Jenni from Valve sends word of a bit more news about patching Half-Life to version 1.0.1.3 that may help owners of the UK Game of the Year edition. There are also eight new mods available on their mod server. Here's the poop:

The new update to the Half-Life client (v. 1013) is now posted at: http://www.won.net/gamerooms/action/half-life/.

Also, in support of the mod community, we have posted 8 mods to our mod server, including Counterstrike, Action Half-Life, and Science & Industry. (Click refresh in the mod browser to view the new mods.) With the new features in HL v. 1013, it's now even easier to find and download mods.

We have posted the v. 1013 update for the UK version of the Game of the Year at: http://ftp.won.net/pub/half-life/english/10111013.exe. This will fix the problems some UK users have been experiencing today.

The MacUnreal 224 beta 5 with the mouse problems that was "yoinked" earlier (story), has been replaced by a new MacUnreal 224 beta 6 on the Westlake Interactive website. Like beta 5, beta 6 "mainly adds tweaks for RAVE (to try to make the game more stable)," includes high-resolution support for Voodoo3, and additionally fixes the problem in beta 5 that caused the mouse to stop working. For space reasons, UnrealFinder is not included in the beta, but you can download it here.

GA-Source sends word that they've received the news that the US release of Outcast, Appeal's third-person voxel-loving action/adventure title, has shipped and should be in stores by the week's end. I also noticed on The Outcast website that they've got that whopping huge Outcast demo for download, now split into a whole bunch of 10 MB chunks (you're talking a big demo when the small chunks are that size).

Frans at 3D Action Gamers sends word that WON has released one more Half-Life patch. This newest patch upgrades the English version 1.0.1.1 to the new version 1.0.1.3. Version 1.0.1.1 was the version that shipped as the "Half-Life Game of the Year" edition (thanks nova for clearing that up). This latest patch, and all the international versions released earlier (story) are now mirrored on 3D Action Gamers if you were having trouble with the downloads when they were from a single source.

It's awfully quiet at the newsdesk at the moment, so I thought I'd post a reminder that tonight's Talkspot GameDive talks with Dynamix Programmer Mark Frohnmayer, and former TRIBES designer Scott Youngblood. The conversation will discuss TRIBES, TRIBES2, TribesCon’99, and Scott’s recent departure from Dynamix. Everything kicks off at 10:00 PM EDT (7:00 PDT), RealPlayer required.

Billy posted word on Voodoo Extreme that Gathering of Developers and Delphine are preparing to release a playable demo from their isometric-view RPG, perhaps as soon as next week. The demo should be about a 30 MB download.

The Starlancer/Freelancer HQ has posted a Q&A with Eric Peterson, lead designer on Starlancer (thanks AGN3D). It includes this tidbit, which sort of explains the relationship between the two different "lancer" games:

...Starlancer is the first of a trilogy that all preclude Freelancer, so hopefully you will see two more Starlancers in the future.

The GibPile has posted a ten question Q&A with Human Head's Mike Werckle (it doesn't say it there, but I did some of that patented Blue's News reconnaissance work and discovered his identity) talking about their Unreal engine Viking fest RUNE. Pull up some grog, grab a wench, and take a read.

Whee! It's time for this week's Mail Bag. In this week's action packed installment: QuakeCon gripes, System Shock 2, Delta Force cheating, the Blue's News effect, and what the heck is "Mike Abrash's Winnie" anyway? Wacky stuff...be sure to check it out.

Westlake Interactive has temporarily yoinked that version of MacUnreal that was released earlier today (story) due to a bug (thanks Lockup). Here's what the page currently reads:

*** Links are temporarily disabled while we track a problem in B5 with mouse look ****

Thresh's Firing Squad has posted a side-by-side comparison of shots from the maps in Q3Test with images from Thresh's visit to id way back when. While there's nothing earth shatteringly new here, it's an interesting glimpse into the development of these levels.

Kali.net has news of the release of a new revision B of the Kali II beta. Thanks dragor. In addition to solving some problems with the previous beta, the new release adds the following:

• Added support for: Darkstone
• Fixed DirectPlay and custom games bug.
• Can now choose whether TCP search results go to a popup window or to main chat window.
• Rewrote mail (now appears as an index in the main tree list on the left).

There's a Glaze 3D & Bitboy Interview on The Tech Zone talking to this Finnish 3D-graphics company about their recently announced Glaze3D, an upcoming accelerator that promises ground-breaking performance according to preliminary specs.

Apache, high-falootin' new editor at GameFan sends word that he's posted an interview with Epic's PR machine, Mark Rein. The topics covered include the status of Unreal Tournament, the demo, possible console ports, "and more..."

