6-30-3

Battlefront.com now offers downloads of a new patch for Strategic Command European Theater updating the game to version 1.07. The update incorporates "many modifications and changes inspired by gamer comments," and the patch is accompanied by an updated version 1.07 Strategic Command Demo. The patch and demo have both been mirrored on Worthplaying.

Tomb Raider for the PC in July on GameSpot is a story with the latest in the confusing saga of when to expect the next Tomb Raider game, saying the PC version of Angel of Darkness, which had been expected this week, is nearing completion, and should be "out in the coming weeks." Also, Exclusive Tomb Raider: AOD Sequel Details Revealed on Computer and Video Games offers quotes from Eidos about plans to follow AoD with two more games to complete a trilogy, with the upcoming games an attempt to move even closer to Lara's roots as an actual tomb raider.

6-29-3

Avast there, the BF Pirates Website has the debut release of the Battlefield: Pirates modification for Battlefield 1942, saying: "If you get excited about the idea of sailing uncharted waters, searching the fog for rival ships, and maneuvering into the perfect position to lay iron unto your enemy before he can do the same to you, then you've come to the right place." The PlanetBattlefield Forums has a thread on the mod.

6-28-3

The Bumper Car Q&A on modDB.com talks with David "DeathToll_David" Highlander about his work on the Bumper Cars modification for Half-Life.

6-27-3

The Punk Ass Fraggers Website now offers a new version 2.00.01b of their Hostitron Server side plug-in and client side model pack for Counter-Strike.

6-26-3

HomeLAN Fed's True Combat Q&A talks with Acrid, project leader on the True Combat modification for Quake III Arena, discussing the recently released version, his previous history in mod making, and what the future holds for True Combat.

Atari sends the announcement of production on Terminator 3: War of the Machines, a game tie-in with the upcoming sci-fi sequel (not to be confused with the previously announced Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines). The game is in the works at Hungarian developer Clever's Games, and is described like this: "a singleplayer and online multiplayer first person shooter set in the ravaged battlefields of the Tech Com-versus-SkyNet conflict from the Terminator world, to personal computer (PC) this winter." The announcement is accompanied by the first batch of screenshots, and in a timely touch, GameSpy has posted a Q&A with Peter Wyse, producer on the project.

6-25-3

PlanetQuake3.net has posted an audio interview with Oswald, one of the driving forces behind the Urban Terror modification for Quake III Arena. Topics include their upcoming beta 3 release, mods that go retail, PunkBuster, and more.

The debut release of the Action Battlefield modification for Battlefield 1942 is now available.

6-24-3

Gaming Illustrated's Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne Interview chats with Blizzard's Bill Roper about the Frozen Throne expansion for Warcraft III. They discuss what's been changed from the original game, which even includes the editor: "The world editor has had a lot of work done to it, having not just more scripting choices for players but we've also added a lot of functionality. One of the reasons we wanted to break out with the Orc campaign was to show the powerful new things that players can do with the world editor."

6-23-3

Slashdot: FreeCraft Cease and Desisted by Blizzard.

The Matrix Reloaded The Abridged Script.

6-22-3

Ballmer sets date for next Xbox has a report that the Xbox 2 may have a 2006 release date.

6-19-4

The True Combat Downloads Page now offers downloads of version 1.0 of the True Combat modification for Quake III Arena. The mod features new models and animations, new weaponry, all, as the name implies, centered around realistic modern combat.

There's a Half-Life 2 Q&A on Sharky Extreme chatting with Valve's Ken Birdwell and Josh Weier. They go into detail about various aspects of the project, like this bit on how they planned a target for their engine and graphics development

A demo version of Muscle Car 3 is now available, putting your driving skill and lead foot to the test in a sample of this upcoming racing game. The demo is an 82 MB download without DirectX available on 3D Gamers, and a 106 MB download with DirectX on Gamer's Hell and Gigex.

6-18-3

A forum post reproduced on Rise of Nations Heaven outlines a problem some are experiencing trying to apply the latest Rise of Nations patch through the auto-updater for Big Huge Games' RTS. Word is they are at work on a fix that may be released sometime today, that there are reasons why they think this problem will not recur, and a work-around that should help apply the patch in the meantime.

