AMD 1000Mhz (1Ghz) T-Bird CPU Review ....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 3:26 PM MST Sunday, December 31, 2000 [Comment on news]
Are you tired of toiling near the bottom of the CPU performance food chain? We are! Let us introduce the 1Ghz Thunderbird Athlon processor from AMD. The 1GHz Thunderbird Athlon has been widely available in North America for a while now at fairly low prices. A quick scan on Pricewatch shows that AMD provides an incredible price advantage over Intel's PIII-1.0GHz counterparts. While an Intel Pentium III 1GHz will burn a hole in your pocket at $435 USD / $657 CDN, an AMD 1Ghz Athlon will only cost you a paltry $171 USD / $258 CDN. A $400CDN difference in price is something to take note of, especially if you're in the market for a new system! (More @ the Source: pcstats.com)
Make Your Own Cat-5 Crossover Cable ....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 3:23 PM MST Sunday, December 31, 2000 [Comment on news]
Right then all you frag artists out there… A lot of you peeps buy 2 network cards and a cable to connect 2 PC’s together. In the good ol days there was coaxial or (thin wire as we techies call it) but the most common form in use today is twisted pair cable known as Cat5 cable. Yep what’s cat5e you ask well this is type of cable is the same basically but uses all four pairs to send and receive data and used in gigabit networks.How do I create an Ethernet network? Well see that in part 2. What protocols to use and how to set up ICS (internet connection sharing) and so on.Network cards have a socket, which looks, like a BT plug socket but in fact this is known as a RJ-45 connection. And the Ethernet cable you use must be terminated at each end with RJ-45 plugs. (More @ the Source: hexus.net)
Stomped's Action Game Of The Year Award....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 3:20 PM MST Sunday, December 31, 2000 [Comment on news]
After weeks of debate, the folks of Team Stomped have come up with their choice for the first annual Stomped Action Game Of The Year award. Go here to read which game won and also our choices for runners-up. It was an excellent year for action games, but only a few made our final list. After you read our choices, do you agree? Disagree? Sound off in the comments pages. (More @ the Source: stomped.com)
CPU, Memory & Graphic Cards Price Update....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 3:18 PM MST Sunday, December 31, 2000 [Comment on news]
All of the prices and vendors' names are provided by iBuyer.com. The prices you see below are the lowest one's we could find and may vary on a daily basis. These prices are mostly for the "OEM" versions of the chips, which are usually cheaper than the retail or boxed version. OEM CPU's (in most cases) do not come with a fan, and also have between 1 week to 30 days warranty. (More @ the Source: dw3d.com)
Interview with Chris Taylor at Stomped....
Posted by
[Lefty 2 Guns] @ 12:00 AM MST Sunday, December 31, 2000 [Comment on news]
Stomped has continued it's year end interview series with an exclusive interview with the founder of Gas Powered Games, Chris Taylor. Here's a taste of the interview, "I hope the PC gets over some of the problems that keep inexperienced people from enjoying games... I like that powerful 3D systems are starting to be available for less than 1000 bucks. I can't wait to see the minimum machine specification rise to a p3-500 with a geForce card. That will be awesome."(More @ the Source: stomped.com)
AMD Roadmap....
Posted by
[NewsStaff] @ 4:52 AM MST Saturday, December 30, 2000 [Comment on news]
Our entry into the year 2000 has meant different things to different folks. For singer Britney Spears it has meant cheesy songs topping the pop charts. For the Los Angeles Lakers, it has meant an NBA Championship title. For chip manufacturer AMD, is has meant a surge in sales due to an immensely popular processor, the Athlon. Between the processors sold early in 2000 based on the K75 core, and those sold in the second half of 2000 based on the Thunderbird core, the Athlon has achieved a 24% unit share, bringing AMD's total desktop share to 38%. Not bad for a company that previously struggled for a waning position on the value market - not bad at all.So how has AMD emerged from 2000 in such a successful position? Not only have they matched and surpassed the performance of Intel's Pentium III platform on a clock for clock basis, but, well, look at our Weekly CPU prices. That's right, you can pick up an Athlon at 1.2GHz for $200 les than Intel's Pentium III 1GHz. Value and performance have made AMD the fastest growing CPU manufacturer this year. (More @ the Source: sharkyextreme.com)
ABit Motherboards for 2001 ....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:46 AM MST Saturday, December 30, 2000 [Comment on news]
New motherboards from Abit? That's right, and it looks like a whole lot are on the way - we're talking the SA6R-1394, SA6PR, SV6, KG-20, VH6-II, VR-20, VP6, and the KT7A-RAID. Our thanks goes out to Abits' own, Eric Boeing, for this guided sneak peak of Abit's newest motherboards during the last day of COMDEX 2000.We have 8 new boards laid out for you over the next eight pages. Lots of specs and even a picture or two to tantalize. Keep an eye out for the VP6 and the SA6PR. Both motherboards are packed to the gills with some really cool features. (More @ the Source: pcstats.com)
7.27 Detonators To Include Stereoscopic Support ....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:43 AM MST Saturday, December 30, 2000 [Comment on news]
According to Toxic X from Stereovision.net, the not yet leaked 7.27 Detonator drivers will contain support for stereoscopic 3D goggles. Here's what he had to say: The Detonator 7.27 will include functional stereoscopic support for 3D Glasses like the 3D Revelator from ELSA. But at first they will only support OpenGL. The next version 7.30 will also include Direct3D stereoscopic support and will be available soon after then 7.27. The unofficial driver 7.17 includes the sourcecode too, although it is not activated yet.He sounds sure, so looks like we'll be seeing them Revelator glasses in action more. (More @ the Source: stereovision.net)
Sea Dogs II Announced....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:41 AM MST Saturday, December 30, 2000 [Comment on news]
Russian developer Akella has announced that it has started working on a sequel to the pirate role-playing game Sea Dogs, which was released at the end of November by Bethesda Softworks. Akella is also responsible for the upcoming naval combat strategy game Age of Sail II, which will be released early next year by TalonSoft. The announcement didn't include any further details about the upcoming game. (Source: zdnet.com/gamespot)
Gamespot's Best And Worst 2000 Awards....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:38 AM MST Saturday, December 30, 2000 [Comment on news]
GameSpot is pleased to present its fifth annual Best and Worst of the Year feature, which highlights the most noteworthy achievements in the current year in gaming. We award games in 20 different categories, each with five different nominees. In this process, we consider every game released in 2000 that was evaluated on GameSpot this year; this includes virtually every commercially available computer game. (More @ the Source: zdnet.com/gamespot)
Future 3dfx drivers? ....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:33 AM MST Saturday, December 30, 2000 [Comment on news]
A manly rogering goes out to Ethan for sending us an email reply that he received from 3dfx regarding the chance whether or not we will ever see another public version of the drivers for their video cards. With their recent sell-out to nVidia, many were wondering what the future will bring for 3dfx drivers. Dig it (nothing solid, but at least _something_ on their drivers, which has been quite a concern):Current 3dfx tech support will remain in tact until 2/12. After that date, we are exploring other options for support including outsourcing, this includes driver releases. Until further information is stated at 3dfx.com as to the company's future we will not have the answers to any other questions. Thanks for Contacting 3dfxSteve3dfx Email Support (Source: VE.Com)
Gunman Chronicles: The Road to Retail....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:31 AM MST Saturday, December 30, 2000 [Comment on news]
Many moons ago, a small mod team calling themselves Rewolf started work on an ambitious TC (total conversion) for Half-Life titled Gunman. It was to include a futuristic setting, lots of totally configurable guns, scripted events and non-player characters to interact with. Gunman was getting a lot of attention, and Sierra took notice. Now Gunman has been released as Gunman Chronicles -- a stand-alone retail game based on the Half-Life engine.Since Half-Life was such a huge hit, Sierra used that fact that it uses the same engine as their main marketing tool. After first loading up the game it's painfully obvious that they didn't put much effort into even changing the appearance of the game's interface. Even in the control configuration the "use" key is still described as "Use item (buttons, scientists, ...)" despite the fact that there isn't even a single scientist in Gunman Chronicles! Even Counter-Strike's and Team Fortress Classic's game menus look more different than Half-Life's. (More @ the Source: 3dactionplanet.com)
