May 2002

Friday, May 31, 2002

UT 2003 Screenshots....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:28 AM MDT Friday, May 31, 2002 [Comment on news]

WorthPlaying has posted some more UT 2003 screenshots. You can check them out here.


The Best of E3 ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:27 AM MDT Friday, May 31, 2002 [Comment on news]

GameSpy has posted their E3 2002 Awards.


Soldier of Fortune 2: Double Helix Review....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:25 AM MDT Friday, May 31, 2002 [Comment on news]

Gameguru has posted a review of Soldier of Fortune 2: Double Helix. Here's a bit for you:


Battlefield 1942 Q&A ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:20 AM MDT Friday, May 31, 2002 [Comment on news]

Computer & Video Games has posted a Battlefield 1942 Q&A with Digital Illusions' Producer Lars Gustavsson as they talk about their upcoming WWII shooter. Here's a snippet from the intro:

    "The ace card that Battlefield 1942 plays, which sets it apart from the likes of Return to Castle Wolfenstein and Medal Of Honor: Allied Assault multiplayer, is its introduction of authentic vehicles. At the simple press of a key, any player can hop into, and take control of, planes, jeeps, tanks, battleships and a number of other mechanized machines that populate the different maps. In many cases, more than one person can position themselves in a vehicle and take up a dedicated role, such as a machine gunner in a bomber plane.

    Thankfully, Digital Illusion has used its noggin and, in keeping with the title's arcade feel, has made vehicle control a relatively simple affair. Hop into a fighter plane, for example, and you'll find that the keyboard keys you're using as a foot soldier will operate the aircraft in a similar manner. It does take some moments to get to grips with as we discovered when we had the sudden urge to don leather hat and goggles, but persevere with it for a few minutes and you'll soon be looping-the-loop, yelling "Tally-ho!" and blasting the enemy out of the skies. Or running them over with a tank. Or launching shells from a battleship."


The Sum of All Fears Review ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:16 AM MDT Friday, May 31, 2002 [Comment on news]

GameOver has posted a review of Red Storm Entertainment's tactical FPS, The Sum of All Fears. Here's a taste:

    "In addition to the indoor locales, a few other things from Rainbow Six have also made it into Fears. The dramatic music upon death, for example, is one such thing that was curiously missing from Ghost Recon. A guided pre-planned mission plan is also available. Opening a door in Ghost Recon was a one shot deal. You couldn't stop opening a door if you're suddenly under fire. This small issue is rectified in Fears. Weapons-wise, the cast of guns reflects the close quarter nature of Fears. By default, for example, you'll now be armed with the 9mm MP5. Grenades and flashbangs are now a staple due to the HRT-centric armament. Sidearms are also much more effective and numerous than Ghost Recon. LAWs and RPGs are out, replaced with a plethora of weapons including some with high rates of fire and those nominally considered as terrorist or paramilitary arms. Bullet penetration physics work through wood and doors but unfortunately, don't work everywhere; through a cubicle or an object for example."


New World Order Interview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:13 AM MDT Friday, May 31, 2002 [Comment on news]

Action Vault has posted a New World Order Interview with Lead Programmer and Termite Games founder Jim Malmros. Here's a snip:

    Action Vault: To begin with, how would you describe New World Order, what are your overall design goals, and what attracted you to create this particular type of game?

    Jim Malmros: New World Order is an action-packed team-based multiplayer game built upon next-gen technology. We've always believed that the next real advancement in gameplay is going to be in multiplayer - and wanted to develop a game were we pushed the hardware and technology to the max. There is a gaping hole right now in the market, where there are several next-gen single-player games being developed, but no multiplayer primarily games featuring all the new technology that will bring games to the next level. This is where New World Order comes in.

    The main design goal behind New World Order is to provide a game that has the settings of an action-movie, realistic enough to immerse you and stylized enough to provide satisfaction from the wicked action sequences.

    It was not long ago that games had castles and corridors as backgrounds for the gameplay. I think we're right now experiencing a revolution where games are headed towards realism and we're learning, similar to what people making movies have learned, how to make a real setting stand out and be interesting.

    A good way to describe New World Order is to list some of the references we've used for the action and backgrounds. We've had a lot of inspiration from the action-sequences of movies like Heat, Usual Suspects, The Matrix. Basically creating a game where you get to play out the best action scenarios with tons of other people over the net.


SoF2 Info....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:11 AM MDT Friday, May 31, 2002 [Comment on news]

Shacknews has posted .plan update from Raven Software's Bryan Dube. Here's a nibblet:

    "...Along with bug fixes we will also be adding some new content as well. This content will include the demolition (someone set us up the bomb) gametype which is a nice alternative to infiltration and allow servers to change it up a bit. Along with this gametype we will also be including a few new Raven made maps, at least one which will support the new demolition gametype. This is the first installment of new content for Sof2 multiplayer from Raven and im sure will be a welcome addition..."


Mobile Forces Ships in Europe....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:05 AM MDT Friday, May 31, 2002 [Comment on news]

The team at Rage Software sent word that their multiplayer shooter Mobile Forces has shipped to retailers throughout Europe and will be available for 24.99gbp. Grab your copy as soon as you can... it's lots of fun!

    Mobile Forces features vehicle combat combined with traditional FPS action. It's built on top of Epic's latest Unreal Engine technology and it offers the complete FPS off-line/online multiplayer only experience with full AI bot support.


5 Gameplay Features that Should Be Finding Their Way into More Games....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:01 AM MDT Friday, May 31, 2002 [Comment on news]

3DAction Planet has posted an editorial today that takes a look at 5 Gameplay Features that Should Be Finding Their Way into More Games. Here's their intro to get you started:

    "It was not so long ago when fellow 3DAP staffer LeeMon wrote a rather nice week long series of articles taking a look at what we as gamers should hope for in the games of the future.

    This is nothing like that.

    I'm not going to profess to know what the future of gaming holds. I don't have a crystal ball that allows me to see what the latest innovations are. But it struck me that, aside from tedious key hunts, we've got enough gameplay features now to last us quite a while longer.

    And if we combined them, we'd be set for life.

    Before we get started, I just want to say that, again, gamings' near future is all up in the air and that none of this is concrete. Secondly, I want to say that I'm not advertising for any of these games. They're just things that I've played, thought were really cool, and think should be used more often (but not to the point where everyone's got them).

    Now that that's out of the way..."


Thursday, May 30, 2002

Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:36 AM MDT Thursday, May 30, 2002 [Comment on news]

Activision's official site now has information on the RTCW expansion pack. The add-on will be called Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory, that it is in development at Splash Damage and Nerve Software, and is scheduled for a late 2002 release.


Team Factor Ships....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:32 AM MDT Thursday, May 30, 2002 [Comment on news]

The official German Team Factor site and the UK fansite Inside Team Factor are both reporting that Team Factor has shipped in their respective countries. At this point there is no indication of when the game might be released in other areas.


Kreed Preview & Q&A....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:25 AM MDT Thursday, May 30, 2002 [Comment on news]

Jolt.co.uk has posted a preview of Burut's upcoming shooter Kreed, and a Q&A with Project Manager Vladimir Nikolaev. Here's a bit on what this game is about:

    "The game’s setting is deep space, some time in the future where your ship, "Aspero" has become stranded after following an alien SOS signal. You have no way of communicating with others outside this area of dead space, although the Aspero lies amongst the floating wreckage of other stranded spaceships. You and your shipmates will have to resist invasions from alien life-forms as well as trying to allow your ship to escape."


Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix Review ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:20 AM MDT Thursday, May 30, 2002 [Comment on news]

WorthPlaying has posted a review of Raven Software's mercenary first person shooter, Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix. Here's a snip:

    "This will once again be a highly discussed game due to the large gore factor, but it offers everything you could possibly want in a First Person Shooter: extensive single player mode with a very large amount of maps and missions (in different locations so it doesn't get boring), high degree of realism, high blood factor, excellent graphics, and great sound effects. Apart from the lack of bosses at the end of each mission and the (in my personal opinion) somewhat shady accuracy, this game has all it needs to be a VERY good gaming experience with great replay value. Now, let's hope the gaming community gets the chance to go wild with the multiplayer aspect in creating new skins and extra maps, and we'll be set for years to come! If you have not yet purchased this title, then what are you waiting for?! This game is easily the best First Person Shooter to come out this year!!! I'm out for blood ... see you in the ring!"


Gore Golden....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:16 AM MDT Thursday, May 30, 2002 [Comment on news]

Publisher DreamCatcher has announced that Gore, developed by 4D Rulers, has gone gold. Watch for it in stores near you soon.


Postal 2 Screenshots ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:14 AM MDT Thursday, May 30, 2002 [Comment on news]

Game-over.net has posted ten exclusive new screenshots from the upcoming no-holds barred sequel, Postal 2, courtesy of Running With Scissors. Check 'em out!


PC.ign's PC Best of E3 2002 Awards....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:10 AM MDT Thursday, May 30, 2002 [Comment on news]

PC.ign has posted their PC Best of E3 2002 Awards. Here's their intro to get you started:

    "The Electronic Entertainment Exposition: dreaded is its name, painful is its reality grounding slap, and enticing are its many games and scantily clad women. Once a year every gamer worth his salt, press pass, and company business card, descends in formation from the brimstone lined caves of Mordor with his fellow lemmings to this, the Mecca of gaming, unless you count the actual Mecca (quite the arcades that place has). It's here at the E3 that we'll all either meet our untimely deaths or bask in the temporary bliss that only plummeting into the abysmal sea of Los Angeles can offer.

    Every year, after the alcohol settles, the bubbling rage cools, and the animosity is repressed safely back in its place behind a thin veil of playful mocking and not so playful ambitious backstabbing, we unite to sort the good from the bad and assert to ourselves and each other just which games are worthy of merit -- worthy of the second most coveted of coveted decorations: the IGN Best of E3 Award (the first is of course the Ivan Cheeks of Power Medallion)."


Wednesday, May 29, 2002

Shooters of E3 2002 ....
Posted by [luckee] @ 6:15 PM MDT Wednesday, May 29, 2002 [Comment on news]

The boys over at FiringSquad give an in-depth on a few of the popular titles at E3. Here’s a snip:

    They look at some of the hottest upcoming first person shooters for this year and next, including an ultra detailed peek at Unreal Tournament 2003, and writeups of Unreal II: The Awakening, Ubi's cel-shaded XIII, No One Lives Forever 2, James Bond 007: Nightfire, and the newest installment to SWAT.

    You can read the rest here.


Navy Seals version 1.1....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:26 AM MDT Wednesday, May 29, 2002 [Comment on news]
Team-Mirage has announced the release of version 1.1 of Navy Seals, a Quake 3 mod, for this morning at 10AM MDT. This new release has new missions and bug fixes. (Spotted on Shacknews)


NOLF2 Q&A....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:25 AM MDT Wednesday, May 29, 2002 [Comment on news]

GameSpy has posted a Q&A with several people at Monolith, where they talk about their upcoming fps No One Lives Forever 2. Check it out!


Hardware News II....
Posted by [luckee] @ 9:09 AM MDT Wednesday, May 29, 2002 [Comment on news]
Today’s Tech reviews:


XIII Q&A....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:06 AM MDT Wednesday, May 29, 2002 [Comment on news]

WorthPlaying has posted a chat with Producer Julien Bares where they talk about Ubi Soft's upcoming comic strip-inspired shooter, XIII. Here's a nibblet:

    WP: What is the story line of XIII?

    JB: The game opens with the player in control of a lead character who is washed up on a beach. Suffering from severe amnesia and injuries, there is no recollection of who, where or what he is.

    As the player delves into the increasingly involving plot, it becomes apparent he possesses high-level military skills and is an integral part of a huge conspiracy against the US government.

    This offers a two tier adventure throughout the game; foil the conspiracy whilst finding out exactly who your character is, including which side you are actually on.

