Hardware News
Futuremark Licenses AGEIA PhysX SDK for Inclusion in Industry-Leading Benchmarks
September 30, 2005 - Nicklas Renqvist
Futuremark Licenses AGEIA PhysX SDK for Inclusion in Industry-Leading Benchmarks
Upcoming Futuremark benchmarks will provide first objective measurement of the extreme physics acceleration in multithreaded, multi-core systems
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. September 29, 2005 AGEIA Technologies, Inc., the pioneer in hardware-accelerated physics for games, today announced that Futuremark has signed an agreement to license the AGEIA PhysX SDK for use in future products. The inclusion of AGEIA PhysX technology will add comprehensive physics benchmarking to Futuremarks traditional battery of performance tests for 3D graphics, CPUs, memory and other component and system parameters.
Among other benefits, the use of AGEIA PhysX technology in Futuremarks high profile client demos and benchmarks will provide an objective measurement of the tremendous improvements in physics performance enabled by the AGEIA PhysX processor. Upcoming Futuremark benchmarks also will test the performance of the AGEIA software physics engine on various hardware configurations in real-life game scenarios. As the worlds only multithreaded API for physics, the AGEIA PhysX SDK should excel in exploiting multi-core CPU architectures, which will be the standard in next-generation processors. In addition to raw performance, the multithreaded AGEIA PhysX SDK should also provide consistent scalability, maintaining high performance even with large numbers of objects in a scene.
"Physics performance is becoming an increasingly important factor in games, and the AGEIA PhysX SDK will enable us to create reliable standards for measuring not only software, but also hardware accelerated physics," said Tero Sarkkinen, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Futuremark. "Our testing methodology used to create Futuremark benchmarks is developed in close cooperation with PC technology industry leaders, and we look forward to working with AGEIA to enable extensive physics in our future products with the high levels of accuracy and usability that people expect from Futuremark."
Futuremark benchmarks are the de facto world standard for measuring hardware performance, and are particularly useful for AGEIAs target customers in the game industry, which include game publishers, developers and consumers, as well as PC OEMs and add-in board manufacturers. Futuremark benchmarks are also the benchmark of choice for the majority of the world's computer and gaming publications.
"Futuremark benchmarks are the gold standard for measuring performance in both systems and components, and were excited that theyve chosen AGEIA to help build a comprehensive measure of physics performance," said Manju Hegde, founder and CEO of AGEIA. "We look forward to having Futuremark begin establishing the next level in multithreaded, multi-core physics based benchmarks."
About Futuremark® Corporation
Futuremark ® Corporation is the leading provider of performance analysis software and services for PCs and smartphones. Futuremark® is known around the world for its benchmark products, including the 3DMark® and PCMark® Series and SPMark (with more than 30 million copies distributed worldwide) and value-added services powered by a database of over 12 million real life benchmarking results. Futuremark® maintains offices in Saratoga, California and Helsinki, Finland. For more information, please visit http://www.futuremark.com.
About AGEIA
AGEIA Technologies, Inc. is a fabless semiconductor company and the pioneer of hardware-accelerated physics for games. Its flagship product, the PhysX processor, is the worlds first dedicated physics processing unit a completely new hardware category. The PhysX processor and supporting software deliver the processing horsepower to calculate real-time interactive worlds. Developers can define these worlds to obey the laws of classical physics, or create their own physical laws that make their game a unique, hyper-dimensional experience.
AGEIA seeks to ignite innovation in the games industry by working with leading developers, publishers, add-in board vendors and console manufacturers to deliver the next generation of physically immersive entertainment. Consumer add-in boards and systems equipped with the AGEIA PhysX processor and games that take advantage of the technology will be available in late 2005. For more information visit http://www.ageia.com.
* © 3DMark®, PCMark® and SPMark trademarks and logos, Futuremark® character names and distinctive likenesses, are the exclusive property of Futuremark Corporation. AGEIA, PhysX and NovodeX are trademarks of AGEIA Technologies, Inc. All other products are trademarks of their respective companies.
New Dungeon Siege II Patch
September 30, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Finally tonight, Gas Powered Games have released a new patch (v2.2) for their hit Action-RPG, Dungeon Siege II. Including the usual bug fixes and tweaks, you can grab this 11mb bad boy right here. uNF!
F.E.A.R. Multiplayer Demo Released
September 30, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The folks over at Monolith have released a multiplayer demo from their upcoming first person shooter, F.E.A.R.. Weighing in at 451megs, this sucker includes two maps and 16-player support. So what are you waiting for?! *drool*
Black & White 2 Review
September 30, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Also over at PC.IGN this evening is a review on Lionhead Studios' "god game", Black & White 2. Here's a bit on interacting with the game's world:
Interacting with the world is also relatively trouble-free. Your hand allows you to manipulate anything within your area of control on each map. Whether you're uprooting trees, flinging boulders, slapping your monkey or moving villagers around, working with the hand is wonderfully intuitive. As with the camera, there are a few aggravations here. Trying to pick up a farmer from the middle of a field is overly difficult. Unless you zoom in close, you're more likely to start picking up grain instead. As before the throwing motions are a little clumsy. You'd think a god would have good enough aim to ensure his fireballs are on target.
Total War: Barbarian Invasion Review
September 30, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN has slapped up their take on Creative Assembly's recently released Rome: Total War expansion pack, Barbarian Invasion. Here's something to chew on:
The barbarian tribes offer plenty of new units. The Celts can make use of morale-boosting druids or the nearly unbeatable, purple-skinned Hounds of Culann. The Romano-British tribes can field mighty Graal Knights or their own version of the Roman Legionnaire. In the east, players will find Hunnish horse archers, capable of forming the dreaded Cantabrian circle, a formation that has them spinning in circles as they fire on an enemy. The Vandals can make use of a wide variety of mounts as well, including a mounted version of the priest.
Dawn of War: Winter Assault Demo
September 30, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Getting you ready for the weekend, Relic Entertainment has released a 360mb demo from their Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War expansion pack, Winter Assault. Hit one of the following mirrors to start downloading: Rock on!
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Q&A
September 29, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The RPGamer has Bethesda Softworks' Gavin Carter in the hot seat this evening, answering questions regarding their upcoming RPG, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Here's a snippet on the potion and speall creation changes:
RPGamer: You could literally spend hours creating different unique types of potions and spells. How has the potion and spell creation system changed from Morrowind?
Gavin Carter: Both of them have a whole range of changes to address balance concerns that were raised with Morrowind. For one, spell creation and item enchantment are now services that you have to earn by raising in rank in the Mages Guild. Once you've progressed enough, the halls of the Arcane University in the Imperial City are opened to you, and the services become available. For alchemy, one new feature is the ability to create a "poison" potion, and apply it to your weapon as a one-shot buff. It's a great feeling to play a stealthy character stalking your mark, carefully choosing which poison to apply.
Day of Defeat: Source Review
September 29, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN has posted one of the first reviews on Valve Software's recently released first person shooter, Day of Defeat: Source. Here's a bit on the game's visuals and audio:
Overall, DoD:S is a great looking game, a cut above Counter-Strike: Source. Nicer textures, better animation, ragdoll and a few other odds and ends. And despite being so high on the shine-o-meter, it actually runs quite smoothly, as I mentioned in the impressions piece posted yesterday. A mid-range computer should run this just fine. I would recommend a gigabyte of RAM and a vid card with 128MB of memory. As far as sound, the weapons sound great -- accurate, with details like the clink noise of an M1 Garand reaching the end of its clip, and the chinking of a Kar 98 reload. Every weapon sounds distinct. The American character voices sound a little green, but that's about the only negative.
Click here for more!Chronicles of Spellborn Trailer
September 29, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Khaeon Games has released some in-game footage from their upcoming massively multiplayer online RPG, The Chronicles of Spellborn. Available in both large and small versions, you can find a list of mirrors on the website's forums. So head over and get downloading!
Call of Duty 2 Interview
September 29, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
EuroGamer has fired-up an interview with Infinity Ward's Grant Collier regarding their upcoming World War II-based first person shooter, Call of Duty 2. They look at the game's AI, level design and more. Here's a nugget:
Eurogamer: You mentioned that you're no longer using the same engine. What made you decide to create something yourselves?
Grant Collier: When we started designing CoD2, we tasked the designers with taking the experience to the next level. They came back to us saying, "We're going to do non-linear gameplay." We said, "Hey, great idea," and set out to see how we could make the game, and realised that we couldn't use any of the stuff that we'd used before. It was worthless. Before, we always knew where the player was going to be, and there were never going to be any enemies behind you. You followed a little path, and maybe it was a great ride, but the AI always knew where you were, would always point their gun in a certain direction, and certainly didn't need to be as smart as they are now.
Guild Wars Interview
September 29, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameSpot has caught up with ArenaNet's Gaile Gray for a quick chat regarding the upcoming chapter for their hit Online RPG, Guild Wars. Here's a taste:
GS: Can you give us an overview of what's planned for the second chapter of the game?
GG: The continuation of the Guild Wars story will contain all the things that players love from the first chapter, and a whole lot more. We'll have a bunch of spanking new regions that offer new missions, new monsters, new items, new quests, new skills, and new professions. Yes, "new" is the recurring theme here. And all of this sparkly newness will take place in a setting that continues the compelling story of Tyria that was begun in the first installment.
BIA: Earned In Blood Preview
September 28, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
WorthPlaying.com has posted a short preview on Gearbox Software's upcoming World War II-based first person shooter, Brothers in Arms: Earned In Blood. Here's a snippet on the game's environments:
The battlefields themselves in BoA:EiB are much more urban-based now as opposed to the open fields that largely dominated the original title. Instead of taking cover behind fallen logs in a meadow, you find yourself more often taking cover behind stone fences flanked by closely knit buildings in a small French town. There are often many ways to complete any objective or idea you have, each of which obviously has its own pros and cons. In the previous title, the player often had to go down one or two set paths, so it can be said that Gearbox really does listen to their fans.
Serious Sam 2 Golden!
September 28, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The guys over at Seriously! have word that 2kGames' upcoming Action-packed first person shooter, Serious Sam 2, has gone gold and should hit stores on October 11th. So tap your mouse right here for the press release and some brand-spankin' new screenshots.
