Wednesday, December 6, 2000

ToddH on Q3:TA and Linux -- 2:36 pm CST, Update by A.T. Hun

id's Todd Hollenshead made a post on the Quake 3 World forums explaining why a Linux binary will not be on the Quake III: Team Arena CD:

Windows will be released first and might be simultaneous with Mac, although I honestly expect Mac to take a tad longer. At this point, we don't have any plans to have distribute a Linux verison on a CD. No offense, but it's a support nightmare due to the multiple flavors of popular versions and ever-changing kernel, retailers don't want it, and the Linux Q3A sales were disappointing. So the commercial reality is that the Windows version will go to retail and Linux will be available via a binary download pretty soon thereafter.

We know there are a lot of Linux fans out there and there will be a Linux version (probably "unsupported", however). But the performance of our Linux SKU's at retail have really left a binary patch as the only realistic option of providing Linux users with a version to play on. Going forward, I fully anticipate that we will continue to push the platform in the hopes that one day soon Linux will be a viable platform for retail commercial entertainment software distribution.

id has always been a big supporter of Linux gaming, but unfortunately the numbers just aren't there. Thankfully, the download will be painless enough :) Thanks Linux Games.

Deus Ex Postmortem -- 2:15 pm CST, Update by A.T. Hun

Gamasutra posted another one of their fabulous game postmortems, this time dealing with Deus Ex and written by the project leader, Warren Spector. Although it's sometimes hard to tell if you are on the "what went right" or "what went wrong" page, it gives a very interesting insight into everything that went into the making of the game. Thanks Blue.

Mmmmmm. Yummy. -- 11:39 am CST, Update by A.T. Hun

The irony is delicious.

Opera Now Free, Sort Of -- 10:52 am CST, Update by A.T. Hun

I saw that the newest version of the Opera Web Browser, version 5.0, has been released--and it's now free! The catch? You have to watch ads every time you browse. You can still fork over the cash for a non-ad version. I can tolerate the ad-ware thing with Go!Zilla, since I don't have to watch it work. I don't think I could tolerate it with my web browser. Thanks Slashdot.

Not that you asked, but I've been using Mozilla builds exclusively for almost two months. I'm using the November 30 build right now. It's still got some bugs, but the browser displays pages much faster than Netscape and when it crashes (which is rare) it doesn't bring my system with it like Internet Exploder.

ToddH Interview -- 10:44 am CST, Update by A.T. Hun

Stomped got a hold of id's Todd Hollenshead for a quick interview about Quake III: Team Arena, other possible Q3A expansion packs, and the future of the Quake franchise.

Tuesday, December 5, 2000

Deus Ex Multiplayer Patch -- 8:41 pm CST, Update by A.T. Hun

ION Storm has released the much-anticipated multiplayer patch for Deus Ex, their mega-first-person-RPG-thingy game. It's a reasonable 36M. This is version 1104 and it is listed as a beta patch, so caveat emptor.

Quake III Mod Info -- 7:37 pm CST, Update by A.T. Hun

id's Robert Duffy updated his .plan with an important message for Quake III mod authors:

I've had a couple of hundred requests for mod team additions to the new mailing list. I'd like to impose a bit on the people that have sent me a request to going ahead and sign up for the NEW and improved mod list :-) Last week after cutting a release candidate for Team Arena, I sat from about 2.30am to about 4.00am and entered all of the names in but our list software apparantly times out if you don't submit the list every 5 minutes. We are setting up a conferencing system at the moment so the mail list is actually going to be a threaded discussion board. We are going to have one devoted to Licensees and one devoted to mod teams.

This is now up and running and you can apply for an account here:

http://underworld.idsoftware.com/enter.html

More M$ and Digital Anvil -- 2:50 pm CST, Update by A.T. Hun

IGN got an interview with Microsoft's Ed Fries and Digital Anvil's Chris Roberts about M$'s recently announced buyout of Digital Anvil. Apparently Erin Roberts is staying with the company after all. Unfortunately, the author doesn't ask the questions everyone is dying to know: Why did Chris Roberts quit? and Will Freelancer be changed in any way? Thanks again to Blue.

UPDATE! Gamespot got some more information from Chris Roberts, answering those two all-important questions:

Roberts assured us that FreeLancer wouldn't undergo any major design changes whatsoever, as its design, interface, and artwork is finished, and the only thing left to do is to generate content and flesh out its storyline.

and

Roberts made it clear that he is leaving Digital Anvil of his own free will; he stated that he had no desire to be part of a large organization, and cited his similar decision to leave Electronic Arts nearly five years ago.

G.o.D. Acquires Duke Nukem Publishing Rights -- 11:03 am CST, Update by The Master

According to a press release received by Blue, Gathering of Developers has acquired the publishing rights to all the Duke Nukem titles, including the original Duke titles and the new Duke Nukem Forever.

A.T. Hun comments: This is quite the proverbial leap of faith for G.o.D., as it is working under the assumption that DNF will, in fact, someday be published.

Stomped ask for some clarification on this deal, but didn't get much.

The Master comments: Heh-I didn't want to point out that shipping issue, but heck, even Ion Storm managed to ship Daikatana . . .

M$ Buys Out Digital Anvil -- 9:32 am CST, Update by A.T. Hun

With all the rumors flying about Microsoft and Digital Anvil lately, this announcement comes as no big surprise. Blue got word that Microsoft is buying out Digital Anvil. Of interest is this information on Digital Anvil founder, Chris Roberts:

In a related announcement, Chris Roberts, founder and CEO of Digital Anvil, said he would be departing the company to pursue other creative endeavors. Roberts will, however, continue to work with Digital Anvil through the completion of "FreeLancer." Serving as creative consultant, he will continue to craft the game's intricate storyline and serve as an adviser to the development team.

"This acquisition is a positive growth opportunity for Digital Anvil," Roberts said. "Under the Microsoft umbrella, 'FreeLancer' and other games will be supported by a strong infrastructure and realized in the spirit in which they were conceived."

This really doesn't clear up the future for Freelancer, other than to say that it will still be produced in some form. I hope it really will come out and be everything that Roberts made it out to be. M$ is trying to paint this as an expansion of their gaming business. I fail to see how it can be such A Good Thing for M$ without the Roberts brothers there.

Past Two Days' News

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