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Archived News:
GameSpot reports a rumor by way of an un-sourced report on
Computer
and Video Games that Mercenaries 2: World in Flames is delayed, and
that Pandemic's upcoming combat-for-hire shooter will be released next year
rather than this year, as was expected. They offer an official no comment from
Pandemic and their opinion that this is probably true, among other things
because it will keep the game from competing with Crysis, which will also be
published by EA. Shacknews
has further follow-up on this, saying they also received a noncommittal response
from Pandemic, but that EA told them that Mercenaries 2 is still slated for a
Holiday 2007 release.
The
St. Louis Post-Dispatch (thanks
GamePolitics) reports on Iraq war backlash directed towards the
America's Army game, which has drawn the ire of a group called Iraq Veterans
Against the War. The report, which is from a couple of weeks ago, describes a
scene where 90 members of the group stood in formation in front of a recruiting
event shouting "war is not a game" in a protest that lasted a few minutes. From
the description, this sounds like a spontaneous event, rather than part of a
larger campaign: They were referring to the large military simulation
game set up by Army recruiters at the Missouri Black Expo. The group of
veterans, known as Iraq Veterans Against the War, were in St. Louis for their
annual meeting this weekend when they decided to stage a brief demonstration at
the Expo.
The White Gold: War in Paradise
Website is online, as a home to Deep Shadows' upcoming Caribbean shooter
(thanks Geheme 45). The site includes Forums, a FAQ, a non-working RSS feed, and
information on the project that is quite obviously translated, with mixed
degrees of clarity.
- Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars
The
Enemy Territory: QUAKE
Wars Q&A on The ClanBase talks with Paul 'Locki' Wedgwood of Splash
Damage about the now-gold teamplay shooter. They compare the game with the
Battlefield series, support for competitive leagues, vehicles, battling
cheaters, and more. The Q&A concludes with a giveaway of two signed copies
of the game.
- BioWare/AGDC
AGDC
Pre-Show Q&A with Rich Vogel on WarCry talks with the co-studio director
of BioWare Austin as the AGDC (Austin Game Developers Conference) is about
to open. They discuss the goals of the conference, the AGDC's evolving
goals, whether there's a conflict with the 300 other recent game
conferences, and more.
- Planetarion
The
Planetarion Q&A on MPOGD
talks with Richard Martin about Planetarion, learning that this MMOG is a
"totally free game," unless you count the premium features which require
payment. Other topics include planetary control, content in Round 22, plans
for Round 23, and more.
- Online Worlds Roundtable
Online
Worlds Roundtable #15 - Part 1 on RPG Vault kicks off another of their
group discussions of the MMO scene, talking with several industry luminaries
about global markets and trends.
- GameTap
The
GameTap Interview on
TenTonHammer is a PAX 2007 conversation with David Reid about their
online games service. They discuss what's new on the service, multiplayer
support, pricing schemes, Myst Online, episodic updates, GameTap TV, and
more.
The Medieval II: Total War Retrofit Mod will add many of the enhancements and
new features from Medieval II Total War: Kingdoms to a copy of Medieval II:
Total War. To be clear, the Kingdoms expansion is still required, but this
allows many of its features to be applied to the unexpanded game as well. The download can be found along with
details on the project on the
Medieval II TW Modding
board and mirrors can be found on
Gamer's Hell and
The
Patches Scrolls.
The
Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars Forums now offer an official release date for
the demo for Splash Damage's upcoming teamplay shooter (thanks Woody), saying
the demo is due next Monday: "The Windows PC demo is going to be released on
September 10, 2007."
A demo for Galactic
Assault: Prisoner of Power is now available, following news that the science
fiction strategy game is gold ( story). Word is: "Secure dominance
by any means necessary and change the future of planet Saraksh! Play through the
training section of the full Galactic Assault: Prisoner of Power campaign and
strive to complete the 3 scenarios specifically designed for the demo. All
missions can be played on easy, medium and hard difficulty levels." The demo
debuted on
GameSpot (registration required), and mirrors are now available on
3D Downloads,
ComputerGames.Ro,
FanGaming,
FileFront, Gamer's Hell,
and
Strategy Informer.
