The official Ultima X Odyssey Website has been relaunched (thanks Frans) dedicated to the upcoming online installment in the Ultima RPG series. The site introduces the game, shows off over a dozen new screenshots, a new FAQ, and more.

With all the discussion lately about how Half-Life 2 will run on ATI hardware compared with NVIDIA accelerators, BonusWeb.cz shot off an email to id Software's John Carmack to ask how DOOM 3 and other games are likely to be impacted by the difference between the two graphics platforms running DirectX 9. Here's how he responded:

Unfortunately, it will probably be representative of most DX9 games. Doom has a custom back end that uses the lower precisions on the GF-FX, but when you run it with standard fragment programs just like ATI, it is a lot slower. The precision doesn't really matter to Doom, but that won't be a reasonable option in future games designed around DX9 level hardware as a minimum spec.

Black Isle Studios has released a new Lionheart Patch updating the alternate-history RPG to version 1.1. The update is available for English, French, Spanish, German, and Italian, and it includes bug fixes, rendering optimizations, networking tweaks, and more. Thanks Frans.

Hot on the heels of the German demo, an English demo for Worms 3D has also been released, offering an alternate-language sample of the latest turn-based strategy game featuring the little crawlers. Like the German demo, the English trial version allows two players to compete on the same computer. The 60 MB demo can be downloaded from 3D Gamers, FileFront, Gamer's Hell, IGN, Loadedinc (registration required), and Worthplaying.

Shadowbane Universe Expands is the press release revealing plans for an expansion pack titled The Rise of Chaos for Shadowbane, Wolfpack Studios' MMORPG. The add-on is slated for release in time for this year's holiday season, and will offer a new playable race, new classes, and more. Here's a bit:

Shadowbane: The Rise of Chaos features new high-level content, and a new race, the Nephilim, a chaotic fusion of demon and man that has arisen from the forces of darkness. In addition, the expansion provides new character classes, disciplines, an additional character slot, two new macro zones, and enhanced environmental graphics. Shadowbane: The Rise of Chaos is being designed and developed by Wolfpack Studios, based in Austin, Texas, and is operated and supported by Ubisoft's online gaming division ubi.com(tm), among the top five gaming portals in the world.

This press release announces Disciples II: The Rise of the Elves, a stand-alone expansion pack for Disciples II to be released this fall. True to the title, the game will carry an elven theme, as this excerpt also demonstrates: "Disciples II: Rise of the Elves is a milestone in the Disciples universe. For the first time, Disciples fans will be able to play as the elder Elven race as they struggle to reclaim their forests from the four primary forces in Nevendaar. Driven by an unpredictable god who urges them to battle, the Elves begin a massive march towards their fate."

The promised downloadable Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow trailer is now available on the official website for the upcoming stealthy special ops sequel. The clip is in smaller and larger Windows Media Player format files, and the larger 10 MB clip has been mirrored on 3D Downloads, FileFront, Gamer's Hell, and Worthplaying.

This CDV Software Entertainment Page (thanks Frans) has release details for BREED, the upcoming science fiction first-person shooter in the works at BRAT Designs. The update includes details on the multiplayer modes being created for the game, info on plans for a multiplayer demo and a new single-player demo, and news of a further delay to the game's release. Here's the deal:

The long awaited release of the tactical 3D action shooter Breed will be postponed for another few weeks.

CDV Software Entertainment, one of the leading German publishers and distributors of gaming software, announced today that the 3D action shooter BREED will be released by the beginning of November. In UK and in USA the release will also take place in November.
...
In order to shorten the waiting period, BREED fans can already look forward to a further single player demo coming out in October. Before the release, their will also be a multiplayer demo.

A German demo for Worms 3D is now available, offering the chance to check out Team17's latest installment in the wacky Worms series, albeit in Deutsch. The demo includes multiplayer play for two players on the same computer. The demo is about a 60 MB download, which can be found on 3D Gamers, Gamer's Hell, GBase, Ghome.de, and Worthplaying.

The Get Steam Now! Page offers the promised downloads of the latest version of the Steam broadband delivery client that include the most recent game cache content. The full monte has been mirrored on 3D Gamers, AusGamers, Boomtown, Gamer's Hell, and HalfLife2Files.

