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Archived News:
Arrr! The Pirates of the
Burning Sea Website (thanks Frans) has word that applications are now being
accepted for beta testing of Flying Lab Software's MMORPG: (Seattle, Sep.
19) Flying Lab Software announced today that in honor of Talk Like A Pirate Day
they are opening registration for gamers who want to participate in the upcoming
beta test program for Pirates of the Burning Sea, a new massively multiplayer
online computer game. Later this fall, approved beta test applicants will join
Flying Lab online to exhaustively playtest the game and get it ready for launch
this winter.
- Blitzkrieg 2
The
Blitzkrieg 2 Q&A on
Gamer's Hell hears from Mario Kroll of publisher CDV about Nival
Interactive's World War II RTS sequel: "Gameplay-wise, the campaign
system is modified so as to allow for more open play. Each campaign is split
into chapters, each of which is subdivided into missions (usually four basic
missions and one chapter-ending mission per chapter). The player can choose
in which order to play those missions. So if one mission is giving you a lot
of grief, you can skip it, earn some new unit types, experience and
reinforcements or upgrades by fighting some easier battles, then come back
and hand that mission its head on a platter."
- Earth 2160
The
Earth 2160 Q&A on GameSpot talks with Alexandra Constadache about
Reality Pump's RTS sequel: "We have learned many lessons on the road to
Earth 2160, the most important being that gameplay and fan approval are
synonymous. When you are making the perfect recipe you have to take heed of
the past. With that, it is true that Earth 2160 borrows from the best
amongst its past brethren, but, that is where the comparison between Earth
2160 and the rest ends. We feel that Earth 2160 stands out from other
strategy games. Not only has this title stayed true to the genre, it has
established technological parameters yet unseen in this genre and offers a
detailed futuristic nonlinear storyline that is both fun and compelling."
- NIBIRU
An
Age of Secrets To Be Revealed In “NIBIRU” on GameZone is a Q&A with
Zdeněk Houb about NIBIRU: Age of Secrets: "NIBIRU is a remake of our first
game, the Messenger of Gods. The story is a work of three people in our team
and we modified it for NIBIRU so that it is more interesting and
entertaining than in our original game. It is a difficult task to answer the
question; how to write such story, but the writing is somewhat similar to
building a scenario for a movie or for a book."
The Blizzard
Entertainment Website now offers downloads of patches updating Warcraft III:
The Frozen Throne and Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos to version 1.19.
The patch note
outline the numerous maps and balance changes in the new version.
The first patch for the European edition of Juiced is now available, updating
the UK, German, French, Italian, and Spanish editions of Juice Games' sort-of
eponymous racing game to version 1.01. The patch is on the
THQ
Website and mirrored on
3D Gamers and
FileFront.
This page on
the framed French Codename Panzers:
Phase Two Website offers a new version 1.05 patch for the French edition of
Codename Panzers: Phase Two. Thanks Frans.
Avast! Tonight be the Giants versus the Saints in a home version of an away
game. Not only that, matey, but it also be the season premier of Arrested
Development for a double-header only a scurvy landlubber could hate. Arrr!
Midway announces that The Suffering: Ties That Bind is gold, and the horror
sequel is expected in stores for PC, Xbox, and PS2 a week from today:
Midway Games, Inc. today announced that THE SUFFERING: TIES THAT BIND has
gone gold and will ship to stores for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment
system, the Xbox video game system from Microsoft and for PC. Set in the slums
and prisons of Baltimore, the sequel to last year’s critically-acclaimed THE
SUFFERING will be available on Monday, Sept. 26.
THE SUFFERING: TIES THAT BIND is an American-style action horror-game that
emphasizes the disturbing terror of its predecessor with all-new twisted
creatures and a few familiar faces. As Torque makes his way through the gritty
streets, the disturbing demons seem to have followed him to the mainland and are
now wreaking havoc across the city. As players explore the tough and unforgiving
inner-city streets, poverty and urban injustices rear their ugly heads
everywhere. Featuring three different beginnings and three different endings,
THE SUFFERING: TIES THAT BIND gives players moral freedom as they delve into the
perverse world of Torque’s sanity to discover his past while struggling to
control his future.
Valve announces plans to release Rag Doll Kung Fu via Steam next month:
Rag Doll Kung Fu Available Via Steam October 12th
Rag Doll Kung Fu, a wildly entertaining new game from designer Mark Healey, will
be made available to gamers everywhere on October 12, 2005 via Steam.
Featuring a wide collection of single and multiplayer games, either online or
with multiple mice, Rag Doll Kung Fu provides players with one of the most
creative and unique game experiences delivered in years. Additionally, between
game rounds, the challenges of an aspiring Kung Fu master are revealed via
outlandish cut scenes inspired by classic Kung Fu cinema.
The game is the brainchild of artist and designer Mark Healey (who moonlights as
a lead artist at Lionhead Entertainment). During last year’s Game Developer
Conference, Healey presented Rag Doll to industry colleagues. Immediately after
this presentation, several Valve employees invited Healey to visit Valve and
discuss Steam distribution of Rag Doll Kung Fu.
"Rag Doll was originally just an idea for me and some friends to have some fun
making an old style Kung Fu movie," said Healey. "It's amazing to think that a
tongue in cheek film project has now evolved into a full game being distributed
via Steam. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as my friends and I enjoyed making
it."
Steam offers developers and publishers a direct distribution channel to over 5.5
million customers. Rag Doll Kung Fu will be made available for purchase via
Steam on October 12, 2005 for $12.95. For more information on Steam, please
visit www.steampowered. For more information on Rag Doll Kung Fu, please visit
http://www.ragdollkungfu.com.
