Archived News:
While it's introduced with "In case you missed the Earth & Beyond Video Sizzler the first time," we don't recall a previous reference to this movie trailer on the official Earth & Beyond site, nor the footage it contains so presumably this is the first time the clip is available online. The movie comes in two DivX sizes and sports a bit over a minute of in-game footage from the space MMOG being beta tested at Westwood Studios.
- SoF2 Patch
Activision sends along a further nine high-res screenshots of the new maps that will be included in the upcoming patch for Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix, which is currently slated for a release "about the middle of next week if all goes well."
- Gothic II
JoWood has distributed four new, high-res Gothic II screenshots to the press, offering more scenes in the third-person role-playing adventure sequel by Piranha Bytes.
- FireStarter
The official FireStarter site serves up half a dozen new screenshots and three concept images, together illustrating this fast-paced first-person shooter being created at GSC Game World.
- Combat Mission 2
Battlefront has released a handful of Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin images, showing off soldier and tank models in the upcoming turn-based 3D war game sequel by Big Time Software.
- G.I. Combat
There is a pair of new G.I. Combat screenshots on the official site for the 3D war game that is nearing completion at Freedom Games.
- Darkfall
Norwegian developer Raxorwax sends word of a pair of new Darkfall screenshots, revealing more from their medieval fantasy MMORPG in development.
A bit earlier than anticipated, NVIDIA is the first site to offer downloads of the Recon demo of America's Army: Operations, the free first-person shooter game that was developed by the U.S. Army using the Unreal engine. The Recon demo requires a whopping 203.9 MB download, and offers "four single player basic training missions including a rifle range, obstacle course and weapons course," as well as "six multiplayer missions including a homeland defense operation, urban training, freeing prisoners, and protecting against an act of ecological terrorism." Word from HomeLan Fed is that the login authorization and multiplayer servers are not due to be launched until the original release time of 3:00 AM EDT (midnight PDT) though. Further mirrors can be expected on the official site by that time as well. Update: Mirrors are already online at FilePlanet (registration required) and 3D Gamers.
As noted on the official MechWarrior 4 site, international patches to upgrade MechWarrior 4: Vengeance to version 3.0, and the Black Knight expansion pack to version 1.0, are now available for download. As with the English releases ( story), they add an improved server browser to distinguish between the various editions, a new auto-updater, and a batch of bug fixes, many of which improve multiplayer or Black Knight and its editor.
- America's Army
XGR will be broadcasting an interview on America's Army tonight at 9:30 PM EDT, interrogating a representative of the US Army Public Affairs office about their first-person shooter and soldier career game for which a Recon demo is slated for release tomorrow. As always, SHOUTcast-compatible media player required.
- Lionheart
Lionheart Interview, Part 3 on RPG Vault continues and completes their conversation about this isometric RPG by Reflexive Entertainment and Black Isle Studios. This installment covers map design, interactivity, their in-house Velocity Engine, the user interface, sound and music, the project's status, the team's background, and more.
- City of Heroes
The official City of Heroes forums once again host a development Q&A for the superheroic MMORPG by Cryptic Studios, and this 13th edition addresses another batch of specific game details, as well as a few other topics.
- Horizons
There is a Horizons Q&A with unnamed members of the Artifact Entertainment team about their upcoming fantasy MMORPG, offering replies to a variety of questions posed by fans of the game (thanks HomeLan Fed).
Valve Software sends along an announcement that Day of Defeat has joined its stable of officially supported mods for Half-Life, and a new version 3.0 is projected for release next week. Here is the announcement, which also briefly outlines this version's new features:
Valve and the Day of Defeat team today announced an official partnership for continued development of the World War II-based Half-Life MOD. In addition, Day of Defeat 3.0 is due to launch next week, and will mark the introduction of new missions and gameplay types, a new player class, and more. First shown at the Third Annual Half-Life MOD Expo in San Francisco late last year, Day of Defeat is a team-based action game based upon the great battles, equipment, and scenarios of WWII. For more information, visit www.dayofdefeatmod.com.
Warcraft
III: Reign of Chaos Now Available is the press release announcing the
availability of the eagerly anticipated new installment in the Warcraft series
of RTS games. Here is a bit on what the release describes as what is new in this
new installment: A focus on concentrated battles between groups of mighty
warriors brings an exciting new blend of action to the franchise. In the
single-player game, players follow the adventures of Legendary Heroes, who grow
more formidable with experience. As the game progresses, these Heroes are able
to learn spells and special abilities and acquire powerful magic items. Heroes
advance even faster in multiplayer games, adding to the intensity of strategic
combat between rival powers. Expanded multiplayer options include the ability to
share units and resources with allies and to compete anonymously against other
players of similar skill levels.
Brat
Talks Breed on Computer and Video Games is a Q&A with Jason Gee,
director and senior artist at Brat Designs, discussing progress on Breed, their
upcoming first-person shooter. The conversation covers things like an overview
of the game, what development has been focused on lately, differences between
the PC version and the Xbox port, multiplayer support, comparisons with Halo,
and more. Accompanying the article are four new screenshots.
The Patches
page on the Strategy First website offers a new patch for
Patrician II, updating the North-American and UK editions of this medieval trading sim/strategy game by
Ascaron Software to version 1.1. The patch requires a 2.3 MB download but the included Readme.txt provides
no details on the changes it brings. Also, the Ascaron website itself
offers a 3.5 MB Dutch patch to upgrade
that edition to version 1.2.
There's a Zanzarah Preview
on Games Domain looking at Funatics Development's upcoming game the preview
describes as an "adventure/exploration/action-ish title." The article
offers impressions of the game's storyline, graphics and gameplay, which they
describe as "a mixture of exploration, combat, and magic card collecting,"
going into a bit of detail on this collecting aspect, including how it is
essential to opening up new areas of the game. Included are eight new
screenshots.
