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Archived News:
City of Heroes Design Journal #4 is online at RPG Vault, discussing the development of this superheroic 3D MMORPG at Cryptic Studios. Penned by lead designer Rick Dakan, this installment covers their motivation for not including playable supervillains in the game, their answer to the demand for PvP play (an Arena), ideological aspects of their design choices, and more.
There is a new Dark Age of Camelot update, upgrading Mythic Entertainment's medieval MMORPG to version 1.52. This release adds the respec ability (being able to re-allocate your character's specialization points) along with the usual flurry of new and updated features, gameplay changes, bug fixes, and much more. Also, the official Neocron site offers an optional 'must have' patch that will add "several background ambient sounds and great music" to the beta 4 client of Reakktor Media's sci-fi MMORPG for the price of a 28.6 MB download.
- FireStarter
The official FireStarter site offers up six new screenshots and some concept images to illustrate the fast-paced first-person shooter under construction at GSC Game World.
- XIII
Worthplaying has posted a dozen new XIII screenshots, showing more from the cel-shaded first-person shooter in development at Ubi Soft Montreal.
- The Thing
Worthplaying also went snapshot crazy and captured a whopping 55 new The Thing screenshots from their press build of the third-person horror action game in the works at Computer Artworks.
- Lost Legion
The official Lost Legion site has been updated with 15 new screenshots of this sci-fi squad-based tactical shooter by Dutch developer ZZICT (thanks GameSpyDaily). A few new enemy animations are also available.
- No Name War
GameSpot serves up a pair of new No Name War screenshots, depicting new scenes in the upcoming 3D real-time strategy game by AMC Creation.
- Medieval
Three new high-res Medieval: Total War screenshots are up at Voodoo Extreme, showing more from the 3D real-time and turn-based strategy game nearing completion at Creative Assembly.
- Largo Winch
There are seven new Largo Winch screenshots on ToTheGame, offering new scenes in Ubi Soft's upcoming 3D adventure.
- Silent Storm
RPG Vault has posted ten new Silent Storm screenshots, revealing more from the 3D role-playing turn-based strategy game by Nival Interactive.
- EverQuest II
Sony Online Entertainment has added eight new EverQuest II screenshots atop the gallery for their 3D MMORPG sequel in development.
There's a BioWare
Interview on the electric playground based on a telephone conversation with
Doctors Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka about the flurry of recent activity in which
their company is involved. Topics include what they can reveal about their two
newly-announced games, whether their experience with Infogrames as publisher of
NWN makes them a natural fit to fill the same role on their new PC project, when
the titles of the two new games will be unveiled, plans to develop their own
accompanying RPG rule-set, the technology they will use, whether this means they
will be expanding, and more.
GameSpot's Horizons Q&A
talks with David Bowman and Steve Snow of Artifact Entertainment about Horizons,
their upcoming MMORPG. They discuss all the changes that have been made to the
game's design during development, player customization, special effects,
building structures, their realistic combat animations, skill-queuing, character
advancement, community support, why HAL wouldn't open the pod bay doors for
Dave, and more. Included are eight new screenshots.
- Neocron
There's a
Neocron Preview on Computer and Video Games based on the chance to play
with a preview build of Reakktor Media's upcoming sci-fi MMORPG. They
describe the process of creating your character, affiliating with a faction,
the game's setting, undertaking missions, PvP options, combat, and more.
Included are some new screenshots.
- UFO: Aftermath
The UFO:
Aftermath first impressions on BonusWeb.cz offers their English language
impressions of the upcoming strategy game that resumes the battle against
alien invaders as found in the X-COM series. They describe the story,
resources, weapons, the emphasis on tactics, the variety of missions, system
requirements, and more.
A post on German Outcast fan-site Adelpha.de
(you can use Babel Fish to translate if
you don't sprechen) reports that Appeal,
the Belgian developer of Outcast and its upcoming sequel, has closed its doors
as of August 2 (thanks Gamers.nl) as part of
a bankruptcy proceeding. The as-yet unconfirmed report is based on a
conversation with an unnamed ex-employee, and also included in that interview is
their source's contention that development on Outcast II had only been for the
PS2 version so far, and no work had begun on the promised PC version. Our
efforts at reaching Appeal for a confirmation, denial, or comment on this story
have so far met with no success.
