April 2003
| Wednesday, April 30, 2003 |
Silent Hill 3 To PC
 Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 11:03 PM |
Category: General |
Just like Silent Hill 2, Konami has announced that Silent Hill 3 will be coming to the PC platform this fall. What's better is that they are planning to take advantage of all the PC's abilities, so at the very least, expect enhanced graphics to add to the experience. No word yet if the horror fest will hit the other consoles or not, but it's certainly not a possibility I would count out.
X-Men 2 Hits Theaters Friday
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 10:42 PM |
Category: General |
Many of you have probably been waiting as long as we have for the new X-Men movie, but just in case you weren't aware, X2 X-Men United will be on cinema screens nationwide this Friday. All your favorite heroes from the last movie, plus a host of new ones, will be fighting the good fight in this highly anticipated sequel.
New Pop Up Ads?
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 10:34 PM |
Category: General |
One of the things I hate most about surfing the web is pop up ads. I think I have the pop up ad problem under control for now with Zone Alarm Pro, but something new and even more evil is on the horizon. I just read over at Slashdot that Unicast, an online advertising software company, is preparing to make a full screen pop up ad that lasts for fifteen seconds. Disgusted yet?The ultra-intrusive new format opens when a user is on one page of a Web site and clicks a link to go to another page on the same site. Instead of seeing that new page, the user sees an ad that fills the entire screen.
"We believe that just like in television, the creative you build is what gets shown, the technology should not get in the way," said Allie Savarino, senior vice president for global marketing, Unicast. "The ad has to be fully loaded so there's no latency or delay," she added.
Unicast said it hopes to persuade publishers such as AOL Time Warner properties and CBS MarketWatch to offer the ad format to their advertising customers. Honestly folks, I know running a website isn't cheap, but this is absurd. The thought of a full screen pop up ad feels very wrong to me. I think everyone in their right mind would agree that pop up ads are an annoyance, and only get clicked on by accident. This will only make things worse, and for the people who aren't very computer knowledgable, they will be completely confused as to whats going on.
Mary Jane Turns 21!
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 9:09 PM |
Category: General |
According to Superhero Hype!, the wonderful Kirsten Dunst, who reprises her role as Mary Jane Watson in the new Amazing Spider-Man movie now in production, turned 21 today. That's right, Kirsten was born on April 30, 1982 in Point Pleasant, New Jersey.
Advent Rising
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 8:50 PM |
Category: Console_XBox|x|PC_Action |
Majesco will be publishing Advent Rising, a new science fiction-based trilogy for the Xbox and PC platforms. GlyphX Games is developing the titles, using Epic Games’ Unreal Warfare Engine. Novelist Orson Scott Card will help flesh out the back-story of the game, as well as author a new book based on the titles.The third-person action game will put players in the role of Gideon Wyeth, a “remnant of the last human outpost” in the galaxy. Wyeth apparently has “incredible powers” laying dormant in him, powers that a race known as the Seekers are trying to suppress in their quest to eliminate the human race. The first title is expected to be released for the Xbox and PC in the first quarter of 2004. Head to the Advent Trilogy site for more information.
To The Batfish!
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 3:40 PM |
Category: General |
Batfish Studios today announced that they will be attending the Electronic Entertainment Expo (aka E3), in Los Angeles. Batfish will be on stand 2340 demonstrating their PC strategy game based on the excellent British cult animated television series, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons.The year is 2068 and the Mysterons are waging a war of nerves against Earth, issuing cryptic warnings before using their powers of retro-metabolism to control people and carry out their threats. Earth s only defence is Spectrum, a world security organisation now focused solely on defeating the Mysteron menace.
Captain Scarlet is a real time tactical strategy game that puts you in control of a team of up to six Spectrum Agents, each with their own unique abilities, as they attempt to stop the Mysterons from carrying out their threats. Founded in July 2001, Batfish Studios Ltd is an independent development company that is dedicated to the creation of top quality games for PC and consoles. Check out the BBC site for more info on Gerry Anderson's Captain Scarlet and the Mysterions. I've been wanting to get the Captain Scarlet DVD -- as well as the Thunderbirds Mega Set and Stingray - The Complete Series -- for some time now, personally.
Resident Evil Name Change
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 6:33 PM |
Category: General |
Not much to say about it, but the upcoming Resident Evil Online for the Playstation 2 has been given a name change. Resident Evil Outbreak will be the new name of the game when it launches in the US. This is the number one game on the online console lineup that I want. With a group of people I could see this game being one of those late night favorites.
Console Price Drops
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 6:15 PM |
Category: Hardware |
Looking for a new console but just don't have the cash? Help is on the way, straight from the companies themselves. From rumblings in the retail business world, all three consoles will come down in price this May. Playstation 2 will look good at a new $149 price tag, Xbox will match that price and Gamecube hits an extremely low $99. It's still not official, but it seems to likely correspond with announcements at E3
Source: IGN
Sega's E3 Lineup
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 5:37 PM |
Category: General |
Wondering what is going to be up Sega's sleeve for this coming E3? Gamers.com has a mighty big list of games that Sega will be showing off at the big daddy of game expos. Among these games is Vectorman, Sonic Heroes (on all consoles), Altered Beast, Kuniochi, and a slew of sports games. You can view the complete list here.
Mindless Babble
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 10:07 PM |
Category: General |
I almost had some awesome magazine scans of Halo 2 but when I went to post the update I noticed that someone has removed them from the server (Microsoft caught wind of it I suppose). I'm certainly looking forward to that game, but most recently, Unreal Tournament 2003 has been my game of choice. I'm a bit late getting into the game, it's been out for a little while now, but I just now got a computer fast enough to run it. It's a screamer and I'm more than happy with it.