EA announces that Medal of Honor Airborne for the PC and Xbox 360 is parachuting
into stores in North America and the UK: REDWOOD CITY, Calif., September
4, 2007 – Get ready to get airborne! Medal of Honor Airborne™, the latest
installment from EA’s critically-acclaimed Medal of Honor™ franchise has shipped
to store shelves across North America and the UK for the PC and Xbox 360™
videogame and entertainment system. The game will ship to retailers throughout
Europe on September 7. Medal of Honor Airborne is set to redefine the series and
will change the way shooters are played. Medal of Honor Airborne offers a
dramatically different approach to FPS games with its unprecedented non-linear
gameplay.
“In recreating the largest airdrops in history, Medal of Honor Airborne brings a
dramatic change and opens up the FPS genre with the innovative airdrop
experience," explained Patrick Gilmore, VP and Executive Producer at EALA.
“Players have the ability to land anywhere on the battlefield, and choose their
own tactics to achieve victory, delivering unprecedented variety and freedom to
the combat experience.”
For the first time in a FPS game, players airdrop into combat from a C-47 and
land anywhere in an open battlefield. The first step is everything and the
player’s landing spot can dramatically change the course of battle. Conflict on
the ground offers unprecedented tactical choice in vertical, open battle spaces
with a wealth of attack routes and flanking opportunities.
The Medal of Honor Airborne development team continues to ensure that the ideals
and integrity of the prestigious Congressional Medal of Honor are accurately
reflected in the game. The producers sought counsel from numerous expert sources
to make certain the game is historically accurate and as true to the WWII
Airborne experience as possible.
Award-winning composer Michael Giacchino has scored the music for Medal of Honor
Airborne. An esteemed composer for numerous film and TV projects such as “Lost”,
“Alias,” M:i:III (2007), The Incredibles (2004), and most recently Ratatouille
(2007), Giacchino has been repeatedly recognized for his contributions to
theatrical composition and score. As the original composer and creator of the
memorable theme music for the Medal of Honor series, he helped set the bar for
using music to bring emotion into gaming. Giacchino’s extraordinary talents and
musical sensibility have been utilized once again to bring a new dimension to
the WWII FPS experience of Medal of Honor Airborne.
Developed at EA Los Angeles under the EA™ brand, Medal of Honor Airborne is
rated ‘T’ for Teen by the ESRB, 16+ by PEGI, and 18+ by USK. The Xbox 360
version has a US MSRP of $59.99 and the PC version has a US MSRP of $49.99.
Medal of Honor Airborne for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system will
ship in November. For more information on Medal of Honor Airborne and the Medal
of Honor franchise, please visit:
www.moha.ea.com. Please visit EA’s press site at
www.info.ea.com for information about all
of EA’s games.
EA announces The Sims 2: Bon Voyage has set sail, and this expansion for the
lifestyle simulation is now available in North America and Europe:
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — September 4, 2007 — Electronic Arts Inc., (NASDAQ:
ERTS) today announced that fans of the critically-acclaimed PC game – The Sims™
2 – can now experience all-new exotic destinations as they travel with their
Sims! The Sims™ 2 Bon Voyage, which ships to store shelves today, is available
as a PC expansion pack* building on the celebrated The Sims 2 experience. Fans
can now whisk their Sims away on a variety of exciting trips to three exotic
locations including the Far East, Mountain Getaway, and even a Tropical
Paradise!
Whether your Sims are meditating in a pristine Zen garden in the Far East,
enjoying an adventurous helicopter tour through the mountains, or relaxing in a
luxury suite in the Tropics, they’ll enjoy a myriad of all-new activities to
unwind and rejuvenate. From exploring ancient ruins and building sand castles to
catching some rays after a boardwalk shopping spree, players can quickly
transform their Sims from bumbling tourists to savvy international travelers.
Sims will also learn new customs including local greetings and dances to take
home and teach to their friends. With The Sims 2 Bon Voyage, players can send
their Sims packing for the trip of a lifetime!
As your Sims travel, they’ll interact and learn from a variety of real and
mythical locals including the wise old hermit, fire dancers -- even Big Foot!
Like all true tourists, your Sims will be able to decorate their homes with
unique souvenirs from their trips that are available only at destinations within
The Sims 2 Bon Voyage. They can even buy unique jewelry to wear or take home as
gifts! Fall in love with the hula dance lei from your Sims’ tropical beach
vacation? Bring it back and flaunt to the neighbors! Love the moves your Sim
mastered doing the Slap Dance at the rustic lodge? Teach fellow Sims the tricks
of the trade back at home. What your Sims learn and collect is up to you!
