Hardware News
Brothers In Arms Q&A
January 31, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Thanks to Blue's News for this tidbit. GBase has fired-up an interview with Gearbox Software's Randy Pitchford regarding their upcoming tactical shooter, Brothers In Arms. Topics range from the games multiplayer to the release date. Here's a clipping:
GBase: How much work did you invest into the multi-player modus? Are there any special modi planned? How many players can participate in the multiplayer-modus?
There are about 10 multiplayer maps, or so, at launch and each map is like a mission in that each side has an objective. Except in these missions, your opponents are humans and they are commanding AI squads (just like you and your team mate are).
Because of the emphasis on fire and move strategies and the squad command nature of the game, the on-line game is really new and exciting and different than what you`ve ever played before. It`s not just a test to see who has the best reaction times it really is a game of thinking as much as it is a game of action. If you`re great at aiming, but youre fighting against someone who knows how to use his team to flank you (or to suppress you while he flanks you), you`re going to get creamed.
Pariah Interview
January 30, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The Anvil has kicked up an interview with Digital Extremes regarding their upcoming first person shooter, Pariah. They look at everything from the SDK to the games AI. Here's a blurb:
The Anvil: Is the AI completely new or is it based on previous DE titles?
Digital Extremes: The framework of the AI is based on the Unreal AI. We added elements that would enable the AI to work as a team and to use cover intelligently. However, the vehicle AI is completely different.
Guild Wars Interview
January 29, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The folks over at Guild Wars Hispano have slapped up a quick interview with ArenaNet's Gaile Gray regarding their upcoming Online RPG, Guild Wars. They cover everything from servers to future expansions. Snip:
Will the pre-made level 20 competition characters have any disadvantage when compared to the normal level 20 characters?
The ready-made characters will be substantially different than those that you "raise" yourself from Level 1. The ready-made characters come in many different builds. This variety offers you the chance to try out different gameplay styles and lots of unique skills and skill combinations without acquiring the full mission experience. And naturally there is a large and growing number of these custom builds. For example, there is the Paladin build, which is made up of a Warrior primary and a Monk secondary. The Paladin is able to use adrenaline sword skills while healing himself and his party members. There's the Dazer, a primary Mesmer and a secondary Ranger who is able to interrupt her opponents' spellcasting while inflicting ranged damage with a bow. And there are many others, as well. There will be a lot of combinations, or builds, so you should have a lot of opportunities to choose the combination, and the gameplay style, that suits you or that suits your current mood.
At the present time the ready-mades have eight skills carefully chosen for that particular build, and those skills will not be replaceable. On the other hand, ready-mades will have attribute points that you will be able to alter. Ready-made skills, attributes and items are selected for a certain build. When speaking of items, it's notable that the ready-mades will be given a specified inventory and armor set or sets suitable for their dual professions and they will not be able to acquire additional or replacement items.
Star Wars: KOTOR II Preview
January 29, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Another Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords preview has popped up over at PC.IGN this evening, taking a look at Obsidian Entertainment's upcoming RPG. Here's some lovin':
Conversations and situations challenge players early on to decide which path to travel. Morality issues play early, but don't show as strongly until NPCs begin playing a larger role. When people begin bringing problems to you after arriving on Telos (the second planet) decisions become more critical and personal beliefs begin trying to weasel their way into your decision making process. So far, though I'm not too far into the game, characters haven't been too annoying, so it's a little more difficult to be a jerk to everybody... which is a little upsetting considering I wanted to play the dark side. My natural want to do good (or some semblance of good at least) makes it hard for me to make evil decisions in a game that isn't even a very lifelike situation. I suppose that's a testament to the writing and ability of the development team to really think up creative situations that resemble real world situations one might come across.
Read onStar Wars: Republic Commando Dev Diary
January 29, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameSpot has posted a developer diary written by LucasArts' John A. Hancock regarding the Squad-AI in their upcoming first person shooter, Star Wars: Republic Commando. Here's a nugget:
Out of these requirements, our Search and Destroy command was born. Search and Destroy is our default squad stance and puts the squad into action: the squad charges ahead of the player, led by a set of objectives for a level specified by the level designer. In this mode, the squad moves towards its next objective, taking up cover positions, fighting enemies, backing up the player while he performs an action, never moving too far ahead, always present. To avoid getting in the way, the squad takes up cover positions in a battle, knows to duck if they cross the players line of fire, and moves aside if nudged by the player.
Battlefield 2 Interview
January 29, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Total Video Games has Digital Illusions' Lars Gustavsson in the hot seat this evening, answering questions regarding their upcoming multiplayer shooter, Battlefield 2. Topics range from the games design to the new visual goodies. Snip:
What are the real fundamental differences within Battlefield 2 over previous Battlefield games?
Teamplay. If we disregard all the new effects, high-poly graphics, improved animation system, etc. I would say that teamplay is what sticks out the most. We all felt that you get so much more out of the game if you team up with one or more other players so the choice of where to focus came naturally.
Star Wars: Empire at War Preview
January 29, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Kicking things off, GameSpy has tossed up a preview on Petroglyph's upcoming strategy title, Star Wars: Empire at War. Here's a bit on how your actions effect the world/storyline:
At the game's outset, there isn't anything you have to do, specifically. Rather, depending on where you choose to deploy your forces, different missions will become available to you. Some of these missions will be one-offs, and some will tie in to larger story arcs, but all of them will have ramifications over the world at large. Empire at War's galaxy is persistent, so the aftermaths of the battles you engage in have a bearing on more than just the game's narrative elements; if that big-assed Imperial fleet parked over Planet Z is beating the crap out of you repeatedly, it's not a bad idea to turn tail, run, and devise a more devious strategy. You'll lose your units for real, and recovering from such a loss is much more difficult than reloading a save after seeing the "Mission Failed" screen. Especially if you're playing as the Rebel Alliance, which is far from able to match guns with the Imperials.
John Romero Interview
January 28, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameDaily has caught up with Midway Games' John Romero for a quick chat regarding everything from the industry in general to his new role at Midway. Here's something to nibble on:
GD: Can you talk about what role you play today at Midway Games?
JR: My title is Creative Director of Internal Studio, San Diego. I'm part of studio management so I know a lot of what's happening on the corporate level, but my main tasks involve Gauntlet. When I started here, I became the Team Lead and Lead Designer on Gauntlet until I could fill the design role with Josh Sawyer. I've been very busy with hiring for the past year and we've built an amazing dev team here in San Diego. I was also doing some design work on one of the locations in Gauntlet and now I'm involved in programming. It's great to be able to do a lot of things here and this company is becoming more powerful than you can ever imagine.
Star Wars: KOTOR II Preview
January 28, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The peeps over at GameSpot have kicked up a short preview on the upcoming PC version of Obsidian Entertainment's RPG, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords. Here's some lovin':
Right off the bat, it's clear that the choices that you make in the game will have a much greater effect this time around. You'll have to make moral decisions that will not only steer you toward the light side or the dark side of the Force, but will also affect your relationships with your party members. You can also gain influence with your companions, depending on what dialogue choices you select during the game. For example, when one of them has a suggestion, you'll have multiple answers to choose from, including the opportunity to slap it down. Do so, and you'll lose favor with that character. Though we've played through only the first location in the game, the storyline is as intriguing at this point as the original game's storyline was. There are certainly many mysteries in the game, and for every answer you find, you'll uncover even more questions. And for fans of the original, several familiar faces crop up early in the game.
New Painkiller Patch
January 28, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
People Can Fly have released a new patch (v1.61) for their action-packed first person shooter, Painkiller. The hefty 338mb download includes two new multiplayer modes (Capture the Flag and Last Man Standing), CPL dueling maps, specialty maps and a whole lot more! You can grab this bad boy from the following mirrors:
Brothers in Arms Preview
January 28, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN has posted a preview on the multiplayer maps in Gearbox Software's upcoming tactical shooter, Brothers in Arms. They give hints for both sides of the battle and a brief description of the map itself. Here's a blurb:
In the Trenches
German forces have positioned two antiaircraft guns at the end of an open field. They are using a network of trenches to defend this position. These guns are inflicting heavy causalities. American Paratroopers have been ordered to navigate the dangerous field and destroy the AA gun battery.
Vampire: Bloodlines Review
January 28, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Better late then never! Guru3D has thrown together a review on Troika Games' hit Action-RPG, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines. Here's a bit on the Humanity system:
If you kill a human unnecessarily while feeding, you will lose Humanity. Loose too much humanity and you will begin to loose your grip on reality, frenzying uncontrollably for a set amount of time. This can be frustrating when walking down a street, but quite useful in a fight, as you gain considerable strength while loosing control of your actions. If you use your powers in public, then you violate the Masquerade, violate it too many times and you will meet your doom! You also have a blood-meter which shows your current level of blood. You require blood in order to use your vampire powers. You increase your blood levels by feeding on humans, or by obtaining blood packs. If you happen to get low or run out of blood, then you risk frenzying.
Star Wars: Empire at War Preview
January 27, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Finally tonight, PC.IGN has slapped up a quick preview on Petroglyph's upcoming strategy title, Star Wars: Empire at War. Here's a bit on the space combat:
It's clear that the space battles have received the most attention so far. The developers, all veterans of land-based RTS games, have obviously tried to nail down the space segments before tackling the ground action. While there's still a lot of work to be done in this area, we were very impressed with the results so far. In particular, the damage modeling for the large ships is awesome. Blue and orange explosions erupt from the hull of damaged Star Destroyers. If you damage them enough, you'll even see parts of the geometry fly off. I remember one space battle with a Star Destroyer that looked like someone had taken a bite out of it. That's a great touch.