I heard that Jeff Hardy is no longer with the WWE. Rumors are going around that he wanted to work on his music more and had lost the passion for the sport. That sounds plausable. It's a shame in a way. I think he (along with his brother Matt) were the best tag team to come out of the wrestling industry in at least a decade. Hopefully he finds good fortune in whatever he does next. Things are changing at a rapid pace in the wrestling world lately, it is hard to keep up!
This is the last week of classes for the semester. I am overjoyed. This is the last week of classes I'll have. Once I finish my internship this summer I will be free from the shackles of college. How sweet it is.
Dell Unleashes New Gaming PC
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 9:00 PM |
Category: General |
Dell has just released a brand new PC geared for gamers called the Dimension XPS. Built from the ground up with the gamer's needs in mind, this rig not only has the latest technology but even attention is given to cooling the system more efficently.The DimensionTM XPS is built for the hardcore gamer with XPS Technology that includes a new chassis design, specialized thermals to keep the system cool and quiet, power for the long haul, and the most engrossing realism in video and sound. With an Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor at 3GHz plus Hyper-Threading Technology with 800MHz Front Side Bus, extreme audio and graphics, and built-in 10/100 Ethernet for easy online connectivity, the XPS is ready to play. Does Alienware have something new to stand in its way? The system starts at a price of $2,100 so if you've got the money to blow, you might want to look into this one.
No Wolverine = No X-Men
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 10:01 PM |
Category: General |
Superhero Hype! is reporting that producer of X2 Lauren Shuler Donner will never do an X-Men movie without Wolverine. She also says that if the idea of a spin-off franchise comes up, Wolverine is the first choice. This is good news as far as I'm concerned. Wolverine is greatest superhero of all time, in my humble opinion. It's a good thing Hugh Jackman enjoys playing the part of the Wolven one or else we wouldn't have the possibility of more movies.
Steve Carr Directs Iron Fist
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 9:56 PM |
Category: General |
According to Comingsoon.net, Steve Carr, director of Dr. Dolittle 2 and Daddy Day Care has signed on to direct adaptation of Iron Fist from Marvel Comics. They are still looking for someone to play the main role (rumors of Ray Park in the lead are false). Carr has spoken about the project and you can hear the audio here.
EA's Return Of The King
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 9:44 PM |
Category: General |
Electronic Arts has announced the game to match the third movie in the Lord Of The Rings saga. Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King will be available for all major consoles as well as the PC this year (probably around the release of the movie).Based on New Line Cinema’s upcoming film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic fantasy novel, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King video game will let players journey through multiple gameplay paths, taking control of the motion picture trilogy’s heroes including Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Sam, and Frodo. Set in all of the breathtaking locations from the upcoming movie, The Return of the King’s third person gameplay will include immersive action and epic adventure elements based in rich, interactive levels. An all-new multiplayer co-op mode will let players form their own Fellowship before embarking on their journey through Middle-earth™. Multiplayer co-op is always a fun thing indeed. I wonder if this will play like the popular Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers game from last year?
Mindless Babble
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 4:52 PM |
Category: General |
Hope your Sunday has been pleasant.
Last night, I rented Memento on DVD, and watched it with a few friends who haven't seen it before. It's the second time I've seen it, and it's one of those films you certainly don't mind seeing more than once; in fact you really need to watch this one more than once, as the story literally runs in reverse. In effect this gives you the viewer the same desperate disorientation that the protagonist (played by the excellent Guy Pearce of L.A. Confidential fame) must be experiencing throughout. Pearce's character is on a desperate quest to find the killer who stole both his wife's life and his short-term memory. Like an ant thrown off its scent trail, he's thrown into an endless loop, forever following a living hell of quickly meaningless clues frantically etched on waded notes, polaroids, his own body.
This my favorite type of mystery-thriller, where the beginning is the end is the beginning.
I'm good about not spoiling things for others who haven't seen a particular movie before, so I'll leave you with that. Other featured notables include the sumptuous Carrie-Anne Moss and everyone's favorite hateable, Joe 'Joey Pants' Pantoliano.
For reference, other movies of this type include Alan Parker's Angel Heart and Roman Polansky's The Tenant.
Of course, I highly recommend all of the above mentioned DVDs, if you haven't seen them already... or even if you have.
A Link Exclusive!
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 12:26 PM |
Category: General |
Guys, I know I'm a bit biased, since I loved the original Soul Calibur for the Dreamcast. But could you even imagine anything cooler than fighting as Link? Here's Nintendo's description of what we can expect for Soul Calibur II, the follow-up to one of THE best fighting games ever made, exclusively for the GameCube version:Weapon-based fighting reaches perfection with Soul Calibur II. This massive fighting game will hook you from the opening sequence and never let you go. Due to be released this August, Soul Calibur II features 20 killer fighters including Link from The Legend of Zelda fame — a Nintendo GameCube exclusive. (Also featured is) Necrid, a new fighter in the series created by Todd McFarlane Productions. Intuitive controls and an obscene number of weapons to choose from should rocket Soul Calibur II to the top of your most-wanted list. Visit nintendo.com for more screen shots of Link in action. In case you thought the GC was going the way of the Dreamcast, well I obviously don't think that's necessarily a bad thing! ;) The chance to see Link's awesome moves in Soul Calibur 2 alone prompts me to spelunk the cha-ching for a GC today, how about you?
Golden Sun: The Lost Age
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 11:01 AM |
Category: General |
Nintendo's Golden Sun: The Lost Age is available now, and it looks like they're putting a lot of interactivity, depth and exploration in and around the game. Every week, you're encouraged to journey to the official web site for a new episode in the unfolding saga, view the interactive map, learn in-depth strategies, download files, etc. Features:- Role-playing game
- Play as Felix, Isaac's long-lost brother
- All new collection of Djinn to enhance your characters' psynergy
- Transfer completed parties from Golden Sun into The Lost Age
- For 1 player
Not bad for a GBA title, I'd say.... what thoughts have you?