BioWare has issued a new patch for Neverwinter Nights, updating its 3D role-playing game to version 1.22. This release addresses a large number of game, Aurora Toolset and Hak Pak Editor issues as listed in the patch details, and as always you can use the recommended auto-updater or the manual 38.4 MB patch to upgrade. Update: As usual, the dedicated Linux server is now also available for version 1.22.
As promised, a new version 3.1 of the Day of Defeat Half Life Modification
is now available (thanks Ant). The update to the World War II mod adds a
variety of fixes, addressing things like a textures problem in basic.wad, the
para round timer not ending round on 0:00, the +Use exploit. This update also
offers the implementation of Valve's technology to help combat cheating. Updates
and full installers are available for both Windows and Linux, and those using
the Steam beta can get their updates
automatically.
Swedish developer GRIN sends word that the official BANDITS - Phoenix Rising site is now online, providing insight into this upcoming vehicular 3D action game. The site offers some information on the game's backstory, environments, characters and vehicles, along with a batch of new screenshots, a sparsely populated FAQ, and more.
JoWood Productions has launched the official 1914 - The Great War site, showcasing this 3D turn-based strategy game by TriNodE Entertainment that will be arriving on store shelves in Germany at the end of this week. The site comes in English and German flavors and offers game information, mostly familiar screenshots and artwork, two new movie trailers, and more. The movies are available in two DivX resolutions and the 'short' clip features a minute and a half of cinematic and in-game footage while the 'long' clip sports two minutes of different footage that includes actual gameplay as well.
It's the attack of the follow-ups:
- Hitman 2
The Hitman
2: Silent Assassin Q&A on Player Of Games talks with some unnamed
person about progress on IO Interactive's upcoming hired gun follow-up.
Topics include the decision to create a sequel, the plotline, missions,
weapons, enemies, AI, improvements over the original game, the reworked
engine, music, and more.
- AquaNox Revelation
The AquaNox
Revelation Q&A on Gamersclick talks with Wolfgang Walk of Massive
Development about AquaNox Revelation, the upcoming stand-alone follow-up to
their game of underwater combat. They discuss the idea behind this project,
the storyline, returning units from the original game, AI, graphics, where
development stands, and more.
- Medieval: Total War
There's a Medieval: Total War
Q&A on HomeLan Fed talking with Ian Roxburgh of Creative Assembly
about the upcoming Total War sequel that shifts the game's focus from Asia
to the middle ages. Topics include the plan to continue the series, the medieval
setting, playable sides, the solo campaign, units, the 3D engine, AI, editor
support, and more.
- Stronghold: Crusader
HomeLan Fed's Stronghold: Crusader
Q&A talks with Firefly's Eric Ouellette about Stronghold: Crusader,
their upcoming follow-up to their castle-building sim Stronghold. They cover
the response the original game met with, the choice of the crusades as their
setting, new units, graphical changes, where development stands, and more.
There is a new Largo Winch movie on BonusWeb, showing more from this 3D adventure being developed at Ubi Soft. The movie comes as a 4.2 MB download and offers a minute and a half of cutscene and gameplay footage introducing the game's settings, characters and other features.
GameSpot's Hands-on Unreal Tournament 2003
Preview is online, based on getting to see some multiplayer features of a
recent build of the upcoming shooter sequel that was shown off by Epic's Mark
Rein at a recent Infogrames press event. They offer impressions of the opening
cinematic sequence, a low gravity level called "Plunge," the game's
adrenaline bonus system that enables the execution of special moves, conventions
that seem borrowed from "standard" fighting games, sports-style game
modes like Bombing Run, remakes of some familiar maps, and more. They also offer
word from Mark that development is currently focused on bug fixes, and that the planned demo will remain undelivered until they have
eliminated all its known bugs. Likewise based on the press event, there are Hands-On Unreal Tournament 2003
Impressions on PC.IGN.Com where they offer thoughts on the same topics as
the above, along with first-hand impressions of their chance to take
control of a computer and play for a bit themselves. Likewise there's also an Unreal II: The Awakening
Preview on PC.IGN.Com offering impressions of the upcoming Unreal sequel
from attending the gala. Stressing that the game is currently in a pre-alpha
state, they give the background of the story and a description of gameplay
elements, before offering their actual first-hand impressions which describe
some of the level design and how impressed they are with the game's
graphics.
