The Battlefield 1942 Website (thanks Frans) has word on a fairly simple update mod makers will need to make to keep their mods compatible following the release of the game's version 1.45 update, which also contains news to expect the release of this patch soon. Here's the deal:

1.45 ALERT: Mod-makers take note

1.45 patch will be available soon. If you've played the Secret Weapons demo, you're already aware of some of the fixes that have been implemented.

One fix has implications for mod-makers. If you have not already done the following, you will need to update your mod in order to make it work with 1.45 and subsequent patches. In order to work, you must modify the following line:

game.setmapid "bf1942"

....where bf1942 is changed to reflect your mod name. This line is found in the init.con file found in the menu folder for each map included with your mod.

Example

The path in an unpacked level is: ...\Mods\BF1942\Archives\BF1942\Levels\bf1942\levels\Battle_of_Britain\Menu\init.con.

We have attempted to minimize all impacts that patches have on the mod community, and any that do occur are unavoidable in order to deliver a better gaming experience. We hope by providing this information before the patch is released, you can update your mods accordingly. We apologize for any inconvenience this might cause.

Attentions penguins at war, a new release of America's Army: Operations for Linux is now available, updating it to version 1.90. The accompanying note on icculus.org (where they list a few mirrors) says Mac version 1.90 is also done, and will be distributed soon. Other mirrors of the Linux version can be found on 3D Gamers and AmericasArmyFiles.

A new version 0.24 of the Siege modification for Battlefield 1942 is now available for download. The latest version includes a pair of mads and new vehicles and weapons for this medieval-themed conversion.

The debut release of the Battlefield 1982 Interstate modification for Battlefield 1942 is now available. Inspired by Interstate '76 and Interstate '82, the mod offers combat in all manner of vehicles, as well as a full assortment of flattops, mullets, and shoulder pads.

A new version 1.44 of the Gangwars modification for Half-Life is now available on the Gangwars Website. The update adds a couple of new administrative functions, as well as some tweaks and bug fixes.

The official Ultima X: Odyssey Website is now online, offering a home-based for the just-unveiled upcoming installment in the Ultima series (thanks Frans). Included is the press release announcing the game, a link to sign up for their newsletter, and a screenshot that is not included in the batch posted in a couple of places this morning. Also, the latest website to announce one of those trendy relaunches is the Jedi Knight Jedi Academy Website, now with even more Flash and music (thanks Mike for the reminder).

Doom and rocket science on CNN Money is an interview with id Software's John Carmack conducted during the QuakeCon extravaganza. One of the primary thrusts of the conversation is whether games have become too complicated, noting that he's fought the designers on DOOM 3 on a couple of issues, unsuccessfully arguing against including a crouch function and successfully convincing them that a "use" key is unnecessary. Here's a bit more covering the recent revelation that id's next game will not be another sequel (but will be a shooter) and his oft-rumored plans to retire soon:

We're not doing another sequel next," said Carmack. "We will do a new title. It will be a shooter, with a different antagonist and protagonist. ... People who have been working in the company for a long time don't want to continually rehash their old work."

With the new game will come a new engine, meaning Carmack's oft-rumored retirement will remain a rumor for the next few years.

"In the coming years, I have things I want to do," he said. "The next generation of hardware and the next engine is very exciting. There's little doubt I'll be doing that."

PlanetUnreal's Unreal Tournament 2004 Trip Report gives their account of heading out on a road trip to check out progress on the upcoming shooter sequel first-hand. Also, Unreal Ops has posted another ShakyCam™ clip from the game's presentation, this time showing off the Raptor vehicle and the reskinned shock rifle. Thanks HomeLAN Fed.

• War of the Ring
  The War of the Ring Q&A on Computer and Video Games talks with Ed Del Castillo of Liquid Entertainment about progress on War of the Ring, their upcoming RTS game set in the fictional Middle-Earth setting. The conversation features some extensive answer to questions about how the game fits in with the continuity of Tolkien's novels as well as specifics about gameplay. Thanks Frans.
• Kuma: War
  HomeLAN Fed's Kuma War Q&A talks with Glenn Broderick of Kuma Reality Games about Kuma: War, their recently announced game that will feature regular content updates, ripped straight from today's headlines, as the popular expression goes.