The Hobbit
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 12:31 PM |
Category: Console_GameBoyAdvance|x|Console_GameCube|x|Console_PS2|x|Console_XBox|x|PC_Action |
Vivendi Universal Games will be responsible for bringing The Hobbit to gamers' twitchy fingers, in the guise of a third-person action-adventure game due out this Fall. Based, of course, on the beloved novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, the game will grace the all-inclusive suspects: PS2, Xbox, GameCube, Game Boy Advance and PC.
Trinity Announced
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 12:25 PM |
Category: Console_XBox|x|PC_Action |
Activision, Inc. has announced Trinity, a new first-person action game for the Xbox and PC, which will be released sometime in 2004. One of our favorite developers, Gray Matter Studios is developing the PC version, while Vicarious Visions will be pumping out the Xbox game.
MS Announces Mythica
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 12:19 PM |
Category: General |
Microsoft Game Studios has announced Mythica, an online game that promises to 'merge the depth and sophistication of a single-player game with the social experience of a massively multiplayer online role-playing game,' by using something called Private Realms Technology. Despite their trademark verbiage, it sounds good, if they can pull that off, and there's every indication Microsoft is serious about winning us gamers over. But will we allow that to happen?
Tribes Lives
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 12:15 PM |
Category: General |
Just in case you were afraid Tribes 2 killed off the franchise, it's official that Vivendi Universal Games has announced Tribes: Vengeance for the PC, in development by Irrational Games.
Splinter Cell For GBA
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 12:13 PM |
Category: General |
GBA fans, rejoice! Ubi Soft Entertainment’s Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell is now available on the Game Boy Advance. There's more info at Ubi's site.
Top-Selling PC Games
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 12:02 PM |
Category: PC_Action|x|PC_Driving_Flying|x|PC_RealTimeStrategy|x|PC_RolePlaying|x|PC_Simulation|x|PC_Sports |
NPD Techworld has released a list of the top-selling PC games for the month of March.
- Command & Conquer: Generals
- The Sims Deluxe
- Delta Force Black Hawk Down
- Freelancer
- Shadowbane
- Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield
- Battlefield 1942
- The Sims: Unleashed Expansion Pack
- Zoo Tycoon
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
What do you think? Can PC games ride out the latest trend for console games and reclaim gaming dominance?
Half Life 2 Leaks
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 2:53 PM |
Category: General |
Set drool factor to ten and unhinge your jaws for total jaw dropping effect. The latest Lockergnome newsletter had a link to screenshots scanned from magazine of Valve's Half Life 2. I'll keep it short and sweet, because I know you don't want to wait any longer than you have to. Check Jerlabs for some information on what the game will be like and for the screenshots, just click your mouse right here. You'll thank me later. In the meantime, here is some more information on the game:- The Half-Life 2 Engine was finished a year ago.
- Counter-Strike for the Half-Life 2 Engine has supposedly also been in development for a year.
- Half-Life 2 is scheduled for a September 30th release.
- You still play as Gordon Freeman.
- You went to work for the G-Man.
- The story takes place in a European city called City 17.
- Headcrabs will be back!
- Some of the Xen aliens will be friendly
- Barney is back.
- Half-Life's original writer, Marc Laidlaw also wrote the story for Half-Life 2.
- The new engine has all sorts of fancy features (as is obvious from the pictures), but it is also compatible with lower-end machines.
- A 700mhz processor and a video card capable of running DX6 is playable.
- A 2ghz with a GeForce4 is recommended.
- The female beauty in the artwork we've seen is named Alyx, who is the daughter of one of the scientists.
- Alyx factors into the storyline, but she's not a playable character.
- Scripted sequences will be more interactive (could you imagine they wouldn't be?).
- Half-Life 3 is planned, so expect another cliffhanger ending.
- Half-Life 2 will be displayed at this year's E3.
A dream soon to come true! The shots alone, even with its scan quality being somewhat grainy, has sold me on this game being worth the purchase!
Mindless Babble
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 2:17 PM |
Category: General |
Yikes, it sucks waking up at 2:30 in the afternoon. That's what I get for working night shifts I guess. Stupid me. While groggy and tired, I stumbled over to my computer and was instantly awakened when I saw something of complete wonderment. I won't keep this information from you (for long). I'll be posting it right after I finish writing this. Trust me, when you see it, you'll be wiping up a puddle of drool that you collected on your desk. It's that good.
I wanted to mention the new things you are probably noticing on the Mindless network. Video games from Amazon in specific. We put up the new banner ads and games as a way of trying to generate some revenue for the site. Unfortunately, these sites don't stay on the net for free, and we have to have some way of getting some help. Our sincerest thanks to those who have been purchasing through us, it really means a lot and every bit is a help. Having some games on the navigation bars on the sites is pretty cool too, I think. Phoebus has done a great job hunting down games new and old and it's pretty cool to see some old classics popping up. I'm always tempted to check them out myself, hah. If you want to see some really cool stuff, go to NewDoom and check out all the Doom related stuff he dug up.
Various & Sundries
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 6:36 PM |
Category: General |
How about a quick five clickable gaming links, you say? Sure! Happy to oblige:Hope you've had a good day, and to see more of you joining our little corner of the Net. Stay with us, we'll keep gathering up the good news.
Link's Past Done Quick!
Posted
by
Sean 'Hades' Connolly
at 2:11 PM |
Category: General |
The world record keepers for video games, Twin Galaxies, has just recorded a new amazing accomplishment. Michael Damiani, from the State of Texas, has completed the Super Nintendo classic, Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past in just under 2 hours! One hour, fifty-seven minutes and fifteen seconds to be exact. Check out the report from Twin Galaxies here.
