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DOOM 3 Impressions
What is the final game like? IGN's readers tell all in this five-page report, complete with new screens from the final.

Game of the Month: July 2004
Though the Summer is slow, there are a few games to note.

- ATI Releases Beta Doom 3 Drivers
- WorthPlaying Goods
- Random Acts of News
- American McGee & Romero Collaboration?
- Doom 3 Hits Retail
- Prince of Persia II Interview
- RPG Vault Features
- Warhammer 40K Open Beta
- Doom 3 Round-Up Part 2
- S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl Q&A;
 

DOOM 3 First Impressions 08.03.2004
It's getting hot in here. I took off all my clothes.

Half-Life 2 at G-Phoria 08.02.2004
We take another look at Valve's upcoming shooter.

Doom 3 Hands-On 08.01.2004
We play the final version. Is it scary? Is it gory? Is it everything you hoped it could be? Plus dozens of new screens!

Tuesday , August 03, 2004
ATI Releases Beta Doom 3 Drivers 05:56 pm - Apache - hardware: ati (2 comments)
ATI has released a set of Catalyst 4.9 beta drivers which should improve the performance of Radeon cards playing Doom 3. I'm sure some new benchmarks using them will pop up soon...

WorthPlaying Goods 05:54 pm - Apache - games: general news (0 comments)

Random Acts of News 04:45 pm - Apache - games: general news (0 comments)
Forgive the slow news today, I think everyone is either playing Doom 3 or out looking for a copy of it. Here's today's news in brief:

  • BloodRayne Movie Signs Star - Majesco announced it has signed Terminator 3 fem fatale Kristanna Loken to be the vampire slayer's leading lady.
  • Children of the Nile gets publisher - SEGA announced today it has signed a deal with Myelin Media to publish Immortal Cities: Children of the Nile.
  • Desert Combat Done? - Planet Battlefield reports that the makers of the popular Desert Combat mod for Battlefield 1942 will not be releasing any more updates for the mod, as they will be working with DICE (the makers of Battlefield 1942) on a undisclosed project. Thanks HLF.
  • Eidos Keeps Options Open is a press release issued by the once mighty game publisher confirming "whilst it continues to keep all options under review, it is in preliminary discussions with a small number of parties in relation to possible business combinations."
  • Manhunt Murder Twist - MCV reports that a copy of Rockstar's Manhunt was found at the victim's residence rather than that of the murderer's. Thanks Blues News.
  • Shenmue Online? IGN has news that a massively multiplayer game based on Shenmue is currently under development and planned for release in China, Korea and possibly Japan.
  • SÖLDNER Updated Server - Following the release of yesterday's patch, JoWood and Wings Simulations have released a new server program for SÖLDNER Secret Wars.

American McGee & Romero Collaboration? 02:19 pm - Apache - games: action (5 comments)
Word over at Eurogamer is that American McGee and Romero (George, that is) are collaborating to make a new zombie themed game called City of the Dead. Here's the poop from American's blodder:

i love zombies
george romero is the undisputed father of zombie gore cinema. franchises like "resident evil" and even "doom" take many of their style cues and world rules from the early romero films. needless to say, there are few things more creepy than dead people who won't *die*.

recently my company tmiec partnered with asylum entertainment to bring to life a new romero concept called "city of the dead". we're now in the process of shopping the interactive rights to games publishers. the tagline for the product is "the goriest game ever made". we hope to bruise a few psyches with this one. below are a couple of concept images. you can also check out the concept overview document.

if you're a publisher looking for a new piece of IP with pre-sold awareness and a huge built-in marketing you need not look much further than this. romero's most recent film, a remake of dawn of the dead, knocked "the passion of christ" out of the #1 slot a few months back. a second film was just green-lit, and a third is in the works. romero himself would be happy to be involved in the development... and yours truly is available as well :) we also have an amazing development team lined up and ready to go. contact me if you'd like more info about the license.

Single white developer seeks reckless wealthy publisher. Interests include creating IPs that mirror popular children's fables, side burns and campy B movies.