    The story does have an analogy with the John F Kennedy assassination but focusing on the theory that it was the result of a wider operation lead by a consortium of businessmen, Mafiosi and the US army.


Hardware News....
Posted by [luckee] @ 9:06 AM MDT Wednesday, May 29, 2002 [Comment on news]
Today’s Tech reviews:


Hitman 2: Silent Assassin E3 Impressions....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:03 AM MDT Wednesday, May 29, 2002 [Comment on news]

GameSpot has posted their impressions of Hitman 2: Silent Assassin after playing Eidos' contract-killing action title at last week's E3. Here's a snip:

    "Hitman 2 will include levels from a variety of real-world locations throughout the world. The game's violent theme and stylish presentation should appeal to anyone who likes Hong Kong action movies or anyone looking for an action game that requires a lot of thought in addition to some good reflexes. Hitman 2 is scheduled for release this fall."


id Software Interview Part 3....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:59 AM MDT Wednesday, May 29, 2002 [Comment on news]

GameSpy has posted part three of their id Software interviews, this time they catch up with id's Graeme Devine and Tim Willits.


Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix Q&A #5....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:58 AM MDT Wednesday, May 29, 2002 [Comment on news]

Action Vaulat has posted their Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix Q&A #5, with this installment discussing their favorite locations.


Doom III....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:53 AM MDT Wednesday, May 29, 2002 [Comment on news]

MSNBC has posted an article that takes a look on id Sofware's Doom III. Included with the article is a chat with some of the people working on Doom III, and a few comments from John Carmack himself. Here's a snip:

    "The environments in Doom III appear to be a cross between Star Wars and the Industrial Revolution. This is a world filled with iron-sheet walls and industrial winches. It is a world of dark hallways, monsters that would give HR Geiger the creeps, and the kinds of bathrooms you currently find in bus stations.

    At one point in the demo, the hero of the game runs into a bathroom and witnesses a huge demonic dog tearing a bite out of the corpse of a fat, bald guy. The corpse is pale and has waxy, scarred skin. But in the world of Doom III, alliances change. Within moments of entering the room, the hero is attacked by both the hound from Hell and its corpulent lunch."


UT 2003 ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:51 AM MDT Wednesday, May 29, 2002 [Comment on news]

Mark Rein of Epic Games has made a post over at the official Infogrames forums giving us some more UT 2003 details. You can check it out here.


Monday, May 27, 2002

Rainbow Six: RavenShield Impressions....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:08 AM MDT Monday, May 27, 2002 [Comment on news]

Loadedinc has posted their impressions of Rainbow Six: RavenShield. Here's a snip:

    "In games of this type I've always found it easier to control the rest of my troops by controlling the Sniper character. In RavenShield the Sniper comes with a very tasty new trick, Infrared vision that can see through objects like walls and doors. Not sure where the enemy is? Simple, point your Sniper at the the suspect area and see if there's any heat movement. If the enemy is behind an object like a door then fire the shot, chances are you'll take them down. This new ability, which is only on the Sniper, is awesome and wholly satisfying. There is also the addition of the heartbeat detector. If you want to detect the enemy behind walls, use this little device which shows a moving pulse on the screen where the detector thinks the enemy is. Again useful before storming in guns blazing."


id Software Interview Part 2....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:06 AM MDT Monday, May 27, 2002 [Comment on news]

GameSpy has posted part two of their id Software interviews, where they catch up with id's Fred Nilsson and Christian "Disruptor" Antkow. Check it out!


America's Army Impressions....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:01 AM MDT Monday, May 27, 2002 [Comment on news]

GameSpot has posted their impressions of America's Army. Here's a snip:

    "America's Army is free. The developers make no excuses for the fact that the game, essentially, is a marketing tool. Someone making the tough calls at the Army realized that many young men are also gamers--they're already interested in competitive multiplayer games involving guns and squad tactics. Whoever green-lighted this project was also smart enough to realize that gamers don't just play anything--they play what's good. As such, the development team chosen for this project consists of experienced designers and artists who've worked on plenty of other projects in the past. The resulting game looks and is professional--it's a big-budget product, not just some two-bit Quake mod. Does America's Army make a ham-fisted effort to get you to enlist in the armed forces? No, it doesn't appear to. But it is filled with that same sense of military pride, patriotism, and camaraderie as seen in recent war movies like Black Hawk Down and Saving Private Ryan. It's also informational in nature, since needless to say, all the equipment seen in the game is highly authentic. Is America's Army an insidious ploy? It's certainly seductive. The game received a T-rating from the ESRB, but features lifelike animations and plenty of action."


[Mornin' Mocha]....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:00 AM MDT Monday, May 27, 2002 [Comment on news]

Hello. It's Memorial Day here in the US, a day to remember those who gave their lives for our freedom as well as family and friends that have passed before. Hope you all enjoy the day! I will, it's sunny and very warm here... :)


Sunday, May 26, 2002

UT 2003 Demo....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:36 AM MDT Sunday, May 26, 2002 [Comment on news]
PlanetUnreal found an interesting forum post by Mark Rein. The post speaks of their showing at E3, and gives a small status update on the UT 2003 demo, saying "The demo isn't quite ready yet. It will probably be a few weeks before we're ready to release it."


Battlefield 1942 Movie ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:33 AM MDT Sunday, May 26, 2002 [Comment on news]
PC.ign has posted a new movie of Battlefield 1942, with just over a half minute of gameplay action in the hybrid 3D action game by Digital Illusions. Check it out!


Painkiller Q&A....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:22 AM MDT Sunday, May 26, 2002 [Comment on news]
Gamersclick has posted a Q&A with Adrian Chmielarz of People Can Fly where they discuss their upcoming first-person shooter, Painkiller. They talk about the origins of the idea for Painkiller, the game's story and setting, the biggest obstacles in creating the game, innovations they hope to offer, multiplayer support, and more.


id Software Interview ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:19 AM MDT Sunday, May 26, 2002 [Comment on news]
GameSpy has posted an interview with id Software, part one of a conversation with some of the folks at id to discuss DOOM III. This installment features conversations with programmers Robert Duffy and Jan Paul van Waveren where they discuss the tools being used to create the game, how the editing tools will now be built into the game, the new game's collision detection and physics, working with the new engine compared to the prior engines, and more.


Saturday, May 25, 2002

Devastation E3 Impressions....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:21 AM MDT Saturday, May 25, 2002 [Comment on news]
HomeLan was able to check out Devastation, Digitalo's upcoming Unreal engine based shooter, at E3 on Thursday. Here is a bit on what they saw:

    "The animation system for Devastation employs some techniques that have been done by games such as the Soldier of Fortune series, in that you can blow off arms, legs and heads from your enemies. The Karma phyics engine even allows severed heads to be kicked around like a soccer ball."


Soldier of Fortune II Top Solutions FAQ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:13 AM MDT Saturday, May 25, 2002 [Comment on news]
There's a Soldier of Fortune II Top Solutions FAQ online, helping to resolve gameplay and performance issues along with other questions new owners of the game might have. Check it out!


FireStarter....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:11 AM MDT Saturday, May 25, 2002 [Comment on news]
GSC Game World has posted an update to their official FireStarter site, where you can find a half dozen new screenshots, three concept images and a new wallpaper, illustrating their upcoming fast-paced first-person shooter. There is also a new movie trailer in Windows Media Player (5.8 MB) and Bink (15.6 MB) formats, showing off a little more that a minute of gameplay action along with an overview of the game's features. Check it out!


Mike Grasso Interview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:07 AM MDT Saturday, May 25, 2002 [Comment on news]
Also on PC.ign is a Mike Grasso interview, where they talk with this counter-terrorism trainer who provided expertise for the Rainbow Six series. They discuss his background, the realism of what the games depict, whether he plays games, and more.


Return to Wolfenstein Again....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:04 AM MDT Saturday, May 25, 2002 [Comment on news]
Coming out of E3 are reports of an expansion pack for Return to Castle Wolfenstein. PC.ign has more:

    " It came as no surprise, the supernatural seeking Nazi powers are making a return, a return to the dreaded castle Wolfenstein (please note that castle Wolfenstein may or may not actually appear in the final). That's right all you B.J. loving kids out there, the expansion pack to last year's acclaimed first-person shooter Return to Castle Wolfenstein was debuted at the exposition.

    Developed collaboratively by Nerve Software and the newcomers at Splash Damage, the still untitled expansion pack for Return to Castle Wolfenstein promises to incorporate both new single and multiplayer content (some 10 objective-based maps for multiplayer and around 6-10 missions for single player)."


Far Cry....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:01 AM MDT Saturday, May 25, 2002 [Comment on news]
HomeLan has posted a brief look at Crytek's upcoming first person shooter, Far Cry. Here's more:

    "...the Far Cry demo contained huge outdoor environments that did not require a single load time. At one point we walked from the boat that landed on the beach, battled bad guys, entered their lair, came out again and walked up to the top of the island and saw our now very far away boat still sitting on the beach. The game’s AI is also being used to great effect. We sniped one bad guy in a group of two and saw the other bad guy crouch and look around, rather than simply ignore it like other games have in their AI.

    The Crytek folks assured us that multiplayer will be a big part of Far Cry when it is completed with standard modes like deathmatch and capture the flag along with other multiplayer twists that they are not yet ready to discuss. The game will also support level editing and mod making and they demonstrated the ease of use of the CryEngine’s editor through an AVI that showed the game being edited in real time. The CryEngine will also be available for licensing purposes to other game developers."


Doom III....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 7:56 AM MDT Saturday, May 25, 2002 [Comment on news]
FiringSquad has posted their impressions on Doom III after viewing a ten minute gameplay movie. Here's a snippet:

    "The year is 2145 - a mega corporation known as Union Aerospace has colonized Mars, and some top secret research is being done at a R&D facility there. Right in the beginning of the movie, we see several soldiers guarding the facility having a discussion about changes in the day’s security codes and speculation on why they may have been changed. Immediately that struck me as something new for id - dialogue! Zooming in on the faces as they speak, we see immediately the level of detail id has put into the character models. Faces seem to be made from tons of bones and "muscles" - as they emote, different parts of the face, the cheek, brow, mouth, and more twitch and move in patches just as you would see in real life. Imperfections in the skin, scars, and hairs are apparent on faces, to about the same level of detail or better than we saw in the Diablo II CG cutscenes, but in Doom III, this was a scene using the in-game engine!"


Aliens vs. Predator 2: Primal Hunt E3 Impressions ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 7:54 AM MDT Saturday, May 25, 2002 [Comment on news]
GameSpot has posted an Aliens Vs. Predator 2: Primal Hunt E3 Impressions. Here's a nibblet:

    "In terms of gameplay length, Primal Hunt will be about half the size of the original Aliens vs. Predator 2--that game had 21 single-player missions, whereas the add-on will have nine. You'll start the game off as a human, move on to play three missions as the predator, then round the game out with a trio of alien-specific levels. The human character is no longer a colonial marine. Instead, you'll play as a corporate mercenary who's out to capture a live alien specimen. While most of the merc's abilities mirror those of the marine's, there are a few key differences between the two. Specifically, the corporate mercenary has a motion tracker that detects movement a full 360 degrees--that's twice the area of the marine's 180-degree tracker. There is a drawback to this new feature, however; its range is limited to 15 meters instead of the previous game's 30. Monolith representatives called this a fair tradeoff, and it seems like a logical assessment to us. The mercenary can also pick up sentry guns and place them nearly anywhere in any given level."