New SSX 3 Teaser Trailer
Posted
by
Sean 'Hades' Connolly
at 12:59 PM |
Category: Console_GameCube|x|Console_PS2|x|Console_XBox |
EA Sports is hard at work on the third installment in the great snowboarding series SSX. The folks over at IGN have posted a teaser trailer. The movie doesn’t show actual gameplay, but it does sport some incredible graphics. It still gets me excited seeing the new trailer because the SSX games are one of the few I can actually get my girlfriend to play.
| Wednesday, April 23, 2003 |
Vectorman Returns
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 8:42 PM |
Category: General |
Sega has been preparing updated versions of their Vectorman and Altered Beast games, that's no secret. The news here is that we will see Vectorman in all its glory at E3. It sounds like it's still an early look, as the game isn't scheduled for release until early 2004. (IGN)"Vectorman doles out destruction in spades," said Mike Fischer, vice president of marketing, Sega of America, Inc. "With a massive arsenal of circuit-shredding weapons and upgrades, things are bound to get messy. You'll almost start feeling bad for the Orbots. Almost." Sega's been so good about bringing back old classics lately. Shinobi has gotten a lot of praise upon its release, so if that's any sign then Vectorman should be another game to look out for.
Mindless Babble
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 4:34 PM |
Category: General |
I always get hooked on these things. Check out this cool psychic crystal ball thingy. It got me every time so far. You'll be completely baffled as to how it reads your mind. I hear it's some kind of new programming language that can read your thoughts through static in the air. Heh, no actually there's a very ingenious trick as to how this works, but I won't spoil it for you. Try to figure it out yourself.
I ordered a copy of American McGee's Alice last night along with the soundtrack. Believe it or not, I have never played this game, but I've always wanted to. It looks so demented and fun. I'm sure I'll have a blast with it. As for the soundtrack, I am a big fan of Chris Vrenna and he did all the music for the game. I know the score is highly regarded and I couldn't pass up adding it to my collection.
Well, enough fun for the day, I've got a Philosophy test coming up tomorrow morning, so I'll have to crunch for it. Have no fear, I'll be posting some news tonight in between studying (otherwise I'll go insane).
Sony Combines Chips On The PS2
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 5:39 PM |
Category: General |
According to an IGN article, Sony has combined the Emotion Engine processor and the Graphic Synthesizer into one chip. This means greater production abilities, and allows the plants that make each chip seperately make the new combined chip. This means more chips in less time (in case you didn't want to work out the difficult equasion).According to the company, the Emotion Engine and Graphic Synthesizer (which, unless you mostly play PSX games on your PS2, are the two main processors in the system) have been combined into one chip. The new chip makes use of a 90 nanometer DRAM process for production which allows it to be made smaller (about a sixth the size of the original chips) and opens up new avenues for cost-cutting. The article also notes that the chip may become the first mass produced 90nm chip on the market.
Day Of Defeat Goes Gold
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 5:31 PM |
Category: General |
Wow, didn't they just announce this very recently? Activision has announced that Day Of Defeat, the World War 2 squad based combat game from Valve has gone gold. The game is rated Teen for blood and violence and is priced at $29.99. Look for the game to hit shelves this May.
Ubi Soft and Alienware Begin Online Promotion
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 5:27 PM |
Category: General |
Ubi Soft and Alienware have a new online contest of sorts for the game Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield. The online promotion will give gamers the chance to win a number of prizes, the top prize being an Alienware computer and a copy of Raven Shield. The promotion will begin in April and end December 31st 2003."The gamer who craves the intense action and complexity of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3 will appreciate the enhanced graphics and ultimate gaming experience that Alienware systems provide," said Alienware VP of Marketing, Kevin Wasielewski. "Partnering with another industry leader such as Ubi Soft allows us to leverage each others' strengths and highlight to consumers that the best games play best on Alienware systems." Another note you might be interested in is the promotion where you receive a Tom Clancy demo disc when you purchase Alienware products. The demo disc includes demos of Raven Shield, Splinter Cell, and Ghost Recon.
Price Dropped Games To Fit Your Budget
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 5:13 PM |
Category: General |
I know I'm not the only one who looks forward to new greatest hits titles for the Playstation 2. The collection of them is ever growing, and now you can add two more games to that list. Atari's Stuntman, a game that tosses gamers into the world of professional stunt drivers has now been given the red greatest hits label. The second game is another Atari release, Test Drive, a game about illegal street racing. In addition to being given the greatest hits treatment, Test Drive has also been added to the Xbox's platinum hits series. Have no shame, you can now purchase these titles and pay rent without worries!
Mindless Babble
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 4:36 PM |
Category: General |
Tuesdays are usually new music day and today is an extra special one! Two albums that I've been looking forward to for some time now have finally been released. I was anxious all afternoon, but as soon as I got my hands on them, I was instantly satisfied without even opening the packaging yet (talk about getting giddy over CDs).
The first one I got was the new disc from Black Label Society, appropriately titled The Blessed Hellride. This one comes only a year after the last album but I feel it's a much stronger album in scope. Zakk's patented guitar style is all over these songs and his vocals have improved tremendously. The second one is Damnation from metal innovators Opeth. This is an absolutely stunning album that brings Opeth's mellow style to the forefront. Not a metal moment to be found here, but I wasn't expecting it to have any to begin wtih. What I got far exceeded any expectations. The blend of 70's soft rock and a depressed folk music stylings make this album a real gem in any music fan's collection. I also got In Absentia from the band Porcupine Tree, but haven't really listened to it yet. The first few songs rock though!
I'm still hooked on Smackdown on Playstation 2. Started a new season with Edge and won the Undisputed Champsionship. I'll probably end up dropping it to one of my many enemies now though. I've been having a hard time making friends, oops!
News updates are forthcoming, stay tuned right here at Mindless Games.
