Advertisements  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. More info: XBox.com Press Release: Halo 2 Multiplayer Maps in June! Discussion >> By Rob
 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.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 has also advised any users of Steam games with cheats installed, to remove them as 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 >> By Gary
 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 >> By Rob
 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, Dr.Freeman's Meat-Shield Initiative post :-) Discussion >> By Gary
 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. 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 >> By Rob
 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 hlfalloutDiscussion >> By Gary
 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 >> By Gary
 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)
Their forums are up if you have any questions Discussion >> By Gary
 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 >> By Rob
 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 >> By Gary
 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 >> By Gary
 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. ... 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." 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 >> By Rob
 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! By Rob
 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)." What's up with the listing on Xbox.com in Korea that says the downloadable content is coming out as a retail game release?? Bungie.net  dek's Halo 2 reviewUsing Halo 2 To Evangelize Christianity Discussion >> By Rob
 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 >> By Rob
 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:
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 >> By Gary
 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. Discussion >> By Rob
 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 >> By Gary
 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 >> By Rob
 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. The Saga of the XBox - ''How To Witness Using Halo 2'' Link via Water Cooler Games Discussion >> By Rob
 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.
Download the latest patch v1.02 here (3 Mb) Official Website and trailers here Discussion >> By Gary
 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. 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 >> By Rob
"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 >> By Dave
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