Archived News:
Dave "Zoid" Kirsch updated
his .plan with a bit on Linux Quake III Arena auto downloads. Here's the hot
word from the id Software contract programmer: Just a note to linux server
operators who are putting custom maps on for autodownloading. The current Linux
server binary doesn't check for the file in the basepath, but in the cdpath.
That this means is downloads try to come from $HOME/.q3a/baseq3/ and will fail
(the client ends up with a zero byte file). To fix this for now, you can force
basepath like this on your server:
./q3ded +set fs_basepath `/bin/pwd` +exec blah.cfg
Where `/bin/pwd` will expand to the current directory you are running the server
from. You can also explicitly state the path there if you wish.
This will make autodownloading work correctly on Linux servers. In a future
version, we'll make sure that the server checks both base and cdpath.
Another day, another LithTech announcement, as Monolith sent along a
press release with word of a LithTech2 PlayStation2 licensing agreement.
Also, Monolith CEO Jason Hall updated
his .plan discussing possible skepticism some of the recent LithTech announcements
may be meeting. Here's a bit of the press release: Monolith Productions
today announced the licensing of their powerful new LithTech 3D Game Operating
System for the PlayStation2 to Crave Entertainment. The as yet-to-be-named
PlayStation2 project for Crave will be developed by Irrational Games, creators
of the highly acclaimed System Shock 2.
"We are very excited about Crave Entertainment and Irrational Game's
decision to use the LithTech 3D GOS for their upcoming PlayStation2 title,"
comments Jason Hall, CEO for Monolith Productions. "Irrational Games is a
proven team capable of producing high quality content, and we can't wait to see
what they can do with our powerful new technology."
As promised, id Software has released new beta version 1.16h patches for Quake III Arena, this time covering Win32, Linux and Mac simultaneously. This release brings a number of new features, such as improved mod support, and several bug fixes. Here are local copies of the Win32 patch, the Linux patch, and the Mac patch, all with a couple of mirrors. Robert Duffy updated his .plan with the scoop:
The point release is now available on our ftp site. It is marked as a beta as there are a lot of
functionality changes and we have a finite number of machines and scenarios we can test with. The
included readme contains a lot of information, please review it. The release is available for all three
platforms, Win32, Macintosh, and Linux.
If you encounter problems or bugs, please e-mail them to me at "raduffy@idsoftware.com"
SoFCenter has posted a brief interview with Chia Chin Lee, Raven's sound designer and music composer on their mercenary shooter Soldier of Fortune. Amongst the topics discussed are the dynamic music system and the score of the game, and the article comes with an excerpt of the music in the Siberia level.
nVidia has released new Release Candidate Detonator 3.78 drivers for Windows 2000, supporting all their various chipsets (TNT, TNT2, GeForce 256, etc.). Thanks nV News. You can download your choice of drivers from their site after accepting the license agreement.
id Software's Graeme Devine updated his .plan with a brief announcement that the next version of Quake III Arena should be released tonight. Here is the cryptic description of exactly what version this will be:
The pre-release of the alpha for the forthcoming beta of the pre-build of the
next point release should be out tonight. Details to follow from Robert Duffy.
The official Nox site has posted word of a new multiplayer level that is available for download on EBWorld.com. The level, entitled Sewers, is a mere 81 KB download, and works only on the retail version of the game.
Gunlok Interview on RPG Vault is a talk with developers Rebellion on the storyline and features of their upcoming futuristic action RPG. Here is a quote on the basic concept of the game:
Corporate rivalry reached a peak in the mid-21st Century and exploded into decades of war and human
persecution. Now cyborgs, more robot than human, rule the planet and their corporations are systematically
exploiting its remaining natural resources. Original humans have all but vanished. At an industrial complex a robot is
changed forever by an energy anomaly that triggers consciousness in his robotic brain. This is Gunlok, the first robot
to dream. With his new thoughts comes the power to trigger consciousness in other robots and the power to tap into
a 'magical' energy field of 'Earth Power' that surrounds the Earth. Gunlok sets off on a quest to discover his origin. On
this quest he will uncover the fate of the original humans, lead a fight against the tyrannical corporations and release his
robotic brothers from bondage. Finally he will confront his arch nemesis, the demonic cyborg Skorn.
