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Archived News:
Following up on the recently released multiplayer demo, a single-player demo for
Contract J.A.C.K. is now available, offering the chance to check out solo play
in Monolith's upcoming No One Lives Forever 2 prequel. The demo is a 129 MB
download, available from Sierra's
FTP server (direct link), and mirrored on 3D
Gamers, FileFront,
Gamer's Hell,
Loadedinc (registration required), and Worthplaying.
Atari sends word that a demo version of The Temple of Elemental Evil, Troika's
new D&D RPG, is expected tomorrow. Here's the announcement: Atari
today revealed that the demo for it’s recently released The Temple of
Elemental Evil™ for PC CD-ROM will be available tomorrow via GameSpot’s new
downloading system – DLX http://dlx.gamespot.com.
The demo will also be hosted at www.atari.com
later that same day. Based on a module developed by Dungeons & Dragons®
creator Gary Gygax, The Temple of Elemental Evil represents the first
interactive role-playing game set in the popular World of Greyhawk. Developed by
Troika Games, The Temple of Elemental Evil will feature an exciting party-based,
single player campaign, an engaging storyline based on the classic D&D®
adventure of the same name as well as a faithful translation of the latest 3.5
edition rules.
The America's
Army Game Website has word that the new version 2.0 of the free
Unreal-engine military shooter is now available, offering several enhancements,
including the addition of the promised special forces training and character
class (thanks Krisz). The full version 2.0 of the game is a 651 MB download,
mirrored on 3D Gamers,
Boomtown
(registration required), FileFront,
IGN, and Worthplaying,
while the patch to update version 1.9 is 223 MB, mirrored on 3D
Gamers, Boomtown
(registration required), FileFront,
Filerush,
GameSpot
(registration required), GameTab,
and Worthplaying.
Here's a bit: This new edition of America's Army introduces a
new class of Soldier: (MOS
18-series). Players successfully completing the Special Forces training will
be able to play as a Special Forces Soldier armed with all new highly
specialized weaponry. This new class will also include new player models and
attachments as well as team structure to mimic the Green Beret squad structure.
In order for a player to play as a Special Forces Soldier, the player must meet
all the prerequisites; a minimum HONOR of 15, completion of all the Special
Forces training components, completion of both Basic Combat Training and
Airborne School training components.
Activision Announces
Second Quarter Results (thanks HomeLAN
Fed) is the press release with some financial results from the publisher,
reporting some downturns in business from the previous year attributed to a
smaller release schedule. Also included is an outline of modifications the
company is making to its predictions for the next fiscal year, partly based on
the rescheduling of DOOM 3, and part due to some cancellations, which includes
word that Trinity, the PC and Xbox shooter to be developed by Gray Matter
Studios, has gotten the axe: However, the company is taking a one-time,
pre-tax charge of approximately $23 million in the third quarter related to
product cancellations including the previously announced titles Trinity(TM),
Shaun Palmer's Pro Snowboarder 2(TM) and the sequel to Street Hoops(TM).
The Chrome Website
now offers downloads of an updated version of the Chrome single-player demo. The
date accompanying the download is not correctly updated, but the comforting word
"FIXED" is added to the description. The 317 MB demo of Techland's
sci-fi first-person shooter is mirrored on 3D
Gamers, FileFront,
and Worthplaying.
DreamCatcher Games
Product Page for Besieger is now online, dedicated to Primal Software's upcoming
3D RTS, while simultaneously revealing that they've signed on as publisher of
the project. Likewise, EA Games' official The
Lord of the Rings Battle for Middle-Earth Website is online. Among its
offerings is a new gameplay trailer, in low and high resolutions, though this
FTP directory features an even higher resolution version of the trailer from
the upcoming RTS game, which has been mirrored on 3D
Gamers, Filerush,
and Happy
Puppy (registration required).
Activision sends word of a pair of IRC sessions tomorrow to chat with the folks
at Infinity Ward about Call of Duty, their new World War II shooter. Here's the
schedule of events: The first chat will be with fan site CallofDuty.info
at 19:00 GMT (11 am Pacific US Time/2pm Eastern US Time). This chat will take
place on the QuakeNet IRC network (irc.de.quakenet.eu.org) in the #planetcod
channel. Fans can get chat details here: www.callofduty.info/artikel.php?id=50
The second chat will be with fan site CallofDuty.org at 4pm Pacific U.S.
Time/7pm Eastern U.S. Time (24:00 GMT). This chat will take place on the
GamesNet IRC network (irc.GamesNet.net) in the #callofduty.org channel. Details
on how to connect can be found here: http://www.callofduty.org/index.php?site=irc
Members of Infinity Ward will be available to chat with fans about Call of
Duty. Following the US chat at CallofDuty.org, Infinity Ward will also challenge
fans to some multiplayer Call of Duty!
GSC Game World sends news that FireStarter, their upcoming first-person shooter,
is gold, though no release date for the game is specified. Here's the word,
which also explains that the game will only work on two flavors of Windows:
We are glad to inform all the fans of tooth-grinding shooters that our
arcade FPS FireStarter has gone gold. The game can be expected to hit the stores
very soon. Due to technical peculiarities, the game does not run under OS
Windows 95, 98 and ME, while supported only by Windows 2000 and XP.
