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Thursday , October 20, 2005 |
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Age of Empires IV-V? 10:02 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- Games: Real-Time Strategy
(2 comments)
It seems Microsoft will be keeping Ensemble busy for the rest of the decade as this teaser art indicates that there are plans for an Age of Empires IV & V in the collector's edition of AoE III. Thanks Blue's News. AoE IV looks to be current day as shown with the soldier sporting an M-16, while AoE V is space age.
The Matrix - Path of Neo Q&A; 09:55 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- Games: Action
(0 comments)
Shacknews interviewed Shiny's Benjamin "BJ" Cholewinski about The Matrix - Path of Neo:
Shack: It is known that gamers will get to play through all three Matrix films from the perspective of everyone's favorite ass-kicking programmer. What scenes from the films will actually be playable? All of them, or only certain scenes from each movie?
BJ: Every battle Neo faced in the Matrix Trilogy has been recreated for gamers to experience in one form or another and all the big scenes such as the Dojo, Lobby Shooting Spree, Subway Showdown, the Upgrades fight, Seraph versus, Burly Brawl, Great Hall, and the Super Burly Brawl (final aerial fight) are playgrounds for quick thinking and fast reflexes.
I'm not sure I'd want my nickname to be "BJ" if I was a dude.
F.E.A.R. Cheat Codes 09:50 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- Games: Action
(0 comments)
Not that anyone uses cheat codes other than for purely scientific purposes *cough, cough* but GameFAQs has cheat codes for F.E.A.R. which come in handy if you want to try some of the harder difficulty levels and check out that killer AI without getting killed.
Planet Civ Launches 06:23 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- Games: Simulation
(1 comment)
Fragmaster must feel frisky after his visit to Girls Gone Wild Island as Planet Civ is now online offering the latest and greatest Civ and Pirates! news. Civ 4 hits stores next week.
Beta Soundblaster Audigy Drivers 05:55 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- Games: Action
(18 comments)
If you're playing Quake 4 with a member of the Soundblaster Audigy family, getting a lot of static and wondering what exactly OpenAL is why you card doesn't support it in the menu, snag these Sound Blaster Audigy unified series Beta drivers which come in at around 25 megs. Really good stuff that makes a world of difference. Highlights include:
- Provides full OpenAL / EAX� ADVANCED HD support
- Improves performance of all OpenAL game titles
These were released a few weeks ago but I think they slipped under the ole radar.
New v81.85 Forceware Drivers 05:16 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- hardware: NVIDIA
(6 comments)
We mentioned the beta version of these guys a couple days ago, but NVIDIA has released the (v81.85) Forceware Drivers which address some F.E.A.R. problems and more. They come in at almost 30 megs.
Empire Earth II Expansion 01:51 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- Games: Real-Time Strategy
(3 comments)
A mad Dr from Mad Doc sends word that they will be working on a expansion pack for Empire Earth II called The Art of Supremacy:
Empire Earth II: The Art of Supremacy will return gamers to the front lines of the greatest battles in history with new civilizations at their command, new campaigns and a host of new features that make this year's best strategy game more addicting than ever. Bold victories on far-off battlefields, from wintry Russian plains to scorching African deserts, will establish the player's undisputable reputation as the world's greatest leader - past, present and future.
"We were thrilled with Empire Earth II, with its reception from the fans and press, with its innovations, and with its take on the series," notes Dr. Ian Davis, CEO of Mad Doc. "Yet there's always something more you want to do, always some way to make a great game even better. We were aching to add the Fealty and Tug-of-War Modes, and I think fans are going to have a lot of fun with these. Those , and the other features we've put into play here , really make the Empire Earth II experience complete."
Full list of new features and all that other jazz are posted in the comments.
Quake 4 Linux Binaries 01:39 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- Games: Action
(0 comments)
From 3DGamers, "id Software has released the Linux retail client/server patch for Quake 4, offering Penguin-powered gamers the opportunity to play this sci-fi first-person shooter sequel by Raven Software on their OS of choice. The release requires 17 PK4 files from the retail game, and includes an OpenGL client as well as a dedicated server." Download here.
Top 20 Games of September 01:23 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- Games: General News
(2 comments)
Here are the NPD's top-10 best selling PC games for the month of September:
1. The Sims 2 Nightlife - Electronic Arts
2. World Of Warcraft - VU Games
3. Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 - Atari
4. Battlefield 2 - Electronic Arts
5. Guild Wars - NCsoft
6. Dungeon Siege 2 - Microsoft
7. The Sims Deluxe - Electronic Arts
8. The Sims 2 - Electronic Arts
9. EverQuest: Depths Of Darkhollow - SOE
10. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn Of War Winter Assault - THQ
11. EverQuest II: Desert Of Flames - SOE
12. The Sims 2 University - Electronic Arts
13. Mall Of America Tycoon - Activision
14. Fable: The Lost Chapters - Microsoft
15. Half-Life 2 - VU Games
16. Madden NFL 2006 - Electronic Arts
17. MS Zoo Tycoon: Complete Collection - Microsoft
18. Seaworld Adventure Parks Tycoon 2 - Activision
19. Sim City 4 Deluxe - Electronic Arts
20. Warcraft III Battle Chest - VU Games
Earth 2160 Demo 11:49 am
- Elias 'Mithan' Doulia
- Games: Real-Time Strategy
(3 comments)
The Earth 2160 demo has been released. What is Earth 2160? Read on...
