The just opened Warcraft III.net has posted a new gameplay movie from Warcraft III, which is actually a compilation of six movies taken at a recent press conference in Korea. Word is that the movie contains some battle scenes between the Orcs and Humans, and features a first glimpse at the new interface, as well as showing off some of the new skills at your disposal. You can snag the movie on their files page, and be sure to check out their contest page for a chance to win one of those spiffy Orc pewter figures.

Raven's John Scott made another pair of .plan updates to point out a problem in making Soldier of Fortune servers visible on WON, and offering a pair of fixes either of which should resolve the public setting. Check out the solutions here.

Another massive update by Legend's Glen Dahlgren to the Wheel of Time site brings some background info on the release of today's patch (story), as well as a fix for a problem some are experiencing with the patch, which may "change your movie and music paths so that they no longer look in the right place for these assets, which causes them not to play." Also on offer are the promised Arena levels, Legend's adventures at a launch party, a showcase of several community levels and (did I mention it was a massive update?) even the usual rundown of WoT reviews, and more. Here's the bit about the new Arena levels:

New Places to Go, New People to Kill

Now how much would you pay? Well, that's not all. Along with the features and fixes and fun of the patch, we're also offering two additional maps: Kingdom Come (the original map that used to be available only in the demo), and the Inquisition (a spankin' new, large, ter'angreal-filled deathfest based on the Whitecloak primitives).

The Legend servers will be inserting both of these maps into our arena rotations. Although the newly repaired auto-download feature in the patch will snag them, this puts a drain on the server's bandwidth, impacting performance for everyone else. Also, the autodownload doesn't actually put the new map in your maps directory, so you can't examine it in your off-line time. The best course of action is to download them here first, and be prepared.

Click on the pix to download these bad boys. After you've installed them, either double click on the files in your WheelofTime/maps directory to explore (Arena_11 and Arena_12), or join a server with these maps in their rotations and start playing!

Future Gamer has posted a brief but apparently hands-on preview of Ground Control, using an amusing Q&A format to discuss the various features of Massive Entertainment's upcoming 3D RTS. A couple of new screenshots are included.

Raven's Ken Hoekstra updated his .plan with a list of mirrors for the Soldier of Fortune demo that was released earlier this evening (story), as well as a link to their demo tech support site:

Soldier of Fortune demo is out! BIG SHOCKER! =)

Here are some download sites:
GameSpot
Stomped
3D Gamers
3D Downloads
FilePlanet
Adrenaline Vault
3D-Unlimited

More mirrors will be added as they show up. For demo tech support, go to http://sof.ravensoft.com

In related Soldier of Fortune news, programmer John Scott updated his .plan with more details about a couple of video issues with the game.

GameArena.net has posted an interview with Steve Pearsall, talking to Looking Glass' project director about their upcoming stealthy action game Thief II: The Metal Age. The article covers story, gameplay, the engine, and more aspects of the game, which is now in beta and should appear in stores in the early Spring.

Raven's Rick Johnson updated his .plan with some additional notes on the just released Soldier of Fortune demo. Here's the scoop:

Quick Note about Drivers:
If you play SoF on 3dfx hardware, you may experience a few driver bugs. On the DX7 Beta drivers, when the screen flashes to indicate you are hit, you may get random colors. Other cards / drivers may experience complete texturing problems (though SoF should disable those features in Gl which cause these problems). NOTE that these bugs are within the 3dfx GL drivers themselves, and are NOT SoF bugs! 3dfx is aware of these bugs, but I'm not sure when they will be able to address them.

Should you need more information on what the demo offers before taking the plunge to download it, then Redwood's Soldier of Fortune Demo Review may prove useful.

As promised, the eagerly-anticipated Soldier of Fortune demo has been released on GameSpot. Weighing in at a hefty 95 MB, the demo contains two single-player and two deathmatch levels, as well as a tutorial and a cinematic level. Soldier of Fortune is Raven Software's mercenary action shooter built on the Quake II engine, and even more than some screenshots we've seen of it, probably rates a parental warning for graphic violence.

German game magazine has posted a brief Halo preview. Thanks halo.bungie.org, who have posted an English translation of the text so that we can spare you the usual Babelfish link. The first, high-res screenshot with the article is new, and the fourth screenshot comes in a much higher resolution than previously available.

AVault has posted two new screenshots from Red Storm's just-announced add-on pack for Rogue Spear, titled Urban Operations, showing off two different locations, which are, as promised, in an urban setting. Also new at AVault are two screenshots from Deus Ex, which as we reported last Friday (story), is in "its final days."

Fisheye Quake, an oddball modification of the Quake 1 source code to create a pseudo "fish eye lens" effect, has been released and is available for download on its official site. There are also plenty of screenshots up if you're the type that gets nauseated easily.

Version 2.7 of the Infiltration mod for Unreal Tournament has been released. There is a warning up, however, saying that there are still some lingering bugs in this release, so you've been warned. Infiltration, which was previously an Unreal 1 mod, adds realistic weapons to UT.