Cambridge Soundworks Review....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:27 AM MST Saturday, December 30, 2000 [Comment on news]
Cambridge Soundworks have sound solutions at just about every caliber in the computer speaker market. With their simple, yet effective, PC Works speakers to their higher-end DTT3500 5.1 Digital setup, there is much to choose from. Their latest additions to their growing family of speakers are their DTT3500 5.1 Digital, DTT2200, DTT1800, DTT1500 and their PS2 Playworks flavors. The 3500s are their top-end speakers taking the throne from their DTT2500 line. Much has not been changed by the arrival of the 3500s, but with the 2200, Cambridge has launched a new breed of speaker. The DTT2200 is the focus here and we'll see whether or not 5.1 sound lives up to the hype. (More @ the Source: tech-gods.com)
Gunman Chronicles Interview....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 12:13 PM MST Friday, December 29, 2000 [Comment on news]
PCShooter: What is your primary goal or objective at Rewolf with thecreation of Gunman? More specifically what is going to makeGunman stand out and be different from other first person shooters alreadyon the market?Dev Team: Our goal was to make a game with a lot of variety and action. We've made weapons that can be customized in countless ways, created quite a few very different environments to explore, and populated the game with everything from robots to aliens, humans to dinosaurs. All of it is tied together with a fun storyline -- I think we achieved our goal. (More @ the Source: PcShooter.com)
One Must Fall: BattleGrounds Preview....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 11:45 AM MST Thursday, December 28, 2000 [Comment on news]
Twenty years have passed since "One Must Fall 2097" (I'll let you work out when the game is set from there!) and robotic gladiatorial combat is bigger and better than ever. You take control of a character - a pilot - who works for a major corporation, representing their interests in the fighting arena. Your choice of pilot dictates your fighting abilities according to the personality of the character rather than your choice of robot, although choosing a robot which suits your abilities is also useful - if you don't have good stamina it would be good to choose a light quick robot rather than a slow heavy one. (More @ the Source: 3dactionplanet.com)
frontx CPX-100 Review....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 11:40 AM MST Thursday, December 28, 2000 [Comment on news]
In my never ending search for the products that make LANing a wee bit easier the frontx makes it to the top three of affordable peripherals. I don't know about you but I hate having to reach around and blindly try to insert plug A into slot B especially when space is limited. The frontx makes plugging in your headphones, joystick and other peripherals a breeze and best yet installs without too big of a hassle. (More @ the Source: lanparty.com)
Hercules 3D Prophet II PRO & Ultra Review ....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 11:38 AM MST Thursday, December 28, 2000 [Comment on news]
It is worth noting that the Ultra appears to hold more truly to the reference card design. The Pro variant does away with the TV-out riser card that is apparent on both the reference card and the Ultra. Consequently, the Pro is the largest card (longest) in the group. All three cards have active cooling heatsinks and fans attached to the GPU. All are also run from the AGP slot power supply. No additional power connectors are necessary to run the cards. (More @ the Source: bjorn3d.com)
Warcraft 3 Q&A....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 3:55 AM MST Thursday, December 28, 2000 [Comment on news]
The most frequently asked question of Warcraft III has finally been answered. By now, all the fans know that the fifth and final race in Blizzard's upcoming role-playing strategy game is the night elves, a mysterious faction of elves who long ago split from their cousins, the high elves. The high elves eventually joined the Human Alliance, while the night elves retreated to their homeland of Kalimdor, a continent far from Azeroth. However, with the resurgence of the demons, the hated enemies of the night elves, these shadowy cousins of the high elves are making their presence known again. But after centuries apart from the other elves, can we be certain of their allegiance? Is this new faction a friend or foe? We sat down with lead designer Rob Pardo to find out more about the night elves. Along the way, we learned a lot about this new faction. We learned that they can cloak at night and that their peon unit can transform into buildings - which in turn can transform into giant mobile attackers. For more about the final piece of the Warcraft III puzzle, read on. (More @ the Source: zdnet.com)
15 Most Influential Games....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 3:52 AM MST Thursday, December 28, 2000 [Comment on news]
The sky didn't fall. We at GameSpot waited for the worries to dissipate and thought it was time to do our own examination of past years and to recognize the computer games that have made a lasting contribution to computer gaming. Thus, we debated over the history of games to determine the 15 most influential games of all time. Not only did these games introduce innovative features and extraordinary gameplay that later became conventions, but they also serve as models to other developers who seek to emulate and even outdo them. Last, these games were popular commercial successes and as such, they remain hallmarks of this fledgling industry. (More @ the Source: gamespot.uk.co)
Laser Tag Mod for Half-life....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 3:48 AM MST Thursday, December 28, 2000 [Comment on news]
Laser Mod is a recreation of laser tag using Valve Software's hit computer game Half-Life. It is a multiplayer modification which allows you to go up against your friends or complete strangers online in a game of laser tag. It is still in its very early stages of production, however this mod is being produced in a bit of a different fashion. (More @ the Source: fileleech.com)
Master of the Skies Demo....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 3:46 AM MST Thursday, December 28, 2000 [Comment on news]
From the creators of Natural Fawn Killers comes Master of the Skies: The Red Ace! The 3rd-person flight sim drops you in the middle of a World War I fight for control of the skies with nothing but your skills and your trusty bi-plane to save you. (More @ the Source: fileplanet.com)
Raising the Bar....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 11:20 AM MST Wednesday, December 27, 2000 [Comment on news]
Now, with DirectX 8, it's time to raise the bar. Drastic improvements in almost every aspect of DirectX could give game programmers a real leg up on the future. (More @ the Source: cdmag.com)
The Art of Gaming: Volume 3 ....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 11:19 AM MST Wednesday, December 27, 2000 [Comment on news]
Today we speak with Whitney Ayres of Ion Storm Austin about the process of art creation. How would you describe your art style? Whitney Ayres: Um...that's a tough one. It's somewhat cartoonish, very stylized, clean...I suppose it would make more sense to name a few influences: J.C. Leyendecker, George Petty, Jack Cole, Will Elder, Preston Blair. Actually, it's fair to say that I consider myself more of a cartoonist than an artist, which tends to disturb my producers. (More @ the Source: gamespy.com)
Does Length Matter?....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 4:41 AM MST Wednesday, December 27, 2000 [Comment on news]
Is length important to a game? Do you feel cheated if you've played a great game that was shorter than most? It seems that more and more titles these days are shorter than they're predecesors, even when they're big on story and plot. Some gamers feel that a good title can be seriously marred by a short length, while others think that its the game's quality that's important, not the quantity. Grey Loki and Hellchick try to answer this question: does length matter? (More @ the Source: 3dactionplanet.com)
Hitman Patch....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 4:38 AM MST Wednesday, December 27, 2000 [Comment on news]
