September 2001

Operation Flashpoint Game Guide....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:00 AM MDT Friday, September 28, 2001 [Comment on news]
GameSpot has posed an Operation Flashpoint game guide that has sections on boot camp, weapons, campaign walk-throughs and the strategies to succeed in every mission.

New Ghost Recon Screenshots ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:54 AM MDT Friday, September 28, 2001 [Comment on news]
Ghost Recon Retreat has posted five new screenshots from Red Storm's upcoming tactical shooter, showing some of the bad guys. In addition, The official Ghost Recon site has been updated with yet another new screenshot.

Half-Life Server Beta Patch....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:50 AM MDT Friday, September 28, 2001 [Comment on news]
The official Counter-Strike site offers an unofficial Half-Life Dedicated Server version 1.1.0.8a for download in the usual Win32 and Linux incarnations. The small patches are server-side only and address a few Counter-Strike bugs (including a pair of exploits) as well as a dozen issues with the HLTV spectator feature.

Rocket Duel Interview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:48 AM MDT Friday, September 28, 2001 [Comment on news]
Recently Rocket Duel was released for Quake 3, a modification based on the "art of rocket dueling" in the words of the author Corven. Today MGON interviews Corven who alongside being an MGON staffer has created many mods for games such as Quake 3 and more recently Max Payne.

Serious Sam for your Palm....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:43 AM MDT Friday, September 28, 2001 [Comment on news]
There's a page up for the Palm version of Serious Sam on EBgames.com. According to the page the game will be available October 2.

Q3A Patch....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:42 AM MDT Friday, September 28, 2001 [Comment on news]
The MAF-Soft Update Patches page has a small patch to update your Quake III Arena installation to the new version 1.30 from version 1.29h (a 439 KB file instead of the original 25.5 MB download). As always, this is unofficial, so use at your own risk.

Tech News Around The Net ....
Posted by [luckee] @ 12:49 PM MDT Thursday, September 27, 2001 [Comment on news]

- OC'd Cafe check out a Rheostat.
- HardwareZone reviews the Samsung SGH-N200 mobile phone.
- Case Modderz Aus reviews some Dynatron CPU coolers.
- ATi Radeon 8500 on the retail shelves.
- AtlantaOC has a voltage mod for the Abit KT7A-RAID.
- OCAU has a hardcore storage article.
- They also review the Asus A7V266 motherboard.
- Good graphic artist? then win yourself a Radeon.
- AcidHardware checks out the Via C3 733MHz CPU.
- A little cooler shootout at Club Overclocker.
- NeoSeeker reviews the Handspring Visor Prism PDA.
- FutureLooks reviews the FlashDio FDU-100A Flash USB Hard Drive.
- Guru3D has a Geforce Tweak Utility 3.1 RC1.
- LegionHardware check out a few Gravis Gamepads.
- Tech-Planet checks out the CV Chill Aluminum HSF.
- GidTech reviews some Bit Power Socket CPU coolers.
- Mr-Rig has a case modding guide.

Multi-player Gaming Blasts into Blueyonder....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:12 AM MDT Thursday, September 27, 2001 [Comment on news]
Telewest’s new blueyonder broadband website launches today, and offers online gamers a comprehensive gaming experience, including the first multi-player service to offer near-LAN connection speeds.
Blueyonder multiplayer gaming is the UK’s first dedicated service of its kind, offering gamers access to fast and reliable networked servers. Gamers are able to compete in single games, teams (clans), competitions and leagues, using dedicated servers and Telewest’s advanced broadband network.

Tom Cotter, head of games strategy, Telewest said: “This is an unparalleled combination of services and support that individual and multiplayer gamers have been demanding from the market for some time. It has been developed by gamers, for gamers and will enable people to enjoy games the way they were always meant to be played - fast, stable, low latency, sociable and easy to set up.”

The new web site, including the gaming services, enhances the existing blueyonder broadband service by combining ultra-fast internet access with dedicated broadband gaming content and services. Non-blueyonder customers can check out the gaming experience at http://gaming.blueyonder.co.uk.

Gamers can play a large range of games – including Counter Strike, Half-Life, Unreal Tournament and Quake Team Arena – for single-session blasts or as part of longer tournaments. The service will be supported by blueyonder’s team of community managers and provide access to forums, chat and instant messaging.

Philip Snalune, head of marketing for the blueyonder site, adds: “Although the gaming services are available to our dial-up customers as well as those with high-speed connections, games are central to the future of Telewest’s broadband services.

“We have invested in a service that combines a fantastic portfolio of games, with state-of-the art infrastructure and a creative team including some of the most talented people in the UK games industry.”
(Source: Bastion Press Centre)

Tweaking Win for Games....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:50 AM MDT Thursday, September 27, 2001 [Comment on news]
CG Online has posted a guide for tweaking Windows for games. This guide, by Jason Cross, gives you all sorts of tips and tricks on how to tweak your Windows OS for games. Here's the intro to get you started:

"The PC just wasn't designed for games. The entire hardware architecture and operating system is beholden to the idea of the PC as a business tool. Hardware makers and operating system guys have done everything they can to turn the PC into a hot games machine, and they've done a great job within their limitations, but no matter how hot your PC is, eventually the things you do with it besides play games will bog it down. Windows itself is still tied in many ways to the notion of "work before pleasure." But you're a gamer, and you want speed!"

Call Sign Charlie interview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:46 AM MDT Thursday, September 27, 2001 [Comment on news]
Sanqualis has posted a Call Sign Charlie interview, with Outsider Development about its upcoming Vietnam based action game. In case you're like me and know nothing about this game, here's a little bit from the interview:

Let's talk about the game itself. I suppose the AI will have a important part in the game. Do you plan to "script" units, or to make them rather intelligent and player adaptable ?

T.R. : We figured out that a combination of these two techniques would be ideal for creating life-imitating behaviour of NPC. For example there's a scene in the plot where we wanted the children to stone the player after entering the village. Although this concept looks simple, several problems have appeared. Since the player can enter the village from anywhere it would look odd if the scripted children would throw stones in completely different direction. And how long should they be interested in this kind of action? What will happen if one of them gets injured or even killed? We had to find another solution than scripting. In the end we decided to endow the kids by the same AI parameters as NPC soldiers. They were equipped with stones as their primary weapon. Their engagement in attacking was set high but their interest span low so the final effect is that they attack the player and after a while they'll run away. In case the player would attack them, they would flee as well because their tendency to panic was set high as well. But scripting definitely comes in handy in more simple actions, too.

