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Archived News:
This page
(thanks Frans) offers downloads of the Championship Manager 2007 demo. Here's
word on the sample of the latest installment in the soccer/football series: "The
demo is playable for six months with the English, French and Italian leagues
(with those languages available too.) You'll also be pleased to hear that the
demo is fully save game compatible with the full version of CM2007 (which will
be released in the UK on the 13th of October.)"
This FTP
Directory features various language (and resolution) versions of a new
Battlefield 2142 movie that offers a tutorial on the new Titan gameplay mode in
DICE's coming military shooter. This was accompanied by a note saying this
tutorial will come in handy for the release of the BF 2142 demo next week,
adding that details on the demo release, which will just miss its planned
September window ( story), are forthcoming.
3DGamers and
FilePlanet
announce plans to co-premiere the demo for Star Wars: Empire At War - Forces Of
Corruption next week on Friday, October 6. There's no indication at this point
what the sample of the RTS expansion will offer.
Codemasters announces plans for an end-of-beta blowout for ArchLord where they
will attempt to amass the largest-ever PvP battle in an MMORPG: Los
Angeles (September 29, 2006) – Codemasters Online Gaming (COG) announces an
ambitious “End of Beta” ArchLord event that will attempt the largest PvP battle
in an MMO. The epic showdown will take place 12:00pm PST (3:00pm EST) on Sunday
Oct 1 in ArchLord’s fantasy game world Chantra.
In preparation for this planned stress test of the servers, COG has released an
additional 500,000 BETA keys for anyone wanting to participate in this ultimate
PvP battle that will see thousands of players pit their wits against each other
in a fight to the (virtual) death.
To be part of the epic battle, players will need to join one of four specific
guilds led by four heroes: Brumhart - Champion of Zylok, Ziann - Champion of
Anchorville, Evengarda - Champion of Tullan, or Gaiahon - Champion of Terranoa.
For detailed information on how to participate please visit the “End of Beta”
forum posting at
http://community.codemasters.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1836840%20-%20post1836840.
“We wanted an epic conclusion to the ArchLord BETA and this PvP battle is
extremely exciting,” said Ed Relf, head of marketing, Codemasters Online Gaming.
“Not only is it exactly what MMO gaming is about, it will also give us the
chance to stress test the servers in a way that has never been attempted
before.”
Gamers that want to participate need to request a key and join the beta by
visiting
www.archlordgame.com/requestakey .
ArchLord will be published, exclusively for PC, in North America and Europe by
Codemasters Online Gaming in October 2006. To see the movie and more, visit the
official website today at
www.archlordgame.com.
A new patch
(direct link) is now available for STACKED with Daniel Negreanu, updating the
poker simulation to version 1.4. Word is: "The patch includes code changes to
improve on-line connectivity and automatically enables port forwarding to work
around and through some network issues that have caused a higher than desired
disconnect rate during multi-table tournaments. Players who have manually
implemented port forwarding will not have to make any adjustments to what they
have already done."
The official Stronghold
Legends Website is online, with information and media relating to Firefly
Studios' castle-storming strategy sequel.
- Pacific Storm
The
Pacific Storm Website offers a new trailer with a look at Lesta Studios'
just-released World War II action/strategy hybrid.
- Frontlines: Fuel Of War
The Frontlines: Fuel Of War X06
movie is a higher-resolution version of the trailer released in June
(story) from Kaos Studios' upcoming first-person shooter. The
clip is available on
3D Gamers and
Worthplaying.
- Sid Meier's Railroads!
A new walkthrough movie from Sid Meier's Railroads! offers a narrated look at
the upcoming railroading sim in the works at Firaxis. The clip can be found on
3D Downloads, 3D Gamers,
FileFront, and
Worthplaying.
- Stranger
The Stranger GC movie is finally available, showing
off Fireglow Games' upcoming fantasy-themed RPG. The movie is located on
3D Gamers,
FileFront,
Strategy
First, and
Worthplaying.
- Battlefield 2
The
Battlefield 2 Q&A on Computer and Video Games is actually an A (a
Q&A with no Qs) with Lars Gustavsson, creative director on DICE's
Battlefield franchise, about BF2: "We were off to a really bad start when
the first patch created as many bugs as it solved. Our testing process
hadn't been worked out; the way we go from bug-fixing to verifying. You
spend two-and-a-half years of your life working hard to make a good game, so
to then have part of the game's reputation tainted with bugs was upsetting.
That puts it high on the agenda of things to change. So the whole of last
year was spent getting the system working in the right direction and we're
now at a stage to take BF2142 into an open beta, just to make sure that we
deliver something good. It's been a long, tough road to walk down."
