Archived News:
Open beta testing of Delta Force Xtreme 2 is now underway, even though
NovaLogic has been tight-lipped so far about this new Delta Force
game.
FilePlanet is currently offering the beta client to paid subscribers only,
but the client is mirrored on
AtomicGamer and
FileFront. There are no accompanying details, but checking it out shows
single-player and multiplayer support. There is also now a preorder page for the
game on
Direct2Drive where we can find first details on the full game, but there is
no footnote for the asterisk on the note about 150 player games: FIGHT…
Until there is No Enemy! Take control of Delta Force, the US Army’s most
secretive, highly trained unit. Use commando tactics and state-of-the-art
weaponry to take the fight to the enemy against overwhelming odds.
Delta Force Extreme 2 Download Features
• Engage a ruthless enemy in 2 full campaigns of single-player and co-op
action.
• Join up to 150 players* in simultaneous multiplayer battle across 40 all-new
maps on NovaWorld.
• Pick the perfect fight with level adjusted game servers hosting 5 different
multiplayer game types.
• Fight furious close-range gun battles on maps built for squad combat or
coordinate your infantry with armored tanks, helicopters and boats for epic
engagements over vast battlefields.
• Rally your squad like never before on the all-new NovaWorld Community with
customizable personal pages and squad pages featuring custom in-game
emblems.
Valve announces the Left 4
Dead Freaky Free Friday is held over until tomorrow at 5:00 pm GMT (Noon
EDT). They also provide a reminder that Left 4 Dead remains on sale through the
end of the weekend for 40% off.
GameinfoWire has a
statement from Eidos that follows up further on this morning's
rumor that Batman Arkham Asylum is delayed. After a
follow-up on
VG247 said the game "is currently scheduled for a summer 2009 release date,"
leaving open the possibility that the superhero game would still make its
previous June 23 release date, the statement from Eidos is different, saying the
game "will be released at the end of summer 2009." They supply standard delayed
game explanation #1 as the reason: "This additional time will allow us to ensure
Batman: Arkham Asylum is of the highest quality for gamers."
Join Section 8 offers the chance to
sign up to beta test Section 8, the upcoming science fiction shooter in
the works at TimeGate Studios. Word is: "There will be multiple testing phases
spanning approximately 5 weeks." There are separate signups for North America
and Europe. Thanks Mike Martinez and
IncGamers.
A new Developer
Dispatch on the Star Wars: The Old Republic Website is called
"Diverse Worlds" as it introduces some of the planets in the upcoming Star Wars
MMORPG, describing how each of the playable worlds in the game will have its own
storyline and environment. Screenshots and gameplay footage are included, as are
glimpses of some of the development tools.
A new "deciphering" walkthrough movie from R.U.S.E. shows off more of
this upcoming real-time strategy game in the works at Eugen Systems. The clip is
posted on ActionTrip
and AtomicGamer.
Thanks Mike Martinez and Ant.
About me on
Maurice "Skip" Kimball's Blog offers clues that a Thor game is in the
works at Liquid Entertainment, thanks to some detective work by
superannuation. Skip's blog now says: "November of 2008 to early 2009 I
worked as the Visual Director, establishing the art direction and creating the
Art Style Guide for “THOR” the game. This game property is a Marvel/Sega joint
venture which will be released along with the movie summer of 2011." This is
connected by
superannuation back to
Maurice
Kimball's LinkedIn page, which includes this entry from his time consulting
at Liquid Entertainment: "On a contract basis to establish and manage the
artistic vision from 'concept' through 'Vertical Slice' for the Studios next-gen
'unannounced' game title. Based on a Marvel property the game will accompany the
release of the movie." Coincidentally, the
Exclusive Thor Chat
on IGN from yesterday talks with director Kenneth Branagh, who says: "I
shoot Thor in January of next year and because the time of release has been
moved." According to IMDB,
Thor is slated for release on May 20, 2011.
