Archived News:
Devolver Digital tweets about plans for an "extremely generous" demo in the works for Serious Sam HD, the remake of Croteam's high-speed first-person shooter: "For those still not convinced, SSHD is going to get an extremely generous demo on Steam in a few weeks. Extremely generous."
The Star Trek Online Website has word that the Season One: Common Ground update for Cryptic's Trekkie MMORPG is live, offering new ships and missions, new customization options, PvP updates, skill respecs, and more. They also announce that Season One: Common Ground C-Store items are now available. Finally, they also announce that some new Lifetime Subscriber Perks are now available.
Slitherine is announces the release of HISTORY: Egypt Engineering an Empire, the first in a series of turn-based strategy games based on the HISTORY Channel television series Engineering an Empire. HISTORY: Egypt Engineering an Empire Product Page is live with details, and here's a bit on the game: "HISTORY™ Egypt Engineering an Empire allows players to build their own empire from its foundation to the height of its power. Acting as the leader of a Egypt or one of its neighbors, players manage all aspects of its rise, from economic growth to political power, the development of armies, and expansion into other regions by methods such as war and diplomacy."
Mythic Entertainment announces a new way to get the full version of Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, their MMORPG. Now players of the ENDLESS FREE trial for the game can upgrade to a subscriber account without a further client purchase, though the boxed version will continue to be sold, as it includes 30 days of free play time. To play the full version, players merely need to subscribe, and of course, agree to the appropriate EULAs.
The Infinity Ward Stimulus Q&A on NowGamer chats with Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling about the maps in the upcoming Stimulus Package map pack for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (thanks Joker961). There's another interview with Bowling on the same topic on GamesRadar. They confirm that another map pack will follow this one, and ask him about the price point, which has come under fire for being fairly steep: "You know players will always react to any price that’s announced, but I think from a content standpoint, anyone who is playing Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer and is dedicating a lot of hours to it is definitely going to get their money’s worth from this map pack. This adds for some players hundreds and hundreds of hours of new gameplay to it, and on maps that have been proven to have a lot of mileage. I don’t think anyone who picks up this map pack is going to be disappointed with the purchase." Finally, there's a Getting to Know the New Maps article on BitMob that introduces the maps in the pack, also with the assistance of Robert Bowling, showing things off with some screenshots and a trailer.
New WHQL-certified version 197.13 are now available. There are new drivers for Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 7 64-bit, Windows Vista 64-bit, and Windows XP 64-bit. Thanks Charles.
A large automatic update for Supreme Commander 2 is now available via Steam, updating the real-time strategy sequel from Gas Powered Games to version 1.4. The lengthy patch notes follow. Continue here to read the full story.
There's word on Steam News of a new client patch for Shattered Horizon to update the sci-fi shooter to version 1.1.0.15. There is also a corresponding update for the game's dedicated server to bring it up to version 1.1.1.7. Details on both updates are below. Continue here to read the full story.
Steam News announces a new patch is now automatically available through Steam for Global Agenda, updating the MMOG from Hi-Rez Studios to version 1.25. The change list follows. Continue here to read the full story.
The Sims 3 Website offers new patches to update base game to version 1.11, the World Adventures add-on to version 2.6 and the High-End Loft Stuff add-on to version 3.2. They outline steps to safely update your game without endangering any custom content you may have installed. The various language Sims 3 base patches are mirrored on AtomicGamer and The Patches Scrolls, the World Adventures patches are mirrored on AtomicGamer and The Patches Scrolls, and the High-end Loft Stuff patch is mirrored on AtomicGamer and The Patches Scrolls.
The Din's Curse Patches Page now offers new beta versions 0.911 of Din's Curse for both Windows and Mac OS X. The change list outlines all that's different in the new version of Soldak Entertainment's upcoming action/RPG.
- Alganon on Impulse. Save 50%.
- Divine Divinity on Impulse. Save 50%.
- Hacker Evolution - Untold w/Flight Zero on Impulse. Save 50%.
- Littlest Pet Shop on Impulse. Save 50%.
- Splinter Cell Conviction on Direct2Drive. Splinter Cell free with preorders. Save $5.00 with code "5OFFCONVICTION" (through 3/28).
- Star Trek Online on Steam. Save 33%.
- Star Trek Online Digital Deluxe Edition on Steam. Save 33%.
- THQ Ultimate Bundle on Impulse. Save 70%.
- Torchlight on Steam. Save 75%.
- World War 2 - Time of Wrath on Impulse. Save 33%.
- X-COM Complete on Impulse. Save 33%.
Still on sale (previously reported)
Continue here to read the full story.
Thanks Mike Martinez and Ant.
Thanks Acleacius and Mike Martinez.
Link of the Day: I am very glad, because I'm finally returning back home (Trololo). Thanks Kxmode. Fake smile, hair, walking, and singing. Possibly the greatest video ever.
R.I.P.: Singer Johnny Maestro dies in Fla., battled cancer. Thanks Mike Martinez.
Ubisoft is offering owners of Silent Hunter V a free copy of either Shaun White Snowboarding or Prince of Persia to compensate for server outages. Long-time reader Jim passes along the email he received, which offers the following explanation: "Following the recent temporary game server outages which may have caused disruption to some Silent Hunter 5 players on PC only, we would like to reward your patience if you have experienced any problems by offerring [sic] you a full downloadable game from the list provided below, completely free of charge."
