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Archived News:
1Up reports that
QUAKE LIVE will add support for
Macintosh and Linux users in an update next Tuesday, August 18. This was
revealed by id CEO Todd Hollenshead as part of id's press conference
yesterday. Thanks
Joystiq.
Turbine announces Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited ( DDO
Unlimited) is gold, and the subscription-free version of the D&D MMORPG is
set to launch for VIPs on September 1, and for everyone else on September 9:
Turbine, Inc. announced today Dungeons & Dragons Online®: Eberron
Unlimited™ (DDO Unlimited), a free digital upgrade for Dungeons & Dragons
Online®: Stormreach™, has successfully completed beta and has now gone gold.
Turbine will provide DDO VIPs early access to the game beginning September 1,
2009 prior to the official North American launch on September 9, 2009.
DDO Unlimited will raise the level cap, introduce a new player class and add
major new content, as well as make the game free to play for everyone. The new
DDO Unlimited delivers heart-pounding gameplay featuring the industry’s best
combat system, a massive world with state-of-the-art graphics and gameplay, and
a rich set of features that until now could only be found in premium
subscription-based MMOs. DDO Unlimited will introduce an innovative new pricing
model that allows players to download and play for free, purchasing adventure
packs, items, and account services a la carte from the new DDO Store, or
subscribe to get unlimited access to all of the game’s content.
DDO Unlimited is based on the world-renowned DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® franchise of
Wizards of the Coast LLC, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc.® (NYSE: HAS), under
license to Infogrames Entertainment S.A.® Published by Atari, Inc.®, DDO has
been enthusiastically received by many gaming critics, including The New York
Times, PC Gamer, Game Informer and many more. For the latest information, please
visit www.ddo.com.
Half-Life Complete is the
weekend deal on Steam, offering the whole Half-Life/ Half-Life 2
catalog for $16.99, with individual components as low as $1.69. They also offer
the Valve Complete Pack
for 10% off. Also, GamersGate is
offering
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl for $9.99 (half-off). Finally,
GOG.com is
offering all flight simulators at 30% off this weekend, DRM not included.
Mythic On The Future of Ultima Online, Warhammer and Working with BioWare on
IndustryGamers is an interview with Josh Drescher and Calvin Crowner about
those topics.
One note of interest is word to expect an expansion for Warhammer Online
in the near future: "Ray Muzyka from BioWare has a very long term plan for the
future and we've had to think further into the future because of that. Most of
existence, our studio has been on a shoestring budget so we couldn't think far
ahead, but we just finished up a major patch for Warhammer Online and there's a
lot of stuff we're thinking about improving and enhancing the gameplay
experience and guaranteeing that product lives up to the legacy of the Warhammer
franchise. You should expect an expansion in the near future." They also
highlight a quote offering vague hopes for revival of some Origin Systems
IP: "There are some folks that feel exactly as you do about Origin Systems,"
Crowner tells them. "I have Crusader: No Remorse on a shelf on my desk and
there's tons of stuff that could be done with it; we have some people that are
very passionate about these games." It's not much, but we are still happy that
Wing Commander was recently re-Trademarked.
NHN announces the
Closed Beta
Schedule for Karos Online, and is accepting sign-ups on the
Karos Online Website. The
announcement
goes into great detail about the game, so here is a portion about the testing: Seoul,
Korea –Friday, 14th August, 2009 – NHN revealed today more details about the
closed beta schedule for its upcoming MMORPG Karos Online. Players registering
at www.karosgame.com can apply for access to the first Closed Beta Weekend
Event, which will take place from Friday, August 21st until Sunday, August 23 .
The precise times when the servers will open will be announced on Karos Online
official website, www.karosgame.com. There will be more Closed Beta Weekend
events, dates to be released later. Access to any Closed Beta Weekend event also
grants access to the following ones. The game is scheduled to be released in
English during Q4 2009, followed by versions in German and Turkish.
In the first Weekend Event, players can choose from three different character
races, with each race offering one class. Classes can specialise twice during
the course of the game, a choice of four focused sub-classes . During the first
phase of Closed Beta, only the first specialisation will be available.