FreakBall Arena Q3A Mod....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:41 AM MDT Thursday, September 27, 2001 [Comment on news]
The FreakBall Arena Q3A modification is now available. This is described as a Quake sport mod, where you score goals with a ball, while able to access such fair play options as kicking, shooting, and outright killing your opponenents. There are two game types, a standard game where you use weapons, and a second one only allows the Ball-Launcher as a weapon.

Computer Games U Conference....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:39 AM MDT Thursday, September 27, 2001 [Comment on news]
2001 UTD Computer Game Conference is slated for October 5-7, 2001 at the School of Arts and Humanities at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). "The conference is part of a move to establish a new program where game studies and game design will feature prominently. The aim of the conference is to create a forum where game developers and gaming scholars can come together to discuss current trends and issues related to gaming." Speakers will include Tom Mustaine, Richard "Levelord" Gray, Paul Jaquays, Paul Steed, and more. There will also be a Quake III Arena tournament (sign-ups for this will be on site). The conference is free, open to the public, and registration is not required to attend any of the presentations.

TRIBES 2 Linux Patches....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:37 AM MDT Thursday, September 27, 2001 [Comment on news]
Loki Games has now released new Linux patches for TRIBES 2, bringing Dynamix's multiplayer shooter to version 24834. You can either use their Update Tool or get the retail client patch (5.8 MB) and dedicated server patch (5.7 MB) directly. The list of changes is available here.

Tech News Around The Net....
Posted by [luckee] @ 10:09 AM MDT Wednesday, September 26, 2001 [Comment on news]

- OC Melbourne have a Socket A cooler roundup.
- BlueSmoke reviews the Trek 2000 ThumbDrive Secure.
- TechWatch review some Spire SocketA coolers.
- TechWatch reviews LG 795FT+ Flatscreen 17" Monitor.
- OC'd Cafe reviews the DTI
2015XLS 15" monitor.
- PCstats reviews the MSI MX400 Pro-VT32S Video Card.
- OCA take a look at Windows XP Professional.
- TweakTown reviews the Aopen AX37 Plus Motherboard.
- IPKonfig checks out the MegaMite chipset cooler.
- They also review the Dr. Thermal TI-V77 Heatsink.
- EnvyNews reviews the Hercules Fortissimo II.
- G3D checks out the Antec
SX 830 Tower Case.
- Intel has named a new CTO.
- AMD closes Fabs 14 and 15.
- TheColdShop reviews the TweakMonster copper RAMsinks.
- OCOnline reviews the MSI K7T266 Pro mobo.
- HotHardware checks out the Shuttle AE25R motherboard.
- IANAG reviews the Tyan K7 Tiger Dual motherboard.

Copy Protected CDs on the Rise ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:22 AM MDT Wednesday, September 26, 2001 [Comment on news]
Vivendi Universal's Universal Music Group plans to start issuing CDs in October with software that prevents music from being digitally copied into computer files. Here's a snip from the release:

Vivendi Universal's Universal Music Group plans to start issuing CDs in October with software that prevents music from being digitally copied into computer files.

Vivendi Universal made the announcement Tuesday.

Following a lengthy legal battle with song-swapping company Napster and the emergence of several similar services, Vivendi Vice Chairman Edgar Bronfman Jr. said, "With the extent of piracy and the extent of CD (copying) that's going on, we have no choice but to protect our artists and our rights holders."

Universal, whose artists include U2, Eminem and Sheryl Crow, is aiming to have the protection software on all CDs toward the end of the first quarter of 2002, Bronfman said.

Record labels, already reeling from weaker sales, have been fiercely fighting Napster and other start-ups that enable Internet users to download digital copies of music files from one another's computers. At the same time, pirated CDs have also taken hundreds of millions of dollars out of record labels revenues, the labels say.

But an aggressive anti-piracy strategy runs the risk of alienating consumers, who often make digital copies for their personal use, similar to the way consumers make audio cassette tapes of albums.

"I think the industry has always tolerated a degree of copying, and I would expect that to continue," said an executive with a rival label. "The problem is that technology has advanced to a point where you can make (so) many copies in (such) a short period of time that it amounts almost to mass distribution. That's the kind of thing we're trying to stop."

The executive envisioned protection software that placed no restrictions on conventional cassette copies of CDs and some restrictions on digital copies. The executive also held open the possibility of the software including interactive features for consumers.

Dan Cermak Interview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:16 AM MDT Wednesday, September 26, 2001 [Comment on news]
GameSpot UK has posted an interview with the executive producer of Renegade, Dan Cermak. Here's a snip:

Exactly what do you mean when you say that Renegade is an action game rather than a first-person shooter?

DC: Most FPS products focus on the main character and have little room for what is going on in the environment. We are trying to recreate the C&C universe and want the player to feel like he is part of something bigger and that he can choose how he helps the GDI's cause. The war will rage on, no matter what the player's decisions are. He can't win the whole thing by himself, but he can definitely have an impact.

New XQF....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:13 AM MDT Wednesday, September 26, 2001 [Comment on news]
A new version 0.9.6 of the XQF Unix/X11 Quake server browser and launcher is now available.

Counter-Strike Updates ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:11 AM MDT Wednesday, September 26, 2001 [Comment on news]
The official Counter-Strike site brings a solution for missing / wrong files problems with the retail v1.0.0.2 to 1.0.0.3 patch, offering a 2.1 MB fix for download. There's also a tip for voice distortion problems on WinXP systems with an SB Live card, and word that server instabilities in version 1.3 are being looked into. The site also features a web-based step-by-step CS Download Wizard to help you determine which patch will bring your Counter-Strike installation up-to-date.

Pirated XP selling like hotcakes in Asia....
Posted by [luckee] @ 9:47 AM MDT Tuesday, September 25, 2001 [Comment on news]
And as if in tandem with the economic crisis, vendors have been dishing out huge discounts for these versions, some starting as low as US$1.50. Pirated software and bootleg movies usually cost around US$3.

All this despite the Malaysian government's continuing clampdown on copyright infringement and Microsoft's controversial new product activation feature--a key part of the software giant's crackdown on piracy.

"Piracy is a tough nut to crack in Malaysia.... The root of the problem is, and always will be, corruption," said one industry watcher, who asked not to be named. He cited instances of a vendor, despite being raided several times, being back on the street in a matter of days.

