Archived News:
Big Download spoke with Capcom about release plans for the Windows edition
of Age of Booty, the bootilicious pirate strategy game that's been out
for consoles for a while now. They did not learn the reason PC owners have
experienced a delay, nor did they get a precise release date, but they
report: "it does look like the PC version will be released via download sometime
in January."
The first patch for A Vampyre Story is now available to update the
just-released vampyre gayme with a few bug fixes. The patch can be applied to
the US, UK, French, and German editions, as well as those downloaded via digital
distribution. The patch is available from
AtomicGamer,
FileFront, Gamer's Hell,
and The Patches
Scrolls.
Soldak
Entertainment is now serving up the non-beta release of the version 1.001
patch for Kivi's Underworld, their casual hack-and-slash
action/adventure. There are Windows and MacOS editions of the patch, and the
notes on what's new and different can be
read here.
Additionally, the Windows patch is mirrored on
AtomicGamer,
FileFront, and Gamer's
Hell; and the MacOS patch is mirrored on
AtomicGamer,
FileFront, and Gamer's
Hell.
The Qtracker Website offers a new version
4.8 of this feature-rich server browser for online games. The new version is
only for users of the full (paid) edition of the program, adding support for
Call of Duty: World At War, Crysis Wars, Iron Grip: Warlord,
Left 4 Dead, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky, though it is noted
that the Call of Duty: World At War server join support will not fully work
until the next patch, though this release includes instructions for a
workaround. The corresponding free Qtracker release is expected early next year.
The Sims 3 Interview on Kikizo talks with Ben Bell of EA Maxis about The
Sims 3, the next installment in this domesticity simulator series. They
discuss the freedom of movement in your neighborhood that differentiates the
third installment from prior games in the series, new trait and relationship
functions, the game's open-endedness, graphics, customization, community
support, and more. They also get a status report on development, learning the
game is still pre-alpha, and they are "months away from finishing the game."
Thanks Mike Martinez.
A new "Blood Ravens" trailer from Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 2 shows
off more of Relic's upcoming science-fiction RTS sequel. If you can understand
the dialog in the clip, then congratulations, you can speak German ("Ich Bin
Ein Berliner!"). If not, there is plenty of action to keep you occupied. The
clip is available from
AtomicGamer,
ActionTrip,
FileFront, Gamer's Hell,
and
MyGameTrailers.
A new Red Faction: Guerrilla "story" trailer sets the stage for
Volition's upcoming earth-shattering shooter sequel. This movie can be
downloaded from
ActionTrip,
AtomicGamer,
FileFront, and
MyGameTrailers.
A new trailer for Parabellum is online, showing off this
subscription-free Unreal Engine MMOFPS in the works at Acony Games. The clip
introduces "the businessman," though he does not shuffle many papers. The movie
can be found on
AtomicGamer,
FileFront, Gamer's Hell,
and
MyGameTrailers.
An update to the All Aspect Warfare
Website adds
new
screenshots from 3000AD's upcoming science fiction combat game as well as
lots of new
gameplay details in that Adobe Acrobat format that hates your computer. These
details cover both gameplay and technology, and it seems no discussion of that
latter topic is complete these days without full digital rights management
disclosure, so that's included as well. The game will use DRM from
ByteShield, which requires a one-time
online activation, and not much else, as it does not require the disc in the
drive to play, does not limit the number of times the game can be installed, and
"does not install any drivers which would otherwise impair the operation of the
owner's computer." The gameplay details include an overview of the game's
flexibility: "Gamers are free to play any aspect based on their strengths. Not a
first/third person shooter fan and prefer the exhilaration of aerial combat?
Then take on various aerial sorties including escort, SAD, SEAD and CAP missions
while supporting ground troops. Not an air combat jock but prefer the immediate
threatening presence of hand-held weapons of mass destruction? Then you'll feel
right at home with various weapons and toys including jetpacks, target laser
designators (so your air combat friends can easily id targets) etc."
Publisher Audio Visual Enterprises and developer Aventurine SA announce that
Darkfall Online will launch in
European territories on January 22, 2009, and while the fantasy-themed MMORPG
will come to North America at some unspecified future date, North American's are
free to play the game in Europe. In the meantime, it may still be possible to
join the game's beta testing by
signing up here. Here's the official description of the game: "Darkfall
Online is a massive multiplayer online (MMO) fantasy role-playing game featuring
a fun, fast-paced, real-time combat system, massive battles, clan warfare and
empire building. Darkfall combines role-playing, action, and strategic gameplay.
Darkfall has been designed to create intensely realistic and highly immersive
combat and a challenging, realistic environment for a more immersive experience.
With full collision detection battle lines really matter and well-aimed spell
blasts will send opponents flying. Darkfall's goal is to provide players with a
fun and challenging experience through a seamless and zoneless, non-instanced,
'sandbox' game world."