After the destruction of Earth, the leaders of the human race narrowly escaped with their lives aboard an evacuation fleet. Now they are fighting for the very survival of the human species.
Take your place in the greatest battle of all with the Earth 2160 demo! This RTS game demo from Midway includes 2 levels from the Eurasian Dynasty and Lunar Corporation campaigns. Download the demo today and prevent human annihilation.
The demo is being co-premiered on 3D Gamers and Fileplanet.
Hardware & Tech Nuggets 12:45 am
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- hardware: General News
(0 comments)
Game Reviews 12:30 am
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- Games: General News
(0 comments)
In Other News... 12:15 am
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- In-House: In Other News...
(44 comments)
F.E.A.R. was a real mind job. Awesome, awesome game if you have the hardware to play it as intended; graphics really do drive the gameplay. Stuff like gas leaks that you can shoot which ignite into flames are brilliant, but what if your video card doesn't have the shader support to see all that cool stuff? I'm replaying F.E.A.R. on medium settings to see if the gameplay experience is similar. Will the spooky graphics go from holy crap to what the f*ck was that? We shall see... Full review Friday!
The Colbert Report on Comedy Central is one of the best shows ever. Not that The Daily Show is bad in any way, shape or form, but Steven Colbert is a madman. If anyone who works at Comedy Central is reading this, please book Jack Thompson to be Steven's future guest. I'll include background info as needed. It'll make a great segment, trust me.
Today's question:
What are the most important qualities in a modern day first person shooter?
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Wednesday, October 19, 2005 |
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Quake 4 Impressions 08:23 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- Games: Action
(34 comments)
So the delivery guy rolls up and rings the bell, I open the door and he hands me a package. I look at the sender, I'm thinking -- it must be Quake IV! Eagerly I tear open the oversized envelope and lo and beyond... it's Doom III: RoE for the Xbox! Not that I didn't enjoy RoE quite a bit on the PC way back when, and yes, it does include a Doom II remake -- which I intend on checking out for sure later -- but it told me that if I waited for the Q4 review copy, chances are it would be for the Xbox 360.
Taking matters into my own hands I headed down to GameStop, where I picked up the Special Collector's Edition for around $65 which comes on a DVD and includes Quake II, plus a couple of its expansions. Sadly, it did not come in a tin like Quake III, but that's to be expected. Not that a game like this needs a big manual, but the one it does come with doesn't even have Carmack listed in the credits and I begin to wonder why as the game installs. Other id staff are mentioned, but he is strangely missing. Installation goes smoothly, I reboot and play.
The game begins with an Earth fleet orbiting the Strogg homeworld with you descending to the planet's surface in a drop ship. A pair of missiles pop out of nowhere and despite your pilot's valiant attempt to dodge them, you crash land on the surface where you are treated to a couple dozen "I thought you were dead" style Snake Pliskon jokes ("Escape from New York"). Visually, Quake IV looks like Doom III with the lights on, so it's good stuff. Gameplay mechanics are very primitive, but fun in an old school way. Mission structure is basic, and everything looks very Quake from the levels to the baddies. The sound for whatever reason is laden with static which is annoying, but bearable. id did have a fallout with Creative over the use of their stencil shadows patent, so maybe that has something to do with it.
Early on, Quake IV is a basic, but good looking mindless shooter. Point gun at Strogg, strafe, fire. Repeat.
Full review coming up probably this weekend.
(Click to Enlarge!)
  
Call of Duty 2 Launch Trailer 12:49 pm
- Elias 'Mithan' Doulias
- Games: Action
(4 comments)
Activision has released a 25MB Call of Duty 2 Launch Trailer. The game will be released on October 25.
Interviews 10:08 am
- Elias 'Mithan' Doulias
- Games: General News
(1 comment)
- City of Villains
MMORPG.Com has put up their final CoV interview with Developer David "Zeb" Cook.
- Earth 2160 Interview
RPGVault interviews Midway's Producer, Jeremy Ray about Earth 2160.
- FEAR
PCGamer Podcast has a Podcast interview with Rob Loftus, executive producer of Monolith. Thanks Dan for sending that in.
- Godfrey Cheng of ATI
Hexus interviewed Godfrey Cheng of ATI on Avivo and video after R1K's launch.
- Gothic 3
Gamecloud interviewed JoWood Brand Manager for 'Gothic 3' and Stefan Berger.