Hecubah.com, a Nox fansite, has posted an interview with John Hight and Mike Booth, the men responsible for Westwood's action RPG that was released yesterday. Together they discuss how the game's design got started, reactions to the final result, their plans for the future, and lots more.
In response to the various rumors floating around about the state of 3dfx'
support for Windows 2000, Brian Burke, the company's PR Manager, sent along
this statement regarding their drivers for the just-released OS: The official release Windows 2000 drivers for the Voodoo3
2000/3000 are completed and have finished certification testing. We are currently
waiting for Microsoft to return the final certification on these drivers to
3dfx. Due to Microsoft WHQL restrictions, we cannot post beta drivers for Windows
2000. 3dfx will post Windows 2000 drivers for the Voodoo3 2000/3000 as soon
as Microsoft returns our WHQL certification. In the meantime, Windows 2000 users
may use the imbedded drivers for the Voodoo3 that ship with Windows 2000. We
also plan robust support for Windows 2000 with Voodoo4 and Voodoo5 when those
products ship.
InciteGames has posted some
new screenshots from Peter Molyneux' "god game" Black & White.
The shots are high-resolution, and they promise to release more tomorrow.
Also new on Incite Games this afternoon are some new
screenshots from Thief II: The Metal Age, showing off the mansion featured
in the "Masks" mission.
GameSpot's GameGuides has released their
guide to Ultima IX: Ascension. Like all their guides, the HTML version is
free, with a downloadable PDF version available if you're willing to pay for
it. The guide was authored by the fine folk at The
Stratos Group, and features a full walkthrough of the game, as well as a
rundown of all the weapons and monsters.
German games site Gamez.de has posted an
interview with Computer Artworks' Paul Whipp, talking to the producer about
their strange action game Evolva. The interview is available in your choice
of either English
or German.
As hinted at in Paul Jaquays' last .plan ( story), there is now a PDF version of the Q3Radiant Manual, for those who prefer their reading the Acrobatic way. It can be downloaded from id's ftp server or the Walnut Creek mirror (675 KB).
Dynamix has released another pair of Starsiege: TRIBES patches, updating the game to version 1.10.5. This update fixes the Turret bug from the 1.10 release. Here is a local copy with mirrors of the patch to update version 1.0, and a small patch to update version 1.10 is also available.
Quantic Dream has opened a site for Omikron Exodus, their sequel to Omikron: The Nomad Soul. Thanks Swampbug. The page has preliminary details on the third-person action adventure, and a set of design sketches. In related Quantic Dream news, the Quark screenshots page has recently been updated with more images from their other 3D action adventure.
GameSpot UK continues their coverage of the Milia trade event by posting five new screenshots from Flying Heroes, a fantasy action flyer by Illusion Softworks and Pterodon.
There is a new beta release of Dark Magic, a mod for Unreal Tournament that "removes the guns from the game, and replaces them with arcane forces. You collect these powers, and strive to become the master wizard, while putting down your competitors."
AVault has posted five
new screenshots from Hostile Waters, a 3D action/strategy game from Rage
Productions, as well as some preliminary details. The game features an impressive
list of graphical features, including bump-mapping, realistic physics, weather
effects, day and night cycles, and object shadows.
GameSpy.com has posted a
hands-on preview of BioWare's MDK 2, featuring several screenshots, and
a detailed description of the gameplay. Also up on GameSpy is an
interview with BioWare producer and joint CEO Greg Zeschuk, talking about
the development of the game. MDK, as everyone knows, stands for Many Dumb Kids.
The Mad Doctor's Designer's Diary on Computer Games Online is a diary by Activision's lead programmer Ian Davis, accounting the development of Star Trek: Armada as it is heading into the final stretch. Also, the official Star Trek: Armada site has released a 640x480 AVI version of the first movie trailer (previously available in 320x240 ASF format). Update: the AVI version of the second trailer is also online.
SpecForce.net has posted a small patch for the German edition of Spec Ops II: Green Berets, fixing problems with the use of grenades in the tactical squad-combat game by Zombie.
