• The Godfather
  The Godfather Q&A on Worthplaying offers another conversation about the upcoming mob movie game: "Each class has a set of discrete advantages and disadvantages depending on the task at hand. Since we're using a full Havok simulation for our vehicle physics, each feels distinctly different depending on it basic stats - wheel base, acceleration curve, wheel friction, and mass. For example while the sportier coupes and roadsters have quicker acceleration and top speed, they require more finesse and driver attention to navigate tight turns at high speeds, and can't sustain nearly as much damage."
• Guild Wars: Factions
  The ArenaNet Q&A on Guild Wars Player Journals discusses new Guild Wars classes with the developer of the MMORPG: "Yes, those who own both campaigns—Guild Wars (original Prophecies campaign) and Guild Wars Factions—can create Assassins and Ritualists who are able to play in both cooperative and PvP modes in Tyria and Cantha. They then can create a character with a birthplace in either land. That is, you may choose to start on the continent of Tyria, or on the continent of Cantha. Once a character is ascended, he or she can travel between the continents via boat. And existing characters can be recast, for those with both campaigns, to have as a secondary the Ritualist or Assassin profession."
• CSI: 3 Dimensions of Murder
  The Frag Dolls Website offers a podcast with a CSI: 3 Dimensions of Murder audio interview that runs for about 12 minutes, discussing the game with executive producer Tony Van.

• Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends on GamingExcellence.

• Hard Truck: Apocalypse on 3D Gamers.

• Intel Unveils Details of New Chip Design. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• Intel lets slip more Core microarchitecture info.
• IDF Spring 2006 Day 1: New Core Architecture Overview.
• IDF Spring 2006 Coverage on Hardware Secrets.
• AnandTech Spring IDF 2006 Conroe Preview Intel Regains the Performance Crown.
• HEXUS.net - Conroe 2.67 vs AMD Athlon FX 60 (at 2.8) Benchmarks.
• Intel CEO throws down gauntlet to AMD. By picking up AMD's gauntlet?
• NVIDIA to Demonstrate Next-Generation NVIDIA(R) nForce(R) 500 Family of Core-Logic Solutions at CeBIT.
• Microsoft's EU offer a poisoned honeypot: rival. Confucius?
• MWave Selling nVidia GeForce 7900GTX SuperClock For $795.
• WowWee Unveils First Robot Media Hub.
• Techconnect Magazine - Inside eVGA's mind.

• Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter Ships to Retail this week for Xbox 360™ and Xbox®.
• PlayStation 3: Everything We Know from 1UP.com.
• Dead or Alive 4 mandatory patch fixes bugs, adds no new content.
• Virtua Fighter will never feature online play.
• Burnout Revenge for Xbox 360 Roars Onto Retail Shelves.
• Win your very own OutRun 2 arcade machine.

• Intel shows Origami-like device.
• Photos Origami minitablets.
• Microsoft Alexandria?
• Nintendo Game a Hit With Seniors in Japan.
• Cheating Hearts Caught Online.
• Video of DS Lite's eyeball-melting display.

• CBS Streams March Madness, Free - Even includes 'anti-boss' technology.
• MapQuest offers open-source API.
• Web prank results in sex crime arrest. Thanks Digg and Ant.
• France debates whether to legalise Internet downloads.
• Google must explain Cole 'gay links'. Thanks Ant.
• Cheating Hearts Caught Online.

• Symantec Adjusts Browser Bug Count.
• How IT security pay stacks up around the globe.
• Indie label uses heartfelt note instead of copy-restriction.

• PopTop folded into Firaxis?...
• Dolby Labs to Present Innovative Game Trailer at GDC. Thanks Mike Martinez...
• Microsoft is patently obvious. As are the failings of the Patent system...

Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45 Available via Steam on March 14

Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45, the WWII online action game from Tripwire Interactive, will be available via Steam on March 14, 2006 at 11 am PST. The game is currently available for pre-purchase and pre-load via Steam, and those who pre-purchase the game will receive a 10% instant discount off the $24.95 price. For more information or to pre-purchase the game, visit www.steampowered.com

Newest Addition to Best-Selling Franchise Introduces Playable Native American Civilizations in a Fight for Control of the Americas

The incredible momentum behind ”Age of Empires III” continues as Microsoft Game Studios and Ensemble Studios announced their plans for delivering an expansion pack to gamers in 2006.

The new expansion pack will build off of the exciting real-time-strategy gameplay of “Age of Empires III,” providing players with the ability to lead one of three proud Native American civilizations, including the Iroquois Confederation, to expand their empire and fight for control of the Americas.

The expansion pack, which is due on store shelves in the Fall of 2006, will provide new ways to play and win, introducing new gameplay elements and content including new civilizations, a new single player campaign, Home City enhancements and additional maps and units. Additional content will be added to all existing European civilizations as well.

