Rebellion doing the third AvP is great news for Aliens and AvP fans like me. The first AvP was the only video game that ever genuinely scared me, making me jump in my chair. Instead of the monster-jumping-out-of-the-closet or loud-noise-coming-out-of-steam-pipes style of scaring players, the game built up immense tension over the course of a level. Anyone can make a monster jump out from behind an object screaming, but to toy with your nerves like they did with AvP, that's video game art.

It's also the ONLY game (that I ever played, anyway) that used darkness extensively and managed to make it a great gameplay element instead of just being fucking annoying -- I'm looking at you, Doom 3. Walking down a dark hallway of an abandoned space station while hearing the faint sound of a facehugger moving towards you in a corner -- but you don't know WHICH corner -- gives me chills to this day.

It was the first game I've played that used destructible lighting. It had a GREAT flamethrower and the accompanying fire effect. I remember to this day some of the sound effects from AvP: the way the aliens screamed as they ran around on fire, the punchy sound the bullets made as they impacted with metal, or the CRUNCH they made as they tore into the bodies of aliens, the drumming of the sentry guns as I tried to sprint past them as an alien... such fun times.

AvP was also crazy hard without being annoying. I played through the game a couple of times on Director's Cut before the first patch that introduced savegames. I was damn proud of myself

I don't care how long AvP 3 or A:CM takes. The wait is so long between quality AvP games and Alien movies, I can wait for the good stuff. Take your time, developers, and make sure you deliver us a gem.

Correct. There was no need to aim up and down due to the engine, unless you wanted to shoot projectiles ahead of mobs. There's one serious speedrunner left who used keyboard for turning as of... 3 years ago?

The original DOOM did have mouse aim, btw, for what that's worth.

I take it, you don't know what a firebat is.

sst: That's a firebat from the cinematic trailer they are going to show in South Korea. A friend of a friend is a coder for Blizz and he was able to sneak out that one pic.

http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/937/sc2ww7.jpg

In case you want to know what the new game is.

I can't say much new. I've been reading your site for more than three years now, and during that time I grew to like it and appreciate all the work you (and all the others, of course) put into it. Your efforts gave me and many others countless hours of fun, and the least I think I could do in return is to thank you now and assure you that my thoughts are with you during this time.

Only the best wishes from another first time poster but longtime reader.