The Eve of Destruction Website now offers downloads of a newer version of the EoD modification for Battlefield 1942. The new release is again described as a demo version, now 11% complete (up from 10% last time in what could become a frightful series of releases should it continue, but this seems to be to restore compatibility with the new version 1.4 BF1942 patch).

The Warcraft III Frozen Throne Website now offers details that a planned "Final War3X Beta Tournaments will be held over 3 days, from June 21 to June 23. There will be separate 1v1 and arranged 2v2 tournaments."

6-16-3

As promised, the Halo 2 E3 movie has been released, and is now available for download. The trailer showing off the upcoming Xbox shooter sequel can be found on Halo Truth and Reconciliation, where there is an extensive list of mirrors, along with detail about what's in the flick.

Enter The Matrix Hacking Guide on 3DAvenue.com.

A rumor posted on SPOnG.com says that Microsoft is ditching NVIDIA in favor of ATI to supply graphics chips for the Xbox 2.

6-15-3

A new version of the Forward Observer Browser for America's Army: Operations server is now available. Version 1.10 features: "a ton of enhancements, most notable are the improved interface and dynamic views, web searches for buddies, an integrated web browser and improved query performance."

The Face of Mankind Website has details on a new skinning contest to create a character for this upcoming science fiction-themed MMORPG. the grand prize is an ASUS GeForce FX 5600 video card and second prize is an OEM copy of Adobe Photoshop.

6-14-3

JK2Files.com's Jedi Academy Frequently Asked Questions is now online.

The Shrapnel Games Website has a new version 1.02 patch for Armored Task Force along with an updated demo of the war game.

6-13-3

Citing info found in the Banc of America Securities Software Market Outlook 2003, a report on PC.IGN.Com places November or December as the release date for Max Payne 2, and they are also reporting that the Sims expansions continue to breed like bunnies, as they find suggestions that "a new, as of yet unnamed Sims expansion is to be released in the fall of 2003, specifically in October."

The E3 trailer for Battlefield 1942: Secret Weapons of WWII is now available, showing off Digital Illusions' upcoming add-on for their World War II shooter. The movie is available from 3D Gamers, and mirrored on Gamer's Hell, Gaming Horizon, and Worthplaying.

A new version 5.3.3.0 of Motherboard Monitor is now available.

6-12-3

HomeLan Fed's Half-Life 2 Q&A is online, talking with Valve's Gabe Newell about what can de revealed about plans for their shooter sequel.

Doomsday HQ has a new version 1.7.10 of the Doomsday update of the publicly available DOOM/Heretic/Hexen source codes. The new release offers pk3 support, new light sourcing, faster 3D model loading, and more.

6-11-3

The Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix Preview on GameSpy.com offers a look at the Xbox version of Raven's mercenary shooter sequel.

6-10-3

There's a QuakeCon 2003 Q&A on Cached.net talking with Brian 'Tapper' Davis about plans for the next installment in the long-running LAN extravaganza. Among other things, they discuss plans for broadcasting the festivities: "We've had to sit down and re-think our plans on shoutcasting. Our original plans fell through, and so we're busily trying to re-group and develop a new approach to shoutcasting at the event. We feel it's become an essential element, so we've dedicated staff to working on this issue, and time is short , expect announcements about this pretty soon. But no, no particular tourney will be featured , I think we're looking for a good mix of coverage."

6-9-3

Activision and id Software announce the release of the first downloadable map for Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War, a new Xbox-exclusive, multiplayer level titled Barn, which is now available via Xbox Live.

A report on Inside Mac Games has word that Unreal Tournament 2003 for the Macintosh has gone gold, and the game is slated to ship on June 11. They also have updates on a few other Mac ports, saying the OS X port of Duke Nukem 3D "is coming along, the OS X port of the original UT will "be awhile," and that "progress is being made" on the Mac version of America's Army.

