Archived News:
In one of their surprise weekend updates, GameSpot has posted a preview of the new Doom game in development at id Software, which they cautiously refer to as "Doom III (tentative title)." Admitting that the article doesn't contain any new information, it aims to offer "a convenient collection of all the information that's been released by id Software and John Carmack to date," and comments on the two demo reels that have been shown at MacWorld Japan and QuakeCon, the power of the new graphics engine, and the use of its lighting model and a new sound engine to create the game's atmosphere.
The official Mafia: the City of Lost Heaven site points the way to a video feature on Czech site BonusWeb where they've taken their camera to visit the offices of Illusion Softworks (developers of Hidden and Dangerous) and Pterodon (creators of Flying Heroes) in Brno. Most of the Shaky Cam footage in AVI format concerns itself with introducing the developers at work on their upcoming titles Hidden and Dangerous 2 and Mafia, all in the Czech language of course, and although alarmingly there are no signs of crunch time in any of the three clips, the Mafia video includes a few gameplay sequences shot off the various monitors, and together they offer a rare visual look behind the scenes of a game developer.
There's no pulling back from them, as another Aliens Vs. Predator 2 movie has been released at Czech site BonusWeb. This 5.3 MB clip in Windows Media Player format shows Monolith's upcoming three-class shooter from the (distorted) perspective of the Aliens with around a minute of in-game footage.
- Team Factor
7FX has released ten new, pre-alpha Team Factor screenshots, showing off an industrial complex, some stretches of jungle, and the Mekong area in their upcoming team-based multiplayer shooter.
- Battle Realms
Half a dozen new screenshots of Battle Realms are online at fansite Battle Realms Network, offering new scenes in the 3D RTS under construction at Liquid Entertainment.
- Terminator
This Terminator PS2 gallery on Worthplaying includes a handful of new concept images among some familiar screenshots of the apocalyptic action game that will also be coming to the PC and Mac (story).
There is a very brief Aliens Vs. Predator 2 preview on TechTV that not only includes a quick write-up and three familiar screenshots of Monolith's first-person shooter sequel, but also a new gameplay movie in several streaming formats. The movie features a minute and a half of footage from the viewpoint of the Marine. Thanks AvPNews for the reminder.
German site SpieleCity has posted an interview on AquaNox, talking to Alexander Jorias at likewise German company Massive Development about their upcoming underwater action game. There's no English version so you'll have to make do with a rough Babel Fish translation to learn about the various gameplay modes, interface, 3D graphics engine, and more. Update: Another German interview is online at Swiss site Gamesweb, and once again Babel Fish can provide an approximate English version of their chat with Massive's Wolfgang Walk.
Unreal II Interview on Action Vault is a conversation with Legend Entertainment's Mike Verdu about their upcoming first-person shooter sequel. After introducing the game's premise, Mike talks about the main characters and the dialog system, the weapons in the game and the enemies you'll be using them against, the environments aboard your starship and outside it, and more. Here is a quote:
Action Vault: With Unreal II powered by Epic Games' next-generation engine, what kind of improvements can players look forward to in the area of technology?
Mike Verdu: The most noticeable improvement is the huge increase in the poly counts for levels and characters. The environments are incredibly detailed when compared to what people have seen with the previous generation of technology. Next, gamers will probably look at the outdoor scenery that is made possible by the new terrain system - the landscapes look amazingly realistic. More subtle improvements come in skeletal animation; the new tech lets characters move naturally and provides for head tracking, eye movement, lip-synching, per-poly hit detection, and procedural blending of effects. Finally, particle effects create the delightful illusion of running water, blazing fire, drifting smoke, breaking glass, advanced weather effects, and even flowing hair.
There is a brief preview of Far Gate on Games Domain, based on checking out Super X Studios' space-based RTS at the offices of publisher Microids. Along with an overview of the game's backstory and campaign, there are some details on the graphics engine, interface, and multiplayer, but few if any new screenshots.
GameSpy.com has posted a new preview of WarCraft III: Reign of Chaos, looking even further ahead to this 3D role-playing RTS by Blizzard since it was recently rescheduled to a 2002 release ( story). The article offers an update on the development state of the game, looks at the playable races and their heroes, runs down some of the neutral buildings and special features, and includes quotes by lead designer Rob Pardo and eight new screenshots.
PC.IGN.Com's Aliens vs. Predator 2 Interview
is online chatting with William Westwater, lead designer on the upcoming
three-class shooter sequel. A good portion of the conversation relates to how
the follow-up differs from, or improves upon the original, an example of which
is offered in the following quote: The marine, for example, now has tools.
In the first game you could basically turn a switch or kill things. We’ve
since added the hacking tool and a blowtorch. Now, as you go through levels, you’ll
encounter situations where you have to put your gun down, pull at the tools, and
say cut your way through a vent. All this is still, of course, in the middle of
a facility infested by aliens where you can be attacked at any point in time. It
really takes that core fear factor and tension that was really so much a part of
the first game and heightens it even more. Similarly, the predator has things
like the net gun, which allows you to actually shoot and net AI and other
players in multiplayer. It's something that gives you an even higher sense of
power over other people. It’s almost like a humiliation move where you can net
them and then kind of run over with your claws and cut them to pieces, which is
kind of fun.
