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Archived News:
Steam
News has word that an automatic update is now available for Lost Planet:
Extreme Condition, with the new version of Capcom's space combat shooter adding
four new multiplayer maps, new DirectX 10 enhancements, and a new chat
feature: >> Four new multiplayer maps. Map Pack #2 includes Battleground
(an abandoned town scattered with rubble from ruined buildings), Lost Technology
(a tribute to 8-bit games), Ruins, (ancient ruins set amidst a lush jungle), and
Ice Drop (a glacier with plenty of peaks, nooks, and crannies)
>> DirectX 10 enhancements. Specialized DirectX 10 Geometry Shaders improve
overall visual quality through better depth of field effects and improved motion
blurring and fur shading.
>> Chat system. A new chat feature includes four default messages that can be
sent to other players from the game lobby or while playing.
The
Vanguard: Saga of Heroes Website has word that game update 2 is now
available for SOE's MMORPG, bringing it up to build 1871 (thanks Ash). The post
includes an extremely lengthy list of changes and fixes in the patch, including
some features that will not take full effect until after the planned server
merge to avoid potential conflicts.
The ZeniMax
Online Q&A on Shacknews chats with Matt Firor about this new MMOG developer,
discussing his background, some history of Mythic and DAoC, the appeal of PvP
combat, gold farming, content expansions, and more.
- Beowulf on
Hooked Gamers.
- The Matrix Online on
WarCry. Developer's Blog
#5: Chapter 7.3.
- Tabula Rasa on
GameZone.
Developers’ Diary: Ethical Parables.
Soldak Entertainment announces the release of a playable demo for Depths of
Peril, their upcoming action/RPG. The download is available on
Atomic Gamer,
ComputerGames.ro,
FanGaming,
File Front,
FileShack,
Gameguru Mania,
Gamer's Hell,
GameSpot (registration required), and
Strategy
Informer. Word is: Dallas, Texas, August 16, 2007 - Soldak
Entertainment today announced the availability of the Depths of Peril demo for
Windows PCs.
Depths of Peril is a single player action role-playing game (RPG) with strong
strategy elements. You play as a faction leader protecting the barbarian city,
Jorvik, by destroying threatening monsters and completing quests. At the same
time, you compete with rival factions to see who will rule the city. Barbarians
choose their leaders by fighting to the death!
As a faction leader, you must deal with rival factions through diplomacy, trade,
and in time, war. Between battles and raids against other barbarian factions,
you build the most powerful faction possible, to withstand your enemies.
Building the power of a faction involves exploring a fantasy world, slaying
dangerous monsters, solving quests for the city, avoiding deadly traps, and
plundering loot to share within your faction.
But in this world, actions actually have consequences, so take care. Annoying
the powerful and aggressive Legion of Fear faction will cause them to declare
war and destroy you. Ignored orc uprisings in the Black Forest might lead to
attacks on the town or even more trouble. Protect ally covenants that are being
raided, because friends are hard to come by.
Unlike many demos, in this demo, you can play all four characters that are
available in the full game up to level 7 so there is plenty to try out. The demo
is also under 70MB, so there's no reason not to give it a try :)
Steam
now offers the opportunity to pre-purchase BioShock for digital download, which
includes a pre-load of Irrational's eagerly anticipated first-person shooter so
it can be played as soon as it officially debuts on August 21. Update:
Valve responded to our question about what time the release would occur, saying it
would be at 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, and that there is now a ticker on the front
page of the Steam Website counting down
to the release.
2K Games to Publish Gearbox Software's Borderlands for Next Gen Consoles and
Games for Windows is the publishing announcement for Gearbox Software's
just-revealed ( story) shooter (thanks
FiringSquad). The press release offers some new details on the game:
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--2K Games, a publishing label of Take-Two
Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), announced today that it will publish
Borderlands™, the latest release from acclaimed developer Gearbox Software, for
the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3
computer entertainment system and Games for Windows®. As the first title in an
all-new sci-fi action franchise, Borderlands combines the best elements of
Gearbox Software’s famed first-person action titles with player customization
and vehicular combat to create an unprecedented gaming experience.