Age of Empires 3 Preview
September 28, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The Gamer's Hell has slapped up a quick preview on Ensemble Studios' much anticipated Strategy title, Age of Empires 3. Here's a blurb on resource management and the hero units:
A noted improvement in Age of Empires III exists in how the resource gathering settlers no longer need to shuffle back and forth to a drop off point. Regardless of what theyre collecting, the resources will slowly but automatically add to your expanding stockpile. Alongside the gathering peasants, players will also begin with a new hero unit. Tougher and more capable than regular units, the hero is the only one who can acquire the treasures that are peppered around the environment. These treasures range from specific items for your hero, additional experience points, or even more resources for the colony. On top of that, your hero is ultimately infallible in terms of sustained damagemeaning he cant be killed. In the event he is seriously wounded, he will simply heal and rejoin the fight.
EQII: Desert of Flames First Impressions
September 28, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameSpy has thrown up some first impressions on Sony Online's EverQuest II expansion pack, Desert of Flames. Here's a bit on the Destroy the Idol PvP mode:
Destroy the Idol matches are pretty interesting. At each team's base resides a tall statue, the destruction of which is the opposing team's job to affect. Since it was a three-on-three match, it was usually on one person to defend the idol, while the other two rushed off to destroy the opposition's. The map used in this game mode is pretty compact, so it was never more than a few seconds before you met an opposing team's member. The battles, as it happens, tend to be short and decisive; if you get the jump on someone, chances are you're gonna come out victorious, unless you happen to be near a whole mess of potions. And even if you lose, you simply respawn in your team's staging area, with a few seconds of resurrection sickness to wait through before you can jump back in the fray.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Q&A
September 27, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameCloud has posted an interview with Bethesda Softworks' Pete Hines regarding their upcoming RPG, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. They chat about the game's new Radiant AI system, the spiffy eye-candy and more! Here's a taste:
Gamecloud - Morrowind made big advances in open-ended gameplay. When the time came to create Oblivion, what ideas did the team come up with to improve that aspect?
Pete Hines - The things we tried to do with respect to that part of the game focused more on how we present information to the player; how we organize it, how we let them know where to go next when they want to know. Its about getting out of the way when the player wants to walk around and explore the world and do whatever he/she wants, but when they say, ok, Im ready to do the next part of the main quest, where do I go?, we have to be ready with an answer so theres no confusion, no downtime.
Another aspect we improved is in the way that quests work. We created quests and things for the player to do that they can not only choose to do (or not do) in any order, but they can accomplish in a variety of ways. Part of that is the AI system and the way our NPCs behave and interact. This gives the player more freedom to try some creative things in solving quests that they might not normally try in a more restrictive RPG.
Day of Defeat: Source Released
September 27, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The folks over at Valve Software have announced that Day of Defeat: Source is now available via Steam for $19.95. So does this port do the mod justice? I guess we'll find out shortly, as the reviews start to pour in. But if you just can't wait, break out those credit cards and get playing!
Call of Duty 2 Demo Released
September 27, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Putting a stupid smile on my face, Infinity Ward has released a 655mb singleplayer demo from their upcoming World War II-based first person shooter, Call of Duty 2. Including one mission, you can grab this sucker from the following mirrors: w00t!
The Sims 2: Nightlife Review
September 27, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
WorthPlaying has slapped up their take on Maxis' recently released The Sims 2 expansion pack, Nightlife. Here's a bit on the dating scene:
Aside from the downtown area, the most important addition is that of dating, which adds a whole new depth to getting your Sims better acquainted with one other. When creating your character, you can now pick from a variety of turn-ons and turn-offs (such as vampirism, hair color, and fitness, to name a few). If you have pre-existing Sims from before the expansion, then they will be assigned turn-ons and turn-offs randomly, seeing as how you cannot modify an already created Sim. There is also a chemistry feature that can make Sims progressively hate or love each other even more. This can be a blessing or curse depending, especially if you're the type who doesn't like to hold grudges or have them held against you.
Quake 4 Preview
September 27, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameSpy has thrown up a quick look at the different weapons in Raven Software's upcoming first person shooter, Quake 4. Included are brief descriptions and various screenshots. Anyways, here's a bit on the nailgun:
The nailgun was introduced in the original Quake, and then returned in the Quake 3 expansion pack, Team Arena. This new Strogg nailgun operates a little different from its two predecessors, however; there's a brief windup time before unleashing a stream of nails at anyone unfortunate enough to be in its path. In some ways, it's closer to the Quake 2 chaingun than any other weapon in the series.
Call of Duty 2 Impressions
September 26, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The FiringSquad has thrown up some impressions on Infinity Ward's upcoming World War II-based first person shooter, Call of Duty 2. Here's a snippet on the game's improved AI:
Another notable improvement is with the artificial intelligence of both friends and foes. The developers have cut down on the instances of nonsensical behavior of AI characters and improved their range of abilities. The AI is considerably more likely to seek out proper cover and to use grenades to flush the player out. In conjunction with the map layout, it is also more capable of pulling off attacks on the players position by flanking. This is more likely a level design development than AI, or at least purely AI, but well reserve final judgment for the review.
Day of Defeat: Source Preview
September 25, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Another Day of Defeat: Source preview has popped up over at GameSpot this evening, taking a look at Valve Software's upcoming first person shooter. Here's a bit on the game's graphics:
And now, Day of Defeat, like Counter-Strike, has been adapted for the Valve Software's Source game engine--the same technology that powered Valve's award-winning 2004 shooter Half-Life 2. As you might expect from the upgrade, Day of Defeat: Source looks much, much better than the original version of the game. And like Counter-Strike: Source, Day of Defeat: Source some hints of the famous Half-Life 2 physics in the form of "ragdoll" death animations for slain soldiers, plus barrels and crates that can be blown sky-high by explosions. The new version of the game even seems to support high-dynamic range (or "HDR") lighting, a graphical technique that allows for surfaces to look highly detailed without using texture maps to paint them.
Titan Quest Interview
September 24, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The RPGVault has posted an interview with Iron Lore's Brian Sullivan regarding their upcoming Action-RPG, Titan Quest. Here's a nugget on the game's storyline:
Jonric: What are you willing to reveal about Titan Quest's story element? And will it play out in a relatively linear or open-ended manner?
Brian Sullivan: We are not releasing details of the story at this time. The game takes place in the pre-Roman ancient world, in a variety of terrain including cities, swamps, desert, villages, farmland, grassland and underground.
The game and the story quests will be fairly linear, with a lot of optional side quests to encourage character development and exploration. We are designing the game so it can be played two different ways, one where you focus on the story quests and the adventure, where you will go through the world in a pretty linear fashion, and the second where you explore the whole world, doing all of the side quests and focus on developing your character. It is a lot of fun playing both ways, and anywhere in between.
Age of Empires III Goes Gold!
September 24, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Mark your calendars! Ensemble Studios has announced that their upcoming Strategy title, Age of Empires III, has gone gold and will be hitting stores on October 18th. Head over to the official website for more info on the game and be sure to keep an eye out of this bad boy!
F.E.A.R. Dev Diary
September 24, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN has posted a short developer diary written by Monolith regarding the level design in their upcoming first person shooter, F.E.A.R.. Here's something to nibble on:
To accommodate the complexity of Fear's game design, John Mulkey (Lead Level Designer) restructured his team's level creation process. Fundamentally, this involved the creation of a level design bible for knowledge creation and transfer, implementing a different design process for faster iteration and moving from individual ownership of a level to team ownership of an experience. The level design bible was created to capture and preserve successful design concepts from prior games and to transform individual expertise into foundational knowledge for the team. The bible covered subjective topics such as area composition, object placement, ideas on player mindsets, the use of color/lighting to more concrete elements like architecture design and the layout strategy behind what John calls, "Points of Possibility". Points of Possibility are points at which the players can project a possible change in their gaming experience. This could be a door, a side passage, a dark window or any other element that might conceal a threat or that suggests an alternative path. The impact of the design bible was felt through out the level design process but was most important in improving the quality of the initial concepts and layouts that became the FEAR game.
Punkbuster Interview
September 24, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameCloud has caught up with Even Balance's Tony Ray for a quick Q&A regarding their anti-cheating software, Punkbuster. They look at everything from working on Quake 4 to some of the upcoming features. Snip:
Gamecloud - You recently signed a new deal to bring Punkbuster to Quake IV, which has a lot more multiplayer content than id's last game Doom III. What has Punkbuster done to work with id and Raven to make the game as secure as can be out of the box?
Tony Ray - Shipping PunkBuster 'out of the box' with a new game always gives us an advantage as the hackers never get a firm foothold in the community. Any punk cheater who downloads some new cheat for these games knows or finds out very quickly that there will be consequences. Sure there are few who pay money for hacks so they can cheat longer, but eventually they all get caught and banned from PB games. There are number of punks who were caught trying to hack PunkBuster with private hacks in games we have supported for some time that won't even be able to play Quake 4 on PunkBuster servers without getting new hardware to get around the global ban. This is a serious deterrent as even hard-core cheaters don't want to risk getting hardware banned and becoming unable to enjoy hot new games on the best servers - the PunkBuster servers :)
Dawn of War: Winter Assault Review
September 24, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Kicking things off, GameSpy has tossed up a review on Relic Entertainment's recently released Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War expansion pack, Winter Assault. Here's some juice:
This time around, the action focuses on the planet of Lorn V, a mostly unremarkable ice ball of a world without much to interest any of the warring races that fill the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Now, however, war has come to Lorn V because an Emperor-class Titan has crashed on the world. The Titan, a gargantuan weapon built by the Imperium, is an incredible prize for any race that manages to capture it, and the Eldar, Orks, and Chaos are all determined to be the winner. It falls, therefore, to the Imperial Guard, the numberless regular human infantry of the Imperium, and their commander, General Sturnn, to get the Titan back.
Dragonshard Review
September 23, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN has slapped up a review on Liquid Entertainment's D&D-based Strategy title, Dragonshard. Scoring an 8.4/10, this one might be worth checking out! Snip:
That said, Dragonshard reflects the content of the D&D world rather than the core rules. As such, it would be better marketed just as an Eberron game than a D&D game. Unfortunately, the new Eberron setting just doesn't have the draw that Forgotten Realms or Greyhawk have, so it makes more sense just to put D&D on the box and leave it at that. I don't mean to dwell on this point too much but, as a fan and player of the pen and paper game, the distinction between an RTS based on the D&D mechanics and one simply based in the new campaign setting is worth noting.
SWAT 4 Expansion Announced
September 23, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The folks over at VU Games have announced an expansion pack for their tactical first person shooter, SWAT 4. Entitled The Stetchkov Syndicate, this puppy includes new levels, weapons and more! Be sure to hit GameSpy for some of the first screenshots.
