Archived News:
There's a Painkiller:
Resurrection Preview on IGN with first news of a planned next installment in
the Painkiller series of first-person shooters. The game is in
development at Homegrown Games, the third developer in three games for this
series that originated with Polish developer People Can Fly. Here's a bit that
describes some gameplay: The Painkiller weapon is one of the stars of the
series, so it's no shock that Wild Bill would get his hands on it right away.
The main fire mode activates spinning blades that chew through enemies at close
range. The secondary fire option sends the blades spinning out from the weapon,
damaging enemies in its path. From there the weapon can either fire energy beams
in the direction of the blades, or activate the secondary fire again to recall
the blades and use them for melee attacks. Soon enough, the Painkiller's unique
applications will be put to the test as Wild Bill is set upon by a number of
monsters and demons. At first, the player is fighting purely out of an instinct
to stay alive but as the game unfolds, the battles will take on a new purpose
and new layers of meaning.
New patches for the PC edition of Call of Duty: World at War are now
available, updating the World War II strategy sequel to version 1.4. The new
version includes tweaks and bug fixes, as well as the new multiplayer map pack.
There is a patch for all languages except German on
AtomicGamer,
ComputerGames.ro,
Gamer's Hell, and
Games On Net, while the patch and map pack for the German edition is
available from Gamer's Hell
and
Games On Net.
Here's a catch-up post for the recently revealed
Mini Ninjas, as we have to
confess to missing the fact that a Windows version is planned for this ninja
adventure in the works at IO Interactive for release this fall. There are
previews of the game on
VideoGamer.com and
IGN, and the Mini Ninjas Website
has screenshots and a trailer. Here's a bit about the story: Thursday 9th
April/... In MINI NINJAS you play as Hiro, a young trainee Ninja and the last
person that would be expected to go and save the world. Yet that is exactly what
happens!
When the Evil Samurai Warlord, with the help of an ancient magic, turns forest
animals in to an army hell bent on world domination, Hiro must lead his small
band of Ninjas on an exciting journey through a disintegrating world, to battle
the magical hordes of twisted Samurai and eventually confront the Warlord in his
Fortress of Doom.
Gearbox
Software Community Forums have word from Randy Pitchford that while the art
direction for Borderlands has changed, the conclusion that
the game is now cel-shaded is not correct: Heh! No, Borderlands is not
cel-shaded - it's a gritty and serious world after all. But since the game was
first unveiled we have made big advancements with the art direction and the
technology to support the art and have produced some pretty impressive, even
shocking results.
We weren't expecting a story about this to break this week, but I'll tell you
that the
http://www.borderlandsthegame.com website will soon be getting new content
that will expose how far we've gone with the art. If the story you guys broke
today makes too much noise for us to deal with we may decide to speed up when we
update the site with media. Also, PC Gamer came to visit us recently to check
out and play the game with us. The result of that is that the next issue of PC
Gamer has Borderlands on the cover and inside there is a big story with a lot of
images and a story written by Dan Stapleton. Finally, there's always E3 in a few
months where attendees can see the game live. I know some folks have figured out
that we've done something big to Borderlands even if no one is quite sure what
we've done yet and I know I'm still being a bit cryptic on that, but frankly we
aren't quite ready for this story to get out.
Kotaku has an article alleging shenanigans may be taking place at games
retailer GameStop. While many publishers and developers have complained about
GameStop's used game sales, this story is about the possibility some used games
are being sold as new, as it describes a "check out" policy that allows
employees of the chain to take games home for sampling, alleging that these
games are later sold as new. They have contacted the FTC to confirm that such a
practice would indeed be illegal, but were unable to learn whether this was
being investigated. Similarly, GameStop replied to their queries with a no
comment, saying: "We do not comment on corporate policies that are competitive
in nature."
A new patch for Lost Empires: Immortals is now available, updating Pollux
Gamelabs' 4X space strategy game to version 1.0.8. This is an unofficial
homebrew patch, and it will only work on games patched to version 1.0.3 or
later. The patch can be found on the
Paradox
Interactive Forums and mirrored on
AtomicGamer,
FileFront, and
The
Patches Scrolls.
