Thursday, August 31, 2000

KISS: Psycho Circus patch 1.1 released -- 9:34 pm CST, Update by The Master

Third Law has released their KISS: Psycho Circus 1.1 patch via the GameSpy network. There are 3 flavors, each around 12mb to download (so pack that lunch).

• US Gold to 1.1
• US Gold with BETA Patch to 1.1
• Collectors Edition to 1.1

Changes include:

• Six new multiplayer maps.
• Optimized multiplayer bandwidth usage.
• Added new connection settings in multiplayer player setup menu.
• Added frame rate limiting for multiplayer to benefit modem multiplay.
• Fixed third person Draco weapon attack not being visible in multiplayer.
• Changed some weapon effects to happen instantly on the client, rather than waiting for the server to send a message back.
• Added GameSpy support for games hosted by a dedicated server.
• Added console vars for dedicated server to start with any equipment/weapons.
• Added gibbing in multiplayer.
• Exit messages are displayed on world changes.
• Added ping display to in-game browser.
• When multiple servers show up in in-game browser, same server remains selected.

UT 4.30 patch news -- 9:29 pm CST, Update by The Master

There's news that the UT 4.30 patch is off to private beta-test. 3D Spotlight has the readme. Here's a snip (it's huge folks):

• Version 430 is completely network compatible with all previous public releases of UT (versions 400, 402, 405b, 413, 420, 425, & 428).
• faster server browser initial pinging of servers. Added a new default property to [UBrowserServerPing], MaxSimBroadbandPing, which defines the max number of servers to simultaneously ping if your netspeed > 6000.
• team scoreboard holds more players (no more names dropping off the bottom for 32 player games).
• faster server ping response for servers with mutators.
• admins lose cheats & die when they log out as admins.
• fixed bug causing player team choice to be overriden (also cause maxteamsize not to work when 2)
• fixed thrown weapons sinking into ground in net play
• fixed listen server crashing with too many serverpackages
• fixed server still sending data on disconnect A.T. Hun comments: I think this was supposed to have been fixed as far back as 405b. This is the single most annoying bug in UT, IMO.
• fixed server not allowing custom skins because of skin cheat fix
• servers are now prioritized by version on the master server
• improved map decompression time.
• slight improvement to server CPU utilization.
• prevent message spamming in net play.
• centered admin messages
• if logged in as an admin, start your message with a # to have it centered.
• voice autotaunts not printed in net games.
• faster menu loading with mods.

I also need to file a complaint of sorts here. Sites that place ALL their content in tables need to make sure said content isn't 7 billion meg to pull down. When the piddly 50k connect is loaded, it's a real bear to get IE to suck those kinds of sites down, you know??? Okay, end complaint.

FAKK2Arena News -- 1:43 pm CST, Update by A.T. Hun

FAKK You got word of an upcoming multiplayer patch for Heavy Metal: FAKK2. Here's a taste:

FAKK2Arena as its dubbed for now will have clan arena style play with 1 on 1 as well (Rocket Arena style). There will most likely be a mix of new levels and modified single player levels.

This could be great news for a pretty cool game. ETA is the end of September/early October (a date to be taken with the usual grain or 12 of salt). Thanks Blue.

Wolfie "Preview" -- 1:39 pm CST, Update by A.T. Hun

Gamespot UK (milking this Jonathan Wright interview for all it's worth) posted a preview of Return to Castle Wolfenstein. Actually the only thing it previews is the first level, but it is interesting nonetheless. I'm already putting some pennies aside for this one. Thanks Blue's News.

Wednesday, August 30, 2000

Jason Hall Chat Transcript -- 10:54 pm CST, Update by A.T. Hun

Voodoo Extreme posted an edited transcript of their chat with Monolith CEO Jason Hall. I decided to yank out a few choice Shogo-related comments.

Q: Shogo had been looked upon as a mediocre FPS RPG, but in my eyes I found the game to focus on a great story which made it enjoyable for me. Is there any talk of Shogo 2 on the horizon? If not will you be looking at any outside sources for a possible Shogo 2?

A: The only possibility of a Shogo 2 exists on a console. Right now though we are not thinking about making a Shogo 2 in any way. I suppose that someone could license the property from us and make Shogo 2 if they wanted it sooner...

Big surprise there. It seems to me that everytime someone asks him about Shogo he responds as if they were asking him to eat a cockroach.

Q: When you decided to make another mech game, why did you decide against making it a sequel to Shogo?

A: The mech game we are currently making is decidedly different from Shogo. That is why. It has a somewhat different target audience.

Well, that answers his question. It isn't Shogo 2 because it's a different game! Well, jeepers, thanks.

Q: Do you think SHOGO was an underapreciatted game and if so why do u think the gaming comunnity has not considered this game like one of the better of his time?

A: I think that the market told me everything I needed to know. Shogo was very fun, but the sales said it all with regard to the level of econmonic success that title had. There are no excuses. We just need to keep trying to make fun games that people like!

I think that the AI and multiplayer bugs that haunted Shogo upon its release killed its sales potential more than anything else. But that's just me.

Return to Wolfenstein Interview, Pt. II -- 10:28 am CST, Update by A.T. Hun

Gamespot UK posted the second half of their interview with Jonathan Knight, producer for Gray Matter's Return to Castle Wolfenstein. Just a warning, this part of the interview contains details on the game that some may consider to be "spoilers". Thanks Blue.

BitBoys Sue Themselves -- 10:20 am CST, Update by A.T. Hun

Amid the lawsuit frenzy, BitBoys were feeling a bit out of the loop. Sadly, they could not sue anyone for stealing their technology due to the fact that, at present, it does not exist. So they decided to make a bold move and sue themselves. Industry analysts indicate that this will not affect BitBoys' shipping schedule in the least inasmuch as it, like their technology, does not exist.

Hyundai Sues RAMBUS -- 9:32 am CST, Update by A.T. Hun

Following on the heels of Micron's suit yesterday (story), Hyundai has filed suit against RAMBUS, claiming that their patents are "invalid and unenforceable". While I'm not a big fan of sending in the lawyers, I am happy to see that memory companies are not going to let RAMBUS dictate everything. Thanks Evil Avatar.

Past Two Days' News

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