But one Microsoft executive blamed the situation on technology and not low-tech greed.


More here.

Music From the Heavens ....
Posted by [luckee] @ 9:41 AM MDT Tuesday, September 25, 2001 [Comment on news]
After years of planning and multiple delays, the world's first satellite radio service is now live. XM Satellite Radio, based in Washington, DC, officially launched its service in San Diego and Dallas early Monday. The company says the service will be available nationwide by November.

"XM satellite radio is going to do to the radio industry what cable TV did to the broadcast TV industry," said Hugh Panero CEO of XM. "You used to have three channels of broadcast TV. Suddenly there are 150 or 160 channels of cable. We're going to do the same thing for you in the car, with audio."

Satellite radio is expected to control 10 percent of the overall radio market in just five years, says research firm Freidman Billings, making it a multibillion-dollar industry. The only two players in the market, XM and competitor Sirius, both stand to make a lot of money if the service catches on with consumers.

XM offers 100 channels, each with a narrow focus -- such as reggae or soul -- and a specific channel for up-and-coming bands. Furthermore, traditional news stations such as USA Today, CNN, and CNBC will also have their own satellite radio channels.

However, the service doesn't come cheap. Users have to pay a $9.95 per month subscription fee.


More here.

Windows XP Gets OEMed ....
Posted by [luckee] @ 9:35 AM MDT Tuesday, September 25, 2001 [Comment on news]
If you haven't already noticed, PC manufacturers have a lot riding on the success of Microsoft's launch of XP. Listen hard enough and you can almost hear the pleading cries for increased unit sales from product managers at the top PC companies.

Over the past week TechTV Labs has received several desktops and notebooks from Compaq, HP, and Sony with their own homegrown Windows XP builds. Vendors have had next to no time since XP gold code became available a couple of weeks ago to verify final image loads before today's OEM availability date. However, it is clear that each vendor has still had enough time to make significant changes and improvements to the look and feel of the OS.

More here.

Blood's Weekly Rant....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:06 AM MDT Tuesday, September 25, 2001 [Comment on news]
This week's Weekly Rant is a little different. Here, in Blood's own words, is an explanation of why:

"With the recent events which took place on September 11th, I wanted to
veer off course with this weeks rant. Last week I didn't write one as
I didn't feel humor was really appropriate at the time and with
everyone glued to the news I felt very few would read it. This week I
wanted to write a little about what happened, and what is happening
from my point of view, bare with me as this is likely to be a little
more somber than I usually write, not to mention it won't have
anything to do with computers..."

Beware of the "Vote Virus"....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:44 AM MDT Tuesday, September 25, 2001 [Comment on news]
Computer security experts on Monday warned of a new virus that deletes files while masquerading as a program that will allow people to vote on whether the United States should go to war over the Sept. 11 hijacker attacks.

The ``Vote Virus,'' which so far is not widespread, circulates via e-mail to users of Microsoft Corp.'s Outlook e-mail program, said Simon Perry, vice president of security solutions at Computer Associates International Inc.

The virus, punctuated by strange grammar and a mix of lower- and upper-case letters, appears with the subject line: ''Peace between America and Islam!'' and the body of the e-mail reads: ``Hi. Is it a war against America or Islam!? Let's vote to live in peace!'' Perry and other experts said.

When the attachment entitled ``WTC.exe'' is opened, the virus tries to delete all the files on the computer's hard drive and sends copies of the e-mail to every address listed in the computer's address book, he said.

You can check out the rest here.

Drought: What Gamers Fear The Most....
Posted by [luckee] @ 8:44 AM MDT Tuesday, September 25, 2001 [Comment on news]
3DActionPlanet has posted a new article that talks about the recent drought in gaming. The article talks about topcis such as the lack of new games lately, here's a snip:

While talking to Dr Foxy today, I noticed a gamers life has become boring lately. Why? Look around, there haven’t been great games around lately, and there’s nothing to do except play some fresh Half-Life mods like Existence, or Azure Sheep, or perhaps a good game of Counter-Strike. The last game to really stir the games top 10 was Tribes 2, and most long awaited games didn’t turn out what people hoped to be, like Operation: Flashpoint or Gangsters 2: Vendetta. The great games are getting scarce, and gamers are knee-deep in trouble because of it. Let’s have a look.

More here.

Jason "Wolfen" Spencer Interview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:40 AM MDT Tuesday, September 25, 2001 [Comment on news]
Rust (gamedesign.net) has posted an interview with Jason "Wolfen" Spencer a designer with Kodiak. Here's a snip:

Rust: What do you feel is the most important part of level design?

Jason: Personally I think it's all the elements we are expected to do these days. Atmoshphere, and gameplay especially. It can be boring running through a plain looking level that has good "gameplay" and vice versa. You need to draw them in with the right feel of the world, and of course, the gameplay can and should do the same thing.

Does Size Really Matter?....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:27 AM MDT Tuesday, September 25, 2001 [Comment on news]
Does Size Really Matter? is an editorial posted today on The Adrenaline Vault talking about PC game demos that are, as they say, "beginning to rival the Titanic in size." They discuss the problems that result from this download dilemma and offer potential solutions for spreading demos far and wide.

Medal of Honor: Allied Assault Video....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:24 AM MDT Tuesday, September 25, 2001 [Comment on news]
GameSpot has posted a new video of 2015's upcoming World War II shooter, Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. This is the third part in of the four part Mission 5, Level 1 series, showing footage from this mission which is set in a French town. It's available in both downloadable and streaming formats.

Duke Nukem Forever Interview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:22 AM MDT Tuesday, September 25, 2001 [Comment on news]
Player.at has posted an interview with 3D Realms' Scott Miller, talking about their anticipated shooter sequel, Duke Nukem Forever. This interview covers a range of topics from the company to the engine, and more. Here's a snip:

In a few words: What is Duke Nukem Forever all about?

Scott Miller: All we’ve said about the game is that the story has connections with Las Vegas rather than Los Angeles this time around. We’ve crafted an intense story with many surprises. I can practically guarantee than any fan of Duke 3D will love DNF

Operation Flashpoint: Red Hammer ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:18 AM MDT Tuesday, September 25, 2001 [Comment on news]
Better red than dead? on Codemasters asks the press release announcing Operation Flashpoint: Red Hammer, an expansion pack to the tactical action game by Bohemia Interactive that sees you trading places and join the Soviet forces, your enemy in the original game. The pack is scheduled for a December release:

Operation Flashpoint: Red Hammer delivers a completely new campaign with 20 new missions, a new lead character, new Russian-accent voices and fresh cut scenes that unravel the single-player narrative.