Unreal 2....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 7:49 AM MDT Saturday, May 25, 2002 [Comment on news]
PC.ign has posted a write up of Unreal 2. Here's a snip:

    "Critics and gamers alike are already ready to deem Unreal II a graphical marvel, just from looking at screen shots. I am happy to report that the game looks just as spectacular while in motion as it does on paper. The brunt of this graphical prowess comes from the luscious environments and great texture detail. The screenshots clearly illustrate this appeal, however they fail to illustrate the games excellent particle system. Epic Games has applied the same effects used for such animations as missile smoke trails to the game's atmospheric ambience. This means that the exotic alien worlds you visit throughout the course of your journey come to life with all sorts of shiny, sparkly, fun lovin' effects. For instance, while in the aforementioned creature's belly, you'll encounter glimmering parasites wandering about. It may sound nasty, but the overall effect is stunning."


Splinter Cell Trailer ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 7:46 AM MDT Saturday, May 25, 2002 [Comment on news]
UbiSoft has released a trailer for yet another Tom Clancy inspired shooter, Splinter Cell. This one's done a bit different, it's 3D FPS but with graphics done in a cartoonish style.


Thursday, May 23, 2002

Tech News....
Posted by [luckee] @ 9:39 AM MDT Thursday, May 23, 2002 [Comment on news]
Today’s Tech reviews


Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix Q&A #4....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:18 AM MDT Thursday, May 23, 2002 [Comment on news]
Action Vault has posted a Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix Q&A #4, where they pose one question to the entire team. This time the focus is on what they are most proud of. Check it out!


Max Payne 2....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:15 AM MDT Thursday, May 23, 2002 [Comment on news]
Here's a press release announcing Max Payne 2...

    Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO) announced today that Rockstar Games, in conjunction with Remedy Entertainment, has begun development of Max Payne 2, a sequel to the blockbuster hit Max Payne. Max Payne 2 is expected to ship in calendar 2003.

    Originally developed for the PC by Remedy Entertainment and produced by 3D Realms, Max Payne debuted as an award winning and top selling PC game in July 2001. PlayStation®2 and Xbox™ versions of the game were shipped in December 2001, and both achieved immediate critical and commercial success. Global shipments of the Max Payne franchise have exceeded 2.75 million units to date.

    Take-Two also announced that it has acquired ownership of the Max Payne brand and all intellectual property rights associated with the brand, including trademarks, copyrights, characters, perpetual license to utilize proprietary technologies, including the Max Payne game engine and associated "Bullet Time(TM)" technology, and rights to license fees from ancillary Max Payne brand extensions such as cinema, television and literary productions.

    Take-Two purchased the Max Payne property from Remedy Entertainment and Apogee Software in exchange for million in cash and 969,932 shares of restricted common stock, in addition to certain future development incentives.

    Kelly Sumner, Chief Executive Officer said, "A critical component of Take-Two's corporate strategy is to control the intellectual property rights to our key brands and as a result, build the most value for our company. Max Payne has been one of our most successful product franchises to date. The ownership of this top-selling brand allows us to broadly capitalize on the continued strength of the product on multiple platforms, and extend the brand with exciting sequels as well as providing opportunities for extending the brand to other forms of entertainment."

    Scott Miller, Chief Executive Officer of 3D Realms commented, "This is a precedent-setting deal for Take-Two, Remedy and 3D Realms - the first time in our industry a highly successful IP alone has changed ownership hands. This deal validates our strategy for developing strong character-based games. Take-Two benefits tremendously by having full control of the Max Payne brand going forward and being able to properly leverage it to its full potential."


Wednesday, May 22, 2002

Delta Force – Black Hawk Down ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 11:49 AM MDT Wednesday, May 22, 2002 [Comment on news]
Novalogic has announced their next game in their long running Delta Force series. Delta Force – Black Hawk Down is set during the 1993 incident with US military forces in and around Mogadishu that was popularized in the 2001 movie of the same name. The game's PC version is slated for release later this year. Here is a snip from the press release:

    "Set in Somalia in 1993, Delta Force – Black Hawk Down is based upon and around the Operation Restore Hope and Task Force Ranger campaigns and follows members of the elite Delta Force and US Army Rangers as they participate in a number of daring raids against the oppressive Somali warlords in and around Mogadishu.

    Developed using an enhanced version of NovaLogic’s cutting edge graphics engine, Delta Force – Black Hawk Down combines stunning visuals and a gripping, hard hitting storyline with the gritty and realistic combat elements that have made Delta Force one of the world’s most popular Tactical-First-Person-Combat franchises."


Conflict: Desert Storm....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 11:44 AM MDT Wednesday, May 22, 2002 [Comment on news]
Take 2 Interactive has announced a new tactial, squad-based action game, Conflict: Desert Storm, and have slated it for a fall 2002 release. Here's a bit on what it's about:

    "Based on the 1991 Gulf War, Conflict: Desert Storm is a squad-based action game, where the player takes control of an elite Special Forces SAS or Delta Force Unit, ordered behind enemy lines to infiltrate enemy territory and neutralize key targets. Cameron Spence, an ex-member of 22 Special Air Service (SAS) is advising SCi on the logistics and realism of the game."


More on America's Army....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 11:35 AM MDT Wednesday, May 22, 2002 [Comment on news]
The U.S. Army Introduces "America's Army" PC Game is the press release with additional information on plans for the U.S. Army to create "an innovative, realistic computer game providing civilians with an inside perspective and a virtual role in today's premier land force, the U.S. Army." The game is not described specifically as a recruiting tool, buy it is noted that this new project will be distributed for free when it's completed via the Internet, gaming publications, and Army recruiting centers.


Tim Sweeney Q&A....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 11:31 AM MDT Wednesday, May 22, 2002 [Comment on news]
4Unrealers has posted a Tim Sweeney Q&A, where they talk with Epic Games' lead programmer about progress on Unreal Tournament 2003. Topics include the clarification that there's no set release date for a UT2003 demo, system requirements, frame rate caps, vehicles, the inclusion of tools to create cinematics, the possible return of familiar maps, and more.


DOOM III Screenshots ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 11:29 AM MDT Wednesday, May 22, 2002 [Comment on news]
Sneak peaks at upcoming games and the pop-up gallery in the upper righthand corner of the Special Report: E3 on CNNmoney, offers the first four officially released screenshots of DOOM III. (Spotted on Blue's)


XIII Interview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 11:24 AM MDT Wednesday, May 22, 2002 [Comment on news]
HomeLAN has posted an interview with the producer of XIII, Julien Bares. Here's a nibblet:

    HomeLAN - For readers who are not familiar with the XIII comic, what can you tell us about it?

    Julien Bares - XIII features a conspiracy ridden story which includes themes of amnesia, in which players must uncover sinister plots against themselves, the U.S. government, and even the president himself. Players begin as XIII, waking up on a beach located on the East Cost of the United States. He has been shot in the head, rendering him with amnesia. The only clues to his identity are the number XIII, in roman numerals, tattooed on his shoulder, and a key to a New York bank safe deposit box. XIII must uncover not only his identity, but he must also prevent a mysterious group from destroying the US government.

    HomeLAN - How did the idea come about to turn XIII into a game?

    Julien Bares - The comics are very popular because of its rich story and characters ( XIII, Jones, Amos, Carrington...), therefore it was quite natural to think XIII could make a solid game. The action phases in the comics had us think it could make a good game as well.


NOLF2 Interview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 11:21 AM MDT Wednesday, May 22, 2002 [Comment on news]
As part of GameSpot's E3 coverage, they have posted an interview with development team members from No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way. Here's a snip:

    GameSpot: There was definitely the hint of more things to come at the end of NOLF. What's the catalyst for Cate Archer's new adventures? What role does H.A.R.M. play in the sequel?

    Craig Hubbard, Lead Game Designer: The catalyst is an envoy from the US government, which has learned of a Soviet project that threatens to bring about World War III and wants UNITY's help to prevent a global catastrophe. Think of the Cuban Missile Crisis filtered through '60s movies like Our Man Flint and Danger: Diabolik. Meanwhile, H.A.R.M. wants revenge, so they're bringing in top assassins to eliminate Cate.


Doom III Preview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 11:18 AM MDT Wednesday, May 22, 2002 [Comment on news]
GameSpy has posted a first look at Doom III. Here's a their intro to get you started:

    "The year: 2145. The place: Mars.

    We're currently zooming over the Martian landscape, passing over a massive installation of the Union Aerospace Corporation. Inside, a number of guards are chatting as a scientist passes by and sneaks into a nearby room.

    Now sitting at a computer terminal, the camera pulls in close to the scientist. He's nervous, obviously up to something he shouldn't be. His face is lit up by the glow of the computer screen, flickering in unison with the display of information on the monitor.

    After a few moments, explosions rock the facility, causing machinery to crash to the floor and sending boxes falling off shelves. We can see some sort of red portal, with a number of ghostly skulls flying out of it. They rip through the installation's personnel, changing them into something …not quite human.

    Elsewhere in the facility, you duck into a corner when a huge shadow suddenly envelopes the area. The creature attached to it is at least a few feet taller than you, and it's hard not to feel overwhelmed as it slowly lumbers by. You smartly choose not to fire your pistol as the creature passes, oblivious to your presence … for now.

    This is DOOM III, and it's going to scare you to hell."


PlanetSlugo Vol. 13....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 11:15 AM MDT Wednesday, May 22, 2002 [Comment on news]
3DAction Planet has posted PlanetSlugo Vol. 13. This week's edition is being written from E3 and they are taking a look at some of the games on show. Check it out!


Tuesday, May 21, 2002

Updated CPL Rankings....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:02 AM MDT Tuesday, May 21, 2002 [Comment on news]
CSports.net has posted the Official Cyberathlete Professional League Rankings which was updated after the CPL Europe Cologne 2002 event last weekend. You can check the full rankings out here.


UT2003 Gameplay Videos....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:32 AM MDT Tuesday, May 21, 2002 [Comment on news]
Gamespot has posted nine new gameplay videos of Unreal Tournament 2003, Digital Extremes & Epic Games' soon to be released first person shooter. You can check them out here.


America's Army....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:29 AM MDT Tuesday, May 21, 2002 [Comment on news]
Blue's News is reporting the USArmy has licensed the Unreal engine technology to power something they are calling "America's Army". Hopefully we'll hear more about this at E3.


Mobile Forces Q&A....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:22 AM MDT Tuesday, May 21, 2002 [Comment on news]
Game Faction has posted a Mobile Forces Q&A with Daniel Leyden of Rage, where they talk about their Unreal engine powered vehicular fps.


Deadly Dozen: Pacific Theater Screenshots ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:17 AM MDT Tuesday, May 21, 2002 [Comment on news]
ToTheGame has posted seven screenshots of nFusion's team-based WWII FPS that is set in the Pacific, Deadly Dozen Pacific Theater.


Gore: Ultimate Soldier Interview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:13 AM MDT Tuesday, May 21, 2002 [Comment on news]
Action Vault has posted a Gore: Ultimate Soldier Interview, where they chat with 4DRulers' President Joel Huenink. Here's a snip:

    Action Vault: What kind of game is Gore, and what are its key features? With respect to the design concept, what are your overall goals?

    Joel Huenink: We like to think of Gore as "The thinking man's shooter". Gore has all the bread-and-butter features lovers of the genre have come to expect, plus a boatload of subtle little features that flesh out the game in fun ways. One of the more important ones is character classes.

    In Gore, you have the ability to play as various characters with different abilities, weapons, health, size, stamina and other attributes. Gore also has a stamina system built in where you tire and slow down from carrying the heavier and more powerful weapons. There are even some weapons that attack your stamina, which results in passing out for a few seconds, leaving your character defenceless. Other features are location damage on characters; nearly every weapon has a secondary-fire mode; and Gore has a wide range of environments. Our goal is to make a very fun, fast-paced addictive shooter where strategy means just as much as fast reflexes. (Both are optimal :)) I would classify Gore as a first-person shooter that can be played from various character perspectives, creating new challenges for the player as they learn how to handle various characters in the game.


E3 2002 at GameSpy.com....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:07 AM MDT Tuesday, May 21, 2002 [Comment on news]
GameSpy has posted an E3 2002 page where they promise to keep us informed of all that's happening at this year's E3. Check it out!


