This web site updated every day so visit often at www.quakelord.com or www.quakelord.net. I play Quake online as QUAKELORD and am the leader of my own clan the QUAKELORDS. Please visit our new forum where you can talk about the the days game news.

10-3-5

The Dystopia Website now offers downloads of demo 2 of this Half-Life 2 modification. The update adds a couple of new features and a couple of additional elements, addressing issues that popped up after a recent Source-engine update.

Basic Tactics for Blitzkrieg II on StrategyZone OnLine.

The Dungeon Siege II Downloads Page (thanks Frans) now offers a new patch to update Gas Powered Games' RPG sequel to version 2.2. Word is: "The Dungeon Siege II Update v2.2 includes numerous fixes and updates. The v2.2 update is a 11.8MB download which incorporates the earlier v2.1 version and will update either a v2.0 (Retail release version) or v2.1 game to the current v2.2 version. For all the update details, please read through the readme file."

Updated Mac minis arriving, details revealed.

Gizoogle. "Fo all you beotches who wanna find shiznit."

Music Industry Threatens to Pull Plug on Apple - Getting uncomfortable with Apple's market power.

9-30-5

Quake 4 on GameSpy. A weapons preview.

Age of Empires III Demo impressions on Cosmos Gaming.

Guild Wars Website has the preliminary announcement of the Guild Wars World Championship, promising details on Thursday (thanks Guild Wars Slovenija).

Court forces RIAA to dismiss case against mother & child.

LimeWire to Block Copyrighted Work.

9-29-5

The Silithus Introduction and the Silithus Interactive Map on the World of Warcraft Community Site offer insights into an upcoming update to Blizzard's MMORPG.

The Zoo Tycoon 2: Endangered Species Developer Diary #4 on Worthplaying continues this series from Blue Fang's Charles Miles by discussing the upcoming zoology expansion in a Q&A format.

Is the Music Industry Poisoning Torrent Networks? Wash of new bogus files showing up.

Office 2003 Service Pack 2 is now available.

9-28-5

Croteam announces that Serious Sam II is gold, and that the shooter sequel is due in stores on October 11.

Blizzplanet News reports on a new WoW instance limit to curb gold farming and new Weather Effects in the Works.

Everquest 2 Database on OGaming's Complete EverQuest II Faction Database is online.

Verizon/Disney Piracy Deal - Copyright crackdown part of programming agreement.

Useful Sony PSP Hack - PDF Reader For Sony PSP.

9-27-5

Mac Game Files now offers downloads of a playable demo for DOOM 3 on the Macintosh. Word is: "Download the DOOM 3 demo to begin your assignment at the UAC Mars research facility. Explore and battle through the first chapter. Includes 3 levels." The download is mirrored on 3D Gamers and FileFront.

The Warcraft III Bonus Maps Section offers the latest of Blizzard's weekly releases for The Frozen Throne expansion for Warcraft III. Here's the description of the map called Deadfall: "For years the mages of Moonbrook have debated, 'If a brave warrior falls in a forest with no one to hear it, then does it make a sound?'"

Halo 3 for Xbox 360 Launch May 15th 2006?

Notebooks Set to Double Up Processors.

Sony CEO confirms Spring PS3 launch.

Microsoft DVR Pay More if You Skip Ads - Redmond's latest patent.

9-26-5

Doom 3 Files offers downloads of a new version 6.0 of the DungeonDOOM XP modification for DOOM 3 (thanks Doomworld and). Word is: "DungeonDoom is a Doom3 modification for Windows and Linux operating systems. It incorporates most key features of roguelike games. In particular, levels are largely composed of mazes, which are generated with a pseudo-random number generator. Levels have stairs leading either to higher or lower levels of the dungeon."

New version 1.19b patches are now available for Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne and Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos. The patches close off an exploit left after the recent version 1.19 update.

Microsoft sends word that Age of Empires III is gold, and that Ensemble's real-time strategy sequel is set to invade stores on October 18.

Steam Gets More Bandwidth - In Anticipation of Day of Defeat.

9-25-5

Bit-tech.net's Half-Life 2: Lost Coast Benchmarks is an article with screenshots and impressions of the upcoming Lost Coast level for Half-Life 2, along with the titular screenshots giving a sense of what sort of performance to expect from the enhanced HDR effects. The article also includes a movie they cut together showing off the level for a 25.7 MB download.

A new Battle of Britain II: Wings of Victory patch is now available, updating Shockwave Productions' World War II combat flight simulator to version 2.01. The patch is available on the GMX Media Website and mirrored on 3D Gamers and FileFront.

The World of Warcraft Community Site announces a version 1.7.1 patch for Blizzard's MMORPG.

Mozilla 1.7.12 is now available.

9-24-5

The demo for Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood is now available, offering the chance to sample Gearbox Software's World War II shooter sequel. The demo offers one single player mission as well as a skirmish map with solo and multiplayer support. The 615 MB download is available on 3D Downloads, 3D Gamers, 4players.de, Boomtown (registration required), ActionTrip, Boomtown (registration required), Computer Games (Romaina), FileFront, Filerush (torrent), FileShack, Fragland.net, Gameguru Mania, Gamer's Hell, GameSpot DLX (registration required), PC Gameworld, Strategy Informer, VGPro, and Worthplaying.

This page offers downloads of new version 5.9 CATALYST reference drivers for ATI RADEON accelerators running under WinXP. Among the game issues mentioned in the Catalyst 5.9 Release Notes are fixes for Battlefield 1942 and Star Wars KOTOR II.

9-23-5

Doom3 World features the release of a new beta 0.44 of the Full Metal Jacket modification for DOOM 3. The update offers an updated bloomshader and is now fully compatible with DOOM 3 version 1.3.

9-24-5

DOOM 3: Resurrection of Evil on Develz Online.

The Tremor Website now offers downloads of a Linux edition of version 3.2.4 of Tremor for Quake, a modified version of the Quake engine. Word is: "Once you get the Linux version, make sure you download the main Tremor 3.2.4 binaries as well, as that download contains essential files for getting the engine to work. Also feel free to grab the Goodies package and the Texture pack to see Tremor in all its glory."

9-23-5

A patch for Missing: Since January has been found on The Adventure Company Website. Word is: "The Missing: Since January developer, Lexus Numérique, has changed their main server. The following patch must be installed to ensure that you receive or continue to receive emails for the game." There are separate patches for the PC and Mac editions of the game.

BFG GeForce 6600GT OC PCI-E Video Card on CompuTek Reviews.

Gamesurge.net's Radio Interview with LMS DOOM 3 Coop Mod.

64-Bit Windows' Performance on Dual-Core.

9-22-5

Version 1.0 of the Open Co-op mod for DOOM 3 is now available. This forum post outlines what's new in this version, including support for all maps in the game and Linux compatibility.

A pair of new Quake 4 trailers are now available, along with a flood of new previews of the upcoming shooter sequel in the works at Raven Software. One movie shows off some multiplayer mayhem, and the other a bit of vehicle action. One or both of the movies can be found (in many cases along with a batch of new screenshots), on 3D Gamers, FileFront, Filerush (torrent), Gameguru Mania, Gamer's Hell, and Worthplaying. The previews are from a Quake 4 press event in San Francisco, offering hands-on impressions of both the PC and Xbox 360 versions on 1UP, ActionTrip, Console Gold, Game Chronicles, Gamer's Hell, GameSpot, GameSpy, GameZone, and IGN.

The Dystopia Website has a patch for the demo version of this Half-Life 2 modification, addressing some bugs. There is a new Windows client along with new Windows and Linux servers.

World of Warcraft plague 'swamps servers'.