Day of Defeat: Source Q&A
September 23, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Moving right along, GameCloud has fired-up an interview with Valve Software's John Morello II regarding their upcoming first person shooter, Day of Defeat: Source. They chat about everything from new weapons to gameplay tweaks. Here's a blurb:
Gamecloud - What new and returning weapons can we expect from Day of Defeat Source?
John Morello II - Almost all of the weapons we previously had in DoD are also in DoD: Source. We've done some restructuring so a few didn't make the cut. Some have been replaced by similar weapons. However we have also added some new elements. For example the Garand and K98 now have the ability to fire a "rifle grenade" a long distance with accuracy. They're great for clearing snipers out of windows, or banking them around a corner off a building without exposing yourself.
Quake 4 Preview
September 23, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The AVault has whipped up some impressions on Raven Software's upcoming first person shooter, Quake 4. Here's a bit on the game's AI:
The AI in Quake 4 has been beefed up considerably over the previous games. It could be easily comparable to if not much more improved than Halflife 2. The Strogg warriors dont want to die any more than you do, and theyll move, take cover, or switch up their attack methods however they see fit to survive. I dont want to give too much away, but I can definitely verify that you wont live to see the end of the game if you stick to the more primitive method of standing still and unloading your clip on an incoming enemy. Some Strogg can even change over to melee attacks once theyre within a certain range.
Keep readin'!Fable: The Lost Chapters Review
September 23, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The RPGDot has thrown together a review on the PC version of Lionhead Studios' hit RPG, Fable: The Lost Chapters. Here's a snippet on the towns you'll come across:
In the course of play, you'll encounter a handful of towns and these are definitely one of the highlights. The towns bustle with life and a level of detail rarely seen - townsfolk wander about their business, deliverymen carry boxes of goods to the stores and children frolic with playful antics. As you pass near NPCs they may wave or pass comment; you start the game with the ignominious title of "Chicken Chaser" and passerby will mutter phrases like "Chicken Chaser? What sort of name is that?". As your character develops in stature and alignment, the townsfolk may pass appreciative comments - even applaud - or run screaming as appropriate. Naturally, new equipment can be purchased from the shops and there are some side quests to be found (although surprisingly few), in addition to some mini-games at the taverns. As evening draws, the shops close and everyone wanders home to sleep for the night. Towns are also an opportunity to express your nature by behaving obnoxiously, smashing barrels and stealing - or not, of course.
F.E.A.R. Interview
September 22, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN has Monolith's Craig Hubbard in the hot seat this evening, answering questions regarding their upcoming first person shooter, F.E.A.R.. Topics range from the game's engine to enviroments. Snip:
IGNPC: Monolith's first-person shooters have had a relatively conventional context, up till now. What was the motivation behind venturing into paranormal territory?
Craig Hubbard: We really just went with our interests. We wanted to do something we'd all be excited about. We ruled out a standard military shooter because there are so many of them that it's hard to differentiate yourself, but nobody had combined a paramilitary thriller with a ghost story before, so it seemed like an opportunity to explore some new ideas. We also decided to keep the setting contemporary so that the fantastical elements would feel more grounded. A ghost in a ruined castle can be scary, but a ghost in an apartment building is scarier to me because I spend considerably more time in apartments than castles.
BIA: Earned in Blood Demo Released
September 22, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Keeping your modems warm, the guys over at Gearbox Software have released a demo from their upcoming World Wars II-based first person shooter, Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood. Weighing in at a hefty 600megs, you can grab this sucker from one of the following mirrors: w00t!
Serious Sam 2 Demo Released
September 22, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The Croteam has released a 250mb demo from their upcoming Action-packed first person shooter, Serious Sam 2. Including the Seriousopolis Uptown level, you can play this puppy solo or online with friends. Hit one of the following mirrors to get downloading:
F.E.A.R. Dev Diary
September 22, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameSpot has posted the second part of Monolith's developer diary regarding the AI in their upcoming first person shooter, F.E.A.R.. Here's some juice:
Recent advances in AI have allowed game designers to give their non-player characters basic decision-making capabilities with predefined finite state machines (aka FSM). This standard FSM technology allows for goal-directed characters that are able to activate a goal in response to a situation. However, as Jeff Orkin, the game's AI architect, notes, "Once a goal is activated, the character runs through a predetermined sequence of steps, hard-coded into the goal. The embedded plan can contain conditional branches, but these branches are predetermined at the time the goal is authored." While this can sometimes give the impression of a "thinking" NPC, this is essentially a mildly more versatile form of scripting. The characters have limited and predetermined behavior patterns, and the rigidity of the "sequence of steps" often forces recognizable "dumb" behavior that breaks the immersion of the game.
City of Villains Interview
September 22, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Boomtown has fired-up an interview with Cryptic Studios' Jack Emmert regarding their upcoming City of Heroes stand-alone expansion, City of Villains. Here's a bit on the new archetypes:
There are five new archetypes in the game. Which one is your favourite and why?
Well, the five archetypes are the brute, the stalker, the mastermind, the dominator and the corruptor. Right now I probably play the dominator the most. I chose that because I also chose the controller very early on in City of Heroes. In the design department we each take an archetype and play it a lot to get inside, so we can share it with the rest of group. And I guess I like the control aspect, too. I like to be able to manipulate mobs and be able to go a spawn and use my abilities to lock down some mobs but not others. Thats always been my thing.
Day of Defeat: Source Preview
September 21, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Also over at PC.IGN tonight is a preview on Valve Software's upcoming first person shooter, Day of Defeat: Source. Here's a clipping on the game's spiffy visuals:
There were several reasons to move the game over into Source (aside from the obvious financial gains) and all were apparent when loading in. Obviously the biggest change is in the visuals, which are much improved. The Source engine is a great piece of technology and the guys that created the original DoD have taken full advantage here. Great models, textures, effects, and lighting make the levels really spring to life like the never have. Day of Defeat actually takes advantage of the new high dynamic range lighting feature that has recently been added to Source as well as will be shown off in the upcoming Half-Life 2: Lost Coast level, which we also got to see but that's a different story. When you add in the physics you've got levels that jump to life at every explosion. Of course, physics can be used for gameplay purposes as well. Nobody wants to hide behind barrels that can be knocked out of the way after all.
Call of Duty 2 Hands-on
September 21, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Hitting us with a little hands-on lovin', PC.IGN takes a look at Infinity Ward's upcoming World War 2-based first person shooter, Call of Duty 2. Here's a nugget on the new battle chatter system:
This time around Call of Duty 2 has tried to make the soldiers surrounding the main character more than just cannon fodder. This is partially accomplished by a battle chatter system that has allies constantly talking to each other and directing the attack. This leads to some very specific comments from friendlies that point to the location of a threat. Along with the cacophony of battle, troops might yell to get down to avoid a grenade, or direct your fire to a sniper hidden in the window of a building. The chatter is helpful, especially now that enemies are adept at taking and maintaining cover.
Click here for more!Total Overdose Demo Released
September 21, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The folks over at Deadline Games have released a 309mb demo from their upcoming 3rd person Action title, Total Overdose. Including an intro movie and one mission, you can grab this sucker from the following mirrors: So what are you waiting for?!
Dawn of War: Winter Assault First Impressions
September 21, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameSpy has slapped up some first impressions on Relic Entertainment's recently released Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War expansion pack, Winter Assault. Here's a little something to chew on:
Winter Assault was clearly designed to fill in holes in the original Dawn of War play experience. One of the biggest was that the original campaign was too short, and Winter Assault clears that problem up. This time around, you get to play all the races except the Space Marines (although you will get to work with and control a few squads of Ultramarines). The single-player campaign is divided in two parts. There's Order, in which the player gets to play as the Imperial Guard and the Eldar, and Chaos, in which the player gets to play as Chaos and the Orks.
Epic Games Interview
September 21, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Computer and Video Games.com have posted an interview with Epic Games' Mark Rein, tackling everything from Steam to The Unreal Engine 4. Here's some juice:
Which of your games are you most excited about? What about Unreal 2007? What's your favourite part of development there?
Mark Rein: I think the big strides we're making are in AI and the ability to communicate with your team-mates, be they AI or human. The seamless background loading is going to be a huge feature and not just because of our new Conquest feature (that name's still work-in-progress), but it'll enable us to have these unlimited seamless maps. When you play online and you're in a lobby, the ability to keep these people together through their experience will really enhance the community quite a bit.
Unreal Tournament, the original, is still our biggest-selling game ever. Because we sell our games now in instalments, no single instalment is going to sell in the same way as a single game across multiple formats. We're really recapturing a lot of the original, with less jumping around - it went a little crazy with the double and triple jumps. It'll be toned down and a little more skill-based.
The new game modes are pretty cool. If you took Unreal 2004, put it in Unreal Engine 3, upgraded all the artwork, I'd be the first one to buy it anyway. Clearly the visual improvements are exciting. That alone justifies the purchase, but there's a whole lot more. Also, there's Gears of War on Xbox 360. There's not really much more to say on that right now, but it's going great. It's going to be a flagship game.
Dawn of War: Winter Assault Review
September 20, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Finally tonight, PC.IGN has whipped up a review on Relic Entertainment's Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War expansion pack, Winter Assault. With a final score of 8.5/10, this sounds like a pretty good effort. uNF:
The Imperial Guard is made up of the average Joe. These aren't stimmed up super soldiers that have been bred and trained for the savagery of combat, but guys with families and lives they'd actually like to keep. For that reason, the basic Guardsmen tend toward the defensive because of their relative one on one weakness with any of the comparable basic units of the other factions. Along with good defensive structures, which include bunkers where they can hide and shoot (not to mention move freely in between them by traveling through tunnels), are defensive vehicles like the Hellhound flamethrower tank (brilliant for defense against infantry assaults) and the Basilisk artillery. They even have a fast walker called the Sentinel that can run out and un-capture control points in enemy hands so that most of the forces can stay in the shelter of the base.
Prey Interview
September 20, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Computer and Video Games.com has caught up with 3D Realms' Scott Miller for a short Q&A regarding the upcoming first person shooter, Prey. They chat about everything from the game's narrative to the way physics are being used. Snip:
There seems to be a lot of playing around with physics, gravity and perspective in what we've seen of Prey...
Scott Miller: Well, the setting of an alien spacecraft gives us a lot of license to develop ideas that don't make sense on Earth. Gravity flipping and Wall Walk - which allows you to run on the walls and ceiling - both fit well and were prototyped very early in the project, which allowed the level designers to utilise them as soon as possible. They're pretty much integral to the design because of the alien setting and since puzzles based around gravity flipping and wall-walking are unique and fun. A simple room can have a completely different set of challenges once we start flipping the player up onto the ceiling. For example, one type of puzzle involves a large chasm the player cannot get across - but you can simply flip gravity to the ceiling, navigate past the chasm (which is now above your head) and finally flip gravity back to normal. The game is filled with moments like that.