Operation Flashpoint: Red Hammer sees the player back on the islands, only this time as Dimitri Lukin of the Soviet force. Dimitri is a tough Soviet career soldier - a highly trained professional killer but one who has suffered demotion in recent times. More ruthless and menacing than the raw American recruits, who populated the original game, Dimitri starts as a grunt as the invasion of Everon Island begins.

C&C Renegade Preview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 4:08 PM MDT Monday, September 24, 2001 [Comment on news]
GameSpot UK has a Command & Conquer Renegade In-depth Preview with some details about what to expect from Westwood's upcoming C&C shooter. There's also information about what to expect from the game's environments, vehicles, character classes, ranks, and more.

Mac OSX Wolfenstein MP Test....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 4:05 PM MDT Monday, September 24, 2001 [Comment on news]
id Software has now released the Mac OSX full installer for the Return to Castle Wolfenstein multi-player test for download from their ftp server, so that Mac owners can now fully enjoy the WWII first-person shooter being developed by Gray Matter and Nerve Software.

Soldier of Fortune 2 Preview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:08 AM MDT Monday, September 24, 2001 [Comment on news]
Gamitopia has posted a preview of Raven's upcoming shooter sequel, Soldier of Fortune 2. Here's a snip:

The graphics in Soldier of Fortune 2 are definitely another feature to look forward too. Raven Software will be using the Quake III Arena engine for the game, and by the time the game's finished, the code will be heavily modified. From what we've seen in games like the original Soldier of Fortune, which used a heavily modified engine, we are going to see some amazing things happen here, that's for sure. Also what is going to be featured is the TORR terrain system. This system allows vast generated terrain with level of detail built straight into it. This means we'll be seeing some very large beautiful environments if all goes well with the development. In addition to that, Raven is also going to use the new GHOUL II technology which promises to offer a per-pixel hit location system which means much more detailed fights.

Half-Life Absolute Redemption Patch....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:04 AM MDT Monday, September 24, 2001 [Comment on news]
This page on 3DDownloads has a new patch to update Absolute Redemption, a commercially-released Half-Life conversion from Maverick Developments, to work properly with the recently-released version 1.1.0.8 Half-Life patch.

Ghost Recon Preview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:02 AM MDT Monday, September 24, 2001 [Comment on news]
PC Zone has posted a Ghost Recon Preview, offering some hands-on impressions of the upcoming tactical shooter from Red Storm Entertainment after infiltrating RSE's offices in North Carolina to check out progress on the game. The preview outlines the plotline, pointing out it was created by "tree hugging" Brian Upton rather than Tom Clancy, goes into gameplay (saying "Think of it as a cross between Operation Flashpoint and SWAT 3 if you must") which has been enhanced by the use of wide open spaces among its environments, and discusses graphical improvements, saying the game will look better than its Rogue Spear predecessors, which is attributable to a re-written engine. The article offers loads of first-hand impressions, quotes from the development team, and a batch of screenshots

Condition Zero Q&A....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:01 AM MDT Monday, September 24, 2001 [Comment on news]
HomeLan Fed's Counter-Strike Condition Zero Interview talks with Gearbox Software's Randy Pitchford about Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, their upcoming project that will add a single-player component to Counter-Strike. Among the subjects covered in the conversation is the pressure to live up to Counter-Strike's phenomenal multiplayer success, Condition Zero's storyline, the locales of the game's missions, its emphasis on AI, technological enhancements, Gooseman's level of participation, and more, including this about a potential release date: "Condition Zero is likely to be available in the winter, but we have not announced a solid release date yet."

Are you ready for faster DSL?....
Posted by [luckee] @ 12:31 AM MDT Monday, September 24, 2001 [Comment on news]
Although DSL speeds vary widely, the new G.SHDSL could be two to three times faster than most versions of DSL targeted at business customers. The G.SHDSL standard also can deliver data farther than earlier DSL technologies, which are limited to a relatively short distance.

Some European communications carriers are using the faster DSL (digital subscriber line) technology on a limited basis.

"The European market will see this. And the (U.S. local phone companies) are looking at deploying it to replace their business offerings now," said Pat Hurley, a DSL analyst at TeleChoice, a communications industry market research firm.

More here.

Xbox launch pushed back one week....
Posted by [luckee] @ 12:31 AM MDT Monday, September 24, 2001 [Comment on news]
The Xbox will now launch Nov. 15, not Nov. 8 as originally planned. Microsoft would not cite a reason for the delay.

"We looked at a lot of different factors," said James Bernard, Microsoft's main Xbox spokesman. "This turned out to be the best time to launch for us, for our partners and our customers."

Microsoft is also being vague about the number of consoles it will release at launch. The software giant originally promised that 600,000 to 800,000 consoles would be available at launch, as the company hoped to avoid the shortages and frustration that accompanied the U.S. arrival of Sony's PlayStation 2 console last fall.

More here

Windows XP: A Gamer's Friend?....
Posted by [luckee] @ 11:31 AM MDT Sunday, September 23, 2001 [Comment on news]
Ever since the release of Windows 95 and Windows NT, Microsoft has been maintaining two separate operating system products -- one for home users, and one for corporate and business users. This cycle continued with the release of Windows 98 and Windows 2000, as well as the fairly lackluster release of Windows ME. Microsoft has decided to change this strategy, tossing aside the older Win9x codebase, and focusing solely on the Windows 2000 core. The result of this is their latest operating system, dubbed Windows XP, formerly codenamed Whistler. This new OS will come in three flavors, namely Home, Professional, and Server. Up front, you can expect the Home and Professional versions in stores on October 25 (worldwide), with the Server version due out sometime in early 2002.

More here

Zoltar Demo ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:04 AM MDT Sunday, September 23, 2001 [Comment on news]
NVIDIA has officially released the Zoltar demo in an executable format, so all GeForce3 owners can experience the demo in real-time. For those that have yet to check it out, you owe it to your GF3 to push it's capabilites.

Top Ten Features That Don't Exist....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:02 AM MDT Sunday, September 23, 2001 [Comment on news]
Cutting The Edge takes a look at the top ten features that they would like to see in games of the future. Some we will probably soon see, others are farther away. The article is from a few months ago, but ...