PC.IGN.com has posted a preview of War Monkeys, a 3D sci-fi real-time strategy game under construction at Silicon Dreams and TalonSoft, also known as Dogs of War in Europe. Using a more traditional iso-metric viewpoint, Kingdom Under Fire is an RTS with role-playing influences being designed by Korean company Phantagram for a US release by Gathering of Developers, and Daily Radar has a first look at it.
There's an Allegiance Designer Diary
on PC.IGN.Com talking with Joel Dehlin, executive producer on Allegiance
about Microsoft's space combat game, currently in open beta. Also, the Allegiance Vault's
Allegiance 101 has been updated with some new additions to this strategy
guide to the beta.
GA-Source's
AIWars Screenshots and Development Update gives some pictures, descriptions,
and accounts of AI Wars, an upcoming first-person action hybrid powered by the Genesis3D
engine. Also, there are five
Moonshine Runners screenshots on GPN showing off this upcoming
"funny" racing game, and there are more on the Moonshine Runners
website, as well as a Moonshine Runners interview on The
Daily Telefrag.
There's an interview with Pancho
'XceptOne' Eekels on ShishCoBob.com talking with this map author from
Digital Extremes about his work, which includes some of the maps in Unreal
Tournament.
An alpha version 0.5 of the Slave
Master mutator for Unreal Tournament is now available. Here's the
description of this unusual, decidedly non-emancipated gameplay enhancement:
"You start out 'free', and when someone kills you, you respawn as the
'slave'. Your job as the slave is to collect weapons, items, and powerups for
the master. After you have given enough 'favors' to your owner, he will set you
free. You can only score by being a slave master."
A new version 0.96 beta of the Fists of Fury
mod for Quake III Arena is now available. The mod offers unarmed (not even the
gauntlet) combat for those who don't like to settle things with guns. The new
release adds what's described as "minimal," but "functional"
bot support. Thanks Mod On Demand.
Today is Win2K day, huh? This should be interesting... In the midst of all the
western falderal yesterday I should have also mentioned Gunslinger Quake 2
the Quake II western TC that never did become the single player episode as was
planned, but does have multiplayer action for fans of six-shooters, and as
Quintin Stone points out, the "story" document included with GSQ2 is
"a nod" to one of Clint's best characters. Like Outlaws, for which no
sequel has been announced, it also sounds like there won't be a GSQ3, as the
page mentions plans for a "post-apocalyptic/cyberpunk mod for either the
Quake3 or Unreal Tournament engine" as their probable next project.
As for Clint's man with a name character mentioned yesterday, as loonyboi can
confirm, I am incredibly stupid about failing to use the incredibly useful IMDB
when scratching my head over this type of cinematic query. The Mopar was the
first of a few folks to send along a link to the IMDB's
Per qualche dollaro in più (For a Few Dollars More) page, which
indeed lists Eastwood's character as "Manko." A check of their Per un pugno di dollari
(For a Fist Full of Dollars) page confirms my vague recollection that
he's called a name in that as well, as he's credited as "Joe," and of
course most who have seen Il Buono, il brutto, il
cattivo (The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly) remember his nickname
in that was "Blondie," so there it is: The man with no name, AKA Joe
"Blondie" Manko, the man with three names.
Link of the Day: How
To Be a Game Reviewer on Spike's Corner.
Story of the Day: Jury
Rejects Too-Fat Defense on FindLaw Legal News. Thanks Buclerpp. Think of the
implications if they found him innocent? A license to kill for people like
Roseanne Barr and John Popper!
Amidst the flurry of Half-Life patches released yesterday, one file was overlooked, the update for Half-Life: Initial Encounter. This is a retail edition that included Half-Life:
Day One and a stand-alone version of Team Fortress Classic, version 5.0.1.5. The patch to update it to version 5.0.1.6 can be downloaded from Sierra's ftp server (5.6 MB). Thanks to Valve's Erik Johnson for the clarification.
id Software's Paul Jaquays updated his .plan again to point out that the MSWord version of the just released Q3Radiant Manual ( story) contains a formatting error, and a fixed version has been released. Here is the deal:
Several astute mappers have let me know about a formatting error in the MSWord version of the editor manual. The graphic for the shader manual on page 56 overlays the text. If you've downloaded this already and you know your way around Word, it's an easy fix. Select the graphic and edit the word wrap to wrap above and below the picture. The file has been corrected and is now live on the id ftp site. It will be live on the Quake3arena site by tomorrow morning.