Gearbox Software has developed revolutionary new technology to create
Borderlands’ incredible layers of gameplay depth. Borderlands features a
groundbreaking content generation system allowing for near-endless variety in
missions, environments, enemies, weapons, item drops and character
customization.
"Borderlands represents an important evolutionary leap in game design and
technology,” said Christoph Hartmann, President of 2K. “By utilizing
revolutionary new technology to create thousands of unique, randomly generated
missions, weapons and situations, Borderlands will raise the bar for next gen
action games.”
Borderlands is an extraordinary cooperative experience, allowing for multiple
players to share the same game experience simultaneously online. Players can
freely join or leave each other’s games at anytime, or choose to play in the
full single-player mode. Borderlands features life-like character animations,
impressive real-time physics, and customizable vehicles.
“Borderlands creates a universe of gameplay that goes far beyond anything anyone
would expect. We’re tapping into every bit of Gearbox Software’s experience with
the biggest science fiction video game franchises, then taking everything way
past the next level,” said Randy Pitchford, President of Gearbox Software. “The
team at 2K Games shares our passion for pushing boundaries in gameplay and
storytelling and are absolutely perfect partners for Borderlands.”
Borderlands will be available holiday 2008 for PLAYSTATION 3 system, Xbox 360
and Games for Windows®. For more information, see the Borderlands cover story in
the September issue of Game Informer Magazine.
An Update from APOC's Corner on the C&C 3 Forums offers a summary of
upcoming Command & Conquer 3 activity, much of which has already been part of
the first Command &
Conquer BattleCast (thanks Ant and
Command and Conquer DEN). Here's word on plans for the next patch, the mod SDK,
the ladder season, and dealing with cheaters and disconnects: PATCH
1.07 is nearing QA approval this week we anticipate. We had some
localization issues that needed to be fixed and thus patch 1.07 fell off that
"fast track". Keep your heads high however, the light at the end of the tunnel
is near. I hope to have a concrete release time frame very soon. The patch/mod
sdk will not be out this week. I will do my best to let you know before the week
ends what we are looking at. I hate to leave on this note, but I want to be sure
we're QA approved before I mention a release date. That QA approval looks very
good for later this week.
MOD SDK - its coming with Patch 1.07, thats about all I have for you
right now on that front. There will be lots of documentation and info to
accompany it when it releases, we're so close!
Ladder Season - Everything is nearly in place, I am just awaiting some
final legal approval on rules. Look for the ladder season to start late August
with a full reset. We have yet to decide on the stats reset, still analyzing
community opinion on what everyone wants reset...or not.
Cheating/Disconnecting - Currently working with the new mods on compiling
a list and suspensions/bans are due to be handed out. I apologize for this
action not happening sooner but its a sensitive process and you can expect much
more action during the ladder season when it matters the most.
Tripwire Interactive announces new details for the coming "summer update" for
Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45, which will add a vast new map to the World War II
first-person shooter as well as graphical enhancements: Roswell, GA,
August 15, 2007 - Tripwire Interactive today releases details of another
upcoming free major update for Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45, the award-winning
WWII online action game. This update includes the massive new tank combat map
“Krivoi Rog”, as well as graphical enhancements including a new adaptive bloom
system, and is available to owners of the game for free through Steam, Valve’s
digital distribution network.
There is a batch of new screenshots on our web site at
www.redorchestragame.com for
everyone to have a look at. And now, more detail on the new and updated
features:
• New map – “Krivoi Rog”. This is set on the plains of the
southern Ukraine in late 1943 and allows the German Tiger tank to show at its
very best, matching its firepower against the speed and agility of the Russian
T-34. This map also puts the new long view distances and higher player numbers
to good use – giving massed tank engagements over an unprecedented 24 square
kilometers of play area with a view distance of 3,000 meters.
