Microsoft is now sponsoring a real little peculiarity of a contest; it's a promotion for Zoo Tycoon called the "Beast in Show" contest, in which you can submit your favorite real-life zoo animal and if it wins, it gets created as a downoadable component for the game, and it gets $20,000 towards its quality of living. I can only hope this doesn't mean we'll be seeing chimpanzees drinking champagne and wearing pearl necklaces...
Apparently LucasArts doesn't "have a bad feeling" about the progress of their current project. According to EB World's most recent newsletter, the studio has confirmed that their upcoming game using the same engine as Age of Kings, Star Wars Galactic Battle Grounds, has 'gone gold' (gaming jargon for when the game itself is completed, and all that needs to be done before it gets shipped is things like box design and documentation). The game's tentative release date is November 13th.
Yes, it is indeed true: The latest Age of Mythology screenshot from Ensemble Studios not only showcases more of the game's exquisite art, but also premieres for the first time some of the sounds! Check out this feast of the senses here. Just click on the big picture, which will take you to a full-size screenshot where you can click on various objects for sound.
Too bad that awesome sea turtle isn't accompanied by audio...
According to a representative of Electronic Arts, the company will be soon firing 250 online workers. This is in part due to the success, or rather, the lack thereof, of their recent immersive online game, Majestic, which utilized such innovative as telephone, fax, and instant messaging. The peculiar game only gathered up 13,500 subsribers, far less than EA's original goal. The company has stated, however, that Earth and Beyond, The Sims Online, and Motor City Online, three of their upcoming games, will continue to be developed along the same schedule.
Zoo Tycoon Isn't Alone; Stronghold Arrives In Stores
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Another title hot off the press is Stronghold, which just arrived on store shelves as well! It looks to be an excellent game; you get the chance to build up an authentic medieval castle town and fend off invaders and all that good stuff. If your curiousity is aroused, but you're not quite certain on whether you want the game or not, you could always try the demo, or you could talk to the regulars at the Caesar III Heaven Other Games Forum, of whom quite a few seem very interested in Stronghold.
Yup, Zoo Tycoon, the latest in a flood of 'Tycoon' games, is now available for your purchase. If you're still debating whether or not to nab the game, you might find Angel Thunder's preview useful.
In a visit to the Empire Earth Heaven Forums, lead designer Rick Goodman has answered several questions and given his opinion on aspects of the game. Head to EEH to check it out for yourself!
Our fabulous Empire Earth Heaven, run by Angel Park, has recently put up a new "demo section", a part of the site devoted to all things concerning the EE demo. It includes demo screenshots, the ReadMe, and some download locations.
On a related note, the speculative date for Empire Earth's release has been pushed two days sooner, from November 15th to the 13th.
Sid Meier And Jeff Briggs Spread The Word About Civ III
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GameSpot recently interviewed Firaxis CEO Jeff Briggs and company chairman Sid Meier about their latest game, Civilization III, and its ever-nearing release. Says Briggs:
" We've made many significant improvements to existing systems in Civilization, as well as added some amazing new elements for Civilization III. The features we're most excited about are the enhanced trade system, more powerful combat, the new concept of culture, greatly expanded diplomacy, a unique and innovative world map generator, and the beautifully detailed art, animations, and sound."
Enjoy Spring Break From The Comfort Of Your Own Home
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Eidos Interactive recently revealed one of its upcoming games, titled Spring Break. In it, you build resorts on various islands in the hopes of attracting different kinds of people with attractions such as nightclubs and water sports.
I don't know about you, but I sure could use a spring break right now...
It's true! Empire Earth (which, might I mention, we have a great site for here at HeavenGames) now has a demo. That's right, a fully functional sneak preview of the upcoming RTS from Stainless Steel Studios. It includes four learning missions and two scenarios from the epic campaigns that will be available in the full version. You can find out where to download it at the official Empire Earth website.
As Civilization III comes closer and closer to release, excitement builds, and here's a Gamespot preview on this much-anticipated new game from Sid Meier. I know I personally can't wait for it to come out.
According to the review, quite a few civs were shed in favor of concentrating more on each one...I guess this means no more Japanese vs. Sioux wars...
...and a 'high-speed' one at that! Yep, GameSpot is now offering us a "high-speed download" of Zoo Tycoon's new demo; pick it up (or really load it down, I suppose) here. You might remember this game from when our very own Angel Thunderreviewed it.
