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| Wednesday, November 28, 2001 | |
Red Faction Shipping Today
9:05 AM | Andy Largent | Comment on this story
Last week IMG brought you word on Red Faction going gold and being sent to duplication. Now the GraphSim web site has been updated with news that the title has been released. IMG talked with the company this morning, and today is the day the game will start shipping to pre-orders and stores.
The major reason for the game's delay had been adding Mac OS X support. It seems performance issues are holding back the OS X version. In an effort to get the title out before the holiday season, it made sense to go ahead and ship the Mac OS 9 version now and then release a Carbonized patch for the game later.
Here's more from GraphSim's web site:
We are very pleased to announce the Gold Master status of Red Faction for Mac. The initial release will not support OS X or classic mode. Game play and performance under OS 9.2 has been great and multiplayer is a blast. Jeff Morgan sent this quick note to IMG this morning on Red Faction's shipping status:We began shipping some copies to distributors yesterday. The majority of the pre-orders will be shipping out today and through the rest of the week. For more information on the game, be sure to have a look at GraphSim's Red Faction page, and read through IMG's preview of the title for a look at what to expect. Red Faction is available for MacGames CD subscribers at the IMG Store for $35, so get your order in now.
 GraphSim: Red Faction
 IMG Preview: Red Faction
GraphSim
Volition
Red Faction
State of the Game: iPod, Redesign, & More
1:48 PM | Tuncer Deniz | Comment on this story
From time to time in the past I've written a column on IMG called "State of the Game" that offered my thoughts on the Mac gaming market, things happening at IMG, and other stuff. I've decided to bring it back as a news item that I hope to post on a somewhat regular basis. Just keep in mind that not everything you'll see in State of the Game will be about Mac gaming. A perfect example of this is my blurbage on the iPod I just received.
iPodding
Yesterday I received a brand-spanking new iPod. Overall I was really impressed with Apple's new portable MP3 player. I don't have any doubts that it is the best MP3 player on the market right now.
The first thing that struck me was the size. I was expecting a much bigger unit, but at about the size of a deck of cards, it fits perfectly in your hands and weighs just 6.5 ounces. Another nice touch is the shiny stainless steel on the back and clear lucite on the front of the unit. Visually, it's damn good looking.
The iPod also features a brilliant backlit LCD screen that, combined with the scroll wheel, makes navigation incredibly easy and intuitive. I also own a Nomad Jukebox (an MP3 player that includes a six gig hard drive), and trying to find a particular song on that thing is a nightmare. If you've ever been frustrated with the sometimes awkward navigation in other MP3 players, then you'll really appreciate the iPod's way of doing things.
When I plugged in the iPod into my PowerBook G4, the PB automatically launched iTunes and began syncing the music in iTunes with the iPod. In just a matter of minutes, I had some 500 songs on the iPod. I remember doing this on the USB-based Nomad Jukebox, which took some three hours. Firewire, my friends, rules. iTunes includes some preferences to turn off automatic syncing and to not auto-launch iTunes when the iPod is plugged in. Very nice.
My unit already came charged, so I did what any music loving geek would do. I hopped into my car, put in the cassette adapter, plugged in the iPod, and went for a drive. The iPod sounded fantastic in my car, and more importantly, I was able to change tunes on the iPod without getting too distracted.
When I got back home, I plugged the iPod back into the computer and it began charged the lithium battery inside the iPod. Alternatively, you can charge the iPod by using the electrical adapter included. A total charge took about three hours.
About the only drawback to the iPod is its price. A lot of friends I've talked to said they would buy one but not at $400 a pop. I tend to agree. Although I didn't have to pay for the iPod, I doubt I would have bought one at $400. If it was $299... absolutely. But if you're really into MP3s and can afford the price tag, then go for it; you won't regret your purchase.
IMG Web Site Redesign
We've finalized the redesign of IMG and our able programmer and webmaster guru will be working over the weekend to convert the site to the new design. If all goes well, we'll be debuting the new design on Monday, December 3rd. We hope everyone will like the new design. In any case, here's a little teaser ad that kinda gives you a hint at what the new design will be like:
Links
PowerPC G5 enters 'volume production' - Is it live or is it Memorex?
Penny Arcade Comic on Halo - check out the size of those controllers... hehe.
Hubble Telescope Sees Alien Planet's Atmosphere
ExciteAtHome could cease service on Nov. 30
- Ouch...
Got an interesting link? Email it to us at img@insidemacgames.com.
Screenshot of the Week
Here's a rather interesting screenshot taken from Tactical Ops, a mod for Unreal Tournament, which shows a Titanium PowerBook running OS X. Sweet...