- Mage Knight Apocalypse
Namco's Chris Wren is interviewed by Gamecloud on Mage Knight Appocalypse.
- Xbox 360: J. Allard
Computer and Video Games has interviewed head Xbox honcho, J. Allard about the Xbox 360.
City of Villains Goes Gold 10:00 am
- Elias 'Mithan' Doulias
- Games: MMOG
(0 comments)
NCsoft's City of Villains has gone gold, as reported here by Yahoo. The game is expected to be in stores on Oct 31.
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 19, 2005--NCsoft� North America announces that City of Villains(TM) has reached gold master status and will appear on retailers' shelves in North America at the end of the month. NCsoft also confirmed that customers who purchased and registered their City of Villains pre-order boxes will receive a two-day head start for game play.
City of Villains, a stand-alone sequel to last year's hit, City of Heroes�, is expected to be released on Oct. 31, with a subscription price of $14.99 per month. The two-day head start will begin after 12 a.m. EST on Oct. 29. Purchasers of the City of Villains pre-order box, which is currently available at retailers across North America, have been invited into the City of Villains beta test and may participate in the head-start.
Existing City of Heroes' customers can purchase City of Villains and subscribe to both games for the single subscription price of $14.99. Both games were developed by Cryptic Studios(TM)
Civilization IV Goes Gold 08:11 am
- Andrew Burnes
- Games: Turned-Based Strategy
(7 comments)
To be released October 25th:
2K Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., and FIRAXIS Games, the world renowned video game developer, today announced that Sid Meier's Civilization IV for PC has gone gold and is off to manufacturing. Sid Meier's Civilization IV will ship to North American retail stores on October 25th.
The fourth title in the legendary series of turn based strategy games, Sid Meier's Civilization IV expands on the beloved gameplay of its predecessors with countless new gameplay changes and improvements, including religion, great people and for the first time in the Civilization series, a full 3D engine.
They Hunger: Lost Souls Announced 08:03 am
- Andrew Burnes
- Games: Action
(6 comments)
Neil Manke's Half-Life horror series They Hunger is going commercial with the release of They Hunger: Lost Souls:
Black Widow Games announced today the development of They Hunger: Lost Souls, its first commercial PC game powered by the award-winning Half-Life 2 Source engine from Valve Software. Based upon the highly popular They Hunger mod series, the upcoming title features a completely new horror-survival adventure. In North-Eastern Europe during the early 1960's, strange anomalies culminate with dead corpses rising from their graves. As a tourist recovering from a tragic accident, you seek shelter in an ancient monastery overrun by bloodthirsty zombies, and become involved in an escalading cascade of calamities.
"They Hunger: Lost Souls is a first-person action game planned to take full advantage of the superior graphics, physics and new gameplay possibilities provided by the new Source technology," said designer Neil Manke. "Without the previous technical restrictions of the now seven years old Half-Life 1 engine, we have been able to produce a brand new game far more exciting and creative than any simple sequel or remake could ever be. Fans of the original series should still recognize the basic gameplay style, although this is an independent story with no previous knowledge required."
Lost Souls is supposedly 75% complete, and although pricing and distribution have yet to be arranged, one would expect however that the game will be made available via Steam.
Updated Age of Empires III Demo 07:58 am
- Andrew Burnes
- Games: Real-Time Strategy
(8 comments)
If you thought the first Age of Empires III demo blew, you might appreciate this updated version, which includes a tutorial and minimised UI.
Download from:
Assorted Downloads 01:30 am
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- Games: General News
(0 comments)
Hardware & Tech Nuggets 12:45 am
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- hardware: General News
(4 comments)
Game Reviews 12:30 am
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- Games: General News
(4 comments)
If you send in review links, make sure it has a score. Not that I don't enjoy reading opinions, but it messes up the pretty format. :)
In Other News... 12:15 am
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- In-House: In Other News...
(32 comments)
Well it's great to see fresh original new games popping up from time to time. Monolith will defiantly get extra points for that in F.E.A.R. Speaking of F.E.A.R., the review should be up on Friday as I really don't want to blow through the game so fast I can't enjoy it. It took me 3 days to win Half-Life 2 so I think F.E.A.R. will be in the same range -- In time played at least -- I'm not sure how I'm going to score it yet; on one hand the game is awesome for folks who have high end rigs, on the other its not quite the same experience on medium to lower end systems. Then again, the same could be said for any modern FPS. F.E.A.R. is a game that will drive some hardware sales I'm sure. Still no Quake 4 around these parts, although some friends tell me its pretty good. Hopefully Best Buy will have some on Thursday. Andy played AoE III *make sure to bug him for a review* so I think I'll skip over to something different after Quake 4. That Shattered Union game sounded like it had a cool story so maybe I'll give it a look. So many games, so little time! Man, it's been awhile since we've had that luxury, isn't it? If you have any suggestions feel free to include those as well in the comments.
Today's question:
What's the last game that made you upgrade your hardware?
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