Click here to read more!
Age of Empires III Q&A
January 27, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameSpy has caught up with Ensemble Studios' Greg Street for a quick Q&A regarding their upcoming strategy title, Age of Empires III. They cover everything from the timeline to gameplay balance. Here's a blurb:
GameSpy: What civilizations will you be able to play as and what kinds of abilities do they have?
Street: There will be eight civilizations in the game, but we can only confirm three right now: the French, British and Spanish. The British have a great economy and can get villagers more quickly. The French can ally with Native Americans more easily, and they have a special villager, the Coureur, that can double as a light infantry. The Spanish get more support from the mother country back in Europe than other civilizations.
The gameplay will be a little richer and more varied in Age of Empires III because players will have an unprecedented amount of control in determining the strengths of their civilization.
Brothers In Arms Interview
January 27, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
ShackNews has Gearbox Software's Randy Pitchford in the hot seat this evening, answering questions regarding their upcoming tactical shooter, Brothers In Arms. They chat about squad management, vehicles and a whole lot more! uNF:
Shack: What sort of weapons will the squad get to use
Randy Pitchford: All of them. The fire team is mostly equipped with M1's. But Cpl. Hartsock will pick up a BAR after you link up with the gliders at 2000 hours on D-Day. The Assault team is mixed with Cpl. Corrion's Thompson and the rest of the team with Carbines. We allow the player to carry two weapons as you'll tend to want to switch off from a fire support role to an assault role.
Of course, you can pick up any weapon you want from the battlefield. Even the German ones. There are a few units that have the STG-44 - quite nice if you can "liberate" one :)
Freedom Force vs. The Third Reich Preview
January 27, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The GamesDomain is the latest website to toss up a preview on Irrational Games' upcoming RPG, Freedom Force vs. The Third Reich. Here's a bit on the games characters:
Once again, our super-powered friends in Freedom Force return. In our preview version, we've seen the patriotic and hyperbolic Minuteman, the alien Mentor, the fiery El Diablo, and two new heroes -- Quetzalcoatl (a super-strong Aztec mythological hero) and Sky King (a rocket jet-pack wearing WWII-era gunslinger). And Irrational promises most of our favorites will return, joined by even more new characters. On top of that, we'll be able to create our own heroes to go on adventures, while cutscenes showcase the storylines of those heroes brought along on each adventure. The missions are set up as individual issues and they combine to form an epic storyline. Each mission lets you choose which heroes to take with you and control (with slight limitations).
SWAT 4 Preview
January 27, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The guys over at Experiece Gaming have sent word that they have posted a preview on Irrational Games' upcoming tactical shooter, SWAT 4. Here's a bit on the gameplay:
The game is fun, but you need good players on both sides for it to work. In the mode I played, the SWAT team is trying to rescue a VIP, and the suspects are trying to keep them from doing so. The VIP is not an NPC, he is an actual person picked randomly out of the team, so (hopefully) you dont have to worry about pathfinding issues. Before you spawn, you pick out your equipment from an assortment of both lethal and non-lethal weapons, breaching gear, and other gadgets. Once you have picked your setup, the team spawns into one side of the map, and has to make it to the other side with the VIP. The twist is that the suspects cannot kill the guy. If they do, they instantly lose the round. They need him alive to collect the ransom. Once he is disabled and handcuffed, the Suspects have to hold him for two minutes. Therefore, if you are going to have a good game, the Suspects have to work together just as much as the SWAT team does.
Wow!
January 26, 2005 - Nicklas Renqvist
Patches oplenty
January 26, 2005 - Nicklas Renqvist
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory Preview
January 26, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameSpot has kicked up a preview on the multiplayer portion of Ubisoft's upcoming stealth title, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. Here's a bit on the Mercs:
Mercs also have other neat gadgets, such as mines that can both stick to walls and serve as trip wires to catch fleeing spies and a gas mask to defend against gas grenades. They also can tap into a building's camera network to monitor other areas. And the two enhanced vision modes from Pandora Tomorrow, motion tracking and electromagnetic vision, are still there as well. In a related nice touch, a Shadownet operative can tell what vision mode a merc is employing by gauging the tint of the merc's visor. Mercs also have access to a tazer, which is useful for stunning a spy to keep him from running away. Mercs have a flare launcher as well, which helps light up the many dark corners of the game.
The Matrix Online Q&A
January 26, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The MxO Vault has sat down with Monolith's Toby Ragaini for a quick chat regarding their upcoming massively multiplayer online RPG, The Matrix Online. Topics range from cut scenes to the music in the game. Snip:
MxO Vault: As the storyline progresses, will the music change as the tone of the game changes? For instance, if somehow the entire Matrix is being victim of pests, virii, terrible afflictions, will the music change towards a more dramatic and afflicted style? On a related note, will there be music with heavy storyline content, similar to Neodammerung from Revolutions, with its Hinduism scripted lyrics?
Toby -> Music will vary depending on the activities your character is performing. In addition to the obvious music changes during combat transitions and the like, there is also different music depending on which Organization you are siding with. Finally, there is music in the various clubs that will be set up to play the kind of music youd expect to hear.
Close Combat: First to Fight Preview
January 26, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The Games Domain has fired-up some impressions on Take Two's upcoming tactical shooter, Close Combat: First to Fight. Here's some lovin':
Set in the war-torn city of Beirut, Lebanon, First to Fight is a squad-based first-person shooter which has you leading a four-man fire team on a mission of survival. The Marine aspect comes into play because the game implements "Ready-Team-Fire-Assist" (RTFA), the Marines' battle-tested method of safely clearing out danger zones in an urban environment. No matter which of the four team members the player is controlling, the AI will ensure that the remaining three are using proper tactics. This leaves you free to focus on what's important: Shooting the bad guys.
Freedom Force vs. Third Reich Preview
January 26, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The GamersHell has slapped up a preview on Irrational Games' upcoming RPG, Freedom Force vs. Third Reich, after getting a chance to check it out hands-on. Here's a bit on the games visuals:
Graphically speaking the game looks great. It is a top-down isomorphic perspective that can be zoomed in and out to an almost 3rd person view. The super heroes look great and very detailed. With the graphics engine they used the whole game looks like it was taken straight from the pages of a comic book. It looks like XIII but without the extreme cel-shading. The animations are great as are the special effects. Again I cannot wait to see what they add in the final version.
Star Wars: KOTOR II Q&A
January 25, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameSpot has LucasArts' Mike Gallo in the hot seat this evening, answering questions regarding the upcoming PC version of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords. They cover everything from the storyline to combat. Snip:
GameSpot: For PC fans who aren't familiar with the Xbox version of KOTOR II, tell us a bit about the game. What's new compared with the original? How long after the previous game does the sequel take place? Will we see any familiar faces in it?
Mike Gallo: The game takes place about five years after the first game, which is still roughly 4,000 years before the time frame of the movies. There are hundreds of new characters the player can interact with and of course an all-new epic storyline. We will have some returning characters who can join your party, such as T3-M4, but we will also have some cameos from KOTOR characters.
Sega Sells Visual Concepts to Take-Two
January 25, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
According to a report on GameSpot, Sega has agreed to sell Visual Concepts and Kush Games to Take-Two Interactive for just $24 million. With EA striking deals with both the NFL and ESPN, this move wasn't a terrible supprise, but still very disapointing. Anyways, click here for all the details.
Lineage II Q&A
January 25, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The RPG Vault has slapped up an interview with a bunch of the guys behind NCsoft's massively multiplayer online RPG, Lineage II: The Chaotic Chronicle. It's one of those 'one question, many answers' type deals. Here's a blurb:
Jonric: What are a couple of bosses that you consider notable, and why do you find it especially interesting or appealing?
QA Community Coordinator Mistryl: Orfen in the Sea of Spores is not only a visually striking boss monster, but her background story is just as remarkable. She is an Arachne, a towering, spider-like creature that once was a friend to Humans and Elves, but now attacks all who cross her path and tries to ensnare them into her web. Defeating Orfen is no easy task, and it takes many brave heroes to challenge her.
World or WarCraft Interview
January 25, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The Penny Arcade has tossed up an interview with Blizzard Entertainment regarding the server issues they've been having with their hit massively multiplayer online RPG, World or WarCraft. Here's a nugget:
2. If it's true that the server problems are related to the overwhelming number of players, why was no effort made to better distribute players evenly across realms, or allow players and guilds to transfer to less populated servers?
We actually did have a number of checks in place at launch to distribute players as evenly as possible across realms. When a new account logged in, the game would ask what realm rule set and time zone the player preferred, and then it would suggest the realm with the lowest population that matched the selected preferences. That said, we're definitely working on resolving the overpopulation problems that ended up occurring on some realms despite our preventative measures. A realm-transfer option that would allow players to move from their high-population realm to one with a low population is one of the things were investigating. Were exploring this option fully and hope to be able to communicate more detailed information about it to our customers in the coming weeks.
F.E.A.R. Interview
January 25, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
EuroGamer has posted a quick Q&A with Monolith's Kevin Stephens regarding their upcoming first person shooter, F.E.A.R.. They look at the games engine, slow-mo feature and more! Here's a clipping:
UK JOURNALIST #2: Why the slow motion?
