Archived News:
id Software lead programmer John Carmack once again updated his .plan with a lengthy and technical discussion of graphics cards and related topics. Starting off with a follow-up to his earlier remarks on the Matrox Parhelia ( story), John comments on a new 3Dlabs P10 card, using prototype OpenGL 2.0 extensions in a new DOOM III rendering back end for this card, future directions for GL2, and NVIDIA's Cg language. Here's an excerpt from the full .plan:
I am now committed to supporting an OpenGL 2.0 renderer for Doom through all
the spec evolutions. If anything, I have been somewhat remiss in not pushing
the issues as hard as I could with all the vendors. Now really is the
critical time to start nailing things down, and the decisions may stay with
us for ten years.
A GL2 driver won't give any theoretical advantage over the current back ends
optimized for cards with 7+ texture capability, but future research work will
almost certainly be moving away from the lower level coding practices, and if
some new vendor pops up (say, Rendition back from the dead) with a next-gen
card, I would strongly urge them to implement GL2 instead of proprietary
extensions.
And on a somewhat related note, John Carmack also posted a /. comment titled "Realtime and offline rendering ARE converging" in this thread regarding the use of graphics cards for real-time rendering of animated movies, in place of render farms and specialist rendering software.
Celebrating the game's one-year anniversary, Funcom has released new patch for Anarchy Online as a manual 10.1 MB download or through the auto-updater, upgrading this sci-fi MMORPG to version 14.4.2. As always, the Build Notes offer comprehensive details on the many changes this release brings. Also, last week a new release of DarkSpace slipped through the cracks, upgrading Palestar's space-based MMO game to version 1.472 with new mission and storage systems, a new moderator orb, and other improvements. And last but not least, a new version 1.51 for Dark Age of Camelot went live yesterday with a "massive update to the game's spell system" among numerous improvements, bug fixes and other changes to Mythic's medieval MMORPG. Update: Not to be left behind on this Thursday patch-day is World War II Online, for which a new version 1.6.5 patch has now been released as a 5.5 MB manual download (or the usual auto-update), and this post on the official forums details the new features, bug fixes, and other improvements it adds to Cornered Rat Software's MMO war game.
GameSpot's
Dragon Empires Q&A catches up with Codemasters' community liaison
manager Peter Tyson to discuss Dragon Empires, their upcoming fantasy MMORPG.
Topics include how player their clans will differ from guilds in other online
games, the "outlaw" reputation system, the penalties for dying,
housing, sieges, the skill system, combat, character advancement, and more.
Included are six new screenshots.
A new update for Neverwinter Nights is now available through the auto-updater to bring BioWare's 3D role-playing game to version 1.19 (thanks Shacknews). This release restores the ability for creatures to use their special spells, fixes a problem with Bards, adds a few chat improvements, and more. Update: As promised, a dedicated Linux server is now also available, and this 1.4 MB download requires the version 1.19 patch.
There is a new patch for Project Earth (a.k.a. Starmageddon) to update the recent space-based 3D RTS by Lemon Interactive to version 1.10. This 8.3 MB release adds a mid-mission save option, a pause option, and fixes for a few memory leaks and some minor bugs.
Take Two Games has released a patch for Grand Theft Auto III, upgrading the recent crime-infested 3D action game by Rockstar Studios to version 1.1. The modest 1.1 MB download contains a couple of improvements and fixes, removes most protection checks, and is save game compatible with the original game. Thanks FilePlanet, which has a mirror here (registration required).
There's a Dragon Empires
Preview on Games Domain with their exceedingly glib look at Codemaster's
upcoming MMORPG after a visit to check out progress on its development. They
offer some background on the game and its story, some impressions from
revisiting the version of the game that was demonstrated at E3, and go on to
discuss what they saw of the current build of the full game, describing the
visuals of the work-in-progress.
There's a Celtic
Kings Q&A on Gamersclick (thanks HomeLan
Fed) talking with Gabriel Dobrev of Haemimont
Games about progress on Celtic Kings the upcoming RTS game for which he
serves as both designer and producer. Topics include the background of the
development team, magic, the difference between their three game modes, the role
of strategy in combat, unit commands, terrain and weather influences, their de-emphasis
on economics, diplomacy, the scenario editor, and more.