Up at VE today was this interesting piece of information: There's a preview for the upcoming game Gothic out.
Gothic will be a single-player action/RPG game produced by Xicat Interactive and Pirhana Bytes. Here's an excerpt from the preview at GameSpot:
The world of Gothic is a large one. It can take a while to travel in between camps, especially if you're not familiar with the area, and the fact that there are hidden areas filled with items only adds to your exploration time. The day-and-night cycle also plays an important role in traveling from area to area, as it's very difficult to see anything at night, including any enemies who might be lurking in the heavily forested areas. But what's most impressive about Gothic is that its world seems so alive, with characters reacting realistically to your presence. For example, if you just happen to draw your sword in the middle of town, one of the locals will ask you to put your weapon away or face the consequences. In addition, walking into a house will make its occupant draw a weapon and come running after you. Even after your character is killed, the NPC will try to loot your body for any ore you might have. Aside from the rough inventory, it looks like Gothic might be an RPG to keep any eye out for this November.
Interesting features include a journal that keeps track of the quests that are in progress and gives you hints on how to complete each quest. Also, the interaction between the charactors of the game sounds impressive. Definately worth the time spent reading! : )
Ms. Pac-Man: Quest for the Golden Maze, a computer game based on popular arcade character, Ms. Pacman, is shipping to stores. It only costs $19.99...(Hey! Even cheaper than Stronghold! )
Hey everyone! Stronghold, the great-looking upcoming game from Firefly Studios, has a new website. Check it out here. Apparently, the game is due later this month and is slated to cost $34.95 (Pretty cheap; these days that much could maybe buy you one music CD...and that's only if it's in the bargain bin )
on a totally unrelated but extremely joyous note, my personal favorite online multiplayer game, the ingenious Acrophobia, is supposedly returning...
Sony Online Entertainment has released screenshots of new monsters to be featured in Shadows of Luclin, the upcoming expansion of the immensely popular MMORPG game Everquest. Here they are, hosted by Gamespot.
You don't want to find one of those under your bed...
We have Civ 3 up the wazoo. For starters it has gone gold so you can expect it out on stores near you fairly soon. 3 new screens have been put up featuring industrial age Iroquois, a game summary screen, and some sort of civ dart board.
New civ of the week is up too, this time it's the Russians. The Russians are a "scientific" and "expansionist" civ lead by Catherine the Great. Their unique unit is the Cossack. A cavalry unit with one more defense point than the standard mounted gunman.
Skilled horsemen dwelling in the northern steppes of the Black and Caspian Sea regions, the Cossack hosts had a tradition of fierce independence and, after decades of conflict, finally received privileges from the Russian government in return for military services. Under the Russian umbrella, the Cossacks expanded eastward from their settlements in the Don and were early colonizers of Siberia. From the 18th through the 20th centuries, the Czars used Cossacks extensively to suppress revolutionary activities and conduct foreign wars. During the Russian Civil War (1918-20), the Cossacks in southern Russia formed the core of the White armies there and suffered extensively. Under Soviet rule, the Cossack communities ceased to function as distinctive entities.
The Cossack is an upgraded version of the cavalry. Like cavalry, it requires both horses and saltpeter to build, but it also adds an additional point of defense to an already formidable set of combat statistics. With their high movement rates, deadly offensive capability, and solid defensive rating, the Cossack is a unit you don't want to tangle with.
Impressions Games (developers of the Citybuilding series) has announced that they are currently working on Lords of the Realm 3:
Impressions Games™ and Sierra™ today announced development of Lords of the RealmŪ III, the long-awaited return of the companies' highly successful Lords of the Realm series of games. The ultimate medieval simulation, Lords III covers the entire life of being a lord in the middle ages - castle building and design, rural estate management, acquiring knights and soldiers to make armies, warfare and conquest, politics and diplomacy, and the struggle with or against the Church, and with the rising merchant class. The elements that made the Lords of the Realm series a best seller worldwide are now powered by an all-new 3-D graphics engine designed to catapult the game to the forefront of the strategy genre in late 2002. More information can be found at http://www.lords3.com.
Age of Wonders Heaven has a nice little exclusive at the moment - namely, 2 brand new, never-before-seen units from the upcoming Age of Wonders 2: The Wizard's Throne. So, if you're interested in finding out what the Pioneer and Spider Queen look like, then you know where to go.