KEVIN STEPHENS: The core has always been combat and in particular cinematic combat. We wanted to capture an action movie; that's why we always emphasize movie. We want to capture what an action movie feels like, but in a game. The slow-mo actually came to us when we were working on the effects and we were looking at what you actually do in an action movie that's cool. The concept of slowing down time is done in virtually every action movie since way before The Matrix; it's been done forever. That was something where the lead designer said, "It'd be cool to try this; this is something I've wanted to try for a long time. Let's try it; no one's really done it in a first-person shooter before and you know it works in Max Payne, so let's see if it works in a first-person shooter." And so we implemented it and the team fell in love with it, and so we said we'd keep it.
Guild Wars Interview
January 24, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The Guild Wars Center has caught up with ArenaNet's Gaile Gray for a short Q&A regarding their upcoming Online RPG, Guild Wars. Topics range from the team behind the game to leveling options. Snip:
3. Will you give the option to create pre-made level 20 competition characters in release?
Yes, the ready-made characters for competition will be a feature of Guild Wars at release. People will be able to elect to "grow" a character from Level 1, or they may choose one of pre-made Level 20 characters to play. We like the idea of giving people options, and we want to respond to the desire of players who wish to experiment with different professions and to get a taste of certain skill choices. And of course creating a pre-made character will furnish a way for players to participate in PvP right away rather than spending time in missions leveling up a character. So the ready-made characters will address several player desires.
Battlefield 2 Preview
January 23, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
TotalBF2.com has shot-up a preview on Digital Illusions' upcoming multiplayer shooter, Battlefield 2. Here's a bit on the spiffy new helicopters:
I believe that in every interview about BF2, the question about choppers has always been there and the reason to this is the splendid balance of them in Battlefield Vietnam at the same time people generally seem to think that the physics in Desert Combat are better. The helicopters in BF2 are not similar to BF:V nor DC, the helicopters feel like helicopters are supposed to feel. The closest thing I can find to compare it with in feeling is the Hkp14 (NH90) in Silent Heroes. but still it is far away, because the helo's in BF2 feel unique compared to earlier games. One big explanation to this is that the team invited a real helicopter pilot that worked with programs for some time to get the right feel and physics. This has probably made it so that choppers will need a few seconds to lift from the ground, they must speed up the velocity on the rotors like a real helicopter.
Read onShooter Roundup 2005
January 22, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The folks over at PC.IGN have posted an article taking a look at some of the hot new shooters making their way to stores in 2005. You will find Brothers in Arms, Battlefield 2 and a whole lot more! Click here for the goods.
Another F.E.A.R. Preview
January 22, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Welp, they just keep streaming in! EuroGamer has slapped up their take on Monolith's upcoming first person shooter, F.E.A.R.. Here's some more info on the slow-mo feature:
So the way the slow motion stuff works is thus: When someone picks up the power-up, apart from being illuminated by a kind of Quad Damage-like flare effect, he or she also has to stave off damage while a little charge-bar in the bottom left of the screen fills up. When it does, the player can unleash slow motion by pressing Ctrl. Doing this slows down everybody in the game world immediately. Sounds become muffled, everything seems to bleed and ghost into everything else as you turn, and bullets leave smoky trails of disturbance behind them. But while both sides slow down to a plodding speed, the side with the power-up is actually moving about twice as fast, and firing a lot quicker too. It makes it all the more satisfying when you manage to kill from the defending side, and it means that you can control the slow motion power-up and still play out those fabulous Bullet Time gunfights with other people.
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory Preview
January 22, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Also over at Experience Gaming this evening is a preview on the multiplayer portion of Ubi Soft's upcoming stealth title, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. Here's the scoop on some of the spiffy new gadgets:
However, what everybody is interested in is the gadgets. The mercenaries get a few new gadgets to help their cause which include both a gas mask and a camera system, allowing the mercenaries to see key chokepoints in the map without actually being there. In addition to the "Spy Trap" sensor that was in Pandora Tomorrow, the mercenaries can now place a "Presence Detector" which acts like a motion detector.
Guild Wars Preview
January 22, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Thanks to Experience Gaming for sending word that they have thrown up a preview on ArenaNet's upcoming Online RPG, Guild Wars. Here's a bit on the missions:
There are so many missions in the game and so many bad guys, that even though it is static, its hard to tell. The only exception to this is the unique bosses, who change each time you play against them. That said, the world is very dynamic, and the player can interact with it on several different levels, which makes up for the static missions. For example suppose your group has no chance of defeating a group of mobs, why not fix that broken trebuchet and siege them? This is very possible in Guild Wars.
Freedom Force Vs. Third Reich Preview
January 21, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Yep, another one! The RPG Vault has chimed in with some impressions on Irrational Games' upcoming RPG, Freedom Force Vs. Third Reich. Here's a nugget:
One thing that can be reported is that the small sampling we saw gives every indication the title will retain and build on some of its predecessor's key strengths. One of these is the look. Freedom Force very effectively captured the visual essence of the comic book medium and transferred it to the computer screen. It appears the sequel will do the same. In some regards, it may be even better. For instance, although only an impression, it seems like there are more usable and destructible elements within the environments. This is great in terms of allowing your characters to feel like powerful superheroes, although you might not want to go around demolishing every lamppost, phone booth, mailbox and building since doing so will reduce your prestige rating. Then again... In a related vein, the results of behaviors such as smashing things or tossing a car will seem natural, at least within the game context; things will shatter and bounce, debris will hit and injure innocent bystanders, etc.
Source SDK Update
January 21, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Valve Software has released an update for the Source SDK. Included are source files for six Half-Life 2 single player maps, bot sample code and more! You can find a list of what's new right here or just load up steam to get downloading.
Doom III: Resurrection of Evil Q&A
January 21, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The GamesRadar has sat down with id Software's Marty Stratton and Matt Hooper for a quick chat regarding the upcoming Doom III expansion pack, Resurrection of Evil. They look at everything from new monsters to the games development status. Snip:
What other enemies are there besides the Hunters?
MS: We have a Vulgar, which is kind of Imp-like, he's very crawly and quick, he has a projectile attack that makes the Grabber come in handy, and him being quick makes the Hell Time come in handy. There's also the Forgotten, which kind of reminds people of the old Lost Soul, it's a skull that flies around and you can use the Grabber against it, which is kind of cool.
We also have the Bruise, which is a big hulking demon with two cannons for arms. He fires super-fast, which makes the Hell Time really useful when you run into him later in the game. He's not our Hell Knight equivalent but he's as big as a Hell Knight and really fierce.
F.E.A.R. Preview
January 21, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN is the latest website to fire-up a preview on Monolith's upcoming first person shooter, F.E.A.R.. Here's a bit on the weapons at your disposal:
The weapons themselves act as you would expect. Players can break out to toggle their starting weapon as often as they like. Starting weapons include dual pistols, a submachine gun, shotgun, assault rifle, nail gun, semi-automatic rifle, and plasma rifle. Two more weapons can only be found at specific areas around the map. These are the rocket launcher and battle cannon. The rocket launcher is a deadly piece of hardware and simply looks great. Three rockets shoot from the gun, twirl around as they race across the screen to find their target. The battle cannon shoots out an explosive shell that impacts and sends a nifty spherical shockwave. All of the weapons already feel and sound brilliant. There is still some balancing to be done, especially with the battle cannon, but the weapons already make a guy feel powerful.
Demonstone Review
January 21, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Thanks to Techconnet Magazine for sending word that they have thrown together a review on the PC version of Atari's action title, Demonstone. Here's some juice:
In spite of the severely limited and downright dumb combat mechanics, level design is excellent, offering many unique set pieces, which single handedly rescue both the game and the gameplay from mediocrity and oblivion. Fighting through hordes of snake creatures is easier when you realize you can just drop them into the handy chasms lining the walkways, magic fountains will release energy storms to eliminate your foes if you drop enough of them in their waters, and giant guardian golems will provide endless orc swatting entertainment.
Poets of the Fall - "Signs of Life" Released!
January 20, 2005 - Nicklas Renqvist
Poets of the Fall's debut album "Signs of Life" has been released! You might have heard the chaps' music both in Remedy Entertainment's smashing game Max Payne 2 (end credits track - "Late Goodbye") and in our latest benchmark 3DMark05 (end credits track - "Lift"). It is a great album, and I strongly suggest that all of you head over to http://www.poetsofthefall.com and check out more info about the album & the band! :cool:
F.E.A.R. Preview
January 20, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameSpy has fired-up a preview on Monolith's upcoming first person shooter, F.E.A.R., after getting some hands-on time with this bad boy. Here's an interesting bit on the slow-mo feature:
The multiplayer focuses on the military aspects of the game, with modes including the standard deathmatch, team deathmatch, and variants that include the "slow-mo" ability from the single-player game. Each level contains a special powerup that players or teams can fight for control over, and allows you to slow down time across the entire level. In team games, the controlling team is reduced to 40% speed, while the other team is reduced to 20%, giving the controlling team a huge advantage for ten seconds. There's also a icon on the screen that points out the location of the powerup, so if you're carrying it, assume that the other players will find you pretty soon.
