Archived News:
This cricket-chirping-quiet Sunday is livened up a bit more by a new version 1.22 of ZDoom, which includes a couple of additions to the script compiler, as well as several bug fixes. As usual, Win32, Linux and source downloads are provided.
The debut release of Servarena,
a Quake III Arena dedicated server launcher. Using a mouse-driven interface, the
program is said to " make setting up a Quake III Arena server as easy as it
gets."
Home of a zillion FAQs, GameFAQs has posted a Gameplay FAQ for Quake III Arena, providing multiplayer tips and tactics, advice on the use of the weapons, a list of the Easter Eggs, and more on id's game of deathmatch extravaganza.
Among the content on the newly-opened SOF Center
is an interview
with Kenn Hoekstra that I failed to mention in pointing out the screenshots on
the new site yesterday ( story).
The Q&A covers Kenn's work (obviously enough) on Soldier of Fortune. Here's
one Q&A that gives a feel for a bit of what impacted the game's development: Q: Now since Soldier of Fortune is practically done, if
you look back at the development, what has been the most difficult thing you
guys encountered?
A: The most difficult thing we encountered was a series of changes to the
overall design concept of the game. We started out as an action game and then we
thought about moving towards a simulation/strategy type game. When we got going
on that, we decided it just wasnt going to work and we switched back to
action. Swapping horses midstream and second-guessing ourselves was a setback to
say the least.
Bullfrogged
interviews Nick Goldsworthy from Bullfrog in a very short Q&A about his
work on Dungeon Keeper 3, the upcoming installment in the DK series.
Two more new Blade screenshots have been added to TeleFragged's
Blade Interview showing off more hack-and-slash gameplay from this upcoming
third-person swordfighting game.
A utility called UT2mod is
now available to allow Linux users to extract the modules from the UT music
files and get music in the game. Thanks Jacek Fedoryński.
Ingava's Domination
Guide is up with tips on this Unreal Tournament gameplay mode. Also up among
their game guides (their site was down the first time I meant to post
these) is the Ingava
UT CTF Lava Giant guide, and a Quake
III Arena Survival Guide. Back to Unreal Tournament, Unrealism's
Unreal Tournament Tips have been updated, their extensive list covers all
aspects of gameplay.
Maj's Stuff, devoted to Quake III Arena
editing, has posted Eutectic's Preliminary Q3 .def File,
a .def file for Q3Radiant users to get started making Q3A maps until real SDK
materials are available. Also, Maj's Shader Docs
are online trying to give insights into the proper use of this aspect of Q3A
modeling that's given some of the earliest model makers trouble.
Team 5150 has posted a
program called TeamStream, which offers real-time voice communication during
Internet gaming. According to their description, the program "provides
superior voice clarity and an extensive list of features, while only consuming
9% of a 56k modem line."
A new version 1.3 of Sven Co-op
is now available, offering an updated rendition of this modification that
allows for cooperative play in Valve's Half-Life. In the new release, map
transitions work in multiplayer, Valve single-player maps are easier to use, Radio
voices are included, and much more.
Anti-video games tome misses its target widely
is an article critical of Stop Teaching Our Children to Kill, the book by
former Army Ranger Lieutenant Colonel David Grossman that accuses first-person
shooter games of being "murder simulators," among other things. While
not claiming there is no reason for concern about children's exposure to
violence, the article is critical of the book's oft-repeated criticisms of the
gaming industry, accusing Lt. Col. Grossman of "leav(ing) reality
behind," and "ignoring facts." Thanks Taft.
Kwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiik! is a
QuakeWorld tournament planned for December 18 in London with a grand prize of
£250. While I'm busting out the fancy pound symbol, Redemption 99
gets underway today, offering £100 for the winner of this UT tourney, which
boasts over 200 registrants.
It was indeed one year ago today that we moved to a new server, though the minor
glitches we've had on this most recent move are cake compared with that one,
where it turned out an overly optimistic estimate of our impact on the system we
were being added to resulted in bringing the whole setup to a crashing halt.
That was the situation that resulted in our moving to Pair
networks, who saved us in a big way by getting our stuff moved over there
instantly, saving us from huge downtime. So as we're working things out after
moving off of Pair (the site is being hosted on UGO's servers now, BTW, I
don't think I ever mentioned it), it seems appropriate to once again thank the
fine folks at Pair for a year of sterling service. Speaking of the remaining
minor glitches on the new server, cookies (and therefore user preferences)
should be working as soon as your DNS is updated with the new server. Furn has
also addressed the problem that has caused the server to crash a few times, but
I think we won't know if that's cleared up until the weekend ends, since it
seems to be extreme traffic loads that provokes the crashes.
Link of the Day: Russian, Nuclear
Cruise-Missile-Carrying, Largest Existing Conventional Submarine Available for
Sale in Florida. Thanks Anne Curr.
Story of the Day: Man gets 10 days in jail for microwaving a parrot.
An urban legend graduates to the status of unfortunate reality. If I were the
judge, I'd have given him 10 years. Thanks Peyank.
Image of the Day: Quake
III Arena Wallpaper by Anson Vogt. Thanks Victor.
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