The demo for Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood is now available, offering the chance to sample Gearbox Software's World War II shooter sequel. The demo offers one single player mission as well as a skirmish map with solo and multiplayer support. The 615 MB download (don't try this on a dialup) is available on 3D Gamers, Boomtown (registration required), FileFront, FileShack, Gamer's Hell, GameSpot DLX (registration required), Strategy Informer, and Worthplaying.

Inventor Working Hard on Video Headstones.

9-21-5

The Tremor Website now features a new version 3.2.4 of Tremor Quake. This is a minor release, described as "just some changes to the key configuration menu, and a couple small tweaks."

There are a million mutant stories in the Marvel universe, and we may get a movie for each of them before development of X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse is complete. Another four clips from Raven's upcoming superhero sequel are now available on 3D Gamers, FileFront, Gamer's Hell, GameSpot, and Worthplaying. Also, there's another movie from The Movies, showing off more of Lionhead's upcoming cinema simulation. The clip can be found on 3D Gamers, FileFront, Fragland.net, Gamer's Hell, and Worthplaying

The Guild Wars Website has details on the new update to ArenaNet's MMORPG, which addresses some bugs.

Intel's Double-Chip Gambit.

Plagues in the World of Warcraft?

AirDefense Launches Free Wi-Fi Security Tool.

PCI Latency Tool version 2.7 is now available.

9-20-5

alphaWorks OptimalGrid Overview has middleware code to operate Quake II as an MMOG, the latest fruits of efforts at IBM to facilitate games, in this case Quake II, on a grid of servers.

2K Games announces that the Serious Sam II Demo is due for release tomorrow morning.

The Blizzard Entertainment Website now offers downloads of patches updating Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne and Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos to version 1.19. The patch note outline the numerous maps and balance changes in the new version.

This page on the framed French Codename Panzers: Phase Two Website offers a new version 1.05 patch for the French edition of Codename Panzers: Phase Two.

2K Games announces that the Serious Sam II Demo is due for release tomorrow morning.

The Nexuiz Website has a new version 1.2.1 of Nexuiz, the Quake-engine multiplayer deathmatch game (thanks Frans). Word is: "Old clients clients won't work properly with 1.2.1 servers - so make sure to update your copy."

Telltale Games throws us a bone with the surprise announcement that development of Bone is complete, and that a demo/trial version of the comic book-inspired adventure game is already available. The 73.4 MB trial/demo can be unlocked for the game's purchase price with no further downloads, the demo is available from bone.telltalegames.com and mirrored on 3D Gamers, FileFront, Gamer's Hell, and Worthplaying.

Marijuana found grown along I-84.

CCT Game Calendar 2006 now accepts game developers' artwork submissions.

9-19-5

The Brothers In Arms Website has news that Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood is gold, and Gearbox Software's now-gold World War II shooter sequel is due in stores on October 6

A first look at Longhorn Vista.

iTunes 5 a Mess?

New Legal Threat To GMail.

9-18-5

A new Panzer: Elite Action movie is now available, showing off some of the eliteness to be found in ZootFly's upcoming World War II armored combat game. The movie is available on 3D Gamers, FileFront, and Worthplaying.

This open letter from the Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association (IEMA) has the trade organization's plea to California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to terminate the recent bill that would fine retailers found guilty of selling violent games to minors.

Windows Vista Build 5219 overview.

TiVo 7.2 OS adds content protection, blocks transfers, and auto-deletes some shows.

9-17-5

Valve announces that the Game of the Year edition of Half-Life 2 is now in stores in North America.

The X3: Reunion Developer Diary, #2 on TotalVideoGames offers a discussion between Martin Brenner and Greg Kingston where the pair discuss their progress on the next installment in Egosoft's space combat series. Topics include the game engine, the competition, and "Bridging The Gap Between Graphics & Gameplay."

The Halo CE Chronicles volume 19 is now available.

OmegaDrivers.net has new version 2.6.61 drivers based on the ATI version 5.8 CATALYST drivers.

9-16-5

The Half-Life 2 Deathmatch Pro announces the launch of a stats tracking server for players of this two-headed (original and promod) competition modification for Half-Life 2. There are instructions for server operators on how to configure their setups for stats reporting. The most recent version 1.3.3 patch for the mod was released last Thursday

Granholm Signs New Laws to Protect Children from Violent and Sexually-Explicit Video Games has word on a new law in Michigan to take effect in December making it illegal to sell Mature or Adult rated video games to children.

MMORPG.COM's Dungeons & Dragons Online Q&A #5 chats with Victor Watcher about Turbine's upcoming D&D MMORPG: "All quests will be available to all character classes. However, the challenges and puzzles are developed to have a variety of possible means of facing, which players will face in a manner that best fits the class combinations available in their party. Each challenge can be faced by any character class, though the options available to each may be more or less practical than the options open to another class. The classic example is that the rogue can pick a lock to get through a door, but a Wizard would have to cast a spell and consume spell points to knock it down. Also, the game starts with a directed experience for characters, where they are given a specific set of quests to progress through and learn the basics of the gameplay. Over time, they will open up more areas."

There's a Ghost Recon: Advance Warfighter Q&A on Ghostrecon.Net talking with GRIN CEO Bo Anderson at the Leipzig Games Convention about the next installment in the Ghost Recon series: "The AI is tailor made to the game. The AI we created for GRAW is built from scratch and it is a very dynamic AI. It will respond to the environment, and actions by the enemy. They will actively move from cover to cover when advancing to an objective and, with waypoints, will advance to the place in the stealthiest way possible."

USB Drive Roundup on Hardware Secrets.

9-12-5

The Battlefield 2 Website warns of the possible ramifications of some scheduled maintenance on the BF2 stats servers beginning at 3:00 am EDT in the wee hours of tomorrow morning.

NovaLogic announces plans for Joint Operations: Combined Arms, a bundle that packages the first-person shooter Joint Operations: Typhoon Rising with its expansion Joint Operations: Escalation. At this point the release date for the double-jointed collection is "coming soon."

Korean MP3 Companies Whine about the Apple iPod nano.

Microsoft aims for hack-proof 360.

9-11-5

Rune Portal now offers downloads of a new patch for Rune: Halls of Valhalla, updating the expansion for Human Head's third-person game of kicking axe and taking names to version 1.08. Though this is an unsupported, unofficial patch, it is created with the assistance and endorsement of Human Head. The RuneGame.com Forums have patch notes and more details, and feedback on all this can be sent to Laurie "the DeepMinded".

Tenkabito and Homura headed to PS2.

High Speed Meatwad - Adult Swim offers broadband treats.

9-10-5

New patches are now available for Earth 2160, updating Reality Pump's RTS sequel to version 1.35. Word is: "The Gold Update 1.3.5 simplifies missions in the Easy mode and fixes the following bugs - crashing in LC Mission 7, AI locking up in the Multiplayer mode 'Uncle Sam', UCS allies blocking player units and some behavioural oddities in the infantry and the ED Transporters." There are separate patches for the English, German/German Gold, and Polish editions of the game

MMOLands is a newly launched MMOG portal offering access to multiple titles. They are currently offering a mini game and an educational offering as well as testing of a new Endless Ages server, as they are becoming the new home to Avaria Corporation's MMORPG. There is an announcement in a pop-up from the front page explaining the transfer of accounts, and changes to the system that will add free-to-play areas to the game as well as a one-time fee for more complete access. After a short beta testing period, the original Endless Ages server will shut down, and MMOLands will become the sole hosts.

SEGA Partners With Secret Level to Create Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 Content.

