Archived News:
This patchy evening is rounded off with the release of the first Gore patch, bringing the new first-person shooter by 4D Rulers to version 1.47. This patch adds some new features, applies a variety of gameplay improvements and other changes, and fixes a handful of bugs as listed on the page, and it requires a 1.6 MB download. Thanks Donald Tuttle for the tip.
Hot on the heels of the game's release, a patch for Neverwinter Nights is now available to upgrade BioWare's 3D role-playing game to version 1.18 (thanks Shacknews). The patch is currently only available through the auto-updater in the game launcher, and this release fixes the "server filter crash" and "the issue with plot items being dragged directly into an inventory bag," as well as improving client and server stability.
There is a playable demo of Spider-Man: the Movie on AusGamers, offering the opportunity to try out this third-person web-slinging action adventure by LTI Gray Matter (thanks HomeLan Fed). Going by its massive 175.5 MB download size, it was likely uploaded from a magazine cover disk, but there is no information on its contents. Update: There's a US-based mirror on 3D Gamers.
PC.IGN.com serves up a new movie of Earth & Beyond, the space-based MMORPG being beta tested at Westwood Studios. The movie comes as a 16.2 MB download in high-res DivX format and features close to a minute and a half of in-game footage. Further, there is an update on the new camera view and formation features, describing the advantages of ganging up in the game in more detail, and the update is rounded off by a pair of new screenshots.
Piranha Games has released a new patch for Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza, available for download from Sierra's ftp server, to upgrade this recent first-person shooter to version 1.02.3. The modest 1.3 MB download addresses one more graphics problem as described in the included Readme.txt file: "Fixed Powel in police car problem with the ATI Radeon 8500 video card."
- Xenus
The Deep Shadows website has been updated with three new screenshots of Xenus, their first-person action RPG in early development.
- Homeplanet
Revolt Games has added seven new screenshots atop their Homeplanet gallery, offering more galactic scenes in their upcoming space combat title.
- Soldiers of Anarchy
There are five new screenshots on the re-opened official Soldiers of Anarchy site that was briefly online in January as the site for Natural Freedom (story), one of the previous titles for this 3D tactical RTS by Silver Style Entertainment.
- American Conquest
CDV has posted eight new American Conquest screenshots atop their product page for this isometric RTS with 3D terrain under construction at GSC Game World.
- Adam Blaster
The official Adam Blaster: Atomic Enforcer site sports 30 screenshots of this third-person action adventure by Creative Capers Entertainment that used to be known as Intergalactic Bounty Hunter (story). Thanks Gamer's Hell.
RPG Vault's Lionheart
Q&A Part 1 offers the fruits of their conversation with Black Isle's
Chris Parker and Reflexive Entertainment's Ion Hardie to discuss Lionheart,
their upcoming RPG. Topics include an intro to the game, the origins of this
project, the role of Richard the Lionheart, the extensive backstory, the SPECIAL
system adapted from Fallout, skills, perks, traits, and more.
Pivotal Games and SCi have opened the official Conflict: Desert Storm site, showing more from their squad-based tactical shooter in development that's based on the 1991 Gulf War (thanks ToTheGame). The site requires Flash and offers an intro clip, a couple of brief developer Q&As, three new screenshots for the PC, Xbox and PS2 versions each, some wallpapers, and more.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon heads online
on GameSpot is the report that Phantagram Interactive is working on an
MMORPG based on the Oscar-winning wire-fu flick slated for release sometime in
2004. There aren't any further details about this, or how this relates to Ubi
Soft's announcement last year that they had obtained the license for games based on
this movie ( story), but they say a website with more info
will arrive in the coming months.
The Morrowind Website now
offers downloads of the first official patch for the PC version of Elder Scrolls
III: Morrowind bringing Bethesda Softworks' RPG up to version 1.1.0605 as
a 3.41 MB download. Here is what they sent along about this patch: We've
released a patch for North American version of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.
This patch is NOT for the European version. We will release a European version
of the patch shortly. You can get the North American patch through www.elderscrolls.com,
or directly at http://www.bethsoft.com/downloads/patches/Morrowind_v1.1.0605.exe
The patch includes a number of fixes and added features. Here's a short list
of some of the added features:
- An auto run feature has been added. You can now continue to run
forward when you press the Q key on your keyboard once. This will
cause you to run forward until you press the autorun key a second time or
the back or forward movement keys.
- A Health Bar for NPCs and creatures has been added for when you are
in combat. An orange health bar for the creature or NPC you are
currently in combat with will now appear above your own health bar on the
lower left part of the screen. This health bar will only appear when
you are attacking a creature or NPC and will slowly fade out if you stop
attacking. It will also update to a different creature or NPC's health
if you switch targets in the middle of combat.
- Added Difficulty slider to Preference menu under Options. The
Difficulty slider has 200 different settings that will either increase the
amount of damage you deal and receive or reduce the amount of damage you
deal or receive, depending on where you set the slider.
- The user can now load multiple plug-ins without losing references when
both plug-ins affect the same cell. This means that if you have 2 or
more plug-ins that add or remove references from, for example, Fort Moonmoth,
you will be able to keep all of the additions or removals from all the
loaded plug-ins.
We'll have several new official plugins coming out shortly, as well as the
Exporter that will allow users to export 3D Studio Max models for use in
Morrowind mods, etc.