Quake 4 Preview
September 20, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
ShackNews has thrown together a quick preview on Raven Software's much anticipated first person shooter, Quake 4. Here's a snippet on the gameplay:
In the first level, which is primarily indoors, the game plays somewhat like Doom 3; that is, you walk through tight corridors and rooms punctuated by Strogg leaping out from behind corners. It's made a bit more interesting, however, by the presence of your colleagues, who reinforce you both with words and bullets. That rather obvious conceit actually made a considerable difference to my enjoyment of the game. I've always enjoyed cooperative modes in games, and even if they're just computers I'd rather have some buddies by my side. It also keeps the game moving at a brisk pace since you're always aware of what you're doing and why. Most action games that are this scripted just aren't going to be particularly non-linear, so everything may as well be spelled out for you while you focus on the shooting and the not dying.
Fable: The Lost Chapters Review
September 20, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The ArmChair Empire has fired-up their take on Lionhead Studios' recently released RPG, Fable: The Lost Chapters. Here's bit on how to become renown in the game world:
The game has a quite few "currencies" that you earn. There is renown, or how famous you are, your morality, your attractiveness/scariness, experience, and of course money. Renown is gained by completing quests and showing off your trophies after completing your quests. Generally after completing a quest, you will have a trophy of some sort; a keepsake given from someone you rescued, or the head of a monster you killed. You can show this trophy off by selecting the option in your menu to do so. In any given area, there will a number of people that you must show the trophy too. After doing so, you will be rewarded with a bunch of renown which improves your standing in the eyes of the townsfolk across the land. How this is important is not really clearly defined in the game, but I believe that it is a relevant goal in and of itself as you are on a quest to be a legend.
City of Villains Impressions
September 20, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameCloud starts the day off with some impressions on Cryptic Studios' upcoming City of Heroes stand-alone expansion, City of Villains. Here's a nugget on the game starts out:
Now that you have your super villain character, the game then takes you to its tutorial program which appropriately puts your villain smack dab in the middle of a prison break. City of Heroes players can breeze through this but newcomers should also have an easy time of it as well as they learn how to use power, enhancements and more. That prison break in the tutorial was staged by super villain leader Arachnos and once you get through it you head to the Rogue Isles. Unlike the sunny and trash free intro sections of City of Heroes, City of Villains takes places in a bombed out dock city that really needs some urban development.
Dungeon Siege II Q&A
September 19, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN has posted an interview with Gas Powered Games' Chris Taylor regarding their Action-RPG, Dungeon Siege II. They chat about the games development, his thoughts on consoles and more. Here's a taste:
IGNPC: Although DS2 has the same feel as its predecessor, it's many times longer, a lot more varied, and features a ton of voice acting. One gets the feeling that the final product, in the process of creating, became more ambitious than what was originally planned. How close did DS2 end up adhering to the design doc?
Chris Taylor: The original design doc evolved as the game was developed, and in the end, we came pretty darn close. The thing is, just implementing something from a design doc is a small part of the game development process, much more of it happens in the overall consciousness of the team
many people on the team, I am sure, had things they wanted to accomplish (as is the case on every project), but will have to wait until an expansion pack, or another version to bring those ideas to life.
Fable: The Lost Chapters Review
September 18, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN has thrown together a review on the PC version of Lionhead Studios' hit RPG, Fable: The Lost Chapters. Here's something to chew on:
There are other cosmetic variables for your character. As you engage in combat you'll gain permanent scars. As you eat and drink more, you'll start to get fat. You can also choose from a wide variety of hairstyles, tattoos and clothing. Each change affects your alignment, your appearance and your scariness. Go around town dressed in assassin's gear, for instance, and you'll find that people are more intimidated by you. Beyond the impact on the actual game itself, you'll find that you'll develop a real sense of vanity about your character. You'll really start to worry when he goes gray or starts to develop scars. I even found myself picking outfits based not on how much protection they provided but based on how cool they looked. Witness my awesome chicken hat.
So how did the game fare? Read on to find out!F.E.A.R. Golden!
September 17, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The guys over at VU Games have announced that their upcoming first person shooter, F.E.A.R., has gone gold and should hit stores on October 18th. Here's a snippet from the press release:
LOS ANGELES, CA September 16th, 2005 The countdown to one of the biggest PC game launches this Fall has officially begun, as Vivendi Universal Games (VU Games) today announced the October 18th global street date for F.E.A.R. (First Encounter Assault Recon) from Sierra Entertainment. Additionally, VU Games unveiled plans to release an all-new F.E.A.R. multi-player demo in late September. The multi-player demo will follow on the heels of the hugely successful single-player demo that has reached more than 1.5 million downloads since its release in August, making it one of the most popular game demo downloads in history.
Can't wait!
Keepsake Interview
September 17, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The RPGVault has fired-up an interview with Wicked Studios' Yves Bordeleau and Bruno Parenteau regarding their upcoming Adventure title, Keepsake. They chat about everything from the game's setting to the main character. Snip:
Jonric: How would you summarize Keepsake and its main features and elements of interest? What has most influenced its design, and what kind of gameplay experience will it provide?
Yves Bordeleau: Keepsake is an adventure game that blends some old-school elements with the new genre gamers are used to see now. We tried to design the game in a way that it will appeal to many types of gamers as well as newcomers. In adventure gaming, there are more or less two types of game people are used to seeing - the classical "point and click" adventure and the first person "puzzle-oriented" kind. With Keepsake, we tried to bring those two relatively different worlds together with a medieval / fantasy environment as a bonus. ;)
Keepsake is also an adventure game that focuses a lot on the main character's interactions. There is smaller cast of characters than in other adventure games, but those characters are deeper ones, and they all have some very interesting twists to their stories.
Quake 4 Preview
September 17, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN has slapped up some impressions on Raven Software's upcoming first person shooter, Quake 4, after getting some hands-on time with this bad boy. Here's a bit on the multiplayer lovin':
All MP modes start you with an assault rifle and saw blade device. There doesn't appear to be any locational damage, though, at least in this build, so it's a matter of unloading a lot of rounds into your target. I also didn't notice any grenades, which would have been nice when you're running around with the starter weapon and faced with the guys with rocket launcher and hyperblasters. Team deathmatch and CTF give the teams two different-colored outfits, and you also get a color-coded arrow above a guy's head for easy identification. We were also very briefly treated to a DM map set in space, complete with ledges leading into the abyss.
F.E.A.R. Dev Diary
September 17, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Also over at GameSpot is a developer diary written by Monolith regarding the AI in their upcoming first person shooter, F.E.A.R.. Here's something to nibble on:
Gone are the days of mowing down the line of non-player characters as it danced its way into your stream of lead. Instead, your opponents in F.E.A.R. are imbued with a sense of self-preservation. They will take cover when shot at, and they will run or call for reinforcements if they feel overwhelmed. Once they know where you are, they will formulate a group or individual plan in real time to accomplish their goal of eliminating you. This dynamic reaction will become immediately apparent when you replay any segment of the game, because the AI tailors its behavior to both the environment and your play. In order to achieve this level of dynamic and autonomous response, the F.E.A.R. team employed several tools, including the "NavMesh" (navigational system), an understanding of spatial relationships, GOAP, or "goal-oriented action planning," and NPC communication.
Another Sims 2 Expansion?
September 17, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
According to GameSpot, advanced copies of The Sims 2: Nightlife reveal a new expansion pack for Maxis' hit people-sim. Entitled Open for Business, we can expect this sucker to be released some time next year. Other then that, details are nonexistent. So stay tuned!
ShackNews Visits Valve
September 16, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
After spending the day at Valve Software's head offices, Shack News has fired-up an article taking a look at their new High Dynamic Range rendering technology, Episodic content and a whole lot more. Here's some juice:
One of the most visually impressive parts of HDR is that it allows higher light values than would normally be allowed in a game engine for surfaces that aren't very reflective. For example, consider sand on a beach that is in general 20% reflective. Without HDR, that sand would only be able to use 20% of your monitor's maximum brightness, leading to a fairly low contrast range. However, in reality, the sun is such an incredibly powerful source of light that on a bright clear day, it will still cause quite a lot of light to reflect off of the beach, and can have a blown out white effect; this is represented in the game. The same goes for water; if the sky is very bright, the water will reflect it as such.
Read on!BIA: Earned In Blood Goes Gold!
September 16, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The folks over at Gearbox Software have announced that their upcoming first person shooter, Brothers In Arms: Earned In Blood, has gone gold and should be hitting stores on October 6th. Here's a clipping from the press release (hit the official website for the full thing):
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - September 15th, 2005 - Today Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, and acclaimed developer Gearbox Software, announces that Brothers In Arms Earned In Blood, the next chapter in the compelling Brothers in Arms story, has gone gold on PC and will be on store shelves from October, 6th 2005.
With its unprecedented combination of authenticity, compelling story and squad-based action, Brothers In Arms Road to Hill 30 has established itself as a benchmark for military action games. Brothers In Arms Earned In Blood builds upon the elements that have made Brothers in Arms Road to Hill 30 a runaway success by adding new features and game modes. Featuring a new single-player narrative, new multiplayer missions, an all-new cooperative-style game mode, and new weapons and vehicles, Brothers In Arms Earned In Blood promises to lead the way this Fall.
Civilization IV Multiplayer Preview
September 16, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameSpy has shot-up a quick preview on the multiplayer portion of Firaxis' upcoming Turn-Based Strategy title, Civilization IV, after getting a chance to check it out hands-on. Here's some lovin':
Civilization IV also marks a departure from the interfaces of the previous games: the controls now worked much more like a real-time strategy game when it came to selecting and moving units. We fell right into the swing of things. Also, the majority of the things you needed to decide or manage appeared right there on the main screen. You didn't have to dive into the city screens or other detailed screens unless you really wanted to, a change that made the game 'flow' much more smoothly.
Black & White 2 Preview
September 16, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Boomtown has chimed in with their take on Lionhead Studios' upcoming 'God Game', Black & White 2. Here's a bit on the improved interface:
The original game had no onscreen icons whatsoever, which was quite the revolution at the time, but also a source of annoyance. Lionhead has recognised this, and the game now has two little icons down in the left-hand corner, one of which tells you about your tasks at hand, and the other about buildings, statistics and whatever else you need to know to sustain your divine omnipotence. The other side of the screen has icons that represent your respective armies, while an icon in the upper-right corner deals with your creature.
