The Red Faction week on PC Game Central rolls on with a brief Q&A with James Tsai, quizzing the Volition producer about their imminent Geo-Mod powered first-person shooter. Today's topic is the game's multiplayer, and James talks about the absence of vehicles and bot support, their RED editor and plans to support the mod community, and what sets Red Faction apart from other multiplayer shooters.

• Ghost Recon
  The official Ghost Recon site sports a single new screenshot of the tactical shooter in development at Red Storm Entertainment.
• Grandia II
  There are four new screenshots of Grandia II on PC.IGN.com, showing off the role-playing game that's being ported from the Dreamcast to the PC by Game Arts.
• Asheron's Call Expansion
  Gamers Uplink has posted 17 new Asheron's Call: Dark Majesty screenshots, illustrating the upcoming add-on to the 3D MMORPG by Turbine Games.

There is a new movie of Valhalla Chronicles on Games Domain that apparently went up yesterday (thanks To The Game for the reminder), illustrating the isometric fantasy RPG being crafted at Paradox Entertainment. The movie offers a variety of pre-rendered footage in AVI format running for around 1:40 minutes, and requires a 28.2 MB download.

The official Zorro website (Flash required) is now online, dedicated to The Shadow of Zorro, the upcoming third-person action adventure game celebrating the exploits of Don Diego Vega's alter ego, Zorro ("One bit, two bits, three bits a peso. All for Zorro just stand up and say so!") in the works at French developer In Utero. The site is available in English and French, and offers a nifty Flash introduction, some character introductions, as well as some new screenshots and concept art, provided you are willing to tolerate the intrusive way the site hijacks your browser.

Time to bust out your Leeloo Dallas multipass, as Fishtank's BeamBreakers set to take of in 2002 is the official press release announcing what we already knew, that work is underway on BeamBreakers, an upcoming racing game inspired by the chaotic flying traffic found in The Fifth Element. According to the release, in the game: "You are a member of an outlaw 'beam breaker' gang, and you must pilot your anti-gravity vehicle out of the matrix, jump the stringent guide beams that regulate the city's traffic, race between the high rise buildings and perform daredevil stunts." In a related note, this page on GamePlex has the BeamBreakers trailer that was shown at ECTS that shows off a bit of gameplay. The 23 second trailer is a 2.3 MB download.

Terrain Reasoning for 3D Action Games on Gamasutra is quite the heady article on the subject of teaching artificial intelligence to be less artificially stupid about its environment. The article is chock full of advanced theory as well as math equations that may be of use to programmers and of interest to some of you smart folks (while it simply reminds me what a monkey I really am).

An update to the World War II Online website has the promised (story) release of the version 1.2.5 update. As mentioned, this update features "the addition of a rank system, expanded and enhanced terrain and added vehicles- including a naval vessel. The new version is available as an auto-update and can be accessed by launching the game and selecting a gameworld," and the patch to manually update from v1.2.0 or later can be found here (direct FTP link). You can Read more details about 1.2.5 here and an explanation of the new mission and rank system here.

Ubi Soft Germany has issued a patch for Dragonriders: Chronicles of Pern, the recently released third-person role-playing adventure by Ubi Studios UK. The site is Flash only but the patch can be found in the Downloads section (or you can use this direct FTP link to the 1.16 MB file), and it addresses problems with running the game on Pentium 4 systems and applies to the English, German and French editions.