- X06
The
X06 Q&A
on Computer and Video Games talks with Shane Kim about X06 and
Microsoft's gaming plans: "I think it's a very important scenario and the
company has realised this so they've made investments in the platform
itself. As Peter has admitted, we have not done enough to drive the Windows
gaming ecosystem. It's very important to the success of Windows. It's always
been a way for us to highlight the capabilities of Windows especially in the
consumer market. We're taking a refocused effort in investment to drive
Windows gaming."
- ArchLord
The
ArchLord Beta Wrap Up Q&A on MMORPG.COM talks with the developers of the
upcoming MMORPG about the conclusion of beta testing: "Everything here at
Codemasters Online Games is starting to gear towards the release of
ArchLord. The biggest initial step for us is the end of BETA event, this is
the chance for all our BETA testers to help us stress test the game and take
part in a massive PvP battle! For those of you not aware of what we are
doing; We are hosting a large scale PvP battle on Sunday that will see
players align themselves to one of four champions. They are then due to meet
on the battlefield and take each other on till one champion remains! I
personally am really looking forward to the event and hope to see lots of
our testers there."
- Field Ops
The
Field Ops Q&A on Hookedgamers discusses Freeze Interactives' upcoming
FPS/RTS hybrid with Mourad Majeri: "We always enjoyed playing both military
FPS and RTS games, but always felt that something was missing. In ‘Field
Ops’, we want to give players the feeling that they are experiencing a
modern global conflict, through the eyes of a Commander and a soldier. We
decided that the best way to be a commander was to play in RTS, and the best
way to be a soldier on the field was to play an FPS. So we decided to mix
FPS and RTS, and ‘Field Ops’ was born, the Real-Time Strategy Shooter."
- Mage Knight: Apocalypse
The
Mage Knight:
Apocalypse Team Q&A #1 on RPG Vault talks with the folks at Namco Bandai
about their action/RPG, asking one group question about their personal
contribution to the game, and another about their favorite characters to
play.
The True Combat Elite Website offers a
new version 0.49 of this free game that uses the Enemy Territory engine. The new
version adds a bunch of new features while also addressing some bugs. Thanks
impatient Konrad.
Finally gave up on trying to clean that tar off the car with a mild tar cleaner,
and upgraded to one that warned it needed to be rinsed off to avoid harming the
car's finish. I still had a couple of options if this didn't work, as the store
had one tar remover that said to test it on an unseen area to ensure it wouldn't
ruin your paint, and as a last resort there was another product that was also
advertised as a way of removing clearcoat before a repainting. Luckily plan B
(and a lot of elbow grease) worked out and I didn't need to escalate further, as
both of those other cleaners sounded like they had the potential to do more harm
than good.
Steam News
(thanks Frans) has word that DEFCON is now available via Steam, while the
DEFCON Website offers
digital downloads as well as the opportunity to purchase a boxed copy. Likewise,
a DEFCON demo is now available, offering the chance to have your finger on the
(mouse) button in a sample of Introversion's game of global conflict. The demo
includes a rolling (non-interactive) demo, a tutorial, and a multiplayer
interactive demo with support for two-player games. The download is available on
3D Downloads, 3D
Gamers,
FileFront,
FilePlanet
(registration required), VGPRO,
and Worthplaying.
Here's word on the Steam release: Introversion today launched DEFCON, a
new online strategy game from the creators of the award-winning Darwinia, via
Steam, Valve?s pioneering broadband platform for games and digital content.
Available now for just $14.95, DEFCON is an online, competitive, multiplayer
strategy game based around the theme of global thermonuclear war. The player
assumes the role of a General hidden deep within an underground bunker, his
mission being to successfully exterminate the enemy's civilian population whilst
simultaneously disabling the enemy's ability to retaliate.
For more information, please visit
www.steamgames.com.
Paradox Interactive announces that Silent Heroes, the stand-alone expansion to
Soldiers: Heroes of World War II, is now available on Gamer’s Gate: New
York, USA (September 29, 2006) – Paradox Interactive, a leading publisher and
developer of critically acclaimed strategy titles, announced today that “Silent
Heroes”, the stand-alone expansion to "Soldiers: Heroes of World War II", has
launched on Gamer’s Gate.
In the game, players are taking control of a special operations force during
World War II and will have dozens of controllable equipment models, a vast
choice of fire-arms, small arms, cold steel and more at their disposal. The
environments are highly interactive environments and the story-driven campaign
focuses on sabotage missions behind enemy lines.