Caesar IV Interview
September 16, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The GameCloud has thrown up an interview with Tilted Mill's Chris Beatrice regarding their upcoming Strategy title, Caesar IV. Here's a snippet on the game's engine:
Gamecloud - What can you tell us about the graphical features for the game?
Chris Beatrice - Tilted Mill has developed a completely new engine (the Linden engine) for this game, one uniquely suited to deliver the best city-building gameplay experience.
The engine can push very large number of polys efficiently, so building models are intricately detailed. As is important for this type of game, there are tons of unique buildings and animations. For example, when the coliseum is active you'll see huge crowds in the seats. There is also a huge zoom range, which is becoming less and less common these days as I'm sure your readers will attest. The engine has all the graphical bells and whistles gamers have come to expect of the latest technology.
The Sims 2: Nightlife Review
September 15, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Yet another The Sims 2: Nightlife review has popped up over at Yahoo! Video Games tonight, taking a look at Maxis' recently released expansion pack. Here's a bit on the downtown area:
Downtown basically acts like a large house. It's a huge environment, always crawling with Sims you haven't met. There are a few unique individuals, rumors of an actual vampire and an alien or two, but most of all, there are a lot of new people to talk to. Establishments range from bars to bowling alleys, to "Rodney's 50's Diner", and your Sim can call up all of his friends and have them meet some where to party. A new option lets you add friends into groups, which speeds up event planning considerably. Your Sim can also prowl on his own, using a new option that lets you "scope out the room," which handily highlights each alluring Sim that might be simpatico.
Bet on Soldier MP Demo Released
September 15, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Kylotonn Entertainment has released a 384mb multiplayer demo from their upcoming first person shooter, Bet on Soldier. Including the Cargo Bay map, you can grab this sucker from one of the following mirrors: uNF!
Age Of Empires III Preview
September 15, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Keeping things rollin', PC.IGN has thrown up a preview on The British faction in Ensemble Studios' upcoming Strategy title, Age Of Empires III. Here's a nugget:
There is an expectation in any game set in this time period that the British have a lot of colonists. To achieve this feel in AOE3, the British civilization can train Settlers very quickly. Any time the British construct a Manor (the name for the British House), they produce a Settler in addition. Since training time is often the limiting factor for producing lots of Settlers, the ability for the British to simultaneously train so many Settlers gives them a very powerful economy. This economy is supported by a powerful military (including one of the best navies in the game). The British military strength is its versatility -- they have no real holes in their unit lines.
Hellgate: London Interview
September 15, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
1Up.com has Flagship Studios' Dave Brevik strapped to a sofa answering questions regarding their upcoming RPG, Hellgate: London. They chat about everything from the industry and where it's heading to what the game has to offer. Snip:
1UP: And episodic content, I mean, how would something like Hellgate, which has this grand concept going on, how would it fit into a smaller chunk size? Or would it, even?
DB: Well, I think that all along one of the sayings that I've had is that a lot of times videogame makers are making what is the equivalent of movies. But people don't really make television, which is a lower production value, quicker thing to do that has lots of episodes. But if you want to do something that's elaborate, then you can't do it in a short time, or at least it's very difficult without lots and lots of money and manpower. So I think that episodic content is very interesting; it's something that I've thought about a lot. I would love to do something like that, but at the same time I also think it'd be very difficult, especially to do something on -- like television, even like on a weekly basis is nearly . . . I can't even fathom. But doing something monthly or something like that, you start to get in a real realm of possibility. It would have to be small, but it could be done.
Rise of Legends Dev Diary
September 15, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameSpot has posted a developer diary written by Big Huge Games's Dave Inscore regarding the new art direction of their upcoming Strategy title, Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends. Here's a taste:
The team looked to a true genius for help: Leonardo da Vinci. An idea surfaced for drawing inspiration from da Vinci's vast, brilliant library of work. Taking it even further, the team proposed to have his work form the backbone of an entire race in the game. Programmers, designers, and especially artists all nodded heads in agreement. It was just the creative spark that was needed in order to satisfy the desire to push beyond "traditional" fantasy.
Pretty interesting stuff. Check it out!D&D Online Interview
September 14, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GamerGod has sat down with Turbine Entertainment's Alex Rodberg and David Eckleberry for a quick chat regarding their upcoming massively multiplayer online RPG, Dungeons & Dragons Online. Here's some juice:
Grimwell: DDO will be an instance-driven game, with players gathering in the city to rally before an adventure. How is Turbine planning to serve (hardware) this to prevent lag due to overcrowding during primetime?
Alex: Stormreach is the biggest city ever seen in an MMO to date. It has 7 wards, each of which is larger than any previous city in a MMO. There is a lot of content in each ward for adventures, and there will be multiple iterations of all the wards on each server. Our servers and network architecture are state-of-the-art and specifically designed to handle this play model.
The Sims 2: Nightlife Review
September 14, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameSpy is the latest website to fire-up a review on Maxis' recently released The Sims 2 expansion pack, Nightlife. Here's what they had to say on the new Pleasure Aspirations:
A new "Pleasure Aspiration" is now available as a Sim's life goal. Typically Sims with the Pleasure Aspiration live for the moment, their wants changing rapidly based on the situation, eager to do whatever fun thing is at hand. They're pretty easy to keep happy, but not very deep, which makes the new aspiration less interesting to play than, say, a family or popularity aspiration.
Civilization 4 Preview
September 14, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN has slapped up a preview on the multiplayer portion of Firaxis' upcoming Strategy title, Civilization 4. Here's a bit on some of the options you will see when someone disconnects during a match:
Even when a couple of the computers pooped out (apparently not on purpose but serving as a demonstration of the server tech very well), the game simply paused and popped up a question (on a screen marked "Democracy") for the rest of the players to vote on what to do. The vote is either kick that player and replace with AI, save the game and continue playing until that other player can join in, or simply wait for the other player to re-connect to the server and claim his place. It makes playing less of a hassle since games can easily be saved, even in dire circumstances. Considering how involved a game of Civ can get, especially in a multiplayer game where players have been talking trash, building alliances, and sinking some emotional involvement into the game, this seemingly small process could be a lifesaver.
New World of WarCraft Patch
September 14, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Blizzard Entertainment has released a new patch for thier hit massively multiplayer online RPG, World of WarCraft. Weighing in at 53megs, this puppy includes a new Battleground (Arathi Basin), 20man raid instance (Zul'Gurub) and a ton of tweaks/bugs fixes. Just load the game's auto-updater or snage it from one of the following mirrors:
DMP Joins Futuremark's Handheld BDP
September 13, 2005 - Nicklas Renqvist
DMP Joins Futuremark's Handheld Benchmark Development Program
3D graphics provider also licenses Futuremark source code
Saratoga, CA and Tokyo, Japan September 13, 2005 - Futuremark Corporation, a leading provider of performance-analysis software and services, announced today that Tokyo-based Digital Media Professionals Inc. (DMP) is joining its handheld benchmark development program. In addition, DMP is licensing source codes for Futuremark's SPMark04 3D graphics test and forthcoming OpenGL ES benchmark suite.
"We are delighted to welcome DMP as a development partner," said Tero Sarkkinen, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Futuremark. "DMP develops sophisticated real-time 3D graphics solutions; their participation proves the global reach of our benchmarks that have become de-facto industry standards," Sarkkinen added.
DMP has developed an advanced 3D graphics architecture featuring company's unique Maestro technologies which enable workstation class quality graphics in embedded devices. DMP's scalable and OpenGL ES compliant solutions will support everything from amusement to handheld devices.
Futuremark Corporation has created the industry's first publicly available OpenGL ES 3D graphics test as part of the SPMark04 benchmark suite. The neutral performance test enables the industry to do objective cross-platform comparisons. In addition, Futuremark is currently working on next generation OpenGL ES and mobile Java performance benchmarks.
"We are committed to delivering the best possible graphics solutions to our customers, who in turn can offer the best user experience," said Tatsuo Yamamoto, President and CEO of DMP. "Futuremark's advanced graphics tests and independent benchmarks provide the credibility to performance measurement that our customers require" Yamamoto added.
About DMP
Digital Media Professionals Inc. (DMP) is the world-class leader bringing 3-D graphics solutions to market from Japan since its founding in 2002, and is currently developing graphics IP core based on DMP's cutting edge 3-D graphics technology DMP Maestro Technology. (Headquarters at: 1-15-5 Naka-cho, Musashino-shi, Tokyo; Capital: 1.18 billion JPY; President & C.E.O.: Tatsuo Yamamoto; http://www.dmprof.com/)
DMP's entry model PICA processor is attracting attention from leading manufacturers in Asia as a graphics IP core that can be used to meet the demands of the 21st-century digital consumer marketmobile phones, game devices, navigation systems, amusement machines such as arcade games, and embedded home appliances.
About Futuremark® Corporation
Futuremark® Corporation is the leading provider of performance analysis software and services for PCs and smartphones. Futuremark® is known around the world for its benchmark products, including the 3DMark® and PCMark® Series and SPMark (with more than 30 million copies distributed worldwide) and value-added services powered by a database of over 12 million real life benchmarking results. Futuremark® maintains offices in Saratoga, California and Helsinki, Finland. For more information, please visit http://www.futuremark.com.
© 2005 Futuremark® Corporation, 3DMark®, PCMark® and SPMark trademarks and logos, Futuremark® character names and distinctive likenesses, are the exclusive property of Futuremark Corporation. All other trademarks are property of their respective companies.
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Futuremark Contact: Futuremark Corporation Phone: +1-408-517-0131 Mr. Tero Sarkkinen Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing Email: tero@futuremark.com |
Agency Contact: TechWire International Phone: +1-831-429-6288 Leo Pot Email: information@ezwire.com |
City of Villains Preview
September 13, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Finally tonight, GameSpot has posted a preview on Cryptic Studios' upcoming City of Heroes stand-alone expansion, City of Villains. Here's a bit on the new skills:
t's true that some villains share superpowers with their heroic brethren of Paragon City, including classic powers from the original City of Heroes, as well as updated powers that have been recently added to the original game (such as sonic-based powers and archery). However, the new archetypes will also have access to all-new powers, like the stalker's "assassin" skill. Regardless of whether stalkers choose to use claws, energy-based melee, martial arts, or poisonous spines, they will all eventually be able to learn an assassin power at a higher level, which lets them deliver a devastating blow while hidden. Hiding will be the first secondary power any stalker can acquire in the archetype's secondary power set.