Steam has word of the
availability of a free
Zeno Clash Demo on Steam, offering the chance to sample ACE Team's new
fighting game. There is no word on the contents in the demo, but we have an
explanation from ACE Team: "The demo features a portion of the single-player
campaign and the first tower level from the Challenge mode. Demo players will be
able to post scores if they complete the first tower challenge."
Steam News has word that
a new automatic update for Empire: Total War is now available. Here's
word on this single fix the patch offers: "Fix deployed for error with greyed
out background and no interface selections being possible when clicking tick box
on Failed to Join Game message in multiplayer."
Resident Evil 5 is headed to the PC, reports
MCV,
confirming reports of Windows plans for the survival/horror sequel that first
surfaced earlier this year. A release date is not specified other
than "later this year," but word is it will be fully optimized for the PC
platform, and will offer additional content not included with the console
version, as will the PC editions of Street Fighter IV and Bionic
Commando, which they reveal will be released this July.
The Warhammer 40,000:
Dawn of War II Website has an initial update on plans for a "big" upcoming
patch for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II to update the sci-fi RTS sequel to
version 1.3 with new maps, new gameplay modes, and more. They promise more
details on the new version over the next week, and say they plan on releasing
the patch in early May. Here's the list they provide of a few features planned
for the new version: • We are adding a Two-on-Two game mode, with two new
four player maps.
• Two-on-Two is a ranked game mode with leaderboard support.
• An improved, more challenging Skirmish AI.
• Push to talk voice chat and Company of Heroes style sub-selection options.
• New squad decorators and significant UI improvements.
• A performance test to help measure Dawn of War II performance.
A listing on eStarland.com
seems to indicate an unannounced fourth DLC pack for Fallout 3 called
"Point Look" is in the works (thanks No
Mutants Allowed), accompanied by the vague non-explanation: "Information Not
Available Yet for This Expansion." We contacted Bethesda Softworks about this,
and while they don't deny the story outright, they repeat they have "no
announced plans" for DLC for their action/RPG sequel beyond the three already
announced packs. Here's what Pete Hines had to day: "We have said there will be
three DLCs for Fallout 3, for PC and 360. We've released two, and the third,
Broken Steel, is scheduled for release Tuesday, May 5th. Beyond that we have no
announced plans for additional DLC."
The Golden Joystick Awards Website
is now accepting online voting for the long-list of this year's awards, which
will be awarded on October 30 at the London Games Festival. This voting will
determine the short-list nominees for the awards, and word is: "Only games
released between 22nd May 2008 and 22nd May 2009 are eligible for inclusion in
the main categories of this year's awards." According to
Edge Online "Big value prizes will be given out for every 100,000th vote,"
but the website for the awards makes no mention of this.
The story earlier about new ARMA II information
inaccurately reported the update included a new movie, which was actually old.
This was pointed out by Apo, who helps us redress the error by pointing the way
to a video on the
YouTube demonstrating the use of a TrackIR5 controller that is set entirely
in ARMA II, offering a number of looks at the game engine, though to be clear,
it is basically a commercial/testimonial for the head-tracking controller.
VG247 has a follow-up from Eidos saying Batman Arkham Asylum is still
on track for release this summer, in spite of a rumor on Game
Informer that the superhero game is delayed. They do not actually reaffirm
the previous June 23 release date in a denial that reads: "Batman: Arkham Asylum
is currently scheduled for a summer 2009 release date." Of course, "currently
scheduled" sounds carefully worded, and VG247 expresses their own skepticism,
suggesting this news be accompanied by a grain of salt.
This press release announces the X-Men Origins: Wolverine video game
is now available in North American stores, coinciding with the opening of the
superhero prequel film upon which it is based. Here's a bit on the game, which
is developed by Raven Software (not Raven Studios, as stated in the release) and
features the voice talents of Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, and will.i.am:
X-Men Origins: Wolverine is an epic action-adventure game featuring a
true-to-character Wolverine gameplay experience that takes gamers through and
beyond the movie's storyline. Set in a variety of vivid real-world locales, the
title challenges players to hone their animal instinct as they uncover hidden
dangers, hunt and defeat enemies, and take on seemingly insurmountable
situations while discovering the truth about Wolverine's tragic past. With
razor-sharp adamantium claws unsheathed, the future X-Man enacts lightning-quick
combat, evasive maneuvers, in-depth combo attacks, and an array of brutal
finishing moves. Wolverine doesn't just deliver massive damage, either - he also
takes it, thanks to his mutant regenerative power that heals him in real time
right before the player's eyes.