Available exclusively on Gamer’s Gate for worldwide download, “Silent Heroes” is
selling for $19.99.
http://www.gamersgate.net/product/?id=10324
“Gamer’s Gate has been an optimal platform for us to introduce new and exciting
titles to strategy gamers at reasonable prices”, said Susana Meza, Marketing and
PR Director for Paradox Interactive. “Now that we have made this stand-alone
expansion available worldwide, gamer everywhere will discover first-hand why the
original game became so popular”.
View trailer and screenshots at
http://www.paradoxplaza.com/silentheroes.asp.
Shrapnel Games announces that
Dominions 3: The
Awakening is now available for PC, Mac, and Linux. Here's word on the
fantasy-themed strategy sequel: It's time. Call in sick to work or
school. Tell them you ate some bagged spinach and you're violently ill. Claim
amnesia and say you don't remember ever working at the office or going to that
school. Or just say you've come down with a sudden case of agoraphobia and if
you step outside you're sure the squirrels, which have been plotting all summer
to bring you ruin and destruction, will finally make their move. Whatever plans
you have, wherever they may be, cancel them. For it is finally here. The game
you've been waiting for, the game that will cause you to climb the tallest
mountain and shout for joy.
Dominions 3: The Awakening has shipped!
It's news so grand that it's worth repeating, in case your mind is still reeling
with the implication of that last sentence. Dominions 3you know, that fantasy
strategy sequel to the smash hit Dominions II: The Ascension Wars for Windows,
Mac, and Linux is now shipping.
Did you pre-order? We hope you weren't waiting to pick it up at the store. You
won't find it there. Dominions 3: The Awakening isn't meant to be sold by some
slack-jaw yokel in a blue polo shirt, no it's a game of inner grace and rapture
that is meant to be carefully cradled in a USPS box, handled lovingly by the
caring folks at Shrapnel Games direct to you. At this very moment, indeed this
very second, those caring folks are sending out legions of Dominions 3 games to
all of you waiting for the greatness to arrive. Soon friends, soon. You'll
receive the game and the nice, thick tome of a manual, and fire up that first
game on your PC, Mac, or Linux box. Bliss. Bliss on a CD. All hail the
Dom.
StarWraith 3D Games announces that Arvoch Conflict, their new space combat
simulator, is now available. The Arvoch
Conflict Website has all the details on the release, and
this
download page offers a trial version as well as the Arvoch Conflict
Customizing and Modification Kit. Here's a bit: BOISE, ID, September 28th,
2006 -- StarWraith 3D Games LLC, today announced the release of its 3D space
combat game Arvoch Conflict for the PC.
Set in the future just after a period of great colonization and technological
advancement, players are given command of a combat squadron as a growing mystery
begins to threaten humanity. Forces divide and battles rage as the single player
story unfolds with epic conflicts and events.
As the leader of a five pilot squadron, players can select the ships and weapon
loadout for each member of their team using a drag-and-drop interface. Choices
include scouts, fighters, interceptors, and bombers along with a variety of
weapons ranging from rapid fire cannons to devastating pilot-aimed bombs. Unique
technology is also available, featuring cloaking devices, tractor beams, and EMP
disruption missiles. Players then launch into missions with diverse objectives
that include patrol, escort, pilot rescue, item recovery, planet surface
strikes, mining, defense shield construction, mine field clearing, and more.
Arvoch Conflict features several unique graphics and control features. A full
in-scene 3D cockpit (including gauges and displays), high contrast lighting
effects, softly reflective ships hulls, and high resolution textures provide a
captivating level of detail and immersion. Full freedom of movement control with
variable input and Newtonian physics with computer assisted thruster control let
the player master a wide range of tactical options and combat maneuvers. The
game supports keyboard, mouse, joystick, and gamepad control options with
remapping capability.
The Seed Website
(thanks
MMORPG.COM) has news of the closure of Seed, Runestone Game Development's
non-combat MMORPG.
This forum
post has details on a closing ceremony to take place this Sunday. The end of
the game is due to lack of cash, as efforts at connecting with a partner to fund
the game have failed. Here's a bit on the closure that reflects upon the genre:
We’ve made some major mistakes, and some smart moves along the way, but
in the end, we simply tried to do too much, with too few funds, which I guess is
a typical “Rookie”, and even veteran error.
I, for one, would do it all over again, although I would do a great many things
differently next time around.
For the MMO community and business as such, the rise and fall of Runestone
probably doesn’t mean that much, but I hope MMO execs out there reading this
letter will draw the *right* conclusions from Runestone and Seed, and *not* the
wrong ones.
One thing I would hate to see happen as a result of our failure would be a
consensus forming that the idea about a non-combat, role play-centric MMO is a
bad idea.
It isn’t.
I am still fully convinced that a role play-centric game is not only a good
idea: It’s a great idea. It just needs to be better executed. Seed has many of
the right qualities for such a game, and I still firmly believe that, given
sufficient funding, we could have created a great game.
