G4TV featured the "world's largest NES controller" on Monday's Attack of The Show - 8 foot long, 3 feet wide and fully-working, it took 3 people 20 hours to make.

Link to story and video, via Boingboing
Discussion >>

In an extraordinary turn of events, Gabe Newell (CEO of Valve Software) has left the gaming industry to go on tour with his 3 piece folk-rock band, "Left of the Dealer". The move has stunned gamers the world over (this one included) though when asked about reasons for his departure from Valve Gabe said:

it wasn't because of any conflicts at Valve — they're a great team. And don't get me wrong, I love making games. But there's a ton of creativity I'm just not able to express unless I'm with my guitar

If anyone is interested in hearing what his band sounds like, you can download "Chasing the Sun" (mp3) here

Valve Engineering Lead, Rick Ellis summed up the mood over at Valve:

of course, we're sad to him go. But music is his other life, and I'm glad he's finally living his dream

Via hlfallout

Related:
HL2 Lost Coast Tech Glimpsed on G4TV
Valve's Anti-Cheat Beta Begins Next Week
Discussion >>

G4TV's "Attack of The Show" guest last night was Valve's Doug Lombardi. He showed off a tiny glimpse of the new Half-Life 2 level "The Lost Coast", due for release in a few weeks, and which features the new HDR (high dynamic range lighting) technology.

Fans who are looking forward to the extra level (which will be free to owners of HL2 via Steam), may be disappointed that their PC's aren't powerful enough to play it - when asked if it would require a high-end system, he said:

Absolutely, no bones about it. This is targeted at the super hardcore early adopter guy, or gal who's got the latest and greatest stuff, and really the horsepower to haul the new API's and new lighting tricks.

HDR will be a general upgrade to Half-Life 2 along with the new level, and an update to the Source SDK will allow modders to use the new tech in their games.

For those that missed the show, a .torrent of the interview was posted in the comments section on Voodoo Extreme.

More info:
Half-Life 2: The Lost Coast; HDR Information
Half-Life 2 Expansion: The Lost Coast - links to concept art
Discussion >>

The browser-based 3D adventure game RuneScape, which has received positive feedback from players on our forums, has hit 300,000 members for the first time. The basic game is free to play, but players who sign up as members for $5/ month get benefits like new adventures, new skills and new areas to explore.

You control your own character who will improve and become more powerful the more you play. This isn't a game where everything that happens is pre-determined. What you do in the world is up to you!

RuneScape isn't a game you can just finish in a week, and we are adding in more features and quests on a regular basis to ensure there is always something new for you to try!

More info:
RuneScape.com
Jagex.com - Developers
Discussion >>

A pair of dedicated Finnish overclocking gurus have broken the 3DMark World Record with help from XFX makers of high-end graphics cards.

The setup rig included a special liquid-nitrogen cooling system with a pair pf XFX's Nvidia GeForce 6800 GT cards with 256 Mb of video memory a piece.

Pushing the PCI Express cards to the limit, the two overclockers managed a staggering score of 12,483 on 3DMark 2005.

This was no easy victory. The two XFX GeForce 6800 GTs with NVIDIA SLI technology were pitted against imposing opposition -- including SLI enabled GeForce 6800 Ultras and, against all odds and mind-boggling improbability, they were able to surpass the competition by leaps and bounds.
Read on

Via p2pnet

Related:
Top PC Hardware According To 3DMark
NVIDIA's SLI Shortchanges Gamers?
Post your 3D Mark05 scores here
Post your 3DMark 03 scores here
Discussion >>

Shanghai man Zhu Caoyuan was stabbed to death after he sold a virtual sword lent to him by attacker Qiu Chengwei, a fellow player of MMORPG Legend of Mir 3.

Qiu and a friend won the "dragon sabre" in the game last February; the dispute started when Zhu sold it on for 7200 yuan (€ 671).

Qui went to the police to report the "theft" but was told the weapon was not real property protected by law.

"Zhu promised to hand over the cash but an angry Qui lost patience and attacked Zhu at his home, stabbing him in the left chest with great force and killing him," the court was told.
Reuters

Link via Botros.net game news

Related info:
Onliner gamer stabbed over 'stolen' cybersword
Japanese Woman arrested for Deleting MMORPG Items (23 Jan)
Discussion >>

An interesting contest is underway on the role-playing world Second Life - they have been supplied with an ASCII text version of sci-fi writer Cory Doctorow's new novel, and users have the challenge of creating the best in-game representation of it:

I didn't want this version to be just a very long text file on a notecard, so I challenged Residents to come up with a way to turn Cory's entire 320 page tome into an actual, three-dimensional book in-world-- a book with text transposed to a readable typefont, on 3D pages that you can actually turn, in a physical form you can set down and open in front of your avatar.
The word made real

I hadn't heard of Second Life before, it's not-quite a game, more a vast interactive online world for people over the age of 18 who are looking for a virtual escape.

The objects in Second Life are mostly all created by players, who are supplied with a 3D modeling program, and for a small fee players can also upload sounds and images for use in the environment - this is an example in a good intro video on C|Net, where music is uploaded to the world for use in a virtual disco.

Another interesting aspect is the currency used in-game, which players get in weekly allowances; this money can be traded for real US dollars with the blessing of Linden Labs, the creators of the world, and in the video we hear of players who earn $1000's per month selling land from Second Life.
A 7-day free trial of Second Life is available with a credit card, the game costs a one-time fee of $10 to play without limitations.

More info:
Second Life
Second Life FAQ
"At the end of seven days, Everquest 2 is off my subscription list and Second Life is on."
5 Things You Should Know about Getting a Second Life
Virtual world teaches real-world skills
About Cory Doctorow
Discussion >>

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has today announced an exclusive licence deal with Twentieth Century Fox that will bring the hit tv series 24 to the Playstation 2. Based around an intense thriller involving a "Counter Terrorism Unit" and all sorts of evil schemes that threaten the security of the world. The events in the show take place within one day and each episode makes up one hour of that day.

The countdown has begun to the release of '24: The GameTM' on PlayStation®2. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today announced an exclusive licence deal with Twentieth Century Fox to bring the acclaimed show '24' onto PlayStation 2. Set to become the biggest action adventure game of the year, '24: The Game' lets gamers take control and live a 'brand new day' in the life of Jack Bauer and the Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU).

Press release

Via gamershell

Related:
Fox 24 official website
24’ Counts Down for PlayStation 2 This Autumn
Become Jack Bauer
Court to Sony: Halt PlayStation Sales, Pay $90M
Discussion >>

Like the PC version of DOOM 3, which was leaked to the Internet days before it was released, a warez copy of the as-yet-unreleased XBox version is reportedly spreading like wildfire on Bit Torrent and IRC.

