Mateo

After almost 300 new members, 3 new servers, and many epic Battlefield 2 battles, it looks like things are finally beginning to return to normal here.

As normal as they get anyway.

While you were worshiping at the altar of EA's latest blockbuster, the game industry has hardly been standing still.

So what's new in the world of PC gaming? Read on...

Update on Call of Duty 2


That's INGAME, son!

IGN has a new batch of Call of Duty in game shots, and gave their impressions of one mission they had a chance to view: Pointe du Hoc.

Pointe du Hoc, for those that don't know, was a really screwed up mission during the Normandy invasion on D-Day that was of vital importance to its success. On top of the bluffs of Pointe du Hoc sat six huge 155 mm guns that could fire a shell around ten miles, leaving both the Utah and Omaha beach landing strips in a bad way.

The plan was crazy and successful because of its total craziness. The Rangers were to approach the bluffs from the sea, scale them, and seize the guns from the Germans. While on the beach over a hundred feet below, Germans above would be firing down on them, tossing grenades over the side and firing mortars. This was basically another mess waiting to happen. Hell, even the briefing has a quote "Anyone who even gets close to those cliffs ought to get a medal." But that's part of the genius of it. The Germans just weren't expecting anyone to attack these cliffs.

Seems like the boys at Infinity Ward have been doing their homework, because the single player mission is based on the actual attack and defense on that fateful day. IGN compares the mission to the opening of Medal of Honor, which sounds fine to me.

Read more here: http://pc.ign.com/articles/616/616714p1.html


Completely gratuitous nazi shot

Ghost Recon 3: Advanced Warfighter

After pulling the plug on Ghost Recon 2 for PC, you wouldn't be wrong if you had the impression that villagers ready to storm the gates, pitchforks and torches in hand. To say that Ubisoft better come with it for the PC as promised is an understatement.

Since then, all we have heard has been of the XBox 360 version. IGN got a pre-E3 exclusive, and they made the appropriate oohs and ahhs, but since they didn't get a chance to actually play the game, what else could they say?


Downtown anywhere, 2 minutes before all hell breaks loose

Then, Blues News got the scoop on the Press Release, which let us know a little more about the game.

The year is 2013. The U.S. Army has been developing – and can now deploy – the Integrated Warfighter System (IWS), a complex combination of cutting-edge technologies that transforms an individual soldier into the ultimate fighting force. IWS combines advanced weapons systems, satellite communication devices and enhanced survivability into one fully integrated combat system that is finally ready for the true test of the battlefield. Combining the advantages of next-generation console technology with future military technologies, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Advanced Warfighter™ includes a wealth of groundbreaking features, including the Cross-Com, a communication device attached to the soldier’s monocle and powered by satellite technology, which will deliver constant and complete battlefield awareness seamlessly within the action.

In Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Advanced Warfighter™, players will embody Captain Scott Mitchell as he commands the Ghosts and Special Forces allies equipped with the IWS in the quest to save the president of the United States, recover stolen nuclear codes and eliminate a vicious band of renegade soldiers hell-bent on unleashing catastrophe. The game unfolds entirely in Mexico City, where numerous, meticulously researched and detailed environments will deliver complete immersion into the future of urban warfare. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Advanced Warfighter™ will also include multiplayer and cooperative gameplay with exciting new elements, continuing the Ghost Recon tradition of setting the bar for multiplayer action.

Dawn Patrol

Now, if you are an old cynic like me, you will note that there is nothing substantive in any of that. Every game down the pike is ground breaking for one reason or another, and in the end, particularly in ports, the game usually ends up being a big old pile of more of the same.


Why is it always a car dealership?

Then, Blues News found out that GRIN, the Swedish game developer, got the contract to produce the PC port. According the GRIN website:

Official announcement STOCKHOLM - June 27 2005 - Today, GRIN is proud to confirm that they are developing the PC version for Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter™. Working in close collaboration with Ubisoft's studios, GRIN is delighted to bring its expertise to the next installment on Windows® PC DVD-ROM of the smash-hit squad based shooter franchise.

Now there are probably 15 other, better developers that come to mind before we even get to GRIN as a contractee. GRIN's claim to fame is Ballistics and the straight to bargain bin Bandits: Pheonix Rising.

This does not bode well for our beloved franchise.

Find out more here:
http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/613/613016p1.html
http://www.bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/boa...threadid=58059
http://www.grin.se/

HL2 Lost Coast

News about the "expansion" to HL2 has been pretty scarce lately. Other than the fact that the update will focus on the Highway 17 part of the HL2 story, we have little more to go on.

Valve, however, has been very, very busy on the graphics engine, working on a full update to the engine. To say that the new graphics are impressive, well, that's an understatement.

Bit-Tech has the best overall overview, so I'll send you there for the info.

http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2005/...verview/1.html

Two words: CounterStrike 2.

Enemy Territory: Quake Wars

The new Quake Wars web site is now up, with a little blurb with what passes for a story for ID, and of course, the trailer.

The trailer is actually quite impressive, and hints that Splash Damage, Activision, and ID may just give UT2007 a run for it's money.

http://www.enemyterritory.com/

Samurai Legends for HL2

Very few Half life 2 mods have been announced that might bridge both sides of the Tactical Gamer community.

One the one hand, we have the die hard FPS guys, a blood thirst lot who just want to "Kill! Kill, Kill!" with a variety of weapons and with immediacy.

On the other we have those who are die hard RPGers, that need to become a Minotaur or Dark Elf before they "Kill! Kill! Kill!." (Don't hurt me Luna!)

And never the twain shall meet, or will they?

The Samurai Legends mod is set in feudal Japan, pitting teams of Samurai warriors, monks and ninjas against each other. That's right, CounterStrike as a third person shooter/rpg with ninjas!

Picture teams of Samuaris wearing their ancestral armor, attacking Ninjas with Demon Bows, all making full use of the Source engine.

The mod is currently in closed beta, although an open beta will be announced soon. Gabe Newell himself has shown up for the unveiling last month, so you know Valve has been involved, and is interested.

Keep an eye on
http://www.samurailegends.com/

That's it for this week kids. Check your 6, and stay out of my sights!

Wintermute

Good work as ever Mateo. Looks like there are lots of exciting things in the pipeline.

__________________
Wintermute

Play EVE online. It's like being an accounting addict in space.

www.MakePovertyHistory.com