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Archived News:
A French demo for Chaos League: Sudden Death is now available, offering a
language-specific sample of Cyanide's upcoming fantasy-themed sports expansion.
The demo installer supports multiple languages, but the demo itself is entirely
in French. The 328 MB download is available on
the French Chaos League Website
and mirrored on 3D
Gamers.
- Battlefield 2
Gamecloud's
Battlefield 2 Q&A talks with EA producer Ben Smith about DICE's upcoming
military shooter sequel: "Well, building any game, let alone the sequel to a
game as loved and lauded as Battlefield 1942, is a long, complicated task.
In the last few weeks we’ve been able to get the game in front of a lot of
people, (at E3 and other community functions) and the feedback we’ve
received has been really tremendous. I think come June 21 we’ll really be
able to look back at our work and see that we exceeded both our own and our
fans’ expectations with Battlefield 2. It should stand as DICE’s best work
to date in all areas (gameplay, sound, look, etc.)."
- Hellgate: London
The
Hellgate: London Q&A on Computer and Video Games talks with Bill Roper
of Flagship Studios about their upcoming first-person action/RPG: "I'm a
lousy first-person shooter player, but I get on well with this. It's much
more forgiving. The goal is to let players of all abilities enjoy the game
straight away without having to come with Counter-Strike skills. Of course,
players that like the FPS style of play will concentrate more on ranged
weapons and that's great, but we also wanted to make sure that people
weren't punished for using melee weapons."
- Bad Day L.A.
The
Bad Day
L.A. Q&A on IGN talks with American McGee about Enlight's upcoming
action game: "So what we have is something like 'Day After Tomorrow' meets
"Mad Max" with a main character in the spirit of Dave Chapelle and Ali G.
Yes, there's some political theme to it, but there are also insane
disasters, ridiculous missions, and a hero who's often more concerned with
hitting on hot babes than he is in saving people."
- Star Wars Galaxies
The
Fan
Fest Developer Interview on Star Wars Galaxies Vault talks with Dallas
Dickenson about Star Wars Galaxies, and the recent combat upgrade to the
MMORPG: "Yeah.. we knew that it was a tough call to make, and a
controversial one, but we knew then and we believe that it's definitely the
right direction for the game. It makes the game a whole lot more
understandable, it makes combat a lot more fun in terms of actually making
your role be important to the combat game. I think this not only serves the
existing players very well, but I think it also means that players who
hadn't tried Galaxies, who maybe tried Galaxies when it first came out and
have gone away.. we are really in a much better place to have folks who've
never played online games enjoy the game a lot more quickly. We've brought
the learning curve down substantially, so it's a much simpler, much more
intuitive, more action oriented combat style. So yeah, we feel like we're in
a really really great position now."
- UFO: Aftershock
The
UFO: Aftershock
Q&A on StrategyCore.co.uk is an E3 conversation with Cenega and ALTAR
Interactive about the upcoming counter-UFO sequel: "No, we wanted to change
everything. We wanted to see what features the players missed the most in
Aftermath and so try to implement it in Aftershock. The biggest three
changes are that we have resources, the addition of Human, Cultist and
Psionic factions, and base building. We've also added more RPG elements,
more tactical options, and strategic part has also been enhanced."
- Gothic 3
The
Gothic 3
Q&A on RPGDot, an article-format conversation with Stefan Berger of
JoWooD about the upcoming RPG sequel: "There will be six different groups
this time. You will begin after showing up by ship on the mainland. The orcs
have won the war and you can choose to fight with them or against them. The
orcs aren't very intelligent and if you side with them the humans will say,
'Go away, we don't want anything to do with you.'"
- Game Art
Illustrator
extraordinaire Greg Horn talks about his art and working in videogames on
GameZone is a Q&A with the illustrator about his work in the computer
and video games field: "Right now I'm working with Hip Games on City of the
Dead, which is filmmaker George Romero's FPS videogame set in a zombie
world. I'm also working on Ghost Wars, which is a cool military RTS game,
with covert themes blended in. That one is a lot of fun because in the past
I've done military themes with OXM, and back then my military knowledge was
total crap! When you don't give the soldiers the proper guns or gear, people
will be more than happy to write into the magazine and say what a horrible
job you did. So now I know all the guns backwards and forwards and all the
guns are extremely accurate. When you blow up the image, you can actually
read the text on the gun - I'm not playing around anymore, man."
Battlefield
2 demo debuting on GameSpot is a news story confirming the imminent
Battlefield 2 demo will premiere on GameSpot's fledgling
GameCenter service. The story also
allays fears that this would restrict the demo's availability elsewhere
( story), as it refers to the demo as a debut and a
premiere, but not as an exclusive. Likewise, while there are special provisions
for their subscribers, the demo will also be available to non-registered users.
There's no specific release date mentioned besides "very soon," though EA said
to expect it in a little over a week exactly a week ago ( story). Here is word on the demo's contents: The demo will feature three
variations of the Gulf of Oman map from Battlefield 2, which is set in a
near-future conflict between three clashing powers: The United States, China,
and the fictional Middle Eastern Coalition (MEC). The single-player, 16-player,
and 32-player versions of the map included in the demo will pit the US against
the MEC in time-limit-based combat. (China is not playable in the demo.)