“The Sims 2 players will be amazed by the amount of environments and activities
that are offered in Bon Voyage. We have opened up a world of opportunity for
your Sims to travel and expand their cultural horizons as well as relax and
escape from their hectic everyday routines,” Studio Head of The Sims Label, Rod
Humble states, “Whether your Sims are enjoying local treats on white sandy
beaches, learning Tai Chi from experts in the Far East or honing their
log-rolling skills at a rustic mountain camp– there’s always a new fun way to
stay entertained in The Sims 2 Bon Voyage!”
The Sims 2 Bon Voyage will ship under the EA brand and is rated “T” for Teen by
the ESRB. The game will ship August 31st in Europe and across the US as a PC
expansion pack* that builds on the original The Sims 2 PC game experience.
For more information on The Sims 2 and The Sims 2 Bon Voyage, visit
http://www.thesims2.com.
KEY FEATURES
· Travel to Three Exotic Destinations: Each location offers unique landscapes
and local residents, such as the Fire Dancer and Ninja, for your Sims to meet
and learn from. Try local cuisine and admire cultural landmarks as your Sims
explore these new locales.
· Send Your Sims on Tours: Glass bottom boat rides, adventurous van tours, and
other excursions are fun new activities for your Sims, but there may be some
surprises in store!
· Buy or Find Unique Items: Shop for rare items found only on your Sims’
travels, including unique jewelry they can wear or take home as gifts. Stumble
upon hidden locations, collect shells on the beach, or dig up treasure.
· Stay at New Travel Accommodations: Splurge on a luxury suite for your Sims or
choose a cozy cabin. Your Sims will enjoy the comfort of room service, get
pampered at the spa, and more.
Product Specifications
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Electronic Arts Redwood Shores
Ship Date: US: September 4, 2007
Europe: August 31, 2007
· PC expansion pack*
Category: Simulation/Strategy
ESRB Rating: T
PEGI Rating: 12+
* Requires The Sims 2, The Sims 2 Special DVD Edition , The Sims 2 Holiday
Edition or The Sims 2 Deluxe for PC to play.
Aspyr announces more Sims 2 is shipping, as The Sims 2: Happy Holiday Stuff is
now available to expand the Mac edition of the people sim: AUSTIN, Texas
(September 4, 2007) - Aspyr Media, Inc. announced this morning The Sims 2 Happy
Holiday Stuff has begun shipping to retail stores in North America for Mac.
Celebrate the Season with Must-Have Holiday Items from Around the Globe!
Spice up your Sims' holidays with this updated collection of seasonal items,
outfits, and décor. Deck their homes with traditional décor items from around
the globe including mistletoe, reindeer lawn ornaments, and an all-new
European-style Father Christmas. Indulge your Sims this season with this
collection of 60 items of festive fun!
*Requires The Sims? 2 for MAC OS X to play.
Features:
- Holiday Home Décor Light up candles to add a warm holiday glow with this
traditional European candle arch.
- The Holiday Lumberjack Statuette Spice up your Sims¹ holidays with this
traditional German holiday gnome, complete with sturdy boots and trusty hiking
staff.
- Huge Tree Extravaganza Size matters. Get your holiday on in a big way with
this tree to top all trees, a tribute to the famous tree from Rio.
- Ski Jump Frosty It¹s hard to stay balanced when you¹re built like Frosty,
but that doesn¹t stop him from showing his ski jumping skills.
- Holiday PJs Before they nestle into bed to dream of sugarplums, tuck Sim
toddlers into a seasonal sleeper.
- Cheongsam Enjoy the Chinese Fall Festival with Sims wearing this traditional
attire.
- Arctic Santa Even when the temperature drops, this European-style Father
Christmas is guaranteed to bring good tidings.
The Sims 2 Happy Holiday Stuff is now available through Aspyr's website for only
$24.99. For more information, fans can also visit the official Website,
http://thesims2.ea.com/about/holiday_stuff_index.php.
This press
release announces Fireteam
Reloaded, a multiplayer team-based action game "designed as a high-octane
combat sports game, featuring large-scale persistent player stat tracking." The
game, in the works at Pixel Mine,
is due this fall, with word that beta testing will begin soon: AUSTIN,
TX, September, 4 – Pixel Mine, Inc., Austin's newest development studio,
announced today Fireteam Reloaded, a team-based multiplayer action game that
emphasizes team tactics and communication. Fireteam Reloaded is designed as a
high-octane combat sports game, featuring large-scale persistent player stat
tracking.