A post to The Camelot Herald
(thanks HomeLan Fed) by Mythic
Entertainment CEO Mark Jacobs offers reassurances for Dark Age of Camelot
players that yesterday's announcement that they are working on a new MMORPG
called Imperator ( story) will not pull resources from DAoC. Accordig to the post, everyone at Mythic but himself is currently 100% focused on
DAoC and that no one will be shifted from that project until after the Shrouded
Isles expansion pack is "released, stable and complete," that even
when Imperator goes into full production they will still have a full staff
supporting Camelot, that they have no set timetable for development, and that
they plan on silencing the nay sayers of the new project the same way they did
on the last one.
GameSpot's
TRIBES Aerial Assault Preview offers a look ahead at the upcoming PS2
installment in the TRIBES series. Also, a
Splinter Cell FAQ has been posted on Xbox.IGN.Com answering some pressing
questions about the upcoming Xbox Tom Clancy game, and there's also a
Splinter Cell preview on GameSpy.com.
Console Reviews
A Neverwinter Nights Chapter One Guide
is online. It is warned that the entire document is a spoiler: "Do not read
this unless you want the mystery of Chapter One in NWN revealed. This guide will
only describe the central quests for the Prologue and Chapter One in NWN, and
not the huge number of side quests" (thanks Neverwinter Vault).
Also, some new updates to the GI Combat FAQ
add more info about Freedom Games' upcoming World War II combat game.
The Neverwinter Nights Module Construction Tutorial
has been posted, offering a 36 page PDF file accompanied by a completed example
module. Also,
The Game Concepts & Design Contest is now
open on the Dteam Website is a messageboard thread that includes details on
how to register for this IRC-based course as well as how they are giving away
one free registration (roughly a $250 value).
Gamehelper.com's
Defense Alliance Interview talks with the folks behind the Defense Alliance
modification for Unreal Tournament.
The jobs section on the Gas Powered Games
Website has been updated with an opening for a full time level designer, no
pun intended, this is an entry level position. Also, the Human Head Studios
Headhunter Page has word that they are looking "for a Level Designer
experienced with QERadiant and the Quake 3 engine. This is a permanent,
on-site position." Finally, a
post on Polycount has word that Diversions Entertainment is looking to hire
"an experienced, motivated 3D character animator to fill a lead
position" in the development of One Must Fall: Battlegrounds.
- Gamers.nl Site of Wonders
is playing host to a chat session with the folks at Triumph Studios to
discuss Age of Wonders 2, though it looks like the conversation will likely
be mostly in Dutch. This will get underway at 1:30 PM EDT...
- NPDTechworld's list of top 10
best-selling games has been reproduced on HomeLan Fed
where they have also posted the
top 20 for the month of May...
- The Eschaton-Online Website
has been updated with the background history for the Valtavech, an overview
for the player-run Valtavech Republic government, new concept art showing
off designs for massive capitol ships, a new forum system, and more...
- PlanetQuake3.net
is offering downloads of Tribulation, a new Quake III Arena trick-jumping
movie described as one of the longest such exhibitions ever recorded...
Definitely having a slow morning here... Painkillers are good for their
designated purpose, but they don't necessarily speed up one's mental processes.
In lieu of a good ramble (which probably should be helped by a good dose of
narcotics) we have an extra-large list of links of the day today.
Link of the Day: Wrecked Exotics.
Thanks Tony Fabris.
Link of the Day II: A Bird Story from Cyberspace.
Thanks Athlon7.
Story of the Day: Lawmakers blast Pledge ruling.
"A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that reciting the Pledge of
Allegiance in public schools is an unconstitutional 'endorsement of
religion.'" Thanks dbodine.
Story of the Day II: Fan from hell creates a stir at Cher concert.
Thanks Chris Johnson.
Story of the Day III: Hit-And-Run Motorists Strike Twice.
Thanks GinRummy.
Weird Science: Wooden Mirror.
Thanks Zdim and Thom Wetzel.
Wild Science: Cure For Cancer?
Thanks Chris Johnson.
Wild Science II: A New Twist on Light Speed.
Thanks [MP] Wolverine [MP].
Image of the Day: The Smoking Gun Archive
where you can see Marilyn Manson without make-up. Thanks again Chris Johnson.
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