This page on
the temporary home of Digital Reality
reveals development of World Forces: War on Terror (thanks Frans), a tactical
"arcade style" real-time strategy game set in the very near future. The site
offers the first screenshots from the game, which does not yet carry a projected
release date. Here's a bit: World Forces: War on Terror is a tactical,
arcade style RTS, which is set in the very near future, utilizing the modern
weaponry of tomorrow. One of the game's new enhancements is to mix the realistic
graphics and environment, with an easy to learn, fun and entertaining arcade
game style. 26+ levels built based on real settings (such as Paris, Berlin, San
Francisco, Canterbury, Beijing, etc.) and by that the player can fight great
battles at well known locations. The problems could be solved by different
tactics, aid by the 50 unique units with over 60 unique skills. The player can
take his surviving units to the next missions and even he can take the captured
enemy vehicles too! The 3 campaigns will require different tactics, different
play style, since the 3 sides of the game has unique special features. One of
the most challenging features is to capture enemy vehicles and use it in our own
arsenal and by that we can beat our opponent with his own weaponry.
Replayability is provided by the complex and unique reward system, the freedom
of choosing any kind of army and endless multiplayer experience with many
different multiplayer game modes, including well known modes (such as CTF or DM)
and introducing new modes too (Objective mode and Conquer mode).
ATI Technologies now has the release of new
version 5.6 CATALYST reference drivers for ATI RADEON accelerators. Among other
things, word is: "Catalyst 5.6 introduces full hardware acceleration of
Microsoft Windows Media Video (WMV) files when using DirectX 9 shaders."
This Legacy
Interactive Support Page (thanks Frans) now features the first patch for ER,
the game based on the hit medical television series. Word is: "We have fixed
several memory leak issues that were reserving system resources and caused the
game to slow down after lengthy gameplay sessions or after repeatedly loading
saved games."
Akella has opened a series of product pages dedicated to some of their upcoming
projects. They have launched a
Captain Blood page,
though there's nothing new to see there, and they have opened pages that include
screenshots and E3 trailers for
Enosta: Discovery Beyond,
Heavy Duty,
Rage Rider, and
S.M.E.R.S.H. Also, Digital
Reality has launched temporary homes for
Ghost Wars
and War Front:
Turning Point, each site offering some new screenshots. Thanks Frans.
- Star Wars Galaxies
Star Wars Galaxies Vault has posted
a
FanFest video as well as a ShakyCam Capitol Ships video, which an English teacher (or fleet admiral) would
correctly call a capital ships video, from the MMORPG.
- Gods: Lands of Infinity
Cypron
Studios now offers downloads of a movie showing off the first look at
gameplay from Gods: Lands of Infinity along with some cutscenes from the
upcoming RPG.
- PT Boats: Knights of the Sea
The PT Boats: Knights of the
Sea E3 movie is now available for download on
3D Gamers,
FileFront, and
Worthplaying.
- Parkan II
The Parkan II E3 movie is now available on
3D Gamers,
FileFront,
Gamer's Hell, and
Worthplaying.
- Brigade E5: New Jagged Union
Brigade E5: New Jagged Union E3 movie
can be found on 3D
Gamers,
FileFront, Gamer's Hell,
and Worthplaying.
- Desert Law
The Desert Law E3 trailer is available on
3D Gamers,
FileFront, Gamer's Hell,
and Worthplaying.
- ECHO: Secrets of the Lost Cavern
The
ECHO: Secrets of the Lost Cavern US Trailer is now available on
FileFront,
Gamer's Hell, and
Worthplaying.
Enlight announces July U.K. release plans for Aurora Watching: Gorky Zero,
Metropolis Software's stealthy shooter that's already available elsewhere in
Europe. Here's a bit: A strange, almost magical glow warmed the Northern
gaming hemisphere today as Enlight Entertainment Europe announced the July PC
release of AURORA WATCHING, currently taking Europe by storm.
Dropping red-hot action and ice cool stealth gameplay into the frozen wastelands
of the Arctic, there's really no time to stop and gawp at the Northern Lights in
AURORA WATCHING. A Russian submarine, the Komsomletz II, has unexpectedly sunk
during manoeuvres on the Barents Sea and intelligence has established that the
area the sub went down supports a suspicious military complex, the purpose of
which is unknown.
Take-Two Interactive
Software, Inc. Announces Final Settlement with SEC (thanks Frans) reveals
that the Securities and Exchange Commission will accept a $7.5 million
settlement offer from Take-Two Interactive as penalty for the company's
accounting shenanigans, though of course a condition of the settlement
establishes that they are possibly paying out this huge sum just for the heck of it:
Without admitting or denying any wrongdoing, the Company has agreed to
consent to the entry of an order enjoining it from future violations of
specified provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 ('34 Act), including section 10(b)(5) of the '34 Act and Rule 10b-5
thereunder. In addition, the Company has agreed to pay a $7.5 million civil
penalty which Take-Two previously recorded as an expense in its fourth fiscal
quarter ended October 31, 2004.