CDV has launched the official Blitzkrieg site, showcasing this isometric RTS by Nival Interactive set in World War II (thanks Gamer's Hell). The site comes in their usual choice of English and German, and offers a Flash intro, succinct info on the game's backstory and features, a batch of familiar screenshots, a fairly comprehensive FAQ, and the proverbial more.
GameGenie's Prince of Qin
Preview offers impressions of Strategy First's upcoming action-oriented RPG
based on getting to play with a beta preview build. They offer a quick outline
of the games features and impressions of the sound effects, innovations found in
gameplay, the 2D isometric-view graphics, and more. Accompanying the preview are
three new screenshots.
HomeLan Fed's Savage
Q&A talks with S2 Games' Jesse Hayes about Savage, their upcoming
multiplayer action/real-time strategy game. Topics include the origins of the
idea for the game, how they will balance the game's RTS and FPS elements, the
inspirations for the storyline and setting, locations, weapons, technology and
resources, the game engine, avoiding massively multiplayer pitfalls, and more.
There's a Celtic Kings Preview
on Gamers Pulse offering a look at Celtic Kings: Rage of War, the RTS game
in the works at Strategy First. The article describes the departure the game
takes from the norms for this genre, with a diminished emphasis on building
structures and economics, but an increased role-playing element, goes into
combat, the scope of battles, unit types, and more. Accompanying the story are
five new screenshots.
- UFO: Aftermath
The UFO:
Aftermath Q&A on Computer and Video Games chats with Jiri Rydl, the
accessible PR maven from ALTAR Interactive, discussing the upcoming
UFO-fighting strategy game, discussing the premise, living up to the X-Com
legacy, and more.
- Tomb Raider
There's a Tomb Raider
Q&A on PC.IGN.Com (thanks HomeLan
Fed) that chats with Mike Schmitt, hall-of-fame third baseman for the
Phillies, and Eidos' producer on the hit Tomb Raider franchise, focusing on
Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness, the upcoming installment in the series. The
article looks for details about what gameplay in the new entry will involve.
- Dragon Empires
RPG Vault's Dragon Empires Q&A #2
talks with designer Mark Zechiel about the economy in Codemasters' upcoming
MMORPG. Subjects include how this economy will be player-driven,
difficulties in implementation, how they will create supply and demand, and
more.
- Neverwinter Nights
There's a
Bob McCabe Q&A on Twigster.Net talking with the BioWare writer in a
conversation that was conducted prior to Neverwinter Nights reaching gold
master status. Topics include his background, influences, his
responsibilities, and more.
There's a Jumpgate:
Attack of the Conflux Preview on GameSpy.com offering a description of
gameplay in NetDevil's space combat MMORPG as it stands now, going on to
describe the efforts at improving some of its shortcomings in the upcoming
Attack of the Conflux expansion, saying "combat will now become more
focused and maybe become a bigger part of the Jumpgate continuity." The
article also goes into the impact player-owned space stations will have on the
game, plans to add the ability to be a space pirate, the addition of new ships
for each faction, and more.
Falcone
Takes Flight on Computer and Video Games chats with
Virgin Interactive about Falcone: Into The Maelstrom, in their words: "an
intriguing-looking title that brings together the first-person shooter and space
combat genres." Included are nine new screenshots.
Console Reviews
The Freehold Website
now offers a preview release of Freehold UT, which brings the Freehold universe
to Unreal Tournament. Offered in this release are new weapons, proximity nukes,
a SlipSuit, FireStorm bullets, economic factors where you can purchase equipment,
variable armor, a Bounty War game type, an Espionage game type, and a
Containment game type.
A new Infogrames Support
Page for Neverwinter Nights is online, offering hints and tips as well as
technical support for the new RPG. Also, TechSpot's Soldier Of Fortune II Tweak guide
is online. Finally, The
official PlanetSide FAQ has been updated with new questions (and their
corresponding answers) about characters, worlds, group play, and more, while on
a semi-related note, some new
developer comments from producer Dave Georgeson are online, reflecting on
recent changes in the game's beta testing.
Volition's Job Board
now has listings for openings they seek to fill for an art director, a producer,
and a project manager. Following that theme, ArenaNet's
Jobs Q&A discusses getting a job in the industry, though the authors of
the article actually formed their own company the last time they were faced with
that prospect after leaving Blizzard Entertainment.
Explicit Video Games
May Become Illegal (thanks theAntiELVIS) is a story (not too surprisingly
illustrated by a GTA3 screenshot) with more details on the proposal by Rep. Joe
Baca (D-California) about H.R. 4645 ( story), his bill that
proposes to "punish retailers who fail to enforce the video games' ratings
system — slapping them with fines ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 and possible
jail time for the third offense." The article offers quotes on both sides
of the issue, including IDSA president Doug Lowenstein calling the proposed
legislation "unconstitutional," going on to say that kids who get
their hands on "M" rated games usually do so with their parents'
knowledge. The article is uncertain about the chances that this will be
ratified: "Baca has rallied 34 members of the House of Representatives to
sign the legislation he introduced. But the bill's future is far from clear."
Link of the Day: APESGRAPES.
Thanks EvilToast. And some kids
actually find clowns scary!
Link of the Day II: Henry Raddick's
Amazon Reviews. Thanks Jonathan C. Forster.
Auction of the Day: Capt. Kirk's Bridge Command Chair.
Thanks FrogBody.
Wild Science: Is
that a phone in your tooth? Thanks Ant.
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