Starting in 1996, Alexa Internet has been donating their crawl data to the Internet Archive. Flowing in every day, these data are added to the Wayback Machine after an embargo period.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is pleased to announce the launch
of Data Node One, the official The Matrix Online Community website. Data Node One will provide the very latest in news, features, and game information for The Matrix Online, the Massively Multiplayer Online Game launching this spring.
Before the launch of The Matrix Online, Data Node One will focus primarily on the internal and beta testing communities by providing extensive coverage of player - organized events, player organizations, and exclusive interviews with the development team.
Meanwhile, The Matrix Online Vault slapped up part two of its interview series with lead designer Toby Ragaini.
"My comment would be that premium products will continue to command premium prices, so I would not expect a huge difference [in prices for calendar year '05]," said Probst, shifting slightly from his earlier comments. "If you take a look at the average selling price in the top 20 in calendar '05, compared to what it was in calendar '04... in fact, if you trend it over the last three or four years, that average selling price in the top 20 has been somewhere between $45 and $50. I would not expect a huge variance from that in '05."
He also comments about the consoles themselves:
"I would not expect Sony to have a head start on the next generation of hardware console systems," Probst said. In fact, Probst laid out a scenario where the PlayStation 3 might not make it stateside until late 2006. "[It] remains to be seen whether there will be new console launches from either Microsoft or Sony [in calendar year '05] and probably impossible to predict whether it's early or late '06 for PlayStation 3... it might turn out that PlayStation 3 is launched earlier in Japan than it is in North America and Europe."
Pariah Gets May 3rd Ship Date02:22 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- games: action(0 comments)
Digital Extremes informed us that Pariah now has an official release date of May 3rd for the PC and Xbox. "Pariah is looking impressive," said Jon Walsh, CEO of Groove Games. "The team at Digital Extremes has really pulled out all the stops to make a mark in the FPS genre with Pariah. And, on May 3rd gamers everywhere will get
to experience the polish and hard work that has gone into making Pariah the next big, must-have FPS." Digital Extremes are of course the cats behind Unreal and Unreal Tournament.
One of the most anticipated titles of 2005, Oddworld Stranger's Wrath takes the series in a new direction, combining first and third person gameplay with signature Oddworld humor and storytelling . Oddworld Stranger's Wrath challenges players to step into the role of the Stranger, a mysterious bounty hunter who tracks down outlaws for moolah. Using an innovative weapons system that gives a whole new meaning to "live" ammo, players will use creatures from the surrounding environments as ammunition to bag the ultimate bounty. With massive environments, devious opponents and hostile challenges along the way , Oddworld Stranger's Wrath brings players a game experience that can only be found in the Oddworld Universe.
Sea Wolves uses a 3D engine featuring the latest visual effects. For starters, each player vessel contains animated parts, bringing to life the age when wind-powered ships gave way to the first workable steam engines. The waters surrounding your boat have also been designed with an eye for detail; sunlight dances on the surface of the ocean and shines through to the rocky bottom below, twilight gives the game world an amber hue, and smoke trails trace the path of each shell and missile as it arcs through the air. Realistic physics play a part in ship navigation as well, as your boat will pitch and sway according to its movement across the deep and buck with each blast of your cannons.
A free trial is available at the official website.
Telladar Chronicles: Decline Magic
Interview Sergey Snisarenko enlightens us on magic and its role in Mindlink's fantasy-themed real-time strategy endeavor.
*Includes five exclusive screenshots*
Playboy: The Mansion lets players assume the identity of the ultimate Playboy, Hugh Hefner. Utilizing a network of world-famous celebrities and beautiful Playmates, gamers throw massive parties in their virtual interpretation of the Playboy Mansion. Hundreds of luxury items and 83 music tracks from emerging and established artists all set the scene for fun and romance, from the grotto to the game room.
In addition to showing glamorous guests, including real-life celebrities and Playmates, a good time, the parties serve as an ideal setting for creating the business relationships essential to building an empire. As virtual "Hef," players call the shots for Playboy Magazine, and even can direct their own photo shoots, selecting the model, outfit, and camera angle to create a truly unforgettable cover or Centerfold. In both the mission-driven "Campaign Mode" that spans more than 50 years of Playboy history, and the open-ended "Empire Mode," players will collect reward points to unlock the "Playboy Archives": a full collection of magazine covers, photo shoots, and art straight from the Playboy vault.