And cue the drooling.
Dawn of War: Winter Assault Hands-on
September 13, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
TotalVideoGames.com has slapped up some hands-on impressions on Relic Entertainments upcoming Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War expansion pack, Winter Assault. Here's some juice:
The entire tech-tree has undergone an overhaul resulting in lower costs and build-times, which places the emphasis on researching high-level units; combined with the unit restriction, this urges players to look towards the high-level instead of amassing vast hordes of low-level units.
Click here for more!Vanguard Interview
September 13, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The folks over at Vanguard Spheres have fired-up a short interview with Sigil Games Online's Keith Parkinson regarding their upcoming massively multiplayer online RPG, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. Here's a bit on the bone scaling system:
3. What attributes will the bone scaling system allow us to control when we build our characters on release day? Height, weight, cheekbones, chin, shoulder width?
My goal is to give the player as much leeway in creating the Avatar as we can, bound within racial constraints that fit the genre. For example: I dont want 7ft tall dwarves stomping around Vanguard like Storm Giants. That would be ridiculous. What I do want is Dwarves with personality, individuality and character. The same holds true for all the races, Player characters, and Non player characters. So things like height, muscle mass, weight, facial hair, hair color, how big you can make each face feature, or size of the head, among other things all play an important part in making that reality. Well go as far as the tech end of running a game allows.
The Sims 2: Nightlife Review
September 13, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN has thrown together a quick review on Maxis' The Sims 2 expansion pack, Nightlife. With a final score of 8.2/10, this one might be worth checking out! Anyways, here's a blurb on your sims dating:
Dating is probably the most important addition to many players. It allows sims to really spend time with each other in a more private setting while opening up new actions like asking "What do you want?" which will allow the other sim to let you know what will make them happier. The answer could be anything from wanting to eat out with your sim or woohoo it up back at your place. This isn't just an normal date though, it's under the baleful gaze of the clock. When the date starts, you'll have a certain amount of time to raise the date rating to the next level which will add on more time. The goal, of course, is to end up with the highest rating possible. If that happens, there's a pretty good chance your sim will be a happy camper by the end of the night. Like I said, it makes the experience much more pro-active on the player's part, which for some will be awesome. For others, it'll be less awesome.
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Q&A
September 13, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Boomtown has caught up with Bethesda Softworks' Gavin Garter for a quick Q&A regarding their upcoming RPG, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Topics range from character creation to the sweet visuals. uNF:
This is now the fourth Elder Scrolls title. What kind of progression do you feel that the game has made, and what would you say is the biggest change from the last release?
Oblivion represents a quantum leap over Morrowind. Every system has been hammered on, polished, taken apart and put back together, and even totally reworked from the ground up when necessary. Tons of changes have been put in place Radiant AI breathes life into NPCs with full 24 hour dynamic scheduling. Our combat system has been reworked from the ground up to be more kinetic and fun. Weve implemented Havok physics into the game in major ways. Weve implemented a complete facial animation system with full lip-synching and all spoken dialog. Theres not one system that hasnt been touched. Picking out one change and calling it the biggest would be a disservice to all the other work thats gone into the game, I think.
Guild Wars Review
September 12, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
In the better late then never category, Killer Betties has thrown together a quick review on ArenaNet's Online RPG, Guild Wars. Here's a bit on the PvP system:
The PVP part of the game rewards skill and teamwork to a greater extent then the PVE part as players are generally evenly matched; although the actual time spent playing Guild Wars does not count for much in either part of the game. It is not necessary for a character to have reached level twenty as a character can be created from scratch to be at this level, and many players have created characters specifically for head to head PVP and guild warfare. The game is very amenable to this, with integrated support for guilds. There is a world wide ladder of all the guilds to make it easy to see which guilds are winning, the ability to keep in touch throughout all the maps with guild messaging (there is also the ability to whisper to a certain person or talk to the party you are battling with) and the ability to have a guild hall where players can rest and talk strategy, as well as a guild coffer. Guilds are able to have unique emblems and, if they can find enough dye, specific colours for their uniforms. They are also able to compete for key parts of the world, and there is a 24/7 battle raging between real-life continents such as America versus Korea.
EverQuest 2: Desert of Flame Preview
September 11, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN has whipped up a quick preview on Sony Online's upcoming EverQuest 2 expansion pack, Desert of Flame. Here's a little something to chew:
The first thing you'll notice about the new expansion content is that it's all has a very Arabian Nights kind of feel. Djinn, mummies, flying carpets, magical mirrors and all the other things you'd expect Sinbad or Aladdin to contend with are present in the new expansion. You're also likely to notice that the expansion is a little more colorful than the core game and includes more of a high-fantasy feel. These new visual elements certainly help balance the darker style of the core game.
Click here for more!F.E.A.R. Hands-on
September 10, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Computer and Video Games.com has posted a preview on Monolith's upcoming first person shooter, F.E.A.R., after getting some quality hands-on time with this bad boy. Here's a nugget:
VU Games recently invited us to play another chunk of the game - the first four levels no less, complete in everything but name and the occasional graphical hangnail - and we got a full-force blast of the formula in action. The game kicks off, as you may recall, with the escape of psychic bad guy and raving nutcase Paxton Fettle, a telepathically-enhanced military commander trained to lead an army of cloned supersoldiers. Each one of these chaps is a Universal Soldier-like automaton, with full battle awareness but not much in the way of conversational ability. In short, they're unfeeling killing machines, and Paxton has 1,000 of the buggers at his beck and call.
Dawn of War: Winter Assault Preview
September 10, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Sticking with GameSpot, they have slapped up their take on Relic Entertainment's upcoming Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War expansion pack, Winter Assault. Here's some lovin':
At the start of a multiplayer game, the Imperial Guard will want to do something that no other faction in Dawn of War will do: hide out at the main base. While Dawn of War's basic gameplay includes great rewards for aggressive players who sally forth and capture strategic points on the map, the Imperial Guard are best served by hanging back at their starting fortress, maybe holding a point or two, and researching upgrades like mad. This is because the new faction focuses primarily on defense, a significant change of pace from the very offense-minded Dawn of War's factions. Like in other strategy games, you'll be able to research various upgrades that will let you build new structures and commission more-powerful soldiers and vehicles in "tiers"--but the guardsmen will want to hang back at their base at least until they hit tier two, if not tier three.
Titan Quest Preview
September 10, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The folks over at GameSpot have fired-up a quick look at Iron Lore's upcoming Action-RPG, Titan Quest. Here's a snippet on the game's skills system:
Even though the game will feature branching "trees" of skills, similar to the skill systems of Diablo II or Dungeon Siege II, the idea behind the skill system is to let players customize their characters by focusing on their favorite skills rather than constantly outdating old skills by picking more-powerful versions. The low-level "fireball" spell you learn at the very beginning will continue to be useful to the end of the game, at which point you could have invested many more points into the same skill to empower the spell with more range, more damage, and other powerful additions. The game will actually let you reinvest some skill points as you go so you won't end up accidentally putting points into skills you change your mind about and decide that you don't like.
Read onDay of Defeat: Source Release Date
September 10, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Valve Software has updated the Steam website with word that Day of Defeat: Source will be released on September 26th. Here's a clipping from the press release:
"Day of Defeat has quietly been one of the most played online action games for the past three years," said Gabe Newell, president and founder of Valve. "Day of Defeat: Source represents a major leap forward in both graphics and gameplay, and pushes the Source engine harder than any other Source project. "
DoD: Source takes the classic teamplay of DoD and expands the experience with Source, the engine technology Valve created for Half-Life® 2 and it's next generation of games. With this technology, DoD: Source offers state of the art graphics with optimized versions of popular maps and all new player, weapon and world models, plus support for HDR lighting.
DoD: Source leverages the power of the Source engine by introducing advanced sound technology to provide a more immersive soundscape and integrated physics simulation technology for ragdolls and physically simulated objects throughout each map.
Galactic Civilizations II Impressions
September 10, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Starting things off, GameSpy has thrown together some impressions on Stardock's upcoming Turn-Based Strategy title, Galactic Civilizations II. Here's something to nibble on:
One of my chief complaints about the original game was that the appearance of your ships never altered as your technology advanced. The ships also tended to look somewhat alike. That's not a problem anymore, because the enormously powerful Ship Builder screen makes every ship in your fleet as unique as you want to make it. The screen offers a wide selection of basic hulls for small, medium, and large vessels. Each hull has "attachment points" where players can attach weapons, troop or colonist transport pods, engines, scientific equipment, more structural components (with their own attachment points), or anything else that's been researched. The player is free to place anything they wish on their hulls, restricted only by weight limits that will increase with research. The result is ships that are incredibly easy to identify visually. If you have a problem telling your frigates from your bombers now, you have only yourself to blame.
New Dawn of War Patch
September 9, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The guys at Relic Entertainment have released a new patch (v1.4) for their hit Strategy title, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. Weighing in at 188megs, this puppy includes some balance changes, bug fixes and a whole lot more. Hit one of the following mirrors for the goods:
Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood Preview
September 9, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Also over at PC.IGN this evening is a preview on Gearbox Software's upcoming first person shooter, Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood. Here's a nugget on the enemy AI:
But Earned in Blood isn't just more Brothers in Arms. With the change in enemy intelligence and wider environments, every firefight becomes a challenge. The enemy will retreat if they can, throw a grenade or two if they see an opportunity, and will only expose themselves if they appear to have no other choice. The battles also take on a cascading quality, where flanking one group will uncover another group, forcing you to consider your cover and opportunities in a way I'm not used to seeing in this genre. Those looking for a guns-blazing, Painkiller approach will want to look elsewhere.
Battle for Middle-Earth II Interview
September 9, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN has posted an interview with Electronic Arts' Mike Verdu regarding their upcoming Strategy title, The Battle for Middle-Earth II. The questions are reader-submitted and cover everything from hero creation to wall defences. Here's a taste:
cynrommel: The preview notes that the player will be able to create individual heroes. How will this process occur, what sort of customization will be available, and will these personalized heroes be useable in a multiplayer game, either through a LAN or over larger multiplayer mediums? What range of customizing or map editing content will come with BFME II?
Mike Verdu: You will be prompted to create your own hero at the beginning of a campaign game. You'll also be able to access the hero creation feature from the game's main menu - to add to your bullpen of custom heroes or edit an existing hero. Customization options range from armor, clothing, and weapon choices to the actual ladder of powers and abilities that your hero will use to "level up" during game play. Once you've created a hero, you can take him or her into multiplayer games as well as the single player campaign game. We'll limit the use of custom heroes for tournament games that count towards ladder stats, but otherwise players have the option to create and join multiplayer games with their created heroes (or not, depending on preference - some players may want to host and join "no custom hero" games regardless of whether or not they count towards official stats).
