Archived News:
The latest Tread Marks patch is now available, updating the tank combat racing game by Longbow Digital Arts to version 1.5.9. This release brings more server fixes, addresses a dedicated server crash upon map changes, tweaks CTF and multiplayer features, and several other changes.
A brief status update on the Croteam website has the latest on the development of their fast-paced shooter, Serious Sam. While not very in-depth, the update by 3D artist Admir Elezovic has word on the bug fixing and game polishing progress, work on the game's storyline, and more, although they "don't have time now for 'The Best Fake Serious Sam picture' contest :) ."
There are some new Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter screenshots on XGR today, offering more scenes in Black Isle's imminent RPG expansion pack. While they captured nearly a dozen images from their press build themselves, there are also three screenshots taken by the development team.
Not even resting for Sunday, this
page on the Gathering of Developers website now offers the fourth in the
series of gameplay movies taken from Oni, Bungie's imminent game of personal
combat. The clips, which are being released on a daily basis until the game
becomes available on January 29th, are intended to teach maneuvers to willing
pupils that will offer tactical advantages in the game from the day they bring the game home. Today's move is called the "Devil Spin Kick," though if you
tell your friends what the move is called after you spring it on them, they'll
probably catch on you were studying in advance.
There's part
one of an edited chat log on PlanetFortress taken from an IRC session with
Yahn Bernier of Valve Software. The log was split in two due to its length (the
second half will be online tomorrow), and the portion posted today covers topics
like the stories of how Yahn got into coding and ended up at Valve, his role in
the creation of TF2, a debate on commerciality in mods, as well as
"quite a few tech questions that coders should enjoy."
The Mobile Field Base has a new version 70 of
the League Admin Tool for MechWarrior 4: Vengeance. The new version fixes a few
bugs, and now offers the ability to kick players from a MW4 server.
Is that a quake in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me? Pocket Quake,
thankfully, has nothing to do with that question, much less the answer, but
rather offers a port of Quake for ARM Pocket PC users. In addition to the
downloads, the site offers a
Pocket Quake Forum for discussion of the port. Thanks Tony Tang.
The debut release of a utility called ServerSpy
is now available. Calling itself "The simple alternative," this
freeware utility is a simple server browser for Windows 9x/NT/Me/2K that offers
basic functions to find and join multiplayer servers for either Half-Life or
Quake III Arena and mods of both games. Among the features the program
does support are server redial and monitoring functions, player searches, and
XML data export.
GameSpy.com's The Art of Gaming Volume 11
continues their ongoing series of interviews relating to the art of adding
artwork to games by talking with Ted Halsted, co-founder and graphic artist at
Human Head Studios. The conversation covers general art questions as well as
specifics about the art in RUNE, and is terribly amusing throughout, as
demonstrated in the following brief excerpt: GameSpy: How would you
describe your art style?
Ted Halsted: Exaggerated Realism.
GameSpy: How would you describe Rune's art style?
Ted Halsted: Exaggerated Realism with Vikings.
Version 1.01 of the RTASC utility for Delta Force: Land Warrior is now
available on [vvv] veni vidi vici. RTASC stands for Remote Tool Active Server Client, a new program that
offers remote control of a Land Warrior server via a web interface. Word is:
"In the future this tool will implement the complete ASC," which
reports game server stats to their web server.
GameSpy.com previews Magic &
Mayhem: Art of Magic with a look ahead at this upcoming title from CHARYBDIS
that follows-up on the tactical RTS game from X-Com creators Mythos
Games. The article is based on playing with a preview copy of the game, and
offers several new screenshots. Likewise, there are some new
Magic and Mayhem: Art of Magic screenshots on Beta Bites, the 18 shots
showing off various effects from the upcoming 3D sequel that incorporates RPG
and adventure elements with real-time strategy gameplay.
In the aftermath of Ritual Entertainment's announcement of the formation of
Mumbo Jumbo Games ( story), an
update to Levelord's .plan gives word that even as the US was undergoing its
inauguration day festivities yesterday, Ritual Entertainment was having a
similar ceremony of its own. Here is an excerpt from the .plan giving an idea of
the reorganization, as well as some new additions to the Ritual tribe: ...Ritual
inaugurates it's new President Robert Atkins! We elected Rob "Backslider is
NOT a new themepark" Atkins because he has always loved Ritual more than
anyone. Rob IS Ritual, and now he is.