In Fireteam Reloaded, players can form teams to battle across four unique
game-play modes where players choose one of three character classes, each with
their own strengths and weaknesses. The fast paced sports-like action is fueled
by furious combat in a futuristic battleground setting.
“Players will have to rely on their team mates to succeed. The best players will
use teamwork and coordinated tactics to advance up the rankings”, says Bill
Money, Chief Creative Officer for Pixel Mine. He adds "we designed Fireteam
Reloaded to be very accessible; the learning curve is short and the game
sessions are fast and exciting.”
Full in-game voice chat support will let players communicate easily with each
other to formulate strategy and taunt their opponents. Fireteam Reloaded also
features a spectator mode which lets enthusiastic fans cheer or jeer from the
sidelines.
When launched this fall, Fireteam Reloaded will be available for download from
the Pixel Mine and Fireteam Reloaded (
www.fireteamreloaded.com) websites. New content for the game, such as
character skins, game maps and new game play modes will be available through the
secure Pixel Mine store using the Pixel Mine micro-payment transaction system.
Pixel Mine will begin taking applications for the Fireteam Reloaded Closed Beta
Test online soon.
Paradox Interactive announces that
Galactic Assault: Prisoner of Power is gold, and to expect the
science-fiction strategy game based on the Strugatsky brothers' novel
Inhabited Island on August 10 in North America and four days later in
Europe: New York, USA (September 4, 2007) Paradox Interactive announced
today that their Sci-Fi wargame strategy release Galactic Assault: Prisoner of
Power, has gone gold.
The title will be shipped to stores in North America on September 10 and will
enter European store shelves on September 14. Simultaneously, Galactic Assault:
Prisoner of Power will be available on the download portal GamersGate and will
retail for $39.99/ €39.99.
In Galactic Assault: Prisoner of Power, four unique races battle for supremacy
on the planet Saraksh. Each race possesses and can easily develop
distinguishable technologies, leading to the presence of vastly different heavy
armoured units, transport units and aviation units on the battlefield. The
battles take place among vivid extraterrestrial landscapes in 3D with day and
night changes as well as dynamic weather conditions that affect the gameplay. In
addition to the interesting story line, Galactic Assault offers a revolutionary
tactical combat system, more than 70 unique units of great power and
high-definition visuals that will immerse players in a horrendous story of war
and survival.
Key Features
- Immersive storyline based on the Sci-Fi novel "Inhabited Island"
- 4 totally unique races: Land of the Fathers, Khonties, Barbarians and Island
Empire
- Realistic battle system (camouflage, fog of war, return fire, mine laying,
fortifications, land and air troop carriers)
- Advanced technology tree and unit upgrade system
- Realistic full 3D environment with day/night change and weather effects
- Cinematic Camera mode showing the most dramatic moments
Word from Lighthouse Interactive in funky uptown Haarlem is that UNDERCOVER:
Operation Wintersun has begun shipping in North America, though they are vague
about when exactly the World War II adventure game will be appearing on shelves:
Haarlem, The Netherlands – September 4, 2007 – Leading publisher
Lighthouse Interactive and dtp entertainment AG are proud to announce that their
spy-thriller Adventure game UNDERCOVER: Operation Wintersun has begun shipping
to retail stores across North America and Europe. The highly anticipated
Windows® game on PC CD-ROM will be available at major retailers including:
Wal-mart®, Fry’s Electronics®, CompUSA® and Amazon®.
Lighthouse CEO Erik Schreuder said, "We are extremely proud to announce that
UNDERCOVER: Operation Wintersun will soon be hitting store shelves. This is the
first time players will have the opportunity to experience an Adventure game
entirely set in World War 2 – a theme popular in other video game genres, but
yet to be explored so deeply in an Adventure game.” Schreuder went on to say,
“This is a great game that allows players to go undercover to prevent the Nazi
regime from building the World’s first nuclear bomb. We are sure gamers around
the World will enjoy the experience.”
This third person perspective game with beautifully created 2D environments is
no commonplace Adventure. It is best described as an enthralling point & click
Adventure requiring stealth, cunning and puzzle solving skills, all set in
Hitler’s Germany. UNDERCOVER features a powerful spy-thriller theme with
suspenseful situations. Although the story is purely fictitious, historical
World War 2 facts remain highly authentic, establishing a compelling gameplay
experience.