Samsung SM-308 DVD/CD-RW Combo Drive....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:46 AM MDT Sunday, September 23, 2001 [Comment on news]
Cooler-Computer has posted a review of the Samsung SM-308 8X4X32X8 Combo DVD/CD-RW drive. Here's a snip:

"Samsung a company that’s known for great quality and never having the highest prices in the market have this, a 8X4X32X8X DVD/CD-RW/R combo, but does this combo stand to compete against a regular CD/DVD/CD_RW/R drive or will it destroy them all?"

Operation Flashpoint Review ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:26 AM MDT Sunday, September 23, 2001 [Comment on news]
Shred Company has posted a review of Operation Flashpoint the tactiacl shooter from Bohemia Interactive and Codemasters.

FPS Guide....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:20 AM MDT Sunday, September 23, 2001 [Comment on news]
There's a First-Person Shooter Guide on CFGN with tips for Counter-Strike, Half-Life, UT, TFC, and Q3A.

Half-Life 1.1.0.8 Security Leak....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:19 AM MDT Sunday, September 23, 2001 [Comment on news]
A post on Planet Half-Life points the way to a security alert on SecurityFocus with word on a hole in the new Half-Life release that, in a reverse of the norm, could allow a server to exploit the client. The report says: "Valve Software was contacted on September 18, 2001 and informed me it will be fixed in the next patch (presumably v1.1.0.9). They did not believe it to be a serious threat." Here is a bit on the nature of the problem:

By running the command with around 128 characters it is possible to overflow the buffer and execute arbitrary code. While this problem is on the client side it is still a serious issue, since servers have a function named "g_engfuncs.pfnClientCommand" which allows the server to force clients to execute whatever console command they want. This means that this overflow can be exploited remotely by means of this function. A server administrator could easily easily take advantage of this and exploit clients automatically as they connected to the server.

Sound Blaster Audigy Gamer Review....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:53 AM MDT Saturday, September 22, 2001 [Comment on news]
GameSpot has posted a review of the Sound Blaster Audigy Gamer. Here's their intro to get you started:

Why pay more? The Sound Blaster Audigy Platinum eX is an audiophile's dream card, and it has enough high-quality sound hardware and inputs and outputs to set up a recording studio at home. However, most gamers don't want or need the whole Platinum package. The Sound Blaster Audigy Gamer delivers the same PCI card and next-generation Audigy audio chip at a more reasonable $99 price. The core features of the Audigy line are here: an audio processor with four times the power of Creative's previous chip; 24-bit audio output that boasts an extremely clean 100dB signal-to-noise ratio; and support for EAX Advanced HD game effects, which may bring high-resolution sound and complex new effects to future games. More than just paper specs, much of this technology adds up to a superior gaming and multimedia experience. The Audigy Gamer is the new game sound card to beat.

Max Payne Interview ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:44 AM MDT Saturday, September 22, 2001 [Comment on news]
Player of Games has posted an interview with Petri Jarvilehto, Remedy's lead project developer on the 3rd person shooter Max Payne. They talk about the long development time, the tech development, the photo-realistic textures the game uses, and more.

Ghost Recon Trailer....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:42 AM MDT Saturday, September 22, 2001 [Comment on news]
A trailer for Red Storm's Ghost Recon has been released today, showing some in-game footage from this upcoming tactical military shooter. It's available in both Avi and Quicktime formats, in high and low resolutions. Also up on the Ghost Recon website is a new screenshot, showing some "Muzzle Flash".

Wolfenstein Tips....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:24 AM MDT Saturday, September 22, 2001 [Comment on news]
There are some Wolfenstein Multiplayer Test tips on Wolfenstein Xtreme including team tactics to help succeed as the defending Axis or attacking Allied forces.

Terrorism and Games....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:21 AM MDT Saturday, September 22, 2001 [Comment on news]
Game Over on GameSpy is an article that recaps the various stories of the impact of last week's terrorist attacks in the US on computer games, outlining the assorted reports of games that are being altered, cancelled, or delayed as a result of the tragedies. They quote some of the developers and PR people about these effects, which include changes to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002, Spider-Man 2 Enter: Electro, Smugglers Run 2, Rogue Spear: Black Thorn, Crime Patrol, Red Alert 2, and Red Alert 2: Yuri's Revenge.

Tribes 2 Engine Gets New Name....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 6:17 PM MDT Friday, September 21, 2001 [Comment on news]
The Garagegames website has word that the search they recently announced to replace the name V12 for their licensable version of the TRIBES 2 engine has concluded. They're following the automotive theme naming the engine the "Torque Game Engine."

Jedi Outcast: Jedi Knight II Screenshots....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:43 AM MDT Friday, September 21, 2001 [Comment on news]
LucasArts has released five new screenshots of Star Wars Jedi Outcast: Jedi Knight II, their first- and third-person action game.

SideWinder Game Pad Now Available in USB....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:38 AM MDT Friday, September 21, 2001 [Comment on news]
Modern digital technology is allowing people to relive the enjoyment of classic movies through reissues on DVD. These remastered versions add to the movie viewing experience at home by delivering new features and a higher-resolution picture. In this same vein, with the SideWinder® Game Pad USB, Microsoft has taken a classic game controller and updated it with the ease of use and faster response time of a USB connection, allowing gamers to quickly add and remove multiple controllers.

Microsoft® SideWinder Game Pad USB is simply the best game pad available for all gamers’ favorite sports, action and racing games. It is easy to use: USB allows players to start playing games right away without having to sweat through a complicated setup procedure or deal with installing software. They can simply plug in the Game Pad USB and be ready to go.

The ergonomic design of Game Pad USB allows gamers to spend hours playing their favorite games while it delivers the precision demanded to manoeuvre their car through the streets of London in “Midtown Madness® 2” or make that goal saving tackle in “FIFA 2001.”

“Over the past few years, users around the world have been asking us for a USB version of the beloved SideWinder game pad. SideWinder USB gives them that,” said Stephanie Kinkade, marketing manager for SideWinder at Microsoft. “Combining the classic comfort and design of the original SideWinder game pad with the speed and ease of USB technology, SideWinder USB allows users to seamlessly jump right into their favourite sports, action and racing games.”