Developed by Raven Studios, X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged Edition is
available on Xbox 360(TM) video game and entertainment system, PLAYSTATION(R)3
and Games for Windows. Also available now are unique versions of the X-Men
Origins: Wolverine video game, developed by Amaze and rated "T" (for Teen) by
the ESRB, on PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system, PSP(R)
(PlayStation(R)Portable) system and Wii(TM) home video game system, and E10+ on
the Nintendo DS(TM). Fans can learn more about the X-Men Origins: Wolverine
video game by visiting www.uncaged.com.
The ARMA 2 Website now features a new movie
exploring Chernarus, the post-Soviet republic that serves as the setting for
ARMA 2, Bohemia Interactive Studios' upcoming military shooter sequel. Bohemia has
also released some new
screenshots showing off the area, as well as a description: "North-Eastern Chernarus
is a hilly area with rocky coastlines; the tallest hilltops reach more than 700 m
above sea level, covered with temperate forests. The environment is still
relatively untouched from logging and mining. The biggest cities and industry
are concentrated on the southern coast. There are mostly smaller villages
inland, situated in deep valleys, hidden in forested ridges or on elevated
plateaus with lush meadows." Update: The movie referred to in this story turns
out to be old, apologies for the confusion. A clip with new ARMA II is linked in
this story.
Wowinsider has a follow-up to the recently revealed scandal
involving use of an imbalanced developer-only item by a World of Warcraft
player (thanks nin). They spoke with the player who possessed the item in
question, confirming his account was permanently closed as a result. They also
have
an interview with the player who explains the odd circumstances where
Blizzard restored some of his guild's items after a problem resulted in
receiving the dreaded "Martin Fury," but he also explains why he assumed this
was legitimate: "It was in-game mail from Blizzard. We just assumed it was
something they sent him. We didn't think it was real. I honestly thought it was
something Blizzard gave to one of Leroy's alts for four months of ignoring the
problems with his account."
So much for piracy is a post
to the Demigod Forums where Stardock's Brad "Frogboy" Wardell describes a
commercially successful Demigod launch in spite of the game's early
troubles and the rampant piracy of the DRM-free game. It turns out the
action/strategy hybrid debuted at #3 on the retail PC sales charts, in spite of
that covering only a partial week of sales, and not counting the considerable
number of copies that were digitally distributed. Brad says, "The reality that
most PC game publishers ignore is that there are people who buy games and people
who don’t buy games. The focus of a business is to increase its sales. My job,
as CEO of Stardock, is not to fight worldwide piracy no matter how much it
aggravates me personally. My job is to maximize the sales of my product and
service and I do that by focusing on the people who pay my salary – our
customers." He concludes saying simply: "When the focus of energy is put on
customers rather than fighting pirates, you end up with more sales. It seems
common sense to me but then again, I’m just an engineer. ![=]](/miscimages/smiley4.gif) "
Game Informer reveals Batman Arkham Asylum is the featured story in
their next print issue, which depicts The Joker on the cover. The accompanying
blurb says they've heard from "sources close to the game" (physically close?
emotionally?) the release of the superhero action game is being pushed back to the fourth
quarter of this year. They asked Warner Bros. if the game will be delayed from
its planned June 23 release date and received a polite "no comment" in return.
The
Age Of Conan: Hyborian Adventures Website offers a new Letter from the Game
Director where Funcom's Craig Morrison discusses the current state of their
MMORPG, and outlines plans for the upcoming patch that will bring Age of
Conan to version 1.05. The patch will include "many changes to the items and
statistics, as well as the character classes’ feats, spells and abilities," so
they are going to offer players the ability to re-set their feats and experiment
with new builds, saying: "We will allow some form of additional feat re-setting,
either in the form of a reset of the retraining price, or a free reset, or maybe
a combination of both. We haven’t decided on the exact details yet, but rest
assured you will be given the chance to experiment with the new feat trees."
