Archived News:
PlanetStarsiege has posted part
one of their two part, "mondo interview" with Mark Frohnmayer, code
monkey behind Starsiege: TRIBES, and currently TRIBES 2. In this part of the interview, Mark talks about TRIBES' beginnings, game ratings, and that warm, fuzzy feeling he gets deep down inside (hey, I just report this stuff, don't look at me).
The Symbiosys Software has the release of
Absolute Terror Test Release 1, described as a new 3D accelerated shoot-em-up title. The
test release is so they can tweak the game engine and gameplay before releasing the
finished game, and to test compatibility on different systems. While meant to be fun to
play, this is a test and not a feature complete demo, which they say will be released
"in due course." Absolute Terror uses a proprietary OpenGL engine, and has been
in development for 18 months. Symbiosys' next product, a LithTech-engine military-themed
team-play action game, is already in the planning and initial coding stages.
Raven's John Scott updated his
.plan with some common questions and answers about Soldier of Fortune development:
The IRC chat the other night was a lot of fun, thanks for so many people turning
up! There were a few common questions that I'll give the official line here - please bear
in mind that this is the official line and not necessarily my opinion.
1. Will there be a Linux port ?
There are no plans at the moment, however, we realise that this will increase the number
of servers out there and will be a big support for the Win32 users. It all really
depends on how many units are sold, we are not in the fortunate
position of being able to support an OS because it would be cool to do so.
2. Will the tools be on the CD?
No. They will be available for download soon after we go gold. It is just one thing we
don't need to deal with during the stress of getting a game finished. There isn't enough
space on the CD either :) This also gives us chance to write help files and make
demo maps and sample models.
3. Will it be as violent as people say it is ?
Yes. There will be a strong parental lock option, however, so there is an option to turn
off the gore and sanitise the violence. We have made the game for adults and there will be
a warning on the box.
The Q3TStats Home has
beta 2 of version 1.0 of Q3TStats, a program to output stat from a Q3Test server. The new
release offers various fixes in stat parsing, adds frags per hour, and adds the ability to
limit player list size. The website has sample output so you can see what the program
does.
Glen Dhalgren has updated the
official Wheel of Time site with this week's development update. In this
installment are a couple of new screenshots (thumbnails only, I'm afraid), the
revelation that they're, "really focusing on getting this bad boy done"
and a whole slew of other stuff.
Well, it's a day late, but here's the
answers to last week's Test Your Game Knowledge Contest. Swing by and see
how you did. And once you're through with that, we've got a
whole new contest to keep you up at night. Evil, aren't we?
Ritual's Robert Atkins updated his .plan with word that they're looking to
hire two new artists to work on their Quake III: Arena engine title Heavy Metal:
FAKK2. Interested? Here are the details: We are looking for a "professional'
2d artist with game development experience to work on Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K.2.
If you want to work with some of the coolest and most talented guys in the industry
on one of the wildest games ever, then get over to http://www.ritual.com/inside_ritual/help_wanted_2d_artist.html
for the details.
It would be ideal to get someone here no later than the first of September.
So, if you are in a contract or obligation that you are unwilling to break free
of, I understand, we can't wait.
With the changes of sounding like a real dick - if you are straight out of school
and without professional game development experience, chances are you are not
going to have the skills we are looking for, so please don't send me your work
unless you meet the criteria.
Thanks for understanding.
A new beta patch for Kingpin (version 1.14)
has been released in both Win32 and Linux flavors (thanks Billy " b*** a***"
Wilson). Like always, download at your own risk. Most people are advised to
wait for the next official patch release. This version has the following changes:
- + (server) unlimited ammo in single player (DF_INFINITE_AMMO)
- + (server) last player killed when reaching fraglimit gets overflowed (made
scoreboard message unreliable)
- ? LINUX: crashes during fighting with sewer guy with guns
- + skin: "male thug/sku sup sup" causes Sewer skin in teamplay
- + Player ID always RED
- + old chat style option
- + (server) shotgun doesn't always change when out of ammo
- + (server) real-mode option in start server menu
BeGamer has posted
an interview with Andrew Kimpton, the engineer at Be responsible for the BeOS
port of Quake II, talking about gaming on the OS, as well as the revelation
that he (like American McGee) suffers from Quake-induced nausea.
GameSpot UK
has posted a preview of Tachyon, NovaLogic's space shooter, complete with 11
images (some of which are concept art, others actual screenshots).
GA-Source
has posted three new screenshots from Massive Development's upcoming aquatic
adventure, appropriately titled Aqua. Where's Kevin Costner when you need him?
- Part two of Extreme
Hardware's Voodoo 2 experiment is up, showing the results of getting mismatched
V2 cards to work in SLI with a variety of different drivers.