• BF Vietnam
  The AJ Marini Q&A on Warcry News Network talks with the DICE designer briefly about plans for Battlefield Vietnam, their upcoming follow-up to Battlefield 1942.
• H&D2
  Boomtown's Hidden & Dangerous 2 Q&A talks with Luke Vernon about the upcoming H&D sequel, discussing efforts at avoiding the bugginess of the original, the lack of co-op mode out of the box, and more.
• Mutant Chronicles Online
  RPG Vault's Mutant Chronicles Online Q&A, Part 2 talks with Marcin "Rado" Kurczewski of Imaginations about their upcoming MMORPG based on the property that has previously inspired a table-top game and a collectible card game.
• Riftrunner
  RPGRadar's Riftrunner Q&A talks with Swen Vincke from Larian Studios about the upcoming RPG set in the same continuity as Divine Divinity. There's also a Riftrunner Q&A on Gameguru Mania, and Riftrunner mania continues with a Riftrunner chat log on RPG Codex recapping the recent IRC session for the game.
• Punic Wars
  HomeLAN Fed's Punic Wars Q&A talks with is a brief conversation with Haemimont Games' Gabriel Dobrev about Punic Wars, their upcoming historical RTS game. Included are a trio of new screenshots.
• Michel Ancel
  GameSpy.com's Michel Ancel Q&A talks with the creator of the first two Rayman games about his feelings about Rayman 3 and progress on Beyond Good & Evil.
• Secret Service Security Breach
  HomeLAN Fed's Secret Service Security Breach Q&A talks with Activision Value producer Chris "Crhis" Owen about this upcoming title in the works at Gore developer 4D Rulers.
• Haegemonia: The Solon Heritage
  HomeLAN Fed's Haegemonia: The Solon Heritage Q&A talks with Digital Reality's Laszlo Peller about the upcoming expansion for their space combat game.

Shadowlands available in retail describes the availability of the new expansion pack for Anarchy Online, Funcom's science fiction MMORPG, and brags on the smooth launch of the project, putting the original game's rocky launch even further in the rear-view mirror. Also, Electronic Arts announces that NASCAR Thunder 2004 is available in stores for the PC and all current consoles, offering an all-new "Grudges and Alliances" feature where the AI will give as it gets.

• Age of Mythology: The Titans on GameSpy.com.
• Call of Duty on GameOver and UGO.
• Commandos 3 on Game Chronicles.
• Freedom Fighters on GameOver.
• Horizons: Empire of Istaria on GameBanshee.
• Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring on IGN.
• Mythica on MMORPGDot.
• Nosferatu: The Wrath of Malachi on Games Domain. Thanks Frans.
• The Entente: World War I Battlefields on The Wargamer.
• UFO Aftermath on GameOver.
• Unreal Tournament 2004 on Games Domain. Thanks Frans.

The official Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow Website (thanks Frans) is now online, offering a home base for the upcoming follow-up to the stealthy third-person shooter. The site offers screenshots and a Flash trailer, with promise of a downloadable trailer soon. Noteworthy is the conspicuous absence of the PC-CD logo among the platforms listed.

• Dungeons & Dragons Online on Warcry. Concept art.
• Face of Mankind on RPG Vault.
• Kreed on Action Vault.
• Lineage II on Warcry.
• Men of Valor: Vietnam on Gamers Gallery.
• Restricted Area on RPG Vault.
• Temple of Elemental Evil on RPG Vault.
• Victoria on the Official Website. Thanks Frans.
• Vivisector: Beast Within on Gamers Gallery.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Announces March 2004 Release For PlayStation(R)2 Hard Disk Drive (thanks Frans) announces "specifics on its internal Hard Disk Drive (40GB) (for PlayStation®2) and while also announcing an impressive line-up of first and third party online-enabled titles that will be available for the holiday season and beyond." Also, Microsoft launches new Xbox Live Dashboard (thanks Mike Martinez).

Thanks Mike Martinez.

