Archived News:
GameSpot has posted a brief preview of Disciples II: Dark Prophecy, looking ahead to the turn-based strategy game under construction at Strategy First. The preview has some brief impressions from the early alpha build they saw, but is copiously illustrated with nearly two dozen new screenshots, as well as half a dozen movies. The first one is the intro trailer while the remaining clips show on average about a minute of gameplay footage each.
The weekly Halo update has appeared at Haloplayers.com this evening (thanks rampancy.net), and as usual Matt Soell offers a round-up of happenings in the Bungie headquarters on their upcoming 3D action game. In staccato fashion, this update mentions a framerate boost, blood decals, melee attacks, mission work, sparks, Jeep physics, and more, as well as new music that will be used at next week's Microsoft GameStock press event.
As we've come to expect every alternate Friday, Westwood has released another new map pack for their real-time strategy game Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2. As usual, this seventh pack includes three multiplayer maps, entitled Roundhouse Kick, Army of The Potomac, and Carville's Convoy.
The official One Must Fall: Battlegrounds site sports a new pair of movie clips from the 3D fighting action game being developed at Diversions Entertainment. The '3-player in the City' clip runs for some 40 seconds while the '2-player in the Blade Pit' is a bit shorter, both offering new gameplay footage in MPEG format.
GameSpot has posted what appears to be the first hands-on preview of the PS2 version of Red Faction, Volition's upcoming first-person shooter of destructible enemies and environments that will also be released on the PC later this year. The preview is based on playing through a "rough build" of the game, and offers an overview of the backstory, detailed impressions of the gameplay, weapons, the levels with their Geo-Mod technology, and more. Accompanying the article is a gallery with a whopping 80 new screenshots.
Norwegian site Gibme has posted an English Q&A with Tommy Strand, quizzing the lead designer of likewise Norwegian company Funcom about their upcoming futuristic MMORPG. Tommy talks about the game's role-playing rules, the dynamic content of their geographically static world, the game's system requirements, and a few other topics.
It's day five of GameSpot's Black & White week, and tonight they have posted
a video preview of the game.
The video is available in both RealPlayer and Windows Media Player streaming formats, and
has a ton of gameplay footage along with interviews with GameSpot editor Amer
Ajami and a PR representative from Electronic Arts who provide information about
the game. Across the ocean at GameSpot UK they are continuing their seemingly
endless look at Black & White with seven
new screenshots from the game.
- Black Skies
iROCK has released half a dozen new Ozzy's Black Skies screenshots and four cinematic images, illustrating their 3D action game based on the illustrious rock singer.
- H&D2
As promised, the Unofficial Hidden & Dangerous 2 Site has posted the second pair of new Hidden & Dangerous 2 screenshots showing off the 3D tactical shooter being developed at Illussion Softworks.
- Shogun Expansion
The official Shogun Community site now sports an expansive Mongol Invasion/Warlord Edition gallery offering a grand total of 26 new screenshots for all aspects of the 3D RTS add-on.
- Serious Sam
A day wouldn't be complete without some Serious imagery somewhere, so you can find six new Serious Sam screenshots on Israeli site Vgames today.
- Dragonriders
German site Raffs.de has posted three new Dragonriders: Chronicles of Pern concept images, illustrating the main character in the third-person role-playing adventure nearing completion at Ubi Studios UK.
- Anarchy Online
Stomped has posted three new Anarchy Online screenshots offering new scenes in the futuristic 3D MMORPG likewise nearing completion at Funcom.
- Echelon
Bethesda's official Echelon site has been revamped and sports half a dozen new screenshots of the futuristic combat flyer similarly nearing completion at Madia and Buka.
AVault has scored a
trailer movie that shows off Terminal Reality's latest Nocturne engine.
The movie is a 26.8 MB AVI file, and in addition to the footage (which they
stress is real-time and not pre-rendered) they have also conducted a Q&A
with Terminal Reality's Mark Randel, talking about their latest technology and
the unannounced game it will power. Here's an excerpt with some vague details
on their next Nocturne-powered project: The game is highly focused on
action. You play as a creature that runs faster and jumps farther than any human.