6-8-3

The Unreal Tournament 2003 $1,000,000 NVIDIA Make Something Unreal Contest has been announced. The contest includes a $400,000 grand prize, and they promise further details over the next few day on how to qualify for cash and prizes by creating custom Unreal Tournament content. Meanwhile, word is: "Entries can be made in 13 categories, including 'Best Mod,' 'Best Character,' 'Best Use of 3D Sound,' 'Best Real-Time Non-Interactive Movie (also known as Machinima),' and more. Contestants can find contest information and qualifications, including a full list of categories, and sign-up for the contest today at http://www.makesomethingunreal.com."

The first screenshots from Unreal Tournament 2004 have been released, and can be viewed on The Adrenaline Vault. The three shots show off a couple of character models, as well as a couple of vehicles from the upcoming UT installment.

The Halo FAQ on Bungie.net has a couple of new entries with details on beta and demo plans, saying a playable demo will be released shortly after the PC version (hopefully not the same shortly that the PC version is following the Xbox version) and that while they are definitely planning to beta test the multiplayer component, they are not sure whether testing will be private or open. They also have a reassurance that the Mac version will have a "near simultaneous" release with the PC version.

6-7-3

The QuakeCon Website (thanks HomeLan Fed) has details on this year's event, and word that registration kicks off this Monday:

A new version 2.36 of the umod Wizard is now available, updating this utility that eases the process of creating Unreal-engine modifications. "This version runs a bit more stable and introduces Mac startup shell script generation for total conversions."

The World of Warcraft Night Elves Page now offers new details on the fifth playable race being created for World of Warcraft. Meanwhile, the Unofficial World of Warcraft Site now offers downloads of an 11 MB movie shot at E3 showing off the Warlock class from the upcoming MMORPG.

In celebration of their site's fourth anniversary, PlanetCNC's Command & Conquer Encyclopedia is online, attempting to create a comprehensive resource for the entire C&C series.

6-6-3

Atari Hints at New Matrix Game News on Game Power Australia has "off the record" information "that a new Matrix game is currently in development, and is expected to tie in with the release of The Matrix Revolutions, scheduled to release later this year." Meanwhile, Computer and Video Games goes from rumor mongering to rumor debunking, shedding light on the situation with this:

Indeed, reports on the Internet, originating in Australia, claim that Atari will be releasing a follow-up in late 2003. But, with Enter the Matrix only recently out, wouldn't that really be just a little too soon?

That's certainly the case as far as Atari UK is concerned, a spokesperson confirming with us today that Enter the Matrix developer Shiny Entertainment "will be doing another Matrix game" but added that it's not due for release until "around Christmas 2004".

This Blizzard Entertainment Page has details on the new version 1.06 of Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, available through the in-game auto-updater. The list of changes includes extensive rebalancing of weapons, armor, characters, and even structures. Thanks Corin Blaikie.

6-5-3

An update on the  Battlefield 1942 Website has word on a leaked version 1.4 patch, and why you don't want it.

A new version of the metaMule game browser/buddy list is now available, offering support for Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory.

Intel's 3.2GHz Pentium 4 to ship 23 June.

6-4-3

id Software's Return to Castle Wolfenstein Operation Resurrection(TM) Assaults Retail Outlets Nationwide has word that PS2 owners can return to console Wolfenstein. Here's the deal: "Set within WWII, Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Operation Resurrection enlists players into a whirlwind tour of duty. Taking the role of badass U.S. Army Ranger B.J. Blazkowicz, players must infiltrate the heart of the evil empire in Nazi Germany and stop the deranged plans of the Third Reich. Throughout the action-packed experience, players are locked in combat against hordes of Nazi storm troopers, undead Teutonic knights and the twisted products of genetic experimentation. The action stretches from the deserts of Egypt to the forests of Germany to icy compounds in Norway."

6-3-3

It will come as no suprise to you that a post on Shacknews titled "Duke4 Not A 2003 Game" quotes a Take 2 Interactive conference call where the publisher basically asserts that there's no "possibility under the sun" that Duke Nukem Forever will be released by this year's holiday season, and that since they have already accounted for the fee paid to Infogrames for the project, "right now we're just hopeful that the team in Dallas will finish it." The story also mentions their hopes of releasing Max Payne 2 in January of next year.

