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Archived News:
Kenn Hoekstra, formerly of Raven Software, made
a post to our forums on the Soldier of Fortune: Pay Back rumor mentioned
earlier ( story), as he is a leading authority on the SoF
franchise (and, of course, KISS). While Kenn's post confirms the project is in
the works, he also confirms Raven is not the developer, and that this will be a
value-price project: "Raven isn't developing this game. And it's Activision
Value that's publishing it."
FiringSquad has a story speculating this will be a budget title (which we
have seemingly confirmed), and they also say an anonymous source has named
Cauldron as the project's developer.
SEGA announces Games for Windows LIVE support for Universe at War: Earth
Assault, making Petroglyph's upcoming RTS game the first third-party game so
designated. The announcement lists "holiday 2007" as the game's release window,
which seems a slip from the fall release promised in the game's original
announcement ( story). Word is: SAN FRANCISCO & LONDON
(June 27, 2007) – SEGA® of America, Inc. and SEGA® Europe Ltd. today announced
that Universe at War: Earth Assault™ for the PC and Xbox 360™ video game and
entertainment system will support Microsoft’s Games for Windows – Live system,
making it the first third-party title to support Games for Windows – Live and
enable PC vs. Xbox 360 cross-platform gaming. Universe at War: Earth Assault is
scheduled to ship for PC in North America and Europe this holiday 2007 and for
the Xbox 360 in Q1 2008.
Universe at War: Earth Assault for the Xbox 360 will employ a control scheme
built from the ground up to ensure smooth gameplay and ease of command for
console gamers. To fully support fair and equal gameplay between PC and Xbox 360
gamers,
developer Petroglyph is working to implement a balanced gaming environment and
multiple modes for PC vs. Xbox 360 multiplayer games ensuring the best possible
experience for gamers on both platforms.
“Cross-platform play between PC and consoles has been a dream of gamers for many
years,” said Scott A. Steinberg, Vice President of Marketing, SEGA of America,
Inc. “Now that dream has become reality. We are very excited that Universe at
War: Earth Assault is at the fore front of supporting Microsoft’s Games for
Windows – Live initiative, bridging the PC and Xbox 360 gap.”
Incorporating innovative multiplayer modes inspired by popular massively
multiplayer online games and competitive online titles, Universe at War: Earth
Assault for the PC and Xbox 360 will give players achievement points, rewards,
and medals to encourage players to progress in the game. Players from around the
world will battle in the persistent-style “Conquer the World” mode across the PC
and Xbox 360 for ultimate faction supremacy in a virtual representation of
Earth.
For more information on the game, please visit
www.sega.com/universeatwar.
- Pirates of the Burning Sea
Pirates
of the Burning Sea Developer Chat Report on MMORPG.COM along with a
Pirates of
the Burning Sea Q&A talks with John Scott Tynes about Flying Lab
Software's upcoming MMORPG, their new SOE deal, and more: "We know there are
haters out there. When we made our plan to announce the deal, we told SOE we
wanted to do our own announcement directly to our community the night before
the press release, so we could explain what we're doing and why we're doing.
If anyone reads all of Rusty's devlog on the subject (http://www.burningsea.com/pages/page.php?pageKey=news/article&article_id=10349)
and still has nothing to say but 'SOE SUXORS U LOSE' then like Mister T, I
can only pity the fool." There is also
a Q&A about the SOE deal with Russell Williams on WarCry.
- No Horizons
RPG
Vault's No Horizons Q&A - Part 2 broadens our horizons about ICNH Games'
MMOTBS game: "Fighting can be a big part of a game like No Horizons, and so
we've tried to make it reflect that importance, but there are a lot more
things that a culture can do besides flex its muscles. Besides the
aforementioned technology research, the players can trade with each other,
manufacture goods and build great metropolises, gather exotic resources, and
explore and engage in diplomacy and espionage on their friends and enemies
alike. There will be a lot ways to interact with other players, which is
essential in any MMO."
- Auto Assault
The
Auto Assault Q&A on WarCry
talks with Chris Holtorf, former designer on NetDevil's road rage MMORPG
"The enemy factions were a very collaborative piece of content. When any of
the Leads were writing up a new Region, we'd choose ideas from a big bank of
faction ideas we had written up in the beginning, adding new ideas to the
list when we had them. Then the enemy factions would be sort of fleshed out
in relationship to the storylines that incorporated them. The Pikes,
Tempernet and The Corps were three original enemy groups that existed when
we started on the project, but the Lore for each was written out as the
Biomek. Mutant and Human lore took shape, and their respective places in the
world became clear."
