Archived News:
LoadedInc reports that a playable demo of Star Wars Starfighter, the recently released flying shooter by Secret Level and LucasArts, is expected "later today," which, considering the site is located in the UK, probably means it should be out tomorrow, February 15.
- Freedom Force
XGR has posted more than two dozen new, high-res Freedom Force screenshots, snapped off a press build of the 3D tactical RPG in the works at Irrational Games.
- Bridge Commander
Bridge Commander Universe has added another batch of Star Trek: Bridge Commander screenshots which they captured from the preview build of Totally Games' space-combat sim that went gold yesterday (story).
- Spells of Gold
There are nine new Spells of Gold screenshots on BonusWeb, offering more scenes in the isometric role-playing game being crafted at Jonquin Software.
- MegaRace 3
A dozen new MegaRace 3 screenshots can be viewed at Worthplaying, showing off the imminent futuristic arcade racer developed by Websquad.
As promised, Totally Games has released a playable demo of Star Trek: Bridge Commander, their imminent capital ship space combat sim, available from the official site and FilePlanet (registration required). The demo requires a hefty 109.8 MB download, and includes the introductory cinematics and the first three missions from the full game, as well as the Quick Battle mode. Update: More mirrors are online at 3D Gamers, BCFiles.com and Games Domain.
There is a new preview of Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast on Computer and Video Games, looking ahead to the 3D action game of lightsabers and force powers that is nearing completion at Raven Software. The preview is hands-off but describes how the game follows up on Dark Forces and Jedi Knight, the first- and third-person view modes, the Force powers system, the single-player gameplay, the multiplayer features and more, and it's accompanied by a few quotes from publisher Activision and a couple of new screenshots (mixed in with familiar ones).
Ferrago.co.uk has conducted a brief interview on Curse: the Eye of Isis, the third-person horror action adventure in the works at Asylum Entertainment. David Brickley is on the stand to talk about the game's premise, its setting and environments, the balance between action and puzzle-solving, their camera system, and more.
There is another game generating its share of attention on the web,
as reports on Gas Powered Games' upcoming RPG continue to surface based on a widely-distributed press build. GameSpot Previews Dungeon Siege
with their look ahead at the game offering some quick impressions, accompanied
by a staggering 56 new screenshots. Also, there's a Dungeon Siege
Preview on GameBanshee, which, along with their impressions, is likewise
accompanied by a batch of 36
new screenshots. Rounding out our mania for the day, there are also a
whopping 66
new Dungeon Siege screenshots on De Spelletjesgarnaal and another 28
new shots on GameSpyDaily. That's 186 total screenshots if you're scoring at
home (and after all, it is Valentine's Day).
There's a Morrowind Developer Q&A #18
on RPG Vault continuing their seemingly endless series of one question many
answer Q&A's with the development team at Bethesda Softworks who are working
on Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, the upcoming RPG sequel. Today's question is:
"Morrowind is known to include three competing Great Houses - House
Telvanni, House Hlaalu and House Redoran. Based on your personal preferences,
which do you find the most interesting and why?" The respondents are:
project leader Todd Howard, lead designer Ken Rolston, artist/lead dungeon
design GT Noonan, artist Mark Bullock, designers Mark Nelson and Brian Chapin,
associate producer Ashley Cheng, and programmer Steve Meister.
The wildfire caused by the Warcraft III beta continues to burn out of control: GameSpot Warcraft III Beta Report: The Undead Scourge
is the penultimate installment in their four-part look at the various factions
in Blizzard's upcoming RTS sequel based on getting to participate in the ongoing
multiplayer beta test. Today they take a look at the army of darkness made up of
the game's undead, describing the influence of Blizzard's Diablo and StarCraft
franchises, among other things. Meanwhile, GameSpot Australia Previews Warcraft 3, a Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos Preview on Games Domain, and WarCraft
III Beta First Impressions on FiringSquad each offer their own hands-on impressions from playing
with the beta. Finally, CG
Online's "The Transformation of The Horde" specifically discusses
things about the game they previously haven't touched upon, and offers a bonus Age of Mythology
screenshot amid their Warcraft III shots.
A day early, the promised Civilization III patch is now available for download from Infogrames, bringing the turn-based strategy game by Firaxis to version 1.17f. Clocking in at 7.3 MB, it includes a massive list of additions, changes and fixes as noted on the download page. Update: Firaxis has released a newer patch that includes the correct editor.
It's time to send in the clones, as LucasArts Escalates the Conflict With All-New Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds Clone Campaigns Expansion
is the announcement of plans for an add-on for the Galactic Battlegrounds RTS
game set in the Star Wars universe. The add-on for the Age of Kings engine game
will be based on the upcoming Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones. Word
is: "Expected to release in May on the PC, Clone Campaigns is inspired by
the large-scale battles in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, as well
as the classic and expanded Star Wars universe."