Read onWorld of WarCraft Review
January 20, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The RPGVault has posted their take on Blizzard Entertainment's hit massively multiplayer online RPG, World of WarCraft. Here's a bit on the travel in the game:
To help the world feel small and full, players can gain various means of travel that are faster than normal. One is simply running faster. Not every class can do that, but they all have mounts, although you have to reach level 40 before you can buy one. In addition, there are different methods of moving between specific locations. These include flying animals you can rent, underground trams, boats and zeppelins. Each character can also have a hearthstone. You can use this once an hour to return to an inn you've previously designated, and which you can change by visiting your new destination and speaking with the innkeeper.
NeverWinter Nights 2 Q&A
January 20, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
A post on the official NeverWinter Nights 2 forums has Obsidian Entertainment's Ferret Baudoin in the hot seat, answering questions regarding their upcoming RPG. Topics range from the tools to the D&D rule set. Here's a blurb:
3. I hear that NWN2 will bring NWN up to Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 version rules. Is this true, and what unexpected obstacles has changing the core rules created?
This is true - NWN2 fully supports the 3.5 rules. All the rules changes are specd out now and are in the programmers' queue for implementation. NWN did a great job of converting 3rd edition to computer game form, and so the original game has put us in a great position to update the game to incorporate the new rules. The news on this front is refreshingly boring because there haven't really been any obstacles in this arena so far.
Electronic Arts & ESPN Interview
January 20, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The guys over at GameSpot have slapped up an interview with Electronic Arts' Frank Gibeau regarding their recently announced 15-year deal with ESPN. Here's something to nibble on:
GS: Of all current ESPN programming, what content is most attractive to you, and where will you move first?
FG: We don't have anything to announce in terms of first. Again, it's pretty early. But just an aside on poker, we actually have Pogo, which has some pretty amazing parlor games systems set up in terms of the AIs in the system. There's some experience with those types of products before.
But on the sports information side, you look at things like College Game Day, you look at some of ESPN's banner shows like NFL Tonight, things like that, wherein broadcast integration of our assets into their broadcast is an opportunity.
So this goes upstream as well as downstream. Being able to use our technology to help illustrate games and analysis, being able to use some of their franchises with our games as programming opportunities becomes part of this deal. So if you said, What could I do with these two companies together if I had a blank slate?" You can come up with some pretty cool stuff.
Freedom Force Vs. Third Reich Preview
January 20, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Another Freedom Force Vs. Third Reich preview has popped up over at the FileFront this evening, taking a look at Irrational Games' upcoming RPG. Here's a bit on the games visuals:
The highlight of the games graphics lies in the shading. There are nice hints of depth here and there, especially when you zoom in nice and close on the action. From far away the detail is not as noticeable, but when you are able to see your characters and the map from a smaller distance, it has a slick aesthetic quality to it. This also means that if you are going to try and enjoy the game on that level, you might want to do it when you are not fighting.
Most Wanted Games of 2005
January 19, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Since this is the start of a new year, GameSpy has slapped up a 'Most Wanted Games of 2005' article. There are definatly some good titles coming out this year. So who made their list? You will just have to head over and take a look for yourself!
Stronghold 2 Preview
January 19, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Also over at GameSpot this evening is a preview on Firefly Studios' upcoming strategy title, Stronghold 2. Here's a bit on the nobility rankings:
You can also use honor points to promote yourself to the next level of nobility. This means you can go from being a freeman to a yeoman, or perhaps from a squire to a knight. There are multiple levels of nobility in the game, culminating in duke, earl, and king. Every new rank of nobility unlocks new kinds of structures that you can build or more-powerful military units that you can recruit. One thing that promotions won't do, however, is instantly promote all your military units to the next rank. While you'll be able to build new units, all your existing units will remain the same when you're promoted, which eliminates one of the tactics in most real-time strategy games of suddenly transforming an obsolete force into a cutting-edge one.
Read onClose Combat: First to Fight Preview
January 19, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameSpot has thrown together some impressions on Destineer's upcoming tactical shooter, Close Combat: First to Fight. Here's a nugget on the games competitive missions:
Just as important as the cooperative missions are the competitive missions, which allow you to battle against fellow human beings online. The game will ship with about eight multiplayer-only levels, and you can customize games a number of ways, from opting for random weapons to giving everyone a specific weapon, such as a sniper rifle. The environments are a bit small to accommodate the number of players, but they're highly detailed, with plenty of places to find cover and shoot from. We battled it out in a small plaza ringed with markets and shops, which provided plenty of room to maneuver. Then we fought it out in a huge courtyard with an upper balcony that gave snipers the chance to pick people off in the open. The combat itself is very fast-paced, and it can be tense as you hunt down your opponent. You can also pick up and retrieve weapons from fallen combatants, which is useful if you spot a Squad Automatic Weapon that someone dropped.
WoW: Battlegrounds Preview
January 19, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Rolling right along, Blizzard Entertainment has posted the second part of their preview on the upcoming World of WarCraft PvP addon, Battlegrounds. Here's something to chew on:
The initial and repeatable quest you can acquire is to gain improved reputation with the main base fighting for your side. Horde players will be told to kill Alliance players, and vice versa. After you collect the insignias of your fallen foes, you can bring them back to your base to increase your standing with your side; on the Horde side, you would be improving your relationship with the Frostwolf clan, while on the Alliance side, it would be with the Stormpike dwarves. As you improve your reputation, you'll gain a special trinket, which gets replaced by a more powerful version each time your reputation rank jumps up a category, such as from honored to revered. Reputation can also be improved through questing, of course. Improving your reputation will be very important because many of the best abilities for use in Battlegrounds, such as calling cavalry charges and air strikes, can only be done by players with very high reputation.
This sounds like fun. Can't wait!Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory MP Beta Sign-Ups
January 19, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The folks over at FilePlanet are now offering beta accounts to paid subscribers, allowing you to test the multiplayer portion of Ubi Soft's upcoming stealth title, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. So what are you waiting for? Head over and sign up already!
Counter-Strike: Source Update
January 18, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Welp, here it is! Valve Software has released an update for their hit first person shooter, Counter-Strike: Source. As promised, the patch includes bot support and an updated version of de_tides. You can find a list of what's new right here or just log into Steam to start downloading. Rock on!
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory Preview
January 18, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The guys over at Fragland.net have posted some impressions on Ubi Soft's upcoming stealth title, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. Here's a bit on a cool new feature:
Since we're talking about gadgets: the commando knife is without a doubt the most renewing addition to this new Splinter Cell. In a certain map filled with tents I could see with my heatviewer that a guard had turned his back on me in a camouflage tent. The next steps were nice: you cut an opening in the tent with your knife and a couple of seconds later the guard is being strangled by you. That's another point where the makers did their best: when taking someone down you can choose to make a bloody kill with the left trigger (type knife being stabbed in the neck or slicing the throat) or make them unconscious with the right trigger.
Electronic Arts & ESPN Sign Deal
January 18, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Electronic Arts has announced a lengthy 15-year deal with ESPN, allowing the game publisher to use all things related to the popular sports television show starting in 2006. Here's a clipping from the press release:
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 17, 2005--Electronic Arts (Nasdaq:ERTS - News) and ESPN today announced a long-term agreement for the development and integrated marketing of EA SPORTS games containing ESPN content. The relationship will include established EA SPORTS franchises -- which will be enhanced by ESPN telecast, print and online content -- as well as new sports games to be published by EA based on ESPN media properties. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Guild Wars Preview
January 18, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GamersInfo.net has posted a preview on ArenaNet's upcoming Online RPG, Guild Wars, after getting a chance to check it out hands-on. Here's a bit on the games new UI:
The second item being tested this weekend was a new User Interface (UI). Having not experienced the previous interface I can give no comparison but I can say that I found this one to be rather simple and generally intuitive. Nearly everything can be hot-keyed and customized to your own comfort. After playing MANY MMOGs I look for this immediately. *Hint to Arena.net - Make key bindings that default to the key settings of other games and your players will love you. I did find not having a help system to be a bit of a hindrance. There were times I wanted to understand better what exactly a function did, but as it is a beta, I'm assuming the help files simply aren't yet available.
Freedom Force Vs. The Third Reich Preview
January 18, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Kicking things off, HomeLAN has whipped up a short preview on Irrational Games' upcoming RPG, Freedom Force Vs. The Third Reich. Here's some juice:
As we said, our one level demo really didnt demonstrate anything about Freedom Force Vs. The Third Reich that wasnt in the first game on a gameplay level. Graphically, the sequel also continues the art style from the first game, with a look that apes the four color inspirations for the title, right down to the UI which looks like comic book lettering and the POW! And WHAM! captions that appear when your characters get solid hits on your foes. As we mentioned you can pick up a car in the game, or pretty much anything else for that matter. The sequel retains the highly interactive and destructible environments from the first title, right down to bringing whole buildings to their knees with a few well placed blows and/or throws.
New WarCraft III Map Released
January 17, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Blizzard Entertainment has released a new map for their hit Strategy title, WarCraft 3: Frozen Throne. Entitled Goldshire, this puppy is ment for 1v1 and 2v2 play. Head over to the bonus map page to start downloading!
Guild Wars Interview
January 16, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Following last weekends beta event, ArenaNet has updated the official Guild Wars website with a quick community-submited Q&A. Here's a bit on their inventory plans:
8. Are we still going to have an account inventory, so that I can stop spending my time muling items between characters?
Yes, thats something that we have on the design list. This feature may or may not be included in the February BWE, but it is very much on our to do list. As you know, Guild Wars is about having fun, not preparing to have fun. And muling definitely isnt high on the Fun Scale.
