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Archived News:
GamesIndustry.biz reports on a post on the
Quarter
To Three Forums by THQ director of creative management Michael Fitch venting
his frustrations with the state of PC gaming following the closure of Iron Lore
Entertainment ( story). The lengthy post outlines concerns about
rampant piracy, how Titan Quest's reputation suffered when pirates reported
crashes (which were caused by failure to properly crack the game's DRM),
complaints about hardware vendors creating compatibility issues, stupid users
and bad reviewers. He concludes trying to look at the bright side: "Alright, I'm
done. Making PC products is not all fun and games. It's an uphill slog,
definitely. I'm a lifelong PC gamer, and hope to continue to work on PC games in
the future, but man, they sure don't make it easy."
IGN reports on
plans for Marc Ecko Entertainment to create a game based on Dexter, the
recursive serial killer Showtime series. The games will be based on a series of
Dexter novels, but details such as target platforms are not provided at this
time.
This press release
announces that Galactic Command: Echo Squad SE is gold, and the episodic
installment in the Galactic Command series will be available digitally later
this week, and in North American stores next month.
Next Generation reports that Phil Harrison is the new president of
France-based Infogrames, following his departure from Sony Computer
Entertainment Worldwide Studios ( story), confirming indications
reported by
GamesIndustry.biz.
A new Section 8 Website is online as
home to TimeGate Studios upcoming armor-clad first-person shooter. The site
offers newsletter sign-ups and a new behind-the-scenes trailer. A new
Dev Update offers a final status report on the project.
- Mark Rein
An
Interview with Epic Games' Mark Rein on Tom's Games talks further with
Epic exec Mark Rein about the new PC Gaming Alliance: "At Epic Games we have
our narrow view of PC gaming. We make these high-end action-movie type games
that really push hardware. That's our whole raison d'ętre. Our view is
pretty narrow so you have to take it with a grain of salt but we're
interested in preserving the ability to ship those high-end
shipped-on-a-disc super high-end experiences that... I said 'high-end'
twice. That's how high-end; double high-end. That's our goal: to preserve
the ability to ship those kinds of action-movie type games on the PC."
- Assassin's Creed
IGN's
Assassin's Creed PC Q&A hears from Charles Beauchemin about the upcoming
PC version of Assassin's Creed. Among other things, he says the AI will be
more I.
- Fallout 3
Fallout 3's Lead Unlocks Vault 101 on Next Generation is an article
format Q&A with Fallout 3 lead designer Emil Pagliarulo about the
continuation of the series.
- Introversion
Rock,
Paper, Shotgun's Introversion Interview talks with Chris and Mark Delay
about their indie development studio, and plans for projects like Multiwinia
and Subversion.
- Silkroad Online
RPG
Vault's Silkroad Online: Legend II - Fortress War Q&A talks with Joymax
about the recent update that added new content and a third title to this
online RPG.
A revised version of Gears of War patch #1 is now available, offering
performance improvements and a fix for a Games for Windows LIVE update issue
(which somehow doesn't seem to qualify this as patch #2). Word is: "This update
is only compatible with the North American, South American, and Western European
versions of Gears of War. If you are running the Russian or Eastern European
versions of Gears of War then you will be unable to install the update. The
Eastern European versions of the game include the Polish, Czechoslovakian, and
Hungarian language versions of Gears of War for Windows. This has no impact on
single- or multiplayer gameplay/connectivity." The download is available on
AtomicGamer,
Gamer's Hell,
The Patches Scrolls,
and
PixelRage.
Ubisoft announces LOST: Via Domus can now be found for PC, Xbox 360, and PS3,
which I can personally verify as I saw copies of the TV series tie-in on shelves
in Best Buy this morning. Here's word: SAN FRANCISCO – March 3, 2007 –
Today Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, in
collaboration with ABC Entertainment and ABC Studios, announced that LOST: Via
Domus is available on store shelves for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment
system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and
Windows-based PC. Based on the award-winning television series, LOST: Via Domus
allows players to experience an untold adventure of "Lost” in an immersive,
interactive world. The game is rated "T” for Teen and has an MSRP of $59.99 for
Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION®3 system, and $29.99 for Windows.
"'Lost' is a remarkably captivating television program that has built a loyal
set of avid viewers,” said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and
marketing at Ubisoft. "It was a natural progression to bring the 'Lost' universe
to a video game and we are thrilled to allow fans a new way to immerse
themselves in the story of the island and the survivors of Oceanic flight 815.”
"After many months of collaboration with Ubisoft and the series' producers, we
are excited to bring such a truly unique gaming experience to the marketplace,”
said Bruce Gersh, senior vice president, business development, ABC Entertainment
and ABC Studios. "Through the gameplay, fans of the series will have an
abundance of opportunities to dive deeper into the mysteries and intrigues of
the series.”