Red Faction Underground
now offers two more "tools of destruction" trailers from Red Faction:
Guerrilla, Volition's upcoming destructible shooter sequel. Here's the
description of the new clips: "Mack is back with two more videos showcasing the
key weaponry you’ll be using in Red Faction Guerrilla come June. First up, a
powerful showcase of the Arc Welder and the Grinder. Many of our MP Beta testers
were able to get their hands on the Grinder back during our initial testing, but
we’ve got a special surprise tucked within the video below that will change the
way you use this weapon in the final game."
A new movie from X-Men Origins: Wolverine features some of the developers
at Raven discussing their Weapon X project to create a Wolverine game. A lot of
the conversation is about how great the game is, accompanied by gameplay
footage. The clip is posted on
AtomicGamer and
Gamer's Hell.
YouTube now has a new
"France and Diplomacy" trailer for Hearts of Iron III, the upcoming World
War II strategy sequel. The clip features gameplay footage, which for this game
consists of a lot of clicking and zooming on the world map accompanied by the
game's orchestral score.
Thanks Mike Martinez and Ant.
Thanks Mike Martinez and Ant.
Thanks Mike Martinez and Ant.
R.I.P.: Gospel
father 'Pop' Winans dies. Thanks Mike Martinez.
This press release
announces the promised trial of Crysis Wars is now
live, allowing a free chance to play multiplayer Crysis online for the next week
(and indefinitely on a LAN). The
Crysis Wars Free
Trial week - F.A.Q. has details on the deal,
and this page
has complete instructions on how to participate, and downloads of the trial
client are mirrored on
AtomicGamer,
ComputerGames.ro, and
Gamer's Hell. The CD keys were not available quite at the promised witching
hour of 9:00 pm CET, but they are now available to registered users
via this page
for those who have downloaded their game clients, though it looks like the site's
responsiveness has suffered under the demand (and a Flash interface seemed
like such a good idea at the time). You can get to playing as soon as you've
validated your client with a key.
Command & Conquer Website offers some goodies for modification creation in
Red Alert 3. They offer a new Red Alert 3 software development kit for
the RTS sequel, saying it offers "greater power than our previous C&C 3 MOD SDK"
(they generally refer to mod as MOD for some reason) and a RA3 MOD SDK version
of Worldbuilder which should be used to create maps and missions that include
user-created art. They also offer downloads of a RA3 MOD SDK UI source pack to
allow manipulation of previously inaccessible elements of the game user
interface, and promise further releases for mod authors going forward of art
source packs and further tutorial/documentation for Red Alert 3 and Uprising.
Downloads of the SDK are mirrored on
AtomicGamer,
FileFront, Gamer's Hell,
and The Patches
Scrolls; the SDK for Worldbuilder is mirrored on
AtomicGamer,
FileFront, Gamer's Hell,
and The Patches
Scrolls; and the source pack is mirrored on
AtomicGamer,
FileFront, and Gamer's
Hell.
Steam News announces that
The Last Remnant is now
available worldwide via Valve's digital distribution service, marking the North
American debut of the PC edition of this RPG from SQUARE ENIX. Here's a bit on
the PC release: Featuring an enthralling story, countless characters and
an intricate battle system, Square Enix brings the RPG experience known as The
Last Remnant to the PC.
Discover new strategies in the improved battle system.
•Blast through your battles with Turbo Mode
Battles can be played out
with twice the speed for faster game progression
•No more leader units
Enjoy more freedom when
creating unions!
•A new equipment preview feature
Use the preview feature
to purchase items depending on stats or aesthetics
•Choose between English or Japanese voice acting
The voices can be
switched between Japanese and English
Kotaku has details on two games in the works at Big Huge Games before
the recent layoffs that followed the developer being
put on the market by owner THQ. They describe a Wii game called God: The
Game said to include elements familiar from Zelda, The Settlers, and Animal
Crossing and a PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 fantasy-theme RPG called Ascendant.
They also report hearing that several companies, including Curt Schilling's 38
Studios, are in talks to buy Big Huge Games, but word is with the studio on the
verge of closure both products have been cancelled. The article has screenshots
and concept art from both cancelled games, as well as a rough cut trailer from
Ascendant.