Guild Wars Preview
January 15, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Finally this evening, the RPG Vault has fired-up a quick preview on ArenaNet's upcoming Online RPG, Guild Wars. Here's something to nibble on:
Another thing you should understand is that Guild Wars has a story that is told through a linear series of missions, probably around 20 in total although we've yet to see a precise number. They're intended to be playable in around an hour apiece, and by the time you've completed them, you should be at least close to the above-mentioned level 20. These scenarios are intended for parties. You can tackle them alone, but they're being tuned for groups of up to six. If you don't want or can't find other players' company, you can recruit NPC henchmen before entering any mission or exploration area. There are four in all - Warrior, Monk, Elementalist and Ranger. You can only bring along one of each, which means that when the maximum party size is six, you'll only be able to reach it if you join up with another player. As of the beta event a week ago, some areas and parts thereof were pretty difficult even with a full complement, while others could be traversed fairly easily with smaller bands. This seems likely to change with further tuning.
Counter-Strike: Source Bot on Monday
January 15, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Valve Software has updated the official Steam website with word that they will be releasing a bot for their hit first person shooter, Counter-Strike: Source, this upcoming Monday. And if that wasn't enough, an updated version of de_tides will be avalible as well. So stay tuned!
Blizzard Entertainment Q&A
January 15, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GamesIndustry.biz has posted the first part of their interview with Blizzard Entertainment's Chris Metzen and Paul Sams. This one focus' on their hit massively multiplayer online RPG, World of WarCraft. Here's a blurb:
Given the magnitude of that task, do you see Blizzard as having transitioned into being a massively multiplayer company, or are you spinning that off as a separate unit alongside your traditional games business?
Paul: I think it's the latter. We have a group of people that are completely focused on this, and I see it as a business unit within Blizzard. It isn't necessarily formally a business unit - there's no president of our MMO business - but it's certainly functionally that way. We have people whose sole focus is dealing with the operational effects and the development effects, and the marketing associated with dealing with this product.
At the same time, we don't intend to completely leave our roots. We think there are a lot of people who still want to play the types of products that we have historically made. And so, I envision us doing both - and because we have people who are experienced at both, and we have management that are experienced at both, I think that we'll be able to pull it off, but it will take a lot of effort, and a lot more planning than we've traditionally done.
Act Of War Demo Released
January 15, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The folks over at Atari have released a hefty 668meg singleplayer demo from their upcoming strategy title, Act Of War: Direct Action. Including one mission to play through, you can grab this bad boy from the following mirrors: Now get downloading!
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory Preview
January 15, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN has thrown together a preview on Ubisoft's upcoming stealth title, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. Here's a bit on the new co-op mode:
Co-op mode is separate from the single-player campaign. In fact, you won't even play as Sam Fisher. Instead, you take control of two younger Splinter Cell agents (whose identities have yet to be revealed) and tackle four unique missions. Don't think of this as four extra levels of single-player that come with a buddy. The gameplay and level design are specific to two-players. You can't play alone and more importantly, you can't play without using teamwork.
Can't wait! *drool*Freedom Force vs The Third Reich Preview
January 14, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The Gamesradar is the latest website to fire-up a preview on Irrational Games' upcoming superhero RPG, Freedom Force vs The Third Reich. Here's a bit on the games visuals:
From the pitched street battles we're shown, it's clear that the graphics have also been heavily updated to satisfy today's discerning gamer. Don't be misled by these static screenshots from a work-in-progress: dynamic lighting and coruscating particle effects now enliven every Zap!, Ka-Pow! and Mega-Biff!, while higher polygon counts make smashing the scenery more satisfying than ever. Pick up a car in this game and you can illuminate a darkened alley with its headlights.
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 Patch
January 14, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Frontier Development has released a new patch for their theme park sim, RollerCoaster Tycoon 3. Including a bunch of gameplay tweaks and bug fixes, you can grab this bad boy from the following mirrors: Rock on!
Rainbow Six 4 Q&A
January 14, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Computer and Video Games.com has posted an interview with Ubisoft's J.P. Cambiotti regarding their upcoming tactical shooter, Rainbow Six 4: Lockdown. They cover the games storyline, AI and more. Here's a blurb:
So can you tell us anything about the storyline or are you being a bit stingy and keeping it all under wraps?
Cambiotti: I can give you a brief overview. There's the token evil millionaire who is funding a terrorist group to unleash a virus in the most populated nations in the world. Rainbow catches wind of this and has to make sure that doesn't happen. The millionaire also has a large force of terrorist soldiers, ranging from the highly skilled to the low-skilled. For this, we've introduced three levels of enemy AI.
It's a case of going in and getting the virus out, but you're gonna experience twists and turns all the time - like members of Rainbow coming under attack and being taken hostage. There'll also be a large number of cut-scenes to create a real movie feel. It's the cinematic experience that we've gone for.
City of Heroes Interview
January 14, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Thanks to Experience Gaming for sending word that they have slapped up an interview with Cryptic Studios' Jack Emmert regarding the latest update for their massively multiplayer online RPG, City of Heroes. Here's a clipping:
XG: Issue #3 also included a mission difficulty slider. Was it added because of feedback from fans and what can you tell us about it.
JE: The fans let us know that sometimes the game was too easy for them; missions just didnt give them the oomph they desired. They found themselves hunting around the back alleys of Paragon City in order to find something that was a challenge. At the same time, many players like things just the way they are. So we came up with a way that allowed the skilled or hard core player to up the difficulty factor without affecting the rest of the player base.
Im most proud that we didnt simply add an UI; we came up with a storyline behind it. Essentially, heroes contact the Hero Corps, a super powered mercenary organization, and spread their reputation around the criminal world. As a result, the villain organizations prepare that much more whenever your hero makes an appearance. Thus, the missions are harder.
Star Wars: Empire At War Preview
January 13, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Rolling right along, 1up.com has slapped up a preview on Petroglyph's upcoming Strategy title, Star Wars: Empire At War. Here's a bit on formations in the game:
Empire at War is also not going to have clueless pathfinding like we saw in Force Commander. "One big problem with [Force Commander]and lots of RTS games for that matterhas been a proper lack of formations," says Tosti. If you grouped AT-ATs with AT-STs and ground troops, each would move at its own pace. Kind of defeats the whole point of grouping forces, doesn't it? Now, troops grouped together stick together. You're only as fast as your slowest unit, and they all watch each other's proverbial backs. EA Games' Battle for Middle-earth does this as well, but Tosti promises that this will be on a whole other level.
Be sure to check out the screenshots as well!
Havok Interview
January 13, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The FileFront has caught up with Havok's Steve Collins for a quick Q&A regarding their popular physics engine. They chat about everything from working with game developers to how the engine started out. Snip:
Q: What type of testing and research did you do for the engine to make the physics more realistic?
A: Its sorta interesting in that for the game engine were not interested inaccuracy. We spend all our time on performance and memory usage optimization. The laws of physics are pretty well known, and writing a simulator is actually reasonably straightforward. The catch is making it fast and robust enough to deploy in a game. So the rule of thumb is does is look right. If it looks right then it is right, and the people who judge that are the game designers and artists not the engineers. In many situations in games, the physics is very unrealistic: people dont run at 80 mph but in FPS games they do. In order to optimize the engine we sacrifice realism for speed, and push that compromise to the point where the physics is still plausible.
Freedom Force vs. The Third Reich Preview
January 13, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The ActionTrip has kicked up a short preview on Irrational Games' upcoming superhero Action-RPG, Freedom Force vs. The Third Reich. Here's something to nibble on:
In the single level we got to play, we guided our four heroes around the streets of Patriot City as we tried to stop the super hot, super villain, Entropy and her evil minions from completing her dastardly plan. I'd love to give you some indication what that plan involves, but since we only got to play one level, I can't really say what Entropy's master plan is. I do know that in this single mission I had to run around trying to close rifts in the space time continuum while kicking the crap out of her minions. As I put the beat down on the bad guys I was able to destroy cars, street lamps and even buildings that got in my way. The mammoth damage I was inflicting (on accident, I swear!) really helped to drive home the point that I was controlling super heroes. Heroes that could shoot fire from their hands, stun enemies with the power of their minds or take to the air with a jet pack and rain death from above with a machine gun.
Stronghold 2 Dev Diary
January 13, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameSpy has posted a developer diary written by Firefly's Simon Bradbury regarding the castle sieges in their upcoming Strategy title, Stronghold 2. Here's some juice:
To start with you'll need a siege camp. This is where all your siege equipment will be created, and it must be protected against forays from inside the castle. You will then assess the castle and order appropriate machines to counter their (possibly) well-drawn up defenses. Your amassed troops are marshaled and your siege devices have started to soften the walls. You order a dummy attack by sending archers to the front and build some mantlets to protect them from castle fire. You send in a squad of hapless peasants to try and fill in the moat in front of a weak spot (they have been given protection from a cat).
The Sims 2 Patch
January 12, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The folks over at Maxis have released a new patch for their hit people-sim, The Sims 2. Making some tweaks and fixing a bunch of bugs, you can find a list of what's new and the DL mirrors right here. So what are you waiting for? Get downloadin'!
Empire Earth II Q&A
January 12, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GamersInfo has Mad Doc Software's Ian Davis in the hot seat this evening, answering questions regarding their upcoming Strategy title, Empire Earth II. Topics range from weather effects to the games AI. Here's a nugget:
GamersInfo.net: What are the three campaigns that have been established for Empire Earth 2? What time periods do they cover?