Webmasters: if you've mirrored these downloads on your own site, you may want to grab the revised zip or edit the word file yourself.
I've also been informed by one mapper that he's undertaking a .pdf file conversion for users of Acrobat.
The fixed manual can be downloaded from id's ftp server or the Walnut Creek mirror (417 KB).
There is a detailed preview of Command & Conquer: Firestorm online at GameSpot, examining the story, new features and units, and other improvements in Westwood's expansion pack to Tiberian Sun, which is due for a release next month.
incitegames has posted a handful of new Thief II: the Metal Age screenshots taken from the first beta build, showing off areas from Looking Glass' stealthy action game that haven't previously been seen in alpha versions.
Epic's Tim Sweeney updated the Unreal
Technology page with a roundup of recent Unreal news, as well as a brief
statement to fans and developers that despite their recent announcement that
consoles will be a large part of their strategy in the future, they have not
given up on PCs as a gaming platform. Here's a brief excerpt: Playstation2,
Windows, Linux, and other platforms will all, in time, be linked with the Internet
being the common medium. And just as interesting are the permutations, such
as the support we have today for Windows, Mac, and Linux gamers playing together
on the Internet on the same servers, downloading the same user maps, and executing
the same platform-neutral UnrealScript code.
The Internet bashes down barriers between platforms and enables the best ones
in each market to succeed. An optimal platform for couch-sitting, joystick-based
TV access is quite different than an optimal platform for desk-sitting, mouse-based
high-res monitor access, and the Internet is the communications medium that
will bring them together. Game engines--just like web browsers are for web pages--will
be the way to bring great games to multiple platforms.
GA-Source has posted four new screenshots of Blitz - Disc Arena along with an update on the development of Southend's upcoming first-person arena fighting game.
RPOV has posted an
interview with Frederic Gaulbaire, general manager at French developer RayLand
Interactive, where he's working on their space-sim Big Bang. The interview deals
with several subjects about the game, including word that they are currently
looking for a new publisher, as their previous agreement with Project 2 has
fallen through.
The official MDK2 site has been updated with seven new screenshots, all featuring the robotic dog Max, one of the three characters you get to play in BioWare's third-person action sequel. MDK, as everyone knows, stands for Motor-oil, Diesel, and Kerosene.
id Software's Paul Jaquays updated his
.plan with word that he's released the manual for Q3Radiant. Here's the
scoop: The Q3Radiant Manual is Done!
... and it's available for download. The manual is big ... 163 formatted pages.
It's being released in two distinct "flavors." One is an MSWord version (created
in Word 2K on the PC, which appears to be very backward compatible with earlier
versions of MsWord) and a somewhat "raw" HTML version converted directly from
the Word document. The document contains a number of embedded graphic files
and organizational formatting, so ripping it down into a text document didn't
appear to be the way to go.
Each of the versions is zipped and run just under half a meg each. Unpacked,
you'll need 2 megs of drive space.
Q3Radiant
Manual (HTML version) on id ftp site
Q3Radiant
Manual (MSWord version) on id ftp site
Mirrors:
Q3Radiant Manual (HTML
version) on quake3arena.com
Q3Radiant Manual (MsWord
version) on quake3arena.com
A couple things to note.
The document is targetted at version 192 of the Q3Radiant editor, which Robert
Duffy is still working on. Some of the things documented in the manual are not
in the released versions of the editor.
Second, if you want to mirror these files on your own site, go ahead. If you
want to make a more functional, robust HTML version (one that does not require
a full download to view), we (id) want to see it and approve it before you make
it available for public viewing. This document is covered by the same EULA that
covers our earlier tools releases.
Licensed developers of Quake 3 Engine product should contact id directly for
this manual.
UnrealEngine.com sends word of an
update to the Unrealty web site.
The site has been completely overhauled, and now contains detailed information
about the Unrealty client and editor, their tools for making real estate demonstrations.
UnrealtyED has been completely rewritten from Epic's original UnrealED, and
a trial version will be available for download on March 6th.
ION Storm's Bob White sent Unreal Universe an
update on their Unreal-engine RPG Deus Ex. According to Bob, work is progressing
smoothly on the last stage of the game's development, with the programmers squashing
bugs, and the writers ironing out the dialogue, in addition to other preparations.