9-9-5

Shrapnel Games announces The Star and The Crescent is Gold, and that ProSIM's latest ATF-engine title should start shipping on October 5, 2005. Word is: "The Star and the Crescent, powered by the most realistic land based real time simulation engine of modern combat available today the ATF engine is another historical title from ProSIM, much like their recent The Falklands War: 1982. Set in the Middle East, the title examines the contested lands in and around Israel through an examination of the Arab-Israeli conflicts of the past several decades."

Novell Unveils SuSE Linux 10.

NFS Makes Xbox 360 Launch, PGR 3 Launches 2nd Wave Xbox 360, Playstation 3 PS3, Revolution.

9-8-5

The Guild Wars Game Update Notes announce the release of the Sorrow's Furnace update for Guild Wars, and a corresponding new Sorrow's Furnace Product Section is now online.

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is gold for PS2 and Xbox.

Microsoft Hints At X360 Pricing Structure Through PD0 Announcement.

9-7-5

The promised version 1.4 patch for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War is now available, adding support for the Winter Assault expansion while implementing bug fixes, tweaks, and performance improvements. The 181 MB(!) download is available on 3D Gamers, FileFront, FilePlanet (registration required), Gameguru Mania, Gamer's Hell, GameSpot DLX (registration required), and Worthplaying.

Greenpeace Protests PC Recycling Policies.

Solar flare affects communications, disruptions possible.

9-6-5

The Relicnews Forums Thursday as the planned release date for a new version 1.4 patch for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War (thanks Frans). Here word on the update, which will be available via the game's automatic function: "In Patch 1.4 we are addressing a few notable balance items, and we've also added Persistent Bodies and Decals! These options (accessible from the Graphics Options) allow you to control how long the bodies of the fallen warriors remain on the battlefield."

Blu-ray players to “punish” users who hack their gear?

9-5-5

The Star Wars Battlefront II Website has been revamped, offering a countdown to the game's release on November 1.

Apple appears poised for iTunes phone launch.

9-4-5

The World of Warcraft Battleplan - Vol. 2 is written by lead producer Shane Dabiri who outlines future plans for Blizzard's MMORPG leading up to BlizzCon and beyond.

Without Warning Xbox Manual Online.

9-3-5

Microsoft Unveils Laser Gaming Mouse With Enhanced Functionality is the press release in which Redmond returns serve from Logitech's recent announcement of some new gaming peripherals with the announcement of their own gaming mouse with frickin' LASER beams coming out of its eyes. Here's word on the Laser Mouse 6000, which will become available in October: "Equipped with a thin, flexible cord for the feeling of wireless, gaming-specific software features, advanced laser technology and more, Laser Mouse 6000 will take gaming to a whole new level."

Feel The Magic 2 Site Updated.

9-2-5

Publisher Anaconda Games sends along an announcement in German that 80 Days is delayed, saying in effect that the game's release has been pushed back by about a month from its planned September 30 release date, but no exact new date has yet been set. 80 Days is an adventure game based on the Jules Verne novel Around the World in 80 Days in the works at indie developer Frogwares.

Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends on Big Huge Games.

9-1-5

The promised Bet on Soldier single-player demo is now available, offering the chance to sample Kylotonn's upcoming gambling-themed first-person shooter. The 541 MB demo contains a pair of missions from the game. The download is available on No Frag and mirrors are available on 3D Gamers, 4players.de (Germany), ActionTrip, Computer Games (Romania), FileFront, FilePlanet (registration required), Filerush (torrent), Gameguru Mania, Gamer's Hell, GameSpot DLX (registration required), PC Gameworld, and Worthplaying.

8-31-5

Halo 2 premium content now free.

8-24-5

Further Xbox 360 Details Revealed.

8-18-5

No brain cancer link to mobile phones, study says and Physicians warn of cellphone cancer risk. Glad that's finally settled. This sure gives us faith in the medical profession.

8-12-5

Shacknews has a tidbit up from the QuakeCon keynote address delivered today by id Software co-owner and Technology Director John Carmack, who says that the Quake III Arena engine will be freely released under the terms of the GPL "within a week." They also describe the hopes he expressed to see a commercial release under the GPL, and coincidentally we can report on the release of Silver Wings, a budget arcade space shooter using the Quake (1) engine. A demo is available, as is (following the terms of the GPL) the engine source code.

8-9-5

This week's Warcraft III: Frozen Throne bonus map is now available for download from the Warcraft III Bonus Maps Page (thanks Frans). There's no actual description of the map titled Terenas Stand, but they do offer a royal quote: "'Noble countrymen, evil is upon us. Darkness has befallen our shores. Rise and slay thy enemies… strike, strike so others shall live. The meek shall not fade into the night… live my brethren, live.' – King Terenas."

8-8-5

A new Jetfighter 2015 trial/demo is now available to provide a sample of CITY Interactive's arcade flight simulator that can be played for 60 minutes before further play will require the purchase of a key to unlock it. The download is available on 3D Gamers, FileFront, Gamer's Hell, and PC Gameworld.

8-6-5

A new Prey trailer is now available, showing off the upcoming DOOM 3-engine first-person shooter in the works at Human Head Studios. The high resolution trailer runs about a minute for an 9 MB download, available on 3D Gamers, Boomtown (registration required), FileFront, FilePlanet (registration required), Gameguru Mania, Gamer's Hell, games xtreme, and Worthplaying.

8-1-5

NVIDIA now offers new version 77.77 WinXP/Win2K Drivers. The new driver is WHQL Certified and offers support for the new GeForce 7800 GT cards as well as enhanced SLI options for dual card configurations.

7-30-5

Version 1.0 of the Last Man Standing mod for DOOM 3 is now available. The first official release of the project includes "new maps, new weapons, tons of features, tons of bug fixes, so much stuff!"

7-25-5

The latest Battlefield 2 Update also includes word on the imminent release of mod tools for the game.

7-15-5

The Battlefield 2 Website (thanks Voodoo Extreme) has details on plans for a version 1.03 patch for Battlefield 2, expected around the end of August.

7-10-5

A Battle Carry Website is online, a semi-functioning home to an "action oriented deathmatch game featuring high speed tanks and powerful secondary weapons" from AFSL Games maker of "Indie Multiplayer Online Games with A Few Screws Loose." There's a playable demo that allows the chance to sample a couple of the game's tanks. The demo is available, along with a dedicated demo server, on 3D Gamers, FileFront, Gamer's Hell, and Worthplaying.

7-5-5

A new demo for FIFA 06 is now available, offering the chance to kick around the next installment in the soccer/football series. The demo supports multiple languages, the choice of five different teams, and two different stadiums. There are English and French language versions of the demo on the FIFA 06 Website and the 214 MB English demo is mirrored on 3D Gamers, Computer Games (Romania), FileFront, Filerush (torrent), Gameguru Mania, Gamer's Hell, and Worthplaying.

7-1-5

MMORPG.COM's The Chronicles of Spellborn Q&A talks with Barry Hoffman of Spellborn International about their upcoming MMORPG: "We do not feel the need to hand out a penalty when your character dies. We’d rather give a bonus to a playercharacter for not dying for an extensive amount of time while playing the game. Of course a player standing around idle will not be granted such a bonus."

6-20-5

Producer for Xbox 360 game says DVD presents storage issue.

6-12-6

A new Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood movie shows off Gearbox Software's World War II shooter sequel. The "Urban Environment & Squad Combat" clip offers gameplay and interview footage.

6-6-5

A new The Sims 2: Nightlife movie shows off another couple of minutes from the upcoming wee people expansion, the movie is available on 3D Gamers, FileFront, Gamer's Hell, GameSpot, and Worthplaying.