Is InstantAction's Future on Consoles on IndustryGamers is the headline of
their Q&A with Lou Castle, the new CEO at
InstantAction, with a sidebar
article highlighting his feelings the
game industry is "on a bad spiral." The console talk is speculative, but his
discussion of what their web-based platform is capable of on PCs is more
concrete: "Right now if somebody wanted to publish on InstantAction the very
latest PC title coming out this year that used every ounce of processing power,
they could partner with us and absolutely publish through the browser. And if
it's a streaming-based game it makes it even easier. We're not in a position
right now to announce those partners, but I think the world's going to be pretty
surprised by what they see coming up [on InstantAction]."
AMD's QuakeCon blog now offers early downloads of new version 9.8 Catalyst
reference drivers for ATI accelerators. These drivers are also being offered to
attendees of QuakeCon, and they will be officially released next week.
PC Perspective has a
change list. Thanks Bill.
Steam News announces the
release of a new automatic update for Team Fortress 2. The update changes
"The Big Hurt" Scout achievement to require you to "Stun 2 Medics that are ready
to deploy an ÜberCharge," removes centerprint texts for
TF_FLAGTYPE_ATTACK_DEFEND CTF game mode, changes the TF_FLAGTYPE_ATTACK_DEFEND
capture reward from 30 kills to 1 capture, and fixes a number of bugs.
A new "Gadgets Trailer" from Batman: Arkham Asylum is available to leave
you asking "Where does he get those wonderful toys?" The superheroic clip is
available on AtomicGamer,
FileFront, Gamer's Hell,
and
GameTrailers.com.
The CGI introductory trailer for Aion provides some of the backstory from
NCsoft's upcoming MMORPG. This clip can be found on
AtomicGamer and
FileFront.
A new trailer from Monte Cristo's CITIES XL shows off the "Heart of the
City" (where the alligators roam) in the upcoming urban planning game. The clip
is posted on
ActionTrip,
AtomicGamer, and Gamer's
Hell.
There are new
Heroes
Over Europe screens, Q&A on Computer and Video Games for Ubisoft's
upcoming World War II aerial combat game. There's also a new trailer showing off
its beauty on Gamer's Hell
and
GameTrailers.com.
Atari and Cryptic Studios announce Champions Online is gold, and the superhero
MMORPG will go live in September, presumably still September 1, with
early access scheduled of the end of this month. The announcement
includes details on beta testing and early access: New York, NY (August
14, 2009) – Atari and Cryptic Studios are proud to give superhero fans the game
they've been craving as Champions Online™ for PC has gone gold. Based on the
award-winning Champions pen-and-paper role-playing games and powered by the
groundbreaking Cryptic Engine, Champions Online taps into a rich universe of
heroes and villains with unparalleled intrigue and adventure.
Cryptic Studios – creators of the award-winning City of Heroes and City of
Villains MMOs – has taken the massively multiplayer role-playing game genre to
new heights with Champions Online. The experience begins with Champions'
immensely powerful character creation and customization tool, which enables
players to fashion truly unique superheroes by choosing from thousands of
costume pieces, body types, powers, and character appearances. Players can then
modify their choices with an array of configurable sliders and color options,
resulting in a completely individualized hero.
No superhero, however unique, can be complete without a super villainous Nemesis
or two. With Champions Online's powerful customization tools, players can also
design the perfect Nemesis to oppose their superheroes. These ultimate
adversaries appear throughout a hero's career, sometimes issuing challenges,
other times ambushing their heroic foe. Champions Online brings epic
superheroism to the MMORPG genre with depth that challenges the most experienced
online gamers, while its fast-paced action promises to engage new entrants to
the online superhero universe.
Be among the first to experience this one-of-a-kind online superhero gaming
universe by taking part in the open beta, exclusively run by IGN's Fileplanet.
Players can access open beta by registering at Fileplanet. Additionally, this
thrilling title is available for pre-order at Wal-Mart, GameStop, Best Buy,
Direct2Drive, and Amazon. Gamestop and Best Buy preorders even have the
opportunity to join in a special Early Start Program.
Champions Online promises to redefine online gaming with the power comic book
fans have been craving. The only question is... What hero will you be?
Champions Online releases on Windows PC this September.
For additional information, please visit:
www.champions-online.com
The
Championship Manager Website now offers the promised
playable demos for Championship Manager 2010, offering the chance to kick
around a sample of this European football/soccer simulation. The demo is
available in English,
French,
Italian,
Polish, and
Spanish languages, offering 6 months
worth of gameplay from July 1st 2009-December 31st 2009. Mirror links are listed
on the
Championship Manager Forums, where they say a Turkish language demo is due
later today. The English demo is also mirrored on
ComputerGames.ro,
FanGaming,
FileFront, and Gamer's
Hell.
