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Archived News:
A post to the Paradox Entertainment
Forums has a link to a new patch for Hearts of Iron, updating the World War
II RTS game to version 1.02. There are no details about changes, but they have
posted a mirror as well as a link to the patch for the Scandinavian version of
the game. Update: The
patch page now has some
info about the patch.
This N-Fusion.com Downloads
Page has a new version 2.35 patch for Deadly Dozen: The Pacific Theater,
bringing the demo code up to date with the latest version of the full retail
version of the World War II combat game. The retail version 2.35 patch featured
fixes for many multiplayer crashes, optimized bandwidth usage, small map tweaks,
sound fixes, and more.
A post to the
Ubi Soft General Discussion Forums (thanks Shacknews)
has word that a demo of the stealthy third-person Tom Clancy game should be
released at some point next week. Here's the deal: "I'm please to say that
the PC Demo of Splinter Cell will be available to download from Thursday
December 19th on the official website. We will confirm the exact time during
next week."
A multiplayer demo for Vietcong, the upcoming Vietnam War shooter from Illusion
Softworks has been released on the
game's official website, and in spite of a completely swamped FTP server,
has finally been mirrored by Worthplaying,
and is now reasonably available. The description for the 72 MB demo is simply:
"Death Match, Capture the Flag, Protect the Pilot up to 32 Players,"
and presumably now more mirrors will begin to appear. Update: The file is
now mirrored on 3D Gamers,
Gamer's
Hell, Tiscali Games,
and FileShack (registration required).
The Counter-Strike: Condition Zero
Preview on GameSpy discusses progress on the upcoming single-player focused
Counter-Strike game, which recently shifted production from Gearbox Software to
Ritual Entertainment. Based on a visit to Valve Software to see the game
first-hand, they also make some inquiries about the developer shift, eliciting
this response: "Gearbox has completed its contribution to Counter-Strike:
Condition Zero and Ritual will be running the day-to-day development
responsibilities from here through launch" (though their own impressions
seem to contradict this: "After checking out Condition Zero, it's
quite obvious that Ritual has basically started from scratch"). The
article goes on to describe changes in the upcoming version 1.6 Counter-Strike
patch before offering impressions of gameplay, including the interface, the
kinds of scenarios included, weaponry, AI, graphics, special effects, and more.
There's a Devastation
Preview on PC.IGN.Com with a look at Digitalo's upcoming Unreal-engine
cyberpunk shooter. They describe how the developer funded development themselves
before hooking up with publisher ARUSH, the game's post-apocalyptic setting, the
storyline, levels, missions, interactivity, linearity, AI, NPCs, enemies, AI,
maps, multiplayer support, modification support, and more.
- Road to Rome
The Road
to Rome Q&A on Computer and Video Games talks with Digital Illusions'
Anders Hoh about the recently-announced add-on they are creating for
Battlefield 1942. Topics include their choice of campaigns for the add-on,
new maps, new vehicles, addressing shortcomings in BF 1942 single-player
play, progress on mod support, and more.
- Rise of Nations
CanadianGamer.ca's Rise of Nations
Interview is an audio conversation with Paul Stephanouk to discuss Big
Huge Games' upcoming RTS game. The interview can be downloaded as a 10 MB
.mp3 file, or streamed via RealPlayer.
- Massive Assault X2
There's a Massive Assault Q&A
on Jeux-PC.com (also available in French)
and another Massive Assault
Q&A on Australian Game Zone. The Jeux-PC Q&A is with an unnamed
member of Wargaming.net and discusses the backstory of their upcoming
turn-based strategy game, comparisons with C&C, management, the
graphics, and more. The AGZ conversation is with Victor Kislyi, and topics
include comparisons with other TBS titles, turn phases, units, resources,
and more.
- Imperium Galactica III
HomeLan Fed's Imperium Galactica III
Q&A talks with Mithis Games' Robert Sugar about their upcoming
installment in this science fiction game series. They discuss the game's
story, races, star systems, professions, combat, graphics, future plans to
merge Mithis and Philos, multiplayer support, and more.
- Postal 2
The Postal 2
Q&A on ActionTrip talks with Vince "Dice" Desi of Running with
Scissors about their upcoming Unreal-engine Postal sequel. Topics include
the game, milk, and of course, all manner of envelope-pushing
outrageousness. The Q&A is accompanied by what they claim is an exclusive
gameplay movie.