6-1-5

The Myst V Website is now online, replacing the teaser site that was holding down its place. The site offers game info with a Myst-appropriate interface, and even offers a puzzle section that unlocks bonus content on the site. Also, a new Worms 4 Product Section is online, dedicated to Team17's upcoming invertebrate strategy sequel.

5-28-5

Gamecloud has some details on the just-announced Savage 2: A Tortured Soul they found by picking through the official message boards for the RTS/FPS hybrid sequel. There are a bunch of details ranging from subjects like how a demo will be handled to how the construction aspect of the RTS element will change.

5-24-5

Activision's Q4 and Fiscal 2005 Year End Results are online, revealing "Record Q4 and Fiscal 2005 Year End Results." The story mentions a conference call to discuss the news, and the results of that call are reflected in Activision Earnings Way Up, Hot Titles Soon on IGN, revealing an apparent fiscal third quarter 2006/calendar fourth quarter 2005 release date for Quake 4 and Call of Duty 2

Half-Life 2: Aftermath on Gamesradar.

Free Copies of XP For Pirates - Well, sort of.

Overclockulator version 1.3.6b is now available.

Winamp version 5.09 is now available.

AnandTech News NVIDIA 512MB 6800 Ultra Ship May 5th.

5-23-5

DOOM 3: Resurrection of Evil is reviewed on Gamehelper and Computer and Video Games.

A Nexuiz Model Teaser is now online from this upcoming Quake-engine project.

Unreal Returns on 1UP has a look at the next Unreal Tournament game, which they got to check out in person. The new game may not be titled UT2006, reflecting what Steve Polge calls a "generational change" in the Unreal Engine 3 project ("The polygon jump is going from thousands to millions"). The lengthy article discusses the reasons they are deconstructing the game to rebuild it.

An American Civil War: Gettysburg demo is now available, allowing a 60 minute sample of Cat Daddy Games' turn-based strategy offering based on pivotal battle in the war between the states. The trial version has the content of the full game, and unlimited play can be unlocked by the online purchase of a product key. The download can be found on 3D Gamers, FileFront, Gamer's Hell, GameSpot DLX (registration required), Happy Puppy (registration required), and Worthplaying.

Hackers try to take down U.K. cops.

Razer eXactMat Mouse Pad is reviewed on Mikhailtech.

Ulti-mat Mousepad is reviewed on XYZ Computing.

5-12-5

The PlanetDOOM Forums has news of the release of a Skin Pack for Classic DOOM 1.0.

Refueling Station SP DOOM 3 Map is now available.

A new edition of the Q2K4 Project is now available, updating this GPL version of GL Quake to version 1.88. Word is: "This version hopefully fixes some bugs, mostly the screwed multitexture support with Nvidia-based cards. Also, Q2K4 1.88 brings a good bunch of eyecandies, such the impressive improved scrolling sky and the texture pre-filtering."

An unofficial patch has surfaced for Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, updating the Source-engine Vampire game from now-defunct Troika to version 1.4. Obviously, this is a use-at-your-own risk sort of an update. The patch can be found on 3D Gamers, BoomTown (registration required), FilePlanet (registration required), Gameguru Mania, and Worthplaying.

Matrix Games announces the release of a new version 4.5.0 of Starshatter, described as a major update to this space combat simulation. The new patch can be found on this Matrix Games FTP Site. Here's the deal: "The 4.5.0 update to Starshatter includes an all new rendering engine based on DirectX 9, a new user-interface, a new terrain engine and improvements to shading, textures, and graphical effects such as bump and specular maps. Additional improvements include increased missile payload for ships, minor bug fixes with flight patterns, and more responsive controls. This major update requires Starshatter v.4.0.3 to be installer before updating."

A New Photoshop Makes Retouching Reality (Somewhat) Easier (registration required).

Security Threats Branch Out From Windows to Mac, Linux.

EXTREME Overclocking & Case Mod Contest.

Revoltec case modification products is reviewed on Xtreme Resources.

5-9-5

DOOM: The Movie is reviewed on Bereits Gesehen.de and GameSpy.

Illinois games restriction bill advances.

Aspyr announces they will publish CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Dark Motives for the Mac. The release is planned for summer 2005

RPG Vault's World of Warcraft Tips #22 are online, discussing the occasional advantages of small parties in Blizzard's MMORPG as well as an analysis of playing the Tauren race.

TV Limits Copies.

Intel Pentium Extreme Edition 840 CPU is reviewed on The Tech Report.

5-8-5

Happy Mothers Day to all MOMS!!!

Guild Wars is reviewed on games xtreme and (first impressions) on GameSpot and Gamehelper.

A multiplayer demo is now available for Act of War: Direct Action, Eugen Systems' real-time strategy game inspired by the works of techno-thriller author Dale Brown. The demo includes two maps and supports LAN play as well as ranked play over the Internet. The 588 MB demo is available through this Infogrames FTP server (direct link) and mirrored on 3D Gamers, FileFront, FileShack (registration required), Gameguru Mania, Gamer's Hell, GameSpot DLX (registration required), and Worthplaying.

There's a getting started guide on The Unofficial GuildWars Site with tips on getting underway playing ArenaNet's new MMORPG. Also, there's a Pariah walkthrough trailer on AusGamers that includes commentary from designer James Schmalz.

Act of War: Direct Action is reviewed on Game Chronicles.

BenQ DW1625 LightScribe 16x DVD±RW is reviewed on CDRLabs.

Zalman Totally No Noise 500AF Computer Case is reviewed on SystemCooling.

5-7-5

Steam News has word on the release of updates for both Half-Life 2 deathmatch and the Source engine. The Half-Life 2 update adds a new deathmatch map called dm_runoff, while the Source update changes the default Steam port.

Steam News has word on another Half-Life 2 Deathmatch update, this time to close off an exploit in the new dm_runoff map where players could repeatedly call in airstrikes.

As noted on the Black&White 2 Website is word of the first gameplay movie for Black & White 2, Lionhead's upcoming god-game sequel. The movie can be found on 3D Gamers, Boomtown (registration required), Filerush (torrent), Gamer's Hell, GameSpot, and Worthplaying.

Star Wars Episode III: The video game has shipped to stores.

Antec Phantom 350 Watt Silent Fanless PSU (video) is reviewed on 3dGameMan.

5-3-5

Half-Life 2: The Lost Coast is reviewed on Shacknews.

A new Half-Life 2 Lost Coast video is now online showing off the upcoming high-end HL2 add-on. The movie can be found on 3D Gamers, Boomtown (registration required), FileFront, Filerush (torrent), FileShack (registration required), Gameguru Mania, Happy Puppy, and Worthplaying.

First wave of new content for Halo 2 is now available via Xbox Live.

AMD Opteron 275 Dual Core CPU is reviewed on Sudhian Media.

5-2-5

DOOM 3: Resurrection of Evil is reviewed on Gamers Depot.

Act of War: Direct Action is reviewed on GameBiz.com.au and Strategy Informer.

War erupts in World of Warcraft.

RPG Vault's World of Warcraft Tips #21 discusses the advantages of playing as a member of the human race in Blizzard's MMORPG, as well as an ability that's important in instanced dungeons.

A Prince of Persia 3 Teaser Website is now online, dedicated to Prince of Persia 3 (working title), the next installment in the PoP series. The announcement of the game was accompanied by a screenshot sequence, and there are more new screenshots on ToTheGame.

