Archived News:
Paramount Digital Entertainment announces Top Gun, an upcoming arcade aerial combat game based on the '80s Tom Cruise movie. The game will offer players the chance to ride into the danger zone on PC, Mac, and PlayStation Network. For added authenticity, development is involving Jack Epps, Jr., who wrote the screenplay for the movie. There's no word if the game will include beefcake volleyball mini-games, but they do offer a little on what it will include: "In Top Gun, players will enroll in the Top Gun Academy as Maverick with their Radio Information Officer Goose to go up against the best for Top Gun honors. Following graduation, players will fly into the danger zone with fellow US Navy pilots over the Indian Ocean, where they will shoot down enemy fighter jets, defend and attack bases and engage in large-scale dogfight battles. Top Gun also features five multiplayer modes, allowing up to sixteen players to go up against the best and battle it out online. Currently in development by doublesix, Top Gun will be available this summer."
The PC version of Lara Croft: Guardian of Light will use the Steam DRM to fight piracy, and that this next installment in the Tomb Raider series will be distributed via Steam in the US, reports Computer and Video Games. Word is Crystal Dynamics is considering other channels in other territories, with Global brand manager Karl Stewart telling CVG: "We've gone down the road of implementing Steam DRM where we've committed to the US being an exclusive and we're going to make a decision as to whether or not we'll use different distribution channels."
A post on superannuation points to a résumé that reveals Ubisoft is planning an unusual sounding real-time strategy game. Here's a bit: "This game, based on the theme of “Nature”, uses very advanced systems to provide a new experience based on manipulation of a realistic simulation. Produced at Ubisoft Montpellier, by a very talented team, using Agile methodologies, in collaboration with a French AI laboratory."
Steam now offers a selection of Prima strategy guides that can be read from within games using the Steam overlay (the guides are also available out of game). The six guides available at this time are for Dragon Age: Origins, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Splinter Cell: Conviction, Left 4 Dead 2, Just Cause 2, and Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening. For a limited time these guides are being offered for 50% off their regular prices.
PC Perspective has word that BFG Technologies is exiting the graphics card manufacturing business, saying, "this category is no longer profitable for us, although we will continue to evaluate it going forward." They will continue to manufacture power supplies, Deimos gaming notebooks, and Phobos gaming systems. Word is: "BFG will continue to offer RMA, telephone and email support for qualified BFG Tech graphics card warranty holders, but will no longer be bringing new graphics card products to market." This is sad news for me personally, as my last three graphics cards were from BFG (counting my current card), and I have always found their products and tech support to be top notch. Thanks dakslf via TFTS via PC Perspective.
Another new patch is now automatically available through Steam to update Team Fortress 2, Valve's multiplayer shooter sequel. The new version updates two maps, adds new community weapons and hats, and removes a cvar. The list of major changes follows. Continue here to read the full story.
Steam News announces the availability of a new automatic update for Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter, Devolver Digital's remake of Croteam's shooter sequel. The extremely lengthy list of changes follows. Continue here to read the full story.
The EverQuest II Website details how mounts are now for sale in the marketplace for SOE's MMORPG sequel. The mounts are the Etheral, Sinister, and Ulteran Prowlers, which sell for $25.00 USD each. Word is: "Each mount comes in your choice of one of the following versions: Fierce and Arcane. The Fierce version increases Slashing, Aggression, Ranged, Piercing and Crushing of caster by 5, while the Arcane version increases Focus, Ordination, Disruption, Subjugation and Ministration of caster by 5. Both versions of the mount have a 65% run speed."
Another new Split/Second "making of" trailer features the developers at Black Rock Studio discussing the process of creating their upcoming action/racing game, and the elements of the game that have them most excited. The clip is embedded below. Continue here to read the full story.
Irrational Games has an update "from the vault," as they have dug up the original pitch documents for BioShock from back when Rapture was just a gleam in Andrew Ryan's and Ken Levine's eyes. Word is: "In the next few installments of From the Vault, we will divulge the myriad departures BioShock took from its original vision, but also show our readers just how much the game’s heart and soul stayed constant. You will be made privy to our very first design concepts and original drafts of back-story. You will read about game modes and features that fell by the wayside during the many years of production. And you will stand in awe of visual interface mockups crafted by Mr. Ken Levine himself!"
- Bob Came in Pieces on Impulse. Save 50%.
- For The Glory on Impulse. Save 60%.
- Juiced 2 - Hot Import Nights on Impulse. Save 33%.
- Mass Effect on Impulse. Save 25%.
- Napoleon: Total War on Steam. Save 33%.
- Sins of a Solar Empire on Impulse. Save 50%.
- S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat Loyalty Edition on Impulse. Save 40%.
- Total War Mega Pack on Steam. Save 66%.
Still on sale (previously reported)
Continue here to read the full story.
1Up reports on cuts planned for the version of StarCraft II to be sold in Korea to overcome the AO Rating the RTS sequel earned in that territory. They have translations from this site indicating that in order to avoid being classified for sale to adults only, blood effects are rendered in black in the edited version, which also tames some of the game's language, and removes references to smoking. There is also an indication that Blizzard is considering selling the uncut version in Korea in addition to the edited version (which is expected to be approved for players aged 12 and older).