A PC version of kill.switch has been officially announced, confirming some early
indications sent around by the European publisher of the upcoming port of
NAMCO's console action game. The game is "due for release on the PC in
early 2004" (along with a PC version of Pac-Man World 2). Here's the
description: kill.switchTM is an innovative military shooter game that
emphasizes realistic cover tactics and awesome firepower for the ultimate
experience in combat gaming. Featuring the unique Offensive Cover System and
utilizing the Blindfire combat mechanic, kill.switch demands the use of modern
warfare tactics, forcing players to utilize surrounding environments and quickly
adjust on-the-fly through each intense and challenging mission.
- XIII
GameZone's
XIII Q&A chats with Julien Bares about XIII, focusing in particular
on how cel shading and other techniques are being used to create the game's
distinctive style.
- Battle For Middle Earth
HomeLAN
Fed's Lord Of The Rings: Battle For Middle Earth Q&A talks with EA's
Mike Verdu about the challenges of bringing Tolkien's world to life in an
RTS game.
- MMO Games
Stratics
Central's Industry Chatter asks several MMO developers the following:
"The closure of MCO last month marked the first time any major Massive
Multiplayer title has been shut down post-launch. Do you feel this is
indicative of an over-saturated market?"
- Flagship
Today's Flagship Studios Q&A of the day is on Boomtown.
A pair of demos are now available for Railroad Tycoon 3, offering the chance to
check out the train management simulation in either English or German. The 128
MB U.K. demo is available from
Take 2 (direct link) and the mirror on 3D
Gamers, Boomtown
(registration required), FileFront,
FilePlanet
(registration required), FileShack (registration required), Gamer's
Hell, GameTab,
Strategy
Informer, and Worthplaying,
while the U.S. demo is available through the streaming download services of Gigex,
mirrored on GameZone
and IGN. The
likewise 128 MB German version is also available from
Take 2 (direct link) or on Boomtown
(registration required), Strategy
Informer, and Gamer's
Hell.
Steam News has
word of a new minor update to the content delivery system. According to the
accompanying post, the program will be patched on a weekly basis now, with the
scheduled updates to take place every Wednesday at 10:00 p.m. EST (7:00 p.m.
PST). Thanks Frans.
There's a
Civilization III Gold Edition Full Game Trial on IGN allowing three hours of
free pay in the strategy game bundle, after which the full game can be activated
for $39.99. Also, a Championship Manager 03-04 Demo is now available, offering a
time-limited (half season) sample of Eidos' and Sports Interactive's management
game. The demo can be found on Boomtown
(registration required), Computer
Games Online, GameCenter.cz,
Gamer's
Hell, Loadedinc
(registration required), and Worthplaying.
Also, a new Live for Speed demo is
now available, updated to the same code as the latest version 0.3D patch. The
demo is a 41.3 MB download, also available on 3D
Gamers, Boomtown
(registration required), and Gamer's
Hell.
Global
Star Software (thanks Frans) now offers two versions of a new patch #2 for
Mall Tycoon that "should fix most of the video crashes that people seem to be
experiencing towards the beginning of game startup." Also, a
patch for the German version of Wildlife Park (direct link) is now available
(thanks YiYas).
Is
Mario through with the GameCube? on CNN Money has all manner of Nintendo
speculation, including word that "while a new Mario game for the GameCube
is still a possibility, it's definitely not certain" Also, "Microsoft
Game Studios and Valve today announced that Counter-Strike™ for Xbox®
has gone gold and will arrive on store shelves on November 18 for an estimated
retail price of $49.99 (U.S.). Counter-Strike makes its explosive console debut
exclusively on Xbox and Xbox Live. Counter-Strike on Xbox will be the most
graphically advanced version of the series to date and has a host of
Xbox-exclusive console content, including seven never-before-seen
multiplayer maps, one new counter-terrorist team, one new terrorist team and
downloadable maps via Xbox Live." Likewise, "Kain and Raziel have some
great news to pass on to everyone. Legacy of Kain: Defiance has OFFICIALLY GONE
GOLD on both the Sony PlayStation 2 and the Microsoft Xbox. Fans can expect a
simultaneous release of vampire action with LOK: Defiance hitting store shelves
across North America on 11.12."
The Volition Website (thanks Frans)
now features listings of openings they are looking to fill for character
modelers, texture artists, a lead designer, and two programmers.
I dunno, I was let down by Matrix Revolutions. I was one of those who
really enjoyed the second film, so I wasn't daunted by early indications that
the third one was getting mixed reviews, but I didn't really enjoy it. Oh well,
there are still other finales to look forward to, the third (sixth) Star Wars
movie, the third Lord of the Rings movie, Kill Bill Part Two, and
of course, the next Legally Blond movie...
Congrats to Jcal at HomeLAN Fed on
the occasion of his getting hitched!
R.I.P.: Bobby
Hatfield of Righteous Brothers dead at 63. "If you believe in
forever, then life is just a one-night stand. If there's a rock and roll heaven,
well you know they've got a hell of a band..."
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