Archived News:
A new Enigma: Rising Tide Recruiting E demo is now available, this week's
installment in the ongoing demo release for Tesseraction Games' updating naval
combat game. The new demo updates the game engine, and offers two German
submarine missions. The demo is available from 3D
Gamers, ComputerGames.Ro,
FileShack (registration
required), and Worthplaying.
Also, a new Combat Mission 2: Barbarossa to Berlin demo has been released,
updating the demo of this turn-based combat game to version 1.01. The file is
available at Battlefront.com, 3D Gamers
and Worthplaying.
Arkane Studios has released a new patch for Arx Fatalis, their 3D RPG, though
they have chosen to leave the version number frozen at 1.15. The update can be
found on 3D Gamers, FileShack
(registration required), and Worthplaying.
JoWooD sends along this
press release with word that K. Hawk - Survival Instinct, their tactical
adventure game, has shipped to stores in North America. Here is a bit that
describes gameplay: "In K.Hawk, the player finds themselves in control of
Lieutenant Kitty Hawk, a Navy SEAL and pilot whose helicopter has crash-landed
on a remote island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. Kitty soon realizes that
escape from the island may be difficult. With the powerful enemy defenses ruling
out any kind of rescue operation, Kitty must find a way to overcome the enemy
through any means possible. However, in this stealth game, one move in the wrong
direction and Kitty’s history. Going out all guns blazing is not an
option."
This
press release announces production of BlowOut, an upcoming console and PC 3D
action game that promises to take "the side-scrolling shooter genre to a
distinctively new level." Here's a bit: "In BlowOut, gamers assume the
role of Major John 'Dutch' Cane, a leader of a mercenary commando platoon,
fighting against the deadliest enemies the universe has ever seen. A U.S. Marine
Space Force headquarters has been overrun by the vicious mutant Xenomorphs,
leaving a gap in the operational defenses. Gamers must use specialized sensor
equipment and massive firepower to locate and take out the enemy before they
have a chance to zero in on the station's control center and threaten colonized
space." Update: Turns out this is the same "Doom, Abuse and Starship
Troopers combo" announced in April ( story).
The DirecTV DSL Website has news that
this broadband internet service will be ending some time after the next 30 days
(thanks Joshua Noble). Saying the service "can no longer stand as an
independent business" due to "the dramatic change in the capital
markets and the significant shift in the telecom operating environment,"
they report they "are working with our last-mile carriers to determine
alternatives for your broadband service." Update: This story originally mistakenly
describe this as an end to their satellite broadband service, which is
incorrect.
Infogrames Sells Theatrical Film Rights to Alone in The Dark to Boll Kino KG
is the press release announcing Infogrames' sale of the film rights to Alone in
the Dark, the seminal horror/survival game. The movie will be made by BOLL KG,
the production company of writer/director/producer Uwe Boll, who is also at work
on the upcoming House of the Dead movie. Here's a bit more on the announcement:
"Under the agreement, Boll Kino will control exclusive worldwide theatrical
film rights to ALONE IN THE DARK, as well as video, DVD, television, cable and
pay per view rights for the film. Infogrames will retain all other rights to the
franchise, including rights for series on free television and cable. Principal
photography for the film is currently scheduled to commence in Vancouver in the
spring of 2003, with Dr. Uwe Boll (House of the Dead, Blackwoods, Sanctimony,
Heart of America) serving as director and producer."
- Digital Extremes
Digital
Extremes Q&A Part 2 on Gaming Invasion continues their conversation
with D.E. cofounder James Smaltz, discussing Dark Sector, their planned MMO
FPS, PC development, the Unreal engine, and more.
- Illusion Softworks
The
Illusion Softworks Q&A part 3 of 3 on Tiscali Games concludes their
conversation with Petr Vochozka, CEO of the Czech developer. Topics include
progress on H&D2, the startling number of games they currently have in
production, game engines, and more.
- Anarchy Online: Notum Wars
There's an Anarchy Online: Notum Wars
Q&A on Gamer's Hell that discusses Funcom's recently released
"booster pack" for their science fiction MMORPG.
- A Tale in the Desert
RPG Vault's A Tale in the Desert Interview #2
chats with Andrew Tepper and Josh Yelon of eGenesis, as they continue their
discussion of this combat-free online world.
- Star Trek Music
HomeLan Fed's Star Trek Music
Q&A chats with Ron Jones about the soundtracks he's contributed to
Star Trek: The Next Generation and a pair of Star Trek games.
Action Vault's
HomePlanet Development Report #6 features 3Map Games' Alexey Medvedev,
project director on HomePlanet, discussing progress on their upcoming space
combat game. The new installment continues to discuss weaponry, talking about
diversity in their weapon design, the defensive capabilities of shields, weapons
parameters, and more.
EA Ships The Sims Online
is the press release announcing the release of the MMO version of the best
selling The Sims series. Here's a bit on the game, which carries a $9.99 monthly
subscription fee: "In The Sims Online, players create and control the
actions of a character known as a Sim. Players enter the world with a small
amount of money to spend as they wish. They can purchase their own piece of land
to do with as they please or they can join with other players to create shared
homes and businesses or host wild events."
Mod chip crackdown at Christmas
(thanks anon@127.0.0.1) has more on the
fallout from the recent crack down on console cracks, saying: "Lik Sang,
one of the world's leading distributors of mod chips, is now back in business,
under new management and no longer selling the controversial product."
Q2D First phase
completed on SourceForge.net is the announcement that the conversion of the
original C Quake II source to Delphi source code, and the new source is now
available for download for those looking to participate in this project.
I thought I could organize
freedom. How Scandinavian of me on RPG Codex
is by Interplay's Josh Sawyer, who discusses presenting choices to the player
in an RPG, and some of the important considerations that go into how this is
handled. Also, Dteam is Topography Evolved with Articulation and
Modality (huh?) is the latest log posted by the Dteam recapping one of their
online game design courses.
- This Petition
requests a patch for cheats, bugs and balance issues with Yuri's Revenge and Red
Alert 2, even as the C&C series hurtles headlong towards the release of
Generals...
- Laser Squad Nemesis has
announced the addition of a new fourth playable race to their play-by-email
strategy game some time in the coming year. Thanks amygdala...
- This Shadowbane
Player's Lunch Report recaps a get-together last month with the folks
from Wolfpack Studios where progress on Shadowbane, their upcoming MMORPG,
was, obviously, one of the topics at hand...
- HiTech Creations, Inc.
now offers a new version 1.11 of Aces High, their MMO WW2 combat flight
simulator. Thanks Tony Davis...
Quote from the dealer for two OEM replacement fog lights: $200. Estimated labor
costs to install: $100. Getting a mechanic buddy to do a no charge install of a
pair of $50 aftermarket fog lights? Priceless. OEM lights? Dim with plastic
covers. Aftermarket lights? Bright with glass covers. Definitely a lesson
learned about the value of looking for aftermarket parts when doing certain
types of automotive repairs.
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