• Intel to Release Processor for PC Gaming (registration required). Thanks Neutronbeam.
• Intel slips in a new Pentium 4.
• Sun to unveil alternative to Windows desktop.
• Nvidia to make chipsets for Transmeta.
• Apple Unveils New Notebooks.
• In-depth and thorough examination of AMD64 Architecture.
• In PC design, harbingers of shrink. Thanks jwlabate.
• Net struggles with data overload.
• Intel envisions seamless wireless.
• Setback for Microsoft Ripples Through the World Wide Web (registration required).
• Intel commits to multi-core Pentiums, Xeons, Itanics.
• Who will control the Internet?
• If These Networks Get Hacked, Beware.
• In Court, Verizon Challenges Music Industry's Subpoenas (registration required).
• Senator Takes a Swing at RIAA.
• Jury Rejects Bias Suit by Muslim Executive. AMD cleared of bias. Thanks Monte Fisher.

LucasArts Entertainment has posted a new Technical Reference Guide for Jedi Academy (thanks Frans) with all sorts of tips and technical support for the new Jedi Knight shooter. Also, the World of Warcraft Frequently Asked Questions has been updated with more queries and their accompanying answers.

• Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic on Strategy Informer.
• Chaser on GameSpy.
• Cold Zero: No Mercy on GameSpy.
• Dark Fall on Game Chronicles.
• Emergency Fire Response on PC Gameworld.
• EverQuest: Lost Dungeons of Norrath (first impressions) on PC.IGN.com.
• Ghost Master on GameSpy and The Gamers Temple.
• Gothic II: the Night of the Raven on Gamer's Hell and (in German) on YiYas.
• Homeworld 2 on Games Domain, GameSpot, PC.IGN.com, Gamesradar, and Game Revolution.
• Savage: the Battle for Newerth on GameZone.
• Shattered Galaxy on Gamer's Hell.
• Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy on ActionTrip, Telefragged, and Computer and Video Games.
• TRON 2.0 on GamerDad and Pregaming.
• Warrior Kings: Battles on Worthplaying.

• Arkua 8456X-8T Heatsink on FrostyTech.com.
• Aurora 350 PSU on ICEHardware.
• AVC Sunflower Cooler on Ohls-Place.
• Coolermaster Wavemaster Case on HEXUS.net.
• Gigabyte 7NNXP Motherboard on Legion Hardware.
• Leadtek WinFast K7NCR18D-Pro Video Card on ViperLair.
• Monarch Hornet SFF System on The Tech Lounge.
• MSI KT6 Delta-LSR Motherboard on [H]ardOCP.
• NVIDIA GeForce FX 5600 Ultra Video Card on The Tech Report.
• NVIDIA GeForce FX 5900 Ultra Video Card on Adrian's Rojak Pot.
• PLED on ModAsylum.
• Plextor PX-504UF External DVD+R-W CD-RW on Bjorn3D.
• Plextor PX-708A DVD±R/RW on TechConnect.
• Samsung SyncMaster 173B TFT-LCD Monitor on MODTHEBOX.
• SteelPad Professional Gaming Mousepad on GiBTEK.

• Legacy Interactive announces that Law & Order II: Double or Nothing has gone gold, and likewise Aspyr sends word that Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer has gone gold for the Mac and PC. Both games are scheduled for release in late September...
• A new demo of Devil Whiskey is available along with a patch to update older versions of the demo. Thanks Frans...
• Most Teens Play Violent Video Games, Study Says. Thanks Peter Binazeski...
• Online Games Grab Grim Reality (registration required). Thanks Mike Martinez...

'Purple People Eater' Singer Wooley Dies is the news story with word the actor/singer died yesterday. Sheb is probably unknown to many, but I'm familiar with his Purple People Eater song, having picked up the single as a hand-me-down in my youth (an actual 45 RPM record... talk about dating myself). The weird thing is how my buddy Devicer and I spontaneously started singing this tune just the other day while playing online. I literally hadn't thought of the song in years, and then it comes up about a day before the artist died. Just a little weird.

Links of the Day:	WiFi Speed Spray. Thanks Sean. Classic Computer Magazine Archive.
Stories of the Day:	Grounds for a new tax. Thanks Anvil. Time for the Seattle Coffee Party. 'Superhero' takes on clampers. Thanks Philip Harris. Maybe next he could try "campers." Police: Man Tried to Cut Blaine's Water. Thanks zombie69.
Science!:	Study: Sleeping position reveals personality. Former anti-spy chief says gadgetry failing. Relentless Foe of the Amazon Jungle Soybeans (registration required).
Image of the Day:	Mars Animated. Thanks Paul.
Media of the Day:	Mr Stabby. Thanks Dan Leadbetter.
	Thanks Mike Martinez.