The GTA3MTA Website has version 0.3b of MTA, the modification that adds multiplayer support to the PC version of Grand Theft Auto 3. The mod is a 5 MB download, and word is: "MTA v0.3b is optimized for GTA3 v1.1, and is not tested well with v1.0. So we recommend you to use GTA v1.1, although we made it possible to change the GTA3 version in MTA v0.3b."

6-2-3

HomeLan Fed's Tiger Hill Games Q&A chats with Brad Foxhoven, president of Tiger Hill Games, the recently announced company that will bring the work of Hong Kong director John Woo to life in upcoming game projects. The conversation covers what they are prepared to reveal of these plans at this time, which does not yet include word on what game platforms they plan on targeting.

Warcraft III The Frozen Throne Goes Gold -- Street Date Announced.

6-1-3

HomeLan Fed's Half-Life 2 Mod Opinions asks the developers of a few prominent Half-Life mods about their thoughts on the recent announcement of Half-Life 2, and whether they intend on creating updated HL2 versions of their modifications.

Half-Life 2 Preview on Game Revolution.

5-31-3

Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory Released, the free Wolfenstein game that represents the now-cancelled retail product, has been released by Activision. The game, developed by Splash Damage under the guidance of id Software, does not require the original RtCW to play, and is a gift to the community for the cost of a 258 MB download. The Windows version can be found on 3D Downloads, 3D Gamers, AusGamers, FilePlanet (registration required), and Worthplaying, while the Linux version is available on 3D Downloads, 3D Gamers, AusGamers, FilePlanet (registration required), and Worthplaying.

Computer and Video Games' Half-Life 2 Preview has been posted, this is the online version of the print preview that appeared in a recent issue PC Zone UK magazine. The article is based on getting to check out the game first-hand, offering impressions, screenshots, developer quotes, and more, all spanning no fewer than 11 pages of text. Here's a bit of breathless anticipation: "Clearly Half-Life 2 is reaching completion, and is currently in a stage of extensive play testing. The deep-set rings under the eyes of Valve's talented team testify to that. With Gabe's introduction to HL2's development background done, it was time for him to return to work, leaving me in the hugely capable hands of Doug. As he started loading up the game, I caught myself gripping my chair, knuckles drained of colour and sweat beads marking the leather covering of the arm rests..."

The Ensemble Studios News Page offers info on a new version 1.06 patch for Age of Mythology, available through the in-game auto updater. The update rebalances some units, fixes some bugs, and adds improved networking diagnostics.

A new version of CPU-Z is now available.

5-30-3

GameSpy.com's Enter the Matrix Hacking Guide offers preliminary tips on how to get to some Easter eggs by hacking the computers in the Enter the Matrix game. The guide is spoiler-filled, but will prove invaluable to those without background in MS DOS.

Postal 2 on is reviewed accelenation.

Enter the Matrix is reviewed on Battle-Fields and GamePro.

5-29-3

The Rocket Arena Website now offers a new version 1.65 of the Rocket arena modification for Quake III Arena. Among the bugs addressed in this update are: Shaft gfx pointed at ground, Falling damage sounds, Specinvite messages, Player lean, End-Of-Round window bugs, Flood protection, Better \stats, Floor damage bugfixes, Arena selection menu fixes, Crosshairs, and Competition mode gives a black screen for spectators not following a player.

HomeLan Fed's Wolfenstein Console Q&A chats with id Software's Marty Stratton and Nerve Software's Brandon James discussing the new PS2 and Xbox ports of Return to Castle Wolfenstein.

Rise of Nations is reviewed on GameSpy.

5-24-3

Washington state bans sale of violent video games to minors on CNN Money has the follow-up to reports that such a measure was being considered saying that the state of Washington has indeed banned the sale to minors of computer and games that depict violence towards the police.

There's a Diablo II Q&A on DiabloII.Net talking with Bill Roper about Blizzard's plans for the upcoming version 1.10 patch for the RPG, including when it should be expected.

Stratics has posted E3 impressions of  EverQuest II and Anarchy Online: Shadowlands and World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XI.