SideWinder Game Pad USB is the latest version of the original SideWinder game pad, which first hit the market in 1996 and spawned the No. 1 brand in PC game devices. The original SideWinder game pad is still available in the UK and remains in the top 3 selling PC game pads in August 2001.

SideWinder Game Pad USB will start arriving on store shelves October 1, 2001.

New Operation Flashpoint Demo!....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:33 AM MDT Friday, September 21, 2001 [Comment on news]
An all-new playable demo of Operation Flashpoint, this summer’s number one soldier sim on PC, gives gamers the chance to team up and complete a mission multiplayer style.

Released by Codemasters, the multiplayer demo is now available for free download from the Operation Flashpoint web site.

This demo consists of a single mission, in which you’re cast as an infantry squad member. Your squad's mission is to get to and hold a city, then stop the opposing squad taking control of the flag points, scattered throughout the city. Each time a flag is taken, the capturing team gets a point. Points are also awarded for neutralising enemies. The team with the most points when the game finishes wins.

This demo supports 2-8 players on a LAN or across the Internet. A server connection of at least 128Kbps is recommended for Internet hosts. The release of the demo follows the availability of a new Upgrade, which comes complete with server software enabling the creation of online multiplayer servers.

Rogue Spear: Black Thorn Delayed....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:30 AM MDT Friday, September 21, 2001 [Comment on news]
Ubi Soft Entertainment announces plans to delay the release of Tom Clancy's Rogue Spear: Black Thorn, out of respect for the tragic events that took place on Tuesday, Sept. 11th.

While Tom Clancy's Rogue Spear: Black Thorn features a very strong moral component and realistic portrayal of the fight against terrorism, Ubi Soft has decided to delay the release of the game and modify the content to avoid stirring emotions unnecessarily and unwillingly offending the public.

As a result, the game's release will be postponed from the originally scheduled date of October 9th until further notice from the company.

Tom Clancy's Rogue Spear: Black Thorn's official web site will remain online. People can go there to participate in forums, check out links to fan sites and get the latest news and media about the game here.

Red Faction & Commandos2 Out....
Posted by [luckee] @ 8:58 AM MDT Friday, September 21, 2001 [Comment on news]
A few reports of seeing Red Faction as well as Commandos2 on shelves have come in in the past 24hours. Haven't checked around here in Utah, but will as soon as the stores open.

Counter-Strike: Condition Zero ....
Posted by [luckee] @ 8:08 AM MDT Thursday, September 20, 2001 [Comment on news]
GameSpy gets a hands-on preview of the upcoming stand-alone expansion to Counter-Strike. Heres a snip:

It goes without saying that Counter-Strike is the most popular online multiplayer game right now. Simply blowing the doors off Quake III Arena, Unreal Tournament, Tribes II and even the recently released Return to Castle Wolfenstein multiplayer test, the number of folks playing Counter-Strike is truly astounding. According to GameSpy statistics, on the average, there are at least 30 to 40,000 people playing Half-Life at any given time. It's a safe bet that the majority of these players are indeed playing Counter-Strike.

But all this gaming nirvana has one important caveat -- players need a high-speed connection. Unless you have broadband access via cable or DSL, you're pretty much outta luck. Sure you can play with an archaic … err standard 56K connection, but come on people, we all know it's just not the same.

More here

complex worm slows in United States....
Posted by [luckee] @ 7:59 AM MDT Thursday, September 20, 2001 [Comment on news]
American companies recovered from the latest Internet worm, the complex "Nimda" program struck companies around the world, shutting down sites in Norway, Japan and elsewhere.

More here

McAfee Visual Trace....
Posted by [luckee] @ 7:52 AM MDT Thursday, September 20, 2001 [Comment on news]
We've all had a bad Net day: Pages are slow to load, email is sometimes inaccessible, and smooth surfing becomes a virtual wipeout. There is very little you can do about situations like these, except perhaps to call your local Internet service provider and endure Beckettian waits for tech support, which will yield helpful information, such as the company has "begun repairs."

There is a way, however, to trace Internet traffic and find out where the biggest jams are. Traceroute programs are neat utilities that tell you where data packets travel through the Internet, showing you how many "hops" these packets take before arriving at their destination. These utilities not only give you Internet traffic information, but also can act as applications that tell you where spam, unsolicited junk email, or potential hacker inquiries may be originating.

More here

MS Unsure of Xbox Launch Quantity....
Posted by [luckee] @ 7:49 AM MDT Thursday, September 20, 2001 [Comment on news]
As Microsoft Corp. ramps up production of its upcoming XBox video game console this week, game publishers and some analysts have started to question whether the company can make its target for the number of units available for the November launch. Microsoft has previously said it would ship 600,000 to 800,000 consoles when it launches the new system on Nov. 8 in the United States and between 1 million and 1.5 million by year-end. But the software giant will not know how many of its forthcoming XBox consoles it will have available on the much-heralded launch day until production at a plant in Mexico hits full capacity, a spokesman said on Wednesday.

More here

Intel Phasing Out Pentium III....
Posted by [luckee] @ 7:11 AM MDT Wednesday, September 19, 2001 [Comment on news]
With the release of a low-cost Pentium 4 chipset that lets PC makers build systems that tie the high-end chip to standard, low-cost SDRAM memory, Intel is now busy phasing out its popular Pentium III product line for desktop PCs. By the end of this year's holiday season, Pentium III desktop systems will be gone for good from store shelves; only corporate accounts will be able to purchase the systems for a limited time thereafter. Intel says it will continue to sell its low-end Celeron line, which is based on the Pentium III chip, for the short term.

Originally, manufacturers had to use the Pentium 4 with special RDRAM memory, which is slightly faster, but more expensive, than standard SDRAM. Now, with an SDRAM option, PC makers can offer Pentium 4 systems at a variety of price points, including systems at less than $800 with 1.5GHz processors. At the high end of the market, 2GHz monsters with massive amounts of RDRAM memory are the norm.

Major PC makers say they back the plan, and companies such as Dell will switch all their consumer desktop product lines to the Pentium 4 by the end of the year. Today, Dell sells two Pentium 4-based consumer desktops and one desktop based on the Celeron.

New Worm Spreads Havoc ....
Posted by [luckee] @ 6:04 AM MDT Wednesday, September 19, 2001 [Comment on news]
Security experts on Tuesday began battling a new, fast-spreading worm -- similar to the Code Red worm --that has already begun wreaking havoc on the Internet.