Using the engine's light and shadows as a major element of gameplay you can
duck into shadows to hide from forces you would rather not face head-on. You
can slip behind your prey and strike their weakest points. As the game progresses
you will acquire new powers as well. Many of the enemies use guns -- balancing
your speed and strength with their numbers and firepower. Although you can fire
guns too…
GameSpot has conducted an
interview with Cinemaware's Morgan Gray, talking with him about their upcoming
PC and Xbox title Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown, which is based on the original
Defender of the Crown game. Morgan talks about how this title differs from the
original (which was released 15 years ago), the sort of environments and characters
in the game and more.
According to a report
on fan page Duck and Cover, half the staff at developer Micro Forté has
been let go today. According to their news update, the layoffs were made because
the company had been working on a 3D engine to power Fallout Tactics 2, when
Interplay decided that because preliminary work is already underway on both
Fallout 3 and Fallout Online, a sequel to Fallout Tactics would dilute the franchise.
This news comes only a day after the news Fallout Tactics has officially gone
gold and will be on store shelves in the very near future ( story).
It should be pointed out that there is no source credited for this report, and
neither Micro Forté nor Interplay has confirmed the layoffs.
FiringSquad's Hostile
Waters: Antaeus Rising preview looks at this upcoming action/strategy game
from Rage Software. The preview is based on their hands-on impressions of a
full build of the game, and contains lots of gameplay details, which are illustrated
with plenty of new screenshots.
The newly unveiled fan page Fallen Age HQ has conducted a
lengthy interview with Savant of Netamin. The interview covers a lot of
ground, and contains lots of gameplay details on this upcoming massively multiplayer
title. In addition to the interview, they have also posted some
new screenshots and a
new movie featuring a brief character animation (along with one that has already been
available elsewhere).
EuroGamer has posted the first 16 screenshots of Warhammer Online, illustrating this massively multiplayer 3D strategy game by UK developers Climax that is based on the popular Warhammer universe by Games Workshop. Further details on the game, which is currently scheduled for a 2002 release, can be found in this announcement.
MacNN has conducted an interview on Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, the upcoming expansion pack to the amazingly popular action RPG that is scheduled to appear on PC and Mac later this year. Blizzard's Brian Love is at hand to explain why the Mac version will be released later than its PC counterpart, how it follows on the original game with a new Act V and the new Assassin and Druid character classes, other new features, and more.
A new Q&A
with Tom Hall, the madman behind ION Storm's Anachronox is up at Stomped
today. Tom talks about Anachronox, saying that they are currently hard at work
to get it finished in the near future, and he also comments on the chances of
a multiplayer patch (not likely) and just how large the game is.
The second half of Eurogamer's
interview with Peter Molyneux is online. Like the first portion it's in
article format, and topics covered this time include the challenge of creating
an actual story for Black & White, and why the development time on the game
was so large. The ever-busy designer is also interviewed on GameSpot UK today (part one, with part two promised for tomorrow), talking about the Playstation version of Black & White.
Eidos has opened the official Commandos 2 site for business ( Flash required), showcasing the upcoming squad-based tactical combat game being developed by Pyro Studios. The site offers a fair amount of game information, character profiles, some new screenshots and wallpapers, and more. Also, Spanish site GamesReview has posted over a dozen, mostly new Commandos 2 screenshots and more concept art.
Shrapnel Games has released a patch for Combat Command 2: Danger Forward, updating their WWII wargame to version 1.01. The patch mainly addresses PBEM (Play By E-Mail) issues. Also, SSG has released a new sound fix for Warlords: Battlecry that should help players who still experience sound problems in their role-playing strategy game after the latest version 1.04 beta patch ( story). They have also released an unofficial help file entitled Tome of Knowledge ( Adobe Acrobat required).
- Anachronox
The official Anachronox site has been updated with five new, high-res screenshots of the Sender Station area in the 3D role-playing game nearing completion at ION Storm.
- Emperor
The official Emperor: Battle for Dune site features a new unit of the week, introducing the Mongoose unit of House Atreides with a description and a concept image.
- Cossacks
Hopping to another official site, CDV has released four new Cossacks: European Wars screenshots illustrating the isometric RTS nearing completion at GSC Game World.