• The Thing
  LoadedInc has posted half a dozen new, high-res The Thing screenshots, showing new scenes in the third-person survival horror game in the works at Computer Artworks.
• Mudpie
  Cyan has released a pair of new Mudpie screenshots (#3 and 4), revealing new scenes in their upcoming "mysterious" massively multiplayer real-time game.
• Codename: Outbreak
  Seven new screenshots of Codename: Outbreak, the two man squad-based first-person shooter by GSC Game World that will be out in Europe shortly, are online at games xtreme.
• Sea Dogs II
  Akella has released eight new screenshots of Sea Dogs II, offering new nautical scenes in their upcoming 3D role-playing sequel.
• Battle Realms
  There is a brief, hands-off preview of Battle Realms on PC Gameplay UK that is illustrated with seven new screenshots of Liquid Entertainment's imminent 3D RTS.
• AquaNox
  Five new AquaNox screenshots are up at Swiss site gamesweb, showing more submersed scenes in the 3D action game being created at Massive Development.
• Civilization III
  Czech site BonusWeb has posted two dozen new Civilization III screenshots along with a dozen familiar ones, showing off the turn-based strategy sequel in development at Firaxis.
• Grom
  There is a batch of new and familiar Grom screenshots and concept images on Fragland.net, all illustrating this action role-playing game in an alternate WWII setting by Rebelmind.
• Worms Blast
  Three new Worms Blast screenshots are up at Computer and Video Games, revealing more from the real-time 3D-ish sequel to the annelid-infested strategy game.

There are some Archangel First Impressions on RPGDot based on checking out the alpha version that was demonstrated at this year's ECTS. The preview gives a feel for the action/RPG's third-person gameplay, offering praise for the motion-captured animation, saying "the character on the screen did move and fight in a very realistic way" as well as the usefulness of the ability to switch to a first person point of view. They go into the middle-ages setting of the demonstration they saw, which is one of the three eras that will be in the final game, the three classes from which players will choose, and a feel for the good versus evil plotline. There are also previously released screenshots, videos, and artwork accompanying the preview.

Game of the Show close-up on Daily Telefrag offers a look at the Project Nomads showing at this years ECTS through a ShakyCam™ video showing off gameplay. The movie features Bernd Beyreuther, the game's lead designer, playing the game demonstrating features such as airborne combat and the building process, which show off some of special effects in this upcoming 3D action game that features role-playing and real-time strategy elements.

An update to the World War II Online website has word on plans to release a version 1.2.5 update to this online war shooter. Word on the patch is that it will add more RPG elements, which will offer players "the beginnings of a career advancement path for their characters," allowing them to advance from private all the way through General, where increases in rank will include access to more game features. As previously reported (story) the new version will also add the first naval vessels to the Blitzkrieg theater, as well as the German Panzer II tank and anti-aircraft installations. The report also has news that when this release is available, the clock will begin on the game's 30-day free trial, saying: "Expectations are that the 30 day free trial will begin the week of September 9th with paid subscriptions going into effect the week of October 7th."

A report on CoreMagazine (thanks Shacknews) has the announcement that Sega is planning to bring Phantasy Star Online to the PC market "later this year," specifically mentioning plans to bring the popular console MMORPG to "several markets including Europe, China, and several parts of Asia," though no mention of North America is included. The report goes on to say that Sega is undecided whether the PC version will be interoperable with the Dreamcast and GameCube versions of the game, though they have stated it would be possible to do so. The report concludes by saying: "Sega revealed that they currently have no plans to bring the game to either the PlayStation 2 or Xbox." More details on the port are up on The Magic Box where they say it will be based on "PSO Ver 2.0 for Dreamcast, with enhanced 3D graphics such as light source, and Pentium 4 SSE2 support. The polygon count for the PC version will be 4 times the number used in the Dreamcast version. You can also choose from 6 different languages in the PC version: Japanese, English, French, German, Spanish and Korean. A playable demo will be demonstrated at the upcoming World PC Expo in Makuhari Messe on September 19."

Game gives castle lovers a double-edged sword is the subtitle of an in-depth Stronghold preview on Computer Games Online, looking ahead to the isometric castle building sim/strategy game under construction at Firefly Studios. The article introduces the company, describes the game's premise, goes into great detail about its gameplay, single- and multi-player features, isometric engine and more, and is underlined with quotes from the developers and illustrated with 21 new screenshots. Here is an excerpt:

The core to success in Stronghold lies in your popularity as lord of the castle. The higher your popularity, the more people will come to the castle, and the larger your castle's population, the more its potential for prosperity, allowing you to reach both combat and non-combat goals. If your popularity lowers significantly, people will leave the castle, abandoning their jobs, and finding work someplace else.

