Archived News:
StarTrek.com News has posted an excerpt from the intro movie of Star Trek: Klingon Academy, the space combat sim from 14 Degrees East and Interplay that was released earlier this week. Thanks A Talent For War. The movie runs for five minutes in streaming Windows Media Player format, and connects the story of the game to that of the movie "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country."
As promised, the new beta 6.6 Windows release of Counter-Strike is now available on the Counter-Strike downloads page. There is a 2.1 MB upgrade patch if you're already at version 6.5, as well as a full 6.6 install of 57.3 MB. Here is the list of new features and changes sent along by Valve's Doug Lombardi:
Details of the update:
- New command added: "Timeleft"
- Fixed stalled connection bug
- New sniper crosshair
- Fixes "laggy rifle firing"
- Fixes many cheats
- Updated cs_estate
There is a new preview of Empire Earth on Gamecenter, looking ahead to the real-time strategy game by Stainless Steel. Featuring quotes from designer Rick Goodman, the article explores the massive scope of the game, as well as the special Hero unit, and comes with a handful of new screenshots.
Coinciding nicely with the start of the beta test (see below), Gamecenter has also posted five new screenshots of Sanity, showing off the top-down perspective and "magic" power-ups system in Monolith's upcoming action game.
Monolith's Jason Hall updated his .plan with word that the closed beta test for their third-person action game Sanity has kicked off. Selected beta testers should have received an email with information where to download the client from.
A new beta 6.6 Linux server port for Counter-Strike has been released at the official site. Thanks Kyle Guzio for the tip. There is an upgrade patch for version 6.5 servers at 2.4 MB, as well as a full 6.6 download at 50.9 MB, and the Windows 6.6 release of the wildly popular Half-Life mod is expected in a few hours.
Microsoft sent along word that their official Age of Empires II: the Conquerors site is now open for business, offering a host of information on the new features, civilizations and campaigns in their real-time strategy expansion pack, as well as new screenshots and a downloadable movie trailer.
More Arcanum news today, as a new gallery of screenshots on RPG Vault features over a dozen more looks ahead to the role-playing game being crafted at Troika Games, including both game world and interface images.
The latest unit in Flashpoint 1985: Status Quo is online at the official site, showing off the Mi 24 "Hind" attack helicopter, as usual offering specs, screenshots, and a downloadable movie with half a minute of "spy cam" footage.
Five new screenshots of Giants: Citizen Kabuto have been added to the official gallery, offering some high resolution views of the third-person, three way action game in development at Planet Moon.
The official American McGee's Alice site has been updated with new four screenshots, along with one that was already released last night ( story). The images show off a heap of Army Ants, as well as Alice battling enemies with all means necessary.
In honor of the reopening of the Homeworld fan-site Homeworld
X, they are throwing an
IRC chat session with "Plaz" an employee at Relic Entertainment.
The chat starts at 6:30 EDT, on us.austnet.org channel #relic.
GameSpy.com has
confirmed with id Software CEO Todd Hollinshead and Rogue CEO Barrett Alexander
that Paul Steed, who was recently fired from id in an internal dispute ( story)
is currently doing contract work for Rogue on American McGee's Alice. This does
not mean Steed is a full-time employee at Rogue - he is only doing contract
work at this time. Alexander is quoted as saying that it's Paul's decision,
"to see what he wants to do" in regard to full-time employment at
the company.
The level designers at Electronic Arts on The
World is Not Enough (a Quake III Arena engine title) have released a set
of maps called the EADM Map Pack. The pack contains a total of 13 maps (12 DM
and 1 CTF) and is available for download at
3D Downloads.
An edited chat log
from last night's IRC session with Brian Pelletier, project lead on Raven's
Star Trek: Voyager - Elite Force is up at Stomped. As is typical of IRC chats,
the topics are all over the map, covering everything from the game design, to
his thoughts on working with the Star Trek license and lots more.
Eurogamer.net has posted an
interview with with PopTop Software's Franz J Felsl, talking to him about
Railroad Tycoon II, and their upcoming 3D strategy game Tropico, as well as
a history of the relatively new company.
Sierra sent along word of an IRC chat with Troika Games, tonight at 8:30 EDT (5:30 PDT) on server west.gamesnet.net, channel #TroikaGames. All three founders, Tim Cain, Leonard Boyarsky and John Anderson will participate to talk about their upcoming RPG, Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura.
- Icewind Dale
The game hasn't gone gold yet, but the official Icewind Dale has already been updated with a brief Spell Strategy page, offering tips for basic level clerics, druids, and mages.