"Since the beginning of Playboy Magazine, I have looked for new ways to expand the Playboy experience, and video games are the next logical step," said Playboy founder and editor-in-chief Hugh M. Hefner. "Playboy: The Mansion is a fascinating game, and it lets players step into my slippers, putting out the magazine and throwing the parties."
EA Completes Purchase Of DICE03:20 am
- Andrew Burnes
- games: general news(6 comments)
It took slightly longer than expected, but today EA announced that they have finally pocketed Battlefield 2 developer, Digital Illusions:
The acceptance period for EA's offer to the shareholders of DICE, made on November 15, 2004, expired on January 20. Shareholders with a total of 3,235,053 shares in DICE(1), including Bonnier & Bonnier AB and DICE employees with significant shareholdings, have accepted EA's offer. This corresponds to 32.0% of the outstanding capital and votes in DICE. In addition to the above-mentioned offer, EA has acquired 898,264 shares in the market corresponding to 8.9% of the capital and votes in DICE.
Together with the 18.9% of the outstanding capital and votes already held by EA, EA now holds a total of 6,044,720 shares, a controlling interest representing 59.8% of the outstanding capital and votes in DICE. Additionally, EA holds warrants in DICE priced at SEK 47.23 which, if exercised, would bring EA's holdings to 67.3% of DICE shares. EA has not yet declared its intentions on whether those warrants will be exercised.
EA declares that the conditions for the tender offer have been fulfilled. Payment of the offer price to shareholders who have tendered their shares pursuant to the offer will commence and the transaction will be completed on or about January 27, 2005.
EA reserves the right to acquire additional shares in DICE in the market. (1) EA has also acquired the 1,500 warrants previously held by an individual in Canada. EA now controls all the 2,329,102 outstanding warrants in Digital Illusions. Each warrant entitles EA to subscribe for one Series A share.
Take Two Buys ESPN Developer03:16 am
- Andrew Burnes
- games: general news(8 comments)
It has been announced that Take Two has purchased the ESPN developer Visual Concepts from Sega, as Sega seeks more profitable revenue streams:
This transaction, effective immediately, supports SEGA's global strategy to focus on entertainment properties that boost revenue and appeal to gamers in disparate markets.
The deal follows a recent announcement from SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS INC. (SEGA SAMMY), the parent company of SEGA Corporation, detailing improvement plans for development studio and distribution structure in overseas markets. SEGA and SEGA SAMMY are not changing their earnings forecast for the year ending March 31, 2005 which was announced on November 10, 2004.
"SEGA is proud that it has fostered such a strong and critically-acclaimed sports franchise," said Hisao Oguchi, president, SEGA Corporation. "We remain committed to the North American market, focusing on delivering innovative products that are equally as profitable as they are desirable to the western gamer."
In Other News...12:00 am
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- in-house: in other news...(10 comments)
I didn't go to the gym yesterday as intended but did get a sweet new pair of sneakers. Technically speaking if you start your New Year's resolutions any time in January it still counts (that's what I keep telling myself, at least). So anyhoo, no new game releases this week that I'm personally interested in, but the PC debut of Knights of the Old Republic II is creeping up on us. There's a ton of cool games coming out in March as well, so things should start picking up again very soon. Today's question is:
Any interest in E3 this year?
Yeah, it's about that time where I try to coax myself into going but find an excuse not to. I love gatherings, but hate mobs of people. Go figure.
Developer 3D Realms has stepped in to stop work on an amateur mod for Half-Life 2 which aimed to recreate classic first person shooter Duke Nukem 3D using the engine of Valve's latest hit PC title.
Fans working on the mod were informed by the company that it does not allow any of its intellectual property to be used in conversions or mods for other game engines, forcing the project to be shut down.
While the idea of bio augmentation in a solider is not new in a FPS, (Deus Ex Invisible War springs to mind), in Project Snowblind, instead of going the RPG route of giving the player the choice which powers he will use and upgrade, the augmentations you will make use of gradually come online through the course of the game as the bugs are worked out of the technology and new features are enabled. Some of the powers help you directly in combat, like the ability to fire an electric charge at enemies or shield you from enemy fire; others allow you to boost your own reactions and effectively slow time for everyone else or use your augmented eyes to see others through walls. Each of these powers draws on your bio-energy and you must be careful not to use them when they are not needed and perhaps find yourself out of power at the wrong time.