- Divinity
Also from CDV are four new Devine Divinity screenshots at the top of their preview page for this isometric RPG by Larian Studios.
- Away Team
Adrenaline Vault has posted five new Star Trek: Away Team screenshots celebrating that Reflexive's squad-based tactical combat game went gold yesterday (story).
- Wizardry 8
German site Gildenweb has posted another Wizardry 8 gallery with 18 new screenshots of Sirtech's hopefully imminent first-person RPG.
- Anarchy Online
Also on Gildenweb are three new Anarchy Online screenshots offering more scenes in the futuristic MMORPG being beta tested at Funcom.
- The Sting
Finally, completing Gildenweb's hat-trick, they have added a dozen new The Sting screenshots to their gallery for this burglar simulation game by neoSoftware that's known in Germany as Der Clou! 2.
GameSpy attended Electronic Arts' recent Medal of Honor event, and they
have posted a report that details the various PC, Playstation 2 and Xbox
games that were announced at the show. Also, PC Gameplay has conducted a
Q&A with EA product manager Lincoln Hershberger, talking with him about
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, the upcoming Quake III Arena engine title for
PC and Xbox.
Tribalwar.com's
TRIBES 2 preview is up with an extensive, detailed look ahead at the
teamplay shooter sequel based on playing with a preview build. Included are a
load of new screenshots, including one of every map to be included in the game,
as well as sound files of in-game voices. Meanwhile, Linux Tribes
has posted 48 new TRIBES 2 screenshots from the upcoming Linux TRIBES 2 port,
while The Duke of URL's
TRIBES 2 Linux Preview offers impressions of the Linux build, as well. You
say you want some more? Well here's some more, as there's a
TRIBES 2 Gallery on BigHug with two more pages of shots, and another pair on Vgames.
The Adrenaline Vault Previews Kohan
looking ahead towards the release of Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns, the upcoming
RTS game from TimeGate Studios.
The article discusses the game's fantasy setting, gives some details on how
gameplay and combat will be handled, and discusses what may help differentiate
Kohan from other strategy offerings.
There's an
interview with Aidan Scanlan on Lost Universe talking with one of the
designers at BioWare currently at work on Neverwinter Nights, their upcoming
RPG. The following Q&A cover how the game's planned DM feature will work:
[Treborg] Could you please explain how the dungeon master feature will
work in the game?
[Scanlan, Aidan] If you choose to play as dungeon master,
the game will handle you as a special Dungeon Master client. You will be given a
wide range of powers that affect the game. The primary of these is the
possession of monsters and non-player characters. By possessing them, you take
complete control over their actions. You can speak through them and command them
in combat just like a player character. You become their puppeteer. Other powers
include the ability to spawn in creatures, trigger scripts, lock and unlock
doors, hide treasure, and so forth. All of this can be done dynamically, while
the game is in play. Our intention is to make the Neverwinter Nights Dungeon
Master experience as close to pen-and-paper Dungeons & Dragons as possible.
An Irrational
Tale on Computer Games Online talks with Ken Levine about his history at Irrational Games. The article goes into Ken's start in the
industry at Looking Glass Studios, discussing the reasons for his departure to
start up Irrational, the story behind System Shock 2, and more detailed history,
while mostly avoiding the topic of Freedom Force, their current project.
3DActionPlanet
previews Operation Flashpoint with a look ahead at this alternate-history
game of tactical warfare that rues the end of the cold war. The preview is based
on hands-on play with a preview version of the game, offering screenshots and
descriptions of gameplay in this upcoming project that brings terms like NATO
and The Soviet Union back into your daily vocabulary.
There's a Fallen Age Interview
on RPG Vault with another conversation with Daniel "Savant"
Manachi, the producer on this upcoming MMORPG. The lengthy conversation spans
several pages going into a great deal of detail about what to expect from the
game, getting into the nitty-gritty of gameplay. The interview is accompanied by
a batch of screenshots, a gameplay movie, and a first glimpse at the game's tech
tree. Also, RPGDot has posted half a dozen new Fallen Age screenshots.