Half Life 2 Information Coming Soon
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 10:37 AM |
Category: General |
According to Evil Avatar, a few gaming magazines are ready to spill their guts about Half Life 2. While still behind NDA's, PC Zone will be releasing their latest issue two weeks later than usual and PC Gameplay, who usually provides some information before their magazine ships, is also keeping quiet until after the magazine is out. There's bound to be a plethora of information coming from these magazines because, honestly, no one really knows anything about this game.
It's All About The Pentiums
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 10:28 AM |
Category: General |
Intel has hacked the prices of its Pentium 4 processors by a whopping 38% for desktop machines. The powerhouse 3GHz processor is now branded with a $401 price tag from its previous $589. Mobile processors also felt the cut with a new $348 price on the 2.4GHz model. New processors have also been announced including a Pentium 4 for the desktop running at the same 3GHz but with a faster bus and a new 2.5GHz mobile processor.
Source: Reuters
Mindless Babble
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 10:10 AM |
Category: General |
Good morning everyone. Hopefully your Easter was relaxing, I know mine was. Welcome to the very first edition of our new Mindless Babble feature. This is a new daily feature that has no boundaries and is just a collection of thoughts from me, almost like a journal, but cooler. I think I'm going melt Night Surfing to this feature in some way as well. I certainly hope you will enjoy reading as much as I will enjoy writing.
Last night I dusted off CDs that I hadn't heard in years. A friend of mine came over and while I was introducing him to some bands that he'd been hearing a lot about I dug up some old Savatage, Testament, Slayer, and other various metal bands. That's when we got on the subject of one of our mutual favorites Megadeth. We hit the web looking to see where the former members are these days, and that's when I found Chris Poland's new project, Ohm. The sound that came out of this band just floored us instantly. It's jazz fusion at it's very best. As our jaws cracked against the floor when we heard the couple songs available on the site. If I had the cash right now I'd pick up the CD immediately, but it looks like I'll have to wait. I just ordered a few new ones (which you'll be sure to hear about when they arrive at my door).
I've been hooked on WWE Smackdown!: Shut Your Mouth on the Playstation 2 lately. Easily the best wrestling game available in the states today (I hear Fire Pro is still the best wrestling game out there, but I think it's only in Japan). I'm currently running through a season mode with Maven as my character. It's too bad I'm driving him down the ranks though. I think I jumped into the season prematurely before I got the hang of the game. Even still, I'm so hooked on this game, and it looks so good on the PS2 hardware (except the bald Kurt Angle, he looks so terrible).
That's all for now, look for news updates throughout the day!
Avault's Devastation Review
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 3:44 PM |
Category: General |
The Adrenaline Vault has posted a great new review of the game Devastation. Anyone looking at this game as a new addition to your game family should give this a read first.Devastation's graphics are excellent, throwing light on the details of Digitalo's grimy setting. The new Unreal engine provides an environmental immersion surpassing any prior 3D world, and its transfer of UT2003's technology to 2075 San Francisco is something of a coup. Best of all, it seems to work beautifully on mid-range machines, such as this reviewer's 1.4 GHz Athlon, SDRAM-based and graced by nothing flashier than a RADEON 8500. At 1024x768 and all the settings on maximum, Devastation never so much as emitted a visual belch. If my computer weren't 400 years old, I would probably get this game as it looks like a lot of fun. You can read the rest of this review and decide if the game is up your alley.
More Mechassault Downloads In May
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 3:28 PM |
Category: General |
For everyone who just can not get enough of Mechassault for the Xbox, you'll be able to expand your experience even further come early May. Evil Avatar is reporting a new downloadable content update for the game that will include new mechs, maps, and Capture The Flag (the definitive teamplay game as far as I'm concerned) with two CTF exclusive maps. Look for the content to be available the first week of May on Xbox Live.
Cell Processor Is A No Go On Playstation 3
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 2:46 PM |
Category: General |
I should have known it was too good to be true. The uber cool cell processor that was rumored to be in the Playstation 3 from Sony will not be ready until possibly 2007. That's two years later than the expected release of Sony's newest console and thus won't be making its way into the Playstation 3.(EDCM) Sony's solution was to ally itself with Toshiba and IBM in what's arguably the most ambitious CPU chip development effort of the past decade. The three firms are designing what they're calling a supercomputer-on-a-chip, so fast and so powerful that it can (theoretically, at least) leapfrog Intel's technology and act as the brains not just for gaming consoles but also for an entire range of broadband devices. While the trio isn't making specific promises, the chip's performance is rumored to be in range of a teraflop, roughly 100 times more powerful than today's Pentium 4 chips. Oh well, that sucks. Imagine if your home console had the power of a supercomputer. Sony would completely wipe everyone else off the map. I'm sure the Playstation 3 will still be amazing and a must have.
Queensryche Set Release Date For Tribe
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 2:48 PM |
Category: General |
Tribe, the next creation from progressive rock legends Queensryche has been given the release date of July 1st, 2003. This will mark the first time in seven years that the band has collaborated with original guitarist Chris DeGarmo. It is going to be a big year for the band with this new release, a tour with Dream Theater, and a rerelease of their whole catalog featuring bonus tracks that any Queensryche fan will love to have in their collection.
Big Name Stars In True Crime: Streets Of LA
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 2:38 PM |
Category: General |
Activision's upcoming True Crime: Streets Of LA is their answer to the Grand Theft Auto series and they just announced some big name actors you'll hear in the game. Rounding out the cast is Christopher Walken, Gary Oldman, Michael Madsen, Russell Wong, Michelle Rodriguez, Ron Perlman, CCH Pounder, James Hong, Mako, and Keone Young. The game is inspired by Hong Kong action movies and American Crime dramas and actually recreates the streets of Los Angeles. Look for the game to hit all three consoles this fall.