Ian Davis: In Empire Earth 2, there are three major campaigns: (Korean, German, American). The Korean campaign starts at the founding of the first Korean city state and takes you from this birth through their becoming a fully independent state. The German campaign begins with the founding of Prussia and moves through its eight scenarios, giving you a broad sense of the German state and how it affected history. And finally, the American campaign begins with the Spanish-American war and takes you into the near future in a post Cold-war setting. From beginning to end, the game takes you through the full course of human history, and man, it's a blast!
EverQuest: Dragons of Norrath Announced
January 12, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Sony Online has announced a new expansion pack for their massively multiplayer online RPG, EverQuest. Entitled Dragons of Norrath, we can expect this sucker to hit stores next month. Here's a clipping from the press release:
SAN DIEGO, Jan. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), a worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online gaming, today announced EverQuest®: Dragons of Norrath(TM), a new expansion for the incredibly popular PC Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG), EverQuest®. EverQuest: Dragons of Norrath is scheduled to be available at retail and for digital download from Sony Online Entertainment for U.S. $29.99 in February 2005 with a special incentive price for U.S. and European consumers who pre-order and digitally download directly from Sony Online Entertainment.
Doom III: Resurrection of Evil Q&A
January 12, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The GamesDomain has posted an interview with id Software's Matt Hooper and Marty Stratton regarding their upcoming Doom III expansion pack, Resurrection of Evil. They cover everything from new weapons to some CTF lovin'. Snip:
Another blast from the past comes in the multiplayer options. Threewave Software, the team responsible for the original capture-the-flag game style in Quake, is doing the same for Doom 3. It'll come with four new multiplayer maps, and a raised player limit from 4 to 8, but there will be no cooperative play -- "We're saving it for the Xbox version," Hooper commented.
Battlefield 2 Preview
January 12, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN has tossed up a short preview on Electronic Arts' upcoming multiplayer shooter, Battlefield 2, after getting to check it out at this years CES. Here's some juice:
The game map itself was built for 32 players (the game scales itself in three steps, depending on how many of the max 64 players are in a combat zone, but it can't get smaller than the size we played on), and with only about 15 players running, it was fairly empty for a map as big as this. Instead of hunting down the few players that were on the server, we spent a lot of our time checking out the game map. Each area is balanced in its own unique way -- in one area we watched before getting our own hands on the game, the player was in an area with a lot of armory equipment when a tank rolled in, and had our choice of a wire-guided TOW missile launcher or a Stinger rocket system to put some dents in his tin can. The TOW fires much more damaging shots, but the Stinger, which is made for surface-to-air strikes, was still effective.
SWAT 4 Preview
January 11, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN has slapped up a preview on the multiplayer portion of Irrational Games' upcoming tactical shooter, SWAT 4, after getting some hands-on time with the beta. Here's something to chew on:
The beta showcases the Escort VIP mode, which should be self-explanatory to genre fans. Except this time there are a few more twists. For one, the "bad guys" aren't necessarily supposed to kill the VIP. I remember playing a VIP mode in the original Half-Life, where the point was to gun him down, and a round could be over in the blink of an eye. Here, the defenders' objective is to capture the VIP, restrain his hands, and contain him for two minutes while the SWAT team attempts to rescue him. Friendly fire is on by default, so you can accidentally shoot your VIP and end the round prematurely, or the enemy can shoot him before he's been held hostage for two minutes. Interestingly, either side can cuff an opponent, forcing him to crawl anywhere and making him unable to use any weapons or tools.
The Witcher Interview
January 11, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Total Video Games has fired-up an interview with CD Projekt's Michal Kicinski and Michal Madej regarding their upcoming RPG, The Witcher. They cover the games storyline, main character and more. Here's a blurb:
TVG: We are also informed that you intend the action/battling to be ultra realistic and that you have brought in specialists in a number of areas to ensure this. Can you expand on some of the specialists you are using and the kind or period research you are doing?
We're generally concerned with the game presenting the late Middle Ages/early Renaissance realities in areas as varied as architecture, fashion and people's living conditions. Also the Witcher's fighting system was created on the basis of existing records of longsword fencing from that period. During our works on the whole fighting system concept, various attacks and final motion-capturing of particular sequences, we were greatly helped by Warsaw's Weapon Academy in general and the swordsmaster Marcin Żmudzki in particular. Thanks to his involvement our game boasts one of the most spectacular and at the same time most authentic sword fighting systems in the whole world of computer gaming. (Michal)
City of Heroes Q&A
January 11, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Xequted has sat down with Cryptic Studios' Jack Emmert for a quick chat regarding their massively multiplayer online RPG, City of Heroes. Topics range from the genre in general to the upcoming City of Villains expansion. Here's a nugget:
Xequted: Can you tell us about any of the new stuff well see in City of Villains?
Jack: Player bases Super Groups can build their own HQs.
PvP Heroes battle villains for the fate of world!
Base raids Villains can invade hero bases (and vice versa). Epic battles ensue between the forces of good and evil.
The Rogue Isles a brand new set of zones where villains rule supreme.
New Archetypes The Brute. The Stalker. The Enforcer. The Mastermind. Archetypes not ever seen before!
Guild Wars Impressions
January 11, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
HomeLAN has also posted some impressions on ArenaNet's upcoming Online RPG, Guild Wars, after getting a chance to check it out during this past weekends beta event. Here's some lovin':
Visually, the games user interface has gotten a make over. Moving the mouse on an arrow key on the lower left of the screen brings up more buttons so you can access your inventory, skills and other features. There is also a way to alter your characters clothing via what ArenaNet is calling its paper doll mode, where you can change clothes and armor and visually see how the changes alter the look of your character in your inventory window. It really does look a bit like how kids might change the clothes of a paper doll. The UI also just looks better from an artistic standpoint with some style added to the rather bare bones visual.
Vampire: Bloodlines Review
January 11, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
HomeLAN has thrown together a short review on Trokia Games' hit RPG, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines. Walking away with a final score of 87%, this might be one to check out! uNF:
The game begins with your character being turned into a vampire by a rogue vamp. In the White Wolf game universe, being turned into a vampire is something that is not taken lightly. While the vamp who brought you into their world is dispatched for not following their rules, your life is spared and thus, with some tutorial help from a biker vamp, you are brought into the extensive Vampire universe and thrown into a storyline that can take some twists and turns while exploring the games milieu of Los Angeles and its surroundings.
New Poll!
January 10, 2005 - Nicklas Renqvist
Though I am still on vacation (don't tell anyone I wrote here, ok?
) I thought to drop by and change the poll for ya'll. This time we ask you:
My favourite Game Test in 3DMark05 is..
Go ahead and cast your vote for your favourite GT in 3DMark05!Our previous poll's results:
How would you rate Valve's new shooter, Half-Life2?
5 (Perfect) [52.7%]
4 (Good) [30.0%]
3 (Ok) [9.2%]
2 (Not quite) [2.0%]
1 (Disappointed) [6.2%]
Total votes: 9384
Thanks for voting!
Wish Cancelled
January 10, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Well here's something I didn't see coming. Mutable Realms has updated the official Wish website with word that they have decided to cancel their upcoming MMORPG. This sad news comes on the heels of kicking off the open beta earlier this month, so you can see how supprising this is. Anyways, click here to read what was said.
Freedom Force vs. the Third Reich Preview
January 9, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Another Freedom Force vs. the Third Reich preview has popped up over at GameSpot this evening, taking a look at Irrational Games' upcoming superhero RPG. Here's a bit on some of the new features:
Freedom Force vs. the Third Reich also has some handy new features like default melee attacks for every hero. In the previous game, it was often tempting to follow the actions of one individual hero or just a few heroes as they used their superpowers to defeat their foes, while the rest of your heroes would quietly sit things out offscreen and get pummeled by other enemies. The new game gives every hero a default melee attack that costs no superhero energy to use and also causes untended characters to fend for themselves. The new melee attack is also handy for cleaning up any defeated henchmen that try to flee the scene. The game also organizes each of your heroes' powers specifically by energy cost. Right-clicking brings up each hero's power menu, and you can quickly tell which powers you can and can't access depending on how far you are from your enemies and how much of your hero's three-part energy meter is full. El Diablo retains his fiery projectile attacks (and his fiery temper, which can cause you to briefly lose control of him); Mentor retains his suppressive mental powers; the versatile Quetzalcoatl possesses several powerful spiritual attacks and is a good fighter in a pinch; and Sky King seems rather fragile, but his gadget-based attacks are useful from a distance.
Guild Wars Interview
January 8, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Also over at PC.IGN this evening is an interview with ArenaNet's Jeff Strain regarding their upcoming Online RPG, Guild Wars. Written in article format, they take a look at the questing system in the game. Here's a nugget:
Those that are in the Beta will have some interesting things to look over. The quest system is pretty complex for a couple of reasons and also very cool. "As you go through the cooperative missions in the large explorable areas, you'll meet people and gain quests like you do in any role playing game," explains Strain. "What's different is that we use quests in a different way than a normal MMO does. These are not Fed-Ex 'go fetch me this' or 'deliver this package' or 'bring me three snake ears' or something like that." No, in fact they have much bigger picture in mind. Including quests that actual alter the world in ways that are significant to the player. The environment will change with the player's actions and deeds. "This is actually something that the instancing model that we've got allows us to do. It's one of the real strengths of it. When we put you in a map, we can completely tailor the content of the map just for you so that every time you go there you see it in a specific state that reflects actions that you've taken in the past."