The following issues have been addressed in this patch: Problems with weapon selection when replaying levels fixed Voodoo users may have experienced problems in Jungle levels Planting bomb on "Say Hello..." no longer causes occasional crashes Dancer in "Gunrunner's Paradise" is no longer confused by dead bodies Some inventory discrepancies addressed Brother in "Find the Uwa Tribe" is no longer confused if you shoot him ALT+TAB no longer breaks the in-game mouse pointer AI in the "The Lee Hong Assassination" has been tweaked Scroll Lock now moves game into "slow motion", hit it again to return to normal speed. (More @ the Source: avault.com)
No One Lives Forever Review!!!....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 4:36 AM MST Wednesday, December 27, 2000 [Comment on news]
Our man Ace takes a look at NOLF....How does Skin tight leather, high heeled boots, and a wide assortment of high-powered weapons sound? If any of those things sound good to you then I would recommend giving No One Lives Forever a shot or maybe two for good measure. (More @ the Source: pcshooter.com)
What Is Spyware?....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 1:26 AM MST Wednesday, December 27, 2000 [Comment on news]
What if you could download for free a robust application that allowed you to do almost everything that an expensive, brand-name program did? In exchange for having this incredible application program for free, all you have to do is give your name, address, phone, e-mail, and some other general information. Sounds great, doesn't it? But, what if your personal information was also stored elsewhere on your hard drive, and in this instance, routinely transmitted your personal data via Internet back to advertisers in exchange for more advertising? Now we are talking about spyware, aka adware. (More @ the Source: zdnet.com)
Realism in Games....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 10:35 AM MST Tuesday, December 26, 2000 [Comment on news]
I thought it would be interesting to address this elusive term "realism" attached to the games, in the gaming society. Another thing that prompted me to do this are some of your comments on articles, my articles included. (He's mainly referring to this and this Counter-Strike article, in which fans of CS and R6 are enjoying a classic spitting contest in the comments section over "whose game" is better - Ed.) Those comments ranged from witty and humorous, to downright rude, but reading them in general they look like one of those childish arguments on who would win the fight, Batman or Bruce Lee. Not that I found those comments trivial, mind you, it is of crucial importance to the future of our planet which game is better and the celestial order depends on it. Just picture it, on Judgement Day, the Good Lord will come down in all his power and glory, surrounded by seraphim and cherubs, archangels and angels, and the first thing He will say is "Counter Strike Rules". Moreover, in His immense wisdom and justified rage, He will send all R6 players to eternal sulfur and flames, to suffer torments forever and ever, amen. (More @ the Source: actiontrip.com)
Part 2 about Engine Programming....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 10:30 AM MST Tuesday, December 26, 2000 [Comment on news]
A few days ago we posted part 1 of our new feature The Programmers in which we check out what engine programmers actually do and why they do it, and today we return with John Romero from Ion Storm (Daikatana) and Dean Sekulic from Croteam (Serious Sam) who answer our questions. (More @ the Source: fragland.net)
Interview with Derek James of SKWEEG ....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 10:28 AM MST Tuesday, December 26, 2000 [Comment on news]
Do you guys ever get together and LAN at all? DJ: I keep a 3 system LAN setup at my house and our drum tech comes by a few times a month to play, but we have had a few LAN parties here at my house with the band & friends that has just about come to blows over losses and victories. Too much fun!!! (More @ the Source: lanparty.com)
GameSpy Update Version 2.24 ....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 2:40 AM MST Tuesday, December 26, 2000 [Comment on news]
The new release adds support for the following game titles: Full Games Baldur's Gate 2 Deer Hunter 4 Deus Ex Half-Life: Counter-Strike (retail package Gunman Chronicles Quake 3: Team Arena No One Lives Forever RUNE Multiplayer Demos Quake 3: Team Arena Demo Serious Sam Multiplayer Test #2 Registration is $20 and buys priority e-mail support, SmartSpy filtering, and more. (More @ the Source: gamespy.com)
Instant Wireless Networking System....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 2:35 AM MST Tuesday, December 26, 2000 [Comment on news]
802.11 networking currently operates at a maximum of 11Mbps (Megabits per second), just slightly faster than the maximum 10Mbps of 10BaseT. Just remember that 11Mbps is the maximum, and actual speeds are going to be slower, depending on what’s in the environment that you use the wireless system in. Depending on conditions, the access point and the cards can “fall back” like a modem to slower speeds to increase the reliability of the signal. Transmission speeds can go from 11Mbps, to 5Mbps, to 2Mbps, and finally to 1Mbps to make sure that data integrity is assured. (More @ the Source: gamersdepot.com)
Buyer's Guide: High-End Systems ....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 2:18 AM MST Tuesday, December 26, 2000 [Comment on news]
You do the research on the products. You read all the reviews. You even discuss with friends. But even with all that information, building a perfect, personalized system from scratch can be quite a daunting task. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that we’ve had request after request to provide some system recommendations.With the third edition of the AnandTech Buyer's Guide, we changed things a little bit, splitting the Buyer's Guide into two parts, one for value systems and the other for high-end ones. Despite the slight format change, we continue to provide some system recommendations in 3 categories – small office / home office (SOHO), gaming, and professional. Remember that these are just a few recommendations from us if we were building the systems. Obviously, each individual’s needs will vary greatly, but that’s the beauty of building a custom system - it can be tailored to fit those special needs. (More @ the Source: anandtech.com)
Philips Acoustic Edge....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 2:13 AM MST Tuesday, December 26, 2000 [Comment on news]
Creative has been crushed. Turtle Beach is toast. Guillemot's Game Theaters have gotten the guillotine. Acoustic Edge is here. Philips's sexy new Acoustic Edge sound card has raised the bar for PC gaming sound. (More @ the Source: gamecenter.com)
Quake 3: Team Arena....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 2:11 AM MST Tuesday, December 26, 2000 [Comment on news]
But Team Arena isn't a traditional mission pack. The company had already created the ultimate deathmatch game in Quake III, and wanted to expand that title into not only the ultimate deathmatch game, but the ultimate teamplay game, as well. (More @ the Source: 3dactionplanet.com)
Merry Christmas....
Posted by
[Blood] @ 10:50 AM MST Sunday, December 24, 2000 [Comment on news]
It was the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was peeping except my optical mouse. When from my computer arose such a clatter as I mowed some dudes down with some gunfire spatter....Anyway I just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year. I hope that tomorrow morning when you get to tearing off wrapping paper you find all your favorite games under the tree. We'll be back in full force on the 26th with new reviews, articles, and interviews. Merry Christmas from the PCShooter.com Staff
New Sacrifice Review....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 2:05 PM MST Saturday, December 23, 2000 [Comment on news]
Take one look into Shiny’s Sacrifice, and you’ll find some very familiar RTS staples. What you cannot see on the surface is the inventiveness and ingenuity, which can only be noticed by playing the game, and soon you will find how incredibly fun the game is. It’s as if they took one part Molyneux, one part Magic: The Gathering, a pinch of Myth: The Fallen Lords, and a heapin’ helpin’ of a ‘Choose-your-own-adventure’ book to create a visually stunning and incredibly entertaining blend of RTS and RPG. (More @ the Source: pcshooter.com)
NOLF Map Pack ....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 7:49 AM MST Saturday, December 23, 2000 [Comment on news]
This content add-on contains three new multiplayer maps. In order to insure the new maps play as intended, you will first need to download and install Update #1 (either the original North American only version or the new International version will work) which will upgrade NOLF to version 1.001. For installation instructions and a description of each new map, please click on the appropriate link below: (More @ the Source: noonelivesforever.com)
Venom Interview....