-
Steam News announces a new Source engine update is now available…
K2 networks announces the launch of
open beta testing
for Sword of the New World: Granado Espada, the westernization of this
MMORPG masterminded by the creator of Ragnarok Online: IRVINE, Calif. –
June 27, 2007 – K2 Network, Inc. (www.k2network.net),
an online game publisher, announced today that the beta for its epic MMORPG,
Sword of the New World: Granado Espada is now live and open to the public.
“The growing Sword of The New World community has been waiting for this day and
it’s finally here,” said Grantley Day, Vice President of Development at K2
Network. “Until now gamers could only read about the unique and exciting
experience that is Sword of The New World; but now they can experience this
truly exceptional game firsthand.”
Gamers who are interested in being part of the open beta which is now live and
continues through until early July should visit
http://www.swordofthenewworld.com/register-beta.php to sign up and start
playing. In the beta, players will have access to 4 worlds while experiencing
the game’s extensive costume selection feature and unique multi-character
control system, while testing out the deep and compelling character classes.
Licensed to K2 Network by Hanbitsoft, Sword of the New World is developed by
imcGAMES. imcGAMES is headed by CEO Hakkyu Kim, the creator of Ragnarok Online,
one of the world’s most popular MMO’s with more than 25 million subscribers. A
fantasy MMORPG whose story is modeled after Europe’s exploration of the New
World, this gorgeous, original title allows players to create and simultaneously
control a family of characters utilizing the excusive Multiple Character Control
(MCC) system.
This innovative fantasy adventure lavishly unfolds its luscious graphical style
through a rich and compelling story comprised of thrilling missions and quests.
Swept by an exotic New World fever in the 17th century, this fictional yet
profoundly historical exploration of the new found continent includes features
that are all-new and exclusive to the U.S. and European versions of the game.
EBgames now
lists the upcoming release of Soldier of Fortune: Pay Back, offering a November
13, 2007 release date for this unannounced game that would seem to be the next
installment in Raven's brutal SoF series. The only details are that title,
release date, and word that Activision is the publisher.
Matrix Games announces
Advanced Tactics:
World War II, a turn-based strategy game in the works at VR Designs. Here's
word, which does not offer a release date: Versatility meets riveting
gameplay in this turn-based strategy masterpiece!
Matrix Games and VR Designs are proud to announce Advanced Tactics! Building off
of the success of the enormously popular People’s Tactics, Advanced Tactics
offers players a robust interface and flexible gaming system that will allow for
addicting, but realistic, recreation of a variety of historical periods and even
some fictional ones!
David Heath, Director of Operations at Matrix Games, said “I’ve been a fan of VR
Designs for quite some time now and I’m pumped to see that their latest release
will be through Matrix Games. The depth and variety of strategic situations the
player can be presented with in this game is truly something unique and I’m sure
strategy gamers will agree.”
Victor Reijkersz, lead developer of Advanced Tactics added “The feedback and
excitement we’ve received from the already huge community built around Advanced
Tactics and its predecessor, People’s Tactics, is exhilarating and it continues
to grow. The game is coming along quite well and I’m confident that People’s
Tactics veterans and newcomers to this great system will both enjoy Advanced
Tactics. We’re very lucky and honored to have such a well known company as
Matrix Games publishing our game.”
Advanced Tactics is a versatile turn-based strategy system that gives gamers the
chance to wage almost any battle in any time period. Grab a Springfield and take
re-fight the American Civil War or hop in that Sherman and battle through the
lines of the Second World. Complete with a streamlined interface and an
addicting style of gameplay, Advanced Tactics offers a unique and infinitely
replayable experience for any strategy fan.
New screenshots can be found via the following link...
http://www.matrixgames.com/games/screens.asp?gid=345
This press release
announces Scallywag: In the Lair of the Medusa, an upcoming "single-player,
action orientated dungeonbash for Windows" in the works at Chronic Reality. The
game does not carry a release date at this point, but word is beta testing is
already underway. Here's a portion of the verbose announcement: Hone your
blades and prepare for glory! Shrapnel Games is pleased to announce that British
developer Chronic Reality has joined with Shrapnel to publish their upcoming
game, Scallywag: In the Lair of the Medusa, a single-player, action orientated
dungeonbash for Windows.