Dubbed Nimda -- the backward spelling of "admin," the term used to refer to network administrators -- the worm first surfaced Tuesday morning and was believed to have hit thousands of machines by Tuesday afternoon.

According to antivirus research firm MacAfee, the first reports of the worm surfaced around 9 a.m. Eastern; by midday, it had brought entire websites down.

FBI spokeswoman Debbi Weierman confirmed that the agency was looking into the new worm.

"There is no evidence that links this infection to the terrorist attacks of last week," Attorney General John Ashcroft said in a press conference Tuesday afternoon.

According to Ashcroft, the worm was showing signs of overloading traffic on the Internet, proving "heavier" than the Code Red worm that caused an estimated $2.6 billion in clean-up costs on Internet-linked computers after outbreaks in July and August.

More here

Land Warrior ....
Posted by [luckee] @ 6:03 AM MDT Wednesday, September 19, 2001 [Comment on news]
From Hollywood to videogames, the soldier of the future has been portrayed as a one-man fighting machine, armed with the biggest weapons delivering the most damage.

But the US Army has a different idea. The army has asked Silicon Valley think tank Pacific Consultants to design a system that's simple, effective, and will operate in a snap. The result is the Land Warrior system, a sophisticated mesh of communication, weapon, and tactical components designed to be carried by individual soldiers on the battlefield.

"In the first round, the government hired a defense contractor to build the system in a conventional way. It was a disaster," said Hugh Duffy, Pacific Consultants CEO.

The Pentagon nearly cancelled the program, but then an Army representative suggested the task be turned over to computer experts.

The Land Warrior system is powered by ruggedized off-the-shelf technologies including a Pentium processor and Windows operating system. An integrated mic, radio, and a wireless LAN device turns each Land Warrior into an all-in-one communications system. Using a keypad, unit leaders can also send text messages to each soldier's helmet-mounted displays.

More here

Website Collects $58 Million for Attack Aid :)....
Posted by [luckee] @ 6:03 AM MDT Wednesday, September 19, 2001 [Comment on news]
A website sponsored by several US technology giants has collected nearly $58 million in donations to help recovery efforts from last week's attacks in New York and Washington.

The website, American Liberty Partnership, said it has raised $57.7 million for nearly 30 charitable groups including the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and the New York State World Trade Center Relief Fund.

The donations received from public and business groups will be used to help in the rebuilding efforts and to assist charitable organizations offering medical and financial assistance to the survivors.

The site also provides updates on how the relief effort is progressing.

The partners of the American Liberty Project include Amazon.com, AOL Time Warner, Cisco Systems, eBay, Microsoft, and Yahoo.

Donations can be made at

Team Factor Q&A....
Posted by [luckee] @ 6:03 AM MDT Wednesday, September 19, 2001 [Comment on news]
checkout this cool team Factor Interview on GameSpyDaily talking with 7FX project manager Pavel Sinagl and Singularity Software in a Q&A that also features a brief cameo by CEO Noel Hargrave. The Q&A covers several aspects of the upcoming teamplay shooter, including bits about the character classes, the weapons, equipment, skills, how the recent terrorist attacks will not impact the game, and more.

More here

NOLF GotY Announced!....
Posted by [luckee] @ 6:03 AM MDT Wednesday, September 19, 2001 [Comment on news]
Sierra/Fox sent word to stomped.com that they will be releasing a Game of the Year Edition of the excellent first person shooter, No One Lives Forever. Here is what you will get for $29.95:

The original game featuring 15 missions over sixty levels
An all-new mission featuring four new levels of heart-pumping action, deadly intrigue, danger at every turn, and Cate in the heart of an active volcano
New exclusive textures, and a new enemy model to outwit
Map editor and source code included to allow players to create and share their own mission levels
Bonus music CD - Original "In-the-Lounge" music CD featuring groovy 60s music
Bonus Strategy Guide - Prima's official primer to the shadowy world of Agent Cate Archer

GamersTV ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:50 AM MDT Tuesday, September 18, 2001 [Comment on news]
A public beta of GamersTV is now available, offering the first release of the Quake III Arena-compatible version of this "software which allows 1000s of people to watch Quake 3 matches live."

Deadly Dozen Interview ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 8:49 AM MDT Tuesday, September 18, 2001 [Comment on news]
HomeLan has posted a Deadly Dozen Interview talking with nFUSION's Steve Ellis and Jason Zisk about their work on the upcoming "budget price" first person shooter. Here's a snip:

HomeLAN - What is the storyline behind Deadly Dozen?

Steve Ellis - The story centers around a squad of elite soldiers who are recruited out of the various Airborne and Ranger units to perform high-risk, classified missions. These soldiers are very unconventional and independent, so they really didn't fit in well with traditional army units. They were trained by America's leading unconventional warfare expert under direct order of the War Department to take on impossible missions and succeed. The 12 men who finished training were then organized into a special operations detachment under direct control of the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe to be used when and where he deemed it necessary. After seeing the 12 men in action during a training exercise, the Supreme Allied Commander referred to them as "the 12 most deadly men he has ever seen". Hence the name.

UP Interview and Preview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 2:34 PM MDT Monday, September 17, 2001 [Comment on news]
The Killing Grounds has posted a preview and interview with the team behind the Uncrossable Parallel Half-Life mod. Here's a snip from the interview:

What exactly is Uncrossable Parallel about?
The United States Special Forces: Green Berets. We are trying to put you in the shoes of the special foces finest, the Green Beret. You will walk, talk, think and act all the the green beret, your job is to take on the role of one of the many specialties or classes and fullfil your part in the team. You must know, if you act alone you will die, if you work as a team you will suceed.

Navy Seals Q3 Update ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 2:28 PM MDT Monday, September 17, 2001 [Comment on news]
The Navy Seals: Covert Operations Quake 3 mod website has been updated with the latest development news. There is a 2 1/2 minute movie that shows off the new player models in-game and a to-do list that has been updated with the features that are a must for beta 1.

Battlefield: 1942 Preview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:04 AM MDT Monday, September 17, 2001 [Comment on news]
Computer Games Online has posted up a very brief preview of Battlefield: 1942, the upcoming World War II based first person shooter from Digital Illusions and Electronic Arts. Here is a snip:

Producer Ken Balthaser and his team have developed a long-term relationship with Codename Eagle, continuing to play it even now (no, really). They feel that if Digital Illusions manages to combine Eagle's initial fun factor of on-the-fly FPS gameplay with a more robust single-player game, they'll really have something to offer to players who don't enjoy things like World War II Online's exhaustively realistic approach to game design. ("Take 2 didn't really provide the time to polish it [Codename Eagle] up..." said associate producer Jamil Dawsari. We're not going to let that happen.")

