Wednesday - February 13, 2002
GameSpot continues its daily Warcraft 3 beta report series by taking a closer look at the orcish race today.
Here's a snip from the intro:
When most people think of Warcraft, the unending struggle between the orcs and humans comes to mind. Yesterday we went into detail on the units and capabilities of the formidable Human Alliance. Today, we'll delve into the orcs, once bloodthirsty enemies of the human forces, and well known for their seemingly endless ranks and reckless abandon in battle. Heavily influenced by the greenskin mobs of Warhammer Fantasy Battles, the popular Games Workshop tabletop strategy game, the orcs in Warcraft are actually cunning lot, well known for their brute force as well as for their powerful magic. Controlling the orcish horde doesn't single out all other races, however. In Warcraft III, the orcs have been joined by the race of minotaur-folk known as the tauren--a race of deeply spiritual and honorable warriors who would also like to see the land rid of their oppressive foes. Not the type to disregard potentially beneficial alliances, the orcs can prove to be excellent teammates in large-scale confrontations, but are always able to hold their own in single competition.
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Digital Geckos, a Fallout fansite, has updated its site with two new downloads today:
1) A demo of an upcoming interactive encyclopedia of the Fallout world, both the game and universe. As opposed to the demo, the final product will also include a walkthrough, all item/weapon infos and much more.
2) A nice little game called 'Lines Tactics' which is supposed to be more difficult and playable than the original 'Tactical Lines'.
No hot-linking, so please visit Digital Gecko's main page. | | Source: GSD |
| RPGvault features another Black Moon Chronicles developer profile, this time introducing Eric Dubuc, leader of the support team. |
| Thanks to super.panda's Divinity fansite for sending along word of a new preview at French gaming site Overgame.com. Hey, if I could reload my RL I'd put more skill points on my linguistic skills, esp. French but since that is not an option anymore you'll have to find out by yourself whether they liked the game so far or not ;) |
| Not even listed on the official Warcraft 3 Beta Information Center yet but thanks to Blue's News we've learnt that Blizzard has whipped out beta patch v1.03 today. It is available via the game's auto-updater or as a stand-alone download (7.72MB EXE file) from Blizzard's FTP servers. |
| The official Black Moon Chronicles website has updated with news regarding the delay of the second patch that was supposed to be released during the course of this week. Patch no. 2 requires more testing according to Vircom. However, they're planning on the release of a small fix for the recent zoning problems. |
| PlanetEverQuest has copied and pasted today's patch message to its front page. Be prepared for a long list of fixes and changes. |
| StarWarsGalaxies.net has posted up a log file of yesterday's 3rd SWG developer's chat at Sony's Station. |
Freedom Force, Irrational's superhero MMORPG, is rapidly nearing completion as the game's Executive Producer Ken Levine lets us all know in this thread at the official forums.
A recent preview at GamePen said the game is slated for release in winter 2002. Of course, this led to some confusion because there's, um, two winters in 2002 ;)
The one right now and the other one starting in December of this year. However, if you read Ken's post it becomes obvious that GamePen was talking about the one in between now and the end of March because Freedom Force is almost gold master status. | | Source: VE |
Jay Watamaniuk, BioWare Community Manager, has unveiled the first in a series of Neverwinter Nights surprises today. A rather detailed build update report has been posted to the official forums. It covers the week of Feb. 6-11 and shows how much work is involved with bugfixing, balancing and feature implementation.
More surprises are supposed to show up every Wednesday from now on. Stay tuned for those. | | Source: Neverwinter Vault |
GoneGold joins the ranks of the lucky sites being able to post a Dungeon Siege Press Beta review. Here's a bit:
You heard it here first... This game will not leave hard drives for years to come. Period. Be very happy that the game keeps getting delayed, because that means (And I expected nothing less.) that Chris Taylor is holding this baby and polishing and polishing and polishing. I had a "Limited Content Build" and got so addicted to the darn thing I went against my own rule of not getting too far into unreleased games and played for hours on end.
