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Latest General News Headlines:How To Tell You're An Aging Gamer - May 17, 2008, 8:55 pm by Fairie Vying to be a Video Game Tester - May 17, 2008, 7:49 pm by Cap'n CJ CBS Buys CNET for $1.8 Billion - May 17, 2008, 7:41 pm by Cap'n CJ EA CEO: PC Gaming Has Grown for 'Several Years,' Too Focused on Retail Sales - May 17, 2008, 7:30 pm by Cap'n CJ Blizzard to Offer Digital Distribution - May 17, 2008, 7:13 pm by Cap'n CJ U.S. Bill to Target Underage Gamers - May 17, 2008, 7:07 pm by Cap'n CJ Infogrames Completes Purchase of Atari - May 17, 2008, 6:56 pm by Cap'n CJ Neverwinter Nights Podcast #54 and #55 - May 17, 2008, 6:19 pm by Dalveen More from Mysteries of Westgate Press Event - May 13, 2008, 11:55 pm by Cap'n CJ Mysteries of Westgate Press Conference - May 13, 2008, 11:28 pm by Fairie Latest Active Threads on Boards o' Magick:
Neverwinter Nights Forum News (May 01, 08) (Neverwinter Nights Official Forum Highlights & Comments post by chevalier)
Neverwinter Nights Forum News (Apr. 30, 08) (Neverwinter Nights Official Forum Highlights & Comments post by chevalier)
Neverwinter Nights Forum News (Apr. 29, 08) (Neverwinter Nights Official Forum Highlights & Comments post by chevalier)
Neverwinter Nights Forum News (Apr. 28, 08) (Neverwinter Nights Official Forum Highlights & Comments post by chevalier)
Random Babbling Post #102 (Whatnots post by Ragusa)
How To Tell You're An Aging Gamer (General News & Comments post by Fairie)
Movie Scene Game #6 (The Sensorium post by Takara)
Random School/Work-Venting Post (Whatnots post by Morgoroth)
Social Groups - Discuss 'Em Before You Make 'Em! (Sorcerous Sundries post by Taluntain)
Vying to be a Video Game Tester (General News & Comments post by Cap'n CJ)
How To Tell You're An Aging Gamer Posted: May 17, 2008, 8:55 pm by Fairie  Ah, a lot of you will find this interesting, no doubt. A rundown of the most crucial signs you've seen one too many console releases and versions of D&D. Here's the first of 13 possible signs from the article:There are too many buttons on modern-day controllers! Back in the "good old days," gaming was simple. Video game controllers just had a joystick and a button. That was enough. The NES controller included another button, as well as a select and start buttons. No big deal, that's only four buttons, right? Now controllers contain upwards of 15 ways to control the game, which includes analog sticks that click downward, bumpers and triggers with multiple uses. It's just too much for your old-man hands to control. Here it is. Enjoy! [Add/Comments: 0] - [View Comments/Permalink] - [Top] Posted: May 17, 2008, 7:49 pm by Cap'n CJ  Bit of an odd one for you this time, a video following the progress of a guy trying to become a game tester at BioWare, being one of 4000 applicants. It's only about 4 minutes long, but it's pretty interesting.The video is right here. Enjoy! [Add/Comments: 0] - [View Comments/Permalink] - [Top] Posted: May 17, 2008, 7:41 pm by Cap'n CJ The media giant CBS has announced that it will buy the entire of CNET, including the popular website Gamespot. Here's the story:Media conglomerate CBS announced today that it will purchase the whole CNET web network for $1.8 billion, with the deal expected to close in the third quarter of this year. The offerings of CNET include gaming website GameSpot, which was marred by controversy and accusations of advertising-affected coverage last year and has seen a significant staff loss since. Other CNET sites include CNET, ZDNet, TV.com, mp3.com, CNET news.com, UrbanBaby, CHOW, Search.com, BNET, MySimon and TechRepublic. "The core businesses of CNET Networks and CBS Interactive represent near perfect category symmetry in premium online content," CBS Interactive president Quincy Smith. "Together we will have a terrific opportunity to not only grow our established businesses, but to build new attractive verticals of content as well." You can read the story at ShackNews. Personally, I haven't used Gamespot since the Kane & Lynch incident. Opinions, sorceans? [Add/Comments: 0] - [View Comments/Permalink] - [Top] Posted: May 17, 2008, 