Popularity is "scored" as an average of various statistics such as food supply, tax rate, accessibility to religion, crowding, and more. Bradbury illustrates, "How well are you feeding your people? Are you starving them on very little food or giving them extra rations? How many food types are you feeding them? Are you feeding the people just wheat, or apples and cheese as well? How high is the tax rate? Is there disease in the castle? Have you built enough churches or given out free ale lately?" All of these are considerations in keeping your people happy. You can also add perks such as scenic gardens and nifty maypoles. If you wish to play a cruel lord and gain loyalty through a broad implementation of torture devices, you'll be able to keep the population on your side out of fear. In shades of Black & White, the people will hate you, but worship you just the same.

GameZone has conducted an interview on Neverwinter Nights, talking to producer Trent Oster about the single- and multiplayer RPG being crafted at BioWare. Trent discusses what should set the game apart from other role-playing offerings, the system requirements of their engine, the project's timeline and the challenges in the game's development, and the proverbial more.

There is a brief Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge preview on GameSpot UK, based some hands-on time with the imminent real-time strategy expansion by Westwood. The preview relates their impressions from playing one of the Soviet campaign missions in a review build, and is accompanied by sixteen new screenshots.

Arxel Tribe has released a playable demo of Primitive Wars, their recently announced isometric RTS, which is available for download at Italian site Multiplayer.it. The file weighs in at a massive 151.0 MB and the ftp server is fairly slow, so be prepared for a long haul. According to the accompanying description, the demo contains "both singleplayer and multiplayer mode. The singleplayer mode with Humans and Tyrans. The Multiplayer mode support LAN and peer to peer TCP/IP."

There is a new preview of Patrician II on Games Domain, looking ahead to the medieval trading sim/strategy game by Ascaron Software that's already available in their home country Germany. The article includes an overview of the game's premise, impressions of the gameplay in a beta build, and over a dozen new screenshots.

The official Majestic website (thanks Chris Johnson) offers a message from the Majestic team about the temporary suspension of their conspiracy-laden episodic game after yesterday's tumultuous events. Here's the simple statement:

Given the recent national tragedy, EA has temporarily suspended service on Majestic. Majestic players will be contacted concerning resumption of the game.

-- The Majestic Team

The UK version of Codename: Outbreak has gone gold, this is according to word on the Venom Official Game Site, in case you forgot what the title of this first-person shooter was before it was renamed. There are also some new Codename: Outbreak screenshots on games xtreme. In a related note, gameplex points out that the Codename: Outbreak website is now online. Also, Gone Gold is reporting that the US version of From Dusk Till Dawn is also gold, so stateside gamers will soon know the joy of being Richie Gecko's big brother Seth, who seems to have developed the habit of running afoul of Vampires.

Super X Studios sends word that Far Gate is now available in North America, issuing the following statement: "On this day of national tragedy, our hearts go out to those who lost their lives today, and their friends and family. Everyone, ourselves included, were shocked and terrified at the thought that our friends and loved ones in New York and Washington, D.C. might be in danger. We're saddened that the release of our first game will forever be linked in time to these terrible events. I think that all of us, all Americans, and all citizens of the global community, should endeavor to find ways to promote cultural understanding and tolerance, whose lack may have been the root cause of these attacks. I think that game developers, as well, have an opportunity to use our unique storytelling medium to promote ideals of education, humanity, and global cooperation, just as the mediums of art, poetry, books, and movies have been used by wise and compassionate individuals in the past."

Cutting The Edge's Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix Interview talks with an unnamed party at Raven Software about what's in the works for the upcoming Soldier of Fortune sequel, talking about the game and its settings, focusing a lot of attention on improvements over the original, including the more realistic weapons, locational damage, the addition of things like hand signals, and a detailed examination of the improvements to the game's AI.