The incredible flurry of games going gold continues, as Gone Gold
is reporting that The Sims: House Party, the upcoming expansion that adds
pigs-in-blankets and other party festivities to Maxis' get a life game, has gone
gold (off to manufacturing for distribution) and should be "in stores by
April in the US and Europe." Meanwhile, they are also reporting on G.G.
that Simsville, another upcoming simmy project from Maxis, has slipped a long
way: all the way to 2002.
Who let the worms out? Computer Games Online
previews Worms World Party, pointing out "it takes a certain sort of
gamer to enjoy the sheer genius and nearly endless playability of a Worms game."
The preview looks forward to the latest iteration in the Worms franchise, still
offering offbeat side-scrolling gameplay in glorious 2D. Word from CGO is "don't
expect any groundbreaking innovation here, just more of that same tried and true
action," though they point out that this "shouldn't prove to be a
problem for fans of the series, however, since the refinements and additions
appear as though they will be in the right places."
There's a Sudden Strike
interview on the Daily Telefrag talking with FireGlow games about Sudden
Strike, their strategic wargame. Included in the conversation are sketchy
details on their future plans, which include a Sudden Strike add-on and a sequel.
The Quake 3 Battle of the Sexes page
has posted the source code for both the Quake II and the Quake III Arena
versions of the Battle of the Sexes modification. Admitting it was time to
"stop fooling myself into believing I have the time to continue working on
Battle of the Sexes," Spinoza has posted the source with the simple request
that the proper parties be credited is it is used (though it is noted that
permission from the map makers will be required before using any of the BotS
textures).
Microsoft Signs Six-Pack of New Developers
on Xbox.IGN.Com lists the six new software developers signed on to develop
Xbox games. Also, Krawall's
interview with Boris Schneider-Johne is a proper translation of the Xbox
interview mentioned yesterday, as apparently some made the mistake of trying to
read the BabelFish translation and gave themselves terminal headaches. Damn You Reuters!
on Cube.IGN.Com reports "Reuters issues a correction statement
explaining that GameCube is still set for an October release," though
that's in the US, while Analysts
Suggest GameCube Delay on Core Magazine says "Japanese analysts remain
skeptical regarding Nintendo's ability to deliver the GameCube this July in
Japan." Meanwhile, Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 2 Cancelled
reports Dreamcast.IGN.com saying "One of the most anticipated games for
the Dreamcast leaves our plane of existence." Also, New Phantasy Star Online Append Disc
on Dreamcast.IGN.com reports on rumors of an upcoming PSO "append
disc" intended to clear up problems with the game, as well as the popular
misconception that console games always ship relatively bug-free. Finally, there
are new Red Faction screenshots on DailyRadar.com showing off the PS2
version of Volition's upcoming shooter, while DailyRadar.com's Preview
of Alone in the Dark 4: The New Nightmare looks at the upcoming installment
in the AitD series.
An update to Paul
Jaquays' .plan offers favorable comments about the Creech
player model for Quake III Arena, calling it "an awesome must-have player
model."
The Savage UK website has word that BiA
is the winner of their Savage Cup competition. Also, the musical LAN Party Information Page of Hat Triqk's
HatLan offers details on what is described as a permanent LAN party in LA,
slated to start in a couple of weeks, and scheduled to run (get this) almost a
year(!). Also, the next Gib-O-Rama
in Houston is a bit over a week away. Finally, the Armory Assault Web Site
is accepting sign-ups for their LAN party next month in Jacksonville, FL.
Hey, yesterday was International Women's
Day, sorry about failing to note that (thanks snowball.ru
for the heads-up).
Okay, so they are predicting snow again, March is obviously still in its
"lion" phase. I'm terribly afraid now, because they are predicting
minimal coverage, which was what we got in these parts when the blizzard was
predicted earlier this week, so I have every pessimistic reason to think we will
be buried.
Link of the Day: Guess the Dictator or Sit-Com Character.
Thanks EvilToast. It turns out I am Tim Allen (grunt grunt grunt), but that's
probably not a surprise to people who know me.
Story of the Day: Sky diver crashes into woman at Bike Week event.
Thanks Sam. This one keeps getting better.
Weird Science: Family Eats Glowing Chicken Dinner (ABC News). Thanks Greg 'Jesh' Trzaska.
Follow-up: Am I ALL YOUR BASE or NOT?
Thanks again EvilToast.
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