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Archived News:
Paradox Interactive announces Deus Vult, the first expansion pack for Crusader
Kings, which will bring additional content to the strategy game in September of
this year: New York, USA (July 31, 2007) – Paradox Interactive announced
today an expansion pack to Crusader Kings, their grand strategy game for players
vying to create the most powerful dynasty of medieval Europe.
Play as the leader of a glorious dynasty in the period of 1066 to 1453 A.D. Your
task? Amass prestige; increase the greatness of your lands and your treasure
coffins, build Cathedrals and Castles, appoint vassals and battle traitors,
introduce laws and set taxes while interacting with hundreds of courtiers and
nobles.
In addition to a graphical overhaul to increase player experience, the epic and
intense strategy expansion Deus Vult brings:
Various added inter-character relations, representing loyalty inside courts,
relations between countries, as well as friends and rivals for all characters.
No longer will realms just fall apart, a beleaguered King will always have
friends who will support him. Also beware as your smoothly running realm could
run into trouble when your nice loyal vassal becomes your rival. Introduction of
new gameplay aspects like the stability affecting realms, numerous traits for
characters and options for diplomacy, such as the possibility to send
fosterlings to other courts. Plus an all-new system for children. No longer will
a 3 year old be able to run a realm effectively. Children are all now born with
0 stats and then develop over childhood. You'll never know how good your heir
will be until he matures. A revised interface to streamline gameplay, with
several completely redesigned windows. Immediate alert icons highlight immediate
problems with your realm and a full ledger with more than a dozen detailed
pages. A variety of new events as well as a substantial amount of changes and
improvements to the tools used by modders. Deus Vult is scheduled for a release
in late September, 2007 and will be available through digital download on
GamersGate. The game will retail for $14.99/€14.99.
The MMO Gamer has news by way of
Worldofwar.de that the next World of
Warcraft expansion will likely carry the title Wrath of the Lich King, which
interestingly sounds a lot like Rise of the Witch King if you say it with a
mouth full of popcorn. The speculation is based on a title uncovered on the
USK website.
Paradox Interactive reveals that the North American boxed edition of Combat
Mission: Shock Force is delayed, and will be available in stores in a week,
though the game is available for digital distribution online already via
GamersGate as well as in European stores ( story). With no
accompanying explanation, word is: "New York, USA (July 31, 2007) – Global
publisher Paradox Interactive announced today that Combat Mission: Shock Force
will be slightly delayed in reaching retail shelves in North America. The
products will start shipping to stores in USA and Canada the week of August 6,
2007."
Codemasters
now offers a new patch for Overlord, updating Triumph Studios' game of minion
manipulation to version 1.2. The new version adds an inverted mouse option,
removes the 30 FPS cap, addresses bugs, exploits, and more. The download is
mirrored on
FileFront, Gamer's Hell,
and The Patches Scrolls.
A new patch for Anderson & the Legacy of Cthulhu updates the adventure game,
which is apparently now available, to version 1.02. There is also a
corresponding version 1.02 patch for the recently released demo
( story). The downloads are available from
Gamer's Hell.
CDV Software announces the North American edition of Sherlock Holmes: The
Awakened is gold, and will be in stores on September 4: cdv Software
Entertainment USA is pleased to announce that Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened, a
3D horror adventure for PC, has gone gold today. In Sherlock Holmes: The
Awakened, players will take on the role of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes
and his able assistant Doctor Watson as they unravel the horrifying mysteries of
a sinister cult of the dark god Cthulhu. The game is set to ship to North
American retail on September 4, 2007.
PC Game On
Cancelled is the press release announcing that Game On is no longer on, the
consumer-oriented gaming expo that was to take place in Texas this September has
been cancelled "due to time and planning constraints."
Forbes.com reports that "Bluebay Value Recovery (Master) Fund has notified
stock market regulator AMF that the fund has 22.50 pct of Infogrames' shares, or
22.43 pct of voting rights in the company, after increasing its stake above the
20 pct threshhold [sic]" (thanks
GameDaily BIZ).
Word is: "Bluebay told the AMF is it seeking representation on the Infogrames
board, without wanting to take control of the company."
A new "speed challenge" trailer shows off some of the action in Need for Speed:
ProStreet, the upcoming installment in the high octane racing series. The clip
can be found on
FileFront and Gamer's
Hell.
- Mark Rein
An
Audience with Mark Rein on Computer and Video Games talks with the Epic
veep about E3, Gears of War, Games for Windows, the GoW sequel they refuse
to admit to, and, of course, more.
- Warhammer Online
Warhammer
Online Q&A on The MMO Gamer is a Comic-Con conversation with Lance Robertson
about EA Mythic's MMORPG. They discuss the basics of gameplay, how beta testing
is progressing, RvR balance, and more. Speaking of more, there's
another Q&A with Lance on MPOGD.
On another related note, the
Warhammer Online Q&A #5 on WarCry continues their ongoing series by asking
some questions of Richard Duffek about the game.
- Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
The
Mercenaries
2: World in Flames Q&A on Computer and Video Games discusses the upcoming
sequel with Pandemic's Jonathan Zamkoff, talking about characters, the PS2
version, the PSP (for some reason), working with EA and BioWare, and more.
- King's Bounty
StrategyCore.co.uk's
King's Bounty Q&A is an E3 conversation with Anatoly Subbotin of 1C Company
about the upcoming strategy game formerly known as Battle Lord. They talk about
how the original King's Bounty is an ancestor of the HoMM series, gameplay, RPG
elements, character alignment, and more.
- Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties
Age
of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties Updated Q&A on GameSpot talks with Brian
Reynolds of Big Huge Games about the nation of Japan in the upcoming RTS
expansion.
- Devil May Cry 4
The
Devil May Cry 4
Producer Interview on GameSpy talks with Capcom's Hiroyuki Kobayashi about
the coming sequel, how creating versions for different platforms works, keeping
the series fresh, and more.
- FIFA 08
The
FIFA 08 Q&A
on Computer and Video Games kicks a few topics around with Paul Hossack,
producer on the PC and PS2 editions of the upcoming World Cup football
simulation.
- The Escapist issue 108
offers a potpourri of topics. Come for the Hentai, stay for the story. Or
something like that…
- Record of Lunia War, an
action/arcade MMORPG, has launched beta testing…
Meridian 4 now offers a new demo for
RIP3 – The Last Hero. Word is: "'This demo gives players a taste of what has
made the RIP series so good. The demo lets players feel the high-octane,
non-stop action and to test out some of the weapons and vehicles found within
the game.' said Steve Milburn, Marketing Director at Meridian4, 'All six heroes
can be used, allowing gamers a chance to see their different skills and
abilities, like Death’s toxic cloud or Rock n’ Roll’s life sucking Vampire
attack.' The demo features all six unique heroes to choose from to play over the
first ten levels of the game. There are numerous different weapons to test out,
plenty of enemies to destroy and even a tank or two to take on a joy ride." The
download is available on
3D Downloads,
FileFront, and Gamer's
Hell.
Computer and
Video Games has the latest on plans to patch S.TA.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of
Chernobyl. The version 1.0004 patch was promised "within a matter of days"
nearly a month ago ( story). The delay to the patch has prompted
previously resolute fansite
Oblivion-Lost to go on
"strike" in protest (thanks Bill). The story directs blame for the tardiness
towards THQ and quotes GSC once again, with Oleg Yavorsky saying: "The new patch
has been in test for quite some time and we're sending regular updates to THQ.
So players should be able to get their hands on the next patch very soon." They
offer a list of some of what's addressed in the patch.
Sony Online Entertainment announces that Jon Smedley will open this week's
SOE Fan Faire in Las
Vegas with a first-ever "Community Address" on Friday at 8:30 p.m. EDT. Among
the topics will be the unveiling of a new SOE game that attendees will be able
to check out first-hand, which will launch by the end of August: To kickoff
the 2007 SOE Fan Faire, SOE President John (“Smed”) Smedley will provide opening
remarks to the more than 1000 video game fans coming to the Rio All Suite Hotel
& Casino in Las Vegas for this year’s Fan Faire video game convention. This
first-ever “Community Address” combines a live presentation with a streaming
video broadcast online, where Smed will give both Fan Faire attendees and other
gamers the kind of look at SOE products usually reserved for industry events
such as E3. Both audiences will see the latest from upcoming titles like Pirates
of the Burning Sea™ and Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising™. Fan Faire guests and online
viewers will also get their first looks at Secrets of Faydwer™, the next
expansion for EverQuest®, and Rise of Kunark™, the upcoming expansion for
EverQuest® II.
In another first for Fan Faire, Smed will also unveil an all-new, SOE online
game, which is set to formally launch in late August. Fan Faire guests will have
the first chance to demo this new title throughout Fan Faire weekend, August
3-5. The SOE Fan Faire is a unique social event in which players of SOE’s most
popular titles congregate to meet their online, game-playing peers. This year’s
event boasts a plethora of game-themed live events including tournaments,
contests, live quests, a variety of panel discussions and tons of great gaming
related contests.
A new patch for Supreme Commander brings Gas Powered Games' real-time strategy
game to version 3260. Patches to update build 3189 and build 3255 can be found
on the GPGnet
Forums, and the
build 3260 Patch notes outline what's new and different, which includes new
units as well as bug fixes and balance changes. One or both of the patches can
also be found mirrored on
FileFront, Gamer's Hell,
and The
Patches Scrolls.
The 2MOONS Website now offers the launch of
open beta testing for 2MOONS, Acclaim's upcoming adult-oriented MMORPG that will
remain free-to-play when it goes live. The beta client can be downloaded from
FanGaming,
FileFront, Gamer's Hell,
and
PixelRage.
- 38 Studios
An
Interview with Four Leaders of 38 Studios on TenTonHammer takes
advantage of Comic-Con to chat with four of the figures behind the startup
developer, though Curt Schilling, Todd MacFarlane, and R.A. Salvatore are
not among them. Rather Mary Kirchoff, Scott Cuthbertson, Chaz Sutherland,
and Brett Close talk about the studio and how their workflow goes with Curt,
Todd, Mr. Salvatore usually in other locations. They also have a
Brett Close video interview
getting up Close and personal with the company's CEO and president.
- Russian Gaming
The
Russian gaming Q&A on Cosmos Gaming talks with four companies heavily
involved in the game development scene in Russia. Topics include the state
of the industry, what they are currently working on, issues translating
games to English, and more.
Looks like the insane humidity is dropping around here over the next few days.
That's nice… yesterday I opened some potato chips, and they managed to get
to a ruined soggy state before I even got to the end of the bag.
R.I.P.: Blow-Up
director Antonioni dies.
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