The Black & White 2 Website
offers the illustrated news
that Black & White 2 is gold (thanks Frans). A picture says a thousand words,
but if that image is that gabby, it's still not fessing up a release date, but a
recent announcement ( story) put the official worldwide release
date for Lionhead's god-game sequel as October 7.
ASCARON Entertainment
GmbH Supports AGEIA PhysX Processor in German Blockbuster Sacred II is the
press release announcing hardware support for Sacred 2, jumping the gun on the
actual announcement of a sequel to ASCARON's fantasy RPG. Here they let the cat
out of the bag, though the only real revelation is that the game is currently in
development: Sacred is a deep fantasy RPG where players are immersed in an
epic journey through the medieval-like kingdom of Ancaria. Highly
action-oriented, Sacred features pitched battles and a wide range of enticing
quests. This makes it ideal for the hyper-realism delivered by the AGEIA PhysX
processor, which will be available on PC add-in boards in late 2005. Sacred II
is currently under development and will be published worldwide.
Update:
jcal reminds us that the game was also
first revealed in May ( story).
A second single-player demo for Codename: Panzers Phase Two is now available,
offering the chance to try the Tunis campaign in Stormregion's World War II RTS
sequel. Here's word: "Allied have won the war in North Africa. Afrika Korps
troops retreating back to Sicily, where we have to fight them again. We have to
prevent this, attack the retreating German forces and destroy at least 75% of
the enemy units. After finished the encirclement of Tunis, launch the final
assault. This is our last fight in Africa, our next stop is Europe." The 517 MB
download is available on the
Stormregion Website and mirrored on
3D Gamers,
Boomtown (registration required),
Computer Games (Romania),
FileFront,
Filerush (torrent),
FileShack, Gameguru Mania,
Gamer's Hell,
Prodigious Gaming,
VGPro, and
Worthplaying.
New patches are now available for Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault, updating the
World War II shooter sequel to version 1.2 from either version 1.0 or 1.1.
Details and downloads are available on
the
game's official website, and mirrors of one or both of the patches are
available on 3D Gamers,
Boomtown (registration required),
FileFront, VGPro, and
Worthplaying.
This Press
Release (thanks Frans) offers the official unveiling of Darkstar One, the
space combat sequel that was actually unveiled last month
( story), offering some English-language details on the project:
DarkStar One delivers fast-paced action within a vast and authentic
universe, spectacular graphics, freedom of choice, a gripping story and the
power to save the federal galaxy from its nemesis!
Centuries have passed since the intergalactic war. Since then, the races within
the known universe have lived more or less in peace with each other. The Great
Council watches over the peace and the power of the empires. However, a race
from the edge of the universe called the 'Thul' frequently violates this peace.
Kayron Jarvis is a young fighter pilot and the player's alter ego. For better or
for worse, Kayron's life is about to take an unexpected twist of fate. At the
helm of the advanced 'DarkStar One' spacecraft, Kayron's flight path soon veers
from stone-cold vengeance to inescapable destiny.
DarkStar One explodes onto the PC, releasing on DVD-ROM in Q1 2006.
Playlogic Signs
Worldwide Publishing Deal For 'Diabolique - License to Sin' has word that
publisher Playlogic has signed an agreement with Polish developer Metropolis
Software to publish the upcoming action game Diabolique - License to Sin
worldwide.
- Prey
Scott
Miller Talks Prey on Computer and Video Games is a Q&A with 3D Realms
about the upcoming shooter: "Well, narrative is why we care. Would Max Payne
have been nearly as entertaining without its story, leaving only the action
parts? I really don't think so. The story is such a huge part of the
equation because people inherently love a good story. Plus, the best stories
affect people emotionally, so we've tried to create a story that does just
that, with several emotional gut punches that we're not going to reveal
before the game comes out."
- UFO Aftershock
There's a
UFO Aftershock Q&A on Taktikzone talks with Jiri Rydl of ALTAR
Interactive about their upcoming UFO sequel in a conversation that's also
available translated into German: "To gain access to strategic resources
you have to deal with inhabitants of resourceful territories and there is
the place, where you can use your diplomatic skill. You can either take the
territories by power or by peaceful way, for instance by offering army
support to locals. It’s important to find the balance between finding new
resources and defeating the ones already in your possession."
- Control Monger
The
Control Monger Q&A on OnFPS
is a conversation with MindSurge Entertainment CEO Clyde Bielss about their
online first-person shooter/MMOFPS: "One of the big things that set us apart
is the fact all the characters are Bots and not People. We figured there are
way to many MMORPG's and MMOFPS games that use humans as the base of the
game. With the bots we can do many different things we would not be able to
do with humans. For example snipers can see through walls and spies can go
invisible, The bots can track enemies through walls with there gun sites and
don’t take fall damage, and many other different things like that."
- CoH Novels
Gamecloud's
City Of Heroes Novel Q&A talks with author Robert Weinberg about his
upcoming novel based on Cryptic's superhero MMORPG.
There's a CryEngine next-gen tech video offering a ShakyCam™ look at what's next
from the folks who brought us Far Cry. The clip is available on
Gamer's Hell and
Tiscali Games. Also,
a new Call of Duty 2 movie shows off the upcoming World War II shooter sequel
from Infinity Ward. The clip is available on
3D Gamers and
FileShack. Finally,
as noted on the Officers Website, this
Downloads Page now offers the fourth and final installment in the release of
the E3 movie from Officers, the upcoming World War II real-time strategy game.
The 90 second clip comes in two resolutions, and a mirror is available on
3D Gamers.
Doom3
World features the release of a new beta 0.44 of the Full Metal Jacket
modification for DOOM 3. The update offers an updated bloomshader and is now
fully compatible with DOOM 3 version 1.3.
Arrr matey! Ahoy there!
R.I.P.:
John "Overcode" Hall
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