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Archived News:
In a perfect world, all games would be publically beta tested before release,
and true to that, the Perfect World
Multilanguage Website is now offering access to open beta testing of the
international English, German, and Spanish versions of Perfect World II,
a subscription-free MMORPG. Details on the game and the open beta can be found
in this
press release.
The Free Realms Website is now
accepting testers for the North American open beta of this family-oriented
subscription-free MMORPG. The game claims it "allows you to do what you want to
do, when you want to do it, in a lush, living, 3D world," but before you dream
of beheading enemies with chainsaws, be sure to read the rest of the
description: "From pet raising to mini-games like soccer and racing, or battling
giant spiders and adventuring with friends – there’s something for everyone!"
The Philosophy of Faith- A Mirror's Edge Interview on Gamasutra talks with
producer Nick Channon about Mirror's Edge, DICE's parkour-influenced
action game. Topics include the use of the first-person perspective, their 2D
cut-scenes, more about the first-person perspective, pitching the game, gameplay
mechanics, and still more on the first-person perspective.
RPG Vault's Alpha
Protocol Interview Part 1 kicks off a multi-part conversation with Chris
Avellone of Obsidian about Alpha Protocol, their upcoming
espionage-themed role-playing game. They discuss the project's inspiration of
the Bourne movies, the modern setting and game locations, character
customization, and more.
A new "battle trailer" from Need for Speed Undercover provides another look at
the next installment in EA's long-running street racing franchise. The whole
battle thing is a little overstated, as the clip is another mix of live action
footage and in-game driving. The clip is posted on
AtomicGamer,
FileFront, and Gamer's
Hell.
The 2008 edition of the Child's Play
charity drive is underway. Last year Child's Play raised over $1.3 million
for children’s hospitals, and here's word on this year's efforts: "This year, we
have continued expanding across the country and the globe. With over 45 partner
hospitals and more arriving every month, you can be sure to find one from the
map above that needs your help! You can choose to purchase requested items from
their online retailer wish lists, or make a cash donation that helps out Child’s
Play hospitals everywhere. Any items purchased through Amazon will be shipped
directly to your hospital of choice, so please be sure to select their shipping
address rather than your own."
- All Aspect Warfare on
Blue's News. About a million shots.
- Deus Ex 3 on
Tiscali Games.
Higher resolution shots.
- Neverwinter Nights: Storm of Zehir on
GameBanshee. Illustrations.
Thanks Mike Martinez and Ant.
A new Sacred 2: Fallen Angel movie shows off Ascaron Entertainment's upcoming
action/RPG. Word is: "In this new video from Sacred 2: Fallen Angel, the
upcoming action-RPG for Windows PC and next generation consoles, the mighty
Seraphim (a playable character in the game) aids in the defeat of the undead
army, and then must face-off against an even more powerful foe - the gargantuan
Stone Golem." The clip is posted on
FileFront and Gamer's
Hell. Also, cdv announces what they are characterizing as a unique offer, to
allow owners of Sacred 2 to share the game as a demo for family and friends:
Sacred 2: Fallen Angel Introduces a Unique New "Try Before You Buy"
Option
Innovative option allows consumers to share copies of the game with friends and
family
November 7, 2008, Cary, NC - Looking to give consumers the most flexibility with
their purchases of the Windows PC version of Sacred 2: Fallen Angel, cdv
Software Entertainment USA and Ascaron Entertainment are pleased to announce the
inclusion of an innovative "Try Before You Buy" system for their upcoming RPG
game.
Using this innovative new feature, downloaded or purchased copies of the full
game can be shared with friends and family, with these shared copies acting as
full-featured demos for the duration of one calendar day. During the demo period
the game is completely unlocked for single-player and LAN multiplayer modes.
After the demo install expires the consumer has the option of purchasing the
full game online, or simply uninstalling it. This, for example, allows consumers
who purchased the full game in stores or via digital distribution channels, to
share their game with friends, with those subsequent installs acting as
time-limited "try before you buy" versions that allow gamers to enjoy almost all
features found in the full game.
"We feel that consumers should have a right to choose, and this innovative
system offers the perfect purchasing option for gamers," said Heiko tom Felde,
Managing Director of ASCARON. "It's a great system for family and friends,
allowing everyone the opportunity to try out the game and play together, then
making a purchase decision."
"This innovative digital rights management solution raises the bar on how
consumers can sample games before they buy them," added Mario Kroll, Director of
Marketing and PR for cdv Software Entertainment USA. "Rather than showcasing
only a limited character or content selection, as most traditional demos do,
gamers can share and enjoy the full game experience, trying out the features
that most appeal to them, and getting a true sense of the full game."
The
Steam Users' Forums have instructions on how to make use of the code for
split screen multiplayer in the Windows Left 4 Dead demo, even though
support for such a mode was removed before the demo's release. The method
described apparently requires the use of an Xbox 360 controller, and of course
it is unsupported by Valve, or anybody else for that matter. Thanks Dagok.
The Iron Grip: Warlord Website now
offers sales of Iron Grip: Warlord, a game combining first-person shooter
and real-time strategy elements. Word is: "In short, this game is all about fun.
It features single and cooperative multiplayer modes, low system requirements,
small file space, and a unique combination of RTS/FPS gameplay. It immerses the
player in an epic scale of total war, set in the Iron Grip universe." You don't
have to take their word for it, as there is also a playable demo, which is
mirrored on AtomicGamer,
ComputerGames.ro,
FileFront, and Gamer's
Hell.