RPG Vault's Lethal Dreams Development Report #2
features project director Alexey Alexeev of Ukrainian developer Boolat
describing how the design ideas for their upcoming RPG have evolved during the
life of the project, discussing the process of analyzing concepts in light of
the spirit of the game, and what causes one idea to give way in favor of a newer
one, offering specific examples of problems they've solved and other changes
they've made along the way.
There's a SimCity 4 Preview
on GameSpot describing what's new and different about the next installment
in the classic city-building series, as well as aspects of the successful
formula Maxis will not be changing. They discuss how the emergence of the
SimCity-inspired Sims is influencing the project, the way cities now interact
with their regions, newfound variety in city types, new interface options, maintaining
balance, new buildings, improved graphics, and more.
This Sierra FTP directory
now offers downloads of a Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter trailer in a higher and a
lower quality version in a choice of QuickTime or Windows Media Player formats. The
files are mirrored on 3D Gamers.
There's also a new Highland Warriors trailer showing off the game of Scottish
combat in German on Gamer's
Hell. Meanwhile, Gamer's Hell has also posted local copies of new trailers
showing off gameplay from Speed Challenge
and Lock-On.
- G.I. Combat
A new version 1.02e patch for G.I. Combat is now
available, though as 3D Gamers
point out with their mirror, the list of changes is the same as for the
previous version 1.02d patch.
- Delta Force Land Warrior
A new version of
the Delta Force Land Warrior version 1.00.42 patch is now available, fixing
some crash problems with the prior patch, but not iterating the version
number. The files for four different language versions of the game are available from the
official website, 3D
Gamers, and Gamer's
Hell.
- Battlecruiser Millennium
A new version 1.0.08
RC29 patch for the retail version of Battlecruiser Millennium is now
available. The patch is hosted by 3D Gamers
and mirrored on Gamer'
Hell.
- Op Flashpoint: Resistance Beta
The Operation
Flashpoint Website has a new beta version 1.91 patch for Operation
Flashpoint: Resistance and the Op Flashpoint GotY edition. "Codemasters
and Bohemia Interactive Studio accept no responsibility for problems caused
by downloading or installing this patch." A supported non-beta version
is also forthcoming. The files are mirrored on 3D Gamers.
- German AquaNox 2
AquaNox Central is offering
downloads of a new beta version 2.13 patch for the German version of AquaNox 2.
The new version offers automatic speed adjustment, fixes a few bugs, and more.
Thanks YiYas. A mirror is up on 3D
Gamers.
- German Grom
A new version 1.1 patch for the German version
of Grom has been released by Rebelmind.
The file is also available from 3D Gamers.
Exactly one year following the release of the Windows version, the Macintosh
demo for Return to Castle Wolfenstein
is now available. The 108 MB demo offers single-player play only, and requires
OS X.
Xbox may boost Microsoft earnings
(thanks Mike Martinez) has word that "Microsoft should see its current
quarter results lifted by the strong holiday season performance of its Xbox
video game console and related game software, an analyst said Wednesday."
A thread on the 3D Buzz
Forums has word that they will be creating some of their video tutorials for
Unreal Tournament 2003 with official approval of Epic Games. Like their
predecessors, these videos will be freely distributed.
The Starfleet Command III Model Contest
"will run for 8 weeks with a new winner selected every other Friday."
Also, there are some CPL interviews on GameZone, where they talk with CPL head Angel
Munoz and with competitors Siege
and SirScoots.
Meanwhile, the CPL has also released a
floorplan for their Winter event.
The Boomer Employment Page
has a listing of the openings that Frozen Lung is looking to fill as they create
their upcoming ballistic nuclear submarine simulator.
It's getting on to chili season here in the Blue Tower, as I am gearing up to
fix my first fiery feast of the winter. For those looking to play along at
home, here's Blue's Own Texas-style Chili Recipe
(just please heed the warnings about habanero peppers). Although I have never
entered it into a contest, this is now officially an "award wining"
recipe, as a couple of readers have used it to win local cook-offs. One recent
messageboard comment from one of those award winners described a bit of meat
substitution that he used on his variation, which included bacon, which I think
I will add to the mix this time around to see how that comes out. A final
thought on the subject of hot food: my latest hot sauce discovery is Tropical
Pepper Company's Green Jalapeno Sauce, which is not overpoweringly hot, but is
quite flavorful, and can be added to a wide variety of foods. MrsBlue thinks I'm
over-focused on this stuff, because every time we're at the supermarket they
only have one bottle of this on display, which I buy every time, because I'm
convinced this means it's been discontinued and this is my last chance to get
some... meaning I now have about eight bottles in reserve (which is
not a terrible thing either... it's always good to have back-ups).
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