The LEGO Star Wars Follow Up Q&A on GamersInfo looks back at the process of building the building blocks Star Wars game during a conversation with Jonathan Smith: "When we worked through the early story treatment, and started to consider the action and scenes we'd be putting into the game, that was initially a concern of ours. However, the most extraordinary thing happens when you translate a story into the LEGO world; it turns into something completely different, and entirely safe. In fact, our LEGO interpretation becomes increasingly humorous, the more strongly dramatic our source material. When we have Obi-Wan falling flat on his face in the climactic battle with Anakin, the seriousness of the "real" dramatic situation only enhances the amount of fun we can have in a LEGO world. "

TKO Software announces plans for Heaven vs Hell, a good versus evil RTS game due next year.

Corsair Cool Watercooling Kit is reviewed on Red & Blackness.

5-1-5

These 3 large screenshots were sent along (complete with watermarks!) by Thearrel 'Kiltron' McKinney (now of Futrix Studios) showing off the Quake II for DOOM 3 modification that will be released on The Mean Arena when complete.

Duke Nukem at E3 2006? Stay tuned.

EA Sports offers a roster update for MVP Baseball 2005.

ATI Leverages Breakthrough AMD 64 Dual-Core Technology to Drive Graphics Industry Forward.

5-1-5

Eve of Destruction for Battlefield 1942 version 0.41 is now available.

Battlefield 1942 Silent Heroes version 1.0b is now available. "Silent Heroes puts you in a fictive conflict between the neighbouring countries Sweden and Norway, where the Swedes try to capture the Norwegian's oil. Realism is prominent, with authentic weapons, vehicles, environments and so on."

The LucasArts Entertainment Company is now offering downloads of a new beta patch for Star Wars Battlefront, updating the Star Wars multiplayer shooter to version 1.3 (beta). the update includes bug fixes as well as new remote admin support for dedicated servers.

S3 Graphics Announces the 'GStore' E-Tail Outlet for Self-Branded Graphics Cards.

4-30-5

Yes today is me birthday, Thank you for the e-mails!

Half-Life 2 Plan of Attack mod Q&A on Boomtown.

Hollywood threatens to sue UK BitTorrent man for millions.

4-29-5

DOOM 3: Resurrection of Evil is reviewed on 3DAvenue.

The Matrix Online is reviewed on GamePro and Killer Betties.

Computer Games Magazine outlines the PC racing games to be shown off at E3.

Apple sued over Tiger, injunction sought.

The RIAA finally stoops to open extortion, and Comcast helps them do it.

Oz Case Modz Graphics Competition Ft. Custom Cases.

4-28-5

DOOM 3: Resurrection of Evil is reviewed on Warcry, GamePro, and gameSlave.

Planet Half-Life has a quote from Valve's Doug Lombardi with more on the content of the upcoming Aftermath episode for Half-Life 2, the system-bending Lost Coast map, and Half-Life 2 Xbox, and there are a pair of new Half-Life 2 Aftermath screenshots on Tiscali Games.

The Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures Announcement reveals Funcom's plans for an online action/RPG featuring the famed fictional barbarian. The official website for the project is online, offering the first screenshots from the game, and there's also a FAQ with further information. The game is being developed for Windows, and while it doesn't carry a specific release date, Funcom currently expects to go live in the first half of 2006.

The downloads page on the framed Hearts of Iron 2 Website now offers a new version 1.2 patch for Paradox Entertainment's World War II strategy game. The change list outlines what's new in the new version.

Apple posts iSync security fix.

Apple 30in Cinema Display & Matrox Parhelia DL256 Video Card is reviewed on TrustedReviews.

4-27-5

DOOM 3: Resurrection of Evil is reviewed on Adrenaline Vault, EuroGamer, and (in German) on SpielerZwei.

Manual editions of the new version 1.40 World of Warcraft update are now available. There is a patch to update version 1.31 and a full patch that will update any previous version. One or both patches can be found on 3D Gamers, FileFront, FilePlanet (registration required), GameSpot DLX (registration required), Gamer's Hell, and Happy Puppy (registration required).

The Rise & Fall: Civilizations at War Q&A on Computer and Video Games talks with Rick Goodman of Stainless Steel Studios about their upcoming RTS game: "First and foremost, Rise & Fall is not a series of set piece battles. Rise & Fall is an epic RTS in which you control every facet of your civilization's growth and advancement. You build every building and wall in your city and train every unit in your army. Everything happens in real-time - the construction of your units, the exploration of the map, and the fast-paced, epic battles. And the single-player campaigns are story-driven adventures that take you all over the ancient world. And you'll get to do things never before possible in an RTS. Take it from me, the first time you charge an enemy fortification in Hero Command or ram an enemy ship with your Trireme and send hundreds of enemy units to a watery grave, it's truly a visceral, emotional experience. And once you experience it, you'll never want to play a game that doesn't have those features."

Mvisto DivX and ISO Pocket Media Player is reviewed on I4U News.

Intel Pentium Extreme Edition 840 CPU is reviewed on PC Perspective.

4-26-5

The Matrix Online reviewed on GameZone and Planetexile.

The World of Warcraft Community Site has news of the availability of the new version 1.4 of Blizzard's MMORPG, which includes their new PvP Honor System, as well as other new features. Word is: "The full patch notes are available here. Also check out the new PvP Honor rewards pages! You can find more information regarding the various weapons, armor, and mounts you can earn by achieving victory in PvP battle!"

RPG Vault's World of Warcraft Tips #20 continue their MMORPG back-seat driving with thoughts on playing the paladin class in Blizzard's MMORPG, as well as paladin equipment choice considerations.

Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is reviewed on 2404.org, 3daccelerated, and GamingSource.net.

Chaintech 6800 and 6800 GT Video Cards is reviewed on Home Theater PC News.

4-23-5

DOOM 3: Resurrection of Evil is reviewed on Jolt.co.uk and Gamer's Hell.

Samsung Plans Miniature Hard Disk.

LiquidIce's PSP Hacks.

Star Wars Revelations Available Online.

4-21-5

The Urban Terror Website has a couple of updates on the Enemy Territory version of this Quake III Arena modification.

Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack Preview, Part 1 on GameSpot

New iMac a Rotten Apple.

Valve Hardware Survey - 30% of gamers 256kbps or slower..

4-20-5

Showtime's 'Doom' day on Variety (subscription required) has word on plans for a movie/special for the Showtime cable network based on David Kushner's boom, Masters of DOOM, on the history of id Software.

The Matrix Online on IGN, GameSpy, and EuroGamer.

Wendy's Doubles Chili Finger Reward to $100,000 and Wendy's Trying to Solve Mystery of Finger.

4-19-5

The DOOM pop-up on the Universal Pictures Website now reflects an updated release date for the DOOM movie. Word is the movie is now due October 21 after previously being slated for an August 5 release. Thanks Computer Games Magazine.

The Warcraft III Season Two Ladder Contest has 20 days remaining for participants to improve their rankings.

Comcast sued for disclosing customer info.

LED Evolution Could Replace Light Bulbs.

4-15-5

Here, here and here are whew you can see the latest info on the ACTIVISION press release about QUAKE 4! Here is a snippet.

Earth is under siege by an alien race. The Strogg are cybernetic warriors -- a mechanical frame and decaying body parts stabilized by flesh consumed in a systematic annihilation of other species and civilizations. In a desperate attempt to survive a Strogg attack on Earth, an armada of Earth's finest warriors is sent to take the battle to the Strogg home planet. Earth's initial assault force is nearly annihilated immediately, but one marine manages to infiltrate the base, bring down their planetary defense systems, and kill the Strogg's collective brain and leader -- the Makron. Earth assumed the destruction of the Makron would end it all, but it didn't.

That's where QUAKE II leaves off and QUAKE 4 begins.