5-23-3

The Enter the Matrix Website has a new patch for Enter the Matrix now available, updating Shiny's spoon-free action game to version 1.52. The 4.2 MB patch can be found on Gamer's Hell and Gameplex. In other Matrix game-related news, there's a Matrix Online Q&A on Fragland.net talking with Monolith about the just-announced MMO game based on the movie trilogy. Coincidentally, one of the answers addresses the lack of connection between the two games: "No, they are both separate games, developed and published by different companies. Furthermore both games are taking place in a different time frame."

SoundBlaster.com's Enter the Matrix Website is online, offering a Q&A with a couple of the audio designers on the game.

The CHARLIE'S ANGELS FULL THROTTLE website will be home to an online Charlie's Angels game that will be launched in June in conjunction with the upcoming sequel.

5-22-3

There's a 10 MB Deus Ex: Invisible War Shaky Cam Video on Gamerspulse.

Doupe.cz's E3 2003 Trailers Collection now includes the new trailers for Metal Gear Solid 3 and DOOM 3 and Half-Life 2 and UFO: Aftermath and Evil Genius.

5-21-3

This Take 2 Games Support Page now offers a new patch for the English and German versions of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, updating the 80s-themed crime spree game to version 1.1. This is an unsupported patch "that corrects polygon corruption that has been noticed on certain video cards and PC combinations." Thanks Gamer's Hell and Tiscali Games where the updates are mirrored. Word is: "Users who DO NOT have this corruption NEED NOT apply this patch."

5-20-3

Hackers use Xbox for more than games reports: "Microsoft's strategy of selling the Xbox, its video game console, at a loss has wrought an unforeseen consequence. Some users increasingly view the Xbox as a cheap appliance easily rigged to operate as a fully functioning personal computer."

The E3 Fair Strike demo has been released, and is available for download from Fragland. This special build of G5 Software's helicopter action game was created specifically for the Expo, but it is warned that it still represents a work in progress, rather than a completed project.

5-19-3

As the second Matrix movie nears release, The Matrix Online website has gone live, offering the first Flashy details about the MMO Matrix game, planned for launch next year. Included is a FAQ, some concept art, and a press release with some info about this project that's being co-developed by Monolith and EON Productions. There is also an E3 preview of the game on PC.IGN.Com. Here's a bit from the press release:

Warner Bros. Studios and Ubi Soft Entertainment, one of the world's largest video game publishers, will co-publish The Matrix Online, the first massively multiplayer online (MMO) game based on Warner Bros. Pictures' vastly influential Matrix property.

Under the terms of the worldwide exclusive deal, Ubi Soft will distribute and maintain the live game operations of The Matrix Online, while Warner Bros. Studios will oversee all story and content development. Both companies will supervise ongoing game development and marketing activities for the MMO game. Following the beta test in 2003, The Matrix Online is expected to launch in 2004.

Set in a virtual persistent universe in which millions of players around the globe ban participate, The Matrix Online will feature cutting-edge graphics, real-time martial arts combat and a rich storyline that picks up where The Matrix Revolutions, the third chapter in the Matrix film trilogy, leaves off.

John Carmack Speaks on Doom 3 on GameSpot has a couple of tidbits gleaned from a talk given by id's lead programmer, saying the ability to save the game anywhere on a level is being reexamined, that human characters in the game will be animated with the assistance of motion capture (while most of the monsters will still be hand-animated), and he is struggling with the decision over whether to allow shadows to be turned off in the game, since they are so important to the drama, but they also represent half the engine's rendering efforts. There is also another article on Carmack's talk on GameSpy.

Blizzard Entertainment Announces ``World of Warcraft'' For Mac OS X has word on plans for Mac support in Blizzard's upcoming MMORPG, though it's not stated whether this will coincide with the PC release, or follow.

 The DOOM III E3 trailer on GameSpot does require registration and does not require a paid subscription to view a first-generation copy of the clip that is showing off id's upcoming shooter in L.A. This clip runs two-and-a-quarter minutes, more than twice as long as the clip shown at the MS press conference. The clip is also available on PlanetQuake3.net

IGN's Half-Life 2 Media Page now offers a link to a Half-Life 2 teaser.