"Lost” series executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse said, "Playing
the game, you really feel like you're on the island. The graphics are fantastic,
and the game gives players a chance to explore on their own the places and
mysteries of the island that they've seen for the last three years on the
show.
Got Game Entertainment announces The Lost
Crown: A Ghost-hunting Adventure is now available in North American stores,
offering "realistic" ghost-hunting, featuring "actual" E.V.P. (Electronic Voice
Phenomena). Who you gonna call? Ghost hunters: Weston, CT – March 3, 2008
- Got Game Entertainment LLC today announced that the “The Lost Crown: A
Ghost-hunting Adventure” has shipped to North American retail. Created by
adventure gaming legend Jonathan Boakes (“Dark Fall”, “Dark Fall II: Lights
Out”) and his Darkling Room team, this highly anticipated suspense-adventure
game for the PC combines a dense, rich, spine-tingling story inspired by classic
ghost stories with today’s modern ghost-hunting techniques. With an intuitive
interface which allows players to wield the tools of a paranormal investigator,
an impressive cast of 3D characters, actual E.V.P. (Electronic Voice Phenomena)
recordings, and photographs of unexplained entities captured by Boakes while
researching the game, “The Lost Crown: A Ghost-hunting Adventure” brings a
frightening story to bone-chilling life.
Inspired by the works of Charles Dickens, M.R. James, Arthur Conan Doyle, and
E.F. Benson, “The Lost Crown: A Ghost-hunting Adventure” finds ghost-hunters
Nigel Danvers and Lucy Reubans investigating a tale of horror and haunting along
England's fog-shrouded coastline, famed for its legends of smugglers, pirates,
and ghosts. In a cinematic, richly detailed interactive world, part black and
white, part vivid color, and against a dramatic backdrop of wind-swept
coastlines and crumbling crypts, players are captivated, taunted, and teased by
mind-bending puzzles and interactions with the town locals, earthly and
otherwise. Skills at ghost-hunting and detecting paranormal activity directly
affect how the game continues. While there are those who seek to prevent the
disturbance of that which is buried, for those players with nerves of steel, and
wits to match, discovery of long lost secrets, previously known only to the
dead, awaits.
“A classic ghost story, whether old or new, should have us believe that
something ‘unexplainable’ surrounds and influences us,” said creator Jonathan
Boakes. “And, if we are lucky, it should scare us into realizing that there
truly are ‘more things in heaven and earth’ than the absolute skeptics would
like us to believe.”
“The Lost Crown: A Ghost-hunting Adventure” includes the following features:
• Spine-tingling ghost story
• Realistic ghost-hunting, featuring actual E.V.P.
(Electronic Voice Phenomena)
• Photographs of unexplained entities captured by creator
Jonathan Boakes while researching the game
• Chilling original soundtrack Point and click gameplay
with both first and third person interaction
• Cast of virtual actors to share your paranormal adventure
• Local legends to investigate, interrogate, and observe
• Realistic and integrated puzzles
“The Lost Crown: A Ghost-hunting Adventure” makes its retail debut at $29.99
(USD) and is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB for Alcohol Reference, Blood, Mild
Language, and Violence.
Paradox Interactive offers a new patch for Penumbra Black Plague, updating
the horror sequel to version 1.0.1, specifying that this patch is not for the
GamersGate version of the game. Changes are described on the
Frictional Games Website.
Thanks The Patches Scrolls.
Boycott Games for Windows - Live Website
hopes to inspire a boycott of Microsoft's online gaming service, beyond the de
facto embargo of the service caused by general user apathy. At the root of the
campaign is vexation over charging for services previously free for PC gamers,
the large number of countries where LIVE gold accounts are not available for
purchase, Windows Vista exclusives, and complaints about DRM and customer service
woes that don't seem directly related to LIVE. Their vision of a boycott is
quite broad, and seems a bit impractical, as beyond specifying games to avoid,
they also outline an extensive list of developers to avoid and a suggest that
LIVE-supported titles not be reviewed.
I never did follow-up on my story about failing the Endless Set List in Rock
Band a while back, but I did eventually go back and knock it off by singing
while playing guitar instead of bass. It was pretty easy to beat that way, it is
a little odd I was able to pass the second solo in Green Grass and High Tides
on guitar but not on bass. Thing is, now if I play a quick play band online
I inevitably have to explain why my microphone icon is gold. I wish I had a
local band mate who could beat expert mode; it might make answering those
questions more worthwhile if that icon was platinum.
R.I.P.:
Canadian blues guitarist Jeff Healey dies at 41. His icon was definitely
platinum.
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