Summertime Gets
Soaked! as Atari Prepares for June 21 Launch of 'RollerCoaster Tycoon(R) 3
Soaked!' (thanks Frans) is the press release announcing the completion of
the water park expansion for the theme park sim, which is to be available just
in time for summer: The summer solstice just got a little brighter as
Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR - News) announced today that developer Frontier has
completed RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3: Soaked!, the first expansion pack for the
successful RollerCoaster Tycoon 3® franchise. Scheduled to ship to retail
outlets nationwide on the longest day of summer, June 21, RollerCoaster Tycoon®
3: Soaked! is perfectly timed because the game invites players to create and
control their own water parks just as the summer vacation season gets
underway.
These Guild Wars Game
Update Notes outline the new update to ArenaNet's MMORPG. The update
implements several changes intended to remove the need for "farming" to progress
in the game, while also making it easier to identify players using cheats, bots,
and hacks. On a related note, they also announce the banning of over 100 user
accounts for using bots to farm. The update outlines extensive balance changes
and tweaks, and promises more to come: We know that some players
currently engage in repetitive farming activities for the primary purpose of
unlocking skills and items for PvP. Rather than preserving the effectiveness of
farming for this purpose, it is our intention to address the larger issue of the
need for farming by assessing how players acquire and unlock items, runes, and
skills, and then by taking steps to ensure that players can acquire and unlock
these things through normal gameplay. We believe that the most effective way to
play the game should also be the most fun way to play the game. You can expect
to see the first meaningful changes towards this goal next week.
After a lengthy period of public posturing,
Hollywood unions reach deal with video game makers is a story with the
low-key outcome of recent threats of a work stoppage by members of the Screen
Actor's Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
(AFTRA) over compensation for voice performances in video games. Here's a bit:
Hollywood actors unions have reached a contract deal with video game
publishers, accepting higher pay instead of the profit-sharing they had
demanded, the unions said Wednesday, removing the threat of a strike.
The three-and-a-half-year agreements with game companies came as the Screen
Actors Guild (SAG) and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
(AFTRA) were preparing to announce the results of a strike vote.
Unions had sought to win profit-sharing, known as residual payments, from game
publishers.
Under the new agreements, union performers will get a 36 percent increase in
minimum pay over the term, increases in benefit contributions and greater
protection. The agreements are subject to final approval by the unions.
Matrix Games announces a new patch for
Gary Grigsby's
World at War is now available, updating the World War II strategy game to
version 1.040. Word is: "The major emphasis for this update is fixing a few game
bugs and rules that were causing minor issues with game balance. These changes
include fixing naval retreat patterns, some op-fire issues, advanced supply
rules for attacking neutral countries, attacking neutrals while the supply rules
are turned off entirely, and a number of fixes involving op-fire. A secondary
change was a decrease in CPU cycles whenever possible, making the game play
better on lower end machines."
Yiyas.de has word (in German) that the German edition of Dungeon Lords is
gold. This localized edition of Heuristic Park's RPG is patched to the latest
version, and translates all the game's dialog.
A new version .4.4 of the Point of
Existence modification is now available (thanks Ant). In spite of all the
references to Battlefield 2 and lack of references to Battlefield Vietnam, this
is still a mod for the latter, rather than the former. The new version adds maps
and a couple of pieces of equipment that were still being developed when version
.4 was released.
- ATI All-in-Wonder Radeon 256MB X800 XT Video Card on
Bona Fide Reviews.
- BlueTake BT400 G5 Bluetooth Headset on
The Tech Zone.
- Cooler Master Real Power 550W PSU on
ViperLair.
- Connect3D X850 Pro 256MB GDDR3-DVI-VIVO Video Card (video) on
3dGameMan.
- DFI LanParty nF4 SLI-DR Motherboard on
Ninjalane.
- G.Skill DDR600 Memory on
MADSHRIMPS.
- Gigabyte G-Power Pro on
InsaneTek.
- I-Rocks Crystal USB 2.0 Card Reader & Hub Combo on
Bigbruin.
- Motorola HS-850 Bluetooth Headset on
Legit Reviews.
- OCZ PC4000 Gold Dual Channel VX Memory on
PCStats.
- Saitek X52 Flight Control System on
HEXUS.
- Thermaltake Shark PC Case on
Short-Media.
- Vantec AeroFlow heatsink cooler on
A1 Electronics.
- Vantec NexStar 3 External HD USB 2.0 Enclosure on
ExtremeMhz.
It's been an exciting morning already here at the BlueTower. After I returned
from running the dogs on the local trail, MrsBlue informed me that she was
finding bloody paw prints all over the place. She was not using a British
euphemism, she was being literal... Gunnar had sliced open a paw on something,
and was bleeding pretty generously (hard to imagine how I missed this myself).
An emergency trip to a local vet has him properly bandaged up, and though he
hasn't shown any awareness of the injury, his activities will have to be
restricted for the next couple of weeks (which is coincidentally the amount of
time I imagine it will take us to find and clean the last of the bloody paw
prints throughout the house).
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