5-18-3

Enter the Matrix on pcgameshots. There is no spoon, but there are 177 screenshots.

U.S. Army Introduces New Roles and Missions to America's Army PC Game is the press release sent along by Uncle Sam to outline future plans for his America's Army game.

New version 44.03 Detonator FX reference drivers for NVIDIA video cards are now available from NVIDIA's Driver Download Page.

Microsoft Cuts Xbox Game Console Price has word of a cut to $179.99 matching the price we've been hearing PS2s are now going for.

5-17-3

After Playing Enter the Matrix since its release I have come to the conclusion that I (and not NEO) am The ONE!

A new version 1.6 of the Sturmbot is now available, adding support for the retail version of Day of Defeat as well as the free version of this Half-Life modification. The new release adds a bunch of new features while addressing several bugs.

Deus Ex: Invisible War on the redesigned Official Website.

5-16-3

A DOOM III trailer is apparently part of Microsoft's Xbox presentation at E3 this year, and the clip has been posted as subscriber-only content on IGN. It's not clear whether that's the original clip, but a ShakyCam(tm) version (the E3 special: shot off a monitor with a video camera) has been posted on Tiscali Games as a 2.5 MB Windows Media Player file. Though this does not serve as confirmation for the rumors that the Xbox will be the exclusive console system for the game, it certainly could be seen as lending support to that possibility. There are also a couple of DOOM III screenshots on The Adrenaline Vault.

5-15-3

Today is the official release date for MATRIX RELOADED and the game ENTER THE MATRIX.

Starting off by saying they have been asked not to comment on game content they got to observe, [H]ardOCP's DOOM 3 Benchmarks offer the results of their chance to check out the performance of id Software's latest game engine running on NVIDIA hardware. They go into the methodology they used, the efforts taken to not allow NVIDIA to artificially make themselves look better, the make-up of their test system, and of course, the benchmark results. There are also similar articles on Tom's Hardware Guide and Anandtech. In further DOOM-related news, 'Doom' returns in all its gory is a USA Today article on the game featuring many quotes from the folks at id and related industry pundits. Here's a bit on system requirements:

In recent years, game publishers have tried to boost sales by tuning their games to work well on mid-level systems. The new Doom ''is the only game that developers are comfortable expecting the core audience to upgrade for,'' says Rob Smith of PC Gamer magazine. Id has not yet set minimum hardware requirements, but the game certainly will run better with a new $300 graphics card or with Intel's fastest Pentium chip, a $400 premium over lesser machines.

Driving the complexity, in part, is the intricate lighting, says id co-founder and technical director John Carmack. ''The way (Doom III's) graphics engine has turned out is that all of the things that people do with cinematic lighting (in movies) are directly applicable to games for really the first time,'' says Carmack, who was only 23 when he was the lead programmer for the original.

The Unreal Tournament Version 451 Release Notes describe changes in the latest unofficial, but supported, patch for Unreal Tournament. The new version is available for both Windows and Linux, and a list of mirrors can be found on the UTPG Website.

Rockstar Games Announces Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne is the press release officially announcing Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne, the planned Max Payne sequel that was first revealed almost a year ago. The game is planned for release fall of this year for the PC, while console plans will not be revealed until a later date. There aren't really any further details about the project at this time, as they say it "will be unveiled to an extremely select audience by invitation only at this year's E3."

NVIDIA Unveils New GeForce FX GPU--The Industry's Fastest Graphics Processor.

Evercool Water Cooler WC-101 on XtReMoDs.com.

5-14-3

The brains behind The Matrix Reloaded.

There's a Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines Preview on GameSpot discussing Troika's just-announced Half-Life 2-engine game based on the pen-and-paper game from White Wolf.

X2: Wolverine's Revenge on AllOutGames.

upcoming science fiction first-person shooter. The demo can now be found on the Chaser Website, where there's word that it addresses clipping issues, EAX sound issues, a weapon selection bug, and more. A mirror of the 146 MB English demo can be found on 3D Gamers.