Monday, May 20, 2002

Devastation Unleashed at E3....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 1:15 PM MDT Monday, May 20, 2002 [Comment on news]
ShackNews has a press release announcing RUSH Entertainment, Groove Games and Digitalo will unleash Devastation at E3. Devastation uses the next-generation Unreal technology and real-world physics to power this post-apocalyptic, team-based first-person shooter.


NOLF2 Official Name....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 1:09 PM MDT Monday, May 20, 2002 [Comment on news]
Vivendi has issued an E3 press release revealing the complete name for Monolith's NOLF2 will be No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way. Check it out!


Enter The Matrix....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 1:05 PM MDT Monday, May 20, 2002 [Comment on news]
Infogrames sent out a press release announcing that the upcoming games based on The Matrix films will be made for all next-generation consoles as well as the PC. The game is being developed by Shiny, and will be called Enter The Matrix.


New Ćon's Stats....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:16 AM MDT Monday, May 20, 2002 [Comment on news]
A new version 5.3 of Ćon's Stats is now available. The new version adds support for Jedi Knight II and Return to Castle Wolfenstein, and is available for Win32, Linux, and Mac OS.


Purge Q&A....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:13 AM MDT Monday, May 20, 2002 [Comment on news]
ActionTrip has posted a Purge Q&A with Richard "Hap" Cheung of Freeform Interactive LLC, where they chat about the progress on Purge. Topics include an introduction to the game, what RPG elements will be offered, weapons, attribute enhancing items, the game's projected release date, and more.


Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza Review....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:05 AM MDT Monday, May 20, 2002 [Comment on news]
3DAction Planet has posted a review of Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza. Here's their intro to get you started:

    "It's the perfect idea for a game -- terrorists have taken over a skycraper, and you, John McClane, are the only person who can stop them. Does the game live up to its potential?"


Sunday, May 19, 2002

Chaser Screenshots....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 12:25 PM MDT Sunday, May 19, 2002 [Comment on news]
ToTheGame has posted four new Chaser screenshots, showing a few more scenes from this upcoming sci-fi FPS.


Wanted Dead Or Alive Q&A....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 12:12 PM MDT Sunday, May 19, 2002 [Comment on news]
HomeLan has posted a Q&A with John Williamson of Zombie Studios about Wanted: Dead or Alive, their upcoming LithTech-engine western shooter game. Topics include the game's inspirations, the storyline, settings, characters, weapons, horses, multiplayer support, and more.


Operation Flashpoint: Resistance Preview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 12:08 PM MDT Sunday, May 19, 2002 [Comment on news]
Computer and Video Games has posted an Operation Flashpoint: Resistance preview. Here's a taste:

    "Smith admits that Codemasters and Bohemia are "really, really excited" about the impact these subtle gameplay changes are going to have on the single-player game, but as veteran Flashers know, that's only half the fun.

    "Bohemia is completely rewriting the netcode to function even more effectively over the Internet," says Smith when asked about the multiplayer side of the game. "They're also adding a few important new features - but we can't confirm them right now, as they're still unproven." However PC ZONE understands one such feature to be an in-game server browser, finally eliminating all those wasted hours negotiating Gamespy adverts and getting kicked out of sessions because they started two seconds before All-Seeing Eye managed to load up the game.

    Budding mission makers aren't being ignored either. Although my own lofty plans in this particular area didn't exactly bear much fruit, Bohemia is promising to include some "powerful new scripts" according to Smith which should make life a little easier for all of us. Both publisher and developer have been overwhelmed by the way the editing community grew up around Flashpoint and although nothing concrete is planned at the time of writing, Smith does hint at continued support for the creatives out there, sitting at home inventing wars in their underwear (so to speak). At least there's the new island, weapons and civilian vehicles to mess about with while the pros decide what to do for you next."


Deadly Dozen: Pacific Theater....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 12:03 PM MDT Sunday, May 19, 2002 [Comment on news]
Infogrames has posted a product page for the upcoming FPS Deadly Dozen: Pacific Theater that's currently in development at nFusion. Here is a brief list of game features:

    - Develop your own strategies to achieve mission objectives
    - Movie-like action and immersive environments
    - Encompasses the entire Pacific campaign from The Philippines to Okinawa
    - Historically accurate weapons and uniforms
    - Drivable WWII era vehicles
    - Import maps from original Deadly Dozen for multiplayer gaming
    - Deathmatch and cooperative multiplayer


Saturday, May 18, 2002

Hardware Stuff ....
Posted by [luckee] @ 2:00 PM MDT Saturday, May 18, 2002 [Comment on news]
Today’s Tech reviews


New Firearms Version Released!....
Posted by [luckee] @ 1:58 PM MDT Saturday, May 18, 2002 [Comment on news]
The wait is over! Finally the long awaited update of the half-life mod has been released today. Here’s a snip:


    It's been over year since the last version of Firearms was released to the public, and over two years since the first version was released. Over those two years Firearms has gone through good times and bad times. I consider this to be one of the good times. Possibly even the best. With Firearms 2.6, we believe we've made an incredibly enjoyable mod. A year is a long time for a mod to go without a release, and I don't blame people for thinking 2.6 was going to be another of the mods that's never released.

    Firearms is a totally different game now. We feel that the playing field has been levelled. No single weapon can dominate in all situations. Sniper rifles are only effective when you snipe. Machine guns are only effective in a support role. Rifles are most effective at long to medium ranges, and SMGs are most effective at close range, and with their very quick draw times, pistols make for great backup weapons, and not just something to use up the few credits you have left over after choosing your loadout.

    With the additions of the new weapons, we have even more variety. With changes such as the default maximum speed being reduced to 250, the addition of much more realistic recoil, and far bigger penalties for firing while running or jumping, you're going to see Firearms slow down and become more tactical, and definitely much less like a deathmatch game. As well as the changes to the underlying structure of the game, we have an almost completely reworked set of models and sounds. Everything looks and sounds different to how it was in 2.5, and in every single case, the changes are for the better. With the new particle systems we have much explosions that look far better, and bullet impacts result in showers of debris that make the weapons feel much more powerful, as well as adding a certain atmospheric quality that I've always felt has been lacking.

    We have several new maps, that not only look great, but play brilliantly too. As well as that, several of the older maps have been reworked. Some have had complete face lifts, keeping the existing base of a popular map, and turning it into something that looks much nicer, and plays even better. With the new VGUI menu layouts, things are not only quicker to choose, but a lot easier. If you choose the wrong weapon, you're not stuck with it until you die, you can simply deselect it and choose a different one. There are now eight customisable slots for your own pre-configured classes, instead of just the one.
You can read the rest and download version 2.6 here.


[Mornin' Mocha]....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:44 AM MDT Saturday, May 18, 2002 [Comment on news]
Happy Saturday everyone! It's a beautiful day out and I'm loving it... summer is just around the corner and I can't wait. Ask anyone who knows me and they'll tell you that I love summer! :)

Anyway, did you get a chance to take a gander at the exclusive Mobile Forces screenshots I posted yesterday? They're from the recently completed gold version and show off 5 environments, each in a different gametype.

Enjoy your day, I'm going outside...


Unreal Tournament 2003 Q&A....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:35 AM MDT Saturday, May 18, 2002 [Comment on news]
BeyondUnreal has posted an interview with CliffyB from Epic Games, where they talk about Unreal Tournament 2003. Check it out!


Medal of Honor Patches....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:29 AM MDT Saturday, May 18, 2002 [Comment on news]
Electronic Arts has now updated the official Medal of Honor: Allied Assault site with new international version 1.11 patches. Available are the French, Spanish and Italian editions, along with an updated version of the previously released German edition. This version adds a handful of improvements, bug fixes and other changes.


Chrome E3 Promotional Material....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:22 AM MDT Saturday, May 18, 2002 [Comment on news]
Yesterday Action Vault posted some E3 promotional materials for Techland's tactical first-person shooter, Chrome. (Scroll down a bit, it's the last article on May 17.)

You can checkout the official Chrome website here.


Online Distribution: Are We Ready?....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:11 AM MDT Saturday, May 18, 2002 [Comment on news]
3DAction Planet has posted an editorial this morning that takes a look at gaming companies offering their products for download over the internet. Here's a snip:

    "At a basic level the Internet is all about content delivery. Whether it’s a web site or online game, you are required to download byte after byte of data that are transformed into some sort of meaningful format when they get to your computer. The question I asked myself recently is why are companies who sell products that can be represented in binary format not taking advantage of such an obvious delivery tool."


Friday, May 17, 2002

Threewave CTF version 1.5....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:27 AM MDT Friday, May 17, 2002 [Comment on news]
As promised earlier this week, the new Threewave CTF mod for Quake III, version 1.5 has been released and is available for download at the official web site. The new version has eight new maps, three new gameplay types and a number of other additions.


New World Order Q&A....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:25 AM MDT Friday, May 17, 2002 [Comment on news]
ATI.com has posted a Q&A with Jim Malmros of Termite Games, where they talk about their upcoming first person multiplayer shooter New World Order.


Navy Seals Released....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:19 AM MDT Friday, May 17, 2002 [Comment on news]
Navy Seals, developed by Jar Head and produced by ValuSoft, has been released! You can get more details here.


Sum of All Fears Demo....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:15 AM MDT Friday, May 17, 2002 [Comment on news]
There's a Sum of All Fears demo now available for download giving us the opportunity to try out this squad-based tactical shooter by Red Storm Entertainment. The demo is an 82.1 MB download, and is available at 3D Gamers, gamesweb and Tiscali Games.

The demo is set in a bombed out prison that serves as a training ground for the FBI's most elite agents. The mission objective will be to rescue ATF agents held within the grounds. Included in the demo are 5 weapons kits and all the mulitplayer modes within the prison level, though multiplayer is compatible only with other demo users.


Streaming Broadcast At GameSpot....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:09 AM MDT Friday, May 17, 2002 [Comment on news]
GameSpot is going to host a live broadcast May 22 starting at 5:00 p.m. MDT from the upcoming E3 trade show, and will showcase three titles. Here are some details:

    "They're three of the hottest games scheduled to debut at this year's E3--Doom III, Command & Conquer: Generals, and Star Wars Bounty Hunter. Next Wednesday, May 22, GameSpot will bring you an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at these highly anticipated titles with the broadcast of the E3 panel "Sneak Peeks: The Hottest Games as Presented by Their Lead Developers." This one-time-only streaming broadcast will air from 4:00pm-5:30pm PT (7:00pm-8:30pm ET) on GameSpot Live and feature demonstrations of each game, in addition to in-depth interviews with the developers. You must be registered as a GameSpot Complete member in order to view this special event."


Parhelia & UT2003 ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:04 AM MDT Friday, May 17, 2002 [Comment on news]
ActionTrip has posted the following about Parhelia & UT2003, and I thought you may also find it interesting:

    "Matrox Graphics Inc. will be demonstrating Parhelia™-512, the world’s first 512-bit GPU with amazing Surround Gaming technology, showcasing Epic®’s Unrealâ Tournament 2003 spread across three large screens in the Dome at the SubstanceTV Promised Lot across from the Los Angeles Convention Centre (LACC) at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3).

    Matrox Graphics Inc. is an official sponsor of the SubstanceTV Promised Lot this year and invites E3 attendees to come to the Dome and play their favorite titles in Surround Gaming mode for the most intense gaming experience ever. Matrox will also be co-sponsoring the “Soldier of Fortune 2 Duel in the Dome” LAN death match, along with Alienware®, SubstanceTV, GameSpy Industries and Best Buy Co., on the last day of E3 and the winner will be awarded a new graphics card based on Matrox’s Parhelia-512 technology."


Exclusive Mobile Forces Screenshots....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 6:44 AM MDT Friday, May 17, 2002 [Comment on news]
Rage sent over ten exclusive shots from the recently completed gold version, showing off 5 environments each in a different gametype. Mobile Forces is scheduled to be released later this month in Europe and later this year in the USA. You can check them out here.


