Archived News:
Enigma Rising Tide
Goes Gold on GameSpot has word that the boxed retail version of
Tesseraction's naval combat game is complete, and expected at U.S. retail
outlets on May 15. This release offers graphical enhancements over the
version that was distributed online, but does not yet provide the multiplayer
component that was originally planned as the focus of the game.
NetDevil announces
the launch of Attack of the Conflux, episode II of Jumpgate, their MMO space
game. Player can sign-up at the Jumpgate
Recruitment Center and receive the episode, along with 10 days of free play,
for free. Word is: "Episode 2 offers exciting features for both veteran
Jumpgate players as well as for fans of space sims that are looking for
something more than point-and-click gameplay." Among the new features they
are touting is the ability to for players to construct and own space stations.
UBI Soft's
German Website now offers downloads of a new gameplay trailer from XIII, the
upcoming first-person shooter that adds cel-shaded graphics to the Unreal
engine. The movie is a 3.7 MB download in Windows Media Player format. The file has
been mirrored on 3D Gamers
and Happy Puppy
(registration required). Also, there's a new Rise of Nations movie showing off Big Huge Games' upcoming
RTS on French site Rise of Nations Alliance Francophone.
Meanwhile FiringSquad's
Rise of Nations Preview (thanks HomeLan Fed)
offers the latest look at the game.
This press
release confirms the unofficial announcement ( story) that
Vietcong had gone gold. Word is Illusion Softworks' Vietnam War first-person
shooter is expected on store shelves sometime this month.
Asylumsoft, Inc. announces the commercial launch of its massively multiplayer online role-playing game,
DRANSIK is the press release with word that DRANSIK is complete, and this
MMOG can now be downloaded from the
official website for free, with the first 10 days of play likewise gratis.
Here's a bit form the announcement on the game: "The commercial release
version of the game, DRANSIK 1.0, is based on traditional game play features
with a fresh pace of game play. The game offers more quests and monsters, magic
systems, and vast lands to explore. Features to be added into the game will
include a construction system, paper-dolling, and a revolutionary
player-controlled government system. The game will be offered as a monthly
online subscription service, and discount programs are available for longer-term
subscription commitments."
Third Chapter in the Award-Winning Rainbow Six PC Game Series Hits Store Shelves This Week
is the press release announcing the imminent availability of Tom Clancy's
Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield. Here's the description of the story from the
announcement: "Direct an elite, multinational squad of special operatives
against a hidden terrorist foe. Command Team RAINBOW in a race against
time, in locations ranging from England, Norway, the Caribbean islands and Rio
de Janeiro during Carnaval to stop a madman and his doomsday plot."
This NVIDIA FTP directory
(thanks Tiscali Games) has new version
42.42 Windows Detonator reference drivers. These drivers aren't noted on the NVIDIA Homepage,
so there's no telling exactly what thee deal is with these.
ASCARON Entertainment,
the German publisher of Devastation, Digitalo's Unreal-engine first-person
shooter, has posted a new trailer showing off gameplay from the now-gold game.
There is a 40 MB version of the movie as well as a 4 MB version, and mirrors can
be found on Gamer's
Hell and Tiscali Games.
Meanwhile, here are also some new
screenshots from Devastation, for which a multiplayer demo is due on
Thursday ( story).
It seems the long vigil waiting for a patch to update America's Army: Operations
to version 1.6 that corresponds to the release of the updated full version
released yesterday ( story) might last forever, as the America's Army
website says: "Note: Due to extensive changes in v1.6, there is no
valid patch from 1.5 to 1.6." The unofficial patch that's been floating
around has been used with apparent success however, and there don't seem to have
been any efforts to ask sites carrying it to cease, so if you want to take a
chance on an unsupported update to avoid downloading the full 374 game, the 87
MB patch has been mirrored on 3D Gamers,
AmericasArmyFiles, FileShack.com
(registration required), FilePlanet
(registration required), Gamer's Hell, Happy Puppy
(registration required),
and Worthplaying.
The full version is also mirrored on 3D Gamers,
AmericasArmyFiles, FileShack
(registration required), Gamer's Hell,
and Happy Puppy
(registration required). Update: It turns out the contents of the unofficial patch match are
the same as an official patch that was ultimately released, so you should be
good to go regardless of which route you took to perform your version 1.6
upgrade.
RPG Vault Horizons Journal #15
is written by Artifact Entertainment's Ryan Mitchell and Casey Robinson discussing
the special effects system in Horizons, their upcoming MMORPG, pointing out
that: "Horizons' effects system constitutes a very robust and scalable
system with an easy to use in-engine toolset. What this allows is the artist to
create their effects in the same medium our players will enjoy."
- Galaxies
There's a Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided
Q&A on PC.IGN.Com talking with Haden Blackman of LucasArts about
development of the upcoming Star Wars MMORPG, though the game's
recently-announced delay (story) does not surface as a topic
of conversation.
- America's Army
Action Vault's
America's Army: Operations Q&A #1 asks the following question of
Uncle Sam about his Army game: "Speaking as a player, what are the
things that are most significant in making America's Army: Operations
different from and especially enjoyable to play compared to other tactical
action games?"