The Strogg are quickly regrouping. However, with the Strogg's planetary defenses still destroyed, Earth's forces can deliver a full and final assault. This time, you're not alone. You are Matthew Kane, an elite member of Rhino Squad, and part of Earth's next invasion wave. An army of soldiers are fighting with you and an arsenal of weapons and vehicles are at your disposal in this heroic and epic battle between worlds.

Happy Tax Day, as our income taxes are due today here in the States.

Comcast Outages Continue - As does company's refusal to provide info.

Samsung DVD±R/RW–TS-H552U is reviewed on ipkonfig.com.

4-13-5

Three Half-Life 2: Deathmatch maps are now available via Steam. These maps were created by the three players who won our recent HL2:DM mapping contest. If you have HL2:DM installed in your Steam games list, you will receive the new maps automatically.

The Age of Empires III Q&A Part Two on Computer and Video Games continues to converse with Ensemble's Greg Street about their upcoming RTS sequel: "There are a lot of units in the game. I haven't counted lately, but it's easily more units than AOK had. Part of this is because of the Home City - we want to make sure players have plenty of content they can unlock over time. Part of it is just to get away from having all "guys with guns." We have lots of Native American warriors, which is great for unit diversity. We also allow archaic units like pike and crossbows to stick around later than they actually did historically. We have more cavalry than ever actually fought in North or South America. Because having lots of units is fun."

Firefox 1.0.3 and Mozilla Suite 1.7.7 Released.

PSP processor capped.

4-11-5

The Guild Wars Fansite Friday #41 - Beta Weekend Event #6 Special Edition (thanks Guild Wars Slovenija) is a Thursday edition of this Q&A series on the eve of the launch of the final beta weekend event for the upcoming MMORPG: "Sure, always. This BWE might be called our polishing event. Aside from the brand new maps that are being presented in their newer form, and which we know might need a bit more refinement, we’re moving in on release (just 14 days and counting!) and we’d really like things to be just perfect on April 28th. Things are really in great shape, but in the event that you experience a bug or glitch, do take the time to hit /bug and report it. For instance, if you come across a pathing error, please stop, type /bug and write a brief description. You might say 'I’m stuck on this spot (we can tell where you are from your report).' Or 'The NPC’s have me trapped on this ledge' or 'I just walked through a wall that I’m pretty sure is supposed to be solid' or 'There’s a tiny bush that I’m having to walk around' (most small things don’t have collision, so you shouldn’t have to circumvent the smaller things). If you see a 'disconnected' piece of art, type /bug and tell us 'There’s a floating tree here' or 'There is a tree branch sticking out through a rock.' If you find you have bugs of any type – from equipping an item to combat to trading to chat – please let us know."

MCE TV Tuner Roundup Featuring ATI's Theater 550 & NVIDIA's NVTV on AnandTech.

4-8-5

The Matrix Online Preview on Yahoo! Games Domain talks with comic author Paul Chadwick, who wrote the story for the Matrix MMORPG: "There's the problem of player/reader focus. People read every panel, and generally every word, of a comic. Everybody watches the entire movie. Readers seldom skip paragraphs or pages in a novel. In a massive multiplayer, people receive information at different times, second-hand, during missions, in cinematics, reading the in-game newspaper, through rumor, via word puzzles in the environment, via NPC's - it's a spray of story in six directions. Hopefully, everybody gets wet enough. But the fact that not everybody gets everything is the biggest challenge."

Samsung DVD±R/RW–TS-H552B is reviewed on ipkonfig.

4-5-5

Though not yet listed on the C&C Generals Demos and Patches Page, the promised version 1.04 patch for Command & Conquer Generals: Zero Hour is now available on EA's FTP Server. No read me or details on the patch are provided.

USB 2.0 Hi-speed Flash Drive Roundup on Ars Technica.

4-2-5

The NVIDIA WinXP/2k Drivers Page now offers new version 71.89 ForceWare reference drivers. The new drivers add support for the GeForce 6200 with TurboCache, NVIDIA PureVideo™, and NVIDIA SLI; support for DirectX 9.0c and OpenGL 1.5; and address an issue with overclocking not working when running GPUs in SLI mode.

Thermaltake Tsunami Dream PC Case is reviewed on X-bit labs.

3-28-5

The LEGO Star Wars Q&A on FileFront chats with Jonathan Smith of Giant about their newly released game powered by the force and a whole load of plastic blocks: "Oh, it’s so much not that. We do tell the whole Star Wars story – in a fresh LEGO way, with our own mischievous touches – but that’s just one element of the game. This isn’t about watching the story. It’s about playing it – and playing with it. Everything we’ve been working on, all our attention on the combat systems, and the cool things you can do with the Force, and the huge variety of different characters and abilities, and the unique Free Play mode… it all contributes to our goal of creating a very special game."

A new version 2.1.1 of the Jet3D engine is now available. Word is: " It encapsulates all the changes that we've made over the last few months. It includes the coveted Direct3D 9 driver. Download it and enjoy it..." Also, File Retreat offers downloads of the PowerPoint presentation given by Red Storm designer Christian "Serellan" Allen at GDC called "Navigating the Minefields: Military Accuracy in Tactical Shooters."

3-27-5

Happy Easter to all.

Sony Releases New PlayStation Portable (PSP).

Sony PlayStation Portable review on Bjorn3d.com.

3-26-5

Tekbunker has a DOOM 3 rocket launcher benchmark offering a demanding system test.

More than a year in the making, version 3.0 of the Natural Selection modification for Half-Life is now available. Here's da word: "For a list of all available mirrors of the game, click here. If you are running a server, you can download all necessary files from one of the locations listed here. While you download, we encourage you to take a look at the new community manual. Also, view the dramatic trailer if you haven't already. We have taken the forums offline for the weekend to make sure everyone can read the news and download the game. If you have questions regarding the game, we compiled a FAQ for all your 3.0-specific questions. If you have technical issues or just want to discuss the game, we invite you to join our IRC channel, #naturalselection, on GameSurge.net. You can also contact us at community@unknownworlds.com, but please allow for certain delays."

802.11n Moves Forward - Perhaps 'stutters' is a better word.

3-25-5

The PunkBuster Online Countermeasures Website has a tease that PunkBuster for DOOM 3 is coming, with the goal of inhibiting online cheating in id's first-person shooter remake. No details are provided, though that forum post speculates that a release is likely to arrive around the same time as the Resurrection of Evil expansion, which is to include enhanced multiplayer support.

There's a Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords Tweak Guide on TweakGuides.com.

The into3d Entertainment Website has details on plans to release RC Squad, the first installment in in the RCS Land Machines series.

3-24-5

A new version 0.96B of Skulltag the multiplayer game based on the publicly available DOOM source code. The new version features the return of the AI bots, and following the release of the new version is also the release of the version 0.9 botscript along with some sample scripts.

The Last Man Standing Q&A on Chainsaw.cz discusses the DOOM 3 cooperative multiplayer play in the Last Man Standing DOOM 3 modification. Also, The Forgotten Hope Website has word on plans for a hotfix for recent latest release of this Battlefield 1942 modification. The version 0.67a hotfix is expected on Friday to address a few "major bugs."

3-22-5

DOOM 3 for the Macintosh has shipped to retail stores.

Macworld News Mac Doom 3 benchmarks revisited

3-21-5

The Fountainhead Entertainment Homepage now offers a new demo version 2.0 of Machinimation, updating this utility to make machinima movies using the DOOM 3 engine. The Frequently Asked Questions for Machinimation 2 Demo Version have details on this, and as noted on Machinima.com: "Since it is not stand-alone and does not include any maps of its own, it is a small file (5.98MB) compared to the installer for the original Machinimation. To clarify, it uses the Doom 3 engine for rendering and requires the user to have Doom 3 installed."