- Evolva
Ready, set, mutate! Part 2 of 4 on CGO continues their walk through Lands Four through Six of Evolva, which should be useful as the game is no walk in the park.
- Half-Life
The Half-Life Multiplayer guide by Josh on GameFAQs has been updated to match Half-Life version 1.1, as well as incorporating numerous other changes.
- Drakan
Likewise, the Drakan FAQ by DemiGodX on GameFAQs includes new information on weapons, among other fixes.
We've received a number of reports that Deus Ex, ION Storm's Unreal-engine
RPG, has been arriving on store shelves across the country. So if you pre-ordered
one, be sure to give a call and head over and pick yours up.
Raven programmer James Monroe updated his
.plan answering some common questions about creating player models for their
upcoming Quake III Arena engine game Star Trek: Voyager - Elite Force. Here's
what he has to say: Q & A
People are starting wonder how they will be able to make characters in EF.
Q. Are we going to include the carcass and assimilate programs with the game?
A. yes, we will give out the carcass/assimilate tools and the max tools.
Q. Are MDR's way different than MD3's?
A. MDRs are way different from MD3s. MDRs can be converted to MD3s using our
MD3Viewer.
Q. Did we modify MD3viewer, are we going to supply our own modified MD3viewer?
A. MD3View has been modified to handle our MDRs. It can do both. Yes we will
give out this program, w/source (providing that's okay with the original authors).
Russian developers Akella sent word that their official Age of Sail II website is now open for business, featuring a description and the first screenshots of this 3D naval strategy sequel. The game is powered by their Storm engine which also forms the core of their upcoming 3D action RPG, Sea Dogs.
First Look on Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura at GA-RPG offers in fact a fairly detailed overview of what this "steampunk" role-playing game by Troika aims to bring, including a run through of the character development, the use of technology versus magic, gameplay and multiplayer, and more. Three new screenshots are also included.
A new hands-on Icewind Dale preview has been posted at PlayNOW, putting a beta build of the isometric RPG by Black Isle Studios through its paces (thanks RPGVault). The article looks at the improvements over Baldur's Gate in particular, and comes with a few new screenshots.
GameSpot UK has posted a
new interview with Human Head's Tim Gerritsen, talking about Rune, their
Unreal-engine game of drunken Viking action. Tim explains how their team incorporated
Viking mythology, how small a percentage of the gameplay is puzzle-based, the
enemy AI, and more. GameSpot UK also has two
new screenshots from the game up, along with galleries of previously released
screenshots
and concept
artwork.
Strategy First's Dan
Hoecke is interviewed on GameSpy.com, talking about Zero-G Marines, their
upcoming first person action/strategy game. Dan gives some background info on
the game, and talks a little about their internally-developed engine and the
multiplayer modes we can expect to see.
Two new in-game movies from Giants: Citizen Kabuto are up at PlanetMoon
Central. The new movies are in MPEG format, and are #8 and #9 on their
downloads page.
The official Master of Orion III site has been updated with a design document on Surface Combat, in which developer Quicksilver presents a detailed look behind the scenes of the design of their upcoming space strategy game which, apparently, does not take place in the voids of space alone.
Similarly, the Ethermoon Developer Journal: Episode 3 on GameSpy.com offers more insight into the development of Strifeshadow, their multiplayer-only real-time strategy game. This installment discusses the resource system and is illustrated by a number of pre-alpha screenshots.
The latest stop in the interview tour of Sheldon Pacotti is at Big Kid, where the Deus Ex writer talks about his work on the game, the limitations of writing for a game versus writing a novel, his gaming influences and more, though no word whether the tour includes signing sessions.
Shortly before the game is expected in stores at the end of this month, Computer Games Online previews Warlords: Battlecry examining the hero-based fantasy RTS from SSG. The article offers the usual overview of the game's features and comes with a bunch of new screenshots.
Crimson Skies Interview on GameSpot UK talks to Microsoft creative director Jordan Weisman about the fantasy action flight sim currently in a hangar at Zipper Interactive. Jordan explains the background of the game, which is itself based on a board game, discusses the gameplay, mission structure and 3D engine, and goes into the design challenges they faced.
Spanish gaming site GamesReview has posted ten new screenshots of Blade, the upcoming third-person game of melee combat that is being created at Rebel Act using their internally developed 3D engine.
GameSpot UK's Dark Reign 2 Week comes to a close with the fifth set of screenshots from Pandemic's 3D action RTS, accompanied by a brief description of the game's multiplayer features. There are also three new screenshots on the Activision's official Dark Reign 2 site.