Link of the Day: This Fallout 3 laser pistol is very papery, very impressive.
Soldak Entertainment now offers a mod SDK for Din's Curse to allow the creation of new content for their action/RPG. The SDK includes documentation to help you get started, and the accompanying post also sets some ground rules for mod content and distribution. They also have a selection of mods for the game that they created using the SDK.
Those who preorder Singularity through Amazon.com will receive a bonus of a free copy of the Singularity graphic novel, which was created by top industry talent including David Atchinson, Christopher Morrison, Davide Fabbri, and Tom Mandrake. Word is the graphic novel will allow "gamers to delve deeper into the mysterious events off the Russian Peninsula that resulted in the unraveling of time itself." Those who preorder the Xbox 360 edition from Amazon.com will also receive a free copy of Prototype along with Raven's temporal shooter and the graphic novel. Singularity is expected on store shelves on June 29.
A Letter from Aion's Producer on the Aion Website has a May Community Address to players of NCsoft's fantasy-themed MMORPG. The post has word to expect the version 1.9 patch to go up on their public test servers on May 25 and to go live for all players a week after that. They offer the version 1.9 patch notes as well as a version 1.9 Q&A with Kinslon, and word the new version will reduce the game's grind, saying: "Along with a reduction in costs, better experience for quests and increased loot drops, we also threw in a collection of exciting systems and updates such as arms fusion, daily quests, rental weapon/armor system and a new look for group UI feature that are all aimed at improving the player’s experience." They also announce that their promised character transfer service will launch in the middle of June, and will pave the way for server merges, saying: "After a score of meetings, it was decided that the best thing to do is to merge some of our servers so that we have fewer, fuller servers with characters (and players) that are balanced better in population across all levels and classes. The primary goal of merging the servers is to create an environment that gives you the best possible experience in Aion." Finally, they also point the way to the version 2.0 initial patch notes for the update to follow. Thanks Ant via Massively via Slashdot.
MCV reports that golden-haired billionaire/James Bond villain Richard Branson will unveil Virgin's gaming plans at next month's E3 in Los Angeles, CA. They are no virgin to game development, as Virgin Interactive was a major player in the dawning days of video gaming, for those old enough to remember the 20th century. Though this is not reported with absolute certainty, saying, "MCV believes that a launch event is being planned, with Branson himself in attendance," they offer details indicating they have a good idea of what's going down: "Ambitious and global, the business is expected to run across the leading console formats and feature the most popular games on the market. MCV understands that the new video games venture will be online-only and again challenge-based, possibly built on a technology acquisition."
Gala Networks Europe announce that the Babel expansion will go live today for Castle of Heroes, their subscription-free MMOG. Word is: "Chief among the additions to the game is the legendary Tower Of Babel itself: 40 floors filled with monstrous guardians, each more powerful than the last. Players can attempt the Tower once each day and can earn substantial amounts of experience through winning – or forfeit all their spoils in defeat." This update has more details on the changes. Castle of Heroes is a browser-based Flash game that can be played under both Windows and Mac.
The Evochron Legends Website now offers a new version 1.288 of Evochron Legends, StarWraith 3D Games' space combat and trade simulator. The new version is available on their downloads page, and as always, this can serve as a full installer or a playable demo. There is also an updated version 1.288 dedicated server. The change list is below. Continue here to read the full story.
The A Stroke of Fate Interview on Gaming Nexus chats with Boris Chuprin, fearless leader on A Stroke of Fate, the upcoming World War II adventure game based on attempts to assassinate Adolf Hitler. Topics include connections with the movies Valkyrie and Inglorious Basterds, historical accuracy and research, the state of PC gaming, and more. He also reflects on the game's North American release, saying a demo is coming: "Release date in the USA is not determined so far, We’ll come up with the Demo version, of course, to give American players the flavour of the product."
The Transformers: War for Cybertron interview on UGDB chats with Matt "Flying" Tieger about the Transformers prequel in the works at High Moon Studios. Topics include their freedom to make a game unrelated to the movies, their depiction of the Autobot and Decepticon civil war, voice acting and music, multiplayer support, co-op, the possibility of post-release DLC, and more.
Co-Optimus - When Co-Op Becomes a Necessity - The Changing Face of Single Player. Thanks Joker961.
The world of cooperative gaming is evolving so rapidly, I think it's catching some people off guard. In only half a decade we've gone from famine to feast in terms of co-op offerings in games. Not only that, we've seen co-op games evolve and change in how they put players together. For a genre that started with two people in front of an arcade cabinet, it has surely come a long way. But as happy as it makes fans of this type of gameplay, the fact that co-op is being put in front of single player is rubbing some people the wrong way.
Doing a little spring cleaning here at the Blue Tower. Anybody need an octopus made of wires?
R.I.P.: Prof. Dr. Fritz Sennheiser dies. Thanks [H]ard-OCP.
R.I.P.: John Shepherd-Barron Dead: ATM Inventor Dies At 84 In Scotland. Thanks Acleacius.
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