There's a new preview out at IGNPC that details the upcoming Battle Realms real-time strategy game. Here's a snippet:
I can't say its very often that I have a really good feeling about an RTS game anymore. For the most part, they all start to blend together into a giant ball of futuristic robots and machine guns rattling at each other through a haze of retarded AI, defense building contests, and micromanagement of resources. While all of the conventions of a RTS can't be eliminated by definition, they can be changed around a little bit in order to put a little more excitement and strategy back into your life. And Liquid Entertainment just may have found the answer in their upcoming Asian themed fantasy real time strategy game Battle Realms.
There is a place where the land is never the same twice, where people like you and I don adventurer's garb to seek glory in quests and battle. This place is the land of Dereth, a massively multiplayer world brimming with constantly evolving stories, real life comrades, and strange and fearsome monsters. It is to this world that the great Empyrean mage Asheron has "called" you. Explore the rich history of Dereth, revel in its wonders, and discover your destiny!
This official site by Microsoft is very well done, and packed with great info on the game. Head here to check it out!
I'm very pleased today to report to you an original HeavenGames review. Our very own Angel Thunder, webmaster of our wonderful Age of Kings Heaven, has reviewed Zoo Tycoon, the next child of the booming Tycoon game generation. You can read the review here. Tomorrow we'll be reviewing Telephone Booth Tycoon...
Still Hoping For "SimWaitingRoom" or "Age Of Dog Breeds"?
11:12 PM EST
Well, your wait is over! Discreet is now offering free, downloadablegame creation software. So stop complaining about what the studios make, and get to work yourself!
Ah darn, apparently somebody already thought up "Civilization"...
Matrix Games and SPME Technologies have announced a new title, Napoleonic Wars. This turn-based game will focus on, as the name would suggest, Napoleon's European conquest from 1805 to 1815; very flexible, it can be played solo, by email, or online. As written on the official site:
The game moves in seasonal turns where diplomacy and builds are conducted. Within the seasonal turns there area variable number of impulses where corps and fleets move about. All movement is simultaneous with battles occurring at the end of the impulse. Battles are resolved by players both picking a strategy and fighting a series of rounds in an attempt to break the enemy.
Make and break alliances, declare war, invade minor nations, propose peace terms, build armies of landwehr, regulars, guards, light cavalry, heavy cavalry and artillery. Several hundred leaders from the period are included to command corps and fleets, from Admiral Nelson to Marshall Davout to the Pashas of the Ottoman Empire. All of this is at your disposal as you attempt to bring as much "glory" to your empire as possible. The winner of the game is the empire that has maximized the amount of "glory" points it receives throughout the game.
In the meantime, brush up on your Napoleonic history at NapoleonicWars.com...
"My Five-Year-Old Could Paint Better Than That..."
10:11 PM EST
Hey all! In search for a cool online game to while the time away? Try iSketch! It's a very addictive, entertaining online approximation of Pictionary. You'll have a lot of fun with this one. Warning: Do not play if you have things to do that cannot be put off until tomorrow.
There's a preview of Dark Age of Camelot Beta 4 over at Gamexperts.com This is the artical - Check it out! there are some great descriptions and screenshots : )
Here's an excerpt:
The Immersion factor The environment in Dark Age of Camelot is amazing. All three realms have detailed landscapes with various structures here and there that help make the game world a place in which you can truly feel as if you’re in a fantasy world. The land isn’t barren and boring with nothing to see as you explore like some other online RPGs. The graphics in DAoC are beautiful with highly detailed character models and landscape graphics that are very convincing as well. The animation for character movement is great, however not what you would see in most cutting edge FPS games like Max Payne of course, although it is better than any other online RPG I have seen to date. Spell animations will blow you away, as they did me because of their beauty. The spell effects are certainly way ahead of any other game in this genre. Sound effects and music shouldn’t be underestimated as a non important factor for online RPGs as well since sound certainly helps to immerse you and spice things up. DAoC has good sound effects and great music that really helps capture you within the game world. For example, if you go into an outpost you will start hearing music play that is appropriate for whatever realm you are playing. Music will also start to play when you engage in battle to heat things up. Mythic certainly did a great job with the audio portion, for sure.
I think music is a pretty important part of any game... Can't wait to see how this turns out : )
I just saw this over at Blue's News. Check out this page for general information about the game, as well as some great shots of the interface. Week 39 screenshots released today! Have fun!
Our very own Angel Thunder, webmaster of our wonderful 