Posted by
[NewsStaff] @ 10:21 AM MST Friday, December 22, 2000 [Comment on news]
Like so many of you I've been pleasantly surprised at the growing number of FPS games coming to fruition. I was able to get in some questions with one of Venoms co founders Sergey Zabaryansky. PL: I should start this by asking you to introduce yourselfs and tell us a littleabout your background.SZ: We are the founders of Nephilims: Sergey Zabaryansky and Roman Lut.In 1998 we started creating Vital Engine ZL (www.nephilims.com). When it got powerful enough to make a game on it we sold the license to GSC Game World. (More @ the Source: lanparty.com)
Tribes 2 : Hands On Review....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 3:36 AM MST Friday, December 22, 2000 [Comment on news]
The original Tribes was a true landmark title for action gaming on its release in 1988. It was the first action shooter to be peddled commercially that was online-only. Thankfully, this brave move by publisher Sierra Studios paid off, as Tribes was a massive success worldwide, and is still selling and attracting new players to this day. This unbelievable popularity of the original has undoubtedly paved the way for more online-only action titles, and inevitably Tribes 2 is one of the most anticipated ones. (More @ the Source: gamespot.co.uk)
GAMESPOT UK Adventure Game Of The Year ....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 3:30 AM MST Friday, December 22, 2000 [Comment on news]
Escape From Monkey Island Is The Winner! In a year when many thought the classic adventure game would go the way of all flesh, one title stood head and shoulders above a rather limited field. That game was Escape From Monkey Island, the fourth instalment of the adventures of Guybrush Threepwood. (More @ the Source: gamespot.co.uk)
Top 10 Game Predictions for 2001 ....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 2:11 AM MST Friday, December 22, 2000 [Comment on news]
If the pundits and other industry know-it-alls are to be believed, next year will be the final year of PC gaming. (After all, there's simply no way PC gaming will survive the onslaught of the PlayStation 2, the Gamecube, and the Xbox.) So while uneducated fools lap up all the PR fluff that Sony and other involved companies dish out, we've decided to fight back and declare that PC gaming is not only alive and well, but that next year could be a banner year for the industry in terms of the quality of games being released. To make our case, we've rounded up ten games that we think will not only be a great deal of fun to play, but could also end all that "PC is dead" garbage once and for all. (More @ the Source: gamecenter.com)
Thrustmaster Top Gun AfterBurner....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 2:06 AM MST Friday, December 22, 2000 [Comment on news]
For some, computerized flying is more than just an occasional dustup over the fields of Europe or a quick commute from Frisco to L.A. These dyed-in-the-wool pilots know by heart all 2 million keyboard commands for Flight Simulator 2000 and the payload capacity for each of European Air War's 20 fighter craft. And this is precisely the type of gamer who'll most appreciate Thrustmasters' latest flight control system, the Top Gun AfterBurner. It may be big and bulky, but the AfterBurner is also one of the slickest and most capable flying tools on the market. (More @ the Source: gamecenter.com)
3dfx: The Obituary ....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 2:01 AM MST Friday, December 22, 2000 [Comment on news]
The king is dead. In case you missed it, the biggest gaming hardware news story of the year broke on Friday: Fierce 3D accelerator rivals Nvidia and 3dfx signed a deal for the former to buy certain assets of latter. Certain assets in this case means almost everything; Nvidia is buying the 3dfx and Voodoo brand names, along with 3dfx's chip technology, its patents, and its intellectual property. Furthermore, according to a press release, 3dfx plans to dissolve after the Nvidia purchase goes through, which will probably happen by spring 2001. (More @ the Source: gamecenter.com)
3dfx Cards Off Shelves ....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 1:43 AM MST Friday, December 22, 2000 [Comment on news]
3dfx announced today that they have signed a definitive agreement with Nvidia Corporation to sell to them most of 3dfx's assets. With this agreement it has also been announced that 3dfx will discontinue techincal support after Feb. 15th. Concidering the nature of this product, we feel that continuing to provide this product to our customers will jeopardize their satisfaction with both BBY and the product long term. (More @ the Source: 3dgamegear.com)
Developer's Week At PCShooter Day 4....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:42 AM MST Friday, December 22, 2000 [Comment on news]
PCShooter: What is the future of multiplayer gaming? Herb Flower....The future is...crowded. It seems that there will be 50 massive multiplayer games soon. Then you've got the less massive, more intense TF2 type games... and mods for those such as Counter Strike for Half-Life. There will be a whole lot of choice. Hopefully enough people jump online and fill them up-- a massive multiplayer game with 50 people playing would be...lonely. They sure are addicting though! (More @ the Source: pcshooter.com)
Merry KrizMas: Kriz Virus Ready To Strike On Christmas ....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 1:25 AM MST Friday, December 22, 2000 [Comment on news]
This nasty virus is set to drop its payload on Christmas day. The Kriz virus is based on CIH, which damaged computers worldwide in the past. It has the potential to corrupt system files, and in the worst case, your computer's BIOS. (More @ the Source: zdnet.com)
Gunman Chronicles Demo....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 12:46 AM MST Friday, December 22, 2000 [Comment on news]
Trouble is brewing in this sleepy western spiral of the galaxy. It's been five years since the infestation of the alien Xenomes started - five years since The General, leader of the Gunmen, fell in battle leaving you to take command. Now, a mysterious presence has tinkered with the DNA of these Xenomes, making them bigger and stronger than before, and the scourge is spreading once again. (More @ the Source: fileleech.com)
Sacrifice Patch 2....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 12:43 AM MST Friday, December 22, 2000 [Comment on news]
Shiny brings us a new patch for Sacrifice, an graphical masterpiece blending action and strategy gameplay into one. This update gives some nice additions like added support for TCP/IP connected games, unit balance, a few fixes, and more. (More @ the Source: fileplanet.com)
Iraq's buying up PlayStation 2s ?....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 12:39 AM MST Friday, December 22, 2000 [Comment on news]
Both the U.S. Customs Service and the FBI are investigating the apparent transfer of large numbers of Sony PlayStation 2s to Iraq, according to military intelligence sources. A secret Defense Intelligence Agency report states that as many as 4,000 of the popular video game units have been purchased in the United States and shipped to Iraq in the last two to three months. Two government agencies are investigating the purchases because the PlayStations can be bundled together into a sort of crude super-computer and used for a variety of military applications, say intelligence sources. (More @ the Source: megagames.com)
Quake 3: Team Arena....
Posted by
[NewsStaff] @ 11:23 AM MST Thursday, December 21, 2000 [Comment on news]
When the original Q3A was released, it was praised for its graphical brilliance and excellent character models. At the same time, many criticized it as being more of the same. "Oh, great! More space dungeons, only prettier!" and "Weren't we playing deathmatch years ago?" were common sentiments. In fact, Unreal Tournament had vastly superior play modes and much better weapons balancing. For Team Arena, the folks at id Software look to catch up to Unreal in that regard and to a degree, they do. The four new play modes and many other additional goodies are all team based, and the weapons have received a minor overhaul. While it's an improvement over the original, Team Arena is essentially a decent mod but it's nothing that can't be found for free. (More @ the Source: dailyradar.com)
Team Arena Audio Interview....
Posted by
[NewsStaff] @ 11:16 AM MST Thursday, December 21, 2000 [Comment on news]
Team Arena Audio Interview eUniverse Live has conducted an interview with id Software's Marty Stratton, talking with him about Quake III: Team Arena, their just-released mission pack for Quake III Arena. The show is in ASF format, and requires the Windows Media Player to listen (if you want to skip right to Marty's interview, jump to the 4:30 minute mark). Also, this is part one of the interview, with the second portion promised for January 3rd. (More @ the Source: bluesnews.com)
Heist Demo....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 4:06 AM MST Thursday, December 21, 2000 [Comment on news]
Virgin Interactive gives a taste of the life of a professional heister. Play a criminal bailed out of jail and make your way across the United States assembling a team with multiple specialties and weaknesses. You play one mission for your employer, an unknown gangland mastermind, in this demo. (More @ the Source: fileplanet.com)
Delta Force: Land Warrior patch v1.00.25 ....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 3:53 AM MST Thursday, December 21, 2000 [Comment on news]
A new patch for Delta Force: Land Warrior is online, bringing NovaLogic's tactical shooter to version 1.00.25. This release adds new tournament code, sound changes, multiplayer improvements and more, and as usual you can also upgrade within the game. (More @ the Source: 3dgamers.com)
New Warcraft III Art....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:21 AM MST Thursday, December 21, 2000 [Comment on news]
Blizzard has released a new wallpaper image of a night elf from its upcoming 3D real-time strategy game Warcraft III. In addition to an all-new 3D engine, the game incorporates several role-playing elements such as character development, interaction with non-player characters, and a prominent storyline. It also features five playable races: the humans, the orcs, the demons, the undead, and the night elves. Each race has different abilities, resources, and units. Players can follow the extensive single-player campaign or play head-to-head against other players in the multiplayer mode. (More @ the Source: zdnet.com/gamespot)
Elite Force Year End Q&A ....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:08 AM MST Thursday, December 21, 2000 [Comment on news]
How do you feel knowing your company has earned "The Game of the Year"accolade from Game Spy?
Developer's Week At PCShooter Day 3....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:05 AM MST Thursday, December 21, 2000 [Comment on news]
PCShooter: Is it difficult as developers to keep up with growing and improving technology? Ken Veale Company: RayLogic President/ Game Designer/ Dark Ore (NEW FPS GAME COMING 2001)
Giants: Citizen Kabuto Patch At Fileplanet....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 12:00 AM MST Thursday, December 21, 2000 [Comment on news]
This new patch updates Giants: Citizen Kabuto to version 1.1. There are many fixes and tweaks...but I would not count on too many nipples. (More @ the Source: fileplanet.com)
Memory prices fading fast ....
Posted by
[NewsStaff] @ 12:49 PM MST Wednesday, December 20, 2000 [Comment on news]
Prices for some memory chips have been halved since October. How much will memory makers, such as Micron Technology, suffer? (More @ the Source: zdnet.com)
Gunman Demo Out By Xmas......
Posted by
[NewsStaff] @ 12:47 PM MST Wednesday, December 20, 2000 [Comment on news]
PC: So, you want to play Gunman Chronicles huh? Well, if you've been very good this year Havas might have a present for you .. Havas Interactive has sent word that a playable demo of Gunman Chronicles will be released on December 25. Anyone in need of a bit of extra holiday cheer should take a look.