This is what we were all hoping Diablo II would be and more. At first blush, gamers will compare this to the Diablo series because of the clicking interface to move and attack. However, there is so much more to this game that the comparisons basically end here, except for the now standardized Red Potion = Heal, Blue Potion = Mana, etc...
The engine is absolutely amazing, as you wonder from a huge outside forest into a small crypt that just happens to turn into a sprawling dungeon that seems almost endless, with the very last single room being bigger than some of the entire Diablo maps! A room so big, when you zoom out of the map section, it can not cover the entire area. All this without loading. Wow. |
| Erik from ToTheGame lets us know that Bonusweb.cz has posted a new Morrowind movie. Two sizes (1,5 and 4m2 MB), and it shows footage I haven't seen before (33 sec) - seems someone is giving you a quest in this scene. Have a look... |
| Lucky guys over at ToTheGame - they have some new screenshots from Might & Magic 9 on their site. I am a little bit disappointed with what I see, I have to admit. The architecture is, well, uninspired. And if they want to keep the release date, not much will change... |
CGO previews Warlords Battlecry 2, the upcoming RTS/RPG hybrid by SSG. Here's a bit:
Given that much of the game's interface, combat system, and general structure are pretty much standard fodder, what sets Battlecry II apart? "It's really all about polish," says Programming Director Steve Fawkner. "The little things, and the overall feel, really." The goal with the sequel is to add more of everything, without losing that Warlords feel. Some actions, like defensive spells cast by buildings, can cost resources. Workers don't actively harvest resources, but they can garrison mines and increase production. Heroes gain power and abilities in RPG fashion, and you can take your hero with you from game to game and even into multiplayer battles. While the mechanics of play are familiar, Battlecry II feels more like Disciples or Age of Wonders than Age of Empires. Small groups of high quality are far more powerful than hordes of throwaway units, and careful strategy more important than an orc rush. And of course, you can issue orders while paused. |
Eurogamer has published a preview of A Tale in the Desert, the non combat MMORPG currently in beta. Since it isn't too long, here's just the last paragraph:
Judging from the beta though A Tale In The Desert is shaping up to be a novel and surprisingly entertaining new take on the massively multiplayer genre, with a much greater emphasis on community and co-operation between players as they work together to turn Egypt into a thriving civilization. |
Subsim, a website dedicated to naval sims, has conducted an interview with Akella, developers of naval sim/strategy/RPG hybrid Sea Dogs 2.
Here's a snip:
Subsim: The Akella SD2 website mentions a "quest generation system". This would obviously add tremendous replay value. Is this feature still expected to be in the game and what limitations will it have when compared to the scripted quest campaigns?
Akella: This is the one of the main features of Sea Dogs II. We are working hard on it, trying to make it the most cool and exciting for players. We assume that the only limitations that quest generation system will have is a creation of unusual quest that includes atypical locations or actions (like bringing a sea snake into the game or fighting with skeletons on a ghost ship – for example.) All other situations (even Great Armadas and Golden Convoys) could be included in quests created by quest generation system.
Subsim: The economics and trading was a very original part of Sea Dogs 1. Over time, it did get wearisome playing the role as a trader in order to build sufficient resources to buy better equipment. What steps has the dev team taken to diversify the trading element of the game?
Akella: In Sea Dogs II we added such trading elements as smuggling and slavery. Also we widened the assortment of goods available for trade (now there are 26 different goods in Sea Dogs II). By the way, now player’s actions affect prices and economy of game world.
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| PlanetBaldursGate has opened up its Icewind Dale 2 area. The section contains all of the information that has been made available so far, including game features, race & class descriptions, screenshots, concept art, and wallpapers. |
Gamespy continues to post The Neocron Files, this time written by Aaron "PharCyde" Butler. This volume is dealing with different kinds of weapons in Reakktor Media's upcoming MMORPG, like the Artifact Pistol:
The first weapon you see before you is the Artifact pistol. It has a decent range of 71m and is capable of using piercing, uranium, phosphorus, and explosive ammunitions.