GameSpy.com's Age of
Mythology Developer Diary is written by Ensemble Studios' Bruce Shelley, who discusses the research they did into the
literature of mythology so they were not just making up the made-up stories that
form the foundation of their upcoming RTS game. He describes the extensive
research they conducted, as well as their goal of utilizing it as part of their
gameplay without literally recreating it (much the way they make use of historical
research for their previous "Age of..." games), the books and Internet
resources they were able to make use of, how what they learned was implemented,
and how their research continues even as the completion of the game approaches.
On the subject of AoM, the Age
of Mythology Website has an update on the multiplayer alpha test, detailing
what the testers will receive, and saying they should start shipping the alpha
within seven to ten days.
GameSpot's
Civilization III Play the World impressions are based on attending an
Infogrames press event, where they got to see the upcoming Civ3 add-on in
action. They describe some of the problems that the developers at Firaxis need
to overcome in implementing the multiplayer support the add-on brings, since
turn-based strategy games involve so much down-time for players waiting for
others to plot out their movement, and Civ3 games tend to be fairly lengthy.
They also go into enhancements being made to the single-player campaign,
including the addition of eight new civilizations, new wonders, new features,
and more. They cap things off describing some graphical improvements and
features offered by the bundled editing program.
Activision sends word that a joint effort of id Software and Torus Games is
underway to bring DOOM II to the palm of gamers' hands as they are creating a
GameBoy Advance version of the classic FPS. GameCube
beating Xbox, to fall behind in '03 -study (thanks Bronco). Xbox MechAssault Live
on PC.IGN.Com offers a gameplay movie showing off this upcoming online Xbox
MechWarrior game. GameSpot's
Unreal Championship update is based on that Infogrames press soiree where
they got to check out the upcoming Xbox Unreal game first-hand. The final fruits
produced by attending that Infogrames event can be found in GameSpot's
Hands-on Dungeons & Dragons Heroes Impressions discussing the upcoming
Xbox D&D RPG.
A new version 2.5a of the QStat real-time
game server status utility is now available. The new release adds config file
support that permits new game type to be added without re-compiling, SOF2 (server
and master) support, a server rule template with rule value equality tests, improved
Half-Life status info, bug fixes, and more. The release
notes feature a "high density summary."
Doomsday HQ now offers a new
version 1.7.2 of the Doomsday version of DOOM, adding A3D support, a new way of
loading detail textures, and addressing a bunch of bugs including some OpenGL
rendering issues. Additionally they have posted word of a new BOOMSDAY beta and
a version 1.3.1 of jHeretic that adds new HUD menu, Doomsday 1.7.2 support, and
more. Also, a new version 1.14 of the Vavoom
modified DOOM source code is now available, fixing some bugs, tweaking sound
support, and adding some updated models.
A new EverQuest OS X FAQ
is online, answering questions about plans to bring the MMORPG to the Macintosh
platform.
The Majesco Games Employment
Section has word of a position they look to fill for a level designer,
outlining the sample work they would like to see, and how to apply.
- Videogame
Sale Talk Buoys Vivendi reports the multinational media giant may be
divesting itself of its U.S. video game business (which includes Blizzard
Entertainment, Sierra Entertainment and Universal Interactive) in order to
pay down some of its debt...
- There's a Lock On Modern Air Combat trailer
on BonusWeb showing off some of the game's jet plane combat...
- Ubi Soft sends word that Chessmaster 9000 for the PC is now gold, and is
scheduled to ship to U.S. and Canadian retail stores August 27, 2002...
- The Half-Life Movie Petition
is online, looking to convince Sierra to turn Half-Life into a motion
picture...
Happy anniversary to the tribe over at Ritual Entertainment, as yesterday marks six years since the formation of their company. To the local
authorities, if you see a Jeff Spicoli-style van careening about, chances are
this is just a mobile celebration gone awry... please just point them back
in the direction of Ritual HQ and all should be well (you can confirm you have
the proper parties by checking for "Levelord" name tags sewn into all
the drivers undies--otherwise you've probably got Scooby, Shaggy, and the
Mystery Machine).
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