For the office of Vice President, we have elected Tom "A Paradox beats one
Levelord, even in Kangaroo Poker" Mustaine. Tom is our new Vice President
because, just as Rob IS Ritual, Tom IS vice!
Finally, we have named the Levelord, the Good and Humble, as our new Secretary.
This is obviously because he has the biggest and nicest boobs.
We also have three new strategically important Tribe Members that need mention.
There will be a press release on this, I am sure, but who can wait for that!
We have a new CEO, CFO, CCO, MFO, and all-round fun guy, Steven Nix. No, not the
one from Fleetwood Mac, although he does have hippy-dippy, long-flowing dresses
and sings like a canary. Steve is a classically trained and experienced
financial wiz and is already saying things like "You know, I could sell
this baby for a cool 12 mil or so!".
We have a new Project Manager Jay "Where IS that baseball bat!"
Halderman. He has a long history of dominance and submission, and I am already
hearing things like "Can you get him off my back for even one
minute!?!" and "Who IS that guy and why does he bring his horse into
the office!?!". Jay is also classically trained in his expertise, with many
years of experience. He makes me feel very comfortable knowing he is at the
helm, and he also makes me feel very scared when I see him approaching my desk,
...a perfect Project Manager.
Finally, we have the Alphawolf! Artist [extraordinaire], Andrew "LOOK AT
ALL THOSE LUV EWES!" Gilmour has joined us and is already making the
schedule look as though it was dipped in molasses.
The Unreal4Ever website has a new
version 602 of the Unreal4Ever modification for Unreal Tournament. The new
release makes the mod compatible with UT version 436, while adding new weapons
to the mod and modifying the behavior of others. An additional change is that
the player class aspect of the mod will only be enabled when the accompanying Player
Class Mutator is run, and while they were changing things, all 12 player classes
have been given new special moves.
Total-Reload.com has posted
the debut release of their new program called Half-Life Server Tool, which
allows you to query a Half-Life server to determine what mods, maps, rules, etc.
running on a server. Though the app doesn't support joining the server as a
client, if you have the Rcon password, it will allow you access to the console
to change settings on the server.
Online Game Review.com's Urban Terror
interview talks with Stephen "Oswald" Toumi, the project coordinator
of Silicon Ice Development's Urban Terror
modification for Quake III Arena. On the same topic, the official German Urban Terror
website has posted some new screenshots from the mod. Finally, the Junkyard's
JeremyIrons interview talks, not with the actor, but with the man behind the
Tribes RPG mod who uses his name
(though he apparently didn't know who the actor was when choosing the nickname)
discussing this ongoing effort to create a persistent online world using the
TRIBES engine, including possible future plans for a TRIBES 2 version.
UnrealCore.com
interviews Tim "Kew" Jervis talks with this level designer who has
created well-regarded maps for a wide range of shooter games, including Quake,
Heretic II, The Wheel of Time, Unreal, and Unreal Tournament. The conversation
covers map-making as well as the changes in the community that leads Tim to say:
"I have created a few maps both sp and mp in Unreal and UT over the past
eight months or so, but I have not wished to publish them." Also, Harlequin's Q-Branch
offers the results of the Q-Branch Gold Star Awards for 2000, highlighting the
premier skins, maps, mods, and editing-related websites for the year.
Another chapter in my ongoing DSL saga: I just found a new ISP to try, and
according to the automated response I received, I should have DSL installed
within 25 business days. The sad part is that this is no less than the third
time I've received that specific time frame, and in spite of the previous two
failed attempts (as well as the fact that the dial-up account they say should
work in the interim before installation is not actually active), I still believe
this. Yup, I thought that would give you a good laugh.
Some birthdays of note by way of Chris
Morris. Today perennial PapaBlue favorite Benny Hill would have been 76 and
Telly "Who loves ya baby" Savalas would have been 77, and yesterday
was likewise the 77th birthday for Slim Whitman.
Link of the Day: Fjallfil.
Home of the Milko Music Machine. Thanks Chris Johnson. Only Swedish residents
are eligible to win, however.
LoD Follow-up: Inaugural festivities officially under way
(PseudoCNN). Thanks Sam Haschke. Reporting the razor-close results of the Rumble Vote
between Heat Miser and Snow Miser (story). As of this writing, no
recount is planned.
Image of the Day: APOD 2001 January 18 - 2001 A Total Lunar Eclipse.
Thanks brother19.
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