The XBox conversion is due for official release next Monday.
WindowsBeta.net, via kotaku

Related info:
Latest Doom 3 Screenshots For Xbox
Doom 3 XBox Impressions
DOOM 3: Resurrection of Evil Official Trailer
Carmack Tackles DOOM For Cell Phones
Discussion >>

StarDock have released a new real-time strategy game, Uplink: Hacker Elite that puts players in the shoes of a hacker hired to break into computer systems, sabotage companies, frame innocent people and in general be a nuisance:

One of the most alluring elements of the Internet is that of the hacker. They’re the elite programmers working in the dark reaches of cyberspace, going where nobody was meant to. Through Introversion Software’s Uplink: Hacker Elite, gamers can now take the role of one of these hidden agents. Using powerful virtual hardware, software, and an undercover network, players will hack into rival computer systems, frame the innocent, manipulate markets and much more.

Trust is a weakness.
Official site

Uplink: Hacker Elite is available as a stand-alone purchase, or through TotalGaming.net's online distribution software, that lets subscribers download the company's library of games without the need for packaging, CD's etc, similar to Valve's Steam system.

More info:
About TotalGaming.net
Discussion >>

Calling it a "major threat" to morality, the former 1st Lady has hit out at the Grand Theft Auto franchise. Some may see it as Hillary getting her face out there early enough to be making some political impact before the 2008 U.S. Presidential elections.

Children are playing a game that encourages them to have sex with prostitutes and then murder them.

This is a silent epidemic of media desensitisation that teaches kids it’s OK to diss people because they are a woman, they’re a different color or they’re from a different place.

Yes, she actually used the word "diss". I thought that was hilarious. Could this be another politician looking for another scapegoat ?

Via Kotaku

Related:
Hillary Clinton plays Grand Theft Auto card
Jack Thompson, Anti-Game Lawyer Strikes Again
enjoyment/terror
GTA San Andreas - Review
Discussion >>

Patch V1.01 for Chaos Theory has just been released. This patch contains minor bug-fixes and overall improvements to the game (full changes here) The patch is a whooping 79.4 Mb.

You can download it via Bittorrent here
or direct download mirrors here


Related:
Splinter Cell Chaos Theory - Gone Gold In Europe
Fully playable demo (603 Mb)
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory Review
Official Website
Discussion >>

John Carmack, the main programming force behind Doom and id software's other games, is working on a cell-phone version of Doom, dubbed DoomRPG.

Unhappy with the Java demo's installed on his new cell phone, he decided he wanted to make his own game:

You aren’t going to be able to make an immersive experience on a 2” screen, no matter what the graphics look like. Moody and atmospheric are pretty much out. Stylish and fun is about the best you can do.

The standard cell phone style discrete button direction pad with a center action button is a good interface for one handed navigation and selection, but it sucks for games, where you really want a game boy style rocking direction pad for one thumb, and a couple separate action buttons for the other thumb.
[...]
I have a small list of games that I think would work out well, but what I decided to work on is DoomRPG – sort of Bard’s Tale meets Doom. Step based smooth sliding/turning tile movement and combat works out well for the phone input buttons, and exploring a 3D world through the cell phone window is pretty neat. We talked to Jamdat about the business side of things, and hired Fountainhead Entertainment to turn my proof-of-concept demo and game plans into a full-featured game.
John Carmack's blog

Link via CGOnline.com

Related info:
id Software
Armadillo AeroSpace - Carmack's aerospace startup company
John Carmack profile on Wikipedia
Discussion >>

kotaku links to CBS GameCore's mailbag, which is about lawyer Jack Thompson's latest example of contempt for all things gaming.

In February, the lawyer took part in an online Q&A for CBS News GameCore about violence in games such as Grand Theft Auto, and his replies to the questions seemed reasonable and sane - and in general he does have a point about excessive violence in games influencing kids - but he almost negates himself by showing total comical disdain for gamers when he speaks to people outside of the spotlight of mainstream media.

The latest example is an attempt by the forum members of Ctrl+Alt+Del, whose owner is a gamer that took part in an alternate-view follow up to Thompson's Q&A, to engage him in an open discussion.

The initial email sent to him was:

Mr. Thompson,
I have recently read your interview for CBS News (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005...ain676446.shtml) and I have read what you have to say on your website (http://www.stopkill.com) I would like to make a formal invitation to you to discuss your views on how violent video games correlate to violence in reality. I hope you have read the follow up interview from Tim Buckly, creator of the Ctrl-Alt-Del webcomic (http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com), as it was an astute contradiction to you views.

This discussion will be held on the Ctrl-Alt-Del forums here: http://www.cad-forums.com/showthrea...5078#post905078

My first question to you would be if you could prove your claims to have predicted the 1999 Columbine killings and the 2002 DC Sniper attacks? I have searched and searched the NBC archives and could not find a single excerpt or transcript. If you could provide us with a link or perhaps scan a transcript in your pposession, it would make your case all the easier to claim.

Thank you for your time.
Nicholas Chase (Nichabod)

Hardly a flamewar rant against him, but he acted as if was by first setting up his auto-responder to emails from the forum-goers to be "your favorite industry is going to be exposed on 60 minutes sunday night" referring to an appearance he was going to make on the show, then replied with:

My website and email are for people harmed by these games, not for people
the moral equivalent of Saddam Hussein. If you want to rant about this, go
to a GTAVC chat room. Either stop sending me emails like this or pay the
consequences. jesuslovesyou, dude
[...]
Ps: No you're beyond help, so bugger off
Read the full thread

More info:
Thompson's StopKill.com
CBS GameCore Mailbag Freak Out - reader responses
Jack Thompson won’t talk to bloggers, but he’ll talk to CBS
Jack Thompson is at it again - 60 Minute quotes for your enjoyment/terror
Anti-Game Lawyer Snubs GamersHell (2 Feb)
Discussion >>

Brothers in Arms is a new action packed WW2 shooter from Gearbox Software, based on a true story.

I never asked to be a squad leader. I've spent 8 days here. 8 days watching my men, my brothers kill and be killed. 8 days wishing it would stop. SGT Matt Baker - 101st airborne division

This is an in-game quote and is found on the back of the CD case. The game is based on a true story and attempts as realistic an experience as possible from back then.


System Requirements:

Minimum:

OS 2000/XP
1ghz Pentium/AMD
512mb RAM
32mb DirectX 9c Video card
DVD-ROM 4X
16-bit DirectX 9c Audio card
HD 5GB
Multiplayer 64kps Upstream

Recommended:

2.5ghz P4/AMD
1GB RAM
64MB DirectX 9c Video card
Multiplayer Broadband 128 Upstream+

There are many differences with this WW2 based game compared to others in its genre. Even though you can see down your sight and get a shot at the enemy, it doesn't mean your going to hit. Your hands are extremely shakey, and it's almost like you're too drunk. Anyway you can't expect to hit as they have their own strategy which makes it a squad based game where if your team lays down covering fire, you can outflank and kill the enemy, where they have no protection. Also I noticed some more scenes similar to "Medal of Honor" and the expansion "Spearhead" where they are in the plane and jump. So a lot of these games base it around The 101st airborne.