Doom 3 Hits Retail 01:51 pm - Apache - games: action (24 comments)
On the off-chance you didn't already know, Activision announced that Doom 3 has hit stores today:

Santa Monica, CA - August 3, 2004 - The terror is about to begin...id Software(tm) and Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) have unleashed evil on gamers worldwide with the release of DOOM 3 (tm), the most anticipated PC game of the year. A sci-fi horror masterpiece, DOOM 3 combines a dramatic storyline, pulse-pounding action, incredible graphics and revolutionary technology to deliver the most gripping and frightening gaming experience ever created. DOOM 3 is currently available at retail outlets nationwide for a suggested retail price of $54.99 and is rated "M" (Mature) by the ESRB.

"The wait is over. The next generation in PC gaming has arrived with the release of DOOM 3," said Todd Hollenshead, CEO, id Software. "DOOM 3 is a total assault on your senses. The terrifying atmosphere, story, and cinema quality visuals and sound are like nothing ever seen in a game before, and we're thrilled to begin delivering it to game fans in North America, with the rest of the world only days away."

DOOM 3 utilizes id's revolutionary new 3D graphics engine to draw players into the most frightening and gripping experience imaginable. In DOOM 3, a massive demonic invasion has overwhelmed the UAC's Mars research facility leaving only chaos and horror in its wake. As one of only a few survivors, you struggle with shock and fear as you fight your way to Hell and back in an epic clash against pure evil. For more information, fans can visit www.DOOM3.com.

Prince of Persia II Interview 12:34 pm - Apache - games: action / adventure (0 comments)
Eurogamer tossed up an interview with Ubisoft's Yannis Mallot about the Prince of Persia II:

Eurogamer: Technically, are you doing anything new? Is it the same game engine before? Have you improved it much?

Yannis Mallot: That's the same Jade engine. We had a meeting with the Sony people themselves and they said, "You know what? The PS2 capabilities are here and your game is here" [motions hands to the same level], so we thought there's no way we can improve that. But the first thing we did on the PoP2 project was to put a five or six man engineer team together to try and look at the engine and see if, indeed, it could not be improved. And as a matter of fact, those guys came back and optimised the engine by 25 per cent. So this is 25 per cent more space for rooms, more texture, bigger maps, new special effect, and this is really really impressive when you see the size of the maps and all the new stuff.

RPG Vault Features 12:30 pm - Jeff Tom - games: role-playing (0 comments)
Here's the latest from the RPG Vault on this Doom 3 release day. Check it:

Warhammer 40K Open Beta 03:57 am - Apache - games: real-time strategy (2 comments)
FilePlanet is offering a first come first serve open beta for Relic's upcoming real-time strategy game - Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. Interested parties can sign up here for a CD key and then download it.

Doom 3 Round-Up Part 2 01:38 am - Apache - games: action (5 comments)
Today's Doom 3 goodness which will be updated throughout the day:

This thread and the some of the links within are likely to contain spoilers.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl Q&A; 01:34 am - Apache - games: action (0 comments)
On the grill at HomeLan today is an interview with GSC Gameworld's Oleg V. Yavorsky to get the latest on its upcoming first person shooter - S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl:

HomeLAN - There are rumors that there will be a fully DirectX9 version of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. in addition to the regular version. What can you tell us about the graphical features for this version of the game?

Oleg V. Yavorsky - We will ship both DX8 and DX9 versions of the game with the release. The DirectX 9 version of the game will provide a cutting-edge image on screen. This includes up-to 3 million polygons per frame, soft dynamic lighting, soft dynamic shadows cast by every object in real-time, extensive use of latest bump-mapping and shader technologies and much more. You can find more details about the engine specifications on www.stalker-game.com.