A new patch for Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 is in the tubes, updating the
soccer/football sequel to version 1.20. According to the patch notes on the
game's
German forum, you need to understand German to see what this patch does, but
according to Babel Fish, which is
particularly wacky in translating this one, the patch adds new options to the
"Legends" lobby, and the notes also seem to indicate users should be patient if
the patch installer seems to hang up for several minutes. The download is
available from
AtomicGamer,
FileFront, Gamer's Hell,
and The Patches Scrolls.
Here's another football update, as a second patch is now available to update
FIFA 09, the latest installment in this soccer series. The new version is
available on the
Electronic Arts UK Website, where they explain that it increases the
difficulty level for online ranked matches, fixes a problem that could saddle
players with losses when their opponents quit matches, allows players who've
purchased the Adidas Live Season bundle to actually make use of it, and adds a
revoke tool to allow the de-authorization of installations of the game, allowing
players to make best use of the five installations allowed by the game's DRM.
The download is mirrored on
The Patches Scrolls.
EGM Watches the Watchmen
in Our December Issue on 1Up reveals Watchmen: The End is Nigh as the
cover story on the new issue of EGM, and presumably the magazine will offer
details on the video game prequel to the upcoming Watchmen movie. They explain
how the guessing game for the cover played out: "The secret behind figuring out
the correct cover (which a few of you did) was not to try and discern what the
game was based on the posted images, but instead by deciphering based on the way
they were posted. Blurred out and mirrored opposite each other, in the manner of
a Rorschach blot, the image was a composite Rorschach-style image of the game's
star, Rorschach. What's interesting about the Watchmen game (which many purists
may view as blasphemy) is the level of care and attention Warner Bros.
Interactive Entertainment are putting into the game."
Atari to Publish and Distribute 'Ghostbusters: The Video Game' is the press
release officially confirming indications that Atari is picking up
the Ghostbusters game, saying it will be released for six systems next
year. "Atari will release the Ghostbusters: The Video Game for the
PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system, PlayStation(R)2 system, the Xbox
360(R) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Games For Windows(R),
Wii(TM) and Nintendo DS(TM). The launch will also leverage Atari's worldwide
distribution network to maximize the presence of Ghostbusters: The Video Game
around the globe as Sony marks the film's upcoming 25th anniversary."
GamesIndustry.biz has word that Arkane Studios ( Dark Messiah of Might &
Magic and Arx Fatalis) is one of the developers impacted by
recently announced cuts at EA. They quote CEO Raph Colantonio
looking at the bright side of this situation: "The positive side is that we have
the capacity to work on other projects now. To some degree, although it sounds
like a bit of a paradox, all these publishers cutting things right now - I think
it will eventually benefit the independent developers. Those companies will be
looking for projects, and if they're looking, rightly, to lower their costs it
makes sense to work with independent companies - they're always cheaper than
anything they can produce internally."
How Far
Cry 2 's Fire Fuels, Spreads on Gamasutra is a conversation with
Jean-Francois Lévesque of Ubisoft Montreal specifically about the way the fire
behaves in the shooter sequel. Word is: "I have only one burning desire, let me
stand next to your fire, let me stand next to your fire." No wait, that's Jimi
Hendrix. Word really is: "I really like chain reactions caused by fire. During
development, I often found myself laughing out loud because a small fire I
started turned into complete chaos -- blowing up cars and structures, setting
trees on fire. The beauty in that is it’s always different. It’s unscripted. I
have laid down the rules and the world reacts to them. It causes some surprising
and unexpected results."
Gas Powered Games talks about Demigod on Big Download is an interview with
Mike Marr to discuss their upcoming, what was it again? "Demigod is an action
game that uses the core of RTS principles with a heavy blend of RPG elements.
You fight and play the game as an RTS, but level up, purchase abilities in a
skill tree and buy items like you would in an RPG." Oh yeah, that's right. The
conversation discusses this blend of genres, how the idea for the game was
formed, and more, though they are still keeping some secrets: "We're keeping the
details of our persistent multiplayer mode under wraps for the time being.
However, it will include a mixture of Achievements and a grander scale version
of ascending to the Pantheon."
World
of Goo interview on GameCritics.com chats with Kyle Gabler and Ron Carmel of
developer 2D Boy about their just-released game and how it is a metaphor for the
development process (you thought it was going to be life, right?). Here goes:
"Yep. The overarching story of World of Goo is a big metaphor for the
development process - curious and naive little goo balls, encountering a large
international corporation and it's global pipe distribution system. Meanwhile,
we're a curious and naive new indie studio, eager to explore, encountering large
international publishing corporations with their global distribution systems.
Or, more generally - hope, ambition, curiosity, etc, collide with a cold bitter
reality. World of Goo Corporation, in particular, is a giant metaphor for some
of the absurd experiences we've had along the way with publishers so far. I just
hope not too many Goo Balls get chopped up by rusty spikes, or fall into
infinite death pits."
Forgetting the birthday of a loved one will usually cause big-time backlash.
Luckily for me the forgotten occasion in this case was the Gunnar-man, and it
seems dogs don't keep careful enough track of these things to cause hurt
feelings. Gunnar was born four years ago on the day of the 2004 presidential
election, so our excuse for the oversight is this year's election. On the bright
side, the Devicers have recently rescued a new puppy (they're pretty sure it
is a Great Dane, of all things!), and so Gunnar, Hudson the wonder dog, and
I are going to head up there for a play date, which is a better present than
anything I could have thought up for the little monster, who cannot get enough
of horseplay, or dogplay, as it were.
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