Now in this game, there are no renegade's or soloing. You need your team to do something whilst you do the other. As you don't have unlimited ammo but your team does, they carry out the suppressing fire whilst you out-flank and kill them.

Graphics
Now the graphics are kind of weird. The problem with this game is it reminds me of a console game (never a good sign) but in saying that it does have some great model textures and skies, with the day and night changing. I mean, it doesn't have water like Half Life 2/Far Cry but it does create the atmosphere.

Audio
Well before I can say anything, I have never fired a real gun in my life so I don't exactly know how the guns sounded back in the 1940's, except in movies and games, but as I've seen in a video interview, these weapons sound like they did 60+yrs ago. In my personal opinion they sound weak and awful but that is just my view.

How does this compare to other WW2 games?
Well this has great graphics that run very smoothly compared to Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault, but to me it seems very strange. I know they want you to use the AI, which I find is different and more clever than most other WW2 games, but I mean if you're a good shot, you're a good shot.

Impression Verdict
I'm not really sure, I would need to complete the game but it does have something new to offer rather than these other WW2 games like Medal of Honor etc, which goes on for a life-time...

More info:
Hi-Res Trailer
Offical Website
Discussion >>

In a huge blow to Sony, a district court in California has ordered them to pay $90.7 million dollars to Immersion, a small company in Silicon Valley specialising in digital touch technology.

Immersion claimed the famous Dual-Shock controller, that comes as standard with the PlayStation and PS2 and shakes in response to actions in-game, infringes on a patent held by the firm.

The court order also requires Sony to suspend sales of the PlayStation in the U.S; but that order doesn't hold while Sony appeal the decision.
Immersion CEO Victor Viegas:

The compulsory license during the stay of the injunction creates a binding obligation for Sony to compensate us for the continued use of our technology in their PlayStation products. We have always believed, and continue to believe, in the strength of our intellectual property. We remain confident of our position in the appeals process.
More

More Info:
Sony Asked to Pay $90 Million Fine
BBC News: Sony faces $90.7m patent damages
Dual Shock facts on Wikipedia
Discussion >>

Computer Gaming World's May 2005 edition magazine have got their hands on the first screenshots and information of the next Unreal Tournament game based on the revolutionary Unreal 3 Engine. Also included is talk of a completely new style of gameplay "Conquest".

Details of the game are sketchy at the moment, however we can report that Epic programmer Steve Polge is the game's Lead Designer, with Jim Brown filling the role of Lead Level Designer. The article also tells of Epic's desire to put gameplay above graphics with the next UT, as demonstrated by the fact that the title's programming is currently "ahead" of its art.
Read on

Link via gamershell

Related:
Unreal Engine 3 Impressions
Unreal 3 Engine Trailer
Computer Gaming World
High-resolution render of next UT character
Discussion >>

A plausible but fake PlayStation 3 image has surfaced on the Internet; check it on Gizmodo.com, a page from an official presentation type leaflet listing the features of the machine (Cell processor, Blu-Ray disc, PS3/PSP UMD MediaMove and Plano-Black Design).

From kotaku:

Although it’s probably a fake, mostly because it’s way too fat to come from Sony, there are a lot of things about the image that makes me think it could be real.

First off, it has a lot of other images on the page, including one of the PSP and two other devices a don’t recognize. One may be an LCD but I cant’ tell what the third is, is does appear to have a camera latched to it’s top. Joel says it is one of their phones.

Related info:
Best PlayStation 3 Fake to Date Does the Rounds
PS3 Fake, But Details Coming Pre-E3
Is this the PlayStation 3?
Nice looking console, but a closer look suggests an impressive fake
Cell Chip Tech Revealed (8 Feb)
Discussion >>

Face of Mankind is a futuristic multiplayer online game featuring real-time combat and true roleplaying, set against a cinematic ongoing storyline
Duplex Systems has released a new Face of Mankind showing off for two minutes the new HUD of this MMORPG set in the 24th century. We remind you that the open beta client is locally mirrored here - anyone wishing to participate will be able to create a free Face of Mankind account on the game's official website.

I believe P.T Flea and Fivestardeath have both played this rpg. You can ask them questions on our forum

This little clip shows you about the interactive gameplay and the environment. People that have played this before will be familar and notice the updates.
Download 1
Download 2

More info:
Face of Mankind Open Beta

Discussion >>

Worthplaying have gathered together all the latest screenshots of Doom 3 for the Xbox, which will be debuting on the aging console early next month. I have to say it looks like they have managed to pull it off pretty well, although compared to the PC version (mid to high-end PC) it will appear pretty flat, low-res and less crisp.

Check out the screens over at worthplaying

Related:
Doom 3 Xbox impressions
IGNIQ Doom 3 Mods list
Resurrection Of Evil - New Screenshots
Resurrection of Evil Official Trailer
Discussion >>

One of the top titles for the new PlayStation Portable - Wipeout Pure - has an almost fully-functional web browser built in; the code appears to be by Sony and may suggest an official browser for the device:

Wipeout Pure's "Download" section is a full-featured WEB BROWSER!
[...]
Browsing is simple enough, up and down to move from link to link. D-Pad only though. Also there is no cursor anywhere, and no title-bars. If there is no link in the nearest vicinity, the PSP just scrolls the page (awesome). Entering links is X, refresh page is [].
PSP Web Browser (Thanks Wipeout Pure!)

Link via Engadget.com

Related info:
PSP Launch: Hot or Not?
PSP Reception Lukewarm in US?
What to play on your new PSP
PSP Launch Powered by Publishers
PSP 101: Useful PSP fact list
Sony Releases PSP In The U.S. (24 March)
Discussion >>

Ever since the launch late last year of the PSP in Japan, it has been haunted by something reffered to as "dead pixels", which relates to few pixels on the screen that never change color because they are broken.

Earlier reports suggested that Sony would not be handling "dead pixles" on the PSP screen. According to the manual, dead pixels are a standard part of the screen.

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) warrants to the original purchaser that each of the constituent products of this PSP system shall be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of one (1) year from the date of purchase (the “Warranty Period”). If one or more of the aboveidentified products is determined to be defective during the Warranty Period, SCEA’s liability shall be limited to the repair or replacement of this product with a new or refurbished product at SCEA’s option. For the purpose of this Limited Warranty, “refurbished” means a product that has been returned to its original specifications. You must call 1-800-345-7669 to receive instructions, and then must deliver the product, freight prepaid, to the authorized service facility specified to obtain repair/replacement services.