Misc. Interviews 01:24 am - Apache - games: general news (0 comments)

Gamespy Bits 01:19 am - Apache - games: general news (0 comments)

IGN Morsels 01:15 am - Apache - games: general news (0 comments)

Hardware Nuggets 12:52 am - Apache - hardware: general news (0 comments)

Game Reviews 12:51 am - Apache - games: general news (0 comments)

In Other News... 12:03 am - Apache - in-house: in other news... (45 comments)
August 3rd 2004, the day that Doom 3 hits stores in North America. A day that will live in infamy! Okay, maybe not... While I'm sure our North American readers are excited about today, lets not forget about our European brothers and sisters who won't be seeing it in stores for another week. With that said, please try to keep spoilers down to a minimum...

Today's question is What are you willing to do to get a boxed copy of Doom 3 today? An alternate question for the European readers is Do you think its fair that a game of this type ships a week early in the US?

 
 

Monday , August 02, 2004
Doom 3 Round-Up 06:00 pm - Apache - games: action (29 comments)
As promised, I won't be posting any spoilers on the main page, but if you want to pop that cherry before you get Doom 3, here are some links you might want to check out:Many of these contain spoilers, so read at your own risk. The comments are likely to contain spoilers as well, so be warned in advance. Bumped to top for ease of viewing....

Half-Life 2 Impressions 05:58 pm - Apache - games: action (10 comments)
PC.IGN shot up some Half-Life 2 hands-on impressions from G-Phoria 2004:

Aside from the ever-popular dune buggy level (complete with rollermines and Combine soldiers), I managed to get a few details about the game itself from Doug. First, to put some of the reported rumors to rest, Valve is indeed close to submitting the finished product to Vivendi Universal. However, Doug stressed that there isn't any particular date that this will happen; instead, he stated that it would be sometime in August, with a shipping date decided by Vivendi soon after. He also mentioned system specs for those of you interested in upgrading your computers in eager anticipation of Gordon's adventures. Minimum system requirements appear to be a 1.2 gigahertz processor with 256 megabytes of RAM and a DirectX 7 video card. Of course, those of you interested in the full experience will want a 2 gigahertz or higher processor, 512 megabytes of RAM and a DirectX 9 video card. Doug specifically stated that the ATI x800 was the card of choice amongst many of the testers, as it ran roughly about 30% faster than Nvidia's best cards.

Counter-Strike: Source Impressions 05:23 pm - Apache - games: action (0 comments)
1Up smacked up some impressions of Counter-Strike: Source (Half-Life 2's out-of-box multiplayer) after checking it out over the weekend:

One of the main downsides to Counter-Strike in recent years has been that the graphics haven't been able to keep up, and that looks to be Source's biggest achievement. The graphics on the whole look good, with the nicest elements being the character models that have near-perfect dimensions and are some of the most realistic looking characters we've seen in any game. Fortunately, the whole game has a very natural look. The new engine didn't mess things up so certain objects would feel out of place or anything like that. Rest assured, it doesn't look like a new game; it looks like a really pretty version of Counter-Strike.
Here's another from Gamespot:
In short, CS: Source is hella cool. Let us say that many CS fans who have found games like Battlefield Vietnam and Unreal Tournament 2004 appealing due to their visuals will more than likely find their way back to Counter-Strike when CS :Source becomes available alongside Half-Life 2 later this fall.

Monday WPG 05:15 pm - Apache - games: general news (0 comments)

SW: Battlefront Planet Guide 04:11 pm - Jeff Tom - games: action (0 comments)
GameSpot have slapped up a planet guide to Star Wars: Battlefront. Here's a clip:

The jungle moon called Yavin IV was colonized by ancient Sith warriors and their Massassi slaves more than 5,000 years before the Rebellion landed there. The massive stone temples of the Massassi are incredibly strong and make for perfect hangars and command facilities. The Great Temple, located at the crest of a great hill, is the largest of all the ruins and naturally becomes the de facto HQ for any force making Yavin IV its base of operations. There are two approaches to this temple. The first leads up the ruined steps and past a giant altar. The brush is thick, and the space between trees is narrow, making it ideal for fast-moving infantry. The second approach winds past a waterfall and up a wider, more sparsely covered path. Vehicles will find this route easier, but savvy defenders will compensate and place defensive tower turrets among the treetops.