Infogrames Secures Exclusive Worldwide Console and PC Video Game Rights To C-2 Pictures and Intermedia's 'Terminator 3 Rise of the Machines'
is the press release announcing that Infogrames has acquired the rights to make
games based on Terminator 3, as well as an option for rights for a
potential fourth Terminator movie. Here is a bit from the release, which
also mentions plans for a PS2/Xbox game based on the original Terminator
film: The first game based on the "Terminator 3: Rise of the
Machines" property is currently expected to hit shelves in 2003, coinciding
with the release of the major summer event film. Infogrames is also currently
developing another title, Terminator: Dawn of Fate, for the PlayStation® 2
computer entertainment system and the Xbox(TM) video game system, that is based
on the original film, "The Terminator." Terminator: Dawn of Fate is
scheduled for release later this year.
There's a Dark Age of
Camelot: Shrouded Isles preview on GameSpy.com offering a look at the
upcoming Shrouded Isles expansion for DAoC, Mythic Entertainment's hit fantasy
MMORPG. Describing how the add-on is planned to appeal to both new players and
veterans of Camelot, the article goes into the new isles that will be
unshrouded, offering details about races, classes, magic, items, and more to be
found within their shores. They also offer a list of gameplay features that will
be added or tweaked, including improved framerates, spiffed up graphics, new
terrain, and more. They cap things off with a discussion of three aspects of the
game that are being improved beyond bug fixing, which are the Mordred PvP server,
spell crafting ("current estimates say that this will be enabled by August"),
and housing.
- Dragon Empires
There's a Dragon
Empires Q&A on Gamersclick talking with Codemasters' Peter Tyson who
offers brief answers to queries about Dragon Empires, their upcoming
fantasy MMORPG.
- O.R.B.
The O.R.B.
Q&A on Gamer's Hell talks with Paul "Zorlok" Gadbois,
associate producer on O.R.B., Strategy First's upcoming space RTS game, taking
care to focus on topics that have not been previously covered.
HomeLan Fed's America's Army Operations Preview
is online, taking advantage of the relationship that will see them hosting
multiplayer servers for the imminent shooter portion of this game created by the
U.S. Army. They offer the background on this unusual project, describe aspects
that make it different from many shooter games (including how you are required
to run through the boot camp of the tutorial before being allowed to join online
games), and offer impressions of gameplay, including the six multiplayer maps in
the "Recon" portion of Operations (slated for release over the
Internet tomorrow), the user interface, weaponry, their use of the Unreal
engine, and more. Accompanying the article is a
quick Q&A with Michael Capps learning how the executive producer of the
project feels things are going on the eve of its release.
The official Arx Fatalis site offers a German patch to bring the just-released
German edition of Arkane Studios' first-person RPG to version 1.11. The 2.2 MB download fixes crashes in
Sacred Dagger Level 4 and the Alia Cinematic as well as a couple of gameplay issues, and is save-game
compatible with the original game. Update: Apparently the original patch caused more problems
than it solved, but it was just replaced with an updated version, so your mileage may vary.
A playable demo of Imperium Galactica III, originally promised half a year ago, is now available for download
from Hungarian site Hardwired, allowing you to try out this
upcoming space strategy game by likewise Hungarian developers Philos Entertainment. The demo requires a reasonable
65.0 MB download, it contains one mission from the full game, and word from the Readme.txt file is that it
"was especially developed for use with the new Matrox Parphelia graphics card, but also runs on any other
modern 3D graphics accelerator board." Thanks HC Gamer, where
there is a mirror. Update:
A US-based mirror is online at 3D Gamers.
PC.IGN.com kicks off a series of features on Medieval: Total War with a comprehensive look at England, one of the factions in
the 3D real-time and turn-based strategy game that is nearing completion at Creative Assembly. The article
details the historical background, some of the faction's units and agents, objectives for the 'Glorious
Achievements' victory condition, the historical campaigns and more, and it's accompanied by a gallery of more than 40
new screenshots.
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Website now
offers downloads of a movie showing off gameplay of Ghost Recon playing on the
Xbox, available in higher and lower resolution formats. Also there are previews
of Tribes: Aerial Assault on both GameSpy
and GameSpot
each offering looks at the upcoming PS2 TRIBES (Tribes) game. GameSpot's
The Thing Preview and GameSpy's
Thing Preview each offers hands-on impressions of the PS2 port of the
squad-based action game based on the cult-classic movie of the same name. There
are 10 new Galleon screenshots
showing off the upcoming seafaring GameCube and Xbox game.
Console Reviews
Turns out Lancer News is also holding
their own separate (though related) version of the Freelancer "name the
planet" contest mentioned yesterday. Also, the Savage
Q3 Urban Terror League and the Savage
Q2 Rocket Arena 2 League are now accepting sign-ups.
The Jobs Page on the FASA Studio's
Website has been updated with several openings they are looking to fill to
create MechAssault for the Xbox as well the implication they are looking to add
staff for other Xbox projects too ("we're not just about 'Mechs.").
Wow, it was, as it was put in Biloxi Blues, "Africa hot" here
yesterday, and that was in my air conditioned office. I am beginning to fear
this small AC is not up to a former attic with the sun beating down on the roof.
Today is supposed to be hotter still, but I found and disengaged the
"economy" button so this thing is now blowing a bit colder, so I
suppose I'll be able to make a final determination about this today.
If this turns out to be true, BBC
to revive Doctor Who next year (thanks Andy S) is one of those things that's
bound to drive a lot of people apey.
A little tweaking to our new links of the day format comes just in time for
an extra-big flood. Seems like too much, so I may tweak further, but I couldn't
bear to skip any of these:
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