Via Joystiq

Related:
Sony Releases PSP In The U.S.
Japan’s best seller list, as usual paints an interesting picture
Web Browsing on Your PSP
Discussion >>

America’s Army will offer a top-notch multiplayer experience with up to 16 players online"Ubisoft has launched the official website of America’s Army: Rise of a Soldier, a game which will be available in summer 2005 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. The game features character customization, which allows you to create a soldier and take him throughout his career – from recruit to Special Forces team leader. Real Special Forces operatives are consulting with game designers to ensure the highest level of realism, as weapons, equipment, and combat situations come straight from the U.S. Army experts. New screenshots are located here

Check out our Americas Army PC Review
Discussion >>

Version 0.3 of the Last Man Standing mod for DOOM 3, for Windows. This release includes singleplayer coop support and a double barrel shotgun among other things

This sounds pretty kool to me, bring back my double barreled shotty. ;)

Download

Discussion >>

The Sonic The Hedgehog franchise is to get yet another spin-off game with the official announcement of "Shadow The Hedgehog".
The character was first introduced in Sonic Adventure 2 in 2001, and has also appeared in the Sonic cartoon series.

Sega are going the dark, mysterious character route for Shadow:

Shadow is tormented by a dark past, struggling to discover his true identity. He is caught in a complex battle between aliens, the G.U.N. army, and Dr. Eggman, and discovers that he may be the very element that will tip the scales between good and evil forever.
...
Is he an android created by Dr. Eggman? Is he the original Shadow simply suffering from amnesia? Or is there an even more sinister explanation? Now, gamers will decide in a race against time by choosing between any number of routes by which to unveil the secrets of his past. Multiple endings will reflect critical decisions at every stage of the game. Gamers have ultimate control over Shadow's past, with the potential to rewrite his history time and time again.
More on the press release

Shadow will be available in winter this year for all current-generation console platforms.

Link via Joystiq
Discussion >>

eToyChest.org report that a baby has been named after Firiona Vie, the spokes-elf in EverQuest:

... player Tabitha Ayers gave birth to a baby girl January 6, 2005, and promptly named her Firiona Vie Ayers, in honor of EverQuest’s famous spokes-elf. The path to geekdom for this child has aready been paved in 12-sided dice and character sheets.
EverQuest Inspires Pizza, Babies

Related info:
EverQuest II - Order a Pizza In-Game
Discussion >>

A total of nine new multiplayer maps for Halo 2 are due to be released, Bungie announced today.
The nine maps will be available as an XBox Live download, and as a retail disc priced $19.99 on 28 June.

The XBox Live release schedule will be staggered, with 2 free maps due within the next few weeks along with 2 maps for purchase.
The remaining five maps will be released at the same time as the retail disc, and eventually, all nine will be available for free.

Bungie also revealed screens and details of the first four maps, Containment, Warlock, Turf and Sanctuary:

What we can say with some confidence is that we're very proud of the new maps. They're cool-looking, fun, well-balanced and tested to destruction. They offer a wide range of gameplay types and are suitable for some modes you may not even have tried before. We can't wait to share them with you.
Bungie's announcement and map details

Earlier this month, speculation about a new expansion pack for Halo 2 was sparked when the Korean XBox site listed "Halo 2 X-Pack" as coming soon, and was later fuelled by a more detailed listing on EBgames.com

More info:
XBox.com Press Release: Halo 2 Multiplayer Maps in June!
Discussion >>

Valve will be bringing to Steam, Anti-Cheat technology that it hopes will thwart the current storm of Hackers and people who are smart enough to exploit the current games for their own benefit (wall hacking, aim-bots E.C.T.)

Users will not notice anything has changed next week but behind the scenes Valve will be hard at work testing this software and logging any cheating violations into their database.

Valve have also adviced any users of Steam that have cheats installed on their PC, that now would be a good time to remove them, anyone caught with such software will be permanently banned from playing on secure servers.

If you have any cheats for multiplayer games installed on your computer, now would be a good time to uninstall and stop using them. When a cheat infraction is detected, the offender will be permanently banned from playing on secure servers.

In their latest news Valve also mention that there has been progress on the new Half Life 2 rendering technology that Doug Lomardi will be showcasing next Wednesday the 30th over at G4TV.

Related:
New Half-Life 2 Technology On G4TV
Read Valve's latest Steam news
Discussion >>

HowStuffWorks.com have an article prognosticating on what the mysterious Nintendo Revolution will be like when it's released, along with mock-up images (right).
Very few details have surfaced about the new machine, but the article points to an interesting quote by Nintendo President Satoru Iwata:

Games already pretty much have reached the point of photo-realism. Working on more intense graphics is not the only path we can take anymore. Simply relying on the sheer horsepower of the machine will not bring the industry a bright future.

From the sound of that, Nintendo have decided that high-end specs and graphics have just about gone as far as they'll go, and a new "revolution" is required.
HowStuffWorks cites a source in Nintendo as saying that the use of new technology the company have filed patents for will provide a gaming experience not seen before.

Along with touch-screen control, voice recognition and wireless connectivity, two new innovations are expected: a motion-sensitive controller that will respond to rubbing along with the traditional clickable buttons, and "fixation points" - a feature that will be invisible to players in general, but is aimed at reducing the clutter in the players field of view to create a simpler visual experience.

These sound interesting, but Nintendo will have to have more features than that up their sleeves if they expect the console to live up to its name, and be on a par with the competing PlayStation 3 and XBox 2/360/Xenon. The PS3 will have the "supercomputer" Cell chip onboard, while the rumoured specs for Microsoft's machine are also very impressive.

More definite details of the Revolution in one form or another are expected to be revealed at the E3 Expo in May.

More info:
Revolution vs. PlayStation
Satoru Iwata keynote speech audio from the 2005 Game Developers Conference
Discussion >>

Dr.Freeman (a member of the steampowered forums) has posed a suggestion to Valve in a recent post concerning Day of Defeat: Source. In his post he asks that if an MG-43 or MG-34 has no place to deploy their gun that they should be able to use another soldier as a prop. Example Dr.Freeman goes on to explain that the MG could approach a soldier, press the use button which would then give the concerning player an option to become a "Meat-Shield". I thought it was the funniest thing i'd seen all day but also one of the best ideas that has ever came out of that forum. What do you guys think, is this something you would like to see in DoD: Source ?

How would this work you ask? well,
when a player has an MG he comes up behind another player. and presses the use key. once he press the use key on the player who is crouched down i message will appear on the screen of the crouched player asking him if he wishes to be used as a "Meat shield" (or a support)that player will then hit his use key and the MG will rest on this players sholders.i think it would be quite nice, also providing more team work

Dr.Freeman's Meat-Shield Initiative post :-)
Discussion >>

I noticed an interesting report from the Game Developers Conference earlier this month; Swedish company Meqon, who were employed by 3D Realms to provide physics for Duke Nukem Forever back in September, displayed a demo of the physics engine at the conference, and according to reports it's a step above what we've seen in Half-Life 2:

The demonstration goes far beyond the rigid-body physics which has impressed so many players in games like Half-Life 2, and according to Meqon CTO Dennis Gustafsson, every effect is entirely real-time - with even the smashing of fragile objects being generated on the fly, rather than happening along "fault lines" inserted by artists.