Don't look so confused. Let me explain the different ammo types so you'll know what they do when they are mentioned later. Piercing ammo inflicts basic damage for guns which fire bullets. All the bullets have pointy tips, so the first thing they will do is pierce. All bullets, no matter what extra feature they have, can pierce. Uranium ammo, for instance, not only pierces, but does X-ray damage! Therfore, phosphorus ammo can also pierce, and as its extra feature, has the added ability of doing fire-based damage. Lastly, explosive ammo pierces and also does force damage -- sort of like putting a lit stick of dynamite down your friend's trousers. Haha! That's always good for a laugh! Opss, anyways... |
CGO has written a review of Wizardry 8, SirTechs latest (and probably last) great RPG. With a rating of 4.5/5 stars, it was well received, like in most other reviews out there. Here is their closing statement:
Wizardry 8 is not likely to convert anyone that has never enjoyed dungeon crawl role-playing games, but it is a godsend for people that do, and for fans of the Wizardry series. There's plenty of character building, combat, exploration, and questing. There are monsters to kill and items to find. Skills get better after almost every fight, and the constant sense of improvement helps keep the game fun throughout. 2001 hasn't been a strong year for role-playing games, but Wizardry 8 will keep you playing well into the New Year. |
There will be another IRC chat with Chris Avellone of Black Isle on the 21st of this month on the topic of the Fallout Bible. Chris is intending to release the bible in sections and he will be answering questions regarding the current incarnation and taking suggestions for future additions and improvements to the project.
When: February 21, 2002 at 7:00PM EST (GMT -5)
Where: irc.enterthegame.com at #vault13
The most up-to-date version of the Fallout Bible is here. |
RPGVault has written a review of Disciples 2 - Dark Prophecy, and while it has no numerical rating, the summary is very positive:
Overall, Disciples II: Dark Prophecy has been a pleasure to play. To this point, I've completed two and a half of the four campaigns plus a handful of the standalone scenarios. Counting a few hours of multiplayer, this has occupied me for over 50 hours. Although I tend to be a methodical player, this is only about half the game without including playing some parts over intentionally, the possibility of replaying scenarios with different leaders, or quests developed by players using the editor that ships with it. So, suffice it to say the game offers lots of playing time even if you're a lot faster or less thorough than I am. Much more important of course, is that this time has been fun; I can certainly see myself playing more and finishing the other half of the game solely for my own enjoyment. |
| 6 photos of the action figures from Lord Blackthorn's Revenge can be seen at UGO today. |
 Three new Dominion Screenshots
(PC: MMORPG) | Posted by Rendelius @ 00:46 - Top 
| Game Info | Homepage |
| An interview with Associate Producer Gordon Wrinn from Everquest can be found at C&VG todasy. Since I ahve no personal account with them an they block the view after you have seen a certain numer of pages (which I did scanning for news), no snippet served. |
| The fan made mod "Dark Side of the Sword Coast for Baldur's Gate has been patched to 1.03B. "Dark side of the Sword Coast" is an unofficial add-on expansion for BG/TotSC that was released initially before Icewind Dale and Baldur's Gate 2. In this add-on you are allowed to gain higher levels, obtain higher level spells, encounter new and unique NPC's and creatures, go on new quests, and visit new areas. |
| Over at Planet Deus Ex, you can download the main theme from the PS2 version of the game. a small (2.2MB) download of nice music :-) |
| At the official site for The I of the Dragon, Primal Soft's upcoming RPG, you can find a movie in two sizes (big, 31MB, and extremely big, 124MB). |
A new interview with Chris Taylor about Dungeon Siege can be seen at CVG today. In this bit, he talks about the interface of the game:
Chris: Well, the whole screen is really customisable, for example I can grab the bar at the bottom and put it at the top, you can minimize your compass and move your character portrait around if you so desire or even shrink it. We've really studied the way people play, and we looked at the different styles, and we basically built the game interface to handle every style.
What people may not realise or appreciate is that in some games you, for example, click on this potion, release the mouse button and have it stuck on the cursor and then you click to drop it. Or some you click down and hold, drag and release. We've implemented both systems so that people, whatever they go to do, it works just exactly the way they think it should. People who have seen the game have thought, "Gosh, why aren't all games made this way!" and even for us it was like, "Hey, what kind of discovery have we made!"
