Archived News:
The game information page on the official PlanetSide site sports new details on the massively multiplayer FPS in the works at Verant. Backgrounds of two of the game's Empires, called The Terran Republic and The New Conglomerate, are now presented, complete with their logo and a new screenshot of a group of soldiers on each side.
Phantagram has released a new patch for Kingdom Under Fire, updating their isometric role-playing RTS to version 1.10. The patch improves multiplayer stability on their Wargate service, fixes a few gameplay bugs, and adds a large number of balance changes. The 11.0 MB patch can be downloaded from their ftp server or though the in-game updater.
A new preview of Operation
Flashpoint is up at PC.IGN this evening. The preview is based on the author's
impressions of a full version of the game, and contains his impressions along
with some brief details on what will be changed when the game is released in
America (which will also be available to European gamers after its stateside
release).
The official Earth and Beyond site has been slightly revamped and features a new project status update for Westwood's massively multiplayer space RPG, penned by community manager Maria Hamilton. The update has details on the game's starting sectors, interface, and other design issues, as well as progress on internal server testing. Also, the official FAQ has been restructured and updated with many new questions and their corresponding answers. Update: In related news, even more information on the game can be learned from Earth N Beyond's edited log of the chat that took place this evening.
An extensive update of the official Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor site brings a Q&A with producer Chuck Yager on this isometric RPG being crafted at Stormfront Studios, eighteen new screenshots, and a new gameplay movie that sports some 50 seconds of footage in AVI format for the price of a 7.8 MB download. There's also a final trailer available as a 30.9 MB download in Bink format, but that's largely identical to the trailers released in April ( story).
BioWare has released a European patch for Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, bringing the German, French, Italian, or Spanish editions of the game in sync with the English version 23037 released last week ( story). An Italian TLK update is available as well. Also, Shrapnel Games sent word of new version 1.02 patches for Combat Command 2: Danger Forward, a WWII war game by Boku. Lastly, Loki Games has announced the availability of the first Linux patch for their port of Cognitoy's MindRover: the Europa Project, along with the Arena Race and Hydro Battles add-ons.
As promised, the official Medal of Honor: Allied Assault site now offers the second of four gameplay movies for download, showing off the WWII first-person shooter in the works at 2015. This clip sports another two minutes of in-game footage in QuickTime format of the infmaous Omaha beach landing level, available in two download sizes.
GamaSutra has conducted an
interview with American McGee. The interview deals largely with American
McGee's Alice, but he does comment on his upcoming projects, saying that he'll
"probably end up directing some straight to video Hellraiser 34 movie or
something like that" and that he is in talks to direct some music videos
as well.
GameSpot has a
preview of Spider-Man online this evening, looking at this upcoming console
port from LTI Gray Matter (not to be confused with Gray Matter Studios, the
developers of Return to Castle Wolfenstein). The preview sports 14 new screenshots,
along with a look at the game and a Q&A with members of the development
team.
A couple of updates on the PaleStar website give word of new fixes for DarkSpace, their massively multiplayer space combat sim currently in open beta testing. The fixes address some display code and file update problems, and are available through the in-game updater. Additionally, the DarkSpace setup has been updated with a "Wait VB" checkbox for players experiencing a flickering display.
As noted in this announcement on the official forum, Cornered Rat Software and Playnet have released the eagerly-anticipated version 120 patch for World War II Online: Blitzkrieg. There is no manual patch yet, but you should be able to download the 19 MB file and upgrade within the game. The announcement also has word on getting closer to resolving the CTHL (Connection To Host Lost) problem, while work on the next version 130 patch is now in progress. Thanks Avrus Cadavrus for the tip. Update: Manual patches for both the previous version 112 and the original game are now available from the WWII Online Downloads page.
Version 1.2.5 of the All-Seeing Eye server
browser has been released. This latest release adds support for Star Trek:
Voyager - Elite Force, and also adds the ability to delete and restore the program's
built-in filters among other changes. Current users don't need to download anything,
as the program's auto-update should automatically upgrade itself.
PC Zone UK has posted a brief preview of Zorro, the recently announced third-person action adventure by French developer In Utero based on the popular masked avenger. While brief, the article has more information on the game's premise and features, quotes from an unnamed representative of In Utero, and seven new screenshots (mixed in with five familiar ones).
Computer
and Video Games is reporting that Electronic Arts has acquired the rights
to create unspecified games based on the upcoming Lord of the Rings movie trilogy.
Note that this is different from Sierra's license, which is related to the original
Tolkein books, and not the film adaptations. This is similar to Westwood's Emperor:
Battle for Dune, which was based on the David Lynch-directed film rather than
Frank Herbert's series of novels.
A hands-on preview of From
Dusk Till Dawn is up at Eurogamer this afternoon. The preview features a
look at the gameplay in this survival horror title, and is generally positive,
saying that the game is looking "far more promising" than The Devil
Inside, the last horror game from Gamesquad.