Pariah's 18 single-player levels are complimented by about 13 multiplayer maps. Up to 16 players can slaughter one another in Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and Capture the Flag, as well as other modes of play, and like in the main game you can drive vehicles and you'll have access to the weapons. Also, Pariah comes with what looks like a pretty cool M.A.P. (Make and Play) Editor that allows you to create your own arenas of death. The game features several templates, so all you need to do is select one and paint your virtual canvas. You can lay down weapons, build terrain, and change the weather (fog, snow, rain, or clear), and once you're finished, upload them. Now the REALLY SWEET thing about the M.A.P. editor is, for the first time ever, you'll be able to do this on the Xbox. It's a luxury that's been long enjoyed by PC users and it's finally coming to consoles. If anything, it'll be this feature that'll make Pariah a huge hit on Xbox Live, especially since the developers may add downloadable content!
Though the titles in this feature represent the most promising shooter offerings we'll get this year, STALKER is very the near the top of the list in terms of gamer anticipation. An intriguing blend of horror, RPG and shooter elements, STALKER takes place in the near future at the site of the Chernobyl disaster. Scientists who were sent in to investigate some strange new anomalies have since disappeared. The Russian military's shown up and cordoned off the area. The mystery of the missing scientists (and the recovery of valuable artifacts from the site) encourage the intervention of freelance, mercenary Stalkers who range through the area.
They also mention Team Fortress 2: Brotherhood of Arms and give it a June 2nd release date:
This one's starting to rival Freelancer and Duke Nukem for "where the hell is it, anyway?" status. It even qualified for inclusion in our "Missing in Action" feature last year. But now it seems like things are back on course for this title's eventual release. This summer, god-willing, gamers will finally get a chance to play the new Team Fortress. Now that Half-Life 2 and Steam have launched, the gang at Valve can focus more of their energy and attention on getting Team Fortress ready for the masses.
GS: The Xbox version of the game is already out, so what's being done with the PC version? What sorts of additions and improvements can we expect to see in the PC version?
MG: We have resized the interfaces so they will now look right when playing at resolutions up to 1600x1200. We also have high-res textures and other high-end graphics-card features that are enabled. The game really shines on the PC in those areas.
This updated v1.52 landscape editor for users of the RTS/RPG game to create additional deathmatch (PvP) and free game (cooperative) maps. You cannot load or modify existing Single Player Campaign maps, or create a new Single Player Campaign.
Games Now Banned From Missouri Prisons04:31 pm
- Andrew Burnes
- games: general news(16 comments)
A month ago it was reported that certain violent games were being banned from Missouri prisons due to fears that the prisoners would turn into homicidal maniacs by playing them. Now, the new Republican governor, Matt Blunt, has banned all games from all prisons in the district, flying in the face of numerous studies that state games are an excellent past time for inmates who wish to stay out of trouble:
Blunt, a Republican who took office two weeks ago, called video games "a luxury that inmates should not be allowed to enjoy."
"Our penitentiaries are punitive institutions where those who have committed crimes against society are sent to pay for their actions. They are not meant to be arcades," Blunt said in a statement.
The ban applies to all video games — violent or not. Blunt said state tax dollars — as well as employees' time — should not be spent determining which video games are violent.
Epic Games, a leading developer of cutting-edge 3D technology and games, today announced the grand prize winners of the "$1,000,000 NVIDIA Make Something Unreal" mod-making contest.
The grand prize for Best Mod is awarded to Red Orchestra ,
an immersive combined arms infantry and armored vehicle combat simulation set on the eastern front of World War II. The development team behind the winning entry receives $50,000 in cash and a coveted Unreal Engine commercial license worth approximately $350,000.
Taking top honors in the Best Non-Interactive Real Time movie category is The Journey . The short animated film, which chronicles an adventure into the unfamiliar, was created by Friedrich 'fiezi' Kirschner, who receives $25,000 for his work.
The announcement of the grand final winners marks the culmination of the multi-round $1,000,000 NVIDIA Make Something Unreal Contest," hosted by Epic Games and sponsored by NVIDIA Corporation, Atari, Inc., Digital Extremes, AMD and Alias�. Designed to publicly recognize and inspire up-and-coming 3D artists and programmers, the contest generated more than one thousand entries from individuals and student teams who took advantage of the Unreal Editor to hone their development skills and learn what it takes to create a commercial game. The Unreal Editor is a free tool that was included with the best-selling Unreal Tournament 2003 and Unreal Tournament 2004 PC games developed by Epic Games and published by Atari.