7:30 pm by Cap'n CJ  It seems that not everyone thinks PC gaming is in decline. John Riccitiello, CEO of the gargantuan EA, is confident that it's thriving. Here's a peek:Speaking on the state of the PC gaming, EA CEO John Riccitiello has noted his belief that the market has been "growing for several years" and that it has been "categorized wrongly" by a focus on retail sales. "One of the things we try to look at at EA is the total business represented on PC game software, and we're seeing a growth in business there. It's been growing for several years," Riccitello said during a financial conference call yesterday. "It's just been categorized wrongly by looking simply at the box side of the equation, he added. "The fastest growing [sector] is subscription, microtransactions-based and casual games, many of which are pretty much centered on the PC." Riccitiello comments help explain EA's latest approach to PC gaming. Several of its upcoming titles, including BattleForge and the free-to-play multiplayer shooter Battlefield Heroes, are heavily centered around microtransactions. "The box-side [sales] of PC [software] is soft. It's been soft for some time," he noted. "Were it not for The Sims and World of Warcraft box sales, [retail would] be a pretty dismal sector." After retail sales of PC software accounted for a mere 14% of the overall games industry in 2007, NPD analyst Anita Fraisure came to a similar conclusion. She claimed the PC market wasn't shrinking, but rather shifting towards digital distribution and game subscriptions. You can read the story at ShackNews. [Add/Comments: 0] - [View Comments/Permalink] - [Top] Posted: May 17, 2008, 7:13 pm by Cap'n CJ  Digital distribution is becoming more and more popular as of late, with Steam being the best example. Blizzard have now announced that they too are going to have a similar service. Take a peek:Warcraft and StarCraft developer Blizzard has begun offering direct downloads of select PC titles via a new portion of its online store. At present, the store's digital download section only contains three listings: the StarCraft Anthology, Warcraft III, and the WarCraft III Frozen Throne expansion. They mark the first digitally distributed releases of any Blizzard game, apart from World of Warcraft. Furthermore, owners of certain Blizzard efforts can now register their CD keys on the site to add the titles to their Blizzard Account and download them for free at any time, though Diablo II-related downloads are not yet ready. The whole story is over at ShackNews. [Add/Comments: 0] - [View Comments/Permalink] - [Top] Posted: May 17, 2008, 7:07 pm by Cap'n CJ Age ratings in games are an ongoing dispute, as most people are aware. A new bill has been introduced that would force retailers to check identification when any game with a high age rating is bought or rented. Here's a snip:With “Grand Theft Auto IV” in the headlines, a bipartisan pair of House members has introduced a bill that would require videogame retailers to check identification in order to prevent minors from buying games intended for adults. Reps. Lee Terry (R-Neb.) and Jim Matheson (D-Utah) introduced the Video Games Ratings Enforcement Act on Wednesday to ensure that children “can only access age appropriate content without parental permission,” according to Terry. “The images and themes in some videogames are shocking and troublesome. In some games high scores are often earned by players who commit ‘virtual’ murder, assault and rape,” Terry continued. “Many young children are walking into stores and are able to buy or rent these games without their parents even knowing about it. Many retailers have tried to develop voluntary policies to make sure mature games do not end up in the hands of young kids, but we need to do more to protect our children.” The full story is at Variety. What are your thoughts, guys? [Add/Comments: 0] - [View Comments/Permalink] - [Top] Posted: May 17, 2008, 6:56 pm by Cap'n CJ  So, Infogrames has finally bought the remaining shares of Atari. Most of you won't be surprised about this. Here's the full story:Publisher Infogrames today announced that it has