Men of Valor Impressions 02:27 pm - Apache - games: action (0 comments)
Eurogamer shared some impressions of the PC version of 2015's Unreal engined first person shooter - Men of Valor: Vietnam:

On the whole, there's just a sense that while the Xbox version could be good, the PC version is where a lot of the last year or so of extra development has been focused. There are many more elements to it - including a single-player mission in which you recapture the Imperial Palace in Hue after the Tet Offensive, which is apparently so intensive that the Xbox couldn't handle it - and it's going to look phenomenal on the right kit. Ah, you say, and surely that is the question - what sort of system is it going to take to take advantage of the things that Men of Valor does? Probably, we'd reply, about the same sort of system you'd need to make Unreal Tournament 2004 look the part. System requirements have yet to be set in stone, but - Pixel Shader 3.0 support aside - hopefully it won't be out of most people's reach.

SÖLDNER: Secret Wars Patch 02:20 pm - Apache - games: action (0 comments)
Jowood and Wings Simulations have released the v29354 Update for SÖLDNER: Secret Wars which comes in at 44 megs. "This v29354 adds a new Bone Mountain map, a new M4 Sopmod weapon M4 Sopmod, various game optimizations, disables fog in the Commander mode, bug fixes and plenty more." Snag it from WorthPlaying or 3D Gamers.

Farcry SDK Released 02:03 pm - Apache - games: action (4 comments)
Ubisoft has released the Software Developer's Kit for FarCry which comes in at 27 megs:

Crytek and Ubisoft announce the release of the CryENGINE MOD SDK for Far Cry. The CryENGINE MOD SDK features a set of tools comprised of exporters, plug-ins, and source code which allow users to modify their Far Cry experience by importing new content such as models and animations into the game. The 27 MB download includes fully-documented instructions and will provide users with their first opportunity to create "Total Conversion" mods with CryENGINE technology.
You can download it from 3D Gamers, 3D Downloads, Fileshack or the Ubisoft FTP.

Brothers in Arms Preview 01:56 pm - Jeff Tom - games: action (0 comments)
Computer&VideoGames; have slapped up a preview of Brothers in Arms, the WWII FPS from Gearbox. Here's a whiff:

The interesting twist on the multiplayer game is that rather than playing either as part of or as leader of your mates' squad, each player commands their own mini-team of soldiers. This ensures that the whole leadership aspect from the single-player game remains intact, and allows you to execute more cunning and complex strategies of surrounding and suppressing, which can then be combined with similarly like-minded manoeuvres with your teammate.

Prince of Persia 2 Q&A; 01:52 pm - Jeff Tom - games: action (0 comments)
Computer&VideoGames; have whipped up an interview on Prince of Persia 2 from Ubisoft. Here's a clip:

What have you improved on from the original game and what are your aims for Prince of Persia 2?

Mallat: The very first ting we did starting Prince of Persia 2 was to look back at Prince of Persia one and really look deeply at what was not up to what we wanted the game to be. And from that we have identified three main areas. The fighting system, which was pretty redundant and repetitive, and no real variety in the enemies and stuff like that. We didn't have any bosses in Sands of Time and the game length was a little short, but especially we didn't have any replay value system.

Freedom Force Gets Distributor 01:48 pm - Apache - games: role-playing (0 comments)
VU Games announced that it has signed a deal with Irrational Games to distribute Freedom Force vs the Third Reich which is set for a early 2005 release. "When we decided to self-publish Freedom Force vs. The Third Reich, we knew the game we wanted to make and how we wanted to make it," said Ken Levine, General Manager of Irrational Games. "What we didn't know was how to get it into the hot little hands of all the Freedom Force fanatics! This partnership is the final piece of that puzzle."

RPG Vault Features 01:46 pm - Jeff Tom - games: role-playing (0 comments)
Here's the latest from RPG Vault on this Monday. Enjoy:

Conflict: Vietnam Interview 03:00 am - Jonric - games: action (0 comments)
Slated to ship this fall, Pivotal Games' Conflict: Vietnam follows four American soldiers who, as the Tet Offensive begins, find themselves deep in hostile territory, cut off from their unit, the 101st Infantry, the Screaming Eagles. Their goal is simple, to survive long enough to make it back to their own lines. Producer Lee Singleton of UK publisher SCi tells us more in this interview; Gathering will handle the title in North America.