Linksys Wireless PCI Network Review At gamersdepot....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 4:25 AM MST Wednesday, December 20, 2000 [Comment on news]
For homes and small offices, wireless networking is now being promoted as the easiest (but certainly not the cheapest) way to network computers and share a broadband Internet connection. Since you don’t have to drill holes in your walls or run cable under your floors, it’s a low-effort way to get everyone connected that needs to be. Most wireless LAN equipment currently on the market uses the IEEE 802.11 networking scheme. The latest ratified version of this is 802.11b, and since this is a standard, this means that any of the equipment using 802.11 is compatible with each other, and can be used together. (More @ the Source: gamersdepot.com)
GLOBAL OPERATIONS PREVIEW....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 4:19 AM MST Wednesday, December 20, 2000 [Comment on news]
"Counter-Strike is a great game," says Jeff Barnhart, Global Operations producer, "but our game is going to be 100 times better." Admittedly, the two games do have a lot in common, and comparisons can't help but be drawn. Like in Counter-Strike, in Global Operations you will be split up into two teams, and you'll have to carry out a set of goals within a certain time limit while making sure that the opposing force doesn't get a chance to accomplish its tasks. While some goals can include the now-standard hostage-rescue scenario, wherein the counterterrorist team has to penetrate enemy defenses and extract a group of hostages unharmed within a certain amount of time, Global Operations will be composed mostly of interesting twists on the tried-and-true team-based gameplay modes. (More @ the Source: zdnet.com)
Hitman: Codename 47 Walkthrough....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 3:45 AM MST Wednesday, December 20, 2000 [Comment on news]
You are a hitman, and it is your job - no, your life, to kill. With weapons ranging from machineguns to sniper rifles to piano wires, you are alive to get your job done. However, this game resembles Thief: The Dark Project more than Quake or Half-Life, so keeping quiet is going to keep you alive much longer than charging in with guns blazing. After all, it only takes one well-placed bullet to kill. (More @ the Source: megagames.com)
Developer's Week At PCShooter Part 2....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 2:02 AM MST Wednesday, December 20, 2000 [Comment on news]
PCShooter: What is the future of 3D gaming and its evolvement with realism? Michael Chang Gummelt Company: Raven Software Programmer/ Writer/ Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force
Quake III: Team Arena Ships....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:06 AM MST Wednesday, December 20, 2000 [Comment on news]
Activision announced today that Quake III: Team Arena for the PC has shipped to stores. This game marks the first id Software-developed expansion pack for Activision's insanely popular first-person shooter, and aims to further solidify the franchise's multiplayer appeal. On the heels of last year's Quake III Arena, Team Arena features four new modes of play: two capture-the-flag modes, plus Harvester, where you collect skulls, and Overload, which puts all the emphasis on destroying the enemy's base while protecting your own. The game also features new power-ups, such as the damage doubler, a speed boost, ammo regeneration, and enhanced armor. The arsenal has also been updated, and now includes a proximity launcher (complete with sticky mines), the kamikaze, and an invulnerability sphere, as well as improved chain and nail guns. The game includes 15 new maps, with some larger, outdoor-based maps designed for team play. "Quake III: Team Arena fuses the intensity of Quake III Arena's legendary deathmatch experience with complex team-based scenarios, unrivaled new gameplay, and advanced functionality," said Todd Hollenshead, id Software's CEO, in a statement released today. "We have overhauled everything from the server browser to the in-game communication system within Quake III: Team Arena to give gamers the ultimate team play experience." The game should be in stores before Christmas, and you can look for our review after the first of the year.
Developer's 2001 Resolutions....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:06 AM MST Wednesday, December 20, 2000 [Comment on news]
As 2000 draws to a close, we begin to reflect on the past year, and make resolutions about what we would all do differently in the new year. Well, game developers are people too, (Except John Carmack - he's a robot) and they resolve to do things differently as well. (More @ the Source: 3dactionplanet.com)
American McGee Interview....
Posted by
[NewsStaff] @ 9:23 AM MST Tuesday, December 19, 2000 [Comment on news]
American McGee:Well, to say it is easy to modify would be a bit too simple maybe. Actually most of us have been working with one or the other Qu*ke-engine allready, so we had experienced people, who made it kinda easy. The engines have grafical differences, of course, but the basics are still the same, so we felt quite comfortable with it. (More @ the Source: gamesurf.de)
PS2 DVD and Games will not make peace....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 3:59 AM MST Tuesday, December 19, 2000 [Comment on news]
Sony's Japanese web site reports that three games have failed to perform with its latest hardware revision, 8 December 2000. According to Sony this is a game, software based fault and the Game developers responsibility. The hardware reviusion was carried out to fix a problem with the machines DVD remote control unit. The games will run on all previous versions of the PS2. (More @ the Source: megagames.com)
Giants: Citizen Kabuto Walthrough And Help Guide At Dailyrader....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 3:09 AM MST Tuesday, December 19, 2000 [Comment on news]
If you need some help with Giants go on over to daily rader for a walkthrough with some helpful tips. Beware it also has some spoilers, so be careful what you read if you don't want to know what will happen next. (More @ the Source: dailyrader.com)
Developer's Week At PCShooter!....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 2:32 AM MST Tuesday, December 19, 2000 [Comment on news]
I really don't think any of us can predict what the future of gaming will be and what will improve in the years to come. With this in mind PCShooter decided to ask several major icons in the gaming industry what they thought about the future of gaming. We will address the future of gaming over the next four days as each day this week we present the PCShooter future of gaming interviews. (More @ the Source: PCShooter)
A Chat With Epic's Mark Rein....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:33 AM MST Tuesday, December 19, 2000 [Comment on news]
MSXbox: Which engine(s) will Xbox developer be able to use from Epic? Will they have continuous access to updates in technology? Mark: All of our licensees get access to the latest version of our technology all through their development process. This is cool because we're working on some very exciting stuff specifically with Xbox in mind. On Xbox, for example, we're looking to levels that are over 100x more detailed than what people saw in the PC version of Unreal Tournament! (More @ the Source: msxbox.com)
Tribes 2 Beta Preview....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:28 AM MST Tuesday, December 19, 2000 [Comment on news]
Sierra Studios has got to be richest game publisher of all time. Look at their successes in recent years: Half-Life, Counter-Strike, Gunman, The You Don’t Know Jack series, Hoyle Board Games series, more Half-Life crap and Starsiege Tribes. It was inevitable that Sierra was going to release a follow up to Tribes, it was only a matter of time.Part of the draw that Tribes had was the ability to get gamers hooked fast. I once heard that “Tribes is more addictive that Cocaine, Heroine, and LSD combined.” Which is somewhat true. Loyal Tribes players went to extreme, sometimes fanatical lengths to prove they were the best Tribes players. Some even made their own .mp3 fight songs! And don’t even think of mentioning Quake II or Unreal in front of a Tribes player! I remember the time I got jumped outside of a mall for my comments. (More @ the Source: 3dgamegear.com)
Elsa Gladiac Ultra Review ....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:19 AM MST Tuesday, December 19, 2000 [Comment on news]
The power of tomorrow is knocking, but are you willing to pay the price of admission? NVIDIA and their partners are banking on it. Of course, we all were expecting to see NVIDIA deliver their new NV20 architecture this time of year, which would be keeping to their release schedule, but alas, we now have a winter "refresh" instead of the ushering in of a new architecture. Why would NVIDIA do this? That question can best be answered in three words: "because they can". I know that may seem like a dogmatic interpretation of the chip giant that is NVIDIA, but let's be honest, they had no reason to spring a new generation of GPU's on the drooling gaming masses. Their competition is all but dead. 3dfx has failed to deliver on their promised Voodoo 5 6000, and the BitBoyz mystical offering is still MIA. The only real contender comes from ATI with their RADEON. Now, in terms of speed, the RADEON falls short when compared to a GF2 GTS already, so is there really a need for a new GPU to come out of NVIDIA's bunker? Evidently, NVIDIA didn't think so. Instead, they pushed the NV20 back and delivered a faster GF2 GTS part. This may spawn an occurrence of déjà vu for many of you as it smacks of their strategy that was used when offering the TNT2 Ultra. Similar to the TNT2 Ultra, the GeForce2 GTS Ultra uses its predecessor's core, but at a higher clock rate as well as being equipped with faster memory modules. (More @ the Source: gotapex.com)
New E3 Web Site Is Up....