The Intel Owner's Club Goodies page has been updated with new info on their upcoming exclusive debut of the Battlezone 2 demo mentioned earlier (story). Instead of being available this Friday, a new release date has been posted: the following Friday, August 27. Thanks Judo Chop. In the meantime, there are screensavers and wallpaper at the Intel Owner's Club Goodies page to tide you over.

Duane at WON sends word of a bunch of patches they've posted for users of the International version of Half-Life along with some Linux releases, etc.:

Here are links to the new half life files that just went up.. You can see the language in the URL. The file names tell the version changes (1005 to 1013) the ones that start at 1005 are 20Meg, the others are less than 2 meg.. The files are still pushing to the outside world.

http://ftp.won.net/pub/half-life/english/10051013.EXE
http://ftp.won.net/pub/half-life/english/10091013.EXE
http://ftp.won.net/pub/half-life/english/10101013.EXE

http://ftp.won.net/pub/half-life/french/f10051013.EXE
http://ftp.won.net/pub/half-life/french/f10111013.EXE
http://ftp.won.net/pub/half-life/german/g10051013.EXE
http://ftp.won.net/pub/half-life/german/g10111013.EXE
http://ftp.won.net/pub/half-life/italian/i10051013.EXE
http://ftp.won.net/pub/half-life/italian/i10111013.EXE
http://ftp.won.net/pub/half-life/korean/nv10051013.EXE
http://ftp.won.net/pub/half-life/korean/nv10101013.EXE
http://ftp.won.net/pub/half-life/spanish/s10051013.EXE
http://ftp.won.net/pub/half-life/spanish/s10111013.EXE
http://ftp.won.net/pub/half-life/server/win32/hlserver4013.exe
http://ftp.won.net/pub/half-life/server/win32/hlserver10124013.EXE
http://ftp.won.net/pub/half-life/server/linux/hlds_l3014.tar.gz
http://ftp.won.net/pub/half-life/server/linux/hlds_l3013upgrd.tar.gz
http://ftp.won.net/pub/half-life/server/linux/hlds_l30133014.tar.gz
http://ftp.won.net/pub/half-life/server/linux/hlds_l3013.tar.gz

Westlake Interactive has posted a new version 224 beta 5 patch for the Macintosh version of Unreal. This patch only works with a beta of MacUnreal 224 previously installed, and mainly offers fixes for RAVE (to increase stability) and added support for Voodoo3 cards. The file is also available on 3DFiles Unreal patches page.

As promised, Valve has released a version 1.0.1.3 patch for Half-Life, in three different flavors: Here are local copies (with mirror lists to be updated as they are reported) of the version 1.0.0.5 to 1.0.1.3 patch (21.6 MB), the version 1.0.0.9 to 1.0.1.3 patch (1.9 MB), and the version 1.0.1.0 to 1.0.1.3 patch (1.2 MB). Here's the lowdown on the new version:

• The mod browser now supports .zip file decompression.
• We've added a new feature for server operators called 'TF Stats', which takes server log files and creates a web page with the results of your TFC match. TF Stats also gives awards for various feats accomplished during the game, like the "Swiss Cheese" award for the person with the most kills using the assault cannon, and the "Kamikaze" award for the player who dies the most times by his/her own hand. (Refer to \halflife\tfc\manual\TFStats.htm for instructions.)
• The server now allows banning by WON uniqueid. (Refer to TFCServer.htm located in your \halflife\tfc\manual folder.)
• We've updated the TFC manual with information about running a TFC server.

We've also included these fixes:

• We fixed the problem where too many packets were being sent at sign-on (this was causing problems for cable modem users).
• Team 4 can now score on 4-player TFC maps. -
• We fixed the Soldier's nail grenades in TFC.
• Demo Playback is fixed.

The following fixes (which were released earlier with the HL v. 1012 Primary Server Release) are also included:

• Userinfo overrun is fixed.
• Spies feigning death in doorways will no longer drop all clients on server.
• Grenades will no longer detonate if you change teams.
• The dedicated server no longer requires hw.dll for authentication.
• The dedicated server will heartbeat with +map in the command line.

The official Unreal Tournament FAQ has been updated with a single new bit of information (as usual, spotted by sharp-eyed Frans at 3D Action Gamers'). The answer to the question "When is Unreal Tournament coming out?" has been changed. Where that formerly read Spring 1999 (the horse is obviously out of the barn on that now), the answer now reads: "Fall of 1999...can't be more specific than that."

Saw on Unreal Nation that there's an update on Witchboy's Cauldron from ION Storm Designer Harvey "Witchboy" Smith talking about pop culture, and offering a "Generic Update" on the progress of ION's upcoming Unreal-engine action/RPG, Deus Ex. Here's the G.U. on D.E.:

things are going well for deus ex. we have missions 01-03 in a playable state. some of the later missions, out of sequence, are about as far along. the game is a *lot* denser now with minute-to-minute interactions due to some of the game mechanics we've added. this has consumed most of our time lately. and our story elements have gotten a lot cooler in the last couple of months due to some re-focusing and the excellent job our new writer (sheldon pacotti) has done. it feels like the team is really on a roll now.