A french interview with him can be found at Jeux-pc.com, accompanied by 45 screenshots. |
A press release by Origin Systems announces that Ultima Online - Lord Blackthorn's Revenge has shipped to stores now:
Origin Systems Ships Ultima Online Lord Blackthorn's Revenge
Latest Installment of Longest Running Online Subscription Game to Feature More Than 30 New Monsters Designed by Todd McFarlane, Creator of Spawn
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 12, 2002-- Origin Systems(TM), an Electronic Arts (Nasdaq:ERTS - news) development studio, today announced that it has begun shipping Ultima Online(TM) Lord Blackthorn's Revenge, the latest version in the award-winning Ultima Online(TM) (UO) series. The game introduces 30 new monsters designed by Grammy and Emmy-winning Producer and Director Todd McFarlane, creator of Spawn(TM), McFarlane Toys and Spawn.com.
In Ultima Online Lord Blackthorn's Revenge, players face evil forces that have aligned their powers in an attempt to take control of Britannia(TM). Integrated into the fiction is Lord Blackthorn, an evil tyrant who controls most of the new, fantastical monsters. Present throughout UO's five-year history, Blackthorn, in a quest for power, has undergone a transformation that has left him half human and all evil. His forces lend a dark, edgy twist to the game.
``Ultima Online has been a huge online hit since its inception in 1997, and the game gets more innovative with each new version,'' said Ben Noel, vice president and chief operating officer of Origin Systems. ``The new creatures and features added to Lord Blackthorn's Revenge make it a game that will appeal to our existing fan base as well as attract a whole new group of players to the genre.''
As players progress through Ultima Online Lord Blackthorn's Revenge, they will discover McFarlane's new and exotic monsters. Players will encounter monsters throughout the world, but will not meet all of the creatures immediately. Their appearance is triggered by specific game events that are part of the ongoing storyline. While all 30 creatures are included on the game disk, they will be introduced over time, often through dynamic episodic fictional content releases. In essence, the fictional content releases will weave new storylines into the game every four to eight weeks, injecting even more action and excitement into the UO world on a continuous basis.
UO's monsters are challenging to defeat because their artificial intelligence (AI) is oriented toward strategic combat tactics as opposed to simple skill gain. For example, players will have to discover which combat or magic tactical combination works on a given species of monster. As players immerse themselves in the game, they will constantly discover new game elements unfolding, as part of fictional episodes. In most cases, players' actions will determine the outcome of in-game events. For instance, if a group of monsters is trying to overpower a town, the players can band together and push the monsters back. However, without a strong player response, the town can be lost to the monster.
In addition, a new Virtue System will be woven into UO, adding depth to the dynamic storyline. The system allows players to be rewarded or denied virtues based on their choices and behavior during the game.
New UO players will quickly become engrossed in the latest version of the game with the assistance of an intuitive help feature and stronger starting character templates, which allow new players greater opportunity to strengthen their skills and abilities early in the game. Players will discover more than 30 new items to craft, collect and trade in the world of Ilshenar -- the backdrop for Ultima Online Lord Blackthorn's Revenge and location of Blackthorn's castle. In addition the game supports the MP3 file format, allowing players to change the music in the game. Players simply substitute their own MP3 compatible music files in place of those in the game.
Origin(TM) is also extending the UO world via a line of six action figures being released simultaneously by McFarlane Toys. The figures will be available in mid-February at retail toy and game stores. In addition, the new Ultima Online Lord Blackthorn's Revenge game box contains both a limited edition mini-collectable McFarlane toy figure of Lord Blackthorn and a comic book based on the game's prequel fiction produced by Todd McFarlane Productions. Both the collectable and comic book will be available while supplies last. Ultima Online Lord Blackthorn's Revenge carries a suggested retail price of $29.99 and a monthly subscription fee of $9.99. New players will get the first month free.
Ultima Online has 225,000 subscribers and is played in more than 50 countries located in every time zone |
| There are 4 new screenshots from Icewind Dale 2 at XGR - on the same page where you can listen to the Audio Interview with Josh Saywer (story) |
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