Unfortunately, we will never know.
We’ve reached the end of the road, and to all those of you who have followed us
along this wild, weird ride I say a big, big thank you. It’s been a pleasure
serving you our game, and your constant faith in us has been a major morale
booster when times seemed tough.
I hope Seed gave you some enjoyment, some great times and some fun along the
way, maybe even some new friends. I hope you will demand more from your future
games in terms of role playing with other players, and in terms of player
influence in the world.
‘Cause that’s what role playing games and role playing communities are all
about. The people playing them.
This page on the
framed UFO: EXTRATERRESTRIALS
Website (thanks Frans) has a
new movie
(direct (working) link) shows off Chaos Concept's upcoming turn-based strategy
game, which it occurs to us has been delayed twice since a February release date was
announced ( story), as there is a note on the site we missed at
the time predicting a summer 2006 release.
dtp/ANACONDA
announces that the German edition of
Undercover: Operation Wintersonne
(Wintersun) is now available (thanks Frans). A demo for the German edition is
also available ( story) for those interested in a sample.
The Sid Meier's
Railroads Official Website is online, as home to Firaxis' coming
transportation sim. The site includes all manner of Flash gimmickry and a mix
of old and new screenshots. Thanks Frans.
The Bioshock X06 movie offers a look at Irrational's upcoming first-person RPG,
available on 3D Gamers
and Worthplaying.
Also, a day without a Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Dark Crusade movie is like
a day without sunshine, so another clip from the RTS expansion to brighten your
day can be found on 3D
Gamers and
Game Spot. Also, the Shrek: The Third X06 movie shows off the upcoming
tie-in with the next movie about the Scottish ogre, the movie is available on
3D Gamers and
Worthplaying.
- Half-Life 2: Episode Two
The
Half-Life 2: Episode
Two Q&A on Gamehelper talks with Valve's Doug Lombardi and Kim Swift
about Episode 2, Portal, TF2, and more, like the role of the Old Man Murray
guys: "The dev team and Chet and Eric came to Valve at the same time. We had
known Chet and Eric for a long time. They saw something in Portal that they
wanted to work on. We always wanted to expand on this idea of putting humor
into our games. You can see it in both Portal and TF2, the idea of not
taking a game to seriously. There was the opportunity with Portal to do
whatever they wanted through the narrator. We could have gone in any
direction. The narrator is both oppressive and humorous and that’s typical
Chet and Eric. There’s this double personality you get to play with. The
both of them get to battle like they each own one of these personalities. It
was just a perfect fit."
- Officers
The
Officers Q&A on Strategy Informer talks with Nikolay Demchenko from GFI
UA about their World War II RTS game: "The total game time is about 30
hours. There are six large missions for Allies in 'Officers'. Each mission
consists of a few key targets and a couple of secondary ones. Considering
dynamic night & day cycles, you can replay each mission several times. The
operations itself are typical for RTS. Fortified areas protection, enemy
lines assault, reconnaissance and city battles – these are the actions
you’ll have to take during the game. "
- Left Behind: Eternal Forces
The
Left Behind: Eternal Forces Q&A on FiringSquad talks with Greg Bauman of
Left Behind Games about their upcoming RTS game: "Left Behind Games was
founded October 23, 2001 for the purpose of developing a high quality video
game that would appeal to a mainstream gaming audience while simultaneously
stimulating intellectual conversations about matters of eternal importance.
The video game is based upon the success of the “Left Behind” book series.
We thought the storylines were easily adaptable to the video game market and
would be appealing to Christian and non-Christian gamers alike."
- Manifesto
The
Manifesto Q&A on Gamasutra talks with Greg Costikyan about their new
independent game publisher: "Okay, so the casual downloadable market is
growing rapidly, by selling games to people who have not historically bought
a lot of games - middle aged women being the stereotype. Our thought was:
how much easier would it be to sell games to people who historically have
bought a lot of games? Eight-ten years ago, CGW's reader surveys said that
their readers typically bought 12-18 titles annually. And sure, people who
actually read a PC games magazine are presumably the hardest of the hard
core. But if we can attract a hundred thousand people with those kinds of
buying habits, we can do very nicely indeed."
Yesterday I was surprised to hear Gunnar-man barking from outside, the reason I
was surprised was because I hadn't let him out. I decided it must be someone
else's dog at first, but the barking turned to howling (a Gunnar specialty)
which started Hudson barking from inside. Turns out the little devil managed to
open the storm door for himself, which is the first such stunt he's ever
managed, all the more surprising since Hudson the wonder dog hasn't yet worked
this one out, in spite of being the resident escape artist and having had
several extra years to work on the problem.
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