• New vehicle – the mid-war German Panzer IVG. This one
bridges the gap between the under-powered early-war German tanks and the very
powerful later-war machines.
• Graphical enhancements - The game now features an all new
adaptive bloom system that aside from looking amazing (even at low resolutions)
also simulates the effect of the eye adjusting when looking at bright areas. We
have even added the in-game anti-aliasing and anisotropic filtering settings for
even more eye-candy.
• New vehicle features including a manual tank shell
reloading option and a dynamic camera movement system for when driving or riding
in vehicles.
• New system for locational and damage type specific pain
and death sounds. For example, head shots will result in a quieter death sound,
shots to the lower torso will result in a loud screaming death sound.
• Many new server admin requested options and features
include forced team balance, banning by ROID and improved Idle Kick
• As always, there is a long list of other new and updated
features, plus bug fixes – see the full changelog on the forums at
www.redorchestragame.com!
Red Orchestra is available via Steam and at retail outlets worldwide. For more
information about Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45 and Steam, please visit
www.steamgames.com.
Mitch Gross Interviewed on Planet Frontlines discusses Frontlines: Fuel of
War with Mitch Gross, Community Manager at Kaos Studios. They discuss his
background, memorable experiences during development, community support, how
Frontlines compares with Desert Combat, and more.
EA Staffer Attempts to
Alter Wiki History on Shacknews takes advantage of the new
Wikipedia Scanner
( story) to show how some folks apparently located at the
headquarters of Electronic Arts have been attempting to boost the company's
public image by editing
its Wikipedia entry. Some edits manipulated the company's origins, promoting
the influence of current chairman Larry Probst while downplaying the role of
actual founder Trip Hawkins. Other changes removed criticisms of EA,
particularly in relation to the whole EA spouse situation ( story)
over working conditions in the game industry, gamely attempting to spin this to
explain how EA has "led the industry in reforming work/life balance issues that
are endemic to the software industry."
- Far Cry 2
The Far
Cry 2 Developers Blog now offers a new "behind-the-scenes" trailer for
the upcoming sequel to Crytek's first-person shooter. The clip features Alex
Amancio describing how the engine and story will go hand-in-hand. Thanks
Gamer's Hell.
- F.E.A.R.: Perseus Mandate
A new F.E.A.R.: Perseus Mandate
movie offers a look at the upcoming expansion for the scary first-person
shooter. The movie is posted on
ActionTrip,
FileFront,
FileShack,
Gameplay Monthly, and
Gamer's Hell.
- Warhound
A new Warhound trailer is now available to show
off some of the lush vegetation (and its destruction) of the outdoor
environments in Techland's upcoming shooter. The 30-second clip is available
on
FileFront, Gamer's
Hell, and
Strategy Informer. The "episode one" movie concludes by promising to
show off more destructible environments in an upcoming episode 2.
- Stranglehold
A new "attract mode" Stranglehold movie
offers the latest look at the game follow-up to Hard Boiled. The movie
sequel game movie (huh?) can be found on
ActionTrip and
Gamer's Hell.
New FM UNN Facility
Polaris-32A0 on the TTLG Forums has the release of this new single-player
campaign for System Shock 2 (thanks Ant). The modification adds six new levels
to Irrational/Looking Glass Studios' venerated action/RPG.
- Lost Planet: Extreme Condition on
LANThrax.
- Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword on
GameZone.
Today marks the 30th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. It strikes me
watching footage of people standing on line at Graceland that Elvis' career has
now spanned a longer stretch since he has been dead than it did when he was
alive. I wonder if it's possible for an individual to become as famous and iconic
as that in this day and age? How famous? When your
full name
on the Wikipedia is disambiguated because of other things named for you, but
your entry can be found under your
first name, you're pretty darned famous. To commemorate, maybe I'll have a
fried peanut butter & banana sandwich, though I think I'll skip the Percocets.
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