|
|
 |
Archived News:
EA has posted a pair of community updates concerning Battlefield 2, DICE's
now-gold shooter sequel.
One update discusses the competitive environment of ranked servers, the
reasons one would choose a ranked or unranked server, and the
Terms and Conditions users
must agree to in order to create an account to play on a ranked server. The
second update talks modifications, saying that while they will fall short of
their goal of providing mod tools a month prior to the game's release, they
still are hoping to have an open beta toolset release available "on or slightly
before the day Battlefield 2 hits shelves." Finally, the new
Battlefield
Newsletter is out, with a test lab video, a panoramic screenshot, and more. Thanks
Battlefield Nation.
A new Steam
News Update outlines plans for the upcoming release of a Counter-Strike map
that's a remake of the classic cs_assault, offering a pair of screenshots of the
map showing off its new setting of downtown Chicago. They also highlight the
efforts of several modification teams whose efforts are soon to bear fruit:
Plan of Attack,
Pirates, Vikings, and Knights 2,
Sven Co-Op 2,
Sourceball, and
Dystopia. Thanks
Shacknews.
- Prey
The E3 movie from Prey is now available, offering a
lengthy look at Human Head Studios' upcoming DOOM 3-engine shooter. The clip
runs 11 minutes in exchange for 178 MB of your bandwidth and disk space. The
clip is available on the 3D
Realms Website, and it is mirrored on
3D Gamers,
ActionTrip,
FileFront,
Filerush (torrent),
FileShack (registration required),
Fragland.net, Gameguru
Mania, Gamer's Hell,
and Worthplaying.
- Officers
Part one of the Officers E3 movie is now
available, showing off 3AGames' upcoming World War II real-time strategy
game. The clip is available in two resolutions on
the Officers Website.
- AO: Lost Eden
The
Anarchy
Online Website features the E3 trailer for the upcoming Lost Eden
expansion for Funcom's MMORPG.
- Heaven vs. Hell
A Heaven vs. Hell movie is now available,
offering (you guessed it) the E3 movie from TKO's upcoming holy war game.
The movie is available on
3D Gamers,
FileFront, and
Worthplaying.
- Origin of the Species
A third (yup, E3) trailer from
Origin of the Species shows off still more of Nu Generation's upcoming third-person
action adventure. The 61 MB download is available on
3D Gamers,
FileFront, and
Worthplaying.
- Dreamfall
Another E3 movie is now available, as the
Dreamfall: the Longest Journey E3 trailer is now
available, showing off Funcom's upcoming action/adventure game. You can find
the 59 MB download on the Dreamfall
Website, or mirrored on
3D Gamers,
FileFront, Gamer's
Hell, and
Worthplaying.
The
Gearbox Software GearBlogs have been updated with information on the
Fallschirmjagergewehr 42 / FG42, one of the German weapons in Brothers in Arms:
Earned in Blood, their upcoming WW2 shooter sequel. Also, a new
Atriarch Development Update
discusses a couple of aspects of gameplay from World Fusion's upcoming MMORPG,
as well as their best E3 story, word on a delay to the launch of their new
website, and more.
- GTA: SA
Grand
Theft Auto San Andreas Q&A #2 on GameSpot and
Fragland.net's GTA:
San Andreas PC Q&A each talk with Rockstar about the PC edition of the
latest Grand Theft Auto game: "The PC version has a further clip distance so
more of the map is always visible and the map has a lot of the detail that
had to be removed from the PS2 version to get it to fit in the small memory
footprint. The clip distances for cars and peds are increased too – because
the PC will be running at a higher resolution we have to draw these things
further out. In total this means that the PC is pushing around a lot more
than the PS2."
- Mage Knight Apocalypse
From
the From Paint to Polygons, Miniature to Virtual, Mage Knight Apocalypse
Comes to the PC on GameZone discusses the RPG with associate producer
Tim Johns: "The way you build up character is using a system we call the
AC/DC system. It stands for Adaptive Character Development Construct.
Essentially, it’s a practice makes perfect system where you build up your
character strength stat by working out. By swinging your sword, your
character naturally becomes stronger. By casting spells, your character
naturally becomes smarter and increases their mana power (MP)."