Until Next Time...
Well, that's it for now. If you have any comments, questions, or cool links or screenshots, please email me!
Inside Mac Games
Modsquad Reviews Marathon Resurrection
11:58 AM | Sean Smith | Comment on this story
Modsquad yesterday posted a review of the newly updated version 1.1.1 of Marathon Resurrection, the impressive Marathon-style mod for Unreal Tournament, awarding it a score of 9.4 out of 10.
Here's a brief excerpt from the review:
The most useful addition I found was the fact that you can now interrupt weapon reloading by switching to another weapon. In all the mods released for UT, this addition is the first I have seen in a UT mod. It is a welcome addition since I hate having somebody killing me just because I'm in the middle of reloading my SPNKR and can't switch to an already reloaded shotgun. The review focuses on the changes from version 1.1 of the mod, so if you're unfamiliar with Marathon Resurrection, you'll want to dust the cobwebs off your clothes and download the mod from Team Unpfhorgiven's web site.
MacSoft: Unreal Tournament
Modsquad: Marathon Resurrection Review
Team Unpfhorgiven: Marathon Resurrection
Marathon: Resurrection
IMG Reviews Saitek X45 HOTAS
11:30 AM | IMG News | Comment on this story
IMG has posted a review by Tim Morgan of Saitek's new HOTAS (hands on throttle and stick) game controller, the X45: Saitek recently upgraded its line of high-end HOTAS systems with the introduction of the X45. The X45, with little added functionality from its predecessor, the X36, adds a new paint job and flashy backlit buttons. Most attractive, however, is the new low price tag, although an old problem that formerly plagued X36 owners is now back with a vengeance in the X45. Read the rest of IMG's review at the link below.
IMG Review: Saitek X45 HOTAS
Inside Mac Games
Sierra Releases Even More Contraptions
10:28 AM | Sean Smith | Comment on this story
Sierra have announced that The Incredible Machine: Even More Contraptions, the latest installment in their series of ingenious puzzle-building games, will be shipping "very soon" and is available for pre-order.
Here's a description of some of the features in this new title:
Over 250 unique and challenging "Contraptions" to solve, most with multiple solutions!
Create and save your own puzzles to share with friends. Over 100 different parts to mix and match.
Certain Programmable Parts allow for truly custom puzzles. Accurate physics models create realistic interactions between parts.
Change the gravity and air pressure for each "Contraption" to simulate different worlds, or outer space. Go head-to-head with a friend in the two-player mode, and see who can solve the "Contraption" first.
An in-depth tutorial teaches you about the parts, and how they work.
The system requirements are impressively modest: Mac OS 8.5.1 or higher, a PowerPC processor (233 Mhz preferred), 32 MB of RAM (64 MB preferred), 50 MB of disk space, and an 800x600 16-bit display.
For a number of screen shots or to pre-order the game, head over to the Even More Contraptions web site. And while a Mac demo is not available, you can listen to three songs from the Contraptions soundtrack on their download page.
Sierra: Even More Contraptions
Atlas: Gift of Aramai Updated
10:11 AM | Noah Brimhall | Comment on this story
Freeverse Software's role-playing game Atlas: The Gift of Aramai has been updated to version 1.1. This new version includes numerous bug fixes and an extensive new manual. Here is a short description of the game: There is great unrest in the realm of Ammeth. A new evil has risen in the northern reaches of the kingdom, and darkness spreads throughout the land. A young diplomat named Jarreck is dispatched by the crown. His mission is urgent: to seek the root of the evil, and to eradicate it.
Join Jarreck on his quest and live the adventure. With a vast world, 850 NPCs, over 150 unique items, and an engrossing, novel-like storyline, Atlas is treasure trove for all true RPG fans.
If you enjoyed Realmz or the Exile series, you'll love Atlas! If you haven't tried Atlas, or if you just need to update your copy, head on over to Macgamefiles.
IMG Preview - Atlas: The Gift of Aramai
 MGF - Dowload Atlas: The Gift of Aramai (6.8 MB)
Freeverse - Atlas: The Gift of Aramai
Giants: Missing Features with GeForce3
10:06 AM | Eddie Park | Comment on this story
Players of MacPlay's recently released Giants: Citizen Kabuto with GeForce3 cards may have noticed that several features, including "Object Bumpmapping" and "Environment Mapping," are unselectable in the game's graphics options. IMG recently sent an inquiry to the Omni Group, Mac OS X programming wizards and porters of Giants, and received this reply: Apple does not yet support all the features of the GeForce3. Once they add support for these features, we will be able to patch Giants to support them. So there you have it. It is to be hoped Apple will start supporting these additional features soon.