Thursday, May 16, 2002

Ken Balthaser Interview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 5:35 PM MDT Thursday, May 16, 2002 [Comment on news]
XGR will air an interview with Ken Balthaser, the Producer for EA's Battlefield 1942 from Digital Illusions, tonight at 7:30 p.m. MDT. Here are some of the topics covered:

    * Ken's background in gaming
    * Different theaters of war
    * Details on all the vehicle types and classes
    * Character kits
    * The new Reactor 2 Engine
    * Much, much more


Millions of Online Players are AWOL....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 12:54 PM MDT Thursday, May 16, 2002 [Comment on news]
Computer Sports Network is reporting that after the latest Half Life upgrades, at least 1.5 million online players have not returned to the game.

You can catch the whole analysis here.


NOLF2 Q&A....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 12:12 PM MDT Thursday, May 16, 2002 [Comment on news]
Gamer's Click has posted a Q&A with members of the No One Lives Forever development team, where they talk about their upcoming LithTech engine powered fps sequel from Monolith and Sierra.


SS:TSE European Patch....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 12:02 PM MDT Thursday, May 16, 2002 [Comment on news]
Take2games.co.uk has available for download the European patch for Serious Sam: the Second Encounter. The 7.2 MB patch upgrades Croteam's shooter to version 1.07, adds a skeletal animation system, and has a bunch of bug fixes and other changes.


Eternal Arena Version 5.8....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 11:58 AM MDT Thursday, May 16, 2002 [Comment on news]
There's a new Eternal Arena mod for Quake III Arena available, version 5.8, that has a bunch of bugfixes, some new game modes and game types. Check it out!


Rainbow Six: Raven Shield Screenshots ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 11:54 AM MDT Thursday, May 16, 2002 [Comment on news]
Five new screenshots of Red Storm's tactical team based shooter, Rainbow Six: Raven Shield, have been posted at the official site.


Unreal Tournament 2003 Interview ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 11:52 AM MDT Thursday, May 16, 2002 [Comment on news]
BeyondUnreal has posted an interview with Juan Pancho 'XceptOne' Eekels, the Lead Designer on the Unreal Tournament 2003 project. Here's a snip:

    RaptoR: How would you describe the current state of Unreal Tournament 2003? What is currently being worked on, and what is completed?

    Pancho Eekels: The state of the game is progressing quickly towards release. What is left is to make sure the game gets finished, code and content wise by E3 and after that it is polish, polish and more polish. We want to make sure that this game will be the game you want this summer.

    RaptoR: UT2003 has been, according to Mark Rein, scheduled for a June 2002 release. Do you think you'll have the game ready by this date?

    Pancho Eekels: We have been working very hard to make this date, however, if we need more time to polish the game up we'll do just that.


Flashpoint: Resistance Interview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 11:47 AM MDT Thursday, May 16, 2002 [Comment on news]
Computer and Video Games has posted an Operation Flashpoint: Resistance interview where they chat with Codemasters game designer, Andrew Wafer. Resistance is an expansion to the original Operation Flashpoint that brings enhancements to gameplay and a new storyline.


Wednesday, May 15, 2002

New LithTech Jupiter Movie....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:01 AM MDT Wednesday, May 15, 2002 [Comment on news]
There's a new LithTech Jupiter movie that shows off some weather effects for the engine that will power No One Lives Forever 2 and others. You can grab it at Shacknews or Blue's News


Sum of All Fears Interview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:47 AM MDT Wednesday, May 15, 2002 [Comment on news]
Computer and Video Games has posted an interview with Deke Waters, the producer of Sum of All Fears. They discuss the game's plot, development, the engine, and gameplay. Check it out here.


AVP 2: Primal Hunt Interview ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:43 AM MDT Wednesday, May 15, 2002 [Comment on news]
HomeLAN has posted a AVP 2: Primal Hunt interview, where they talk with Fox Interactive’s Paul Pawlicki to find out more about their plans for the expansion, which servers as a "prequel" to the events in AVP 2. Here's a sample:

    HomeLAN - Why was the decision made to make the expansion pack a "prequel" to AVP 2?

    Paul Pawlicki - When making an expansion pack you have to tie into the original game in some way or else you would be creating a whole new game. Your choices are basically a prequel, a sequel, or a story that happens at the same time as the original from a different point of view. We explored all of these options. We went back through the original AVP2 script and took careful notes of all people, places and events that were ever mentioned in the game. There was the destruction of Pod 5, the investigation of the Zeta site, a memo about the accidental death of Dr. Adam Post, all of which we decided we could build on and make an interesting story leading up to the events in AVP2.


Kenn Hoekstra Interview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:37 AM MDT Wednesday, May 15, 2002 [Comment on news]
SoF Center has posted an interview with Kenn Hoekstra. Here's a nibblet:

    "SOFC: We're sure it's been a long road, so are there any memorable events in the development of Soldier of Fortune 2?

    KH: It's all been a blur. A lot of people pulled together and worked very hard to finish Soldier 2 and make it the best game possible. I think the reaction to Soldier 2 at E3 was very encouraging and memorable. The reaction to the multiplayer test was also a critical boost to morale that allowed us to drive the game to the finish. In the end, it's all about making gamers happy. Any sign that you're doing that makes it all worth it."


Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix Q&A #3....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:31 AM MDT Wednesday, May 15, 2002 [Comment on news]
Action Vault has posted their Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix Q&A #3 where they chat with eight developers from the Raven team, with this edition's topic: what sets their newly-gold game apart. Check it out!


UT2003 Delayed....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:28 AM MDT Wednesday, May 15, 2002 [Comment on news]
WorthPlaying is reporting that Unreal Tournament 2003 will be delayed. Here's a snip:

    "Infogrames has today announced that the Atari-branded Unreal Tournament 2003 will now be released on PC-CD ROM across Europe in July 2002. The successful release of Unreal Tournament 2003 is extremely important to Infogrames. The decision has therefore been made that Unreal Tournament 2003 will be released in July 2002 so that the title is of the highest standard when released. Infogrames, EPIC and Digital Extremes are fully aware of the anticipation for this product from the huge Unreal fan base and want to produce something that will blow fans and newcomers away. The Unreal brand is an enormous license and all relevant teams want to adhere to the quality that has been achieved in the past."


PlanetSluggo Volume 12....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:25 AM MDT Wednesday, May 15, 2002 [Comment on news]
3DAction Planet has posted PlanetSluggo Volume 12. Here's their intro to get you started:

    "Before it was released, Global Operations seemed like it had everything in place to be a big hit. But six weeks after hitting shelves, the game has yet to take off. So what happened?"


Monday, May 13, 2002

Hitman 2 Q&A ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:03 AM MDT Monday, May 13, 2002 [Comment on news]
Kicking off their launch, Hitman.de has posted a new Q&A with Peter Fleckenstein of Io Interactive as he talks about Hitman 2, their sequel to last year's third person action title.


Tactical Ops: Assault on Terror Review....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:58 AM MDT Monday, May 13, 2002 [Comment on news]
Gameguru has posted a short review of Tactical Ops: Assault on Terror. They have also included a bundle of screenshots.


Mobile Forces Screenshots ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:54 AM MDT Monday, May 13, 2002 [Comment on news]
EuroGamer has posted another five new Mobile Forces screenshots showing off the just-completed vehicular fps by Rage Software and Real Time Worlds.


Gore Preview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:51 AM MDT Monday, May 13, 2002 [Comment on news]
HomeLan has posted a Gore preview, where they take a look at the single-player component of 4D Rulers' upcoming first-person shooter. They describe the departure from the simulated deathmatch of other multiplayer-focused shooters like Q3A and UT, the wide variety of settings that will be on tap, the storyline, the fast pace of gameplay, the game's engine, the weapons, plans to distribute an SDK following the game's release, and more. Included are four new screenshots.


Sunday, May 12, 2002

[Mornin' Mocha]....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:15 AM MDT Sunday, May 12, 2002 [Comment on news]
Just wanted to wish my Mom and all the other Moms out there a Happy Mother's Day. I hope everyone who lives near their Mom will take the time to visit and express their love... Enjoy the day!


Threewave CTF Ver. 1.5 ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:06 AM MDT Sunday, May 12, 2002 [Comment on news]
Threewave CTF version 1.5 will be released this coming Thursday. Here's the scoop:

    "It's coming soon to a server near you. Threewave Capture the Flag version 1.5 for Quake 3 will be released Thursday May 16th at 4:00 PM PST. Pop by #threewave on irc.enterthegame.com beforehand for chat and release mirrors. Packed with the best CTF yet and 8 new maps, Threewave CTF version 1.5 is guaranteed to give you back that tingle in your special place. Sharpen up your grapple, and spend some quality time with your family while you still can, because CTF lub is on it's way."


Tactical Ops: Assault on Terror Review ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:58 AM MDT Sunday, May 12, 2002 [Comment on news]
ActionTrip has posted a Tactical Ops: Assault on Terror review. Tactical Ops features gameplay based around the terrorist vs. counter-terrorist theme, and has 27 different weapons. Here's a snip:

    "If you didn't manage to find enough friends to play with, the bots can provide with a satisfying challenge. Yet, sometimes even if you maximize the performance of their AI, they still might lag behind, get stuck in corners, and often die in a pretty stupid way. To give you an example of the AI, I'll have to explain a few awkward situations that occurred while we were playing. One time I was well hidden in a shadow in the roof, ready to snipe any oncoming enemies. As soon as a bot laid eyes on me, he took me out before I could blink. In a different situation, when I played the game alone with friendly and unfriendly bots, one of them just stood there in the open and waited for me to get near him and blow his brains out. In short, do not expect to have much of a blast while you playing alone with AI-controlled players."


Saturday, May 11, 2002

Breed Q&A....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:33 AM MDT Saturday, May 11, 2002 [Comment on news]
CDV's official Breed message board has posted a Breed Q&A with CDV's Community Manager answering reader submitted questions about Brat Design's upcoming sci-fi FPS action game, Breed. (Spotted on Blue's)


IGI2 Developer Diary #5....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:28 AM MDT Saturday, May 11, 2002 [Comment on news]
GameSpy.com has posted the fifth IGI2 Developer Diary where Richard Blenkinsop gives us a quick lesson on the importance of creating game balance. Here's a taste:

    "Balancing is a major challenge in a game of this type, if it is too easy then the playing time is reduced and the gamer feels cheated; too difficult and the gamer gets frustrated and gives up playing with a bitter taste. An issue with IGI 2 is to balance the stealth side of the game with the action. Our design has always enabled the player to play the game using stealth tactics. This ranges from sneaking past cameras to sneaking up behind a guard and slipping a blade into the back of his neck. It is an integral part of the game and requires so many variables to be considered. We know it cannot be all stealth, so some carefully planned missions have been included to add action."


Computer Games: How Dangerous Are They?....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:21 AM MDT Saturday, May 11, 2002 [Comment on news]
Action Trip has posted an article this morning called Computer Games: How Dangerous Are They, where they try and address this question. Here's a snip:

    "One of the most common medical problems connected typically to playing video games is crooked posture, which appears as a result of the irregular sitting position in front of a monitor or TV screen. There is a huge percent of children in Junior High and High Schools who have a crooked posture, and practically all of them frequently play video-games. Children also frequently complain about the pain in their hands, induced by hours of playing video-games each day. Constant repetition of same moves can in time induce damage to joints, and skin irritation. A boy recently ended up in hospital thanks to the fact that he used his force-feedback controller seven hours a day, which severely damaged his wrists, knuckles and hand nerves. Some games also used to provoke epilepsy. Apart from this, one of the possible problems that can arise due to intensive staring into the screen is sight deterioration. Hours of watching the monitor (mainly in darkened rooms) which displays rapidly changing pictures can impair sight, and if the player already had a weakened sight, it can only make the situation worse. This mainly goes for games which take place in dark surroundings (which is most games for that matter). All these problems only appear after intense playing; meaning that reasonable playing with breaks cannot be harmful. In the last ten years, the number of hours a child spends playing video games per week increased from 2.8 to 4.3. Many children spend far more time trapped in virtual worlds than ever before."