- Nero & Rat Hunter
First
Person Shooters has a pair of interviews, one talking with the team
behind Neuro and the folks behind Rat Hunter. Each interview is linked off
the front page of the framed site... I'd provide links to the Q&A's but they
redirect back to the front page.
- Ask SOE
Ask
SOE #36 on EverQuest 2 Vault asks Sony's Scott Hartsman a few more
questions about their site's namesake game, inquiring about the Desert of
Flames announcement, PvP, adventure packs, and instancing.
DreamCatcher Europe Support now offers downloads of the English, Italian, an
Spanish editions of the Domination patch that was issued for the German edition
of Wargaming.Net's Massive Assault follow-up last week ( story).
Thanks Frans.
The German Specforce Website
has word in its native tongue that Chrome: Specforce, Techland's science fiction
shooter follow-up, has shipped to stores in Germany, Austria, and Sweden. Thanks
Frans.
A new Battleground Europe
Product replaces the
Beyond Blitzkrieg Product Page (which now produces a 404 error) heralding a
name change for this upcoming WW2 MMORPG. The full title looks like it's World
War II Online: Battlefield Europe, a cleared nod to this game's alter-ego,
World War II Online, though possible further development on Cornered Rat's
game is suggested by the description "Battleground Europe™- The Virtual
Battlefield Series™ - Volume One." Thanks Frans.
DreamCatcher sends along a response to some of the forum comments posted earlier
by Derek Smart about their publishing agreement ( story). Here's
what they have to say: DreamCatcher regrets that Mr. Smart has resorted
to making false accusations online.
DreamCatcher has fulfilled or exceeded all of it contractual obligations with
regards to the two agreements signed with 3000AD and Mr. Smart. Contrary to his
assertions, DreamCatcher, not Mr. Smart, terminated the last agreement with
3000AD due to non-delivery by 3000AD of UC: A World Apart. The first agreement
with 3000AD governing their earlier products, BattleCruiser Millennium Gold and
Universal Combat is still in full force and effect and the rights granted under
it have not reverted to 3000AD.
We vigorously deny any allegations Mr. Smart has made regarding our accounting
and business practices.”
Empire Interactive announces that the U.S. edition of FlatOut is gold, and that
Bugbear's racing game, already available in Europe, should arrive in U.S. stores
on July 12 for all three target systems: Empire Interactive, a U.K.
computer games developer and publisher, today announced that FlatOut? has gone
gold. The over-the-top racing game, distributed by Vivendi Universal Games in
the U.S., will hit retail shelves this July.
FlatOut brings racing mayhem to a new level with 36 challenging tracks, fully
destructible environments, 16 fully upgradeable cars and six death-defying bonus
events. Anything destroyed or altered stays a part of the race – broken fences,
free rolling tires, and even mangled parts of cars are left scattered around the
track, increasing the carnage with every lap. Drivers will even be thrown from
crashing cars!
The chaos continues off the classic track in three destruction derby arenas,
three head-on collision dirt tracks and six outrageous “Rag Doll Olympics” bonus
games that utilize driver ejection to the fullest.
FlatOut will be available on July 12th for PlayStation®2 computer entertainment
system, Xbox™ videogame system from Microsoft and the PC. Drivers will be able
to compete online with up to six players on PlayStation 2 and up to eight
players on Xbox.
For more information and to experience the rush of FlatOut first hand, visit:
www.flatoutgame.com.
The Ultima Online Website (thanks BA
Barrackas) has news of plans for Mondain's Legacy, the forty-fifth
(give-or-take) expansion for Ultima Online. The announcement reveals plans for a
new playable Elf race, new enemies, new dungeons, a new skill, a new quest
system, increased storage capacity, and more. The project is slated for release
on August 30, 2005, and online ordering will begin on August 1.
Deep Shadows announces
Precursors, the successor of Boiling Point is a press release that slipped
through the cracks here during E3 announcing Precursors, an upcoming
space-themed first-person shooter from Ukrainian developer Deep Shadows (Boiling
Point), due for release in 2007. There are eight screenshots from the project,
described in the release as "an updated conversion of good old and still famous
game 'Elite', a modern First Person Shooter, classic science fiction movies and
the world of the novels from Andre Norton," on
3D Gamers. Here's a
bit more: "Precursors" leads the gamer into unexplored regions of space,
where he can fly with huge battle ships from planet to planet. There will be
hunts for blind passengers on board in large corridors or fights against
boarding pirates, while outside of the space ship rockets and laser weapons are
fired in stunning space battles. It will be more peaceful on planets where you
can talk to different alien nations, but also must fight from time to time.