Yak's website has release 2 of Yak's modified Quake III Arena server browser. Like the recently released ArenaSpy (story), this offers a enhanced .dll-based version of Q3A's in-game server browser, though the second release also includes a VMs version, which the author actually recommends over the .dll for compatibility with other mods. The source code of the program, admittedly an attempt to make a version of ArenaSpy more to the author's tastes, is also included. Additionally, on the subject of both ArenaSpy and source code, this page on FilePlanet has the release of ArenaSpy's modified UI code for use by other mod developers. This is not the code for ArenaSpy itself, which they plan to make available in the future, but the code for the mouse wheel (doohickey) support on list control, double click support on list control, scroll bar control, and more.

Seemingly drawing inspiration from out of the blue, the KeyGrip 2 for Quake 2 page has the release of the pre-release footage of Ranger Gone Bad 3 that was shown at QuakeCon '97. The footage is available as an 11 MB download, and the original Quake is required. Appropriate to the occasion, crt points out The Rangers Files page is still kicking around, if you are interested in checking out the film-happy clan's finished movie projects that basically invented the art of the Quake film from scratch. Also on the subject of game-engine cinema, there's an Ozymandias designers diary on Machinima.com about the production of this just-released stand-alone LithTech movie (story), as well as part two of their article on Unreal Film-Making by the director of Arcadia, and an article on 10 quick transitions that game-engine movie-makers can use.

Dynamix' Tim Gift updated his .plan with a rundown on what he's been working on of late. It's sort of a worklog, but it's far more detailed than just a list of changes, and contains some peeks at what we can expect from Starsiege: TRIBES 2. Some of the changes include the news that the client-side prediction is complete and that work has begun on the "wheeled vehicles."

As promised, the version 333 patch for Wheel of Time has been released by GT Interactive. The 1.5 MB patch includes a sizeable number of fixes, listed on the page, and offers the following new features:

There are several new features in Version 333:

• Player ID (point your cursor at a player and see their name). It works with Disguise, too--moving your cursor over someone who is disguised will show the correct disguised name. You can turn this option off from the "Controls" menu.
• A voting system. Players can now vote to restart the server, kick an abusive player, ban an abusive player, and change a map in progress. In order for this to work, use the following syntax from the console:
  vote restartserver
  vote kick (example: vote kick TheAmazingFoodMan)
  vote kickban (example: vote kickban Badaxe)
  vote open
• New log statements for players joining a team, leaving a team, and restarting the game, in order to better present the information to server administrators.
• A "Net Speed" menu option in the "Player Config" section of the "Multiplayer" menu. There are three settings: "Internet" (for 28.8 to 56K modem users), "Fast Internet" (for ISDN and cable modem users), and "LAN" (for DSL or faster connections)

The Rogue Spear Retreat has posted an interview with Steve Cotton, the producer of Urban Operations, the just-announced add-on pack for Tom Clancy's Rogue Spear (see next story). The interview covers a number of interesting topics about the add-on, including their "custom mission" system, which generates an original mission based on the user's preferences, and their new "defend" mission type.

While it's been known to exist for some time now, Red Storm has officially announced their add-on pack for Rogue Spear, titled Urban Operations. Here's a description from the press release, which has some details:

This add-on pack is a counter-terrorist team’s worst nightmare: an urban setting. In Rogue Spear: Urban Operations, team RAINBOW now faces its most dangerous missions yet with every stray bullet putting innocent lives at risk. Due to the public nature of these missions, the secrecy of the RAINBOW organization is also at stake as the team fights against the most deadly terrorists the world has ever seen. Luckily, John Clark & newly appointed intelligence officer Kevin Sweeney will be there to guide the team through these intense situations.

Urban Operations will include fantastic new spaces with new game types for each one, all set in famous cities around the world. Players can also look forward to new multi-player spaces as well as new weapons types and five classic levels from the original game, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six.

AGN3D has posted an interview with Raven's Jake Simpson, talking about their upcoming Quake III Arena engine title Star Trek: Voyager - Elite Force. The interview is actually transcribed from last week's edition of Lilith and Eve, so if you missed the show (and don't feel like watching it in the archives) check this out.

New versions of two different Quake III Arena log parsers have been released. Version 1.3 of MKLog has been released for both Windows and Linux, featuring a whole bunch of bug fixes and some new features as well. Also, version 0.92 of Q3Log has been released, also squashing some lingering bugs. Word is that the next version of the program will feature client-side logging.

Yumpee sent along a follow-up to his news about compiling Quake III Arena VMs under Linux (story). As he requested, here's a local copy of the updated files (8 KB), and here's word on what's new:

I've updated the README after replying to a comment in a Blue's News forum, and checking out some other news:
- I tested my QVMs using the Linux CLIENT. And only cgame.qvm would load. However it seems that the new qagame.cvm will load and run fine in the same old Q3A dedicated server for Linux. So, you CAN do some server-side mods. It's just that the present client (or a listen server) cannot load qagame.cvm or ui.cvm built from the released source. A URL to the dedicated server news is included.

