|
|
 |
Archived News:
This
downloads page on the framed The
Gladiators Website has news of the promised second demo for this upcoming
game of futuristic gladiatorial combat in the works at Eugen Systems. While the
information on the downloads page is correct, as of now the link they supply to
download the demo is broken, and the proper link to get the
file from their server is
this (direct link). The 104 MB file is mirrored on 3D Gamers.
As noted on the Command & Conquer Generals
Official Beta Site, the acceptance letters have gone out to those who have been
selected for the multiplayer beta test of Westwood's upcoming RTS sequel. There is no indication yet about when
the testing will begin, except that testers will receive a notification "A few
days before Operation: Multiplayer Test goes live."
The projected release dates on the Imperium
Galactica III: Genesis Website have been changed to "1st half
2003" for Germany, the UK, the US, and France after previously being listed
as "2nd half 2002." This is not otherwise noted on the website, so it
is not known how much the departure of several members of Philos Entertainment
to form Mithis Games this summer ( story) influenced the delay of
the upcoming space strategy sequel.
The Wargamer's
Platoon Preview offers impressions of the upcoming Vietnam War game in the
works at Hungarian developer Digital Reality. Topics include the background of the
movie from which the game draws its name, the squad-based
real-time tactical combat offered, the game's timeframe, the impressive
graphics, attention to detail, mission objectives, and more. The
article is illustrated by a bunch of screenshots.
GameSpot's O.R.B. Preview
offers a look at a recent build of Strategy First's upcoming space RTS game,
describing the project as having taken "huge strides" since they last
checked it out. They discuss the newly-added biblical aspects of the storyline,
the reworked graphics, the cinematic cutscenes, ship design, gameplay options,
the interface, races, resources, espionage, and more.
Game Development à la Mod
on Business 2.0 is on the topic of "Counter-Strike, The Accidental Blockbuster"
(thanks Tm.Prometheus). The article describes the game's rags-to-riches story
from humble beginnings as a Half-Life mod, its development on a
sub-shoestring budget, offers quotes from Valve Software managing director Gabe
Newell on what Counter-Strike has meant to the ongoing success of Half-Life,
discusses other mod success stories, and caps off describing Counter-Strike's
Minh Le as "working hard on a Counter-Strike sequel in the basement of his
parents' home."
Westwood
Studios to Release First of Monthly Updates for Earth & Beyond is a
press release announcing plans for the first update of new content for
Westwood's Science Fiction MMORPG. In addition to the new content listed in the
patch, which is to go live on October 30, they also make mention of patches to
be released on special occasions, with one planned for Halloween, just the day
after this patch is released. Of course, before you mark November 30 for the
patch after this one, remember at one point EA also promised "monthly"
updates for Motor City Online, too, but those patches have ended up keeping much more
to a "when it's done" sort of schedule.
DreamCatcher
Interactive Ships Iron Storm for the PC is the press release with news that
this alternate history shooter set in a World War I that still rages on 50 years
after starting, is shipping to stores in North America. Here is a bit of the
description of the game found in the release: "The game takes the most
chilling elements of WWI, such as the filthy trenches, blood-stained barbed wire
fences, hidden mines and devastating poisonous gases, and blends them with the
kind of stealthy automatic weapons, lasers and powerful surveillance devices
that would have been developed over 50 years of war." In other
shipping-related news, IMG News Jedi Knight II Goes GM, Shipping Soon
is the report that Westlake Interactive's Mac port of Jedi Knight II: Jedi
Outcast has gone gold, and may ship as early as the end of October. They also
report of plans publisher Aspyr has for releasing a Mac demo, but no time frame
for that has been specified.
Sony Online Entertainment Ships
EverQuest: The Planes of Power is the press release announcing that The
Planes of Power, the new expansion for EverQuest, has shipped to stores.
According to the release the add-on will be on shelves as soon as tomorrow, and
this is the description of gameplay offered: "The Planes of Power
introduces high-level EverQuest gamers to an arching storyline and takes players
on an adventure of epic proportions with hundreds of powerful new weapons,
spells and creatures, 20 action-packed zones and an increased level cap maximum
to 65 allowing players to become more powerful than ever before."
- WWII Panzer Claws
ELiTeD's
WWII Panzer Claws Preview offers a look at the upcoming WW2 RTS game in
the works at Zuxxez. They describe the resource-free style of gameplay,
units, the control scheme, vehicles, graphics, sound, and more.
- Myst Online
The Myst Online
Preview on Ferrago.co.uk looks at the upcoming MMO version of Cyan's
gazillion-selling Myst series. They describe the hugely competitive environment
this game is entering, the plan on keeping the game infused with fresh content,
the inclusion of the concept of local "neighborhoods," and more.
This is a hands-off preview, but includes several comments about plans for
the game from its developers.
- Black Hawk Down
There's a Delta
Force: Black Hawk Down Q&A on EuroGamer (thanks HomeLan Fed)
talking with NovaLogic's Wes Eckhart about the next installment in their
combat shooter series. Topics include how this game does not relate to the
book and movie of the same name, the included campaigns, research, the
greater emphasis on action than previous DF games, use of the Commanche 4
engine, weapons, multiplayer play, and more.
- Gorge Tour
HomeLan Fed's Gorge Tour
Q&A talks with Kitaitseva Anna of Russian developer New Media
Generation about plans for Gorge Tour, their upcoming science fiction FPS.
They discuss the idea and story behind the game, locations, weapons,
enemies, UGEs, multiplayer support, the engine, status of development, and
more.
- SPECIAL
There's a
SPECIAL Q&A on Duck And Cover with the second part of their series
talking with Eric Dallaire to discuss the SPECIAL system that underlies the
RPG gameplay for Fallout and Lionheart. Today's topics include hit point
calculations, what the system can contribute to a fantasy RPG setting, how
perks are handled, random bonuses, the resistance system, translating the
way drugs are handled in Fallout to Lionheart, and more.
- David Grossman
There's a
David Grossman Interview on Do It Yourself Games talking with the former
military officer who has been a long-time advocate of the thinking that
shooter games are "murder simulators," which contribute to violent
crimes. They discuss his theories, how he feels certain specific games
relate to them, rating systems, feedback he's received from game developers,
and more.
There's an extensive Asheron's
Call 2 Preview on VGM Fusion with six pages of impressions from playing with
the beta version of Turbine Entertainment's upcoming MMORPG sequel. They
describe the story, character selection, weapons and items, skills, combat,
other fun pastimes, questions, portals, kingdoms and allegiances, graphics,
sound, and more. The whole shebang is illustrated by a big batch of new
screenshots.
There's a
Command & Conquer Generals preview on Computer and Video Games with a
look at Westwood's upcoming C&C game based on a visit to L.A. to check it
out at a press event. They describe the familiar three-way war theme this game
resumes, the "simply stunning" graphics, enhancing the AI to prevent predictable
scripted behavior, units, the game's namesake generals, the omission of the FMV
cutscene convention, and more.
HomeLan Fed's StarCraft Ghost
Q&A chats with Blizzard's Bill Roper about plans for StarCraft Ghost,
discussing the reasons for enlisting Nihilistic as the outside developer on this
project, the storyline, the capabilities of the main character, locations,
enemies, weapons and items, OGEs, multiplayer support, and more.
Had a bit of an oversleeping disaster this morning... I laid down to fight off a
headache that did not diminish in intensity at all while I slept. Being buffeted
about by a variety of forces, my schedule has been all over the board lately...
I'll get that under control today. Shame of it is, it's not like there was
much of anything happening to cause a delay. We even have the typical Monday morning
problem of no good link of the day candidates:
|
Twitter 
