Archived News:
The Shadowbane Website
(thanks Robert Parker) has word that in order to allow sufficient time to
implement and beta test improvements to Wolfpack Studios' upcoming MMORPG, its
release will be delayed from their originally planned release this November to
sometime next year (confirming a report on Shadowbane Warcry
based on retailer schedule changes).
The update goes on to offer thanks to those who have pre-ordered the game and
give details about what's next for beta testing. Here's a bit more from the
update on the game's release date: We understand that this delay may be
frustrating for you, and we apologize for not being in a position to launch the
game sooner. However, we firmly believe that in order to provide the best
possible game and service experience, Shadowbane must release when it
is ready and not sooner. The moment we are confident with a new release date, we
will give you the news. Meanwhile, we will continue to keep you posted through Shadowbane.com
and the Shadowbane newsletter.
Blizzard Entertainment sends word that their next product announcement will take
place Friday, September 20 during this year's Tokyo Game Show. There are no
further details about the planned announcement other that it will involve
back-to-back press conferences, but this should provide fuel for some
interesting speculation, since the TGS is primarily focused on console games,
though Blizzard has shown off PC offerings at the show in the past.
The Neverwinter Nights Patches
Page has a new patch for the English language version of Neverwinter Nights,
updating BioWare's RPG to version 1.24, now out of beta. The new release applies
a variety of enhancements and bug fixes. In concert with the new patch, an
accompanying version 1.24 Neverwinter Nights Linux Dedicated Server
has also been released.
NovaLogic sends along the latest updated release date for the multiplayer demo
for Delta Force: Black Hawk Down, their upcoming installment in the DF series
set in Somalia. Word is to expect the demo at 3:00 PM EDT this Thursday
(September 12). At that time download locations will be listed on the NovaLogic
Website.
The Unreal Admin Page's
DrSin Q&A (thanks GameSpyDaily)
catches up with Joe "DrSin" Wilcox to specifically discuss server
questions about UT2003, the upcoming Unreal Tournament follow-up. Topics in the
extensive, detailed conversation include plans for an admin GUI, resources for
server admins, overhauling web-based administration, what
sort of bandwidth requirements they anticipate, whether servers will require a CD key, the built-in stats
system, platforms, banning cheaters, and more.
The Travis McGeathy
Q&A on Massivemultiplayer.org talking with the community manager at VR1
about Lost Continents, the MMORPG that was thought to be lost itself ( story)
until it was announced that the project was still alive after a bit of
continental drift ( story). They discuss the motivations for keeping
the spark of this project alive after so many months without funding, what sort
of drug abuse inspired the attempt at competing in the MMO marketplace to start
with, plans to market the game, what other games they expect converts to migrate
from, addictiveness, comparisons to other games, the impact of zones on
gameplay, plans for testing, and more.
There's a Darkfall
Q&A on Gamer.no talking with Claus Grovdal of Razorwax about their upcoming
MMORPG. Topics include how they got started on the project, competing with the
big dogs in this marketplace, clans, building houses, the story, quests,
atmosphere, the level treadmill, combat, reputation, PvP, magic, combating
cheating, and more.
Earth
& Beyond Week: Day I on GameSpy.com kicks off their week long
promotion of Westwood's upcoming MMORPG with a Q&A with senior producer Eric
Wang as the game gears up to go live. They discuss a bit of what happened during
production, difficulties encountered, their confidence that they will have a
smooth launch, the number of servers they are running, how they feel about how
E&B is turning out, what will go on after launch, and more. On a
related note, this
Gigex Link now offers another alternative way to receive the beta client for
Earth & Beyond. This provides the usual Gigex functionality of resumable
downloads, helpful for folks on dial up connections. If this still proves
problematic, the Gigex pop-up also has a button to order the beta on a CD for
the cost of shipping and handling ($5.99).
Introducing Xicat’s U.S. Special Forces Team Factor
is the press release announcing the ship date for U.S. Special Forces: Team
Factor, the North American version of Team Factor, the three team teamplay
shooter game from Czech developer 7FX (who fail to rate a mention within).
According to the release, this enhanced version of the game will be available
September 24, and here is a bit of the description it offers: "USSF
requires a combination of strategy, stealth and firepower to accomplish and
survive the lethal missions. Teams must work as one, think as one and become one
to annihilate the opposition and get to the extraction point."
The Rise of Nations:
Nation Profile #3 on GameSpy.com is the third installment in their series
that will eventually profile the 18 states featured in Big Huge Games' Rise of
Nations. Today's entry looks at the French and the Chinese, discussing their
role in the game, all the more prominent because these are two of the game's
featured nations that still exist today.
HomeLan Fed's Enigma Rising Tide Developer's Journal - Part 9
offers the latest from Tesseraction Games about their upcoming naval combat game. This time out writer Blake Hutchins turns over the reins to
Jeff Herne, the naval and aviation history consultant for the game. He discusses
the role of accuracy in military games in general, the balance between reality
and fantasy necessitated by the game's alternate history, his role in
production, and more.
There's an
Iron Storm preview on PCShooter.com with a look at 4X Studios' upcoming
shooter. They discuss the game's alternate history that sets the action in a
World War I that's still ongoing in 1964, the mix of new and older weapons and
equipment this scenario makes for, the necessity of making use of both the
first- and third-person perspectives offered, the solo campaign, enemy AI,
system requirements, and more.
ToWorld's Tac Ops Q&A
(thanks HomeLan Fed)
talks with "Shag" lead programmer on this Unreal-engine combat game, discussing
plans for the upcoming version 3.30 patch. Topics include how close this is to
release, how it will be "more than a patch," addressing cheating, the
removal of footsteps, the biggest problem encountered in creating the patch, the
progress this project has made since its days as a modification, and more.
There's a Realms of
Torment Chat Log on Computer Games Online recapping what was apparently a
nine hour(?!) IRC session with some of the folks at Quad Software and Maxim Software
at work on this upcoming MMORPG. The extensive log goes into great detail about
the project, and has been edited into a fairly orderly Q&A format, and the
log is also available as a
separate download.
HomeLan Fed's Asheron's Call 2 Beta Impressions
are online, offering brief thought on the upcoming expansion for Turbine's
MMORPG. They describe the process of selecting a new character, running through
the training level, combat, beta glitches, and a bit more.
A story on GFX-BASE (you'll have to scroll
down), has information and a link to download a port of Quake II for Amiga OS
3.9. The information is a bit sketchy ( the
German language homepage of the author does not offer information about the
release), but they have translated the included release notes, and there is a
subsequent post from one of their readers outlining his experience with the
report, included bugs encountered along the way. Thanks Peter Eriksson.
- The GameMore Website has a questionnaire
relating to their plans to run gaming events in the UK, promising free entry
and other enticements to those who take the time to fill it out...
Had a nice little weekend: I put together a few sets of shelves to finally get
the several tons of books out of the boxes that they've been living in since
MrsBlue and I moved. It was probably all that tinkering around that got me in
the tinkering mood, because this lead to me getting embroiled in a couple of
hours of tinkering with options in Outlook. This was not completely by choice...
I managed to find a few options complex enough that I'm not sure what they are
even really intended for, but I can say for sure that they were a lot easier to
enable than to disable. I eventually got everything back in order, sparing all
of you for a plaintive cry for help in undoing my mess this morning
(whew!).
I certainly am not yet mentally prepared for the football season yet, but
that's okay, I'm a Giants fan, and they obviously weren't quite ready Thursday
night when the season began for them either. Then again, it could be worse... I
could be a Cowboys fan.
Finally, another priceless link to share in today's image of the day.
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