"The $1,000,000 NVIDIA Make Something Unreal contest did an incredible job bringing the whole Unreal Tournament 2004 mod scene to the public's attention. The contest has been a great event to be a part of and an incredible learning experience. All the late nights, tight deadlines, and hard work has given the team invaluable experience that will, no doubt, help us in the future," said John Gibson, lead programmer and producer for Red Orchestra . "We are immensely excited by the opportunities that have opened up for the team and look forward to what the future holds for us. Thank you to Epic, NVIDIA and all of the contest's sponsors for giving us the opportunity."
"The breadth and quality of the mods submitted in this contest utterly amazed us. People came together to create some of the best game modifications ever created. The ultimate beneficiaries were not only the thousands of Unreal Tournament 2003/2004 players who got to experience some of these great mods, but the game industry as a whole which uncovered some incredibly talented people who will continue to make contributions to the industry for many years to come," said Mark Rein , vice president at Epic Games. "Epic Games and all of the contest sponsors would like to extend our congratulations to the grand prize winners, as well as all of the contest participants, for showing us that the spirit of independent game development is continuing to challenge the best the industry has to offer."
Currently, large scale player raids involving large groups of players experience a huge amount of latency. How do you plan to compensate for this in your upcoming PvP Battlegrounds feature?
The player raids often have hundreds of people per side in one area; that area is on a server that is also running the rest of the continent, and that can result in the latency you describe -- depending, as well, on the total population of that server. We're continuing to look into the issues surrounding this dip in performance. Battlegrounds, on the other hand, will run on the instance server, so there should be no such issues. Additionally, players will be unable to "zerg" in Battlegrounds; there will be a limit to the number of players per side.
"When you look at what happened with Columbine, when you look at acts of violence against young people, I think anything we do that even looks like we're endorsing violence is not appropriate," said Karen Hanson with the Puyallup School District.
The innovative seven-year arrangement will dramatically limit the number of baseball video game manufacturers and ensure aggressive marketing and promotion of baseball video games, while promoting competition in the marketplace to drive innovation in baseball product development. Beginning in 2006, Take2 will have exclusive rights among third-party publishers to develop and market simulation, arcade and manager-style baseball video games on the current and next-generation PlayStation, X-BOX, Nintendo, personal computer and hand-held video game systems. At the same time, manufacturers of video game systems will have the opportunity to develop and publish baseball simulation games for their own platforms.
Q: This is the fifth expansion in the series. What was the motivation to put out another expansion for DAoC?
A: We wanted to provide another exciting, story-based expansion to the world of Camelot. It was important to us to tie the new story very closely with the existing world. We succeeded in this by elaborating on the histories of the Kobolds, Inconnu and Shar and incorporating past enemies of the realms and others based on their mythologies. Other goals of the expansion were to update the player models, introduce our private adventuring instanced technology and add new classes. The player models had not been substantially changed since we originally launched, so we felt that it was time to bring them up to the state of the art.
F.E.A.R. Q&A;04:43 am
- Andrew Burnes
- games: action(5 comments)
Continuing their seemingly unstoppable deluge of F.E.A.R. coverage, Eurogamer today presents the edited transcript of a roundtable interview with Monolith's Kevin Stephens:
UK JOURNALIST #1
Will you play alongside AI controlled characters at any point?
KEVIN STEPHENS
There are places in the game where you have your partners. It isn't something that we want to focus on because then you have to control them and it becomes a problem, and I would say what we have is closer to scripted scenarios. When the game is close to a pivotal story point you might get to play with another character.
UK JOURNALIST #1
So it's not like Half-Life 2 where you can order them to...
KEVIN STEPHENS
...get stuck behind you in hallways? No.
The demo leaves me with sweaty palms and a burning desire to keep playing. The game simply cannot reach stores quick enough in my opinion. A few details, however, still leave something to be desired.
The interface is pretty bad, but it may still be better and make more sense in the full version. The worrying part is the rather complicated steering wheel support. It is possible to play Forza using the controller, but it is clear that the best experience will be with a wheel and Xbox seriously lack a wheel of PS2 quality.
In contrast, the demo left me with a deep sense of mediocrity.
Favorite Game Setting?03:16 am
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- games: general news(17 comments)
This week's poll is What is your favorite game setting? Choices include fantasy, historical, modern-day, post-apocalypse, sci-fi and wierd crap. Wierd crap would of course the the default choice for 'other'. That, or those wacky acid trip inspired console games that Nintendo likes to put out. Not that it's a bad thing, mind you.
Results of last week's poll which asked which graphics company you liked the best was won by a slim margin by ATI (a mere 151 vote difference). Competition is good, folks!