MOH: AA Interview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:00 AM MDT Monday, September 17, 2001 [Comment on news]
There's a Medal of Honor: Allied Assault interview on TotalGames talking with Rick Giolito, executive producer. Here's a snip:

TotalGames.net: How do you see the series progressing on PC now that you will have covered the whole war in such detail?

Rick Giolito: WWII is one of the richest back drops and since we deal with OSS agents, there’s a wealth of stories and, as we did with Medal of Honour: Underground, they could focus on one character. With the current PlayStation2 version we’re taking a certain operation and dialling it down to give you a sense of your short term and long term goals. On the PC, we’ll find something new and exciting and we’ve only explored the European theatre – there’s a Pacific theatre which hasn’t been experienced yet. Flying and being on ships and boats are options – you give me a hundred years and I couldn’t exploit them all!

Wolfenstein Test Guide....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 7:02 AM MDT Monday, September 17, 2001 [Comment on news]
Achtung Wolfenstein! has posted a guide to the multiplayer test that covers weapons info, class strategies, general strategies, and more. The game does take some getting used to, but learning about the classes and such helps. One tip is to be sure your rate is set appropriately. Those on something faster than a 33.6 modem will want their rate set above the 3000 default. Go to Options->System->Other in the menu to change that.

Croteam Update ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 6:59 AM MDT Monday, September 17, 2001 [Comment on news]
The Croteam website has been updated with some info on the next episode following Serious Sam: The First Encounter. They say the game is nearly finished and is entering alpha phase. They are hoping to have the first person shooter out in time for December.

AvP2 Screenshots....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 6:58 AM MDT Monday, September 17, 2001 [Comment on news]
AvP News has once again posted their "Media Monday" of new Aliens Versus Predator 2 screenshots. The new images can be found in the here.

New All-Seeing Eye....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 11:30 AM MDT Sunday, September 16, 2001 [Comment on news]
Version 1.4 of The All-Seeing Eye server browser is now available, offering Operation Flashpoint dedicated server support, and Return to Castle Wolfenstein multiplayer test support.

Windows XP - The Real Deal....
Posted by [luckee] @ 11:02 AM MDT Sunday, September 16, 2001 [Comment on news]
The Firing Squad takes Windows XP by the horns, & reviews it! Heres a snip:

In our previous editorial, "Win XP: What's All The Fuss?", we took an over-the-top look at the hype and paranoia surrounding the impending release of Windows XP. Now that we've had our little fun at the expense of the huge, monolithic, legal monopoly that is Microsoft, we thought we'd lighten up a bit and produce an article about how those fears compare to reality.
We were fortunate enough to hook up with an OEM that provided us with an up-close and personal look at the final Released To Manufacturing (RTM) version of Windows XP Professional. We had the chance to work with these fine folks for an entire work day as they ran XP RTM through its paces in preparation for bundling the new OS with their systems.

It is nice to see that some OEM's are taking this launch seriously. The purpose of this extensive testing is to determine the level of compatibility that XP has with their existing bundles and make adjustments as necessary to ensure that customers get a solid and compatible out of the box experience. They will swap out hardware that has problems, update drivers where they can and tweak their pre-packaged configurations so that all of the components work well together under Windows XP.

More here

Return to Castle Wolfenstein Multiplayer Test Released!....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 5:39 PM MDT Saturday, September 15, 2001 [Comment on news]
The Return to Castle Wolfenstein Multiplayer test has been released. Grab the 63.4MB file from the following mirrors, make sure you get wolfmptest0915.exe:

FilePlanet
3D Gamers
Bluesnews
Barrysworld UK
RTCW.net
Fragland
HomeLAN Fed

Microsoft to Remove Twin Towers From Flight Game....
Posted by [luckee] @ 10:20 AM MDT Saturday, September 15, 2001 [Comment on news]
Software giant Microsoft said Friday it would remove the World Trade Center from the New York landscape in its upcoming "Flight Simulator" game after the Twin Towers were destroyed this week by terrorists.

"We did decide this morning, after some careful consideration, that we want to do the appropriate thing, the right thing, so we decided to remove the towers," company spokesman Matt Pilla said.

"Obviously everyone's hearts are in this here, too. We don't want to have any imagery in there that would upset anyone," Pilla said.

Flight Simulator 2002, the latest version of one of Microsoft's most popular games, will let players fly a variety of airplanes -- including commercial jets like a Boeing 747 -- around areas like New York City, Las Vegas, and Seattle.

More here.

Team Factor Interview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:06 AM MDT Saturday, September 15, 2001 [Comment on news]
Miss-Match has posted an interview with Marek Trefny from 7fx, the folks doing Team Factor. They talk about realism, bot support, developing their own engine, demo plans, and more for the first person shooter.

New Q3 True Combat....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:05 AM MDT Saturday, September 15, 2001 [Comment on news]
A new version of the True Combat mod for Quake 3 has been released. Build 10 fixes a firing bug, scoreboard changes, fixed weapon positions, and more for this military/realism mod.

Global Operations Update....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:04 AM MDT Saturday, September 15, 2001 [Comment on news]
The Global Operations website has been updated with information on more of the weapons that will be in the tactical team shooter. This includes the Beretta 92F, MP5K-PDW, Colt M4, M240G, AW50, LAW, and LS6. The Desert Eagle and Sig 550 have been updated

Red Faction Preview....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 10:02 AM MDT Saturday, September 15, 2001 [Comment on news]
The Red Faction week on PC Game Central rounds off with a brief look at the multiplayer side in Volition's mars-based shooter, as well their first impressions from playing a gold copy of the game. The latter includes both single- and multi-player comments, as well as ten new screenshots.

Adding Story to the Action ....
Posted by [Frag-girlie] @ 9:58 AM MDT Saturday, September 15, 2001 [Comment on news]
The Need to Adapt the Tools of Drama to Interactive Storytellingis a feature on Gamasutra that discusses the need to integrate more storyline to action games, and the difficulties this presents, going on to examine the ways the traditional three act dramatic structure can be used in gaming.

Raven Q&A....
Posted by [Fr