There are
four new RAGE screenshots on Shacknews from QuakeCon showing more of
id Software's post-apocalyptic shooter. Featured are mutants, a weapon, some
vehicles, and still more mutants.
Playlogic
Entertainment announces financial results for the first six months 2009
saying net revenues were $4.7 million for the half, compared with $8.3 million
for the same period of 2008, which they explain like this: "During the first 6
months of 2008 we had released 7 titles, including Obscure II, one of our best
selling titles to date. For the three months ended June 30, 2009, net revenues
showed $3.5 million compared to $4.3 million in the same period of 2008." As for
the bottom line, they lost $3.3 million compared with a profit of $1.0 million
in the same period in 2008. For the Q2 2009 Playlogic reports net losses of $1.6
million, compared with a profit of $0.3 million in the Q2 2008.
The teasing continues on the Lionhead Studios
Website, where following yesterday's Che Guevara image and
quote, there's now an image and quote from another revolutionary, Maximilien
Robespierre, who played an instrumental role in the French Revolution (thanks
VG247). Here's the quote, which refers to The Reign of Terror during the
French Revolution: "Terror is only justice: promt [sic], severe, and inflexible;
it is then an emanation of virtue; it is less a distinct principle than a
natural consequence of the general principle of democracy, applied to the most
pressing wants of the country."
Bohemia Interactive has released the modification tools for creation of custom
content for ARMA II, their military shooter sequel. This tool suite
requires ARMA II version 1.03 or later, and word is: "With these tools every
ARMA II user can modify and create their own content from camo, vehicles, models
and weapons or even whole new environments and share them with hundreds of
thousands of likeminded fans online." The download is available from
the Bohemia Interactive
Community Wiki, and mirrored on
AtomicGamer. More
details can be found in
the complete announcement.
There's now a beta application on
the APB: All Points Bulletin Website where you can register your interest in
beta testing this open-world crime game under development at Realtime Worlds.
There's no indication of when testing is to get underway, but they do outline
the process: "We’ll be selecting beta testers who complete the application
process and meet our criteria. Selected testers will receive an invitation by
email along with details of how to download the game and take part. If you don’t
hear back from us in the next few months, don’t despair, we’ll be selecting more
people right through to launch and we will need bigger numbers of testers as
time goes on. Even if you’re not selected for the start of the program you may
get an invitation later." Thanks
VG247.
Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising will include LAN support, contrary to
a report here yesterday. The quote from Sion Lenton in an
interview on Fragland yesterday did not seem ambiguous, as he said: "There
will be no offline multiplayer, nor an offline co-op mode. Online you can play
the co-op mode with up to four friends." However, now Codemasters clarifies what was not
clear from that statement, saying: "Operation Flashpoint Dragon Rising does
indeed feature LAN play and system link, and the offline MP play Sion Lenton is
referring to is splitscreen." Meanwhile, a new vehicle trailer from the game is
now available on
ActionTrip and
AtomicGamer.
The latest installment in
Game Trailers TV is
online with a Valve extravaganza. Included is an interview with Valve honcho
Gabe Newell, who confirms Half-Life 2: Episode Three is actually still
being developed, new gameplay footage from Left 4 Dead 2, revealing an
amusement park level and the katana weapon, and a preview of the new "Crash
Course" DLC for the original Left 4 Dead.
World of Warcraft European Forums have Public Test Realm notes for the
World of Warcraft version 3.2.2 update revealed yesterday
that features an Onyxia revival. This indicates the new version is available for
testing, though it's not mentioned on the official
Test Realm Patch Notes. Thanks
WorldofWar.Net.
QuakeUnity has videos from QuakeCon
2009, including a clip of John Carmack's keynote address and the id Software
press conference. We recall in the past such clips were forbidden, but
presumably this does not apply anymore.
There are new Mass
Effect 2 screenshots on the Official Website introducing Shepard's new
buddy Thane. Word is: "In order to survive the mission, Commander Shepard will
have to recruit the very best soldiers and specialists in the Galaxy. Meet Thane
– hailing from the Drell race, he is one of the most feared assassins in the
galaxy."