The GameSpy 3D website has word that a
new version 2.21 of GameSpy is now available for registered users only. The
new version offers up to 60% faster updates, ICQ integration, and due to popular
demand, offers support for the Sanity Multiplayer Beta, High Impact
Paintball, LaserArena, RallyMasters, Wild Wings, and in case you
were doubting the popular demand part, Buckmaster's Deer Hunting.
There's a
short statement from Legend Entertainment's Aaron Leiby on Unreal Tourney Center
that clarifies that Unreal II will be focused on single-player play, though
multiplayer will be included, and that the game will be a sequel to Unreal, not
UT or the mission pack. Word is that as the UT engine evolves into the Unreal II
engine, "expect the same level of excellence in net-play as found in UT and
expect the graphics to be even better."
- Xbox Duke?
MSXBox
quotes 3DRealms' Scott Miller on the possibility that Duke Nukem Forever
will be eventually released for the Xbox. Scott is positive, but non-committal,
saying "nothing has been determined for sure either way yet, and likely
will not be for some time."
- Quoth the Raven
Tech Extreme
interviews Mike Crowns, the director of product development at Raven
Software. The Q&A covers the present and future at Raven, as it mainly
discusses Soldier of Fortune and Star Trek: Voyager -- Elite Force.
- Shadowbane
The
Corporation! interviews Sean "Ashen Temper" Dahlberg of
Wolfpack Studios discussing their upcoming MMORPG Shadowbane.
- Disciples II
GA-Strategy
interviews Pro Sotos, producer on Disciples II: Dark Prophecy, in more
of an extensive quote than an interview, who says "their sequel isn't
just a face lift, but an entirely new game." Included are new
screenshots.
- Fur Fighter
GA-Source
interviews Jeff Lewis, conceptual artist at Bizarre Creations
talking about development on Fur Fighter, their upcoming unusual-sounding
shooter. This piece is also illustrated with a half-dozen new screenshots.
- Morrowind Editor
There's an
interview with GT "WormGod" Noonan on TESGurus.net discussing
the bundled editor that will be shipping with Morrowind.
An article called Protecting Yourself from Hackers, Viruses and Trojan Horses
on MSN Gaming Zone describes some problems with unauthorized access to user
accounts in Asheron's Call. Meanwhile, posts to the Frostfell Forum
indicate that the solutions offered for the problem don't necessarily work.
Thanks Alex Winterson.
Half-Life Center's
Counter-Strike Sniper's Bible is online, teaching you the fine art of
sniping in the popular Half-Life mod.
A new version 2.00 of the Q3Radiant
level editor is now available. In addition to bug fixes from the previous beta,
the new release includes updated versions of q3map and bspc. Also, PlanetVampire Mapping
Tutorials are getting underway, they've posted Part 1- Setting Up and Getting To Know Embrace
and Part 2- Building a Map for Vampire.
3D Levels by Neil Manke , Quake, Quake 2, and Half-Life
has word that They Hunger 2- Rest In Pieces
has been completed, and will be available on the September PC Gamer CD. Also, Wasteland Half-Life
has now posted "a countdown to extinction" (currently at eight days),
showing how long before the plug gets pulled due to lack of staff that will
cause this Half-Life mod to live up to its name in a way that was never
intended.
This LAN Party
website has details on a BYOC Unreal Tournament event this summer in
Harrisburg, PA.
- There's a list of Allegiance balance changes on Allegiance Vault
from Developer/Designer, David "Tkela" Pugh, describing new
gameplay changes in MS' space combat game...
- EvEm.org.au
has posted info on how to alter the HUD in the Serious Sam test...
I certainly didn't intend on so quickly breaking (or at least bending)
yesterday's vow to follow loony's pattern of updating earlier, but as I also
mentioned yesterday, I'm a bit under the weather (not only am I bluish, I think
I may be fluish), so the plan hasn't changed, I'm just running a little slower
than expected. I'll claim illness as the cause of failing to note that yesterday
was the anniversary of the release of the shareware version of Quake (thanks
Digital1), and just to make up for it, a day early I'll point out that tomorrow
is the tenth anniversary of the formation of Raven Software (we hope Quake and
Raven don't mind if they share a cake).
Link of the Day: Cannot find homie dot com server - know what im
sayin'. Don't miss it if you see an error message... if you read it, that is
the website. Thanks Andrew Arace.
Story of the Day: Coffee crisis in Ethiopia
(BBC). Now that's a crisis! Thanks Paul Ligas.
Bonus Story: Variety.com
is reporting plans for a fourth Indiana Jones movie, on the heels of word that
Terminator 3 will be back.
Bonus Story II: 'Monday Night Football' Names Hosts.
Dennis Miller? Well, at least that puts an end to this Rush Limbaugh talk.
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