GAME SUMMARY:
In 1943, Hitler’s Germany is performing scientific research on nuclear fission
intending to produce nuclear energy, as well as devastating nuclear weaponry…
Slip into the role of Dr. John Russell, a renowned British nuclear physicist who
is hired by Britain’s Secret Service MI6 to become an undercover agent. Your
mission: prevent the Third Reich from building the World’s first nuclear bomb.
Embark on a dangerous and enthralling adventure that will have you looking over
your shoulder and questioning who you can trust. Explore the heart of historic
war-torn locations including: London, Berlin and Stalingrad, as you work with
other Allied operatives to serve your country, the Crown, and defend the World
from destruction.
FEATURES:
• Explore incredible vistas populated with ambient animations, dynamic weather
effects, plus advanced lighting and shadows
• A variety of mini-games requiring quick wit and stealth adds depth to your
gameplay experience
• Interact with plenty of characters integral to the elaborate character-driven
plot
• Use your sharp observation skills to solve a multitude of challenging puzzles
• Highly realistic graphics combine with astonishing cinematics to create an
immersive experience
• Mouse driven 3D real-time characters makes it simple to navigate
MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
OS: Windows® 98SE / ME / 2000 / XP
CPU: 1 GHz Intel® Pentium® processor or AMD® Athlon™ processor
RAM: 256 MB (512 MB recommended for Windows® XP)
Video: 64 MB DirectX® 9 support or better
PC CD-ROM: 4x (or PC DVD-ROM drive)
Sound: DirectSound® compatible
Available Hard Disk Space: 2 GB
DirectX®: 9.0c
Other: Mouse, Keyboard and Speakers
To find out more about UNDERCOVER: Operation Wintersun and to keep up with the
latest news on the game visit
www.lighthouse-interactive.com and
www.undercover-game.com.
A new patch for Medieval II: Total War updates the European edition of Creative
Assembly's large-scale RTS game to version 1.3 by addressing some bugs. The
download is available on
3D Downloads,
ComputerGames.ro,
FileFront, Gamer's Hell,
Strategy Informer, and The Patches Scrolls.
- Orange Box
There's
an Orange Box Video Interview on Pro-G talking with Valve's Gabe Newell
about the coming release of the Orange Box bundle of Half-Life 2: Episode
Two, Portal, and Team Fortress 2.
- Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
There's a
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Video Interview on Pro-G where Infinity
Ward discusses the next installment in their military shooter series.
- World In Conflict
The
World In Conflict Q&A on Games32 chats with Magnus 'Soundboy' Jansén,
lead designer on Massive Entertainment's upcoming real-time strategy game,
discussing what makes the game different, multiplayer play, factions, clans,
pacing, and more.
- They
The
They Q&A on Gameguru Mania is a publisher-distributed Q&A to shed more
light on They, an upcoming first-person shooter in the works for PCs and
consoles at Metropolis Software. They discuss the game's unusual title, the
ability to upgrade weapons, the setting, the game engine, whether the world
needs another science fiction shooter, and more. The article includes some
new screenshots from the game.
Well, you sure have to love the tubes. I mentioned the other day my game
computer was balking on start-up with an undocumented error, but that I'd read a
couple of forum posits rather vaguely suggesting this might be cause by a bad
power supply. Since this was the only part of this AGP system I was willing to
replace (well, actually I guess I would have replaced a hard drive as well), I
took a shot, and sure enough it worked.
Of course, as I had imagined, playing BioShock on a 6800 Ultra with an AMD 64
3200+ CPU is a borderline situation… The card is Shader Model 3.0 compliant, but it
exhibits odd artifacts on the screen at times, and the framerate was a tad below
respectable at the default 1024x768 resolution (I'm sure there are laptops
better suited to running the game). So this machine, which was built around the
release of DOOM 3, has finally hit the wall, but I am pretty startled at
squeezing a three-year run from a game machine, and am grateful that it is
working again so it can spend its golden years still being a useful work
machine. Meanwhile, I'm starting to look what a new rig will entail, but I am
off to the oral surgeon today to have my stitches removed and leave him another
check, which just like the check I left him last month, would have paid for this
theoretical new machine, so this will probably have to wait a bit.
R.I.P.:
Member of New Bohemians Fatally Shot (registration required).
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