The Starbreeze Forums
and Atari
Forums for The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena each
have threads complaining about the game's DRM, describing a non-revocable
three-installation limit that does not allow further installations after it has
been reached. This has inspired another protest centered on the
reviews on the
Amazon listing for the game, where an increasing number of reviews complain
about the DRM. We contacted Atari about this and received the following response:
The protection on the PC version of The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault
on Dark Athena is an activation system with online authentication required the
first time you install the game on a machine. The activation code lets you
install the game on up to 3 machines, with an unlimited number of installs on
each assuming that you don’t change any major hardware in your PC or re-install
your operating system.
If you reach the maximum number of installations you can contact the Atari
hotline and if it’s a legitimate request you can get a new activation code.
We implement this protection in an effort to avoid early piracy.
The
City of Heroes Website has word that Issue 14 for NCsoft's superhero MMORPG
is now freely available to Windows and Mac subscribers. In addition to new
features, the new chapter adds the promised Mission Architect that will allow
user-created missions. The
Issue 14
Release Notes have all the details and
this page has word on how to import user-created missions, and here's word
on the Mission Architect: Using an intuitive interface, players can
browse through other player created missions and create their own missions from
the ground up. Players will determine details ranging from environments, mission
objectives, and enemies, to written fiction and character dialogue; giving their
stories nearly infinite depth and personalization.
Creators can pick from hundreds of maps and thousands of characters. They can
use existing characters or create their own custom enemies. They can get even
more detailed and create full enemy groups, giving each enemy unique costumes
and powers.
This press release from
THQ announces the retail availability of Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor,
following last night's digital release of the standalone RTS
expansion. Also
THQ support
offers help for Canadian customers who did not get an activation key with their
copy of the game (thanks
Voodoo Extreme). Here's a snippet on the release: Company of Heroes:
Tales of Valor immerses players in some of the most historic, tide-turning
battles of World War II, offering three intense single-player campaigns, three
new multiplayer modes and a new “direct-fire” feature that brings advanced
tactical control to the battlefield. Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor is
available now at retail and online outlets for Windows PC.
Ubisoft will not conduct a Ubidays event this year after gathering press and
retailers in Paris each of the last two years to show off their wares, reports
GamesIndustry.biz. The Ubidays events were in part a reaction to the
downsizing of E3, so this may be a response to plans to
re-upsize the trade show.
Paradox Interactive announces that Elven Legacy is now available in
European territories following the North American release of In-Co's fantasy
strategy game earlier this week. They say the game is also now
available at digital distribution. The
Elven Legacy Website has further details on the game, and a
Youtube video from
earlier this week showcases combat from the game.
Matrix Games announces what they are calling a "major new update" for
World War One: La Grande Guerre, updating the WWI strategy game to version
1.06d. They say: "The v1.06d update includes many crash fixes and scenario
tweaks, some balance changes, and improvements to the rules for rail systems."
Matrix Games, Tri Synergy, and
GFI team up
to announce that Matrix Games will offer Officers by digital download
and that Tri Synergy will be handle retail distribution of the World War II real
time strategy game.
Matrix Games
and TriSynergy
each offer product sections with details on the game.
A playable demo for X-Blades is now available, offering the chance to
sample this recently released hack-and-slash RPG that was at one
time during development known as Oniblade. The demo is available from
the X-Blades Website, where word is:
"Take no chances! The treasure hunter Ayumi really takes this slogan to heart -
she usually slashes at everything she comes across! That's why "X-Blades" is an
adrenalin-packed Hack-and-Slash game guaranteed to get your nerves jangling! If
you wanna see Ayumi in action, try this demo's unbelievable action! You'll find
the 792 MB demo package ready for download at the Community section - and it has
two complete levels, including a tutorial, which will open up a fantastic new
world for you. Remember - take no chances!" Downloads of the demo are mirrored
on AtomicGamer,
ComputerGames.ro, and
Gamer's Hell.
Borderlands Guide has an article describing the switch to
cel-shaded
graphics for Borderlands, based on new revelations about Gearbox Software's
upcoming action game in an upcoming magazine article and an image purported to
be from the game showing a new cartoony style (thanks
Kotaku). A
subsequent post on the
Gearbox Software Community Forums confirms the change, and addresses
potential concerns this may raise. Here's a bit: Though there's always
the chance some people could be turned off by the style, it was decided that,
overall, it fits the game and creates a more visually interesting experience.
