Archived News:
A new TRON 2.0 demo is now available on FilePlanet
(registration required), providing a sample of single-player play in Monolith's recently released
first-person shooter. The 201 MB demo has a tutorial, a combat level, and a
light cycle level. The download is mirrored on 3D
Gamers and Worthplaying.
Boomtown
and Fappin
offer first reports out of Microsoft's X03 event that's underway in the south of
France of a publishing deal between MS and Epic Games and Epic's Scion
subsidiary. No specific titles are mentioned, but indications are that games covered under the agreement will be for Windows and Xbox only. Here's
a bit from the press release on Fappin: Epic Games and Scion Studios to
Create Exclusive Xbox and Windows Games, To Be Published By Microsoft Game
Studios
JUAN-LES-PINS, France, 16th September 2003 —Tonight at X03, Microsoft
announced a partnership with Epic Games, developers of the legendary Unreal®
series of games and the Unreal® Engine. Epic Games and its recently-formed
Scion Studios will develop several new games exclusively for Xbox and Windows.
The to-be-announced products will be published by Microsoft Game
Studios.
Expanded Universe, the promised free expansion for Galactic
Civilizations is now available via the StarDock Central utility. For those
interested in a more conventional release, the add-on will be made available as
a stand-alone download sometime next week.
Raven Software has released the dedicated server programs to run a Jedi Academy
server under either Windows or Linux. Each version includes the files required
to run a server (in addition to a copy of the game itself) as well as a list of
server options and a sample config file. The Linux version is a 405 KB download,
and the Win32 version is a 1.3 MB download, and each is mirrored on 3D
Gamers, FileShack
(registration required), and Worthplaying.
The Black Widow Games Website
now features a new version 2.0 of Underworld Bloodline, the modification for
Half-Life created to promote Underworld, the recent horror movie. The
updated version offers various small improvements along with a pair of new maps
and a new Black Widow Spider weapon.
VU Games sends word that Relic's Homeworld 2 has shipped to North American
retailers. Here's the entirety of the short press release: LOS ANGELES,
CA (September 16, 2003)- Vivendi Universal Games (VU Games) announced today that
Homeworld(r)2, the sequel to 1999's award-winning, space-based real-time
strategy game, Homeworld, has shipped to retailers nationwide.
Homeworld 2, the sequel to one of 1999's highly acclaimed real-time strategy
games, returns players to the helm of the most powerful space armada in the
universe as they battle to keep their home. The highly-anticipated follow up
title includes multiplayer competition for up to six players, in addition to an
engrossing single-player saga.
Developed by Relic Entertainment, Homeworld 2 features a brand new game engine
capable of creating startling space effects like dust gas clouds, wispy nebulae,
and ghostly derelict hulks of space ships rendered with spectacular
Hollywood-style special effects. Homeworld 2 is also packaged with tools for
players to easily create custom content, including multiplayer maps.
"The original Homeworld was a groundbreaking title in the real-time
strategy genre," said Luc Vanhal, President & COO of VU Games. "We
feel that Homeworld 2 beautifully combines the captivating nature of the
original title, while offering a host of improvements that our audience can
enjoy. We're proud to offer this game as a continuation of the esteemed
Homeworld franchise."
Homeworld 2 is being developed for the PC for a suggested retail price of $49.99
with a "Teen" rating by the Entertainment Software Rating Board. For
more information, log on to http://www.homeworld2.com.
A new "final" version of the Commandos 3: Destination Berlin demo is
now available. The demo is a 206 MB download, which is available on the
Eidos FTP server (direct link), and mirrored on 3D
Gamers, Computer
Games Online, Gamer's
Hell, and Worthplaying.
Admitting the release over the weekend was "pretty rocky," The
Steam News Page (thanks David Cronk) says that today Valve "will
release new installers which include the cache files for all of the games
available via Steam (Day of Defeat, Team Fortress Classic, the dedicated server,
etc). If you haven't already done so, please use the installer that includes
Counter-Strike and Half-Life." The update goes on to point out: "We
know that the conversion process has been anything but smooth for many of our
users. We're going to get this fixed. We've done our best to support the
Half-Life community over the past 5 years, and we're still committed to doing
whatever it takes to make the community happy."
A surprisingly long time after the release of the full game, a Dino Crisis 2
Demo is now available, offering a sample of Capcom's survival horror game. The
demo is time limited, and a key can be purchased to activate the full version.
The 365 MB download can be found on 3D
Gamers and Gamer's
Hell.
The Ubi Soft FTP Server
(direct link) now offers downloads of a new gameplay movie from Lords of
EverQuest, Sony Online Entertainment's upcoming EQ RTS game. The
QuickTime-format clip runs about a minute-and-a-half, and a mirror is
available on 3D Gamers.
Microsoft
offers $179.99 Xbox bundle for holidays has word that: "Microsoft Corp.
MSFT.O
on Monday unveiled its holiday promotion for the Xbox video game console,
offering the unit, two games, and a two-month trial of its online service for
$179.99, which previously was the price just for the console." Thanks
Carch. Also, PS2
reaches milestone; DVD features 'Hulk' game (thanks Peter Binazeski).
Finally, Microsoft
auto-updates bug in Xbox software "without permission" (thanks
Mike Martinez), reports the Inquirer.
A new version 2.23 of the Seismovision
Demo Player is now available, providing double-click demo playback for (deep
breath): Quake, Quake World, Quake II, Quake III Arena, Half-Life,
Counter-Strike Retail, Unreal Tournament, Unreal Tournament 2003, Tactical Ops
Retail, Star Trek Voyager Elite Force, Return to Castle Wolfenstein,
Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory, Star Wars: Jedi Knight 2 and Soldier of Fortune 2.
There's a new Enemy
Territory Guide on FiringSquad with tips on how to excel at the
multiplayer World War II shooter, offering an outline of classes, map-by-map
strategies, and general tactics. Thanks Frans. Also, there's a
Homeworld 2 multiplayer strategies guide on GameSpy.com (thanks Frans).
This NCsoft Employment Page
has a newly added opening they are looking to fill for a graphics tools
programmer. Also, the Irrational Games
Employment Page (thanks Frans) has posted a new opening for a lead
programmer. Finally, The
Guildhall at SMU has announced some full-time faculty openings for their
game development program.
The Vietcong-game
Czech Fansite (thanks Frans) now offers an updated version of the level
editor for Vietcong, fixing some reported bugs in the first release of this
editing program for the Vietnam War shooter. The
Spiral Graphics Website features downloads of a free sample of Genetica,
their seamless texture maker. The demo version is a 5.6 MB download.
Want to make a New York Giants fan twitch and tick with three simple words? Just
walk up to one and whisper: "Monday Night Football." Argh!
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