You'd swear they make one of these daily AO updates every day! Anyway, another Anarchy Online
update has been posted, which includes news that they will continue to run
the latest server patch on the test server over the weekend before going live
with it, a description of changes they are making to the messageboards to make
it easier to find the answers to questions about the game, and a warning about
the dangers of buying no-drop items (something they are working to make
impossible), because the way they must be sold in a closed bag puts anyone
buying one at risk of being swindled.
The Virtual USO has word that tonight
at 10:00 PM EDT, Rat Patrol Radio takes to the airwaves. The one hour live show
will talk with Rodney "Hatch" Hodge, the WWII Online PR guy, who will
answer a load of reader-submitted questions about the game.
A post to the Diablo II General Discussion
messageboard (thanks Flash and James Chiang) offers precise word on when and
why to expect a version 1.09 update for Diablo II. Here's the poop: All
realms will be shut down at 9:00 A.M. PDT (UTC -8) on Monday, August 20th for
approximately 2 hours. Diablo II v1.09 will be distributed to all the servers
during this time.
REMINDER: Diablo II v1.09 will fix the "dual wield" bug. Any
characters exploiting this bug when Diablo II v1.09 goes live will lose one of
the weapons involved.
EBgames.com's
Return To Castle Wolfenstein page features the box art for the upcoming WWII
shooter (thanks Marky Mark). Also, EBgames.com's
Collector's Doom Bundle page says "Image coming soon," but
intrepid Jacek Fedoryñski points out the box art can be found
here.
Founder, Creditors Differ as to Loki's Future Course
on Linux Today offers much more detail on the events leading up to the
recent chapter 11 filing by the Linux game company ( story),
outlining some of the various accounts of what has been going on, including the
tale of an ex-employee who won a lawsuit after paying the company's payroll with
his charge card. Thanks Crusader.
A post on Team Xbox
describes a planned EB Xbox bundle, saying EB should be set to take Xbox
pre-orders on September 1. The renewed, direct feed Metal Gear Solid 2 Sons of Liberty
E3 trailer on GameSpot is a new addition, in spite of the May date, which
was mistakenly not updated. There's an updated
Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance Preview on GameSpot offering hands-on impressions.
Finally, Half-Life Decay nears completion,
also on GameSpot, reports that this PS2 Half-Life game from Gearbox Software is
set to go gold "in a matter of days."
The usual weekly update has been made to the Star Wars Galaxies Online
FAQ.
CS-Nation has posted an update
to their Next Version
Preview page that includes all the latest information anyone is willing to
part with about the upcoming version 1.3 of the Counter-Strike modification for
Half-Life (thanks Stomped). Included with the update are several screenshots of Barney's
de_inferno update. Also, GameNet's
Opera interview talks with Ben 'Cruise' Hawes about the Half-Life mod The
Opera, but if you're like me, you will have to click on the link that pops up
the English translation of the Q&A, because the original is all Greek to me.
Though the release of the game is still some time off, there's now a Freedom Force Development Tool
on PC.IGN.Com for download that allows you to design your own super heroes
in preparation for the 60s comic book game, so that there will be a good number
of user-created characters for the game when it is available. The story
accompanying the 5.5 MB download also offers a few new Freedom Force
screenshots. Also, a multiplayer
city editor for Gangsters 2 has been released on the official Gangsters 2
website. Also, the 3D Realms Site
has word that the first installment of the MaxEd Tutorial
is online, with tips on how to use Remedy's proprietary program to customize Max
Payne. Finally (when did this department get so huge?), Taking It To The gmax
on HomeLan talks with Kevin Blaker, North American animation sales manager
for Discreet about their still unreleased gmax plug-in for 3D Studio Max
designed to help model and animate game characters.
- The Adrenaline Vault Featured Game:
Trog offers a preview, an interview, and some screenshots from this
upcoming game that looks to combine the world of PC gaming with those
collectable card games like Magic: the Gathering...
Well, I just returned from a very lovely party for the Blue-in-laws' 40th
anniversary. Right now Minneapolis is experiencing a thunderstorm of epic
proportions, with Thor-esque lightning bolt flashing across the sky in such a
cinematic fashion I've been tempted at times to go out and scream 'give my
creation life!' But of course, then I realize I'd probably get electrocuted and
the appeal quickly wears off.
I planned on bringing my complete email inbox with me here and transferring
it back to my desktop machine at home, but when I tried to transfer my
outlook.pst file to a CD I found it was well over 800 MB (doh!) and wouldn't
fit, so any ongoing correspondence I am engaged in is on hold until after the
weekend, and likewise, it's probably advisable to hold off on sending me
anything non-news related until then as well.
Link of the Day: No More AOL CDs.
Thanks Joe Siegler.
Story of the Day: Circumcision Palace hit by economy
(Fox). Thanks theAntiELVIS. Used to be in that business you could live on tips.
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