• K7S5A FAQ
  There's an unofficial ECS K7S5A FAQ on OCworkbench BBS.
• Get on the Rheobus
  Making a Rheobus Controller on OCMod.COM.

There's a Report on a Yuri's Revenge Play Test on Planet Command & Conquer with a translation from the article's original Chinese based on a Taiwanese webmaster's chance to perform some hands-on testing. The version of the now-gold Red Alert 2 expansion (story) that he checked out was apparently the final shipping version, with Chinese subtitles for the cutscenes.

There is information on the changes in the new EverQuest patch on the EverQuest page which includes spell changes and other gameplay stuff, and also removes the ability for player to determine how many players are currently on a server.

A report called Microsoft denies HomeStation rumours on CTW reacts to the recent report announcing an Xbox/PC-based all-in-one set-top box that appeared in PC Format (story). According to CTW: "Microsoft has strongly denied the existence of any such device. Microsoft representatives officially denounced the reports as false earlier this week. Microsoft’s Japanese Xbox division went one step further, stating that there are no plans in existence to ever make Xbox games work on set-top box devices."

Videogame Wars-Nintendo Strikes Back with GameCube, (thanks Stomped) saying "Nintendo Co Ltd will launch its long-awaited GameCube system on Friday in the opening shot of what promises to be a fierce three-way fight for the game console market." Giants Stands Tall on PS2 on FGN offers new PS2 screenshots of Giants: Citizen Kabuto running on the PS2. Part two of Rust's interview with Mike Bastien is online, talking with this level designer at Digital Extremes about Unreal Championship, their upcoming Xbox Unreal game, and there are also, more Unreal Championship screenshots on Loadedinc.com.

The CPL Counter-Strike rankings on CSports.net have been updated to include the results of the CPL-Berlin competition.

• Codename: Outbreak on GameSpot UK.
• Lightweight Ninja on Intelligamer.
• Max Payne Demo on 3DActionPlanet.
• Myth II: Green Berets on GameSpy.com.
• Starfleet Command: Orion Pirates on PC Zone UK.

• ASUS TUA266 motherboard on Digit-Life.
• EasyDisk 16 MB USB Hard Drive on DreddNews.
• ECS SiS315 AGP Motherboard on TweakMax.
• Kanie Hedgehog 294M HSF on bluescreenofdeth.net
• Leadtek WinFast GeForce3 Video Card on Digit-Life.
• Pentium III-S 1.13GHz (Tualatin) CPU on x-bit labs.

• Mimesis Online Developer Diary, Part 10 on the RPGVault offers a basic introduction to the financial side of the upcoming RPG describing some of the decision making behind the construction and naming convention in their economic system...
• Akamai Technologies co-founder killed in hijacked plane crash (thanks Stomped)...
• Interplay Announces Change of Board Composition and Retention of Advisor To Effect Company Restructuring (story)...

First off, all of our thoughts go out to the family and friends of those killed and injured in yesterday's attacks. Those interested in helping the relief efforts, here are links to donate to the Red Cross via the Amazon Honor System and to donate to the Red Cross via PayPal (thanks Falko).

Also, a hearty thank you to all who expressed concern for the safety of myself and my family and friends, knowing we are in the NYC area. I was safely ensconced in the Blue Tower, but MrsBlue was close to the blasts and my step-father even closer, but both turned out to be fine, as did our wayward friend loonyboi, who sounds like he was even closer still to ground zero.

There was a post on our forums questioning the reason for posting WTC news here: Web Sites Overcome as Surfers Scramble for US News is a news story relating the lack of accessibility of most real-world news websites in the rush to find information on the disaster, which is what prompted the requests to post whatever we were able to learn here.

Obviously enough, it is arguable that things may never return to what was considered normal before yesterday's unbelievable events, but as the news media is back online, it is with heavy hearts that we will attempt to get back to covering gaming news here.