Our concept art had this incredible, distinctive style and feel that fit so
perfectly - the game has not become less detailed or washed out at all. Rather,
it retains the detail and style that's often lost when we move from concept art
to 3D. It stands out, and makes the gray-and-brown bleak landscapes, while still
bleak and inhospitable, memorable and recognizable. The entire world has life to
it, from the creatures to the very rocks and dirty walls. The game world is no
less gritty, dirty, or harsh - all of the detail is there, and the environments
have even more atmosphere. We solicited feedback from our focus testing
initiative, which consists entirely of a very large pool of gamers from all
walks of life, and in the end, the choice was clear for us.
Dungeons & Dragons co-creator Dave Arneson passed away at the age of 61 shortly
after 11:00 pm CDT on Tuesday, April 7th, just 13 months after the
death of Gary Gygax. Arneson suffered a stroke in 2002, but the cause of
death is not mentioned in the announcement (thanks
IGN). Here's word on
the arrangements: Cards and letters can continue to be sent:
Dave Arneson
1043 Grand Avenue
Box #257
St. Paul, MN
55105
Visitation will be on April 20th
Time: yet to be determined
Address:
Bradshaw Funeral Home
687 Snelling Avenue South
St. Paul, MN 55105
Battlefield 2 Forums offer a status report on the incredibly tardy version
1.50 patch for Battlefield 2 first mentioned back in June
2008 (thanks Paul). The latest word is that beta testing of the patch should
begin by the end of this month, recalling an unfulfilled promise in
November that beta testing of the patch would begin by last Christmas. Word
is: Firstly, sorry I have been away for so long, its been a busy time. So
here as per request in a number of threads here is an update to where we are
with 1.50.
Yes its still coming
We have been working on a few things to do with DRM as old versions of
Battlefield 2 use an old version of SafeDisc
We have had a number of last minute hacks appear which we have made fixes for to
help stabalise the servers.
We have a minor issue to solve with the Chinese version of the game.
While I can't give an exact date, we are aiming to release our first Beta
towards the end of April '09 as long as everything else goes well.
VideoGamer.com has a follow-up from Codemasters to complaints made by
Bohemia Interactive Studios in February that Operation Flashpoint:
Dragon Rising was being marketed as a sequel to Bohemia's Operation Flashpoint:
Cold War Crisis, saying the ARMA games are the true continuation of their
military shooter series. Codemasters' Clive Lindop tells them that the "2" was
not dropped from the Dragon Rising title because of this, and that Bohemia's
complaints "didn't really even blip on (their) radar." Here's the part that
includes that bit: "Their argument seemed to be almost purely about naming,
which of course for a dev team hard at work doesn't really mean a lot. It is
Operation Flashpoint. It is all about delivering things that Operation
Flashpoint was about. So in actual fact it didn't really even blip on our radar
because it seems like such a minor point. I'm sure for the marketing guys it
probably meant a lot more and maybe there was a discussion about that, but to be
honest when you're doing development you tend to get into the habit of judging a
game when it's out and you get it in your hands."
The Secret World First
Interview with Producer Ragnar Tornquist on Ten Ton Hammer sheds more light
on Funcom's upcoming MMORPG. One of his answers elaborates a bit on the game's
real-world setting: "The real world is a unique and wonderful playground. There
are so many true stories, ancient myths and folktales, urban legends and
conspiracy theories, so many mysterious and exciting locations, monsters and
demons and gods, forgotten cities and lost civilizations, strange creatures and
mystical lore, so much reference material to draw on – it really is the perfect
setting for an MMO."
I took my laptop on the train with me last night and had a really bad connection
on the way down, at which point Norton Internet Security told me it needed to
download 42 MB of patches to be happy, which was perfect timing. I have been
happy with NIS 2009 after my brief problem with it cleared up, but I'm starting
to think it's not the best choice for a cell-modem laptop if it can want that
much patching after 11 days of non-use, which is not uncommon for me.
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