Doom III: Resurrection of Evil Preview
January 8, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN is the latest website to whip up a preview on Nerve Software and id Software's upcoming Doom III expansion pack, Resurrection of Evil. Here's the scoop on the new weapon:
Obviously, with the addition of a new expansion, the addition of new guns was also inevitable. "Because you're a combat engineer, we thought it would be fun to add a new toy specifically for someone in that kind of a job," starts Hooper. "We introduce the ionized plasma levitator designed by the UAC to move around heavy objects. It's also called the Grabber for short. You take control of this tool which ends up being a worthwhile weapon as well. You can pick up anything barrel size or smaller and hurl them around. Think exploding barrels, shovels, rocks, and even projectiles from the enemy. Imp fireballs can be grabbed and hurled back as well as the smaller creatures like the trite and cherub."
The Matrix Online Preview
January 8, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The GamesDomain has slapped up some hands-on impressions of Monolith's upcoming massively multiplayer online RPG, The Matrix Online. Here's something to nibble on:
On logging in, we were particularly amused to see the Matrix-trademark green lines of code making up shapes and objects -- as the textures load, they fade out and are replaced by the Matrix's simulated city. Pigeons, shopping carts, piles of garbage, and all... it's not a very tidy place. The game's city is diverse though, and more affluent areas have a cleaner look.
Read onFreedom Force vs. the Third Reich Preview
January 8, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The folks over at GameSpy have fired-up a preview on Irrational Games' upcoming superhero RPG, Freedom Force vs. the Third Reich. Here's a bit on the games spiffy physics:
The benefits of the Gamebryo engines also became abundantly clear when I jumped into my first battle against super villainy. Everything you can see in the game is a real object, able to be manipulated, moved, and picked up or destroyed using much more realistic (well, comic-book realistic anyway) physics. If someone picks up a car and throws it at an enemy, the resulting bounce may take down a hanging sign, destroy a phone booth, or even knock down part of a building, injuring any innocent bystanders unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity. During my first battle against Entropy (the game's main villain), my super team ended up demolishing an entire city block. Sometimes it was even an accident. Fortunately, the "Prestige" penalties for urban destruction aren't as severe as they were in the first game. Somebody at Irrational must have realized that knocking down buildings should be part of every superhero game.
Battlefield 2 Preview
January 8, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Kicking off the evening, GameSpot has tossed up a preview on Digital Illusions' upcoming multiplayer shooter, Battlefield 2, after getting a chance to check it out hands-on. Here's a bit on the vehicles:
Speaking of vehicles, we got to see several in the map on offer at CES. The Americans had access to a dune buggy of sorts with a machine gun mounted on top, along with a couple of different tanks and a transport helicopter. Most interesting was a light-armored amphibious vehicle that struck a balance between speed and offensive capabilities. This one let us drive swiftly through shallow water, which stopped regular tanks cold. The vehicles will have subtle differences between them that'll have substantial bearing on the way you play. The American tanks have a digital range finder, for instance, which shows you the distance to whatever you have in your sights. The MEC tank we tried, however, had a simple mechanical range finder that requires you to aim in a different manner. We also saw a helicopter dropping flares at one point in an attempt to thwart a ground-based attack. The vehicles seem pretty similar in their basic control, so it's nice to see that the designers will be adding some minor new features to them.
The Sims 2: University Q&A
January 7, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Finally tonight, Fragland has sat down with Electronic Arts' Tim LeTourneau for a quick Q&A regarding their upcoming The Sims 2 expansion pack, University. Topics range from grades to E3. Snip:
Fragland: Is it possible to cheat on your exams?
Tim: No, simply because you dont really go to lectures or class or exams. You cant really cheat on your exams, but you could use the 'mainframe computer system' to hack your grades :) .
Doom III: Resurrection of Evil Preview
January 7, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Rolling right along, GameSpy has kicked up a preview on Nerve Software and id Software's upcoming Doom III expansion pack, Resurrection of Evil. Here's a bit on the storyline:
While your character remains nameless, you're no longer the same space marine who survived DOOM 3. This time, you play a combat engineer working under the command of Dr. Elizabeth McNeil, who worked alongside the nasty Dr. Betruger on Mars but was sent home as she began to suspect Betruger might be up to no good. "In the original DOOM 3 storyline, you can find bits and pieces of McNeil throughout," Hooper explains. "She's actually the whistleblower -- she saw all the things Betruger was trying to do and called Swann and Campbell to come down. In the original DOOM 3, you'll see emails from her to Swann, and if you run across her office, there are little bits and pieces in there."
World of WarCraft Interview
January 7, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
EuroGamer has Blizzard Entertainment's Shane Dabiri in the hot seat this evening, answering questions regarding their massively multiplayer online RPG, World of WarCraft. They cover everything from upcoming content to the European beta. uNF:
Eurogamer: Conversely, you've also worked hard to accommodate and appease players who take to the game in the way it was intended, even going so far as to extend the trial period for people who were unable to connect when you endured early technical issues. What sort of events and incentives will you be introducing to keep the hardcore of players happy as they play it more and more?
Shane Dabiri: Our plans for continued content release will give casual and hardcore gamers alike more and exciting adventures to go on. For example, the coming introduction of the PvP honour system and Battlegrounds will open up many possibilities for players to experience another part of World of Warcraft. Next year, we will also be working on the Hero system, which will give hardcore high-level players additional class advancement options beyond their base class. These are just two examples of full game systems that are being implemented. Aside from the new features, we will also be adding new content such as zones, dungeons, quests, monsters, and many more items for players to discover.
Dawn of War Wrap Report
January 7, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
RPG Vault has slapped up a wrap report with several members of Relic Entertainment taking a look back at the development of their strategy title, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. Here's a clipping:
Development Timeline
Jonathan Dowdeswell: The project began in December of 2002, and I'm proud to say that we released our final build for manufacturing within a day of our original contract date. Like I said before, we had a very talented team, we took a lot of chances, and we got lucky many times along the way.
I think one of the biggest keys for us hitting the dates was having a really quick turnaround on decisions that were going to affect our deadline. We knew from the start that we didn't have a huge budget and huge timelines, so we sort of made progress with the underdog mentality. We really wanted to make something incredible, and we just kept pushing aside the things that weren't going to help that. We worked hard, and ended up with something that we all look back on with great joy.
Black & White 2 Preview
January 7, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Computer and Video Games.com has whipped up a preview on Lionhead Studios' upcoming god game, Black & White 2. Here's a big on the improvements to your creature:
And then there's your creature, which is promising to be infinitely more useful than it was in the first game, as well as much easier to understand and influence. "Your creature is essentially your friend and ally that you teach and nurture or beat and abuse in order to have him do your bidding," explains Ron. "In Black & White 2, your creature acts depending on how you play. If you're a good god and a city builder, he helps you out, defends your city and entertains your villagers. If you're an evil god and a warmonger, the creature acts as your most powerful unit, leading armies into battle. Play as a more neutral god and the creature does a bit of both."
World of WarCraft: Battlegrounds Preview
January 6, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Sticking with the guys and gals over at IGN, they have posted a preview on the upcoming PvP addition of Battlegrounds to Blizzard Entertainment's hit massively multiplayer online RPG, World of WarCraft. Here's a taste:
You see, Battlegrounds has a lot of stuff in it. In PlanetSide, you had a base and a tower, and often a mobile respawn point, sometimes a mobile portal--that sounds like enough to make things interesting, right? Well, imagine two bases, one Alliance, one Horde, at opposite ends of a long valley. Then there are the graveyards and towers, which can be captured and made to work for you. Then there are the caves where you can find cool loot exclusive to the Battlegrounds segment of the game. There's also resources you'll want to collect, which you use to upgrade your elite, game-controlled castle guards and patrol guards. Did I mention you can also use airstrikes, and do quests right in the middle of this. I don't know about you, but this is starting to sound like a very, very cool Warcraft III done MMO-style. Savage tried this earlier, and the results were pretty mixed. But we already have a great MMO with WoW, and some of the best RTS designers around at Blizzard--in hindsight, perhaps, Battlegrounds was inevitable.
Can't wait!Lineage II Q&A
January 6, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The RPG Vault has slapped up an interview with a bunch of the guys behind NCsoft's massively multiplayer online RPG, Lineage II. It's a one question, many answers type deal. Here's a taste:
Jonric: What are two locations in Lineage II that you find especially eye-catching, memorable, noteworthy or otherwise personally interesting, and why do you feel this way about them?
Online Community Relations Coordinator Ash: I love Pirate's Tunnel and Devil's Isle. It really is like walking through a work of art. It evokes such a powerful atmosphere of mystery and danger. The lighting, the flow of water... everything about it just amazes me.
Also, since playing Chronicle 2 on the test server, I've really come to respect and fear Cruma Tower much more. The monsters inside were always beastly and hard to kill, but it didn't take much in terms of brains to outsmart them. Now, they've really been given the skills and social behavior to keep you on your toes at all times. I've enjoyed the increased emphasis on smart party tactics, which I think this dungeon really exemplifies.