Star Trek Elite Force II Website Launched
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 1:50 PM |
Category: General |
Activision has announced that they launched a website for the upcoming game Star Trek Elite Force II. Check it out for news on the game, screenshotes, weapons, an characters. The game is due out this June and is being developed by Ritual Entertainment. While you are at the site, you might want to check out the counter. As of writing, the game is set to be released in 66 days, 9 hours, and 12 minutes. It's amazing what technology can do for us.
| Wednesday, April 16, 2003 |
Nevermore To Release New Album This July
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 11:09 PM |
Category: General |
Nevermore, a metal band with a cult following if you will, is finally ready to release their long awaited album Enemies Of Reality on July 28th. The band has been preparing this album for quite some time and recently hired the talents of Kelly Gray to produce the album. This will be the last album with their current label Century Media. As a Neverhead myself, I can't wait for this album. Dead Heart In A Dead World was released in the latter half of 2000 and the wait for more Nevertunes has been torture for me.
Lords Of Everquest Announced
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 9:59 PM |
Category: General |
Let me get this straight. Starcraft gets a new game in the series but it's a third person shooter. Now we have Everquest getting a new game in the series but it's a real time strategy game. Don't look at me confused, I'm quite serious! Sony Online Entertainment has announced that they are working on Lords Of Everquest, a new real time strategy game based on the Everquest universe.(GameDaily) In development by Rapid Eye Entertainment the game will transports players to the land of Antonica and allow them to control one of 15 Lords in a bid for control of the land across 36 single player missions. “Thousands of items” and “hundreds of spells” will be included, as will the ability for units to gain experience and abilities as the game progresses. Lords of EverQuest will contain a free online multiplayer mode that will allow up to a dozen players to compete with each other via the Internet. The game will be available this fall and when we get more information on the game, we will send it your way.
Microsoft Home And Entertainment Division Suffers Huge Losses
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 9:35 PM |
Category: General |
Blame this one on the Xbox folks. Microsoft's third-quarter earnings were, for the most part, the usual affair. If you take more than a glance though, you'll see a really big black eye in their earnings/losses. Microsoft's home and entertainment division has suffered a whopping 42% loss. What is the cause of these losses? The Xbox of course. Apparently, the "razor and blades" strategy is not working as well as they had hoped.(Fool.com) So it's not the unfamiliarity with huffing and puffing behind a leader that's at fault here. It's just that the model isn't working. Microsoft and its shareholders' historical expectations for fat margins no doubt had them playing along with the rollout of the low-margin Xbox console. Surely, the lucrative software licensing royalties and the promising broadband-enabled delivery of software updates would make it a rich-margin Microsoftesque addition. This only spells more trouble for the Xbox, but it remains to be seen if Microsoft will eventually cut its losses and go home. I don't see it happening, but if their plans continue to fail, they may have no other choice.
Destroy All Monsters With Your Xbox
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 10:27 PM |
Category: General |
Infogrames sends the word that Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters has shipped for Xbox. The game has been available for the Gamecube for some time now but the Xbox version includes some new features, beefed up graphics and improved gameplay.The game features an epic sense of scope and scale, with 10 massive real-world and fantasy fighting arenas, including San Francisco, Tokyo and the notorious Monster Island, that are fully 3D and totally interactive. Players can pick up and throw buildings and landmarks like Big Ben, toss enemies into vast fuel tank farms and stomp on baseball stadiums. Godzilla®: Destroy All Monsters Melee also features additional hidden, unlockable areas only found on the XboxT. Each city has been created with amazing attention to detail, including working traffic lights, blinking neon signs and moving cars, buses and tanker trucks. I heard this was a great game, so if you' don't have a Gamecube and you want a good brawler for your Xbox you may want to give this one a shot.
Playstation 2 Gets A Redesign
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 5:07 PM |
Category: General |
The old, trusty Playstation 2 is getting some much needed improvements as the new SPCH-50000 model has been announced by Sony. According to IGN the new model improves the DVD playback quality greatly with support for DVD-R, DVD-RW, R+, and RW+ formatted discs. What else do they have in store? Try progressive scan playback for DVD movies and games. I'm still not done. They added an IR port right on the console (no more plugging in your DVD remote reciever into a much needed controller port) and issuing a new DVD remote that will allow you to turn the power of your console on and off with the push of a button. Finally, they have removed the IEEE 1394 port from the console. What are you complaining about? No one ever uses it anyway. The new model will hit the Japanese street in May for roughly the same price as the current model. No word yet on a US release. I might pick one up. I have a launch system that's been acting a bit odd over the years, this would be a nice upgrade.
Rodney King Slams SUV Into House
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 11:21 AM |
Category: General |
In other entertainment news, this pinhead can't get arrested, no matter how hard he tries:Rodney King, whose videotaped beating led to the deadly 1992 riots in Los Angeles, was hospitalized with a broken pelvis after he lost control of his SUV while weaving through traffic at 100 mph and crashed into a house, police said.
King, 39, was spotted Sunday by a police officer who said King was speeding and weaving through traffic in his 2003 Ford Expedition when he slammed into a utility pole, a chain-link fence and then the home, police said. No one in the home was injured. As you'll recall, King, who is black, was chased by police through the San Fernando Valley in 1991 and was captured on videotape being beaten by four white officers, who were subsequently acquitted. Case closed? Not quite. Riots ensued, lasting four days, leaving 55 dead and more than 2,000 injured, causing $1 billion in property damage. Nice.
Square Enix Begins Beta Testing For Final Fantasy XI
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 4:59 PM |
Category: General |
For all of you who have been waiting for the chance to play the upcoming Final Fantasy XI from Square Enix, you may get your chance because they have opened the beta testing to the public. Of course this doesn't mean you're guaranteed a chance to test the game out. Fill out the application and cross your fingers, but if you get picked, you'll be in gaming heaven. The beta test is available for the PC and Playstation 2 so if you don't have a PS2, you aren't out of luck. You might get some prettier graphics on the PC anyway, so it's your choice. Sign up for the beta test here. Now I must get back to the horrific school work that has consumed my life the last few days. Oh how I wish I could play games for a living.