Rise of Legends Q&A
September 9, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameCloud has sat down with Big Huge Games' Tim Train for a quick Q&A regarding their upcoming Strategy title, Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends. Topics range from the different races to the mission editor. Snip:
Gamecloud - What can you tell us about the playable races in the game?
Tim Train - So far we're showing two of our playable races in the game--the Vinci and the Alim. When we set out to create our fantasy world, we wanted to avoid the usual Tolkein-inspired races like elves, orcs, and dwarves. We feel many other games have used that subject matter, and we were excited to create our own fantasy world that would feel fresh and new. For years, designers Brian Reynolds and Doug Kaufman were interested in doing a game set in the world of Arabian Nights, and so that setting became the inspiration for the Alim, the first magic race in the game. They are themed on fire, magic, and the desert. Our second race, the Vinci, drew inspiration from the works of Leonardo da Vinci and also from a variety of "steampunk" sources, including the animated films of Hayao Miyazaki and other anime like "Steamboy." They are a race of engineers and industrialists, with a strong flavor of technology in their units.
Dawn of War: Winter Assault Preview
September 9, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameSpy has shot-up a preview on Relic Entertainment's upcoming Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War expansion pack, Winter Assault. Here's a bit on why Relic chose to include the Imperial Guards:
"There were a couple of reasons." Chambers replied, "but the big one is that they filled a hole in the gameplay experience." What Chambers is referring to is something that many players who enjoyed the original game couldn't help but notice -- the fact that Dawn of War is geared to the aggressive player. The unusual resource model in which the player gets more resources based on the amount of strategic points on the map they hold naturally contributes to a gameplay style that rewards those players who move and seize ground the fastest. That can turn off players who prefer a more sedate game pace, the kind of turtlers who like building up bases and playing with defensive structures -- players like me, actually. In fact, it was a mark of just how much fun the original game was that I was willing to adjust my gameplay style to fit it. Chambers nodded, "Exactly." He said, "It's not that we're turning Dawn of War into a slower-paced game or anything, but those players who enjoy playing more defensively will find what they're looking for in the Guard."
World of WarCraft Update Plans
September 8, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Blizzard Entertainment's Shane Dabiri has hit the official World of WarCraft forums with a quick glimpse at what the future holds for their hit massively multiplayer online RPG. Here's a nugget on their Battlegrounds plans:
Were also working to polish several aspects of the first two Battlegrounds. At the top of the list are some major changes to Alterac Valley. We hope players have been enjoying the experience our epic Battleground provides, with its wide variety of goals and tasks. That aspect is something we definitely want to keep in Alterac, but we also want to make it more accessible by lowering the launch requirement from 30 players per side to 20. We also plan to shorten the length of time required to complete a game of Alterac Valley. Some of the changes well be implementing to accomplish this goal are balancing out the terrain, slightly decreasing the landmass, and improving the queue to ensure balanced teams for each game.
Read onAge of Empires III Demo Released
September 8, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Keeping your modem's nice and toasty, Ensemble Studios has released a 365mb demo from their upcoming Strategy title, Age of Empires III. This sucker features two singleplayer campaigns and two skirmish maps to kick some butt in. Anyways, you know the drill: Very yummy!
Vietcong 2 Demo Released
September 8, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The folks over at Pterodon have released a 440mb multiplayer demo from their upcoming first person shooter, Vietcong 2. Included are two maps with three gameplay modes, which also support up to 64players. Anyways, hit one of the following mirrors to get downloading:
Serious Sam II Preview
September 8, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameCloud has posted a preview on the Croteam's upcoming Action-packed first person shooter, Serious Sam II, after getting some hands-on time with the latest beta. Here's a bit on the game's engine:
Graphically Serious Sam II has several steps up from the first two games; enemies and other characters retain the slightly cartoony art style but have a lot more detail and polygons. Lighting and effects are top notch as well. On our somewhat middle of the road PC (2.2 Ghz P4 and GeForce 6800 video card) the game ran very well with only a couple on very brief slowdowns in frame rate with a ton of enemies on screen. We also played the Xbox versions and our big worry was that the frame rate for the console would be bad with the same situation. Thankfully it was not the case.
Guild Wars Update Impressions
September 8, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN has slapped up some impressions on the just-released Sorrow's Furnace update for ArenaNet's hit Online RPG, Guild Wars. Here's a clipping:
In some cases, the player behavior is even driving gameplay design. Take the economy as an example. After some crazy fluctuations based on the play times from around the globe (this is truly a global economy here) all of the servers from around the world have been made to communicate with each other more efficiently in order to keep crazy fluctuations down. Even more interesting is the idea of item speculation. Lots of players have been collecting rubies for monetary amounts much greater than they would sell for at a vendor. Now, the rubies don't really have a use at the moment. Players knows that but have been collecting them with the thought that they will have a good use at some point. Because the demand for them is so high and people have been spending exorbitant amounts of cash on what are basically useless items, the design team has had to evaluate the ruby situation. The solution just might be to make rubies into something a bit more representative of the value given to them by the players.
Starship Troopers Preview
September 7, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
1Up.com has thrown together a short preview on Strangelite's upcoming first person shooter, Starship Troopers. Here's a bit on some of the familiar faces you'll see:
Since this game takes place almost five years after the events of the Paul Verhoeven picture, don't expect a lot of interaction with characters from the original story. After all, most of them died during that time anyway. However, you are a member of the Mobile Infantry, and main character Johnny Rico is still your commanding officer. It sounds like that will be the only character connection from game to movie, though, since no other actors have been mentioned as reprising their roles for the interactive Starship Troopers. Sorry, no Doogie Howser, M.D. action here.
Black & White 2 Preview
September 7, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Moving right along, GameSpot has slapped up some quick impressions on Lionhead Studios' upcoming Strategy/RPG, Black & White 2. Here's a nugget on some of your 'godly duties":
You'll discover that it's actually not that easy being a god in Black & White 2, because you have numerous duties and tasks that will keep you busy throughout the game. You must constantly address the needs of your people and answer the occasional prayer, so that they'll worship you. This is important for a variety of reasons. For one, having worshippers means that you get to perform miraculous deeds. Second, you want your people to multiply, which gives you more potential worshippers and enlarges your region of influence. This will also let you build up a mighty army so that you can go out and convert other cities to worshipping you, or, if you're more of a peaceful god, you can create such a magnificent civilization that neighboring peoples will drop their gods like a sack of potatoes and rush over to join your society
Fable Interview
September 7, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The RPGVault has Lionhead Studios' Louise Copley and Mike West in the hot seat this evening, answering questions regarding their upcoming RPG, Fable: The Lost Chapters. Here's a bit on the game's spiffy visuals:
Jonric: What were the primary considerations that factored into your decisions regarding the technologies to use?
Louise Copley: The Fable: The Lost Chapters engine for Windows takes full advantage of modern rendering hardware. At high resolutions, with anti-aliasing and high-resolution dynamic shadows, we're able to finally fully show off all the cool features of the game, such as the long view distances, detailed texturing and all the other little special effects we packed into Fable
Dungeon Siege II Review
September 7, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The folks over at GameGuru Mania have chimed in with their take on Gas Powered Games' recently released Action-RPG, Dungeon Siege II. Here's something to chew on:
Any character can learn any type of skill and use any weapon or any spell, ability to control an entire party of 8 characters (like fighters, magic users, archers and even mules to carry more equipment), a wide variety of formations, etc. For those who played Dungeon Siege, you'll remember the friendly pack mule. Dungeon Siege 2 has taken it a step further and given us a whole line of pets to choose from - pack mules, dire wolves, scorpions, elementals, lap dragons and other fanciful creatures. They will earn spells, special powers and auras as they get bigger. Pets start out weaker than normal characters, so you have to mature them by feeding them items they find in the field. Fortunately, the types of items you feed your pets determine what maturity bonuses they get. For example, feeding pets armor will increase their defense. That lets you control how your pets grow.
Battlefield 2: Special Forces Q&A
September 6, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameCloud has tossed up an interview with Electronic Arts' David Yee regarding their upcoming Battlefield 2 expansion pack, Special Forces. Here's a bit on the new zip line and grappling hook:
Gamecloud - What other new and improved gamelay elements will be a part of the expansion?
David Yee - The two biggest additions in Special Forces are the zip line and grappling hook. These two features give infantry advanced moment options and really bring up the number of possibilities on the Battlefield. Where in the past, hardcore players have memorized common routes and chokepoints, Special Forces creates moments where the enemy arent always going to come through the same alleyway or passage. Its very satisfying to flank another squad, or attack spawn points in ways that werent possible before.
Bet on Soldier Impressions
September 5, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Keeping things rollin', JustPressPlay has thrown up some impressions on Digital Jesters' upcoming first person shooter, Bet on Soldier. Here's a bit on the role money plays in the game:
Money is supposed to be everything in this game. It costs to restore your armor and replenish ammo. The two things I noticed were, I never got even remotely close to running out of money and secondly, there are so many repair stations that I never got close to dying at all. If for some reason you get stuck away from the nearest repair station (this game has more repair stations than Bank of America has ATMs) you can always summon your hired mercenaries to come over and repair you for free. I was battling this walking robot that was equipped with two chain guns and the nearest repair station was a little ways off. Im sure I could have made it, but my armor was starting to turn red from me standing face to face with him, trying to see if I could get a headshot. I simply ran behind this pile of steel and had my hired mercenaries come over and fix me up. While, theyre doing this, Im wondering where on earth is this walking robot thats after me. He was simply standing on the opposite side of this steel pile I was hiding behind . I guess he was kindly waiting for me to fix myself up. Sure nice of him, I thought. All I had to do was walk to each side and take simple pot shots at him. I guess he never figured out to chase me or walk around the corner.
Quake 4 Interview
September 4, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Next Generation has posted an interview with id Software's Todd Hollenshead and Tim Willits regarding their upcoming first person shooter, Quake 4. Here's a nugget on the game's art style:
"Quake III was one of the most licensed engines and the Doom 3 engine is actually capable of rendering more varied environments than that one was. It's just that the art style of Doom 3 and Quake 4 are pretty similar. You can only build a space station in so many ways. If you look at some of the Prey stuff, you can see that, in certain areas at least, they've taken it in a cool direction. But any time you have the bumpmapped, stencil-shadowed world, it's going to have Doom signature to it. And the more you see technology advancing down specific paths the more that signature's going to become apparent. But there's still a lot of room to grow that technology up."