Although the company adamantly refused to be drawn on any details regarding its most famous client, or just how much of this technology will make its way into Duke Nukem Forever, it seems logical that 3D Realms would use this next-generation physics system as one way to gain an edge over the critically acclaimed Half-Life 2.
Read on

Though the showing of this demo may raise hopes for a step up in development and possibly an announcement from 3D Realms, there is no definite date for the release of Duke Nukem Forever. The previous game in the series, excluding derivative games like Manhattan Project, was Duke Nukem 3D, released in 1996.

The huge delay earned Duke Nukem Forever a Wired.com Vaporware Award in 2001, 2002, and a special Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003. The official page for DNK only says the game will be released "When it's done".

More info:
Will Duke Nukem Forever spark a game physics revolution?
Game Matters - Blog by 3D Realms CEO, Scott Miller
Discussion >>

This coming Wednesday, Doug Lombardi of Valve will be appearing on G4TV's "Attack of the Show" (formerly known as "The Screen Savers"), to promote and show off the upcoming High Definition Rendering Half Life 2 level known as the 'Lost Coast'.

On Wednesday's show, Valve's Doug Lombardi will give an exclusive demonstration of the previously unseen "The Lost Coast," an upcoming expansion that utilizes a brand-new technology that Valve is implementing into the Source engine. Called "high-dynamic range lighting," this new technology enables a leap in lighting realism from even the current high benchmark set by Half-Life 2 and the existing Source engine.

G4TV announcment via hlfallout
Discussion >>

Splinter Cell: Choas Theory after already going Gold in North-America, is announced as Gold in its PAL form (European Equivalent). The game is set for an April 1st release and will be available on the Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube and PC.

A Japanese Information Defense Force is formed to help face modern threats. Deemed a violation of international law and of the Japanese Post-War Constitution, Korea and China become outraged.

Related:
Why not try the official demo (Light-house mission) (603 Mb)
Official website with screens and trailers
Chaos Theory first impressions
Discussion >>

The Hidden: Source is a team-based mod for Half Life 2 developed by Project Lead, which is simular to Counter Strike: Source with either Subject 617 (aka The Hidden) or a member of the elite I.R.I.S . (Infinitum Research Intercept Squad)

Throwing the player into a world of fear and suspicion The Hidden provides an unparalleled game play experience. As either Subject 617 (aka The Hidden) or a member of the elite I.R.I.S . (Infinitum Research Intercept Squad) the players' must battle for survival against all the odds.

Visit their website for videos and screenshots
Their forums are up if you have any questions
Discussion >>

The new Sony PlayStation Portable was released to retail stores in the U.S. at midnight last night. Fans camped out for as long as 24 hours to be among the first to get their hands on one of the units, some paying as much as $400 for a unit with a recommended price of $250.

More than a gaming system, PSP is a versatile handheld, allowing users to watch movies, play music and view photo slide-shows as well. Buyers get a copy of Spiderman 2 in UMD format with the PSP, but no games - Sony say 100 titles are in development, and a library of 40 games was planned for the launch, but only 24 are currently available at about $40 each.

Sony shipped 1 million units and hoped to be able to keep up with demand; the main rival to the PSP, Nintendo's DS, went on sale in the U.S. in November with its initial 2 million units selling out.

For more information about the PSP:
PSP 101: Everything you need to know about the PlayStation Portable
Sony PSP official site
Fans Finally Get Their Hands on Sony's PSP
Sony PSP In Stores Today and Selling Fast
Joystiq at the Sony launch party
Discussion >>

Remember the days of Star-Fox (aka Star-Wing) on the Super-Nintendo ? Well if like me you played the original all those years ago, you will be pleased to hear that Fox McCloud is making a triumphant return to the console via the GameCube.

Star Fox Assault puts players in the middle of a fierce intergalactic battle, fought over land, air and space. Star Fox Assault launches across Europe for the Nintendo GameCube on 29th April 2005.

Related:
Gamerstalk Star Fox Review
Official Website
Gamecube Website
First impressions over at gamespot

Discussion >>

The winners of the competition that pitted mappers from all four corners of the globe has come to an end with dazzling results for the Steam community.

First Place goes to Scott M Jordan, USA
de_underpass

First runner-up Jonathan Linker, Germany
de_resistance

Second runnner-up Michael Schulz, Germany
dm_powerhouse

Last but not least an honorable mention goes to Michael Visser, Netherlands
de_avalon

We were blown away by the quality of the levels that were entered; we think the community will be as well when the winning maps are released on Steam

Related:
Scott M. Jordan Interview
Heart of the Revolters Double Pack
HL2DM Maps
Counter Strike: Source and Source Engine Update

Discussion >>

The first of the promised Adventure Packs for EverQuest II has been released by Sony; The Bloodline Chronicles, a vampiric themed expansion includes some areas to explore, new enemies and quests:

Delve deep into the mysterious caverns beneath Nektulos Forest to investigate the source of strange happenings in the land of Norrath.
Batle the denizens of the underworld to discover the dark secrets of the Tombs of Night - and enter, if you dare, the Crypt of T'Haen to confront the legndary lord of the undead.
The Bloodline Chronicles

The Adventure Packs are priced $4.99 each, and will be released at a rate of between two and four per year in a new strategy by Sony:

... we're announcing a new content strategy for EverQuest II that presents online games in an entirely new manner, like that of a television series, or serial movies," said John Smedley, president, Sony Online Entertainment. "Players will be able to unlock ongoing storylines that appeal to them, while enabling us to deliver more content than ever before."
Sony Announces Adventure Packs for EverQuest(R) II

More info:
The Bloodline Chronicles official site
Vampire the Masquerade - Everquest
Trial of the Isle - Free 7-day EverQuest II Trial
EverQuest II - Order a Pizza In-Game
EverQuest II by dek (22 Oct '04)
Discussion >>

Last week, the Korean XBox site briefly listed a Halo X-Pack as coming soon, before it was just as quickly removed from the site.
Now, Gamespot have uncovered more details:

According to a product page for a "Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack" that was briefly listed on EBgames.com this morning, the expansion is only "a collection of nine multiplayer maps, as well as non-playable video content (a cinematic and a mini-documentary). Delivered on a standard Xbox DVD disc, the multiplayer content can be used by gamers on Xbox Live as well as those who play multiplayer via System Link or via Split-screen (on one Xbox)."

Before it disappeared from the site this morning, the page listed the Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack as costing $19.99 and shipping on May 24. As of press time, the page still displayed the name "Halo 2 Expansion Pack" as its page title in Internet browsers and HTML code.
Read on

Bungie themselves addressed the rumours also, and promised a major announcement next week about the new maps:

What's up with the listing on Xbox.com in Korea that says the downloadable content is coming out as a retail game release??