Blackhole Motorsports has details on plans for an upcoming patch for NASCAR SimRacing. The change list describes the addition of the new Dodge Charger model as well as a number of tweaks and fixes planned for the patch, for which no release date has been revealed.

3-20-5

The Matrix Online Newsletter has word that Monolith's spoon-free MMORPG is launching today for pre-order customers, with the widespread launch to follow on March 22.

PlanetQuake's Save the "Q" Contest offers the chance to win a Quake logo so giant they don't know what to do with it themselves.

RPG Vault's World of Warcraft Tips of the Week #14 provides tips for hunters, as well as a valuable reminder to keep in mind when dueling a spell caster.

3-17-5

DOOM III: Resurrection of Evil is reviewed on FiringSquad.

The World of Warcraft Community Site has further details on the next content update for Blizzard's MMORPG...

The Matrix Online is reviewed on GameSpot.

Microsoft Announce First Halo 2 Championship.

3-16-5

Doom 3's performance on Mac OS X is disappointing, and there's no easy fix.

Halo 2 Xbox Live World Kicks Off.

PC Wizard version 2005.1.64.3 is now available.

3-15-5

Jailbreak: Prisoners of War Website is home to this Quake III Arena modification.

AMD jockeys with Intel in multi-OS race.

3-14-5

More than a year in the making, version 3.0 of the Natural Selection modification for Half-Life is now available. Here's word: "For a list of all available mirrors of the game, click here. If you are running a server, you can download all necessary files from one of the locations listed here. While you download, we encourage you to take a look at the new community manual. Also, view the dramatic trailer if you haven't already. We have taken the forums offline for the weekend to make sure everyone can read the news and download the game. If you have questions regarding the game, we compiled a FAQ for all your 3.0-specific questions. If you have technical issues or just want to discuss the game, we invite you to join our IRC channel, #naturalselection, on GameSurge.net. You can also contact us at community@unknownworlds.com, but please allow for certain delays."

3-13-5

id Software’s Matt Hooper talks about creating the Doom 3 expansion on GameZone is an article-format Q&A on the upcoming DOOM 3 add-on: "It kind of evolved, we had some parallel development time so we actually started on the expansion 16 months ago so it gave us a good 6-8 months of parallel development. And working with Nerve (Software), which is right down the street from us, we had all this opportunity to work a couple of story hooks. For people who pay attention to the story they will notice some of the characters in the expansion were hinted at in the original story line. And also, with just the evolution of the weapons and stuff, we didn’t have a conscious decision to ‘hey, let’s keep this from Doom 3 and put it in the expansion,’ it just kind of evolved from its own thing. We knew we wanted to give the player more of the fast-paced action, more of the horror elements, more of the tension, but then wanted to throw a couple of new things at the player.”

3-12-5

Guild Wars is reviewed on Guild Wars Hispano and RPG Vault.

The Matrix Online is reviewed on GameZone.

3-9-5

The Matrix Online Vault's The Matrix Online Question of the Week #18 asks Monolith's Brannon Boren how full-time residence in The Matrix will be possible in the upcoming MMORPG.

Illinois seeks to restrict violent games.

3-8-5

DOOM 3: Resurrection of Evil is reviewed on Game Chronicles, Gamer's Depot, GameSpot, GameZone, and IGN.

The Matrix Online Vault's Toby Ragainai Q&A Part Two continues their discussion with the Monolith Designer about their upcoming MMORPG: "We can depict any Matrix character in The Matrix Online. Whenever possible, we tried to have the actors reprise their roles. In a few instances, like in the case of The Kid and Niobe, we’ve worked with additional voice talent in order to fill the role."

3-6-5

Doom 3 Xbox Preview and Q&A on FileFront.

The Matrix Online Q&A on GameSpot jacks in with William Westwater to discuss beta testing of Monolith's upcoming MMORPG: "The beta has been great for the game and for the community. We've not only gotten the chance to polish and improve the gameplay and stability, but also the community has become very active with sponsored dueling, scheduled raves, and faction pride. Fashion and music take a close second to the combat and missions, so we have to thank the community for running with that."

3-5-5

DOOM 3: Resurrection of Evil is reviewed on 1UP, ActionTrip, Gamehelper, GameSpy, and TeleFragged.

The Matrix Online Vault has posted some sound files from The Matrix Online, Monolith's upcoming MMORPG.

3-4-5

For those of you that do not know there is a new and better online auction site than eBay and it is eBid. you can pick up a copy of the pre-order for Guild Wars there so you can play in all of the online betas for FREE, yes I said FREE. You can pick up the GUILD WARS PRE GAME HERE!!! There is no reserve and many are going for a PENNY.

The Matrix Online Website now offers downloads of a set of four new training videos ("I know Kung Fu!") from Monolith's upcoming MMORPG. The movies demonstrate close-combat, advanced close combat, free fire combat, and hacker combat. Word is: "The combat in these videos has been slowed down so that players can understand how each phase works. In the live game, each combat round actually takes about 2 seconds so players will really need to be on their toes. Additionally, there are many times when players will be facing multiple opponents and hence forced to react to multiple attacks." The movies are mirrored on 3D Gamers and Filerush (torrent).

This Blizzard Entertainment Technical Support Site now offers details on the new version 1.18 auto-update for Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne and Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos. Word is: "Players of the Reign of Chaos and The Frozen Throne can now look forward to several key fixes and a bevy of new world editor features. The Frozen Throne has also been updated with new maps, numerous balance changes, and additional bug fixes."

3-2-5

DOOM 3 Xbox previews is reviewed on ActionTrip, GameSpot, GameZone, and TeleFragged.

There's an America's Army: Special Forces (Firefight) 2.3 Tweak Guide on TweakGuides covering the new version of the Army's first-person shooter. Also, a new Origin of the Species FAQ, is dedicated to this "3D action thriller set in a world of international conspiracy" in the works at Nu Generation Games.

The Guild Wars Fansite Friday Beta Weekend Event #4 Special Edition discusses the latest beta weekend for ArenaNet's upcoming MMORPG: "We only reset when such a thing is absolutely essential. Last month we needed to do one because of the nature of the new content. This month, we did not reset, and our plan is that we will do not more resets connected with Beta Weekend Events. Just prior to the release of Guild Wars, we will do one final reset in order to allow every player to start the game on a level playing field. Those who obtain early access via the Guild Wars Preorder will, of course, keep all that they attain in the period of their early access."

A new Area 51 trailer showing off the PC edition of the UFO game is another Midway gamer's day release, this 12 MB clip is up on 3D Gamers and Fragland.

XG Sidewinder Gamer Case is reviewed on Xtreme Resources.

Gigabyte 3D1 - Dual Core 6600GT SLi Bundle on TrustedReviews.

3-1-5

Doom 3 Xbox Movie.

HP DVD 640i - A First Look at LightScribe Disc Labeling Technology on ExtremeMhz.com.

2-28-5

DOOM 3 Xbox preview on Gamehelper.

Area 51 on IGN. A character diary.

2-27-5

The Forgotten Hope Website has details on the next update to this Battlefield 1942 modification, saying version 0.67 should be released on March 6.

GTA, 'Half-Life 2' battle for best game is an article outlining the nominees for the Developer's Choice awards to be handed out at next week's Game Developer's Conference. Word is: Up for best game are "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas," "Half-Life 2," "Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude," "Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door" and "Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords." Other awards will be handed out in categories including audio, character design, game design and writing. Also set to be given out on March 9 are the Community Contribution, First Penguin and Maverick awards.