Kalypso Media announces Patrician IV, the next installment in the long-running The Patrician series of strategy games, which is planned for release this fall. The game is in development at Kalypso Media's Gaming Minds Studios, which includes members of the original Patrician development team, as Kalypso purchased the IP along with other assets from defunct developer German developer Ascaron Entertainment last year. A teaser trailer from the game is available, and the Patrician IV Website is online. Word is: "In Patrician IV , the player takes on the role of a young merchant in the area of the Baltic and North Sea during the late Middle Age, the zenith of the Hanseatic League and its naval trading empire." Here's the embedded version of the clip. Continue here to read the full story.
Blizzard announces BlizzCon 2010, saying this year's installment in the Blizzard-specific gaming convention will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA on Friday, October 22 and Saturday, October 23, 2010. Pricing details and when tickets will go on sale will be revealed soon, which will be key for prospective attendees, since the show annually sells out almost instantly. "BlizzCon offers us a great opportunity to meet with our players and share our enthusiasm for gaming with one of the most passionate communities in the world," said Mike Morhaime, CEO of Blizzard Entertainment. "We’re looking forward to providing another great show filled with entertainment, competition, and the latest information about Blizzard Entertainment games."
GOG.com announces that Atari is the latest publisher to sign on to distribute their older games, freed of DRM and updated to work on modern systems. They announce Atari games will be added to their service throughout next month, including Outcast, Master of Orion, and Master of Magic. "This is a great step forward for GOG.com and DRM-free digital distribution," said Marcin Iwinski, co-founder of CD Projekt and GOG.com. "This deal is really just the first step in what we expect will be a long and fruitful relationship. Atari has a tremendous number of cult classics within their grasp, and we hope to sign these in a near future!"
2K Games announces an August 24, 2010 North American street date for Mafia II, the life-of-crime game sequel in development at 2K Czech, separately announcing the game is due in European territories on August 27. The news is accompanied by some new Mafia II screenshots. They also announce plans to show the game off next week in Boston at Penny Arcade Expo East at the 2K Games booth.
A new Prison Break: The Conspiracy trailer is now available, highlighting the voice acting in the upcoming TV series tie-in, announces dSonic. The trailer features the work of Robert Knepper, one of seven actors from the series to participate in the game. The trailer concludes saying the game is due this month, and the announcement specifies this as March 30.
Reganam Interactive announces plans to launch World Cup Manager 2010 next month, offering PC and Mac gamers the chance to manage their own association football/soccer club in the world cup tournament. A few screenshots accompany the news, and here's a bit: "Packed with thousands of international footballers and backroom staff across the 32 national teams competing in the tournament, World Cup Manager 2010 gives you the chance to try your hand at coaching through a World Cup, living the ups and downs as you strive to coach your chosen national side to glory."
The Dolby Axon Website now offers free downloads of the Dolby Axon Desktop Client, a stand-alone voice chat client designed specifically for games. The desktop client is free, and there is also a premium upgrade called Dolby Axon Surround Pass, which allows players to create surround sound chat rooms, offering visual chat, larger chats, and permanent rooms. Details on the premium version are here, and new users are entitled to a 30-day free trial. There is an interview about the program on YouGamers discussing the advantages Dolby feels they are offering over similar programs.
Steam News announces that pre-purchases are now underway for Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse. This comes with two perks: A free copy of Sam & Max 203: Night of the Raving Dead and access to a Freelance Police Elite Forces membership.
IGN - The Price You Pay to Play.
Those answers largely come down to personal preference, but there's no arguing unequal games cost equal amounts. A short, broken mess like Rouge Warrior carries the exact same MSRP as Fallout 3, which rocks over ten times the content and a few thousand more layers of polish. But if Rouge Warrior is grossly overpriced for what it offers, then Fallout 3 is clearly under-priced. Digging every secret and side quest out of the Capital Wasteland can take between sixty and a hundred hours... that's a hell of a lot of game for your dollar. To the point where I can't help but think developer/publisher Bethesda got slightly shafted.
Gamasutra - Play Ball - On Realism In Baseball Games.
Despite obvious AI advances in games across genres, graphical sports sims continue to struggle. Baseball fans like me looking for a deep and accurate sim experience are likely to avoid MLB 10 altogether, choosing instead a text-based sim like the masterful Out of the Park Baseball. While I'm thrilled such an option exists (you really must play OOTP if you enjoy exhaustive feature-rich sims), it's a shame we're limited to either/or depictions of of 'realism.' In my heterosexual male sports sim fantasy world, I'm looking for the Anne Hathaway of baseball games: the one with the looks AND the brains.
Edge Online - Should Games For Windows Live Die? Thanks Joker961.
Some three years later, Games for Windows Live is on its last legs. The service has been a comprehensive failure, hindering rather than helping PC gamers at every turn and putting more obstacles between players and the games that use it. For an example, you needn’t look any further than the recent release of BioShock 2. Miscommunication was partly to blame for the furore, but the game’s inclusion of Games for Windows Live sparked responses ranging from resigned sighing to screaming frustration. Live may be in its death throes, but its Microsoft-driven influence continues to pervade PC gaming.
Huffington Post - Women in Games- From Famine to Facebook. Thanks Brenda Brathwaite.
Other women at the roundtable shared similar stories and expressed a desire to get the word out to young women who might not even see opportunities in game development where really, yes really, you get paid well to make and play games for a living. Not a day goes by that I don't think how fortunate we women are, and that fortune, I believe, is coming to a great many more women through an unlikely pastime: farming.
I was looking around the archives at older news and saw that eight years ago we posted Blue's News Ball's Up, a personalized level from a Shockwave game. I checked it out and it still works, and it's pretty challenging too.
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