Next week, we’re going to have a major announcement about the details of our new maps. Right now, there are some dates, details and ideas out there that are actually wrong, so please take everything you read between now and then with a grain of salt. We can't talk about how and when the new maps will be released, we'll leave that to the smart folks who actually do all the logistical work for this stuff – marketing and PR, but we can tell you this much - our entire plan is designed to make new content available for everybody, those with Xbox Live and those without Xbox Live. We hope in the end, everyone will be satisfied.
Bungie Weekly What's Update

More info:
Bungie.net
  dek's Halo 2 review
Using Halo 2 To Evangelize Christianity
Discussion >>

Namco have announced Pac-Man World 3 to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the series.

Pac-Man World 3 will include modern graphics, and -I'm not sure if there actually was a story behind the original game beyond eat the pellets, avoid the ghosts- an actual storyline:

In a mad search for power, evil genius Erwin creates a machine that can penetrate into the world of the Ghosts...the Spectral Realm! But now the Spectral Realm is collapsing into the real world, and this will bring about a massive catastrophe that will plunge the world into a state of devistation for years to come!

After mysteriously having been transported out of Pac-Village and into this strange and different land, it is up to Pac-Man to uncover Erwin's plot and save the world. Along the way, Pac-Man will meet a host of unexpected "old friends," and in order to defeat the ultimate enemy, he might just have to turn his old foes into allies!

Discussion >>

The Matrix Online, the MMOG whose storyline continues directly after the events of the final movie in the trilogy, officially launched yesterday.

As a part of the launch, the developers, Monolith Productions have created a live team that will continue the storyline of the game by playing as the famous characters from the movies (Morpheus, Niobe, the Merovingian etc) and interacting with regular gamers, who will meet, battle and eventually team up with them.

This interaction lets players have a direct influence on the evolving Matrix story:

“The Matrix Online takes massively multi-player online games to a new level by giving players the chance to directly participate and make history within the Matrix’s continuing, intriguing story,” said Jason Hall, Senior Vice President for Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “In The Matrix Online, gamers can create their ideal character for combat and socialization within an incredibly expansive urban environment and then interact with actual characters from the Matrix films.”

A PvP functionality is planned for release during the week of 4 April, and a live event with the lead characters will take place at the same time.

The game went out of beta last week, with a surprise for gamers - the developers had the Matrix go suddenly haywire, with enormous eyes filling the sky, and all of the characters simultaneously imploding.
Check here for a video of the end of The Matrix Online beta.

More info:
Warner Bros/ Sega Press Release for Launch
Official website
Order The Matrix Online ($49.99)
Ad for Keanu Reeves New Movie Features in Matrix Online Trailer (18 Feb)
Discussion >>

According to an article in The Register, a Swedish Xbox owner has had their Xbox blow up in their face, despite getting the recommended power lead replacement. Back in February, Microsoft issued some 14 million replacement power leads to its customers amid health and safety concerns.

Anahi Reinoso, 25, told the newspaper:

I got sparks in my face and the whole apartment smelled of the burn" Anahi Reinoso, 25, told the newspaper Aftonbladet last week.

Read on

Related:
After cabel recall, Xbox still frying
Need a power lead replacement ?
Xbox 2 May Include Price Hike
Microsoft CEO: Xbox 2 'amazing, amazing innovation'
Discussion >>

Ned Batchelder's son is a massive fan of the Myst series of games, and for his birthday requested his cake be themed on Myst island from the first game:

Everything is edible. It includes Twinkies, ice-cream cones, coffee cakes, marshmallows (regular and mini), pretzels (stix and rods), Hershey bars, Ring Dings, Twizzlers, those rectangular wafer cookies, and my new favorite building material, Little Debbie Fudge Brownies. It's all topped off with plenty of frosting, in brown, white, blue, and two greens.
Link

Via Boingboing.net
Discussion >>

Id Software has made available new patches and full installs for its popular online WWII first person shooter, Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory.

patches advance the free team-based multiplayer first-person shooter by Splash Damage to version 2.60. There are patches for Win32 and Linux, an updated Linux full install as well as the first Mac OSX full install, and this release implements optimizations, server enhancements, demo recording/playing improvements, graphics tweaks, better mod support, and a huge number of bug fixes

Download the new full install v2.55 here (258 Mb)
Grab the Win32 client/server patch v2.60 here (5.5 Mb)
Official Website here

Discussion >>

The new Gizmondo handheld console went on sale on Saturday in the U.K., eight days after the competing Nintendo DS broke records with its own launch.

Running on the Windows CE operating system, the new gadget packs more features in than just gaming, allowing users to watch movies, download music and take digital photos.

The extra features the Gizmondo has over the DS and Sony's PSP (to be released in the U.K. in June), are a GPS system for multiplayer gaming and a phone service from Vodafone that allows email, text and multimedia messaging.

The other competitor to Gizmondo to come with telecommunications capabilities is the Nokia N-Gage, which includes a fully-functional phone as well as a gaming console.

The Gizmondo will launch in Ireland on 19 April, followed by a roll-out to other European markets.

More info:
Gizmondo.com
Gizmondo games
Gizmondo launches in the UK. Can you say, “worst timing ever?”
Gizmondo gadget hits the shelves
Discussion >>

I came across an interesting article on the Christian evangelism website Dare2Share.org, which has a number of programmes where youths look at ways to affirm their faith through popular culture and different outlets.

The Dare 2 Share ministers recognise the size of the Halo 2 audience and see it as a way to share their message, though they are not actually in favour of the game because of the violence.

One of the three ways the article suggests to witness (affirm your faith in public) through Halo 2 is to point out parallels between the storyline of the game and Jesus' saving of humanity:

Jesus came to this planet to save the planet from a group much worse than the Covenant (the aliens) and from a fate much worse than physical death. Satan’s goal is to make sure people have a miserable and short life that stays as far away from the gospel as possible so he can have company in hell. Jesus died on the Cross and came back from the dead to give us the life God intended us to have. Remember this: for the Christian, this life is the only hell we will ever experience. For the non-Christian, this life is the only heaven they will ever experience. So the next time you are hanging out with friends who know Halo but don’t know God, try bringing up a conversation about the storyline behind planet earth.
How to Witness Using 'Halo 2'

More info:
The Saga of the XBox - ''How To Witness Using Halo 2''

Link via Water Cooler Games
Discussion >>

From Gearbox Software comes Brother in Arms, a fast-paced first person shooter for the PC. The game is supposedly based around the true story of Matt Baker, a D-Day paratrooper squad leader. The games developers claim it is the most realistic and authentic WWII shooter ever.

I have not yet played it but from the videos i have seen it does look quite impressive (however authentic the actual storyline really is) As of yet there is no sign of a playable demo but i'm sure we'll here more in the very near future.