A Shadow Man Demo FAQ is now online to answer common questions about the demo for Acclaim's third-person game of Voodoo mojo. Thanks Frans at 3D Action Gamers'.

Version 2.0 of The Heretic Fortress, a teamplay mod for Raven's Heretic II, is now available. Their updated list of changes page and updated gameplay section give the full lowdown on the mod, and what's new. Thanks again Frans at 3D Action Gamers'.

I mentioned earlier that both loony and I might be away for a while this afternoon visiting EA, but with a Half-Life release on the way, I stayed to hold down the fort, so you're stuck with me.

AVault has posted an in-game movie from Sierra that shows off their upcoming space battle game Homeworld. The movie is available in Microsoft's Media Player streaming format in different bandwidths from 28.8 to 300k.

We've received word that Psygnosis and Surreal Studios' Drakan: Order of the Flame has begun appearing in Electronics Boutique stores. Word from the publisher is that it was set to appear in stores by Friday, so check back tomorrow if it hasn't shown up near you yet.

PSX.IGN is reporting that the PlayStation version of Quake II is almost finished, and should be moving on to Sony's QA department for final testing in the next couple of weeks. If that happens as planned, the game will be on store shelves in September.

Human Head's Mike Werckle updated his .plan with word that they're looking to hire animators for their game in progress Rune in the near future. Here are the details (for full contact info, read the full .plan):

I would like to make contact with animators who are interested in coming to work for Human Head Studios in the near future. A strong art background, solid character animation skills and a willingness to relocate to Madison, WI are a must. Experience with games and with Softimage are plusses.

We are a small team-oriented company that is committed to quality. No corporate non-sense, no politics or in-fighting, no contracts. Just honest hard working people, flexible hours, free pop and snacks, and much more.

Well-Rounded Games has posted an interview with Red Storm's Greg Stelmack, one of the game designers on Rogue Spear (the sequel to Rainbow Six). Lots of stuff is discussed here, including the debate over the Kosovo mission (which is a bone of contention with some), the new weapons, and lots of other gameplay issues.

Paul Steed was nice enough to send along an "exclusive" Quake III Arena image that was created for magazine advertisements. Here's the BMP version on our FTP server (849 KB) for you purists (it unzips to close to 4 MB), and here's a thumbnail link to a jpeg of the 1280x1024 32-bit color shot, along with Paul's description.

This is something I did for an advertisement idea to be in magazines sometime in the next few months or so. With the exception of a few minor Photoshop enhancements, the characters are rendered from their in-game model selves featuring cool Kenneth Scott skinnery. Makes a great windows background...

Saw in IPlayGames that this page on Descent-3.com has what's new in the upcoming Descent 3 version 1.1 patch.

The version of the day on Q3Center's Q3Tweak page is Q3Tweak version 1049. Thanks Voodoo Extreme. The new release of this tweak util for Windows Q3Test users fixes a "stupid bug" with a busted path to the executable, fixes some other bugs, and adds a few new features, including a VISE installer to avoid problems users have had with the WinZip self-extractor.

Epic's Brandon "Don't Burn My Pokemon" Reinhart updated his .plan and included news on his own efforts at coding an Unreal Tournament Linux client, echoing the words of Outrage's Jeff Slutter about Linux Descent 3 posted earlier (story). Here's that part of the update:

Some people have asked me what the status of the UT Linux client is. Well, the answer to that is to refer you to Joe Slutter's recent comments on the status of the Descent 3 Linux Client:

"Some things left to do on it before release. No sound yet. No joystick yet. A few minor bugs here and there, nothing major (that is known). Oh yeah, some thread issues need to be solved for internet name lookup too."

That's pretty much my status exactly. Wonder if he's been lookin at my code? :P

As the second part of the Nocturne preview they kicked off yesterday, Thresh's FiringSquad interviews Terminal Reality talking with Mark Randel, president and lead programmer and Jeff Mills, Nocturne production lead about their new horror game, Nocturne.

Saw on the Bot Epidemic that version 0.97 of the Cajun Bot for Doom is out, offering an update to the AI opponent for the true old-school deathmatcher. Thankfully, I don't believe it offers an Adam Sandler/Cajun Man skin or sound pack.

Billy sends word of a post to the Descent BulletinBoard by Outrage Entertainment's Jeff Slutter announcing that he's been working on a Linux Descent 3 client, which he plans on releasing as soon as he works out a couple of features and squashes a few bugs. Here's the poop:

Question:Is there a D3 client for linux? I know there is a dedicated server.