acquired the remaining shares of Atari for $11 million, making the ailing company a wholly-owned subsidiary. Infogrames previously held a majority stake of 51.4% in Atari. "Bringing Atari US and Infogrames businesses together will enable us to create a simplified global structure for our business as we seek to re-build a well-managed, cohesive and financially disciplined company," said Infogrames CEO David Gardner. Atari had been financially troubled for months, posting losses quarter after quarter. As part of the merger, Infogrames has agreed to lend Atari $20 million in cash. Could this be the turning point for Atari? Read the full story, as well as community reaction, at Shacknews. [Add/Comments: 0] - [View Comments/Permalink] - [Top] Posted: May 17, 2008, 6:19 pm by Dalveen  There are two more Neverwinter Night podcasts up. Podcast #54 contains an interview with Bob aka FFBJ, on the subject of creating a Persistent World. Podcast #55 has an interview with Rob Mcginnis and Matt Rorie of Obsidian Entertainment.You can listen to the podcasts here: #54 and #55. [Add/Comments: 0] - [View Comments/Permalink] - [Top] Posted: May 13, 2008, 11:55 pm by Cap'n CJ  We've got more from the Ossian Studios press event for the upcoming Mysteries of Westgate adventure pack for you. Hit the following links to read their individual write-ups of the event, and see some tantalising screenshots!
[Add/Comments: 2] - [View Comments/Permalink] - [Top] Posted: May 13, 2008, 11:28 pm by Fairie Thieves-Guild.net were lucky enough to be invited to the Neverwinter Nights 2: Mysteries of Westgate press conference in Los Angeles last week. Alan Miranda and Russ Davis from Ossian Studios were on hand to talk about Atari’s first Neverwinter Nights Adventure Pack. Here's some more in-depth information about the new pack:Mysteries of Westgate is compatible with either NWN2 or NWN2 with Mask of the Betrayer installed. Having MotB installed will allow you to access all of the additional expansion content including the new base and prestige classes. The Mysteries of Westgate Adventure Pack will include the following: * new VO - done by Giant Sandbox, and recorded at Blackman Productions, who also did the VO for Mass Effect, Jade Empire, KotoR and HotU * 25 minutes of new music * a new sewer tileset * 3 optional companions * 4 new creatures including the Quelzarn and Wererat * over 100 new and unique items; available from merchants or as loot The new content will initially be locked but will be made available in the future (except for the custom items) most likely via a free downloadable hak pak. You can view the full article here. [Add/Comments: 0] - [View Comments/Permalink] - [Top] Posted: May 12, 2008, 10:35 pm by Cap'n CJ Warcry has had the chance to have an extended hands-on with Mysteries of Westgate, the lucky rogues. They've given a nice write up of it, and for your reading pleasure, here's a snippet:Miranda told us that the team was held up slightly when it was determined that the Westgate setting required a sewer tileset for Undergate. He indicated that this was the most difficult period for the team during the development process as they had never created tilesets before. As a result, things were hit or miss for awhile and required innovation in the creation of toolset improvements that would facilitate the tileset's creation. The steep learning curve to create the sewer tileset also caused a slight delay in other aspects of the project such as scripting. The development of several toolset plug ins, however, including a power bar and a spell checker helped get things rolling along. In addition to toolset improvements, Ossian created several new things specifically for Mysteries of Westgate including the sewer tileset (which IS gorgeous), 100+ placeables, custom sounds, four new monsters, three new companions, some custom load screens and over twenty-five minutes of tailor-made music by David John. The full article is over at Warcry. [Add/Comments: 0] - [View Comments/Permalink] - [Top] Posted: May 12, 2008, 10:06 pm by Cap'n CJ With the Mysteries of Westgate release getting ever closer, Atari have been ramping up