Though the player will eventually be in control of four soldiers, Conflict: Vietnam tells the story of Private Harold Kahler, nicknamed Cherry by his squad mates, on his first tour of duty in the Vietnam war. During the Tet Offensive, the helicopter that's carrying Kahler and his team gets shot down, and the landing zone gets so hot that the rest of the incoming US choppers either get taken out or are forced to scatter. This leaves Cherry's squad trapped behind enemy lines with limited ammo and no supplies. Players control the squad as they make the long, 30-day trek through unknown, enemy territory to the capital city of Hue, where they believe they can reconnect with US Forces.

EverQuest II Preview 02:07 am - Apache - games: mmog (0 comments)
Gamesdomain conjured up a preview of EverQuest II, SOE's next big thing:

Since its inception in 1999, Sony's EverQuest, a massively multiplayer pioneer, has defined and dominated the online landscape. Based in the loosely medieval world of Norrath, it's a game that rewards tremendous player commitment with powerful characters and unique items. More than material goods, the lure of long-term team interplay keeps players hooked. But, to some, those characteristics are drawbacks rather than selling points. Players without several hours per day to devote to the game have been left cold by Sony's giant. Enter EverQuest II.

Tribes: Vengeance Preview 01:51 am - Apache - games: action (0 comments)
HomeLan posted a nice sized preview of Tribes: Vengeance after checking out a recent beta build of Irrational's Unreal engined gem. Here's a taste:

With that said, Tribes: Vengeance is looking very good so far. While there are some minor issues that need to be worked out over the next couple of months during the beta phases, including the open beta scheduled later this month, Irrational has so far created a rock solid base to build upon, and the game as a whole looks very promising for both the Tribes faithful, and new players alike. For those of you who can't wait until the open beta later this month, VUGames released the first two Tribes titles for free earlier this year, so those are available for anyone wanting to take a look at what the Tribes series has to offer. Tribes: Vengeance is currently scheduled for an October release.
The grappling hook is sweet!

Gamespy Morsels 01:50 am - Apache - games: general news (0 comments)

The Very Late WP Goods 01:49 am - Apache - games: general news (0 comments)

Qtracker 3.8 Released 01:45 am - Apache - games: action (0 comments)
With the release of a big new id game this weeks comes a new version of Qtracker which comes in at v3.8. Here's the poop:

A new release of Qtracker is now available. This new release focuses much needed attention on the new user experience by providing first-time users with a quick-start guide and an initial setup wizard, as well as numerous interface changes and visual enhancements.

This release also features a large number of enhancements, including official Half-Life Steam support, faster server queries, and support for Halo Custom Edition and Painkiller.

QtUplink adds support for: Halo Custom Edition, Painkiller, Unreal Tournament 2004, and Unreal 2 XMP.

Hardware Nuggets 01:35 am - Apache - hardware: general news (0 comments)

Game Reviews 12:45 am - Apache - games: general news (0 comments)

In Other News... 12:00 am - Apache - in-house: in other news... (111 comments)
I hope you all had a great weekend; welcome back to Monday! On the bright side, Doom 3 is hitting stores this week, so that's really something special to look forward to for most of our readers. I wouldn't be shocked if Valve announced Half Life 2 going gold the next few days either. It would be a kicker if that happened the day Doom 3 officially hit stores. Personally, I don't want to read or see too much about the game prior to actually playing it, so I'm going to be avoiding any of those hands-on previews that will be popping up the next couple days. On the off chance that other people feel the same way, I'll make sure not to post any spoilers on the main news page.

Today's question is On a scale of 1 to 10 how much are you looking forward to playing Doom 3 this week? Lets say 10 would be camping outside the store the night before getting a copy, and 1 is you wouldn't play it on a free computer if they paid you.

 
 


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