- Kreed
Action Vault's
Kreed Q&A #10 also plays one question/many answers, asking the folks
at Burut the following about their upcoming shooter: "Not including
weapons, what are a couple of items that you consider especially
interesting, memorable or fun in Kreed, and why?"
- X2: Wolverine's Revenge
There's also an
X2: Wolverine's Revenge Q&A on GameSpy.com talking with Juan Valdes
of Activision about their upcoming X-Men (X-Man?) game.
- Sims Superstar
The Sims Superstar Q&A
on GameSpot talks with Jonathan Knight, producer on the upcoming
installment in the Sims franchise that allows one to get in touch with their
inner star quality (Mr. Wright, I'm ready for my close-up!).
- Skylab
HomeLan Fed's
Skylab Entertainment Q&A chars with Michael Hadwin, Patrick Curry,
and Rick Stults of Skylab Entertainment
about this newly formed developer composed, among others, of former members
of Gathering of Developers and Ritual Entertainment.
- Ryzom
There's a Q&A
with Sébastien Vidal on Worthplaying talking about Ryzom, Nevrax'
upcoming sciences fiction/fantasy MMORPG.
The latest gameplay trailer for Raven Shield has been released, showing off
the Rainbow Six team clearing a hostile location in the upcoming Tom
Clancy shooter. The movie has been mirrored in low- and high-resolution modes on
Gamer's Hell
and in high-rez on FileShack
(registration required) and Worthplaying.
Wish Debuts at E3
announces showings of this game from Mutable
Realms that "raises the bar by defining Ultra Massive Multiplayer
Online Role Playing Games (UMMORPG). Wish employs a server cluster architecture
that scales to tens of thousands of players in a shared and seamless 3D fantasy
world." There's not much on gameplay, but word is testing will start this
year and the website does offer some
screenshots and concept
art.
Nintendo New Game
Boy Will Knock Your Lights Out on PC Magazine: "The front-lit screen
breathes life into old games by providing increased detail and richer
colors." Sony taps China for PS2 production
(thanks Mike Martinez): "In a bid to trim costs, Sony plans to move the
manufacturing of all its PlayStation 2 gaming consoles to China by 2004."
Also, Gamers Europe Previews Yager.
And, HomeLan Fed's Aliens Vs. Predator Extinction
Q&A chats with some of the folks at Zono about their upcoming AvP
console plans. GameSpy.com's
Jason Rubin Q&A chats with Naughty Dog's cofounder about their upcoming
Jak & Daxter sequel. The Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix First Look
on Xbox.IGN.Com discusses the upcoming console port. Finally, Strategy Analytics speaks out about Nintendo
on GameZone.com is a Q&A that talks with this Global Market Research and Consulting firm
about Nintendo's prospects.
Version 1.12 of the Xtreme Arena
modification for Quake III Arena is now available. Here's their own lowdown on
the project: "A couple of the stand out features include complete lag
compensation, weapon disabling, alternate fire modes, and the ability for server
admins to rotate maps in tourney mode. For a full list of XA features, go to our
" About XA"
page."
Mod developers...Here's a start
on the Devastation Forums has word on preliminary documentation for mod
authors for Devastation, even before the game is available (thanks Marcus).
Also, Turbo Squid announces the availability
of their Absolute Character Tools: Modeling Tool Set (ACT-MTS) for 3ds max users.
This utility "permits you to model characters faster and create much richer
detailed characters while producing high quality character meshes. You can also
create proxy and sub skin characters and muscle sets for your characters, all
with embedded UV mapping as well."
Ultimate Arena
is where to sign up for the: "America's Army Ultimate Arena E3 Tournament.
The final match between a team of four civilians and four active duty U.S. Army
Soldiers will take place at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) trade show in
Los Angeles which runs May 14-16, 2003. Qualifying tournament matches will take
place from March 17th through April 25th. The championship match will occur on
May 15th at the America's Army booth at E3 for a prize of $7,500 in cash and
travel expenses."
- NovaLogic sends word
that on March 22, customers in select iGames
centers across the country will get the chance to play the full retail
version of Delta Force: Black Hawk Down, before the upcoming tactical
shooter is available in stores...
- A new version 1.4 of Strange Adventures in Infinite Space
is now available, fixing problems with the version 1.4 patch that was
recently released, though without incrementing the version number for some
reason...
- There's a Pro Bass Fishing 2003 Demo on Gamer's Hell
and Worthplaying
that's a 17 MB download...
- Championship
Manager 4 Goes Gold on Worthplaying has word that the U.K. versions are
done, with the others to follow...
Well the flood of corrections began almost as soon as the post they related to
went online yesterday, as the helpful wet blankets at Snopes.com
had already debunked the idea that the faux see-through
skirts may be all the rage in Japan. I'll consider this matter properly
debunked, though I have to stress that Images of the Day are for entertainment proposes
only... please, no wagering. Thanks Matt Leyendecker for being quickest of many
on the draw with this one.
Thanks Mike Martinez.
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