Ubisoft's Prince of Persia Product Section announces Prince of Persia:
Sands of Time as a free bonus for North American customers who preorder the
imminent Windows edition of Prince of Persia from the
Ubisoft Digital Store between now and 10:00 am PST (1:00 PM EST) on December
10. The Windows edition of the platformer reboot is due for release on December
9, so at that point this will qualify as the rare post-release pre-purchase
offer. Thanks Ant.
Publisher Nobilis and developer Frozenbyte ( Shadowgrounds)
announce Trine, a fantasy action game due in Q2 2009 for Windows and the
PlayStation Network (not to be confused with the
India-based developer of the same name).
The game is a physics-oriented, side-scrolling action/platformer described like
this: "The gameplay is based on fully interactive physics - each character's
different ability helps the player battle an army of un-dead and defeat
hazardous contraptions. The player can at any time freely choose whoever is best
suited for the upcoming challenge or puzzle: The Wizard is able to summon
objects to help solve puzzles and create new ways to overcome obstacles, the
Thief uses her agility and dead-on accuracy to swiftly surprise the monsters,
and the Warrior unleashes mayhem and physical destruction wherever he goes." A
preliminary Trine Website is online that
will enter full operation next month. In the meantime the site points the way to
the Frozenbyte Trine
Community Forum and offers downloads of a teaser trailer showing off some
gameplay (the clip may also be streamed via the
YouTube).
The focus when Sumner Redstone sold off his controlling share in
Midway was the financial beating the media mogul took. Now with
Midway's stock price suffering, focus is returning to the
company's fate, as the threat to delist its stock now looks like
the least of its problems.
An SEC filing noted by
Variety.com indicates the company is on the brink of bankruptcy, as
Redstone's stock sale triggered a provision changing the way Midway's debt
functions, throwing fuel on an already blazing financial fire. Following the
change in control, holders of about $150 million in Midway debt can now demand
100% repayment within 30 days, and Midway admits that based on current market
conditions, they believe this is exactly what the holders of their notes will
do. With about $10 million in cash as of the end of October, Midway admits: "If
this were to occur, the Registrant does not believe, on the basis of its current
liquidity, that it would have the ability to satisfy its obligation with respect
to the repurchase of the Notes."
GamePolitics has commentary from industry financial analyst Michael Pachter
reflecting on whether this all really means Midway will go under, and pointing
out that if note holders do demand complete repayment and Midway goes belly up
as a result, they end up with next to nothing, he says: "My guess is that
Midway works out a deal with the creditors and remains in business, but they are
going to have to start generating sustainable profits soon, or their creditors
will become impatient."
The
Prince of Persia Interview on Gameplayer asks producer Ben Mattes to produce
answers to their questions about the new Prince of Persia game. They
discuss the new direction for the franchise, Eastern influences, their high-brow
aspirations, controller schemes, whether Elika is a character or a game
mechanic, lessons learned from Assassin's Creed, and an interesting outlook on
whether he would choose high review scores or high sales: "Well I could argue
for either. If I had the incredible sales, that would give me the power to fix
what was wrong with the original game, the bosses would say – give us a sequel."
Remembering that Cleveland Rocks,
The Natural Selection 2
Interview on NoFrag chats with Charlie "Flayra" Cleveland about Natural
Selection 2, the upcoming commercial sequel to the intelligently designed
Half-Life modification. The conversation goes into detail about how the
follow-up builds on ideas from the original game and what new features and
changes are planned. They were unable to find out the price point for the game,
but they did get an idea about what it will take to constitute a success: "The
nice thing about being a small, independent is that we'll be doing well if we
sell even small numbers of units. If we sell 50,000 units we'll be in good
shape, although we hope to sell more. It's not like we can just sit back though,
we'll have to keep working to make sure we have a healthy company."
Mod DB now offers the Frontlines 4.0 with War Server modification for
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, which adds new enhancements to the modern
military shooter, as well as this new War Server, which creates persistent
battlefields, emulating single-player play in a multiplayer environment. Thanks
Ant.
The United Inventors Association and By Kids for
Kids announce a competition
sponsored by EA and Best Buy open to "all American youth between the ages of 5
and 19" to design a video game. The contest ends on March 31, 2009, and the
winner will get a 10,000 US Savings Bond (wait until EA_Spouse hears). According
to Best Buy vice president of gaming (who knew?) Jill Hamburger: "We’re
especially interested in how kids tell us they use gaming in new and innovative
ways to improve and enrich their lives."
Things will be wrapped up here a bit early tonight, as we are heading off to the
ballet. No really! Now I enjoy a little bit of culture now and then, but I have
to admit to not being a huge fan of dance (much less ballet). However, in a
startling turn of events, the older of our godchildren (a.k.a. the Smurfs) has
taken up ballet, and he is appearing in (get this) the Nutcracker! As in the
real deal at Lincoln Center that people come from all over the country to see
every year! I know, right? Anyway, this is more than enough to overcome any
reluctance I would normally have for attending such an extravaganza, and we are
greatly looking forward to the show.
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