REDMOND, Wash., March 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Africa aficionados, Jurassic fanatics and aquatic admirers alike have cause for celebration as Microsoft Game Studios today confirmed the upcoming releases of "Zoo Tycoon® 2: African Adventure" and "Zoo Tycoon 2: Marine Mania®" E10+ rated expansion packs, and downloadable "Zoo Tycoon 2: Dino Danger Pack" for Windows®, also E10+ rated, developed by Blue Fang Games LLC.
...
"Zoo Tycoon 2: African Adventure," available in May 2006, will allow virtual zookeepers to adopt and care for 20 new African animals from eight biomes, such as the adorable meerkat or the endangered Ethiopian wolf. Gamers of all ages can customize their dream zoo with dozens of new buildings, objects and gift items, including the full desert theme pack.
...
"Zoo Tycoon 2: Marine Mania" expansion pack and downloadable "Zoo Tycoon 2: Dino Danger Pack" will further expand the "Zoo Tycoon 2" experience later this year by introducing entirely new scenarios and themes. With a single click of a mouse, players will soon be able to transport the world's most unique animal species into their homes.

CDV Software Entertainment USA has signed an agreement with Enlight Software to co-publish the empire-building title, Glory of the Roman Empire. The game, in development for PC by Haemimont Games, is scheduled to ship to North American retail outlets in June.

Glory of the Roman Empire is an empire-building simulation set during the height of the glorious Roman Empire. In the game, the player assumes the roles of city planner, governor and military leader. Successful players will need planning skills, economic savvy and -- should those fail -- military might. Glory of the Roman Empire will challenge gamers to grow a small village into a thriving community through trade with neighbors, while also expanding and defending its borders through more militaristic means. Players will need to focus on the physical and emotional health of the citizenry, as villagers age and mature under strong leadership, contributing to the development of more advanced societies and larger cities. More than 30 missions based in 11 historically inspired towns will immerse players in the historical aspects of the Roman Empire.

March 1, 2006 – CDV Software Entertainment USA today announced a publishing agreement with Monte Cristo to release the English language version of City Life in North America. City Life, in development by Monte Cristo, is a city builder that gives players the opportunity to build and manage a modern day metropolis in a fully 3D world. In the game, players will make decisions that will affect the lives of millions of citizens, for better or worse. CDV will ship City Life this summer.

• SiN Episodes
  GameDaily's SiN Emergence Q&A chats up Ritual's Tom Mustaine and Levelord about their upcoming shooter sequel: "Finally, let's remember the shareware model used by game developers not so long ago. It was actually an episodic delivery paradigm. With shareware, we would release the first episode, usually before the completed game was finished. Then the full game would be released, which usually was the second and third episodes. These would then, if the game was successful, be followed by a series of add-on packs, each of which to be called another episode. For the most part, this is very similar to the episodic delivery of a game that we are starting with SiN Episodes." Thanks Frans.
• Star Trek Legacy
  The Star Trek Legacy Q&A on Star Trek Gamers (thanks Mandy) talks with Mad Doc Software's Dr. Ian Lane Davis and Bethesda Softworks' Pete Hines about the upcoming Trekkie game: "The core MP battles are map-based, although we currently have multiple multiplayer modes in development. One such mode is Tug-Of-War, which will span multiple maps and allow a player’s fleet to persist across multiple skirmishes and across multiple systems. In individual multiplayer maps, players will have a slew of options and win conditions to set, creating endless possibilities."
• Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords
  The Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords Q&A on Gameplay Monthly talks with Brad Wardell of Stardock about their space strategy sequel: "Originally there was going to be Galactic Civilizations and then Galactic Federations and then Galactic Tyrants. GalFed was/is going to be an RTS version in the GalCiv universe and GalTyrant was/is going to be an action oriented game with RPG elements. But after GalCiv1 and how hard it is to build momentum for a 'franchise', we decided that we wanted to try to do GalCiv as a trilogy. One where players didn't need to play the previous ones but where each could stand alone on its own."
• LEGO: Star Wars II
  The LEGO Star Wars II Q&A on The Armchair Empire talks with assistant producer Jeffrey Gullett about the toy/Star Wars homage sequel: "Puzzle solving is definitely a big part of LEGO Star Wars II. This time around, you can expect to find a whole new crop of puzzles that we’re aiming to make more dynamic and complex, without necessarily making them more difficult. We want to make the puzzles more interactive and offer more things for the player to do, especially when playing co-op with another player."
• Dusktreaders
  Ten Ton Hammer's Dusktreaders Q&A talks with Erk Hyrkas about Dusktreaders, the gothic-themed MMORPG currently in beta testing: "I believe many players (I don’t know if I could say “most”) prefer to play in short bursts – maybe 30 minutes or so and then have the option of hopping off. I don’t believe players like feeling that they need to set aside their whole evening or whole day just to play the game. Being able to make reasonable accomplishments in the 30 minutes before you drive to work in the morning or the 30 minutes before bed at night makes the game more accessible to a larger audience."

• Heroes of Might and Magic V on Games Radar. Thanks Frans.
• Prey on Worthplaying. Based on the Xbox 360 edition.
• Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45 on Gamecloud.
• Unreal Tournament 2007 on GameDaily.