- You do not need MSVC++ headers. Somebody has put together a set of LCC ANSI C headers containing only the functions required by the QVM code. It is not hard to do this by hand also (see the README for details)

- You could also skip using Wine for running LCC and compile a native version of LCC with a bytecode extension. However, this is not been tested yet. And you still need Wine for Q3ASM. People in Quake3world forums have reported success with using DOSemu as well.

A thread called Glenn, since GT is taking so long on the GT Wheel of Time Forum inspired a response from Legend's Glen Dahlgren giving an updated ETA on the WoT patch as sometime today. Thanks Maniac.

Tell Me a Story on loonygames is a look at the role of the story in game creation, talking with three game designers who have noteworthy credits in this area, Marc Laidlaw (Half-Life), Tim Schafer (Grim Fandango), and Justin Chin (Jedi Knight). In addition to the cover story, loony's From the Mouth of Madness is titled "Some Thoughts on Game Design," highlighting seven titles notable for their storytelling.

• The Tech Zone at Comdex West 2000-Vancouver give a rundown on the proceedings.
• The Switch IP Tool is designed for users that must move from one subnet to another or between completely different networks, allowing you to save and recall IP addresses by name, and assign them to an adapter. Thanks Quakehelp.
• H.Oda's homepage has version 1.0 of WCPUA2 1.0 a small utility to control the L2 cache settings of the Athlon processor. Thanks Mike Klein. There's a mirror on Tweak Files.
• Also, Tweak Files AGP Switcher page has this Matrox G400/200 utility to switch AGP modes (for some reason).
• AMD Athlon 1GHz: Running Linux on CPU Review offers a look at a penguin sitting atop a frosty Sys Cold Fusion 1000 system.
• Ace's Hardware's Ultimate 3D Video Deathmatch. "14 of the Best Cards on the Market Shoot It Out on 5 Different Platforms For the Top Spot."
• S3 Savage 2000/Diamond Viper II is reviewed on Sharky Extreme.
• Elsa Erazor X is reviewed on Maximum3D.
• 3dfx Voodoo3 PCI is reviewed on Voodoo3.net.
• Asus V6600 Pure is reviewed on Extreme Hardware.
• Overclocking and Upgrading For More Quake III fps on Hardware News Net.
• Dancing With the Coppermine and the Abit BH-6 overclocks a 550e to 682 MHz.
• Fong Kai 600/603 Mid-Tower case is reviewed on Ars Technica.

A new version 0.5.6.2 of the TecArena front end for Quake III Arena is now available on the Tectonic page. The new release now boasts full Q3A support as well as bot support, which can be enabled via a separate plug-in.

The XSi Roundup is online with the final results from this weekend's match in Sweden, and all demos are in the process of being uploaded. The PlanetStarsiege TRIBES World Championship is getting organized, described as more of an Olympic or All-Star event, rather than a tribe/clan dealie, and the hope is to get participants from all over the globe. Finally, the Razer CPL Event website is online, word is registrations start February 1.

• BattleZone II on GamesFirst and Gamers Depot.
• Codename Eagle on GameRush.
• Flanker 2.0 on GamePlayers.
• Ford Racing on TeleFragged.
• Half-Life: Opposing Force on The Floodgate.
• MindRover: the Europa Project on GamePost.
• Panzer Elite on PC Gaming Network.
• Planescape: Torment on GameSpy.com and GamePlayers.
• Quake III: Arena Noise (soundtrack) on Damage Gaming.
• Razer BoomSlang 2000 Mouse on Game Forces.
• Shogun: Total War Demo on Bennyland.
• Theme Park World on GibWorld.

• Coalition for TFC Reform HQ Version 2.0 has a list of changes expected in the next Half-Life patch, one of which sounds like it will be the network code being worked on for TF2...
• 3D Spotlight's Unreal Tournament Tweak Guide has been updated...
• Open Quartz on SourceForge Project Info describes "a project to supply GPL'ed artwork in the form of PAK and WAD files to create a fully GPL game based around the GPL'ed quake sourcecode. This includes models, maps, soundfx and textures."...
• This page has info on how map authors can add the appropriate info to a Quake III Arena map so it will show up under the game's tiers...

Okay, here are the promised links to Operation Bayshield: FilePlanet and Machinima.com, thanks Judas, Brimstone, and all the others who sent them in (FilePlanet was the first place I looked yesterday. You can even type the filename, op_bays.zip, in the search box and you get diddly-squat!). My mention of Ranger Gone Bad 3 yesterday inspired the game-movie loving folk at Machinima.com to send along a request for a little "Ask Blue's News" along the lines of Ask Slashdot, so with all credit where it's due to the News for Nerds gang, here goes: Hugh Hancock of the Strange Company is looking to write a "Post-mortem" article on RGB3, trying to find out what happened to the ill-fated film. Hugh is looking for information, background, screenshots, or whatever you can offer about the film's production, please direct anything you want to provide to admin@machinima.com. I'd be interested in reading that story myself, having been around for some of the filming and aftermath, I get the feeling this one could qualify for the E! True Hollywood Story.

Link of the Day: Send Elian back to Cuba!!! That's right... Cuba Gooding Jr.!!!!
Image(s) of the Day: Martin's Cardboard PC. And you thought your dad was cheap.