Mobile Forces Goes Gold!....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:50 AM MDT Saturday, May 11, 2002 [Comment on news]
Hot on the heels of yesterday's updated demo release, Rage has announced Mobile Forces has gone gold and will be heading to production shortly. Mobile Forces is expected in stores in the UK and Europe on the May 31, 2002 with a RRP of Ł24.99. Mobile Forces is being published in the US by Rage's partners Majesco - a US street date and pricing is still pending.

Mobile Forces has been developed for Rage by Scottish developers Realtime Worlds and delivers explosive vehicle combat combined with traditional FPS action.

You can catch the entire announcement here.


Friday, May 10, 2002

The Sum Of All Fears Game For PC Goes Gold ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 5:17 PM MDT Friday, May 10, 2002 [Comment on news]
Ubi Soft has a press release announcing that The Sum Of All Fears, the latest installment in Red Storm Entertainemnt's series of Tom Clancy games, has gone gold. Word on the game's availablity is that it "will be available at U.S. retail stores in conjunction with the movie release on May 31." Here's a feature list:

    - Streamlined interface and planning stage allowing players to jump right into the action
    - Selectable weapons kits featuring 15 different playable weapons in single player and 28 in multiplayer
    - 11 single player missions
    - 6 multiplayer maps, including the Red Storm offices
    - Selectable auto-targeting, auto-reloading, always on heart beat sensor and threat indicator
    - Default plans loaded from headquarters
    - Mini-map to guide you through the missions
    - Full set of training missions to hone your skills
    - Selectable difficulty for all levels from beginners to the most advanced players
    - Advanced AI where enemies and team members react realistically to their environment
(Spotted on Blue's)


DoD Beta 2.1 ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:56 AM MDT Friday, May 10, 2002 [Comment on news]
Dayofdefeatmod.com is reporting they will release the Day of Defeat beta version 2.1 this morning. Here's the scoop from a post made yesterday:

    "That's right..... we are releasing tomorrow. We have lined up 20 or so great mirrors so you shouldn?t have any problem getting the files, which will go live at 10AM Pacific (GMT -08:00) tomorrow morning. So gear up, do some finger exercises and get ready for the next installment of Day of Defeat!"


Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Oucast Demo ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:52 AM MDT Friday, May 10, 2002 [Comment on news]
Raven Software has now released the playable demo of Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Oucast. The 66.5 MB demo allows you to try out one new single-player level that isn't available in the retail game, and it includes an intro movie, five different weapons, the lightsaber and several Force powers. You can grab the file at Gigex, Fragland, 3D Gamers and CCGR.


IGI 2: Covert Strike Preview ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:48 AM MDT Friday, May 10, 2002 [Comment on news]
GameOver has posted a preview of IGI 2: Covert Strike where they take a look at the upcoming follow-up to Project IGI in the works at Innerloop Studios. The article describes the sequel's focus on stealth, background on the story and David Llewelyn Jones, the locations the globetrotting game will offer, the improved enemy AI, and more. They have also included a bunch of new screenshots.


Aliens vs. Predator 2: Primal Hunt Interview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:45 AM MDT Friday, May 10, 2002 [Comment on news]
Action Trip posted an Aliens vs. Predator 2: Primal Hunt Interview the other day with Paul Pawlicki, Assistant Producer at Fox Interactive. Here's a snip:

    Action Trip: I hear there are going to be some new weapons in the expansion. Give us more details on that. Secondary fire options, their power, etc.

    Paul Pawlicki: There are a few new weapons in the Primal Hunt expansion pack. Our Corporate mercenary has dual pistols and a 360-degree motion tracker. We have also added deployable sentry guns. They are limited in single player but they can be found in the multiplayer maps too. Set one of these bad boys up and can rest a little easier while you aim for the bad guys. Well, at lest for a little while. The sentry guns tend to overheat and run out of ammo but they're a great defense while they last.

    No longer are the Humans the only race with a rapid-fire weapon. The Predator has a new toy as well. It's called an Energy Flechette and as the name implies it is an energy based weapon. The Energy Flechette can be used to lay down a suppressing fire that works very well when retreating from swarming Aliens. Not that a Predator would ever need to retreat.


Updated Mobile Forces Demo....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:27 AM MDT Friday, May 10, 2002 [Comment on news]
The new Mobile Forces demo that was delayed earlier this week is now available for download.

Currently the 75mb file is available at 3DGamers with more mirrors to follow, including FilePlanet. We'll post the others as soon as we know them.


Thursday, May 9, 2002

The Steve Polge Interview on XGR ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 6:44 PM MDT Thursday, May 9, 2002 [Comment on news]
XGR will be airing an interview with Steve Polge tonight at 7:30 p.m. MDT. Steve works at Epic and is doing the AI for Unreal Tournament 2003. They talk about what is keeping UT so fresh, what some of the improvements in the AI are, why Unreal Technology is so popular right now, and much more. Stop by the XGR Chat during the interview to talk about game.


Team Factor Preview ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 3:45 PM MDT Thursday, May 9, 2002 [Comment on news]
GameSpot UK has posted a Team Factor preview where they take a look at the team-oriented first-person shooter in the works at 7Fx. They discuss the game's concept, the variety offered in the 12 missions, single-player gameplay, controls and the interface, weapons, and more. The article also includes a bunch of screenshots.


Mobile Forces Demo Info....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 3:40 PM MDT Thursday, May 9, 2002 [Comment on news]
Here's the latest from Rage on the delayed updated Mobile Forces demo:

    "Hiya,

    Just thought I'd let you know that I've just had confirmation from our QA that the demo is okay to release.

    I'm working on re-organising the hosting now, so expect an update early Friday 10th May on download locations / times.

    Again, apologies for the delay getting the demo out to you... hope ya enjoy.

    Cheers
    XEON"


UT 2003 Demo....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 11:05 AM MDT Thursday, May 9, 2002 [Comment on news]
German magazine 'PC Games' reports that Infogrames Germany has confirmed the rumors that a UT 2003 demo has been set for release Friday, May 24! (Spotted on Worthplaying)


Soldier of Fortune II Q&A....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 11:02 AM MDT Thursday, May 9, 2002 [Comment on news]
ShackNews has posted an interview with Raven programmer Rick Johnson as he answers a few questions related to the multiplayer options of Soldier of Fortune 2. Here's a snip:

    Shack: Can the random mission generator create Infiltration maps, or is the resulting level too open and non-strategic?

    Rick: The RMG does generate different style of maps for Infiltration vs CTF. CTF is always mirrored to make sure one team doesn’t have an advantage over the other. Infiltration generates maps which are not mirrored, so they offer a different set of challenges.

    Shack: Say the random mission generator creates a really cool level. How can we play the same level again?

    Rick: Basically, the RMG has 4 random parts to it: the level size, terrain type, time of day, and seed. As long as you used all 4 of those same values again, you'll get the same map. When you tell the server to create a random seed, it will attempt to create a seed that sounds "word-ish" - i.e. it isn't just a bunch of random characters, but instead, it tries to create something that may sound like a word. This makes it easier for you to remember / write down.


Conflict: Desert Storm Developer Diary....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:58 AM MDT Thursday, May 9, 2002 [Comment on news]
Erol Kentli, Lead Artist, has posted his comments on recent developments on Conflict: Desert Storm in their Developer Diary.

    "The good news is that Conflict: Desert Storm is almost finished and all the long sleepless nights and enforced diet of take away food was worth it. Conflict: Desert Storm is absolutely blinding; it looks and plays better than any of us dared hope. Although this was achieved at terrible cost, most of us will never be able to face another pizza or Chinese meal again..."


Battlefield 1942....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:55 AM MDT Thursday, May 9, 2002 [Comment on news]
Electronic Arts has launched the official site of its World War II battlefield simulation, Battlefield 1942. Content is still minimal, but there are a handful of screenshots and this summary:

    In Battlefield 1942, you will experience the heat of battle as you heroically storm the beaches of Normandy, drive a tank across the deserts of northern Africa, pilot a fighter plane during the Battle of Midway, command a battleship at Guadalcanal, or parachute and commandeer a jeep in operation Market Garden. It is the only first person, team-based action game that places you in the midst of a raging WWII battlefield with 35 "machines of war" under your control. You’ll pick up the sidearm of your choice and get behind the wheel of a variety of vehicles, ships, and aircraft to go to war on land, sea, and air during some of the most famous and pivotal battles of the Second World War.


IBM, Startup Launch Massive 'Grid' for Online Gaming ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:52 AM MDT Thursday, May 9, 2002 [Comment on news]
Butterfly.net Inc. and computing giant IBM have created a global network for online video games capable of supporting a million players or more that will be rented to major game publishers.

    The "Butterfly Grid" will also be one of the first major commercial applications for IBM's concept of "grid computing," in which far-flung computers are linked using open-source software to create powerful computing networks, IBM said.

    The Internet already exists as a platform for interactive games, but the costs of developing for the Web are high and games can be interrupted by glitches in Internet traffic.
You can catch the whole article here.


Wednesday, May 8, 2002

Purge Screenshots....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:47 AM MDT Wednesday, May 8, 2002 [Comment on news]
The Mushroom has posted some new screenshots from Purge, an upcoming FPS/RPG hybrid from Freeform Interactive. Check it out!


Germany Proposes Gaming Blacklist....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:44 AM MDT Wednesday, May 8, 2002 [Comment on news]
This Reuters article on Yahoo reports that the German government is proposing a video gaming "blacklist" which would allow the government to ban games on the list from distribution. They are also proposing a classification system for games according to age. These new proposals are being made in the wake of the recent school shooting in Germany where 16 people died at the hands of a 19 year old former student who reportedly played violent games.


Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza Ships / Review....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:36 AM MDT Wednesday, May 8, 2002 [Comment on news]
Sierra has announced that Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza has shipped to stores. You can catch a review of it at ActionTrip.


PlanetSluggo - Vol. 11....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:32 AM MDT Wednesday, May 8, 2002 [Comment on news]
3DAction Planet continues their Wednesday tradition with PlanetSluggo.

    "You see it more and more these days -- people using the anonymity of the Internet as a license to ruin online games. Who are these people, and what can be done about it? We offer a few possible answers in this week's installment of PlanetSluggo."


XGR's First-hand Impressions of UT2003....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:28 AM MDT Wednesday, May 8, 2002 [Comment on news]
XGR.com has posted their first-hand impressions of UT2003 after spending the weekend beta testing it at the Digital Extremes offices in London, Ontario, Canada. Included in the article are impressions on the graphics, levels, gameplay modes, AI, and much more including quotes from Mark Rein from Epic Games and others. The article is accompanied by some photos of the event.




New Mobile Forces Demo Delayed....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:17 AM MDT Wednesday, May 8, 2002 [Comment on news]
Well it looks like we're going to have to wait for the new Mobile Forces demo, just got word from Xeon at Rage that it's been delayed. Here's the note:

    "Yup, you read it right [:(]

    I'm afraid the updated Mobile Forces demo that was due to release later today has got to go back into QA for some further testing... this means that they demo is going to be delayed - hopefully only by a day - but I'll know more tomorrow.

    This is totally out of my hands, as soon as I get more information I'll let you all know.

    Cheers"


Tuesday, May 7, 2002

Chaser Development Update ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 4:09 PM MDT Tuesday, May 7, 2002 [Comment on news]
Gameplex has posted a new Chaser development update with a few notes on the progress of various features in this upcoming first person shooter from Cauldron. They have also included some new screenshots.


Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast Dedicated Servers v1.03....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 4:01 PM MDT Tuesday, May 7, 2002 [Comment on news]
Raven Software has released updated (v1.03) dedicated servers for Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. You can grab it from 3D Gamers.


Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix Q&A #2....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 3:57 PM MDT Tuesday, May 7, 2002 [Comment on news]
The Action Vault has posted a Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix Q&A #2, where they chat with 14 of Raven's team members about which weapons and items they have found more useful than they first expected. Check it out!


Mobile Forces Demo....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:58 AM MDT Tuesday, May 7, 2002 [Comment on news]
Rage Software sent word today officially announcing an updated demo for Mobile Forces. The 75mb download will be released at 11:00 MDT Wednesday, and will contain the same level and game mode as the previous demo. MF has been tweaked significantly and includes improved networking code, a dedicated server option, new particle effects, updated character models and skins, and lots more.


Ghost Recon Desert Siege Tournament....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:51 AM MDT Tuesday, May 7, 2002 [Comment on news]
Ubi Soft is sponsoring a 3 on 3 tournament for the Ghost Recon expansion pack, Desert Siege. The winning teams will receive prizes that include Hercules video cards, Audigy sound cards, and lots more, and the event will be hosted by ThePlatoon and CWN.


Unreal Tournament 2003 Preview ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:45 AM MDT Tuesday, May 7, 2002 [Comment on news]
HomeLan has posted and Unreal Tournament 2003 preview. Here's a snip:

    "An all new gameplay mode created for UT 2003 is called Bombing Run, which is more of a pro sports type of mode. Two teams try to capture a ball with the ball running team firing the ball in the enemy team’s Stargate-like ring in their base. Of course the enemy team tries to stop them from doing this as well as going after the ball handler and trying to get the ball for themselves. If a player has the ball he or she cannot fire any of their weapons except, of course, for the ball itself, and the player can pass the ball to teammates as well. The result is a game that combines the typical first person shooter gameplay with fast action Rollerball style rules. Epic and DE indicated at the event that the mode might be tweaked further, including adding more than one ball at a time into the game.

    Unfortunately, one very popular gameplay mode from the original UT that won’t be shipped in UT 2003 is Assault. According to the folks at DE, the mode simply didn’t fit in with the biggest emphasis on sports that the current game has. However, Epic’s Steven Pogue stated at the event that it will be very possible for mod authors to add support for the Assault mode into UT 2003 and even offered to help any mod authors who want to put the mod back into UT 2003."


Gore Preview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:41 AM MDT Tuesday, May 7, 2002 [Comment on news]
The Adrenaline Vault has posted a preview of Gore, the fps currently in development at 4DRulers. Here's a snip from their intro to get you started:

    "A general misconception exists about Gore, the 3D shooter from DreamCatcher Games and 4D Rulers hitting stores later this month. Ever since the first Gore Test demo was released over one year ago, the public has largely viewed it as a multiplayer shooter nimbly falling in line behind QUAKE III Arena, Unreal Tournament and a growing catalog of similar efforts. Indeed, this was the developer's intent at one point. While 4D Rulers will still offer deathmatch, Capture the Flag and other frequently explored derivatives of whack-a-mole, they also have designed a simple, but fun, single-player campaign using the same gameplay components. DreamCatcher gave the Adrenaline Vault the exclusive first look at what Gore will offer those who enjoy gaming alone."


CSports.net's Mod of the Month....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:36 AM MDT Tuesday, May 7, 2002 [Comment on news]
CSports.net, a free to use computer games statistics and ranking service for gamers, currently maintains ladders and statistics for over 1350 modifications on 55 game titles. To recognize the hard work of those mod authors they award a “Mod of The Month” to the most heavily populated fps mods by “amateur” developers. This months awards are:

    Half Life - Day of Defeat
    Quake 3 - OSP
    Unreal Tournament - Strike Force
    Kingpin - Hitmen
    Quake 2 - OSP
    Quake - Clan Arena
    Star Trek Elite Forces - In2tagib
    Tribes - Ultra Renegades
    Tribes 2 - Duel


Monday, May 6, 2002

JK2 Demo....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:19 PM MDT Monday, May 6, 2002 [Comment on news]
LucasArts has also announced they will release a demo this Friday, May 10 for their best selling first person action game, Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. In addition to several weapons and force powers found in the full game, the demo will have an exclusive level that was not released in the full version. (Spotted on Blue's)


Unreal Tournament 2003 Q&A #3....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:10 PM MDT Monday, May 6, 2002 [Comment on news]
Action Vault has posted an Unreal Tournament 2003 Q&A #3, the latest in their one question/many answer Q&As with the folks at Digital Extremes who are working on the upcoming UT sequel. This time they pose this question: "In your opinion, what is the best improvement in Unreal Tournament 2003 over the previous game, and why?" Check it out!


Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast Patch ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:07 PM MDT Monday, May 6, 2002 [Comment on news]
LucasArts has released a patch for Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, updating Raven's 3D action game to version 1.03. The 6.8 MB download adds four new multiplayer Duel maps, 3D Sound and Force Feedback support, a few single-player bug fixes, and a bunch of multiplayer improvements and corrections.


[Mornin' Mocha]....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:06 AM MDT Monday, May 6, 2002 [Comment on news]
Wow... another Mobile Forces demo. If you didn't pick up the first one, I would definitely recommend grabbing this new one. I have been able to play several of the builds since the first demo and there have definitely been improvements made. This game is fun! It is unlike any fps you've played. Rage Software and Real Time Worlds have successfully incorporated vehicular action with fps mayhem! :)

I have posted a bunch of screenshots of Mobile Forces over the past few weeks as well as a review of the demo when it first came out. You can check them out here:


Mobile Forces Demo Info....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:58 AM MDT Monday, May 6, 2002 [Comment on news]
They've been working hard on a new Mobile Forces demo over there at Rage Software and Real Time Worlds. Here's a post in the forums by Rage's Xeon:

    Evenin'

    Just thought I'd give you a little update on the new demo status...

    All being well, the new demo will be released on Weds 8th May at 5pm GMT. I've been lucky enough to play a build of the new demo this weekend and I can let ya know that the rebalanced weapons are a ton of fun and the new vehicle damage system is excellent, I think you are gonna like it a lot ;) Roll on Weds hehe

In addition, Mentalist, one of the MF programmers at Realtime Worlds, has also posted in the forum:
    Some more things to expect from the demo:
    - Player and Announcer spoken voices
    - Foreign language text - French, German, Italian and Spanish in European version
    - Directional pain indicators - see where you're being shot at
    - Thrown trip bombs no longer expire on their own
    - Majesco-branded US version of the demo, with English and Brazilian Portuguese text
    - Censor-pleasing Robot skins and black blood in German install
    - Message text now appears in appropriate colours
    - Proper console window re-added
    - Friendly support for passworded servers
    - Spectating in Network games supported from frontend
You can see the new demo thread in the forum here.


18 Tips for Better WinXP Gaming....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:48 AM MDT Monday, May 6, 2002 [Comment on news]
GameSpot put up a guide the other day called 18 Tips for Better WinXP Gaming. Pretty basic stuff here, though I felt most probably needed a refresher. Of course if you don't have WinXP, there are still some useful tips to keep your system clean and operating and its best. You can check it out here.


PlanetSide Q&A....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:35 AM MDT Monday, May 6, 2002 [Comment on news]
HomeLan has posted a PlanetSide Q&A, where they chat with Danny Han, Community Relations Manager for Sony Online’s upcoming massively multiplayer fps. Here's a snip:

    HomeLAN - What, if anything, will we see of PlanetSide at E3 this year?

    Danny Han - This year, we're doing things a little different. Instead of the open booth format, SOE will be showing behind closed doors. PlanetSide will be up and running in full force, but showing behind closed doors allows us to control things a little better in terms of foot traffic and such. There is no doubt in my mind, however, we're gonna floor people.


Could Forever Be Worth the Wait....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:30 AM MDT Monday, May 6, 2002 [Comment on news]
Could Forever Be Worth the Wait is a new article up at 3DAction Planet this morning where they take a look at the infamous Duke Nukem Forever. Here's their intro to get you going:

    "In case you haven’t been awake for the last 5 years, we’re still waiting for the true sequel to Duke Nukem 3D, Duke Nukem Forever. So long has the wait been that the game has become an object of ridicule. The game is flamed, shamed and ridiculed almost daily, but could 3D Realms have one heck of an ace up their sleeve? Dr Foxy thinks so."


Sunday, May 5, 2002

Battlefield: 1942 Q&A....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:53 AM MDT Sunday, May 5, 2002 [Comment on news]
The Wargamer has posted a Q&A with Lars Gustavsson of Digital Illusions, where they talk their upcoming WII themed FPS Battlefield: 1942. Here's a snip to give you a little more background:

    "Electronic Arts and Dice Studios recently re-announced their Battlefield: 1942 action title to a stir of interest. The title, which has been quiet development in the Swedish studios of Digital Illusions (a.k.a. DICE) since 1999, was actually previewed by The Wargamer in October 2000. The game has since transformed into a nearly completed title, with an expected ship date of late summer 2002. Featuring not only ground combat as a first-person shooter, Battlefield: 1942 also features flight-simulation aspects, as well as the ability to drive several ground vehicles about an expansive landmass, all in an engrossing multi-player environment. With the title just around the corner, we sat down with Lars Gustavsson, Producer at DICE, to discuss gameplay, the project's progress and other critical aspects pertaining to this ambitious World War II action title."


Clan Tools Updated....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:45 AM MDT Sunday, May 5, 2002 [Comment on news]
A new version 1.3 of the Clan Tools is now available. This version addresses an inconsistency between how things are handled in Win98/Me versus WinXP/2000 that resulted in some users encountering a runtime error. There are also some other fixes and new features including significant enhancements to the clan manager/admin programs. (Spotted on Blue's)


This Week in Action....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:37 AM MDT Sunday, May 5, 2002 [Comment on news]
3DAction Planet has posted up This Week in Action where they recap the past week or so. Here's their intro to get you going.

    "IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES...

    Hello, faithful readers, it is I, fair Nance of Verona, here to deliver to you all the happenings of the past week or so. Depending on how you look at it, glass half-empty or half-full, it's been an interesting week. No major *commercial* action releases to speak of, but a whole lot of other things that are, in some cases, almost better."


Saturday, May 4, 2002

Tech News....
Posted by [luckee] @ 10:16 AM MDT Saturday, May 4, 2002 [Comment on news]
Today's Tech reviews


Delta Force: Land Warrior Patch ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:11 AM MDT Saturday, May 4, 2002 [Comment on news]
NovaLogic has released a new patch for Delta Force: Land Warrior that is about 5.4MB. No word yet on what this one fixes, but it brings the game up to version 1.00.34. (Spotted on Blues)


DoD Beta 2.1 Info....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:04 AM MDT Saturday, May 4, 2002 [Comment on news]
Planet Half-Life has posted a list of fixes for the upcoming Day of Defeat beta 2.1 release and a few screenshots. Looks like the DoD guys have been busy since we heard from them last.


Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix Screenshots....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:01 AM MDT Saturday, May 4, 2002 [Comment on news]
Games Fusion serves up another 20 new Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix screenshots, showing more carnage in the mercenary first-person shooter that is nearing completion at Raven Software.


The Sum of All Fears Preview ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:52 AM MDT Saturday, May 4, 2002 [Comment on news]
Gamespy has posted a preview of The Sum of All Fears after playing a build of the game. The Sum of All Fears is a tactical shooter being developed by Red Storm and is based on the Tom Clancy novel. Here's a snip:

    "A build of the game already shows the refinements that have been made, and although Sum of All Fears is using the Ghost Recon engine, the results are quite impressive. It is apparent at some times that this project was rushed through to arrive at the same point as the release of the film, and some of the levels lack the overall polish of many of the previous Clancy-based games, but these could still be improved in the final build. The missions are actually faster to play, and one of the biggest improvements is the streamlined planning phase. There will be a default incursion plan in place, complete with various waypoints for the team, but you are also completely free to tackle the situation as you see fit.