Posted by
[NewsStaff] @ 5:55 PM MST Monday, December 18, 2000 [Comment on news]
The new design for the official Electronic Entertainment Expo web site is now up, with new info on the upcoming computer and video game trade show that will occur in Los Angeles on May 17-19 (Thanks to Norm Clary for the tip). Of course, we plan to be right on top of all things E3 2001 at our own E3 web site. (More @ the Source: e3expo.com)
VoIP Blaster - Voice-over-IP Phone ....
Posted by
[NewsStaff] @ 9:51 AM MST Monday, December 18, 2000 [Comment on news]
One of the biggest battles in telecommunications today is the one of internet telephone service versus traditional phone service. As you can guess, the telephone companies want the government to tax and regulate internet telephone services, but there are many issues that make the debate on this never-ending. (More @ the Source: gamersdepot.com)
Devine/Spector Chat....
Posted by
[NewsStaff] @ 9:34 AM MST Monday, December 18, 2000 [Comment on news]
This TechTV Celebrity Chat page has word of an online session today where Gamespot will talk gaming with Warren Spector of ION Storm and Graeme Devine of id Software (thanks FPSCenter). The subject of the converation(s) will be "Beyond the First-Person Shooter," presumably discussing ways to stretch, and/or break out of the genre. Two times are listed on the page, 6:00 PM EST/3:00 PM PST and then later 6:00 PM PST, the latter appearing to be a mix-up on the time zone that should also read EST. (More @ the Source: bluesnews.com)
Preview of Anachronox ....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 6:17 AM MST Monday, December 18, 2000 [Comment on news]
We recently visited Eidos' offices for a demonstration of Anachronox, the often delayed, Quake II engine-powered RPG from the Ion Storm team headed by designer Tom Hall. However, to our surprise, we were actually able to play through parts of the build and experience the ambitious project first hand with guidance from Hall. The first scene in this particular build starts off with three characters - Boots, Grumpos, and Rho - in a ship heading toward an enormous asteroid-like object. Upon close observation, you quickly discover that the object is actually the nest of the alien race known as the Hive, which decimates the resources of the planet it inhabits and then moves on to another. While Grumpos, an old wizard-like character, speaks with someone at mission control, Boots and Rho can be seen exchanging glances in the background. Tom points out that Boots has an interest in Rho, but she doesn't know that quite yet, and as the scene progresses, the two characters continue to make different facial expressions at one another. (More @ the Source: zdnet.com)
Unreal Fortress v1 build 276 at fileleech....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 3:44 AM MST Monday, December 18, 2000 [Comment on news]
The new version fixes a couple of things. They worked very hard to address the areas that people have brought to their attention. Plus, there is a new map by Pixie called "Run and Gun." Here are some of the new goodies: New effect for tranquilizer, New effect for fire, New effect for caltrops, New Smoke Grenade, Bot AI tweaked, New Class Trigger, Mapping features and much more! (More @ the Source: fileleech.com)
Oni Demo At flieplanet....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 3:39 AM MST Monday, December 18, 2000 [Comment on news]
Oni is a third-person 3D action/adventure that emphasizes hand-to-hand combat as well as gunplay. Inspired by anime classics like Ghost in the Shell and action thrillers like La Femme Nikita, you play Konoko, an elite agent on a quest to infiltrate and destroy a ruthless crime syndicate. (More @ the Source: fileplanet.com)
Gamers' Choice Awards - The Results!....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:00 AM MST Monday, December 18, 2000 [Comment on news]
Every year in the action genre, one title seems to stand heads above all the other releases of that year, giving gamers a wonderfully entertaining playing experience that they'll be talking about for years to come. What title did YOU pick this year? There is only one way to find out..come. (More @ the Source: 3dactionplanet.com)
AGP Aperture - Does It Really Matter? ....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:00 AM MST Monday, December 18, 2000 [Comment on news]
Athlonmb.com wrote up an informative article taking a look at the AGP Aperture option that most motherboards with an AGP slot has, and asks the question - does it really help? I believe Adrian Rojak Pot also looked into it, and concluded that it doesn't help that much at all, but here's another look from the Athlonmb guys. Click the headline to check it out. come. (More @ the Source: athlonmb.com)
The Future of File Sharing....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:00 AM MST Monday, December 18, 2000 [Comment on news]
Napster cut a deal with The Man. Scour's been auctioned off to the highest bidder. Freenet is still impossible to use, and Gnutella seems to get slower when more people try to use it. Is file sharing over, or is it just moving in a new direction? Last week, I talked with Daniel Webster from FLIPR, a Canadian company that's trying to accomplish the impossible: start a service that uses DRM technology to allow file sharing without copyright infringement. The service is still offline, but it claims to be launching in February or thereabouts. The FLIPR service will be free to use while still generating enough money to placate copyright holders. It's a pipe dream. But many significant developments in both music and technology have seemed like pipe dreams at the time, only to later mock conventional wisdom by achieving uproarious success. I believe that while it might be too far ahead of its time, FLIPR (which, incidentally stands for the rather presumptuous title Future License of Intellectual Property Registry) could--through its upcoming failures and successes--show us what Napster(s) might look like in the future. (More @ the Source: cnet.com)
Angelina Jolie As Lara Croft?....
Posted by
[Blood] @ 1:17 PM MST Sunday, December 17, 2000 [Comment on news]
Eidos recently sent a number of pictures to Crossroads Gaming of Angelina Jolie decked out in her Lara gear they are well worth the visit, here they are: here
PCShooter posts Homeworld Review....
Posted by
[Blood] @ 9:36 AM MST Sunday, December 17, 2000 [Comment on news]
A review of the popular space real time strategy game has been posted in the reviews section. The review mentions the excellent graphics but it also points ot some flaws in the game. click here for the full review.
American McGee's Alice ....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 2:29 AM MST Sunday, December 17, 2000 [Comment on news]
What does one think of when Alice in Wonderland is mentioned? The White Rabbit? The Queen of Hearts? The hookah-smoking caterpillar? The Cheshire Cat? A whole host of images spring to mind, most cemented in our memories by Disney's animated take on the Lewis Carroll classics Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There. These characters are found in American McGee's Alice, just as you'd expect from a game based on the subject matter, but from the get-go one thing is apparent: this isn't the classic fairy tale you are accustomed to. In fact, after a few hours of playing the game, you might get the impression that it was Alice Cooper that served as inspiration for this surprisingly gruesome action/adventure. That's not to say there's anything wrong with some bloody combat--in fact, we strangely like it--but you'll be more than a little let down if the title led you to think you might find some brain-twisting riddles or hair-pulling puzzles to serve as breathers for the arcade-style action presented here. (More @ the Source:gamecenter.com)
Guillemot Hercules 3D Prophet II GTS Pro....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 2:28 AM MST Sunday, December 17, 2000 [Comment on news]
Nvidia's GeForce2 Pro chipset is a step up from the GeForce2 GTS and a notch below the GeForce2 Ultra. While its price is much friendlier than the Ultra's, its performance outdistances the GTS's, giving you that much more value for your dollar. Guillemot has created an excellent implementation of the Pro chipset in the Hercules 3D Prophet II GTS Pro, a card that nails the sweet spot of the price/performance ratio. (More @ the Source: gamecenter.com)
Project IGI - I'm Going In!....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 2:26 AM MST Sunday, December 17, 2000 [Comment on news]
Like many people that are into computer games, I'm a Counter-Strike (CS) addict. Not a day goes by where I don't take down an enemy with a fatal 9mm bullet passing through their cranium. That being said, I'm sure anybody who likes CS will also enjoy the Project IGI (or "I'm Going In") demo, for it has a similar blend of action and real life weapons that made CS such a big hit. (More @ the Source: 3dactionplanet.com)
PCShooter Launches two Giants: Citizen Kabuto Servers....
Posted by
[Blood] @ 9:20 PM MST Saturday, December 16, 2000 [Comment on news]
Load up your copy of Giants: Citizen Kabuto and check out our servers in the multiplayer section of the game. We will do what we can to keep the ping time low. The servers will be up most of the night.
