarZone interviews Scott Herrington of Shiny about their upcoming Messiah, and Avault's Messiah preview is online, as well.

PC Gamer Online's Mortyr preview is up with a hands-on look at Interactive Magic's upcoming World War II shooter (at least I think the undated article is new, the PC Gamer gang busted out the HTML manual and executed a re-design, so that may be throwing me off here).

PCVelocity's AMD Interview is up asking a few questions of Drew Prairie and Byran Longmire of AMD about their upcoming K7 CPUs.

There's a Team Fortress Classic preview on 3DGamers and another Team Fortress Classic Preview on Beta Bites, offering looks ahead at this free add-on, scheduled for release sometime today.

TOW Arena for Shogo: Mobile Armor Division is now available. As may be evident from the name, this is the Shogo variant on Rocket Arena, pitting two fully armed Shogo-go-gophers in an arena for a little of the old two men enter, one man leaves style combat.

Can Linux score big with IP gaming is a CNN editorial looking at the alternative OS' chances of making it in the gaming world. Thanks Calico. The article briefly advocates the formation of a committee of developers to create an open source-based API specifically for Linux IP gaming. Here's a bit more on the challenges that the author says must be overcome for Linux to succeed in gaming:

The problems for Linux are numerous, however, and need immediate attention. In the first place, Linux needs a standard 3D API with broad support for hardware acceleration. OpenGL is already available for Linux -- perhaps this would be the way to go.

More important, Linux needs to support the vast majority of sound cards and their special features.

Last but not least, Linux needs to support USB as quickly as possible. This is a subtle performance issue that applies most of all to 3D gaming...

The Lord-X Home Page has a new release of EZConsole for TRIBES, which allows simple point-and-click administration of a TRIBES server.

• The Official Heavy Gear II Tournament on Case's Ladder offers $10,000 in cash prizes. Thanks GA-Source.
• Win EverQuest from Well Rounded Entertainment, where they're giving away two copies.
• The client for this Sunday's Quake Easter Egg Hunt has been posted so contestants can familiarize themselves with the maps. The competition has just announced a new prize: an autographed copy of Extremities from id.
• European tribe-leaders interested in forming a TRIBES league should contact TwoRippa_POD.

• GameSpot's 3dfx Voodoo3 review. Thanks Voodoo Extreme.
• Sharky Extreme's ATi All-In-Wonder 128 Review.

• The new version 2.01 Beta 1 of AOL Instant Messenger now supports file transfers. Thanks BetaNews.Com...
• There's a fix online for the missing .dll in yesterday's Fast Card release. Thanks Voodoo Extreme...
• "Will limiting young people's access to violent influences help curb youth violence?" is the question asked in a USA Today poll. Thanks Post...
• Half-Life and The New Wave of Mods is a Next-Generation article on Half-Life conversion in the works...

Thanks to Anyware for the Blue's Clues masthead graphic that adorned the site yesterday in honor of April Fools, he didn't intend it for that purpose when he sent it along a couple of months back, but I think it served well (I got a positively frightening number of suggestions to keep it). Doing the news on April 1 is getting pretty darned treacherous, I think if I had to decide now, I'd plan on taking the entire day off next year and just sort through the aftermath. If you didn't keep up with it yesterday, I have a fairly lengthy list of April Fools stories from yesterday if you want a recap. Oh yeah, according to the MDK manual, the initials stand for "Mission Deliver Kindness." Finally, [A3D]HannoverFest sends along the following, inspired by the Christopher Walken as Han Solo stuff yesterday. How about Walken as Obi Wan? "It's your father's lightsaber. I've been keeping this uncomfortable hunk of metal up my ass for a number of years now. Living out here all alone, waiting for the time when I could bestow it upon you..."