There's a new Dragon Empires diary on the Codemasters Website in which Peter Tyson discusses the ups and downs of beta testing their upcoming MMORPG. Also, there's a Ghost Master postmortem on Music 4 Games in which Paul Weir of Earcom discusses the design and implementation of the music in the haunting strategy game.

The Lock On Modern Air Combat Website now offers downloads of yet another user-created movie showing off the beta of the upcoming jet flight sim (if all these movies were strung together they'd be longer than Top Gun). No description of the 21 MB movie is provided, but they do promise (threaten?) more footage soon.

Origin Systems Announces Development of Ultima X Odyssey is the press release officially announcing development of another MMO Ultima game. There was also a press event yesterday to unveil the project, and HomeLAN Fed's Ultima X Odyssey Press Event Report is a teaser article, pointing out that the assembled scribes will be exposed to the game first hand today (so expect one of those flurries of previews that typically follows such an event). Meanwhile, a 21 MB gameplay trailer has also been released, and can be found for download on FilePlanet (registration required), Gamer's Hell, IGN, Tiscali Games (where there's also a smaller DivX version), and Worthplaying, while the first screenshots from the project have been posted on GameSpyDaily. Here's a bit from the press release:

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 22, 2003--Origin Systems, an Electronic Arts (Nasdaq:ERTS - News) development studio, today announced the development of Ultima X: Odyssey(TM) (UXO), a next generation massively multi-player online role-playing game (MMORPG) from the award-winning Origin studio team. Powered by the latest version of the Unreal® Engine and based on the renowned Ultima(TM) single-player role-playing series, UXO will enable players to create personalized legacies in a massive new online world and will be one of the first of its kind to offer private areas on demand within the game.

"Ultima X: Odyssey takes the genre to the next level through its innovative new Odyssey Adventure System ensuring that players experience a greater sense of adventure and reward from both questing and combat," said Andy Hollis, vice president and chief operating officer of Origin Systems.

UXO's proprietary and innovative Odyssey Adventure System delivers customized quests to players automatically and enables private adventure zones, providing adventures on demand as players journey through the world. An added bonus in offering players private areas is that they can't be interrupted by "griefers" and other uninvited guests.

There's a TRIBES Vengeance Diary on IGN is written by David Beswick, programmer at Irrational Games (Canberra), discussing progress on the upcoming installment in the TRIBES series. He discusses the role of the programming team, their goals for the game, the process of creating tools and editors for the designers, and more.

• Far Cry on IGN.
• Midnight Nowhere on Worthplaying.
• Republic: The Revolution (updated) on HomeLAN Fed.
• Savage (updated) on HomeLAN Fed.
• Thief III on IGN. Based on the Xbox version.
• X2: The Threat on news0r.

There's an Edinburgh International Games Festival report on Loadedinc and an Edinburgh International Games Festival Report on Machinima.com each outlining the festivities in Scotland, each offering quotes, photos, and other tidbits.

• Anarchy Online: Shadowlands on GenGamers.
• Battle Engine Aquila on 3D Gamers.
• Gothic II: the Night of the Raven on the JoWooD Website. Thanks Frans.
• Halo on the Official Website.
• Joan of Arc on the Official Website. Thanks Frans.
• Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault on ToTheGame.
• Savage: The Battle for Newerth on Action Vault.
• TRON 2.0 on Action Vault.
• X² - The Threat on Action Vault.

Thanks Mike Martinez.

• Microsoft Fixes Web Browser Flaw and Microsoft offers patch as worms spread.
• Spammer blamed for SoBig.F virus.
• Pop-Ups Under Siege.
• New broadband rules draw criticism.
• Bystanders caught in spam cross fire.
• Who's minding the Net?
• Taking It Slow with a Superfast Chip.
• Gateway's Chief Insists the PC Yield to a Digital Future (registration required).
• Motherboard Manager version 5.3.4.0 is now available.
• File swapper fights RIAA subpoena.