Quake III: Arena Advanced Strategy....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:40 AM MST Saturday, December 16, 2000 [Comment on news]
So you've spent the last couple of months improving at Quake III: Arena, but feel you're getting into a rut? Does that one pesky player keep edging you out? Sounds you need to go back to school for your M.F.A.... Your "Master's of Fragadelic Arts." (More @ the Source: techtv.com)
Overclocking 201....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:37 AM MST Saturday, December 16, 2000 [Comment on news]
At the end of last month's article, we promised you more in-depth information about the different methods of overclocking and the best ways to go about them. This article includes topics such as the actual overclocking process and more involved safety procedures. If you missed the first article, go back and read it before continuing.Warning: Overclocking can cause premature failure of hardware and may void your warranty. Just remember: you break it, you bought it. (More @ the Source: gamecenter.com)
Women Outnumber Men in Online Gaming....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:35 AM MST Saturday, December 16, 2000 [Comment on news]
A new study released by PC Data shows that women outnumber men in online gaming. The study, titled Spotlight on Games: Categories and Hardware, revealed that women make up 50.4 percent of online gamers and that they prefer online trivia and quiz games, gambling, and card games. Men still outnumber women in gaming overall, making up 55 percent of the total market. The study also reveals good news for game companies: More than a third of home Internet users plan to purchase console or PC games during the holiday season. (More @ the Source: zdnet.com)
Computer Fraud....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:29 AM MST Saturday, December 16, 2000 [Comment on news]
We all like to see our world as a safe place and we do everything we can to keep it that way. Most of us are honest, hard-working people who enjoy our family time and those of us who play online enjoy our computer playtime. When things go wrong with the hardware on my computer, I take it to an authorized service dealer for replacement. The service contract covers the cost. It usually means I am without a system for a week, during which time I wander the house aimlessly. It's a good time to catch up on household chores that have been neglected because of the hours spent online playing. I count the days before it's safe to return to my favorite spot in the house: my desk. (More @ the Source: womengamers.com)
Look Ma, I've Got No Balls!!! ....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:25 AM MST Saturday, December 16, 2000 [Comment on news]
Revolutionary Optical Sensors - No Mouse Ball! The Microsoft IntelliMouse (no nothing to do with Intel there) Explorer is a mouse which is not your ordinary mouse…and the same goes for the cheese eating one too. These Explorers, as you should already know by now, do not use conventional mouse balls to track the user’s movement. Instead, it utilises an optical sensor. (More @ the Source:rojakpot.com)
CNET Gamecenter Previews Tribes 2....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:19 AM MST Saturday, December 16, 2000 [Comment on news]
Now, Tribes 2 is almost ready to take the crown back from the competition. Judging from the activity on Sierra's beta servers and the proposed feature list, the developers just might accomplish that goal. They've added new game types, weapons, and vehicles; improved the graphics; and broadened the back story to include a new playable race. (More @ the Source: gamecenter.com)
Top 10 Game Predictions For 2001....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:17 AM MST Saturday, December 16, 2000 [Comment on news]
If the pundits and other industry know-it-alls are to be believed, next year will be the final year of PC gaming. (After all, there's simply no way PC gaming will survive the onslaught of the PlayStation 2, the Gamecube, and the Xbox.) So while uneducated fools lap up all the PR fluff that Sony and other involved companies dish out, we've decided to fight back and declare that PC gaming is not only alive and well, but that next year could be a banner year for the industry in terms of the quality of games being released. To make our case, we've rounded up ten games that we think will not only be a great deal of fun to play, but could also end all that "PC is dead" garbage once and for all. (More @ the Source: gamecenter.com)
Serious Sam Demo Out!....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:11 AM MST Saturday, December 16, 2000 [Comment on news]
Croteam's upcoming first person shooter Serious Sam has been released. Grab The 71.8 meg demo here: (More @ the Source: 3ddownloads.com)
Gaming Industry Q&A ....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:08 AM MST Saturday, December 16, 2000 [Comment on news]
A new article at BigKid talks with a number of game developers about the future of the gaming industry. Among the people interviewed are Valve's Marc Laidlaw, ION Storm's Sheldon Pacotti, Monolith's Jason Hall and Levelord, and they all comment on topics ranging from the increasing complexity of game design to what attribute is necessary to be a success in the industry. (More @ the Source: bigkid.com.au)
3dfx Shuts Down, Sells Assets to NVIDIA ....
Posted by
[NewsStaff] @ 6:35 PM MST Friday, December 15, 2000 [Comment on news]
In a shocking turn of events, 3dfx has announced that they are shutting down, and selling "most of their assets" to NVIDIA. This comes only a month since their announcement that they would be closing their manufacturing facilities and outsourcing production of their video cards (story). Here's a link to 3dfx' press release, and here's the press release from NVIDIA, in its entirety:SANTA CLARA, CA - DECEMBER 15, 2000 - NVIDIA® Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA) today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire certain graphics related assets of 3dfx Interactive (Nasdaq: TDFX), a pioneer and a recognized leader in graphics technology. These graphics related assets include, but are not limited to, patents, pending patent applications, trademarks, brand names, and chip inventory related to the graphics business of 3dfx. In addition, 3dfx and NVIDIA have agreed to stay the patent infringement litigation between them through the closing of the transaction, at which time it will be jointly dismissed with prejudice.Under the terms of the agreement, NVIDIA will pay to 3dfx a total consideration of $70 million in cash and 1 million shares of common stock. The asset acquisition has been approved by the board of directors of each company and is subject to 3dfx shareholder approval, the satisfaction of regulatory requirements and other customary closing conditions. This acquisition will be accounted for as a purchase and is expected to be complete in the first quarter of NVIDIA's fiscal year 2002. Founded in 1994, 3dfx was an early pioneer in the 3D graphics industry and has been recognized for its ability to bring some of the world's finest games, educational content, interactive entertainment and media-rich business applications to life. (source bluesnews.com)
Game Wallpaper....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 5:01 PM MST Friday, December 15, 2000 [Comment on news]
Checkout this cool site with tons of wallpaper of your fav games. (More @ the Source: gamewallpaper.com)
Interview With Cece of Termite Games....
Posted by
[NewsStaff] @ 3:42 PM MST Friday, December 15, 2000 [Comment on news]
Termite Games, formerly Insomnia Software, is currently working on New World Order. It's one sweet @ss looking game. I'm not going to make this one too easy for you. You can get your lazy self over to their Technology page to find out more about N.W.O. (More @ the Source: gameloft.com)
Dream Xmas Gifts....
Posted by
[NewsStaff] @ 8:54 AM MST Friday, December 15, 2000 [Comment on news]
With Christmas rolling around the bend, we all sit wondering what to give and what we hope to receive. Maybe you have an idea for a gift , but are not sure about what to get. I’m sure The Tech Zone can help you. With the array of these techies' toys, surely you’ll find what you're looking for. (More @ the Source: thetechzone.com)
Serious Sam Demo Still On For Today....
Posted by
[NewsStaff] @ 8:51 AM MST Friday, December 15, 2000 [Comment on news]
The official Croteam web site has posted a new update from CEO Roman Ribaric, where he states the release of the second test demo of their first person shooter Serious Sam is still set for release sometime today. Here is the entire update: We added lots of new features. Coop and dm play code are also there. If we were to test all that by ourselves, it would take another year or two :( & :) . So, there is no point in delaying any longer. We are counting on your help in testing. So, to make it short: 15th is on.