CPUCooL version 7.2.3 is now available.

5-13-3

This FTP directory offers downloads of the demo for The Hulk, Radical Entertainment's upcoming PC game based on the exploits of everyone's favorite gamma-irradiated anti-hero.

Slashdot: Xbox Hacking Book Prepares to Fly Off Shelves

5-12-3

There are now previews of Half-Life 2 in: Computer and Video Games, GameSpot, GameSpy, PC.IGN.Com, and Shacknews, .

Unreal Tournament 2003 Beta Tech Demo for the Macintosh has been released on MacGameFiles.

The Beach Head Desert War Webpage now offers downloads of a demo of this edition of Digital Fusion's arcade shooter set in a desert environment practically ripped from today's headlines. The demo contains the full game, with the first four levels playable for free, while the rest can be activated by purchasing a key. A mirror of 17.6 MB download can be found on 3D Gamers.

5-11-3

To all mothers, have a happy MOTHERS DAY, we wouldn't be here without you.

The Deus Ex: Invisible War Preview on GameSpot offers some pre-E3 impressions of the upcoming DX sequel based on getting to visit ION Storm's Austin offices to check it out. One of the factors they discuss is the return of the original game's open-endedness: "One way to finish the level involves killing a key scientist, and the other involves stealing a prototype railgun. Of course, in classic Deus Ex style, you can pass each challenge in the level in a variety of ways, by using stealth, special items, or special abilities to outsmart enemies and bypass the static defenses, or simply by trying to go in with guns blazing." Among the screenshots is a glimpse at Alex D's new look.

SimCity is on the Move in SimCity 4 Rush Hour is the press release announcing the first add-on for the latest installment in Maxis' city management series.

ePie Games has announced Vietnam War: Ho Chi Minh Trail, their upcoming Vietnam War game. While games in this setting have become increasingly common, this is the first one we can recall with a Chinese developer, Kungfu Studio, which could conceivably lend a different perspective to gameplay.

5-10-3

NewDoom.com's Legacy Q&A chats with Thierry Van Elsuwe, A.K.A. Hurdler, to discuss development of DOOM Legacy, going into the history of the project as well as what's planned for future releases.

Microsoft Rolls Out Xbox Upgrade (thanks Mike Martinez): "After the upgrades, the sources said, players will be able to turn on their Xboxes, see who among their friends is online, and engage them in voice chats in community settings that do not even require a game to be inside the console."

id Software's Return to Castle Wolfenstein Tides of War Hits Stores Nationwide has word that the Xbox Wolfenstein game has shipped, and in celebration, a new RtCW: Tides of War trailer is now available on FileShack (registration required), Gaming Horizon, and Worthplaying.

5-9-3

The Qtracker Homepage now offers a new version 3.52 of the Qtracker multipurpose server browsing utility. The update adds support for Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory and new Half-Life 4.1.1.1 remote administration features, as well as fixes for some bugs. Additionally, the launch has been cleaned up so that the program starts up much faster now.

After 312 add-ons for the original game, EA Announces Plans For The Sims 2 is the press release announcing plans for the Sims sequel. Here's a bit on the game, which will allow you to pass on your virtual legacy to your virtual heirs: "More life-like Sims, all-new gameplay, and the ground-breaking addition of genetics, with the DNA of Sims passed down through generations gives players a more vivid, realistic, and in-depth Sims experience. All of this takes place in a new amazingly life-like 3-D world. The Sims 2 will be unveiled to industry insiders on May 13th at the Electronic Entertainment Exposition in Los Angeles and is scheduled to ship in early 2004."

Disney's Toontown Online to Launch June 2003.

5-8-3

GameSpy.com's Enter the Matrix Preview is based on playing with the PS2 version of the imminent Matrix game that will also be released for the PC. They offer updated impressions of the gameplay on tap, and background on how this game fits in with the rest of the Matrix franchise: "The two main characters starring in Enter the Matrix are Ghost and Niobe. Ghost is the hardcore martial artist, and Niobe is the sexy gun-slinging, car-driving badass. Both characters are kind of secondary in Matrix Reloaded, but they're the stars of the video game."