Divers Et Articles Divers
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 10:59 AM |
Category: General |
Bonjour! Jeux longtemps de phase!Dieu bénissent l'Amérique!
Long Distances With Your Laptop
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 5:04 AM |
Category: Hardware |
How would you like a Wi-Fi card that can broadcast up to a kilometer away? Unfortunately, depending where you live, you might not be able to get one. SMC Networks has created a Wi-Fi card so powerful that many countries will not allow its sale due to laws concerning broadcast power. In many countries, regulations put a cap of 100 milliWatts of transmitting power on Wi-Fi cards, and this card is double that. It also is able to detect faint signals. Pretty nifty if your country allows you to buy one. The U.S., Middle East, and Australia are some places where the card is available. The SMC 2532W-B card retails around US$140.
Jessica Lynch A Movie Star?
Posted
by
Sean 'Hades' Connolly
at 4:52 AM |
Category: General |
The Australian run News Interactive is reporting that the story of the now rescued United States Prisoner of War, Jessica Lynch, is turning into a 2 hour made for television movie. NBC is attempting to obtain the official rights to the story but are willing to use a script based on news reports and other public information.
I fell in love with Jessica the moment I saw her on television, so I may be biased!
Sony Trademarks "Shock And Awe"
Posted
by
Sean 'Hades' Connolly
at 2:36 AM |
Category: General |
There's a posting over at Gamers.com announcing that Sony Computer Entertainment has registered a trademark on the term "Shock and Awe" which was used to describe the shocking display of bombings that were targeted on Iraq during the current war.The trademark indicates the term may be used in computer game software and video game software; operating a real time game for others over global and local area computer networks. The Guardian, A British newspaper, has mentioned that Sony does have such games under development; however they might not be released into the European market due to the sensitivity of the current war to those countries. I don't know whether this is a smart move on Sony's part to be using the phrase, but only time will tell if anything will come of it.
Gameboy Advance Cheaters Get Your Cheat On
Posted
by
Sean 'Hades' Connolly
at 2:18 AM |
Category: General |
Nintendojo has annouced that the company Datel has unveiled their new action replay unit for the Gameboy Advance. Now you can cheat and hustle through those games that you've struggled on or just plain got bored with.The new Action Replay for Game Boy Advance comes loaded with over 3000 codes for more than 130 great Game Boy Advanced games. Included with the Action Replay is PC Linking software and cable, allowing users to download new codes directly from www.CodeJunkies.com, the official Action Replay support site. I've never used a cheat device since the NES Game Genie, but this may be something fun to try.
LucasArts Insider News
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 5:07 PM |
Category: Console_GameCube|x|Console_PS2|x|Console_XBox|x|Developers_Corporate|x|PC_Action |
LucasArts sent us their Insider information, with news aplenty, so we thought we'd pass it along:Also, if you're looking for a dream job, LucasArts says they are looking for a few extraordinary people. Check out their job openings!
QuakeCon Date And Location Announced
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 9:29 PM |
Category: General |
The gaming convention known to all as QuakeCon is going on for the seventh year and the date and location has finally been announced. For all interested, QuakeCon 2003 will be held August 14th to 17th at Adam’s Mark Hotel in Dallas. "Whoever said size doesn’t matter has never been to QuakeCon," said Todd Hollenshead, CEO, id Software. "We won’t turn away our fans. Last year we hit our capacity, but we’re increasing the BYOC nearly 50% to 2000 gamers, and we expect more than 4,000 attendees for the four day party." The seventh QuakeCon. Wow, I feel old, and I'm not that old. I vividly remember when Quake was supposed to be a slower paced game, where you had to actually beat the snot out of enemies and the world was very interactive. Hell, I remember when Doom came out. Scarier yet, I remember when Wolfenstein 3D hit the BBS's. I don't think I'll be hitting QuakeCon this year due to money reasons mostly, but hopefully any of you who are interested can go and check it out. I hear they are extremely fun!
Queensryche Pictures From The Studio
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 8:26 PM |
Category: General |
I'm sure I've blabbed about this band a few times before, but Queensryche is one of my favorite bands of all time and I'm sure I'm not alone here. It's not huge news, but there's a few new pictures from the studio on their news page. Geoff appears to be sporting no hair at all now, and it's cool to see Chris DeGarmo back with the guys. Also noteworthy to mention, the resdesign of Queensryche.com goes live on April 15th.
Angel Of Darkness Screenshots
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 8:18 PM |
Category: General |
I have no idea when we'll see the next Tomb Raider game entitled Angel Of Darkness on store shelves, but there's some new screenshots of the game at least. IGN has posted about 15 new shots of the game. Check them out here. This game should have been out eons ago, but I'd rather have a complete game than a rushed one.
Various & Sundries
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 1:22 PM |
Category: General |
Have you noticed we have Goodies for Sale? Check them out, and please help support Mindless Games by making any online purchases you may like by clicking on one of our Affiliate links!I'm sure Fraust is making up a hot batch of news updates as we speak...
Henry Rollins To Voice Mace Griffin
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 3:56 PM |
Category: General |
Vivendi has announced that punk rock madman Henry Rollins will voice the character Mace Griffin in the game Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter. This is certainly different for Rollins, although he has had his hands in movies before, so it is not totally foreign."Henry Rollins is the ideal cast for Mace Griffin, a futuristic frontier lawman who is rough around the edges but possesses a keen sense of right and wrong," said Philip O'Neil, SVP Sales & Marketing, Vivendi Universal Games. "Vivendi Universal Games identified Rollins' voice and talents as perfectly in line with its vision for Mace and specifically targeted him for this role." I was feeling rather neutral on this game, but now that Rollins is in the game, it might actually be much cooler. Besides, if we all don't buy the game, he might beat us up.