The Academy of Machinima Arts & Sciences has issued the call of entries for the second annual Machinima Film Festival 2003, which is scheduled for Saturday, October 25 at the American Museum of the Moving Image in New York. This time out there will be a new award for Commercial/Game Machinima, for which in-engine cutscenes are eligible.

• AquaNox 2: Revelation on ActionTrip.
• Dawn of Aces III on GameZone.
• Disciples II: Servants of the Dark on Worthplaying.
• Europa Universalis: Crown of the North on Gamer's Hell.
• Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader on Gamer's Hell.
• The Elder Scrolls III: Bloodmoon on Gaming Illustrated.
• The Hulk on Computer and Video Games.
• WarCraft III: the Frozen Throne on Rojakpot.

• A+GPB HSS168 Virtual 3D Headphones on MODSYNERGY.COM.
• Albatron GeForce FX5600P Turbo Video Card on Nexus Hardware.
• ATI TV Wonder VE Remote Control Edition on Tweaknews.net.
• Chaintech GeForce FX71 5600 Ultra Video Card on ipKonfig.com.
• Chameleon Springs on bit-tech.
• Coolermaster Musketeer on ExtremeMhz.
• Enermax 5.25 Fan Controller on Overclocker Cafe.
• GeIL PC4000 Platinum Series DDR RAM on PCStats.com.
• NVIDIA Quadro FX 2000 and ATi FireGL X1 Video Cards on Hot Hardware.
• Saitek P3000 GamePad on Gametactics.com.
• Seasonic Super Silencer 400W PSU on OCAddiction.com.
• Soyo P4I875P Dragon 2 Platinum Edition Motherboard on The Tech Lounge.
• Sunbeam Rheobus on GruntvillE.com.
• VoodooPC Envy M460 Gamebook on PC Magazine.

• QuakeCon Shows What's Hip in Video Games. Thanks MrCamper...
• SCi Games (thanks Frans) announces: "the pan-European release of CONFLICT: DESERT STORM II for PlayStation 2™, Xbox™, PC CD-ROM on 19th September 2003 and Nintendo GameCube™ shortly after."...
• The Alone in the Dark Video on FilmForce offers a sample of the upcoming game to movie adaptation...
• A new version 3.0 of the Starships Unlimited Demo is now available. The 2.7 MB download can be found on FilePlanet (registration required) and Gamer's Hell...

It's just struck me that the blackout would have been a golden opportunity to get a great view of the ever-closer planet of Mars without the detriment of all the light pollution in the area, which is especially remarkable here in the vicinity of New York City. Over the next few days the red planet will achieve its closest proximity to Earth in anyone's (even Joan Rivers') memory, but I imagine the view would be that much more spectacular in the darkness. The lights here in the tower came on for Thursday's overnight before dying again Friday, but I hope some of those in the city remembered to take advantage of the unusual occasion of one of the brightest spots on earth becoming one of the darkest.

I got a couple of comments from readers who received a Gator pop-up dealie. There are few things I despise more than spyware installers, and this was not supposed to be running here. After learning about this, the powers-that-be were able to pinpoint the offending campaign where some weasel had slipped these in there, and it was killed. If this should happen again going forward, please be willing to drop an e-mail to me or a forum post about it so that the croc hunter can be sent after the offending reptile.

Play Time:	Letterscapes. Thanks (Spooky42).
Stories of the Day:	Thai ban for 'Big Flabby Buttocks'. Thanks Larry. Mobster's smuggled sperm counts for extra 16 months in prison. Write a Story, Go to Jail.
Wild Science:	Japan ready to market robot suit. Robot attends Czech state dinner. Earth-like planets probably water-logged Simulation suggests formation of wet worlds is easy.
Weird Science:	Genetic Tests in Your Bedroom. Brain scans show why we always have room for dessert. Tongue transplant patient released. Thanks Devicer.
Follow-up:	Tampa drops face-recognition system.
	Thanks Mike Martinez.