Black & White 2 Impressions
September 3, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
PC.IGN has tossed up some impressions on Lionhead Studios' upcoming "God Game", Black & White 2, after getting a chance to check it out hands-on. Here's a snippet on your little creatures:
Creatures are a very important aspect of the Black & White franchise. They're not quite as needy this time around, but they're still important enough that you'll want to make sure you're putting them on the right path whatever your definition of "right" is. Four creatures await to be picked like the last four kids at school to be grabbed for the kickball team. They'll cheer and dance when you click on them and mope when another of their furry friends is selected. Whether you pick the monkey, lion, wolf, or cow, you'll have an instant friend or ravenous servant. It's just a matter of how they're treated.
Hellgate: London Interview
September 3, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Hellgate Guru has slapped up an interview with Flagship Studios' Bill Roper regarding their upcoming Action-RPG, Hellgate: London. They take a look at everything from interactive environments to the game's combat system. Here's a taste:
Hellgate Guru: What's the difference between spells and weapons? You have previously described weapons as 'spell delivery systems', so we're curious to what extent the weapon's damage output is dependent on the weapon, and how the player's own skills and spells come into play in conjunction with his equipment.
Bill Roper: In relationship to weapons, skills currently modify the way players use them. For example, the Circle Slash skill (not the real name, but it gets the idea across) allows a character wielding a sword to strike at any demons within a 120 degree arc in front of him. The Speed Slash would slightly reduce damage, but do a flurry of hits.
While some spells may be their own damage types, others will affect demons by reducing their abilities, slowing them, and so forth. Please note that this is an AMAZINGLY early and HIGHLY incomplete list of ideas and are presented for demonstration and comparative purposes.
Blitzkrieg 2 Demo Released
September 3, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The peeps over at Nival Interactive have released a 270mb singleplayer demo from their upcoming World War II-based Strategy title, Blitzkrieg 2. Including one mission for each faction, you can grab this sucker from one of the following mirrors: Now get downloading!
City of Heroes Interview
September 3, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameDaily has sat down with Cryptic Studios' Matt Miller for a quick chat regarding the Issue 5 update for their hit massively multiplayer online RPG, City of Heroes. Here's a bit on the new power sets:
GameDAILY: Can you describe for us some of the new power sets and how they will influence gameplay?
Matt Miller: Archery brings us two new power sets for Defenders, and one new one for Blasters and Controllers. Archery has the highest accuracy bonus of any powerset, so it is very useful in attacking targets over your Hero's level. The Trick Arrows also have a great debuff and control aspect to them that gives Defenders more to do than just "be the healer". As a matter of fact, there are no healing powers at all in the Trick Arrow set.
Sonics also give two power sets to Defenders and a new one for Blasters and Controllers. Sonics combine energy and smashing damage, which in combination tend to bypass at least one of an enemy's defenses. In addition they have buffs for your allies and debuffs for the enemies. Overall it is a well rounded power set.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 Preview
September 3, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameSpy has fired-up a quick preview on Electronic Arts' upcoming Golf Sim, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06. Here's a bit on the new Rivals Mode:
As is the case every year, one all-new mode has been created for the latest Tiger, and this year's addition is Rivals Mode. At first, the concept suggests that the developers might be grasping a little hard: upset at having lost his #1 ranking, Tiger sets out to prove he's the best by -- we're not kidding -- going back in time and beating, apparently, anyone who's ever played the game of golf. His first stop is 150 years back to the mid-1800s, and you, being the hungry challenger, follow Tiger back to take on the same opponents.
Vanguard: Saga of Heroes Preview
September 2, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameCloud has posted a short preview on Sigil Games' upcoming massively multiplayer online RPG, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. Here's a snippet on the game's development time and visuals:
So our big question was: "Why is it taking so long for Vanguard to be completed?". Sigil team members told us that it was always their plan to take their time with the game, saying they expected Vanguard to take three or four years to complete. During the live demo at PAX it was clear that things were coming along nicely both graphically and in gameplay. The demo (which was networked to live servers at Sigil's offices, showed a party exploring the vast outdoors of Vanguard's fantasy realm. It's still the plan to have the game feel like one large world with loading times kept down to a minimum, if any. Using Epic's Unreal engine, Vanguard has some excellent looking character models and of course the huge enviroments where in your character's point of vew seems to stretch for miles. The party's combat with various monsters in the game looked good as well. Characters like
Bet on Soldier Demo Released
September 2, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Kylotonn Entertainment has released a 540mb singleplayer demo from their upcoming first person shooter, Bet On Soldier. You can grab this puppy from one of the following mirrors: A little weekend fun. w00t!
Dungeon Siege II Review
September 2, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Game Over has kicked up a review on Gas Powered Games' recently released Action-RPG, Dungeon Siege II. Walking away with a final score of 80%, this one might be worth checking out! Anyways, here's a bit on character customization:
New in Dungeon Siege II is that there are more ways to customize your character. Some parts of character development are exactly the same; there are still four skill areas (melee, ranged, combat magic, and nature magic) that you build up in exactly the same way (by using skills during combat), but now you also get to select a race for your character, complete with bonuses and penalties, and you get to build up the level of your character. Each time a character gains a level, he or she also gains a skill point, and then the character gets to spend the point on one of 48 different skills, such as dual wield, brilliance, and critical strike. If the character has the right configuration of skills, then he or she might also gain a power, which is usually some sort of devastating attack.. For example, melee characters can learn the brutal attack power, which allows them to hit for up to 50 times their regular damage.
Quake 4 Preview
September 2, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Computer and Video Games.com have whipped up a preview on Raven Software's upcoming first person shooter, Quake 4. Here's a bit on some of the marines you'll battle along side:
The very nature of Quake IV - that of high action and invasion - means that it's far more varied than id's last offering. From the Aliens-style jumpship opening and subsequent crash landing onwards, the player is surrounded by other marines - both to fight alongside in squads and to watch die in hideous ways. While opening a door in Doom 3 would invariably prompt a scripted 'jump point', opening a Quake 4 door results in sequences that involve marines either getting mangled or pulling off some particularly nifty gunplay. There's always stuff going on to grab your attention - a real cinematic edge - and what claustrophobic solitary adventurings there are deep in the guts of the Strogg war machine are neatly interspersed with hurtling around wide open spaces on the surface in Halo-esque hovertanks and battling alongside other members of Rhino Squad. You also come across a Badger Squad, but needless to say they're not quite as cool.
The Sims 2: Nightlife Hands-on
September 2, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameSpy has thrown up some impressions on Maxis' upcoming The Sims 2 expansion pack, Nightlife, after getting some hands-on time with this bad boy. Here's a bit on Vampirism in the game:
Now, turning my Sim into a vampire means that I'll have to find the "Master Vampire," who wanders around the new Downtown area late at night. That meant that I was going to have to hang around downtown late at night. No problem: the Downtown area that comes with the pack is sprawling, with dozens of bars, restaurants, clubs, out-of-the-way dives, and no less than three bowling alleys.
Total War: Barbarian Invasion Preview
September 1, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Sticking with PC.IGN, they have thrown together a quick preview on Creative Assembly's upcoming Rome: Total War expansion pack, Barbarian Invasion. Here's a blurb on the night battles:
The new night battles are a real treat to look at but don't necessarily offer much in the way of new tactics. It's definitely awesome to see volleys of flaming arrows light up the ground as they fly through the sky or watch flames trailing from the torches held up by racing horse riders. You won't find however that the darkness actually affects line of sight or combat effectiveness.
Read on!Savage 2 First Look
September 1, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
The folks over at PC.IGN have posted a first look on S2 Games' upcoming Action-RTS, Savage 2: A Tortured Soul. Here's a nugget on the additional classes:
If you'll remember Savage gave players five classes to choose from, with only one of those available at the beginning of any particular game. As money and experience were gained, players could access the rest, but it wasn't exactly a huge selection of units, especially for an RTS type of game. To that end, Savage 2 will use a 20 unit class based system that should create more variety and strategy to who chooses what units in battle. S2 is saying that certain types of units will be much more focused on run and gun type of gameplay while others will suit a more slower paced style of RPGish gameplay.
They also managed to snage a new trailer and screenshots. So be sure to check them out as well!
F.E.A.R. Interview
September 1, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameSpot has slapped up an interview with Monolith's Craig Hubbard regarding their upcoming Action title, F.E.A.R.. Topics range from multiplayer to the game's AI. Here's a taste:
GS: What's the difference between the difficulty levels in the game? Are enemies smarter or just tougher to take down? Will your weapons decrease in effectiveness or accuracy? Playing times will obviously vary, but how long would you say that it takes to get through the game for an average player?
CH: For enemies, difficulty primarily affects how much damage they can sustain and how much they inflict. Their behavior isn't really affected, because we wanted players to get the full experience regardless of how skilled they might be.
Difficulty also affects health recovery, which kicks in if your hit points get below a certain threshold. For example, on normal difficulty, if you get down below 25 percent, your health begins to tick back up to prevent you from being stuck at one hit point. The rate at which you regenerate and the amount of health you get back scales with difficulty.
SiN Episodes Dev Diary
September 1, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Ritual Entertainment's Shawn Ketcherside has updated his blog on the official SiN Episodes website, chatting about the levels and scripting in their upcoming first person shooter. Here's a clipping:
In a few days, Im going to be writing the second draft of the dialog script for the game. Im looking forward to this, as the dialog is my way of contributing real content to the game. Programmers get to add features, Artists get to add models, Level Designers get to add levels and gameplay. I get to add the story and dialog.
Age of Empires III Preview
September 1, 2005 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
GameSpy is the latest website to fire-up a preview on Ensemble Studios' upcoming Strategy title, Age of Empires III. Here's something to chew on:
AoE3 brings several new things to the table. First, the game's setting has bolted forward to the Colonial Age where European explorers are stomping all over the New World in search of fame, trade goods, and shiny bits of precious metal. For the first time in an Age of Empires game you get to make extensive use of gunpowder and employ artillery that does something more impressive than sling rocks. This opens the doors to a lot of different kinds of units and tactics, though the underlying "rock-paper-scissors" model is still there and you'll have to mix your armies according to diverse recipes depending on what you're up against. The interesting thing is that you start off with low-grade technology like crossbows, then progress up to cannons and even railroads. Sure, it doesn't cover anywhere near as broad a scope as, say, Empire Earth, but the whole game holds together thematically a bit better.
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