The Sims 2: University Preview
January 6, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Kicking off the evening, GameSpot has thrown together a preview on Maxis' upcoming The Sims 2 expansion pack, University. Here's a bit on some of the new features:
To accomplish this, University will add several all-new features, like a brand-new age group in a sim's life: young adulthood. The Sims 2 already let you create characters that were infants, small children, teenagers, and adults, but the expansion's new age group will fit between those awkward teenage years and the responsibilities of adulthood and will give those fresh-faced young sims the option to leave the nest for college (with their protective parents desperately clinging to them as they head out the door). The expansion will also let you merge two different households together, which should let those high school sweethearts go steady in college and get hitched, or let prospective filmmakers use The Sims 2's in-game movie option to tell their own heartwarming story of two families coming together as one (even if the mother is a lovely lady who is bringing up three very lovely girls). There will also be new features that will let the movie-making tool create actual music videos. Finally, the expansion will even add a "lifetime want" feature in addition to the original game's aspiration system (which let you perform certain tasks to make your sims happy and prevent them from aging). Accomplishing this difficult task will turn your sims' aspiration meters "platinum" (fully filled) for the rest of their natural lives, making them completely immune to the effects of aging.
Games of 2005 Article
January 5, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN has posted an article looking at some of the games we can expect in this new year. Could we finally see Team Fortress 2 ship? Will I spend months without food or sleep, playing the latest installment of the Elder Scrolls series? Who knows, but there are sure some good games on the horizon. Anyways, click here for the goods!
New Tribes: Vengeance Demo Released
January 5, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The guys over at Vivendi Universal Games have released a new singleplayer demo from their first person shooter, Tribes: Vengeance. Weighing in at a hefty 415megs, you can get your grubby little paws on this sucker by hitting one of the following mirrors: Rock on!
The Matrix Online Q&A
January 5, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The MXOVault has fired-up an interview with Monolith's Toby Ragaini regarding their upcoming massively multiplayer online RPG, The Matrix Online. They cover everything from the storyline to locations related to the movies. Here's a nugget:
MxO Vault: The Movies, the Animatrix, the Comics, they all contained within many references and nods to existing works of fiction, both written and filmed, studies on philosophy, religions, musical cues, all on varying subjects. Will this occur in the Matrix Online? Are we bound to find strange phrases and images and places and names in the cityscape or in The Sentinel Newspaper, which will remind us instantly of a particular book or theory? Will these references work as hints to how the actual workings or use of the source of the reference be it a person, an object or a place?
Toby -> Paul Chadwick and the Wachowski brothers have provided The Matrix Online with the same depth and richness that was apparent in the films. Nothing is placed in the game without some thought as to where it fits into the big picture. Graffiti, newspapers, character names; they all have significance in one form or another. Some are hints towards the direction of the story, while others are there to provide more insight into a specific character or historical event.
Age of Empires III Announced
January 5, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Ensemble Studios has officially announced a third installment in their Age of Empires franchise. Expected to hit stores in the second half of 2005, this should be one to keep an eye on. Anyways, here's a clipping from the press release:
Microsoft Game Studios and Ensemble Studios are proud to announce the return of the king of real-time strategy games: Age of Empires III is scheduled to ship in the second half of 2005. This will be the latest landmark release in the award-winning franchise that has sold a staggering 16 million units worldwide.
Age of Empires III will offer gamers the next level of realism, with advanced battle physics and unparalleled visual detail. The new game picks up where Age of Empires II: Age of Kings left off, placing gamers in the position of a European power determined to explore, colonize and conquer the New World. This time period features stunning scenes, from towering European cathedrals to courageous tribes of Native Americans, and spectacular combat with Industrial Age units like rifled infantry, cavalry and tall ships bristling with cannons.
Black & White 2 Dev Diary
January 4, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The folks over at GameSpy have posted a developer diary written by Black & White Studios' Ron Millar regarding their upcoming Strategy/RPG title, Black & White 2. Here's some lovin':
Game design can be an incredibly difficult job most of the time with loads of decisions to be made and deadlines to meet. There is often a lot of typing and mystical behind closed doors meetings where monsters, magic, and the craziest of ideas are conjured up and sometimes just as quickly dispelled. All of that can be fun, but also very draining. It's nice to get back to something more therapeutic, to sit and sculpt the land, position your houses, rocks and people, paint the sky and the water, save it, load it up in the game engine and watch what you've created spring to life.
Age of Empires III Q&A
January 4, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN has caught up with Ensemble Studios' Greg Street and Dave Pottinger for a quick chat regarding their upcoming strategy title, Age of Empires III. Topics range from civilizations to the games engine. Here's a blurb:
IGNPC: What nations will be included? Can you give us an overview of their distinguishing characteristics and maybe an indication of the types of units they might field?
Ensemble: There will be eight civilizations in the game, but we are only announcing three for now: the French, British and Spanish. The British have a great economy and can get villagers more quickly. Their best unit is their Musketeer (the famed "Redcoats" of the Revolutionary War), but if a British player wants to change history by investing in Longbowmen well into the 1700s, they can do that as well. The French can ally with Native Americans more easily, and have a special villager, the Coureur, that can double as a light infantry. The Spanish get more support from the mother country back in Europe than other civilizations. They have several unique units, including the famous Redoleros (sword and buckler men). Assigning characteristic to civs in Age of Empires III is trickier than in previous games in the franchise because players have an unprecedented amount of control in determining the strengths of their civilization.
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory Trailer
January 4, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Ubi Soft has released a new trailer showing off the multiplayer portion of their upcoming stealth title, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. Weighing in at 20megs, you can grab this bad boy from the following mirrors: Yummy!
Painkiller: Battle out of Hell Review
January 4, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Also over at the FileFront this evening is a review on People Can Fly's Painkiller expansion pack, Battle out of Hell. Walking away with 3/5 stars, this one sounds decent enough. Snip:
Aside from the monotony, there are some good surprises in the gameplay and levels here and there, including a roller coaster in the theme-park. As you get through the levels, however, things just keep getting bigger and bigger, which is kind of what Painkiller prides itself on. One of the main reasons that people really enjoyed the game was because they were able to face bosses that were literally twenty to thirty times their size in the game. It was impressive the way the Painkiller engine handled monsters of such size. This trend continues in the expansion, and makes good use of size in a few of the levels.
Guild Wars Article
January 4, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The FileFront has posted an article that takes a look at how ArenaNet's upcoming Online RPG, Guild Wars, came to be. They cover the formation of the company, their hit E3 event and more. Here's a clipping:
Strain said one of the most fun moments developing Guild Wars was realizing that instead of having the computer take the reigns of the characters, real people were behind the wheel. Not only that, but they were good, too. We were demoing the game at E3by the end of the demo, we were unable to survive for more than 45 seconds, he said. I realized we were going to have to get used to [it].
Carmack Talks Quake 3 Source
January 3, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Switching from a .plan to a brand-spankin' new blog, id Software's John Carmack has posted some news on the Quake 3 source release and some "random graphics thoughts". Anyways, here's a bit on the reason for the Q3 Source delay:
I intended to release the Q3 source under the GPL by the end of 2004, but we had another large technology licensing deal go through, and it would be poor form to make the source public a few months after a company paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for full rights to it. True, being public under the GPL isnt the same as having a royalty free license without the need to disclose the source, but Im pretty sure there would be some hard feelings.
Previous source code releases were held up until the last commercial license of the technology shipped, but with the evolving nature of game engines today, it is a lot less clear. There are still bits of early Quake code in Half Life 2, and the remaining licensees of Q3 technology intend to continue their internal developments along similar lines, so there probably wont be nearly as sharp a cutoff as before. I am still committed to making as much source public as I can, and I wont wait until the titles from the latest deal have actually shipped, but it is still going to be a little while before I feel comfortable doing the release.
Jurassic Park Far Cry Mod Released
January 2, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Hitting the web today is an alpha version of the Jurassic Park multiplayer mod for CryTek's hit first person shooter, Far Cry. Included are new maps, weapons and more. Head over to the official website to get your game on!
First Age of Empires III Details
January 1, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
According to Planet Age of Mythology.com, the latest PC Gamer is filled with some of the first details from Ensemble Studios' upcoming RTS, Age of Empires III. Entitled the Age of Discovery, we can expect some Havok physics engine lovin', a heavily modified AI system and more! You can find out all the details right here. Thanks HomeLAN!
Happy New Year everyone!
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- Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory Trailer
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- November (116)
- December (100)
2007
- January (112)
- Februady (202)
- March (164)
- May (141)
- April (148)
- June (153)
- July (124)
- August (146)
- September (120)
- October (145)
- November (126)
- December (79)
2008
- January (118)
- Februady (103)
- March (125)
- May (124)
- April (128)
- June (136)
- July (114)
- August (113)
- September (108)
- October (117)
- November (103)
- December (108)
2009
- January (105)
- Februady (90)
- March (107)
- May (101)
- April (92)
- June (100)
- July (105)
- August (116)
- September (105)
- October (90)
- November (106)
- December (102)
2010
- January (89)
- Februady (97)
- March (104)
- May (112)
- April (104)
- June (93)
- July (118)
- August (130)
- September (108)
- October (104)
- November (107)
- December (120)
2011
- January (107)
- Februady (102)
- March (121)
- May (103)
- April (103)
- June (113)
- July (100)
- August (108)
- September (124)
- October (104)
- November (111)
- December (96)
2012
- January (98)
- Februady (106)
- March (90)
- May (105)
- April (115)
- June (105)
- July (110)
- August (105)
- September (97)
- October (114)
- November (105)
- December (96)