They are also offering players who already have a character at level 50 and an
available character slot the one-time opportunity to roll-up a fresh level 50
toon: "This character can be of any class you want to make so you can jump
straight into a different class after the update without having to go through
the early leveling stages. This will be available to all players from here on in
after they reach the milestone of leveling a character to level fifty."
The Overlord II Website
now offers a new trailer from the upcoming good-to-be-bad strategy sequel,
showing off the return of the little minions that populate the game. Codemasters
also narrows the previously announced June release window for the
game, announcing Overlord II will be released on June 23 in North
America and on June 26 in Europe.
Eight Virtues in a Duffel Bag: The Richard Garriott Interview on Crispy Gamer
is an interview with the famed designer looking back to the old days, focusing
primarily on Ultima VII: The Black Gate. Word is: "In Part I of our interview,
the creator of Ultima reveals some little-known facts about Ultima VII, the
origins of a room full of crazy children that caused a memorable family feud,
and his feelings on selling Origin to EA so many years ago."
The
Mysteries of Westgate Release Interview on Neverwinter Nights 2 Vault hears
from Alan Miranda and Luke Scull from Ossian Studios on the topic of their
just-released Neverwinter Nights 2 adventure pack. Topics include the
relief of getting the project out the door, the delays they suffered, the
influence of Darkness over Daggerford on getting them this gig, and a number of
questions delving into details about gameplay.
The Boiling Mod Website now offers
downloads of Boiling for Max Payne 2, described as a "short noir modification"
for the short noir shooter (thanks Ant and
Mod DB).
Word is: "Boiling is a tale of violence, justice and love. A cinematic
experience."
An updated version 0.4.3 of ODAMEX is now
available, updating this multiplatform version of the DOOM engine. The new
version is once again available for Mac OS X. Thanks Ant and
Doomworld.
Dallas, TX-based developer Gearbox Software sends out word they are hiring. The
Jobs at Gearbox Page lists
open positions, and word is: "Now is an ideal time to join Gearbox Software. The
games Gearbox has in development represent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to
contribute to not one, but several of the most exciting and important projects
in the industry. If you would like to learn more, please contact me at
randyp@gearboxsoftware.com or
visit the websites."
Greg Costikyan's Blog - Twiggy Game: Will Videogaming's Future Look Like
Boardgaming's Past?
And just as consolidation of the American boardgame industry (which is
largely controlled by a single firm -- Hasbro) has bred a braindead market,
in contrast to the more competitive German one, so the continuing
consolidation of videogame publishing into a handful of international
conglomerates merely hastens the trend away from gameplay aesthetics and
toward branding.
News &
Observer - Atomic CEO calls Fallujah game relevant.
"Every form of media has grown by producing content about current events,
content that's powerful because it's relevant," Tamte said. "Movies, music
and TV have helped people make sense of the complex issues of our times."
"Are we really just high-tech toymakers, or are we media companies capable
of producing content that is as relevant as movies, music and television?"
GameZone -
Goodbye, Shadowbane.
"Shadowbane was notable for several reasons. First, it was one of the
first massively multiplayer online games that was mostly
player-versus-player based. Second, players could actually affect the world
– meaning that rather than a static world, the land of Aerynth was
constantly being affected by the players and changed."
Thanks for the feedback on the lawn holes... The suggestion it
may be cicadas makes sense based on reading a little
on the topic (thanks
DrEnter). Even if it doesn't explain the holes in the backyard, it certainly
explains the molted insect parts we noticed on some of the trees in the yard
when we first moved here, as those were clearly from cicadas.
BTW, movie reviewers on TV news shows are insane: A downside of being up at this
odd hour is having the tube on in the background, and needing to change the
channel a few times in a row. Apparently the rule on TV is that if you only have
a minute to review a movie, you have to rush to spoil as many plot details as
possible, and today was Wolverine synopsis day.
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