Unreality has posted a
Q&A with Human Head's Mick Beard, talking to him about his background
in the industry, his thoughts on working with the Unreal engine, and even some
stuff about Rune, their third person action game.
Activision and WON.net will be taking sign-ups for the Vampire: The Masquerade — Redemption beta test at midnight (PST), Friday February 18. The sign-up page lists the criteria for selecting testers, and up to 1,000 players will then be able to experience Nihilistic's blood-sucking action RPG first-hand in multiplayer. Thanks James Sanderson.
A new version of TFC-Bot is available for download. TFC-Bot is a utility to announce Team Fortress Classic games in realtime through IRC, and the latest version adds new features like "requesting Player-Stats via Private Message to the Bot," and fixes a few bugs.
There is a brief Q&A on Command & Conquer: Renegade at Battleground: Renegade, grilling Westwood's Aaron Cohen on their upcoming third-person action game (thanks VoodooExtreme). The Q&A offers an update on Westwood's plans for the game, but does not give in to prying questions about any multiplayer features.
Unreal Kingdom has posted a quick interview with Tim Sweeney, talking to Epic's lead programmer about console gaming, Digital Extreme's Dark Sector, and a few other topics.
Just when you thought the stream of Thief II previews had dried up, PC Zone UK sneaks up on us with a new look ahead at Looking Glass' soon to be released silent first-person action game. While the article doesn't appear to include many new screenshots (some are just from the demo), there is also a sidebar Q&A with project director Steve Pearsall. Thanks RPG Vault.
A new version of the Q3A Shader Editor is now available for download, adding new features and fixing a few problems in this tool that handles the fully-scripted texture entities of Q3A and presents them in a Windows GUI.
There are two new releases this afternoon of log parsing programs...version
4.36 of AEstats has been released,
which adds support for Unreal Tournament's ngStats files in addition to other
changes. Also, version 1.3 of Fragistics,
the program formerly known as Q3Logger, has been released. Amongst the changes
in this release are the ability to sort players by any stat, as well as the
use of charts in the output.
It's a Wednesday, so naturally, we've got a
new Mail Bag ready to go. In today's jam-packed edition: Max Payne, the
size of the gaming community, more MDK than is probably legal, a quick English
lesson, and threats on my life - by toddlers? We can't make this stuff up...so
check
it out.
The official Vampire: the Masquerade - Redemption site has been updated with a new letter from Beckett to Lucita, four new screenshots, and a new movie trailer in three download sizes. The movie runs for over two minutes and requires Windows Media Player. In related blood-sucking news, Daily Radar continues their Vampire: The Masquerade -- Redemption Week with an account of the game's Storyteller features, based on a recent visit to Nihilistic's shady offices.
Also on Daily Radar is a preview of Soulbringer, the upcoming 3D role-playing game by Gremlin. The brief article is beefed up by a handful of new screenshots.
A pair of new guides on GameFAQs: first up is this Half-Life: Opposing Force FAQ/Walkthrough, giving Gearbox' expansion pack a full workout. Also online is a Dark Reign: The Future of War Unit/Building FAQ, providing resource support for Pandemic's venerable RTS.
Computer Games Online has posted a preview of Martian Gothic, a third-person adventure recently surfacing from Take Two Interactive and due for a Spring release. Gameplay is compared to Resident Evil, as "it utilizes 3D polygonal characters moving in 2D pre-rendered backgrounds in a sci-fi horror setting. You control three different characters as you explore a troubled Martian base and uncover what happened to its crew."
The 50th Diablo II
screenshot of the week is up, word from Diablo.net
and DiabloII.net
is that this is the final one of these, so my recent question about whether the
52nd would be the screenshot of the year will forever go unanswered. There are
some new screenshots on the Battlecruiser
Millennium Shots Page showing off "the Insurgent base, New
America...built inside a 10 miles long by 4 miles wide asteroid, hurtling
through space." The screenshots
page on Alloygaming has an exclusive new screenshot of Ground Control to go
with the three other shots posted with their Ground
Control preview looking ahead at this upcoming 3D RTS.