There's a War Commander
Interview on MGON talking with Friis Torben Tappert of CDV about War
Commander, their upcoming tactical RTS game. Topics include what makes an RTS
"tactical," the game's storyline, historical scenarios, cool features,
aspects of development presenting difficulties, AI, unit strengths, technology
upgrades, the two scenarios, buildings, the popularity of WW2 games, and more.
Included are several new screenshots, and there are also another nine new shots
on Computer and Video Games.
As promised, Computer and Video Games serves up the second part of their Global Operations interview, again querying lead designer Chris Mair about Barking Dog's upcoming team-based shooter. Today's topics include the choice of the LithTech engine, the variety of missions that will be on offer, the seven player classes and the different weapons they can acquire, how they're handling friendly fire, the editing tools that will be included, and more. Twenty new screenshots are also on display.
Also on CVG is word that Necrocide: The Dead Must Die, the first-person horror shooter by NovaLogic, is now slated for a September release. This comes after previous delays until this March ( story), and some doubts whether the game was still in development at all. Thus not abiding by its own subtitle, word is that the game "has apparently been subject to graphical and gameplay changes, though precise details are unavailable at this time."
- Kreed
Russian site Xaos has posted three new screenshots of Kreed, the sci-fi first-person shooter under construction at likewise Russian developer Burut.
- Chaser
There are four new screenshots of Chaser on German site PC Pointer.de, showing more from the futuristic first-person shooter in the works at Slovakian developer Cauldron.
- Desert Siege
A brief but hands-on preview of Ghost Recon: Desert Siege on Games Domain illustrates some impressions of Red Storm's tactical expansion pack with eleven new screenshots.
- Another War
Likewise, half a dozen new Another War screenshots on ToTheGame accompany some impressions from a beta build of this isometric RPG by Polish developer Mirage.
- Homeplanet
Russian studio Revolt Games sends word of two new Homeplanet screenshots and an update to the ships gallery for their upcoming space combat sim.
- Lost Continents
RPG Vault has posted the first two screenshots of Lost Continents, the 3D MMORPG set in 1930's pulp fiction that's being created at VR1 Entertainment.
- Grand Prix 4
On ToTheGame you can also find the first six Grand Prix 4 screenshots, the Formula 1 racing sequel by Geoff Crammond, while GPxRacer.de has the same shots but also three new renders.
There's a
Neocron Interview on RPGDot discussing Reakktor Media's upcoming MMORPG with
Jens "Nemesis" Bremmekamp, its community manager. Topics for the
Q&A, which originally appeared on a smaller site, include the intelligence
of mobs, some intriguing gameplay elements, his favorite aspect of the game, the
possibilities of a bounty system, what they will do to avoid the "leveling
treadmill" of other MMOGs, the impact of players' levels on PvP encounters,
NPCs, housing, guilds, the subway, how they will try to ensure a smooth launch,
and more.
There's a Battlefield:
1942 Q&A on GameSpyDaily talking with Lars Gustavsson, Romain de Waubert
de Genlis, and Johan Persson of Digital Illusions
about their upcoming World War II tactical shooter Battlefield: 1942. Topics
include all the different operable vehicles they keep adding to the game, the
line-up of five classes they are creating (down from the original planned six),
single-player play, multiplayer, graphics, the reason they dropped deformable
terrain from their design, expandability, competing with the recent rush of
World War II action games, and more.
This is off topic, but experience has taught that the flood of mail we're
already seeing on this will not abate until this is addressed, so best wishes to
CmdrTaco over at Slashdot
who proposed online in what he describes as the "most potentially (embarrassing)
way possible." His fears aside, she accepted, in what is the first online
proposal we can recall (oops, no, here's
the first). Congrats and best luck to the happy couple, and thanks to Maarten Edgar,
first of many to send this along.
A patch was applied to EverQuest last night, these
Patch Notes detail what's changed in Sony's MMORPG, including fixes for
sound choppiness and a couple of zoning bugs as well as an extensive list of
other specific changes and fixes. Along the same lines, this
MSN Gaming Zone Asheron's Call Article
has word that this MMORPG has likewise been patched (thanks Ibn Schachabo), the
changes here include the addition of many new dungeons, new recipes for cooks,
new creatures, new items, the return of Greater Shadow Armor and Hoary Mattekar
robes, and more housing.
German site Krawall serves up an interview on Robin Hood, the recently announced tactical combat game by Spellbound Studios that's not to be confused with Cinemaware's Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown. As usual, an approximate English translation can be obtained through Babel Fish, and Spellbound's Mischa Strecker talks about the reception of their previous title Desperados, their inspirations for Robin Hood, the kind of gameplay you can expect, what should distinguish the game from similar offerings, why they switched publishers to Wanadoo, the absence of a multiplayer mode, and more.