HomeLAN has conducted a
Q&A with David Solari of Codemasters, talking with him about Operation
Flashpoint, the tactical shooter which is about to be released in North America.
The interview is brief, but David talks about why the game was first released
overseas, the changes that have been made for its domestic release and more.
Paradox
Entertainment has announced that due to the success of the original game,
a sequel to Europa Universalis is now in development (thanks AVault).
According to the announcement, the game will allow you to choose from over 100
playable nations, a dramatic increase from the eight available in the first
game. Update: The first two screenshots and a character gallery are now available on the official site as well.
PC Zone has posted a
new preview of Battle Realms, the upcoming RTS from Liquid Entertainment.
The preview features quotes from Liquid's Ed Del Castillo, along with the usual
bunch of gameplay details and 12 new screenshots.
A
.plan update by George Broussard has word that that due to problems with
customs at the Canadian border (I'm guessing Max refused to surrender his
firearms), their copies of Max Payne intended for those who pre-ordered the game
have been delayed, and will be going in the mail this afternoon, rather than a
couple of days ago as was originally planned. The update also mentions that the
3D Realms web server bonked, and as a result, the messageboards will be offline
until next week sometime, a case of truly unfortunate timing with a new game on
the shelves. According to the update, those who pre-ordered Max Payne from 3D
Realms should expect delivery Friday. Update: An update on the 3D Realms website confirms that all their pre-orders have now shipped as promised.
The World War II Online
website has a couple of updates describing the decision-making process surrounding
plans to release the new version 120 patch, weighing the benefits
of getting fixed clients out the door versus the downside of needing to leave
version 112 servers online, and possibly having to create a downgrade patch (as
well as the fact that a fix for the "CTHL" bug remains elusive). The
upshot is that they've decided to release the patch shortly, at least in part
because they now believe the CTHL problem is not on the client's side.
There's a Battle Realms
Update on XGR.COM where Ed Del Castillo gives the latest on progress on this
upcoming RTS game from Liquid Entertainment and Crave. The update basically describes
the fine-tuning currently underway to ensure the game has the proper
"feel" when it ships. Included are a batch of screenshots, but these
have all been previously published elsewhere.
Volume four of GameSpy.com's
Etherlords Developer Diaries is online, with Nival Interactive's Andrey
Emelyanenko offering the explanation he promised last time out ( story)
about redesigning the economy of Etherlords, since, as pointed out in the last
update, the first pass at the economic system they cooked up for their upcoming
strategy game was "simply boring."
The Second Annual Asheron's Call Player Luncheon
on GameSpy recaps their attendance of a get-together in Boston to attend a
lunch with Turbine and their fans (I slay me) to see what they are up to lately.
The first part of the article recaps the trip and related events, with a few
photos to help give a sense of the event, while the
second page offers a preview of Dark Majesty, the upcoming Asheron's Call
expansion, based on what they saw of it at the soiree.
The debut release of Marathon Resurrection
is now available, an Unreal Tournament modification that pays homage to Bungie's
Marathon, the first real FPS for the Macintosh. This first public beta is
multiplayer only, as whatever single player components it includes are not
really playable at this point.
Version 1.0 of Race Quake
is now available, offering Quake (1) speed-run competitions through DM3, the
Abandoned Base. Offering a top 10 list of fastest times, this is described as
"an ultimate test of rocket jumping, bunnyhopping, and knowledge of DM3."
A new Epic Games FAQ is now
online, answering just about every question you might have about the company
except for the obvious inquiries about CliffyB's wardrobe.
I have grown to learn that the neighbor that told me that the skunk population
in our neighborhood means that there are no raccoons nearby was not correct, as
a raccoon who lives in a nearby tree has been making raids on our garbage
(there's a similar legend in the city saying that mice and rats don't cohabitate
in the same area, which I'm doubting now as well). So I made one of those trips
to the Home Depot that are such a part of any homeowner's life to acquire a
garbage can whose lid would lock on (if the raccoon wants to eat garbage, he's
going to have to go to the drive-through like I have to). As I'm lugging the
garbage can through the outdoor area where they are stored, I once again found
myself enjoying the bird population that hangs around there, doing their
songbird thing. I think the exact thought I was thinking was how pleasant it all
was when one of the little bastards crapped on me. Ah the joys of nature. At
least I wasn't looking up at him smiling at the time.
Link of the Day: Xiaoxiao
(Flash required). Thanks EvilToast. From the author of the classic stick
fighter (story). Update: The link has been removed at the request of FilePile for excessive bandwidth consumption.
Story of the Day: Woman
Sues to Become a Moose (Fox). Thanks theAntiELVIS.
Weird Science: Falling object lights up sky in eastern U.S.
(CNN). Thanks Zdim.
Wild Science: Mini-supernova created in the lab
(MSNBC). Thanks Patrick Steele.
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