Acting as a still nameless Hero, the gamer overtakes the part to survive in a
conflict between two dominating races. This part is only defined by the actions
and decisions that must be made during more than 250 different missions. The
professional dealer deals with goods or smuggles them, a brutal bounty hunter is
notorious, the celebrated conqueror governs unknown worlds; many ways are
possible in "Precursors".
Former Ion Storm COO sues publisher
on Ferrago (thanks Mike Martinez) reports that Mike Wilson, who was actually CEO, not
COO, during his stint at ION Storm, is suing publisher Random House over
statements made in Masters of Doom, the recent book about the history of
id Software. According the report, Wilson says he is being libeled: In
the book, its is alleged that Wilson employed shady business tactics in order to
buy a BMW with company money, a suggestion Wilson denies, and says his
reputation has been tarnished as a result. The former Ion Storm COO is currently
moving onto pastures new after Eidos dissolved Ion Storm, and is trying to setup
a new publisher called Gamecock Media Group.
"There's nothing they could have possibly said that could be more damaging,"
states Wilson. "This is an industry publication read almost exclusively by my
peers in the industry."
Wilson believes the allegations made against him "were made with actual malice
knowing that such statements were false, or with reckless disregard for the
truth." He also claims that his reputation has been damaged, and that he "has
suffered shame, humiliation and mental anguish."
Agreements with Dreamcatcher terminated on the Battlecruiser Forums has an
update from 3000AD's Derek Smart on his legal action against publisher
Dreamcatcher Interactive ( story). Apparently while Dreamcatcher
has complied with demands to remove materials relating to Universal Combat: A
World Apart, but they are still carrying listings for Battlecruiser Millennium
Gold and other Universal Combat games, word is: "Either way, this time around -
unlike the fiasco over UC which cost me several thousands of lost earnings and
them getting away with merely a slap on the wrist - I am fully prepared to see
this to the very - bitter - end as I don't believe that Dreamcatcher is going to
be in business much longer. At least not long enough to keep conducting business
(at least with us) as they have been doing since we signed with them back in
late 2002."
The Hard Truck: Apocalyptic Wars
Website is online, dedicated to Targem's upcoming game of big rig combat.
The site's gallery includes almost a dozen fresh screenshots in the mix, and
they are also featuring downloads of a new gameplay trailer. The movie is
mirrored on 3D Gamers
and
FileFront.
JoWooD announces they have secured the talents of the original cast of Stargate
SG-1 for Stargate SG-1: The Alliance, their upcoming action game based on the
show: Rottenmann, Austria 03.06.2005 – JoWooD Productions are pleased to
announce that they have secured the vocal talents from the original team of the
long running TV series “Stargate SG-1™:
Richard Dean Anderson; Jack O’Neal
Micheal Shanks; Daniel Jackson
Amanda Tapping; Samantha Carter
Christopher Judge; Teal”c”
Each of the actors will be playing the console version of their characters in
the game and adding their unique characteristics to the role.
Richard as Jack will use his extensive military training to lead the team to
otherworldly adventures. Michael as Daniel will exploit his vast knowledge of
the past ancient civilizations, mythology and translation of ancient language.
Amanda as Samantha the astro-physics genius will also make good use of her
military training and finally Christopher as Teal”c”, a wise alien whose species
is known as “Jaffa” will put to good use the fact that he was once a member of
the Goa’uld Apophis notorious Serpent Guard.
Some site notes... there was a bit of downtime midday yesterday due to a server
crash... apologies about the inconvenience. Also, a couple of ads here are a bit
out of hand, there's a ring tone dealie making noise and occasionally taking it
upon itself to masquerade as a full-screen takeover. There's also a pop-up
dealie that seems to be a little shady about its use of the close button, so I
am looking into having all of these issues addressed.
R.I.P.:
Legendary big man Mikan dies at 80.
|
Twitter 