Art Imitating War As Soldiers Train With Videogames
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 3:58 PM |
Category: General |
While people like you and me play Quake for the fun of it, the military is using training simulations similar to games to prepare troops for real combat. (NY Times)Recent recruits who grew up on popular commercial games like Half-Life, Counterstrike and Quake 3 have a natural affinity for the training games, many of which are adapted by the military from the retail versions. Some military officials are enthusiastic about the benefits of running troops through the exercises at minimal expense.
But as video war games gain popularity throughout the armed forces, some military trainers worry that the more the games seem like war, the more war may start to seem like a game. As the technology gets better, they say, it becomes a more powerful tool and a more dangerous one. Ok, so it has it's good and bad sides, but it's interesting that the military has simulations that are designed with influence from current first person shooters out there.
Activision And Valve Shake Hands
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 5:37 PM |
Category: General |
According to Avault, Activision and Valve has reached an agreement that will give Activison publishing rights to upcoming games from the Valve team. The first game is Day Of Defeat, an online multiplayer first person shooter based on the Half Life technology. Does this mean Half Life 2 is going to be published through Activision? It's possible, but I wonder if Sierra already had the rights to that one before this.
More On Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 5:17 PM |
Category: General |
We posted the announcement on Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy yesterday, but there's a bit more for you to see today thanks to IGN. They have nine screenshots for your viewing pleasure. Looks like the Quake 3 engine to me. It's amazing that engine is still kicking out the top notch graphics. I want to know when we'll see something on Quake IV.
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy Announced
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 1:58 PM |
Category: Developers_Corporate|x|PC_Action |
The latest chapter in one of the most celebrated game series extends the partnership between LucasArts, Activision, and developer Raven Software:Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy begins shortly after the conclusion of events in Star Wars: Jedi Outcast. Players create a Jedi apprentice character and join the Jedi Academy on Yavin 4 to learn the ways of the Force under the tutelage of Luke Skywalker and Kyle Katarn. While the young apprentice embarks on various missions to hone their skills and abilities, a mysterious group is discovered creating havoc throughout the galaxy. Until order is restored, the fate of the Jedi Academy – and the future of the Star Wars galaxy itself – hangs precariously in the balance.
While players will be able to accomplish more by using the lightsaber in Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, they also will have a variety of weapons - new and old - at their disposal including a blaster, blaster rifle, Wookiee bowcaster, Imperial repeater, and a Destructive Electro-Magnetic Pulse gun.
A unique level selection system allows players to choose their own path through the game as well as the missions they undertake to improve their Jedi skills. The game will add new multiplayer modes and bring back the most popular modes from Star Wars: Jedi Outcast. Be sure to check out LucasArts' official Jedi Academy site for more info.
Imposter Mike Portnoy Is Arrested
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 10:22 PM |
Category: General |
Rock stars always have people who go too far, but this one takes the cake. Apparently, a person was going around claiming to be Mike Portnoy from the Progressive Rock band Dream Theater. The person was impersonating the drummer trying to get anything he could from people who believed him, and believe me when I say anything. Money, credit cards, cell phones, and much much more.Someone has been out on the streets and in bars in New York City claiming to be Mike Portnoy. This person apparently knew a lot of Mike's intimate business and family details, and as such managed to convince a number of people that he was indeed the drummer for Dream Theater. Using Mike Portnoy's identity, the imposter managed to steal wallets, credit cards, cell phones, house keys, and whatever else he could get his hands on. Fortunately, the imposter was located and arrested today (April 2nd) and is currently in police custody. More than four victims have already come forward in the past 48 hours, which helped lead to his arrest. Please go to the Dream Theater website for more information. There is an excellent write up there from Chris Caffery of the band Savatage as he actually met the imposter was fooled just like everyone else. They are urging anyone who was duped by this imposter to come forward. It's disgusting that people go to these levels.
Duke Nukem 3D Gets The Source Release Treatment
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 7:48 PM |
Category: General |
No April Fool's joke here folks. The source code for a little game you might have heard of, Duke Nukem 3D, is now available GPL'd from 3D Realms. We've asked, pleaded, petitioned, and threatened the lives of the 3D Realms staff and it was worth the effort. Included with the source is no support from 3D Realms and some thoughts from George Broussard and Scott Miller. You can grab the source code and then discuss it here.
I don't know how to program, but hell, I'm downloading it anyway. I can be cool and say "I have the Duke Nukem 3D source code" and impress people. Ok, so that's not a good idea, but maybe you folks out there can find some joy in making the Dukester do things you always wanted. I expect at least one of you to make this online playable. Phoebus and I will play every single day until we die. Seriously.
Battlefield 1942 Secret Weapons of WW2 Officially Announced!
Posted
by
Sean 'Hades' Connolly
at 7:55 AM |
Category: General |
The second expansion pack for Battlefield 1942 titled Secret Weapons of WWII has been known for a while because it was found on release list but has been officially been announced today. The pack will include 16 new vehicles, 8 new maps, and a bunch of new weapons for your pleasure. This should make an excellent addition to the first expansion pack, The Road to Rome. Check out the article over at ToTheGame for more information on this new beast of an expansion. The title is due out in Fall of 2003.
Happy April Fools Day!
Posted
by
Sean 'Hades' Connolly
at 1:18 PM |
Category: General |
Love it or hate it: The April Fools jokes are everywhere. Here's a little roundup of some good ones I've seen floating around the internet today.
Final Fantasy X-3 GameCube Exclusive! George Foreman USB iGrill
2600 The Hacker Quarterly : Now Property of the US GovernmentBlabberMouth given the Microsoft touch!Don't forget to check out the Top 100 April Fool's Day Hoaxes of All Time before the day's over. Enjoy the last of this wonderful day of goofiness.
Gran Turismo Is My Driving Instructor!
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by
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