- Matrox has opened up their online store
to European users, now allowing them to purchase other products including
the Marvel G200-TV, Millennium G200, Rainbow Runner-G series, and others,
in addition to those already available.
- Joystick maker Thrustmaster has been sold to Guillemot, makers of the popular
Xentor line of video cards for a whopping 15 million dollars, as detailed
in this press release.
In addition, Thrustmaster will no longer be manufacturing joysticks at all,
as they plan to focus on "the significant opportunities in Internet community
and communications." Thanks Well-Rounded
Games for the tip.
- AGN
Hardware is reporting that IBM has announced a new high-volume storage
system code-named "Shark" which can hold from 420 gigabytes of data,
all the way up to 11 terabytes. Yowza.
3drage.com has posted a spiffy-looking screenshot
and a piece of concept art from Titanium Angels, a 3D action/adventure where you play
Carmen Blake, "a tough futuristic bounty hunter"
Voodoo Extreme's
interview with Richard Garriott (a.k.a. Lord British) is the first VE interview I can
ever recall not to mention a chimp or Vaseline. The tasty, saucy, spicy Q&A does
discuss gaming though, obviously focusing on the present and future of the Ultima series.
The Game Name Builder Official
Homepage has the first release of this program that can add fun names (names using
colored, and/or special characters) to Quake & QuakeWorld, Q3Test, and "other
games that support namefun," which got me curious enough to check to see what other
games that could be, but the remaining choice in the program turns out to be support for
"generic games."
Thresh's FiringSquad's Q3Test 1.07
Overview offers Thresh's observations about what has changed between the Q3Test
version 1.05 and 1.07 releases, as well as some analysis of the brand-new one-on-one
tourney map. The piece discusses footstep sounds, strafe-jump protection, and
other gameplay factors.
The bleem! site has a new version 1.4 of the bleem! PC
PlayStation emulator. The new release offers significant Direct3D speed optimizations,
significant Direct3D texture improvements, improved Direct3D support for background
graphics, improved Direct3D clipping, and more. Thanks Wario64.
Ritual's Mark "Markgyver" Dochtermann updated his .plan with word that he's fixed the invisibility bug in
Sin, which will lead to a version 1.06 soon. Here's the poop:
I fixed the invisibility bug (I think) in Sin. The new version is running at
sinctf and debugctf. If anyone can still cheat, please let me know directly.
Version 1.06 should be ready to roll, as long as this bug has been squashed.
MDK2, Gothic, Blade, SoF, Vampire, and Star Trek: Armada on tap this morning:
Games on Line's Il
ritorno del Messiah gives a look ahead at Shiny's upcoming third-person
(third-cherub?) action title en Italiano with a conversation with Shiny's Scott
Herrington. There is also an English version of the
Messiah Interview to help out if your Italian is rusty. The piece includes 33
screenshots (the first 10 are brand-new exclusives), and discusses plans to include nude
codes, in case you want to see the little cherub with his diadie off.
GA-RPG's Shadows of Reality Interview
talks with Steve Adkins and David Gallay, Lead Programmer/Producer and Lead Designer
respectively for Nevolution, talking about their upcoming Unreal-engine cyberpunk RPG, Shadows
of Reality.
A new version 2.5a of the PingTool
server-browser is now available, fixing a big bug that slipped through in the just
released version 2.5 that locked up the installer, as well as a pair of other bugs. Thanks
Umberto. Details can be found in the new release notes.
Here's news on a mod developers' chat slated for tomorrow that's open to the general
public, focusing mainly on Half-Life mods, though some Q2 mods will be represented:
The Mod Developers chat is here!
It will take place on Wednesday, July 28th. At 9:00 PM Eastern Time on 3dnet.
[telefragged.3dnet.net port 6667]
in rooms #mod-bash and #mod-questions
Many mod development groups will be there, but the chat will rotate focusing on different
mods every half-hour. Many mods will be represented including, Opera, Squadron: Ghost,
Swarm, Aftershock, and more!
The mod is not solely focused on these four mods, and all mod developers are encouraged to
attend, and will get a chance to answer any questions about their respective mods.
The aftermath of the full disk here has left BlueTracker completely on the fritz, I'll get out a monkey wrench later and bang on it and see if that helps (sorry). Yesterday was the first anniversary of Sinday, Bloody Sinday, the debut of the Sin demo, which coincided
with last year's QuakeCon, so this is the anniversary of that too. Today also marks the third
consecutive business day that loony has been assured his ISDN will be turned on, which I
believe officially marks the half-way point in what for me was an over three month
process. Poor loony actually believed 'em the first couple of times, but the phone company
can pound cynicism into the most wide-eyed optimist.
Link of the Day: Starcraft
Online Lessons With Kain-The-Feared (yup, another eBay
item). These are at US $78.00 at the moment, but apparently got as high as $350!
Thanks John.
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