Brothers in Arms is the most realistic and authentic WWII shooter ever. While other WWII games have sugarcoated the war experience, Brothers in Arms is based on a true story and will immerse gamers into the gritty, uncensored and emotionally-charged side of war.

Download the latest patch v1.02 here (3 Mb)
Official Website and trailers here

Discussion >>

PC World has a detailed review of the PlayStation Portable, to be released in the U.S. on 24 March for $250.
The wireless PSP will let users watch movies, view photo slide-shows and of course play games.

The overall review is positive, but the handheld loses points for having an extra-smudgy screen and the awkward positioning of the speakers, which are blocked when the PSP is placed upright on a table:

The $249 PSP Value Pack includes a 3.6-volt, 1800-milliamp-hour rechargeable battery (rated to last about 4 hours by Sony), a 32MB Memory Stick Duo card, white earbuds, a control device for navigating music and movie menus, a carrying case, a demo disc (with games, music, and movie clips), and the movie Spider-Man 2.

The Value Pack doesn't include any actual games; you'll pay about $50 each for those. Another thing that's missing is some sort of portable stand. At just 10 ounces, the PSP isn't exactly heavy. Still, after a while, I found that it wasn't comfortable to hold the unit while watching the film. My hands started going to sleep, and my wrist ached.
Read on

More info:
PlayStation Portable official site
Sony's PSP Wows, but Only if You Stick to the Games
Pre-order the PSP in the U.K. (Available on 24 June)
Discussion >>

"Neo Sonic Godspeed is one of three Sonic the Hedgehog remakes from a group of developers called the Manic Team. The Neo Sonic games are excellent near perfect clones of the popular SEGA games originally released in the early 1990's for the Sega Console systems. You have the option to play as Sonic or Shadow each with different leves and action packed game-play."

Download 1

Review By Mr Mike

Discussion >>

Yesterday, Bethesda posted three new in-game screens for Elder Scrolls: Oblivion of a troll (above), a nordic town and a forest.

Several screens were also posted in January, and the full collection is available here.

Development of Oblivion has been ongoing since 2002, but no release date has been announced yet.

More info:
The Elder Scrolls official site
Recent Gamesfirst.com Oblivion Interview
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Interview (12 Dec '04)
Bethesda Executive Producer's open letter to fans
Discussion >>

Blizzard have announced a new record for World of Warcraft - the game has hit 1.5 million concurrent players worldwide, with over 500,000 players online in each of their three markets, Korea, the U.S. and Europe.

The game has been a monstrous success since its initial U.S. launch (which in itself broke records), and it looks set to continue when it launches in China later this year - within the first hour of the beta being available there, 100,000 players had signed up.

More info:
About World of Warcraft
Blizzard.com
Gamespot's Intro Video to WoW
Penny Arcade Revokes Warcraft GOTY Award (23 Jan)
Discussion >>

Gamespot points out an entry on the Korean XBox site (since removed) that listed an expansion pack for Halo 2 as 'coming soon'.

Gamespot speculate on Microsoft's plans:

The one-line listing had no other description or firm date. That said, its presence on an official Microsoft site added credence to the theory that Microsoft cut Halo 2 short so it could roll out a large expansion akin to the Ninja Gaiden Hurricane Pack at a later date via Xbox Live--for a price. Such a Halo 2 expansion could be a twofold boon for Microsoft, adding another incentive for gamers to join its online service and squeezing further dollars from the nearly 7 million gamers who already have Halo 2.
Halo 2 expansion coming soon?

Related info:
Resources doubled for next Halo game
  dek's Halo 2 review
Discussion >>

The story of the haunted NES placed up on eBay spawned an imitator on the U.K. eBay; his item was a Super NES, the original owner of which was killed by a maverick cat, which then haunted the console :

... the cat was jealous that the young boy was spending all his time on his “computer game” and one night went mad and killed them both!

Now I don’t know if this young women was winding me up, I believed her and she had no reason to lie to me.
Since then I have not really been able to talk about the SNES, I want to sell it to someone who might be able to help the trapped cat and young boy.

Its currently sitting in a box under my stairs with some whiskers cat food and some milk, everything has been ok since then, I guess the cat is one of those 9/10 cats!
Read on

Despite the very convincing image of the item and the totally believable story, this auction closed without earning anything for the seller, while the original haunted NES sold for $225.53.

Via kotaku
Discussion >>

Version 2.54 of this immensly popular video-capture software is available over at fraps. You can use Fraps to record in-game footage (with sound). Perfect for tutorials, demos, reviews etc.


Release Notes:

2.5.4 - 18th Mar 2005
- Resolved conflict preventing SLI with 71.84 Forceware drivers
- Fixed crash when right clicking in change directory window
- Fixed crash in some browsers when launching Help window

Download the latest version here (686 Kb)

Discussion >>

We received a pointer to The Five Pillars, an online multiplayer game from new forum member Tolia.

The focus is totally on strategy in this one and it looks interesting; there are no graphics on display in the game and all of the events take place through a mostly text-based web control panel.

Players are in control of all aspects of a tiny fledgling kingdom when they begin, which they must grow so that it can become the largest and most powerful, while at the same time gathering resources to learn spells and managing domestic issues such as overcrowding and population contentment:

By creating the most powerful army, you can be the one true dominating force on the planet.

By choosing what force you will join, you'll get the ability to destroy everyone and everything that gets in your way to the top. Still you have to remember that nothing is what it seems to be, you can't always survive alone, you need to ally with others to face the ultimate opposition. Everyone wants to be the best, but no one wants it to be you.

Judging by the in-depth help files, there's a lot to the game to keep strategy fans occupied and The Five Pillars is free to play, just create a new account and join the suggested Freshman server for beginners.

More info:
The Five Pillars Live Demo
Discussion >>

RYL: Path of The Emperor officially launched today, going Gold and coming out of beta status.
Players can now purchase the game at retail stores, or download a 30 day free trial, after which time it costs a $12.95 per month subscription.

As a special promotion for the launch, Planetwide Games also announced a serious giveaway - 1 million dollars is up for grabs as the grand prize to the winner of a Player vs. Player skill-based tournament. The tournament is only available to players from the U.S. or Canada.
Players who buy RYL from a retail store are qualified to participate, and the final will be broadcast live from the E3 Video Game Expo in May next year.
Read more on the official press release

For those who haven't tried RYL yet, check out the 30 day free trial download here or read IGNIQ's exclusive review of the game.
Discussion >>

According to an article posted over at Anandtech, Futuremark (creators of the popular benchmarking software, 3DMark) have announced the top systems listed on on their performance league tables, which are all based on Nvidia SLI technology.