In Scallywag: In the Lair of the Medusa, a mysterious evil has begun to plague
the good citizens of Gosling valley. Livestock is vanishing, people are cowering
in their homes, and telemarketers keep calling during the dinner hour. Even
worse, the valley's supply of mushrooms is suffering, and for the valley
mushrooms are life. Providing everything from shelter to sustenance, from magic
to medicine, the shroom supply must flow once more!
In the tradition of NetHack and Rogue, players control a single character,
Rapius the mighty farm laborer, in his quest to defeat the forces of darkness
and become the savior of Gosling valley (and its shrooms!). Rapius, who begins
his virtual career with barely a rag to wear, must penetrate eighty levels of
darkness, growing in power with each denizen of the dark slain, each newly
acquired trinket, and every mushroom consumed, until at last he meets his final
foe, the dreaded Medusa!
Scallywag: In the Lair of the Medusa provides players with a fascinating array
of options to explore, making every game a unique experience. Rapius will face
dozens of monsters, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, various
environmental hazards, and deadly boss encounters. Along the way he'll learn to
craft items, drink potions, eat magic mushrooms, smoke fungus, imbibe booze
(from cheap Gobbo ale to lip-smacking Moon River whiskey), and much more. Among
other things Rapius can become invisible, diseased, hungover, poisoned, and even
a werewolf (hopefully not all at once)!
Rapius must also master his lantern, his source of illumination in the
underworld. If the lantern is turned up Rapius will be able to see (and be
seen!) further into the void, allowing him to make long range attacks on his
foes. If the lantern is turned down, Rapius can attempt to creep past danger,
sidestepping beasties he's not quite ready to tackle.
- BioShock
Rationalizing
Rapture with BioShock's Ken Levine on GameSpy is a Q&A with the head of
Irrational about the upcoming SSS2: "It was an easy decision for us to make,
because when you engage in a battle with a Big Daddy, as both of you just
did, then it's very easy for a Little Sister to get stuck in the crossfire
of that. It wouldn't be possible for one to stay out of it, and that harms
the other element of the game. There's a fictional explanation in the game
for why we wanted that right in the player's face. Those sequences are
either more moving than you would expect, or brutal, depending on which path
you take. It's not prurient violence; it's not about the action, but really
the decision that you've made."
- Pirates of the Burning Sea
The
Pirates of the Burning Sea
Q&A on TenTonHammer chats with Kevin Maginn about Flying Lab Software's
upcoming MMORPG: "Our criteria are pretty straightforward: First, is the
feature non-optional? If a game system is broken without the feature, or
gameplay is terrible without the feature, it’s probably not optional, so it
gets prioritized to the top of the list. Second, does the feature have a
large impact? We could add a dozen tiny features that wouldn’t have much
effect on the game at all, but that’s probably not a good use of our time.
We’re looking for features that improve gameplay for as many players as
possible – a kind of ‘Design Utilitarianism.’ Third, is the feature cheap?
We have a very limited amount of content design time, and an even more
limited amount of programmer time. The best features to be considering this
late in the project are the ones that don’t require any programmer time at
all; they’re still not ‘free’, because QA still has to test them, but
they’re at least possible."
- Dreamlords
The
Dreamlords Q&A on Multiplayer
Online Games Directory talks with Dan Thronstrom about Lockpick's
MMORTS: "In some quests, called spirit quests, you are able to fight with
your powerful dreamlord. These quests usually play an important role in the
story and we wanted these events to be special. We wanted the game
experience in these quests to be different from other quests, and we felt
that a more dreamy setting would do the trick. The setting in the other
quests does not have surrealistic settings, but aims to show a more
realistic setting of your patria."
Is the iPhone the Paris Hilton of technology?
So it's 4:30 in the morning and I am awakened by a bark from outside the house.
This wasn't loud or sustained, but woke me anyway, because it sounded like
Hudson the wonder dog (most dog owners can probably relate to being able to
distinguish their dog's "voice" from random barking). Gunnar-man and I went down
to investigate, and sure enough, someone (*cough* MrsBlue *cough*) seems to have
locked Hudson out in the backyard for the night. It took some coaxing to get her
to come in, as she clearly was enjoying her feral evening. So all's well that
ends well, especially since there were no skunks involved.
R.I.P.:
Roy Torcaso, 96, SCOTUS Freedom of Belief Fighter.
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