Jeff (Outrage):Heh, funny you should ask. Yes there is one, but no it's not released [yet]. I just built it again today for the first time in awhile and played a little multiplayer on PXO with it.

Some things left to do on it before release. No sound yet. No joystick yet. A few minor bugs here and there, nothing major (that is known). Oh yeah, some thread issues need to be solved for internet name lookup too.

I hope to start working on it again...to get it out there. Glide is pretty stable. OpenGL works, but I've only tested it with my 3Dfx card and I know it needs a little more. I just installed a G400 on my machine so I can test with that too hopefully.

This Intel Owner's Club Goodies page has word they will have exclusive downloads of the BattleZone II demo on August 20, 1999, "Only at Intel® Owners Club." The system requirements on the page note that "This is a US game demo only." Thanks Geoff Stafford. The Intel Club is also passing along some of the questions readers submit on this page to the director of Battlezone II, George Collins, with the answers to be published with their next newsletter.

Phase 1 of Glide Underground's GenCon wrap-up is up offering photos and product previews, with a promise of interviews, "and perhaps an MP3 of the press conference with Walter Koenig," still to come. Also, GenCon Follies is the Gamecenter wrap-up of the event, posted last Friday.

• Adrian's Rojak Pot's BIOS Optimization Guide has been updated, and now offers a new comments page for readers to add their relies. Word is AJP is celebrating their first anniversary on the 20th, so cheers to them (I'll drink to that).
• Thresh's FiringSquad's Vantec P3D-5030 Heatsink Review.
• Chip Testers' Weekly Hardware Price Update.
• RIVA Extreme's What is Oxygen Project? is an article that describes this "multimillion-dollar, five-year project that involves some 30 faculty members from the Laboratory for Computer Science, working in collaboration with the M.I.T. Artificial Intelligence Lab. It will help people do more, by doing less." Sounds good to me.

Axis Productions has posted the new version 1.3 of their Rock/Paper/Scissors (RPS) mod for Quake II. The new release offers a "new 'cube-holding' effect, cube respawning problems fixed, removed quad and invincibility, and numerous minor bug fixes." RPS is a server-side mod, so clients do not need to download anything to play.

• Exxtreme3D reviews DarkStone.
• Extreme Hardware reviews the VideoLogic SonicVortex2.
• 3D Spotlight reviews the ELSA 3D REVELATOR Glasses.
• Freak! reviews the 3DLabs Oxygen VX1 Graphics Adapter.
• AnandTech reviews the Tyan Tomcat i810 motherboard.

• Beta Bites Staff Asheron's Call Beta Journal is up with impression of this RPG currently in testing...
• The G Spot has some replacement icons for all three generations of Quake...
• Converted^2 has posted an interview with the team behind the Star Wars conversion for Quake II, still in the works. More mod news: The RadioActive Software Chronicles page has new screenshots from this upcoming Half-Life "expansion pack"...
• The Adrenaline Vault Downloads Patch has a new version 3.22 patch for Braveheart. They have also posted a Microsoft NFL Fever 2000 Playable Demo...
• NovaWorld Cheat Resolution Announced is a follow-up on AVault to the story linked yesterday about online cheating...
• Part three of Computer Games Online's Dungeon Keeper 2 strategies are online...

I can't be more pleased with the response to the new Quake III Arena Bus Tour message board, my hat is off to furn, our resident boy genius™, for his usual yeoman effort at hand-coding the board from scratch. His code shows its usual lean meanness, the CPU load barely budged when the boards came on line (a feat perhaps only other website operators can really appreciate). Stay tuned for more on what features are planned for the future which will lead to the launch of other boards. I also want to thank the ever-amazing Walter |2| Costinak for the terrific logo for the messageboard, and I think that Anna from id deserves special thanks from all for the effort she's putting into answering so many posts on the board.

There will probably be a gap this afternoon with no updates, loony and I have a chance to check out some new stuff with Electronic Arts. Since they are visiting our fair metropolis, we'll probably both make the trip to see what they've got for us to see, though I'm feeling a bit ill (hence the slightly late start this evening/morning), so I may beg off. P.S. More anniversary schtuff: Cheers to Clan Steel Maelstrom on their third anniversary, and still going strong.

Link of the Day: The Onion, where a front-page story reads "Quake Claims 500 Hours" Thanks Mongrel and Amergin. It's a sad tale: "Rescue workers are still searching frantically for any signs of unwasted time in the wreckage of high-school student Jeremy Fanshaw's life, following a devastating Quake game that claimed an estimated 500 hours of his time." Damn do I love the Onion. Have you seen their paperback book? Highly recommended.
Bonus Link: BALLOON-BORNE INSTRUMENT COLLECTS ANTIMATTER. That's right, more real science straight out of Star Trek. Thanks cannelbrae.