The cover of Computer Games Magazine shows off Thief III, which is to be revealed further at this year's E3.

Activision sends word that X2 Wolverine's Revenge has simultaneously shipped for the PC, Xbox, PS2, GameCube, and GBA.

5-7-3

The debut release of the Point of View modification for Half-Life is now available. The twist here is now you get to play as an alien, as this single-player mod puts the player in the role of an Alien Slave.

A translation of the German text on AreaXbox indicates that Valve is working on an Xbox version of Half-Life 2, but that details on this will not be released until after E3.

5-6-3

The E3 Trailer for Mythica is available preceding the show, giving a glimpse at the Norse-themed MMORPG in the works at Microsoft Game Studios. The file is a 32 MB download, available from the Mythica Website and mirrored on 3D Gamers, FilePlanet (registration required), FileShack (registration required), Gameplex, and Happy Puppy (registration required).

Microsoft pushes back Office 2003 launch.

5-5-3

A bit later than planned, the Day of Defeat Website now offers a list of mirrors for the full version 1.0 Half-Life Day of Defeat client for Win32 and Linux. Each download is in the 170 MB range, and word is that old beta version 3.1 installations should be removed before installing the new release. This is the same version of the mod that will be in the upcoming retail boxed version of DoD.

Shoot-Em-Up Sequels Seen Boosting Video Game Sales: on DOOM III and Half-Life 2 and the fortunes of the PC as a platform.

5-4-3

There's a DOOM III Q&A on GameSpot where they catch up with id Software's Tim Willits, lead designer on the upcoming remake of their seminal first-person shooter. They include a quite groovy new screenshot, and discuss the game's single-player play, as well as what sort of multiplayer support is planned.

Gamestop's Unreal Tournament 2004 Page is online seemingly offering pre-orders for this project, which has not been announced. Of course, game e-tailer sites have been known to be inaccurate in the past, so there's no way of knowing at this point if this is completely erroneous, or just an inadvertent revelation of the future of Epic's multiplayer shooter franchise. The site lists an ETA of 11/18/03.

5-3-3

A new patch for America's Army: Operations is now available, updating Uncle Sam's Unreal-engine shooter to version 1.70, as well as a new full version 1.70 installer for the freeware game. The full installer is 387 MB, available from 3D Gamers and Gigex, while the 19 MB patch for version 1.60 patch is available from 3D Gamers, FileShack (registration required), Gigex, and Worthplaying.

Maxis sends word that the Superstar expansion for The Sims Deluxe edition has gone gold, and is scheduled for release on May 13. Here's the deal: "In The Sims Superstar, players can now realize their fantasies of stardom and wealth as they pursue the dream of being a Rock Star, Movie Star, or a Supermodel and live the lifestyle of a celebrity. All new gameplay, new social interactions, and a whole new in-game destination offers players an all access pass to the world of superstardom. Players will even have the opportunity to experience real-life celebrities in the game.

5-2-3

Though id Software has declined the opportunity to be interviewed about the new Masters of Doom book, Voices from the Past on GameSpy.com is a Q&A with several former members of the small Mesquite developer to discuss its history. They catch up with John Romero, Tom Hall, Jay Wilbur, Sandy Petersen, and Mike Wilson to talk about their times at id, and their recollections of the creation of DOOM.

Konami of America sends along the official announcement of plans for an enhanced version of Silent Hill 3, planned for release in October of this year.

5-1-3

The debut release of the Public Enemy teamplay modification for Half-Life is now available. Here's the deal: "PE takes part in a dark future - which we know from books, cartoons, movies and games like BladeRunner, ShadowRun, Cyperpunk, Syndicate (Wars) or Deus Ex. It is not a high-technology world like Star Wars, Star Trek or other movies or series which have already colonized whole worlds; it is not a science-fiction typically. It is more a neorealist, dark world."

Futuremark has released a new patch for 3DMark03 adding DirectX 9.0a support to the benchmark.

QUAKELORD'S QUAKE NEWS © Copyright 2005 MARK PASKO mail@quakelord.net  Dont forget to check out our forum .