Though NVIDIA announced PhysX support for Terminator Salvation
before the movie tie-in game was released, it was not part of the
game when it shipped. A movie on the
YouTube from June 1 has
a ShakyCam presentation showing PhysX in the game, promising it in an expansion:
"this is going to release next month as an expansion and new game pack with all
new levels for the game where you are going to be able to see some remarkable
physics effects." With that month more than passed, and the game's developer
GRIN now closed, this plan would seem to be in doubt. However,
the
Terminator Salvation page on nZone (thanks
game|phys, dedicated to such topics) now has a new movie showing a
side-by-side comparison of the game running with and without PhysX, suggesting a
patch with PhysX support is still on the way. There's also a deceptive link to
download an "exclusive, PhysX-packed Terminator Salvation timedemo," but this
leads to a "coming soon" message.
Matrix Games announces plans for Operation Barbarossa – The Struggle for
Russia, described as "an elegant and challenging World War II strategy game
perfect for both new and veteran wargamers!" A
product section for the game is online with info and screenshots, but a
release date is not set at this time. The turn-based strategy game will include
140 different units, three historical campaigns (two German and on Soviet),
assorted other scenarios, and a level editor to create your own. Here's a bit of
the overview: "Aimed at all levels, from those who have never played a wargame
before to those who know the history of World War II in detail, this is an
entertaining and mentally challenging game of combined arms strategy. Your
armor, infantry, artillery and air units will follow you through the most
crucial battles of the Eastern Front."
GameTrailers offers a new launch trailer for Wolfenstein, showing
off a bunch of cinematics from Raven's upcoming shooter. The clip focuses on
the game's supernatural elements, with soldiers transforming to monsters all
over the place.
A new Mini Ninjas trailer shows off Tora, one of the bonsai battlers from
the upcoming action game. Tora seems to be a cross between the Wolverine and
Edward Scizzorhands.
The Blood Bowl Website has
another new "meet our champions" video, as apparently everyone is a champion in
the fantasy-themed tackle football game. Word is: "This week’s trailer focuses
on the Dwarfs! Desperately slow but incredible resilient, the Dwarfs are really
tough Blood Bowl players not afraid to pick on targets way, way bigger than they
are! Tactics involving a running or passing game are out of question: the Dwarfs
will always prefer to run through the obstacle rather than avoiding it!"
Crispy Gamer's Rush, Boom, Turtle: And Now for Something Completely
Different.
As long as I've been playing RTSes, there have been at least one or two
exciting innovations every year. 2009 has already seen its share. For
instance, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II, Swords & Soldiers, Demigod and
Battleforge are all significant departures. But I think I've stumbled across
this year's Really New Thing. There's a lot of 2009 to go, but I'll be
surprised if anyone else twists the RTS formula this dramatically and this
effectively. And I'm hoping it'll be the Next Big Thing, because it's big,
different, entirely unprecedented and an exciting way to play an RTS. This
must be what it felt like to play Defense of the Ancients back when it was a
mod for Warcraft III.
Improbable Insights - PC Gaming’s Bright Future. By Lloyd Case (thanks
Neutronbeam).
If you’re a PC gamer, there’s actually more games available than you can
possibly play, from the casual to the deep, from the lightweight to the
addictive. What is clear is that the PC gaming model is no longer
monolithic, so if you want to find just the right title that floats your
boat, you’ll need to fire up your web browser and do your searching there,
rather than take a trip to the local gaming or electronics store.
IndustryGamers - Pachter's Podium #3.
Browser-based games are great, but they don’t offer the same experience
as console games. If we ever get open Internet access in the living room on
a widespread basis, I think that browser-based gaming could be a big trend,
but that appears to be several years off. The consoles offer a far better
gaming experience, as they’re connected to a big screen TV in a comfortable
setting, typically with a great sound system. Browser-based games are
typically going to be accessed through the PC, which offers a generally
inferior experience. I know that the flamers will say that PC gaming rules,
but the numbers speak for themselves: console gaming will be an $18 billion
market this year, and PC gaming will be under $3 billion. The super hardcore
PC gamer will be attracted to browser-based games, and these games certainly
have great potential for expanding the market into underdeveloped
territories (like China, India, Brazil), but I don’t see them putting much
of a dent into the console market.
The Gunnar-man made a new girlfriend at the Vet's office yesterday, as he
charmed the collar off a dog about half his size. She was a "puggle," half pug
and half beagle, and while she didn't look much like either, she certainly did
bark like both of them together. At one point we joked about our poodle staying
behind to socialize, prompting someone to point out their puppies would be
poogles (*shudder*).
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