• Taiwan market Xbox 360 quota able to supply only one-third of demand.
• Come the Revolution.
• UK game industry types talk Revolution.
• More Mass Effect.
• IGN I-8 Renamed.
• Midnight Club 3 DUB Edition Remix Preview.
• Sega Brings Golf to PS3.
• Castlevania and Contra Set for PS2.

• Microsoft to make Vista easily upgradeable.
• 'Rev F' ends single-core Opteron era for AMD.
• Intel aims to get back on track with new chips.
• Sapphire first with HD-ready graphics cards.
• AMD Shows off Three new Sockets at Spring IDF 2006.
• Wireless USB devices arriving by September.
• Zboard version 2: the MERC. This one actually looks useable.
• Data Centers Give Intel Static over Electric Bills Thanks Digg and Ant.
• 'Intelligent' vacuums, mental typewriters at top high-tech fair.
• TV's Flat New World.
• Theme of London Book Fair Is What Technology Can Do.
• Microsoft Confirms Its 5,000th Patent.
• ATI Technologies Inc. Buys Shanghai-based XGI Technology Inc. Alliance Company.
• Investigating Bandwidth on the SLI X16 Chipset.

• Vivendi Universal Games Announces Mobile Games Division. Thanks Frans.
• TiVo to Expand TV Recording to Cell Phones.
• PSP Ad Promotes Bad Words and Sex.
• Polarium Advance Details Released.
• Digital media 'empowering users'.

• Microsoft Passport Morphs into Windows Live ID.
• Blinkx offers automatic search on desktop (registration required). Thanks Neutronbeam.
• What is Google's Lighthouse?
• Online music service to let users swap CDs.
• Kosmix Plays Politics With Search.
• Wal-Mart Enlists Bloggers in P.R. Campaign.

• Researcher hacks Microsoft Fingerprint Reader.
• Mac OS X patch faces scrutiny.
• DeWolfe: MySpace.com Safe Despite Reports.
• Winner mocks OS X hacking contest.
• Korea Goes From Computer Security Threat to Victim.

• WCG Invites Gamers' Opinions on WCG 2006 Rules. Thanks Mike Martinez.
• AnandTech - Live from Taiwan Cebit 2006 Preview.
• CeBIT coverage at OCWORKBENCH.

• Time-savers or spoilsports?

• Advent Rising (in German) on GameCaptain.de.
• Day of Defeat: Source on Gameplay Monthly.
• Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach on HookedGamers.
• Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords on EuroGamer and GameZone.
• The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II on ActionTrip and GamePro.
• Rainbow Six: Lockdown on SimHQ.
• RF Online (first impressions) on GameSpot.
• Scratches on Game Over and IGN.
• Star Wars Empire at War on Gamehelper.
• Star Wolves on Gameplay Monthly.
• SWAT 4: the Stetchkov Syndicate on Yahoo Video Games.
• Tycoon City: New York on GameSpy.

• Acer CU-6530 Digital Camera on TrustedReviews.
• Ajigo MF064-074 Stock AMD Athlon64 Heatsink on FrostyTech.
• AMD Sempron 64 vs. Intel Celeron D 64 CPU Comparison on TweakTown.
• ASrock K8SLI-eSATA2 Motherboard on OCWorkbench.
• ASUS Extreme AX1800XT TOP Video Card on Legion Hardware.
• ATI All-In-Wonder 2006 Video Card on Hot Hardware.
• DFI RS482 Infinity Motherboard on ProClockers.
• Gainward BLISS 7800 GT Video Card on PureOverclock.
• Gigabyte X1600 XT 256MB Video Card on Red and Blackness.
• Jetart All in One GPU Cooler on XSreviews.co.uk.
• Jing Ting Force Chipset Cooler on Bigbruin.
• Logisys CS888UVRD Pre-Assembled UV Reactive Case on PCBurn.
• Logitech Precision PC Gaming Headset on Legit Reviews.
• OCZ XTC DDR2 PC2-4200 Gold Dual Channel RAM on OCModShop.
• Sling Media Slingbox Media Receiver on Designtechnica.
• Spire SP-600W RockeTeer VI PSU on ThinkComputers.
• Sunbeam Silent Storm Case on Overclocker Cafe.
• TeamGroup Xtreem 2x1gb Cronus RAM on EclipseOC.
• Vizo Master Panel and Memory Heatsinks on Techgage.
• WD SecureConnect Serial ATA Cable on Legit Reviews.

• NCSoft Reveals Auto Assault CE Details. Preorder boxes to appear soon...
• Gamecloud's Cut Down In Their Prime: Cancelled Games Part 1 has brief words on some cancelled projects, from the sublime (Babylon 5) to the ridiculous (Daikatana II)...
• Video games for the elderly an answer to dementia or a marketing tool?...
• Warcraft Weekly on the WoW General Discussion Forums has links to the latest happenings in Blizzard's MMORPG...
• Reverse engineering 'The Godfather' for gaming...
• Milla Jovovich Talks Resident Evil 3...
• BioWare-Pandemic Studios Celebrates Creative, Commercial Success in 2005...