MacPlay - Giants: Citizen Kabuto
Omni Group - Giants: Citizen Kabuto
IMG Review - Giants: Citizen Kabuto
MacPlay
Planet Moon Studios
Omni Group
Giants: Citizen Kabuto
 Buy Giants: Citizen Kabuto
Stupid Giants Giveaway Contest
9:51 AM | Eddie Park | Comment on this story
Due to some quirk of fate, MacPlay mistakenly sent me not one, but two copies of Giants: Citizen Kabuto. Since it's difficult enough guarding one copy from my thieving friends, I've decided, in my infinite wisdom and generosity, to pass the windfall on to the loyal readers of IMG.
To this end, I'm having a stupid contest. Below are three lame trivia questions from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." E-mail the answers to me at ed@insidemacgames.com and I'll randomly pick a winner among those that answer all the questions correctly.
Without further ado, here are the questions:
- What's the name of Sir Launcelot's servant (the one that's not quite dead)?
- What word do the Knights Who Say "Ni" abhor?
- What's the third question asked of Sir Robin by the Bridgekeeper?
Diehard Holy Grail fans are no doubt snickering right now at the ease of these questions.
Why Monty Python, do you ask? Because the meccs from Giants speak in British accents, and they're funny. There, now you know why it's a stupid contest.
The cutoff date will be December 3rd. I'll draw a random winner on the 4th, post the results, and drag myself off to the post office to mail off the coveted prize.
Good luck to all of you!
Added note: No multiple entries. Figures some of you would try to stuff my inbox.
IMG Review - Giants: Citizen Kabuto
MacPlay - Giants: Citizen Kabuto
MacPlay
Planet Moon Studios
Omni Group
Giants: Citizen Kabuto
Buy Giants: Citizen Kabuto
More on Wolfenstein for the Mac
9:37 AM | Eddie Park | Comment on this story
Todd Hollenshead, CEO of Id Software, yesterday updated his .plan file with more news regarding their WWII first-person shooter, Return to Castle Wolfenstein. Simply put, he notes that the Mac version is due out sometime before Christmas.
In related news, Christian Antkow, Level Designer at id, updated his .plan file yesterday with news of the dedicated Wolfenstein server for Mac OS X:
I've been testing the OS X server at xian-osx.idsoftware.com that Graeme
built, and it seems pretty darn stable, so hopefully that will be released
in the very near future as well. Things seem to be proceeding apace for Mac users. If all goes well, we'll have both the full version and the dedicated server sometime in the next few weeks. For more information, both .plan files are available at Webdog.
MGF: Download Wolf MP Test 2 for OS X (64.7 MB)
Todd Hollenshead's .plan file
Christian Antkow's .plan file
Activision
Buy Return to Castle Wolfenstein
Vet Emergency Released
9:27 AM | Eddie Park | Comment on this story
Legacy Interactive have announced the release of their latest game. Titled Vet Emergency, this simulation puts players in the shoes of a veterinarian, tending to various pets and the disasters that seem to befall them, including poisoning and injuries from fighting. Like their other titles, Legacy have striven to keep the experience as true-to-life as possible.
Here's a list of some of the game's features:
- Realistic animals – from adorable bunnies and mischievous kittens to dangerous rottweilers
- 35 Cases ranging from life-threatening trauma to bizarre diets
- More than 40 realistic Vet tools and tests
- Accurate and realistic medical cases created by real Veterinarians
- Three modes of play – easy, normal and expert
- Detailed feedback from the Chief Vet, keeping you up to date on your progress
The system requirements are quite modest, demanding nothing more than Mac OS 8.1 or later, 32 MB of RAM, and a 16x CD-ROM drive. Anyone interested in more information on this title should check out the Vet Emergency web site.
Legacy Interactive: Vet Emergency
Testers Needed for Cave Dig 3
9:22 AM | Andy Largent | Comment on this story
iDevGames is reporting that beta testers are needed by Foxchange Software for the next title in their puzzle adventure series, Cave Dig 3. The game is expected out before Christmas, so anyone interesting in helping find last minute bugs and gameplay issues should consider dropping them a note.
New screen shots and even a QuickTime movie have been released on their main web site to give you an idea of how Cave Dig 3 will look. While the title will maintain a similar playing style to the last game in the series, the look has definitely been updated. The graphics all seem very polished, so definitely give the new shots a look.