their advertising of it with a press event dedicated to the adventure pack. Maximus, of NWVault, was lucky enough to attend, and he's written an article about it, complete with 10 new screenshots. Here's a peek:Ossian Studios, was founded by former BioWare employee, Alan Miranda and his wife, Elizabeth. They were originally scheduled to release a Premium module for NWN1 titled Darkness Over Daggerford but the premium module program was cancelled before its release. Making the best of the siutation they took the bold step of releasing it to the community for free and received several awards including some from us. During the months that followed they secured a contract with Atari for a new program for NWN2 to distribute premium modules called Adventure Packs, and pitched several ideas. The final decision resulted in their all out efforts to build MoW. One of the really cool things about Ossian studios is that they've recruited members of the community much like BioWare has done over the years. These include such Hall of Fame winners as Luke Scull (aka Alazander), Kevin Smith (aka codepoetz), Mat Jobe (aka Nemorem), Russ Davis (aka Tiberius209), Alex Hugon (aka Hugie), Leonard Bedner (aka Challseus), Brian Watson (aka MadWombat), Zach Holbrook (aka Maerduin), Rich Barker (aka Phantasma) and several other very talented community members. It's great seeing members of the community move on to become professionals in the gaming industry and because they are so close to the community, they know what players want and they've put that attention into their work. What's even cooler is that all of them are remote and haven't even met face to face yet were able to create a professional game for publishing. You can read the whole thing at NWVault. Thanks to Maximus for the heads up on this one! [Add/Comments: 0] - [View Comments/Permalink] - [Top] Posted: May 12, 2008, 1:01 am by Taluntain  What we asked:Q: How many different massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) have you played to date? (522 votes total) 1-3 (211) 40% None (146) 28% 4-6 (69) 13% 7-9 (42) 8% 10-15 (24) 5% 21+ (23) 4% 16-20 (7) 1% Exactly two fifths (40%) of the poll participants have played 1-3 MMORPGs to date. 28% of those who have voted haven't played any MMORPGs yet. 13% of the participants in the poll have played 4-6 MMORPGs to date, followed by 8% of those who have played 7-9 of them. 5% of all who have voted have played 10-15 MMORPGs, closely followed by 4% of those who have played more than 21 MMORPGs, believe it or not. The numbers of those who have played 16-20 MMORPGs to date are the smallest, only 1% of the poll participants. » Current Poll » Previous Polls [Add/Comments: 3] - [View Comments/Permalink] - [Top] Posted: May 11, 2008, 4:15 pm by Taluntain  » Previews for May and Beyond» Dungeon Adventure: City of Blood » Thank you, Playtesters! » Dungeons of Dread Internal League » Against the Giants Preview 1 » 4th Edition Excerpts: Weapons » Spotlight Interview - Keep on the Shadowfell » D&D Miniatures Victory Points: Mounts » D&D Insider Beta Announced » Ampersand: The Scoop on D&D Insider » Dungeon Side Trek: Night of the Straw Men » Richard Baker's Swordmage » 4th Edition Excerpts: Skill Challenges » Xen'drik Expeditions: Flotsam » Attention D&D Fans! [Add/Comments: 0] - [View Comments/Permalink] - [Top] Posted: May 7, 2008, 5:35 pm by Dalveen A recent blog of Alazander's suggests that the much anticipated Mysteries of Westgate will be released near the end of May.Here is the paragraph: Two more spotlights have been posted recently: Rinara's Travel Guide and The Rise of the Ebon Claws. The tenth spotlight is due soon and it'll be the last: we've pretty much run out of material, and the game will, fingers crossed, be released later this month. There's a MoW press conference in LA in the next couple of days, and I expect things to ramp up then in preparation for release. Hopefully we'll see a few reviews from the major gaming sites over the next couple of weeks. You can read his full blog post here. [Add/Comments: 2] - [View Comments/Permalink] - [Top] |
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