Voodoo Extreme's
Jason Hall Q&A asks a few questions of the Monolith CEO about the recent
LithTech announcements. Also,
AGN's
Warlords Battlecry interview is online, among other things, getting to the
bottom of this whole sequel deal: "Warlords is not a new franchise is it?"
Finally, GA-Strategy's
Invictus: In The Shadow of Olympus interview discusses this RTS/RPG hybrid
with Bill Fisher and Floyd Grubb of Quicksilver
Software.
Word from Westwood Studios is that Nox, their sneaker-wearing, isometric-view,
third-person action title is on its way to stores, and may be arriving on a
retailer's shelf near you as early as today.
Unrealism's Unreal Tournament
tweaking guide is up with Win98 and video tweaks, and some tweaks for the
.ini files in UT. Also, GameFan's
Voodoo 3 Tweak Guide For Quake 3 offers V3 Q3A tweaks. Finally, Jhondra's Too Real Unreal Tournament Page
has a new "killer" demo to stress test your system in Unreal
Tournament, and scripts on the site where you can enter your system's
benchmarks, as well as peruse all the scores entered by others (Q3A scores can
be entered, as well).
The One Man Army page has the
first version of this multiplayer modification in an unusual cross-platform
release for both Unreal Tournament and Quake III Arena. The principle behind OMA is simply that one player is "it," and
the only way to score is to collect frags while you are it, which you become by
fragging the current it. Get it? Got it? Good!
T4_echo, brother of an ex-programmer at SingleTrac studios sends word that
Rock, a first-person action hybrid has been cancelled (we linked to a
Rock interview in November ( story)).
Likewise, though we never mentioned the game previously, a report on GA-Source
is that "Beneath, Presto Studios' 3D action/adventure, has finally been
laid to rest." GA-Source
is also re-porting there will be no version of Re-Volt 2 for the PC. In contrast
to the cancellations, Activision Announces Follow-Up Game To Best-Selling Civilization Call To Power
is the press release announcing Call to Power II. Finally, The Battlecruiser
Tactical Engagement product info page has the announcement that Battlecruiser
Tactical Engagement will be the new name for the upcoming BC Millennium
add-on formerly known as Battlecruiser Strike Pak. Also on that topic, BC
developer Derek
Smart is interviewed on GameTime, RealPlayer,
FakePlayer, or
equivalent, required.
Quake Forever is a one-on-one Quake
II tournament to be played on "a mutually agreeable map and server running
the GXmod." Entries must be in by February 25.
Today's list is brought to you by the letters S, T and U:
I love a good western, and have been going through a kick lately where I've been
watching a lot of the classics in the genre. In just re-viewing For a Few
Dollars More, I confirmed something I thought I noticed when I first got the
Man With No Name set, which is Clint Eastwood's unnamed character in the
movie has a name! On two different occasions he's referred to as something like
Manko. Obviously I can't be the first to notice this, but I never have seen it
noted before. I guess "the man with an obscure name" just doesn't roll
off the tongue the same way.
Speaking of the Man With No Name, the classic 1960s spaghetti western trilogy
was obviously one of the prime influences behind the western first-person
shooter Outlaws. In spite of the 1997 release's use of the outdated 2D Dark
Forces engine, Dumb as a Stick™ AI, and vexing Call the Hintline
Again™ puzzles, the game was great fun, at least in part because it was
amazingly stylized, with great cutscenes, and the finest voice acting and music
I can recall in any game ever. Apparently there are a lot of other fans
of the game still out there (at least more than what I believe were modest sales would suggest), as Paleface.net's Petition for an Outlaws Sequel
is collecting names to convince LucasArts to create a follow-up. Never fear,
western fans, if the petition doesn't work, you can take heart in the reminder
passed along by GA-Source
that Wanted! The Half Life Western Pack
is still in development at Maverick productions, so there's hope yet that we'll
be able to round up the posse again.
Link of the Day: The
Radiskull & Devil Doll Official Site (newly relocated), now home to
episode three of this Flash epic, titled "Radiskull hate snow." Perhaps
this does not quite have the genius demonstrated by the previous two, but it's
still a worthy sentiment for kicking it in the dead
of winter. Thanks Sean "Stitch" Reynolds and Nour Sharabash.
|
Twitter 