A new movie trailer of Dungeon Siege is available for download from FilePlanet (registration required), showing off the 3D role-playing game that is nearing completion at Gas Powered Games. It's a modest 3.1 MB download featuring a minute of Windows Media Player footage that introduces the game's setting, backstory and features.
HomeLan Fed's Project Earth Preview
is online, offering impressions of a beta build of Project Earth, the upcoming
3D science fiction RTS game that will be released in Europe under the title
Starmageddon. Along the way they share impressions of the game's two "separate
but connected" (huh?) single-player plots, the user interface, the
HUD, the graphics, resource management, units, and more, though no impressions
of multiplayer play are included, as this aspect of gameplay was not present in
their beta build. Included are some new Project Earth screenshots.
GameSpy.com Previews Warrior Kings
with a look at the upcoming RTS game in the works at Black
Cactus. The article offers reflections on the huge maps the game will
include, the detailed landscapes, the support for hundreds of units in
simultaneous battle, the three factions, the three-in-one campaign, resource
management, unit recruiting, the authentic military strategy behind the
gameplay, formations, morale, multiplayer play, and more. The article includes
quotes from project manager Steve Bristow, and 10 of the 14 included screenshots
are new. On the same topic, Voodoo Extreme's
Warrior Kings Interview talks with an unspecified member of Black Cactus
about progress on the game, including the setting, creatures, the massive armies
players will control, resource management, tactics, the game engine, and more.
Westwood has released another movie of Command & Conquer Renegade, available for download from their ftp server, showing more action from their imminent first- and third-person shooter. The 10.9 MB download in MPEG format demonstrates "Tank Battles - C&C Mode" and sports a generous (for this movie series) 40 seconds of gameplay footage.
There are Freedom Force Hands-On Impressions
on PC.IGN.Com giving impressions of this upcoming superhero tactical RPG from
Irrational Games. Topics include the playability of the current beta, the game's
blend of RTS gameplay and RPG elements, the 1960s comic book nature of the art
and design, controlling you superheroes, combat and strategies, interacting with
the environment, specifics on playing a mission, the profile of the author's
game character, and more.
There's a
Halo Interview on Halo Truth and Reconciliation peppering Bungie's Robert
McLees with questions submitted by their readership for the artist. Also, Computer and Video Games
Interviews Mike Gallo talking
with the LucasArts producer about Obi-Wan and Knights of the Old Republic for
the Xbox. There are new Tomb Raider Next Generation
screenshots on PS2.IGN.Com showing off Lara's upcoming PS2 adventure. Eurocom Develops Next James Bond Title
is word on plans for another first- and third-person 007 game tentatively
dubbed 'James Bond in...Phoenix Rising.' There's a Jedi Starfighter Preview
on GameSpot including 47 new screenshots of the upcoming PS2 game. Sony unveils PlayStation 2 broadband service
on GameSpot and this Gamers.com Article
offer details on Sony's planned broadband service. There's a Games preview
of the new Star Wars movie on CNN Money discussing the various console
offerings based on Attack of the Clones. ActiveXbox'
Xbox FAQ has been updated.
Console Reviews:
Happy Valentine's Day!
There are many aspects of life one can only experience from behind the wheel
of a car. One negative such experience that I am yet to experience is being
responsible for any of the road kill that decorates our highways (unless you
count insects, which are notoriously hard to avoid). This came close to changing
two nights ago, as while driving along on a deserted road I found myself on a
collision course with a doe. I came to a tire screeching stop leaving me
practically face-to-face with Bambi, who had not moved from the spot where I
first saw her (directly in my path). Of course, on this occasion I happened to
be in MrsBlue's little car, rather than my own somewhat more substantial truck,
so I have a feeling the car would have ended up worse for the encounter than the
deer had it come to that. So I sat there staring at the beast. She blinked... I
blinked. Repeat. No movement. More waiting. No movement. Around this time I
started to get nervous, since I wasn't far past a blind turn, and was beginning
to picture the carnage that would occur if someone rounded the corner behind me.
I put on my hazards, and tried honking the horn. This had the opposite of the
desired effect, as the spooked doe now seemed even more rooted to her spot, so I
just had to wait it out. I'm sure that it was less than 30 seconds before she
made her way off, but as you might imagine it seemed like an hour. Anyway, this
whole experience makes it that much clearer why so many deer get hit... with the
way their instincts work against them in these cases, I'm surprised it doesn't
happen more often.
R.I.P.: Country Music Rebel Waylon Jennings Dead at 64.
Legendary C&W artist, and the man who gave up his fateful airplane seat to
the Big Bopper.
Link of the Day: Spellcasting
101: Don't Try This At Home. Thanks Zdim and Steve Jackson.
Story of the Day: The
Jesus Action Figure … And Other Toy Stories. Thanks Jamie Fullerton.
Weird Science: Laser Diagnostics.
Thanks Shane.
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