2-26-5

A Machinimation 2.0 Public Test Version is now available, an updated edition of Fountainhead Entertainment's DOOM 3 machinima tool. Word is: "Since it is not stand-alone and does not include any maps of its own, it is a small file (3.83MB) compared to the installer for the original Machinimation. To clarify, it uses the Doom 3 engine for rendering and requires the user to have Doom 3 installed. There are still some known issues that are covered in the FAQ, but we feel it's ready for the public to have at it." Here's the FAQ that clarifies more on this. Machinimation requires version 1.1 of the Microsoft .NET framework. Also, this is the English version of a Q&A (also available in German) on the upcoming Recall to Hell modification for DOOM 3.

2-25-5

GMX Media announces F-A 18 Operation Desert Storm, the Euro version of Graphic Simulations' F/A-18 Operation Iraqi Freedom.

GetRight version 5.2d is now available.

Microsoft to Modify Windows XP Product-Activation Policy.

2-24-5

MechAssault 2 downloadable maps are now available via Xbox live that were previously for the limited edition of MA2: Lone Wolf.

USB Flash Drive Comparison: Corsair vs. Kingston on XYZ Computing.

2-23-5

Some recent web-based stories have had purported Half-Life 2 expansion info attributed to PC Gamer UK magazine. An update on Shacknews clarifies that the article in question is actually conjecture, and is identified as such in its own text.

Altec Lansing GT5051 5.1 Surround Speaker System is reviewed on 3dGameMan.

2-22-5

Do not forget you can pick up the GUILD WARS PRE GAME HERE!!! There is no reserve and many are going for a PENNY.

The Guild Was Q&A on Photics is an excessively paginated chat with ArenaNet's Gaile Gray about their upcoming MMORPG: "Some months ago, the designers sat down and really considered the elements of team-play and player game and team management, and they settled on 8 players per team as being the appropriate number for a Player-versus-Player or Guild-versus-Guild match. Also keep in mind that we do have tournament missions with up to 48 players. At this point in time, 50-versus-50 PvP gameplay doesn’t sound right for Guild Wars. For one thing, such gameplay would be difficult to manage from a player’s or battle commander’s perspective. For another, with 50-versus-50, the wide range of attack types and spell effects could cause problems for those on slower systems, and as you know, our goal is to include a wide range of gamers, not only those with high-end systems."

Data Node One, a new The Matrix Online community website is now online, though the old The Matrix Online site is still online as well.

Valve Software has released the updates for Half-Life 2 Deathmatch promised earlier this week, which means that among other things you can now smack the opposition around the head with the series' iconic crowbar. Thwack. Additional DM goodies stuffed into the update include two further weapons, the SLAM and the Stunstick, new map dm_steamlab, team specific spawn points ( info_player_combine, info_player_rebel), optimisation for weapon firing effects bandwidth usage and a fix for the game_score entity which apparently wasn't awarding points. Valve's update also tweaks the Source SDK and the Source engine

An electrical component failure can cause the Xbox cord to overheat and emit smoke. In 30 consoles worldwide, the problem has caused minor injury or property damage. In 7 instances, users reported a burn to their hands. In 23 instances, customers reported smoke damage or damage to a carpet or entertainment center, Microsoft said in a statement. The physical injuries were reported in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, a Microsoft spokesperson said. In all cases where damage was reported, Microsoft worked with the customer and resolved their claim, the spokesperson said. Fewer than 1 in 10,000 consoles have experienced these component failures, and in most instances the damage caused was contained within the console itself or limited to the tip of the power cord at the back of the console, Microsoft said in the statement. The recall affects the majority of Xbox consoles sold. As of December 31, Microsoft had sold 19.9 million consoles worldwide, 13.2 million of which were in North America, 5.0 million in Europe, and 1.7 million in the Japan/Asia Pacific region, according to the company. The replacement power cords should protect consumers and their Xbox consoles from the component failure. Gamers outside continental Europe with an Xbox manufactured before October 23, 2003, require a replacement cord. In Europe, owners of Xbox consoles built before January 13, 2004, need a new cord, the company says. To check if a new cord is needed and to order one, Xbox users should go to the Microsoft Xbox Web site. Replacement cords will arrive two to four weeks after order placement. Microsoft advises that, while waiting for the new cord, users should turn off their consoles when not in use. Xbox users without Internet access should call their local Microsoft office. Click Here to order your new replacement Xbox cord.

2-21-5

Fansite Friday #31 on The Guildwars Tome (thanks Guild Wars Slovenija) is the latest installment in this nomadic weekly series discussing Guild wars, ArenaNet's upcoming MMORPG.

The Matrix Online Q&A on IGN chats with Warner Bros' Jason Hall about the upcoming Matrix MMORPG, focusing on the "fanzine" that will accompany the game: "Essentially, the fanzine is really all about the users, the players of The Matrix Online, and the events that transpire within the Matrix and the exploits and adventures they've done. One of the things that we know about online games is that the interaction and the communication and community things happen inside of these games but it's never really captured outside of some forum discussions on websites. We've basically partnered with DC Comics to create an official fanzine. It's a magazine that's comic book size."

2-17-5

id Software Confirms Next DOOM 3 Invasion Set for Week of April 4 is a press release that seems to pin down April 4 as the release date for the Resurrection of Evil add-on for DOOM 3 PC, as well as the Xbox edition of the first-person shooter. The release states that the date is being announced by both id Software and Activision, so it's possible that id is abandoning their signature "when it's done" release date for the PC add-on, which is being co-developed by Nerve Software.

Tylak.Com now offers downloads of Das Roboss, a single-player expansion for Half-Life 2. Word is: "Combine forces are constructing a ginormous robot code named 'Das Roboss'. You must infiltrate their uber bunker and stop this madness. The fate of the world is in the balance." Thanks Dagok.

Is the Half-Life 2 EULA illegal? on the Inquirer describes possible legal issues surrounding the End-User License Agreement for Half-Life 2 and the Steam service. Here are a couple of hefty excerpts:

...The German Consumer Association has recently found that the packaging on Half-Life 2 is misleading. In a report made following complaints from the public, they said that the mere listing of an internet connection under the 'other' category in system requirements did not accurately describe the true extent of the internet tie-in with the game, and ordered Vivendi to amend the packaging and untie Steam from HL2 or face a hefty fine. See this page. How far other consumer associations will agree with the Germans is yet to be seen, but it seems a no-brainer that Steam should be mentioned on the retail pack.

The return of software has traditionally been a bugbear for gamers. Most shops, at least in the UK, have a policy not to allow the return of opened software because of piracy risks. However, most consumers are not aware that, in some cases at least, this is in breach of their statutory legal rights, which cannot be infringed. This page at the UK's Office of Fair Trading conveniently notes an example of when goods can be returned as faulty:...

It is quite conceivable that any gamer not being able to connect to Half-Life 2 is entitled to a legal refund in the UK. The case would hinge around whether or not the inability to play the game without persistent net connection, or the previous hacking of the CD Key rendering it unplayable, makes the game unfit for the purpose described on the box. This could well be a winner.

The last issue is the most interesting and relates to a number of other cases that have come up over the last couple of years. According to US and UK law, under the principle known in the US as 'First Sale', a consumer buying a game takes absolute title to it; that is, they own it. ...

But, arguably, you can't transfer the CD Key without paying the $10 Steam charge, because otherwise it's still registered to you at Valve, meaning you haven't truly transferred ownership to the buyer.

However, here's something else. No mention of the Steam software is made in the EULA for Half-Life 2. This means that the terms of the Steam EULA that you agree to when installing that software are almost certainly not incorporated into the contract you agree to when installing Half-Life 2. Consequently, the $10 transfer fee would not be enforceable because it isn't in the HL2 contract, and Valve would be acting illegally in blocking any sale of the game from one person to another.