SLI-enabled systems sweeping the top 20 spots in the 3DMark05 Hall of Fame demonstrates that consumer PCs based on award-winning SLI technology from NVIDIA currently have the fastest 3D performance available," said Ujesh Desai, general manager of desktop product marketing at NVIDIA. "SLI technology has truly set a new standard for 3D performance, as these results show. We look forward to continuing this leadership position

Read on

For those not familiar, SLI is the term used by Nvidia to describe two of their graphics cards acting as one in a PC, kind of like a Raid array of harddrives. This boasts (in some cases) double the performance in the latest games, much faster frame-rates at higher resolutions and improved image quality.

More product info over at Nvidia
NVIDIA's SLI in action
Double-barreled badness

Discussion >>

The Enquirer have managed to get a few more details about ATI's next high end chip.

It turns up that the R520 is built on a 90 nanometre marchitecture and will end up with as much as 300 to 350 millions of transistors. We reported some months ago that R520 will have up to 300 million transistors but it turned out that ATI manage to squeeze even more transistors on its die. This leads up to the fact that it's very likely to have more pipelines than in the current generation. Last number was 16 and now it's time to go toward 24 we would speculate.


Read on

It's pretty depressing hearing about all the latest technology, even if you are someone who has recently upgraded less than a year ago, they just have a way of making a smidge of power sound like a grand-slam. I am perfectly happy with my 6800 GT anyway, as long as i can own the Source engine i will be happy

((Unless they give me a free 512 Mb graphics card to test, i won't be opening my (empty) wallet for nobody.)) ;-)

Discussion >>

According to a report by the Seattle Post Intelligencer, Bungie have beefed up the development team from 65 to 120 for the next installment of Halo.

According to rumours, Microsoft are aiming at having the game ready for release not at the same time as the XBox 2 launches, but when the rival PlayStation 3 is released. Their hope is that the huge popularity of the Halo series will entice customers to buy an Xbox 2 instead.

More info:
Bungie grows for Halo 3? MS golden boys hiring?
Bungie Doubles Halo Resources for Xbox 2 Debut Movie-like experience promised.
Halo 3 Wishlist
Halo 2 review by dek 
Discussion >>

An interesting-looking game that lets players take the role of hackers trying to steal money and files from online companies was released recently, along with a playable demo.

Mindlink 2005: Underground also includes an online ranking system where players can submit their high-scores and compete with others here.
Discussion >>

One of the sub-games from the sprawling Final Fantasy VII is being made into a standalone title for mobiles - featured in the Gold Saucer area of the original PlayStation game, the snowboarding levels have been ported over to the V CAST from Verizon Wireless:

FINAL FANTASY VII Snowboarding brings the thrilling action of the console version to the palms of customers’ hands. In the original, gamers could play a snowboarding mini game at an amusement park called the Gold Saucer. FINAL FANTASY VII Snowboarding is a complete port of this mini game, bringing 3D snowboarding action to your wireless phone.
Press release

Related info:
Final Fantasy VII Spin-off Planned (Dirge of Cerberus)
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Trailers
Final Fantasy X Whats the real verdict?
Discussion >>

Lionhead Studios and Microsoft have officially announced Fable: The Lost Chapters for the PC.

The game, 'optimized for the Windows Platform' and due out this Autumn, will include a deeper storyline than the XBox original and extra content:

Experience expanded content. Explore the original worlds and core missions of “Fable” that thrilled Xbox gamers and discover additional regions, storylines and side quests, as well as optional missions with “Fable: The Lost Chapters.” In addition, “Fable: The Lost Chapters” offers the ability to fight new monsters, practice an expanded group of spells, don new armor, wield additional weapons and interact with new expressions.

Witness stunning graphics. “Fable: The Lost Chapters” is fully optimized for the Windows platform, bringing with it breath-taking graphics that allow you to view the world of Albion at its best.

Forge a hero based on actions. Heroes age and evolve through the actions players choose and the paths they follow — be it for good, evil or in between. Those who ply the way of the sword will see their muscles bulge. Those who weave the dark arts will witness power crackle at their fingertips. And those who rely on speed and stealth will develop lightning-like reflexes and eagle-eyed accuracy.

Engage in intense real-time combat. Players collect battle scars as they duel with cunning foes and deadly creatures. They can master an array of deadly weapons as they hone the art of blade-craft, hunt their quarry using subterfuge and stealth, or weave death from the elements as they harness the dark arts of the arcane.

Build a living legend. Through deeds and actions, “Fable: The Lost Chapters” players build a name for their character across the land. They can recruit allies and followers, gain glory or notoriety, make friends and enemies, the whole time interacting with a living world of people, places and events all reactive to them.

Shape and exploring a living, evolving world. Players champion or manipulate an ever-changing land with competitive and cooperative heroes, dynamic weather systems, and environments teeming with cultures, creatures, citizens and cities.

Hone scores of unique skills and extras. Players master new abilities and add possessions as their character develops. They can master the art of thievery, acquire a family, real estate, clothing or tattoos, and more. “Fable: The Lost Chapters” expands these offerings, providing the player with even more customization choices.

Never play the same game twice. Once an adventure has been completed, players can forge a new tale full of unexpected twists and turns, with new skills, powers, influences, allies and enemies.

More info:

Official site for Fable: The Lost Chapters
Screenshots
Gamespot: Microsoft spinning Fable for the PC
Fable Leader Apology for Promised Features (6 Oct '04)
Discussion >>

An 80's Nintendo Entertainment Sytem which the owner claims is haunted has been placed up for auction on eBay; the seller includes the complete story of how he came to be in possession of the console, and the strange things that have been happening since:

Even my cat won't go anywhere near this System, unless she's 5 feet away and hesitating to sniff at it, and not only that, she's been running back and forth through the house in the middle of the night during the past few weeks, and that's something she's never done in the entire 8 years that I've owned her.

I sincerely believe there may be some form of strong connection or attachment between this system and its previous owner.

The reason I am listing this... to be honest it's starting to freak me out, as well as the people around me. I don't feel threatened, I just don't understand it and I'm not exactly comfortable with keeping this in my home.
Haunted Nintendo Entertainment System - Paranormal NES

Discussion >>

Nvidia, having not released a set of drivers ((outside of beta)) since November of last year have finally made available the latest official Unified Driver suite for all its Nvidia GPUs.

Release Highlights:

Support for the GeForce 6200 with TurboCache™, NVIDIA PureVideo™, and NVIDIA SLI™
SLI support for over 60 top games
A CoolBits applet to allow users to easily add their own SLI application profiles for games that are not SLI certified
Robust HDTV Display Setup and adjustments
Multi-Display support for Windows Remote Desktop
Improved compatibility with Windows Remote Desktop in multi-display modes
Microsoft® DirectX® 9.0c and OpenGL® 1.5 support

Download the Official Forceware 71.84 for Win2k/Xp here (18.8 Mb)

Discussion >>

News site Game Revolution recently got some email from a guy complaining to them that a vanity search on Google returns a page about The Blair Witch Project 2 game, which so happens to have a character with his name.

He has threatened to sue the site because apparently people who Google him think the page is about him, and that he's a nutcase:

... when folks type in my name to