    The AI isn't always that bright. The result is that the action is closer in gameplay to SWAT 3, where you react to the situation at hand. Your team members can also be used to tackle the action plan while you decide to vary it -- the only downside is that the developers do admit that there will be some surprises that might require multiple replays of some of the levels. The AI also seems more balanced than in previous Rainbow Six/Rogue Spear titles, and the militia makes for a welcome change in villains. At the easy setting the militia members are as dumb as inbred yokels, but you can adjust their "schooling" and reset the game for a tougher experience."


Friday, May 3, 2002

SoF2 Info....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 2:59 PM MDT Friday, May 3, 2002 [Comment on news]
I saw over on Blue's that Raven Software programmer Bryan Dube has posted his first .plan with a long list of changes and fixes they made to the multiplayer side of SoFII: Double Helix based on player feedback they received after the release of the mp test. The list includes animation, server, weapon, graphics, gameplay and other improvements, along with bug fixes and more.


Postal 2 Interview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 11:56 AM MDT Friday, May 3, 2002 [Comment on news]
Action Vault has posted an interview with Running with Scissors' CEO Vince Desi. Here's a snip:

    "In 1997, developer Running with Scissors released Postal, an isometric shooter that sparked some controversy and heated discussion. It was based on the premise that real life in suburban America is filled with annoying and even obnoxious situations that most people simply put up with. In the game however, you could "go postal" and embark on a rampage of mindless violence. Finding and acquiring a selection of weapons ranging from various firearms to flamethrowers, you could choose to go off the deep end and turn them against the unsuspecting, ordinary citizens of the community such as innocent pedestrians, the marching band from the local high school and even Santa Claus. One group of players apparently felt the game was a form of irreverent, impertinent humor, and ultimately harmless, but this opinion was far from universal; gamers at the other end of the spectrum found it quite disturbing."


Doom III is Official....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 11:47 AM MDT Friday, May 3, 2002 [Comment on news]
id Software and Activision, Inc. have officially announced that Activision will be the worldwide licensed distributor for DOOM III(TM), the latest installment in one of the most successful franchises in PC gaming history.

    "Built on id's revolutionary new 3D graphics engine, DOOM III draws players into the most frightening and gripping 3D gaming experience ever created. DOOM III is currently in development for the PC by id Software and will debut at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo in Activision's booth #1224 in the South Hall."


Gore Interview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 11:45 AM MDT Friday, May 3, 2002 [Comment on news]
The Adrenaline Vault has an interview with DreamCatcher Games' Product Manager, Brian Gladman, where they chat about Gore. Here's a snip:

    Love the title! "Gore" has the appealing simplicity of other single-syllable titles from a certain legendary first-person shooter developer.

    In the original story there was a new energy source called ORE. A galactic war over the ORE started that people referred to as GORE. During development, the story changed, but the name stayed the same. We wanted a simple and catchy title that would resonate with some of those great FPS's of the past. A gory, galactic battle over this ORE was in the story, so Gore seemed to work.


Kreed Developer Diary....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 11:42 AM MDT Friday, May 3, 2002 [Comment on news]
Gaminggrove has posted a developer diary feature Kreed, the new fps by Burut Creative. In this developer diary, Vladimir Nikolaev, the project lead, discusses the game's levels and mission projection. Check it out!


SoF2 MP Test Strategy Guide....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 11:30 AM MDT Friday, May 3, 2002 [Comment on news]
3DAction Planet has posted a SoF2 MP Test Strategy Guide. Here's a snip from their intro:

    "Getting your ass handed to you on a plate after playing SoF2? Maybe this guide can help you.

    In the wide world of gaming few games reach the level of sweetness that the new Soldier of Fortune 2 demo has attained. With so many weapons this game might seem overwhelming at first, but do not fear! In this guide, you will find some basic tips and strategies to help you “0wn” the opposition. From clearing a room of enemies to one on one battle, we got it covered."


Thursday, May 2, 2002

Exclusive Mobile Forces Screenshots....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 7:19 PM MDT Thursday, May 2, 2002 [Comment on news]
Once again Xeon at Rage has showed us some love by sending another batch of exclusive Mobile Forces screenshots. Enjoy!


Desert Seige Review - Repost....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 4:52 PM MDT Thursday, May 2, 2002 [Comment on news]
I am posting this again along with an apology to Lefty... somehow I never fixed the link to his review, so there was no way to reach it. Problem is fixed now though so check it out here or from the top of our main page under recent reviews.


New Mobile Forces Demo Coming Soon....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 4:44 PM MDT Thursday, May 2, 2002 [Comment on news]
Mobileforces.org has word, from Rage Software's Xeon, of a new Mobile Forces demo. Here's what he had to say:

    "Ahead of the updated Mobile Forces demo release, I thought I would just shed some light on a few details of the changes that have been made since the first demo....

    The demo is going to be set once more in the Western environment, with Holdout as the gametype, in terms of the changes, here's the scoop ;)

    - Rebalanced weapons
    - Tweaked physics
    - Updated character models and skins
    - Particle effects - smoking vehicles, plumes of smoke/flame from chimneys in levels etc
    - Level undergone lots more playtesting, so lots of little gameplay tweaks
    - Dedicated server
    - Improved networking code
    - Improved stability
    - Improved performance
    - Lotsa Bugfixes ;)

    I'm hoping the new demo is going to be released at some point next week, as soon as I get the final details and more importantly a date, I'll be sure to let you know!"


Updated SDK for SS:TSE....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 4:37 PM MDT Thursday, May 2, 2002 [Comment on news]
Serious Sam fan site Seriously! is hosting an updated SDK for Serious Sam: The Second Encounter which will bring the source files in sync with the recent 1.07 patch code. You can grab it here.


Star Trek: Elite Force II Screenshots ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 4:35 PM MDT Thursday, May 2, 2002 [Comment on news]
XGR.com and Voodoo Extreme have posted up a couple of new screenshots from Star Trek: Elite Force II, Ritual and Activision's upcoming FPS. Check 'em out!


Shiny Deal Final....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 4:22 PM MDT Thursday, May 2, 2002 [Comment on news]
Interplay today officially announced that they have sold their development studio, Shiny Entertainment, to Infogrames for approximately $47 million in a combination of cash and a promissory note.


SoF2 Movie Trailer....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 4:13 PM MDT Thursday, May 2, 2002 [Comment on news]
Activision has released a new movie trailer of Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix, available for download from FilePlanet in low-res (11.5 MB) and high-res (29.7 MB) QuickTime formats as well as one that's a high-res AVI (45.1 MB) format. The movie runs for some two minutes featuring a CGI intro and plenty of action-packed gameplay footage from Raven Software's imminent first-person shooter. There are also mirrors on InsideSOF.


The Sum of All Fears Q&A....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 4:06 PM MDT Thursday, May 2, 2002 [Comment on news]
HomeLan has posted a Sum of All Fears Q&A where they talk with Red Storm Entertainment's Deke Waters about the latest tactical shooter based on the Tom Clancy novel of the same name. The interview covers how long development has been underway, how closely it will mirror the novel and upcoming film, locations, missions, multiplayer modes, mod tools, plans for a demo, and more. They have also included a half dozen screenshots, four of which are new.


Sven Co-op 2.0 Review ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 3:57 PM MDT Thursday, May 2, 2002 [Comment on news]
3DAction Planet has posted a review of Sven Co-op 2.0, which is Half-Life singleplayer in a co-operative multiplayer setting. Here's a snip from the intro to get you started:

    "Why is it that so many seemingly good modifications get little or no recognition in the community, let alone half-decent server coverage? Is it because the community is unwilling to try new things, to experiment? It is indeed a shame that the amount of hard work put into these MODs goes unappreciated by players and server admins alike. Such, it seems, is the fate of one such MOD, Sven Co-op. Version 2.0, the most recent release of this under-played, but highly deserving MOD, brings the exciting environment of the Half-Life's single-player game into the dominant world of multiplayer, allowing you and a group of your closet friends (or worst enemies) to battle it out with a veritable truckload of HL's deadliest monsters."


Hello... Finally....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 3:54 PM MDT Thursday, May 2, 2002 [Comment on news]
Sorry about the late update today folks... what can I say, I've been WAY too busy!


Wednesday, May 1, 2002

GF4 MX-440 Round-Up....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:40 AM MDT Wednesday, May 1, 2002 [Comment on news]
Gamers Depot has a round-up review of four GeForce 4 MX cards, along with some comments from Tim Sweeney of Epic Games. Here's a snip from their intro:

    "Like most companies, NVIDIA tries their best to establish a complete product offering that appeals to market segments of all price ranges for its respective family of GPUs. The most recent example of this is the “GeForce 4” chips that top out at $400.00 for a card, and go as low as about 100 dollars on the street. In this review we’re taking a closer look at their budget chip, the GeForce 4 MX, to test its performance and hopefully uncover some of the surrounding controversy over its naming. We have four GeForce 4 MX 440 – based card from eVGA, PNY, VisionTek and Leadtek, all of which have varying designs and packaging/bundling."


G4 TV Officially Launches....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:34 AM MDT Wednesday, May 1, 2002 [Comment on news]
The G4 cable TV network has now officially launched with different shows devoted to PC and video gaming. You can checkout some of the shows here. (Spotted on HomeLAN.)


AMD Gains on Intel, Sets Hammer Speeds ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:29 AM MDT Wednesday, May 1, 2002 [Comment on news]
AMD gained a bit of ground on Intel in the first quarter, bolstered in part by growth in the markets for notebook and server chips, according to a research study. The company also announced speeds of its upcoming Hammer chip at a conference in San Francisco.

    AMD's chairman, Jerry Sanders, told an audience at Merrill Lynch's Hardware Heaven conference in San Francisco that Hammer, the company's forthcoming chip for desktops and servers, will debut at 2GHz or higher. Hammer will ship to PC makers in the fourth quarter and will be released to the public in the first quarter of 2003, Sanders added.


Tactical Ops: Assault On Terror FAQ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:26 AM MDT Wednesday, May 1, 2002 [Comment on news]
Infogrames has posted a Tactical Ops: Assault On Terror FAQ to help iron out difficulties that people might be experiencing with the new retail release of this former UT mod.


CIA Operative: Solo Missions Patch ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:21 AM MDT Wednesday, May 1, 2002 [Comment on news]
ValuSoft has released a patch for CIA Operative: Solo Missions, the budget-priced first-person shooter by Trainwreck Studios. The 452 KB file is a new game executable to be placed in your game folder, no details are provided on what it changes. (Spotted on Blue's)


Mobile Forces Interview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:18 AM MDT Wednesday, May 1, 2002 [Comment on news]
GameSpy Daily has posted a Mobile Forces interview with Si Donbavand of Rage (so they say), though both the official Mobile Forces website and community site indicate the interview was actually done with Colin Macdonald. Anyway, you catch it all here.


Q3F2 Review ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:05 AM MDT Wednesday, May 1, 2002 [Comment on news]
3DAction Planet has posted a review of Q3F2. Here's a snip:

    "...And so the process of reviewing begins. By bringing together enhanced graphics mingled with an old concept containing new features and you've got a winner in everyone's book. Q3F2 is perhaps the next step in all CTF/Team Fortress gameplay. A daring statement of course, but Q3F2 has got the firepower to back it up all the way. What could make one of the most critical reviewers of all time make this assumption?"


Hitman 2 Interview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:02 AM MDT Wednesday, May 1, 2002 [Comment on news]
XGR has posted The Jacob Andersen Interview, where they talk with this member of the IO Interactive team that's currently working on Hitman 2. The interview covers questions about working on the title, the difference between Hitman and Hitman 2, and much more. As an
added bonus they've posted 8 exclusive screenshots as well. Check it out!