For those interested in testing, here's the report from iDevGames with specifics on what you'll need to do:
Foxchange Software needs beta testers for their upcoming game, Cave Dig 3! This 2D puzzle and adventure game features a fox who has been "fox-napped" by ICRE Genetics. If you are interested, please send an email to lead programmer Matthew Beedle [betatest@foxchange.com]. Please include the following information: full name, hardware specs and OS of your machine(s). Those who participate will receive a free copy of Cave Dig 3. Check out the Foxchange site for more info on the game, and look for the official release soon at Macgamefiles.
iDevGames
Foxchange: Cave Dig 3
Age of Empires II, Rogue Spear Updated
9:13 AM | Tuncer Deniz | Comment on this story
A couple of notable updates were released late yesterday. On the strategy front, Bold released a patch to update Age of Empires II to version 1.0.1. The update fixes some of the bugs users have been experiencing, including the disappearing in-game cursor problem as well as several bugs in the pathfinding logic. Here's a list of bug fixes:
- Fixed the bug with the unit text in the scenario editor being white on a white background.
- Fixed the colored fog effects, e.g. red flashing buildings.
- Fixed several bugs in the pathfinding logic. Units should now move in a more expected direction.
- Fixed a crash when loading saved games that contained a wonder.
- Increased width of instruction panel text and reduced the font size to accommodate German.
- Fixed a bug for users with a disk named Data. It conflicted with the game's Data folder.
- Added a check for CarbonLib 1.4. If the CarbonLib installer is present on your CD, it will be installed. Otherwise, you will be required to acquire and install CarbonLib from Apple.
- Multiplayer and Out of Sync save file names were too long for the Mac file system.
- Fixed problem where you could enter save file names longer than acceptable on the Mac.
- Increased preferred memory partition size to 120MB.
- The in-game cursor was disappearing after certain dialogs were displayed (the hot keys dialog, for example).
MacSoft have also been busy, updating Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear to version 1.0.2. This new update fixes a few map problems and adds a "Use Packed Pixels" option to RS Utility.
To download either update, head over to our sister site, Macgamefiles.com.
MacSoft: Rogue Spear
IMG Preview: Age of Empires II
IMG Review: Rogue Spear
Bold: Age of Empires II
MGF: Download Age of Empires II 1.0.1 Update (1.7 MB)
MGF: Download Rogue Spear 1.0.2 Update (618 KB)
Bold
Ensemble Studios
Age of Empires II
Halo Interview
6:00 AM | Sean Smith | Comment on this story
Yesterday, Voodoo Extreme posted a brief interview with Bungie's Matt Soell about Halo, the first-person shooter for the Xbox that Bungie first announced on the stage of the Macworld Expo keynote address in New York two years ago.
In this excerpt, Soell gets straight to the question uppermost in the minds of many Mac gamers:
VE: It’s been a long road since Halo was first announced. How does it feel to finally have the game proudly displayed on store shelves all across America?
Soell: We feel absolutely terrible about it, so we're going to recall and destroy all existing copies of the game and make sure it never reappears on the Xbox or any other platform.
Just kidding.
Follow the link below for the rest of the interview and a collection of screen shots.
IMG News: Halo Still Mac Bound
Bungie Studios: Halo
Voodoo Extreme: Halo - The Aftermath
Microsoft
Bungie Studios
Halo: Combat Evolved
Attack of the 50-Foot Otto Matic
6:00 AM | IMG News | Comment on this story
This week's dose of brain-wracking trivia from our friends at Aspyr Media concerns yet another of Otto Matic creator Brian Greenstone's ten sci-fi movies most influential on the development of this upcoming intergalactic adventure. Attack of the 50 Foot Woman
1. What was the working title for "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman"?
2. In the 1993 TV remake, which film is showing at the drive-in when Nancy goes on her rampage?
3. How tall was the 50 foot woman in centimeters?
If you've got what it takes to match wits with the trivia demons at Aspyr, submit your answers to newsletter@aspyr.com. The first person to correctly answer all three questions before this Friday wins another yet-to-be-determined "Otto Matic prize."
And now, breaking the suspense that will have had so many of you in its iron grip over the Thanksgiving holiday, IMG can report the answers to last week's quiz:
Them!
Q: What were "Them!"?
A: Big ants.
Q: Which government department is summoned to stop Them?
A: The Department of Agriculture.
Q: How long is the movie?
A: One hour and 33 minutes.
IMG Preview: Otto Matic
Aspyr: Otto Matic
 Submit answers to Otto Matic Movie Quiz
Pangea Software
Otto Matic
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