Weekly CPU Price Guide....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:23 AM MST Friday, December 15, 2000 [Comment on news]
Once again, we've updated our weekly price guides, this time refreshing the prices on CPUs. The prices for AMD's CPUs continue to amaze as the prices continue to fall. Intel's new flagship processor, the Pentium 4 continued to fall in prices as the benchmarks showing off its performance faced less skepticism. (More @ the Source: planethardware.com)
Gamersdepot SoundMan Xtrusio DSR-100 Speaker System Review....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 1:15 AM MST Friday, December 15, 2000 [Comment on news]
You’ll find few who’ll argue that one of the hottest markets in PC gaming, as of late, would be the implementation of surround sound for games and DVD watching. Longtime maker of PC accessories, Logitech, is no stranger to the speaker market, and in fact has been making PC speakers for quite some time now. Their past efforts have been met with a mixed bag of response. On one hand, some appreciated their price-points, while on the other, the hardcore gamers didn’t appreciate their performance(More @ the Source: gamersdepot.com)
The Ultimate 3DAction Gaming Rig....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:11 AM MST Friday, December 15, 2000 [Comment on news]
Games starting to run slowly on your once-proud gaming rig? Want to know which components will give you the absolute best gaming experience? CitizenC and StoneWolf go all-out and design the Ultimate 3DAction Gaming Rig. (More @ the Source: 3dactionplanet.com)
Quake 3 Arena Point Release v1.27g....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 1:09 AM MST Friday, December 15, 2000 [Comment on news]
This is the latest point release for Quake 3 Arena. Fixes and updates were taken from user the feedback from the 1.25 release. In addition to tons of new features and fixes, the point release addresses on-line cheating, adds some new gameplay features and eliminates the CD check for the single player game and for setting up servers running bots. (More @ the Source: fileplanet.com)
SWAT 3 Movie....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:07 AM MST Friday, December 15, 2000 [Comment on news]
SWAT 3 Movie[Posted By: SharpShooter on 12/15/00 2:13 am]In addition to the release of the playable demo, SWAT 3: Elite Edition, Sierra Studios has released a SWAT 3 movie showing off some in-game sequences, new camera angles and a yet to be released level. (More @ the Source: wargamer.com)
Dramatically increase your available physical memory. Easy, fast, reliable! ....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 1:07 AM MST Friday, December 15, 2000 [Comment on news]
MemMonster is a special utility designed to help you solve the problems of Windows (ME/98/95/NT/2000) memory management. Using easy to use interface you quickly and safely monitor and increase the amount of available physical memory. Several of its features: automatically or manually recover RAM, RAM defragmenter, memory tuning, customizable memory monitor.(More @ the Source: memmonster.com)
Beyond DDR ????????....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:04 AM MST Friday, December 15, 2000 [Comment on news]
Basically, DDR is exactly what it stands for. It doubles the peak data rate by clocking in data on the rising edges of a differential clocking scheme (one is rising while the other is falling, effectively doubling the number of cycles). For a DRAM case, this means twice as much data can be transferred during a read or write operation. Just as the 100 MHz bus (and later the 133 MHz bus) significantly increased performance from alleviating one of the main bottlenecks in a system as the speeds soared into the few hundreds of megahertz, memory bandwidth. The usage of DDR on video card such as NVidia's and ATI's latest show that the memory bandwidth is just as (if not more) important than the speed of the processing unit. (More @ the Source: gamepc.com)
Fallout Tactics Chat....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:01 AM MST Friday, December 15, 2000 [Comment on news]
Giants Citizen Kabuto Patch....
Posted by
[Blood] @ 6:12 PM MST Thursday, December 14, 2000 [Comment on news]
Today, while speaking with a contact at Interplay, PCShooter was able to learn that a patch for Giants is currently underway and is expected to be released in the next few days. It is unknown at this time what the patch will fix.
NEVERWINTER NIGHTS Q&A....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 2:49 PM MST Thursday, December 14, 2000 [Comment on news]
Throughout the last month we have been working hard to ensure that Neverwinter Nights will meet the expectations of gamers everywhere. This has involved refinements to both the content and the code. With our PR campaign once again ramping up, you'll be seeing and hearing a lot more from us over the coming months. As we don't want to give too much away, however, we'll be starting you off with some simple but tantalizing glimpses of what's still to come. (More @ the Source: neverwinternights.com)
Global Operations Announced....
Posted by
[Lefty 2 Guns] @ 1:44 PM MST Thursday, December 14, 2000 [Comment on news]
Crave Entertainment announced today that they are unleashing "Global Operations," a team-based first person shooter (FPS), for the PC platform in the third quarter of 2001. The game is being developed by Barking Dog Studios, who created "CounterStrike Beta 5" and the best-selling "Homeworld: Cataclysm." This announcement is full of gameplay info, here's a peek, "'Global Operations' features all the essential components of addictive first person shooters, including extensive, diverse environments and heart-pounding action", said Holly Newman, executive vice president of publishing at Crave Entertainment, "The title will also transcend other shooters by emphasizing team cooperation through specialized troop members, integrated voice communication, and other distinctive features." (More @ the Source: bluesnews.com)
Serious Sam Q&A ....
Posted by
[NewsStaff] @ 12:20 PM MST Thursday, December 14, 2000 [Comment on news]
Stomped: What games are you most looking forward to in 2001? Ribaric: I would say 'Duke Nukem Forever' and 'Doom 3'. I think those two will be great. Also, I am hoping to see another Incredible Machine sequel. (More @ the Source: stomped.com)
Thrustmaster Top Gun AfterBurner....
Posted by
[NewsStaff] @ 12:17 PM MST Thursday, December 14, 2000 [Comment on news]
Two-Handed Weapon With a humongous 15-by-8-inch footprint, the unit eats up almost the same amount of desk space as a full-size keyboard. But while Thrustmaster could have condensed its myriad controls into a smaller package, such a move would have seriously detracted from one of the AfterBurners' most impressive attributes, its unabashed level of luxury. This is one seriously comfortable rig that goes a long way to restoring the Thrustmaster name at or near the top of the world of flight control devices. (More @ the Source: gamecenter.com)
American McGee Interview....
Posted by
[NewsStaff] @ 9:22 AM MST Thursday, December 14, 2000 [Comment on news]
GL: A number of people who have played the game have described the environments, atmosphere and design as a triumph, at the expense of gameplay. Is that what you focused on during the development of the game?No, I think that we really focused on as many things as we could; there wasn't any one thing that got more or less attention than others. We did a lot of pre-production on it, and that paid off in the visuals, we did a lot of work on the story before we sat down and started actually making the game, and that paid off in the storyline. Every individual piece had a lot of work done on it in advance. (More @ the Source: gameloft.co.uk)
Violence In Video Games Where Will It Lead!....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 8:15 AM MST Thursday, December 14, 2000 [Comment on news]
In the wake of the Columbine killings, the media blamed violent videogames, and the president vowed to investigate the industry. But a year later, after an intense spin campaign, the games have emerged relatively unscathed. Read more of this interesting article that affects the whole of the gaming industry. (More @ the Source: brillscontent.com)
Zeus: Master Of Olympus Cheat Codes....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 8:00 AM MST Thursday, December 14, 2000 [Comment on news]
Ever want to have all the money you can handle? To be able build the greatest city ever. The people over at zdnet.com have some cheats for Zeus if you are into that sort of thing. They have some helpful cheats and also some funny cheats for the game. So go on over and check them out. (More @ the Source: zdnet.com)
Gamers Depot's Killer Gaming PC Guide....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 7:46 AM MST Thursday, December 14, 2000 [Comment on news]
This is the second of our series of guides, and this time we wanted to make it a little more fun. This guide is not about restraint, or saving money, or trying to make sure that what you buy is the best value for the long run. What this guide will show you is that quality components can make your gaming experience the best ever, and show you where to get them and how much to expect to pay. (More @ the Source: gamersdepot.com)
Hercules 3D Prophet II Ultra 64Mb Review at Gamespot UK....
Posted by
[Ace] @ 2:15 AM MST Thursday, December 14, 2000 [Comment on news]
Hercules' new card is based on the current top-of-the-line nVidia graphics chipset - the GeForce2 Ultra. It's the fastest consumer graphics card in the world, extremely expensive and has rather cool, blue anodised heat sinks - but do you need it? (More @ the Source: gamespot.co.uk)
Playstation 2 Fraud Charges ....
Posted by
[Luckee] @ 1:04 AM MST Thursday, December 14, 2000 [Comment on news]
CNET.com reports that a Canadian man has been arrested on fraud charges after alledgedly selling Playstation 2 consoles to customers over the Internet, while never actually having any intent of sending the systems once payment was received: Canadian police arrested a man on fraud charges after customers said he sold them PlayStation 2 units for up to $599 that they never received.Twenty-year-old Scott Byers, who operates PS2storeusa.com and PS2storecanada.com, is due to appear in court Monday for a bail hearing, according to Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Cpl. Mario T