As more information becomes available such as ship dates, demo, etc, we'll be sure to post it.

No One Lives Forever is available for pre-order from the MacPlay web site as well as the IMG Store. MacGames CD subscribers can pre-order it for just $39. Non-subscribers can pick it up for $44.

IMG Preview: No One Lives Forever

MacPlay

No One Lives Forever

Buy No One Lives Forever

Click to enlarge

The Latest Shadowbane War Report has been posted on Ubi Soft's Shadowbane page. For those interested in this upcoming MMORPG, it provides an interesting look into what should be one of the most interesting features of Shadowbane, that being the ability to wage war against other factions of players. It also highlights how the players of Shadowbane themselves shape its world. This latest war appears to be an all out war between a number of cities, with few long lasting alliances. The article is written from the perspective of a character from the game world itself.

Here's a sample:

The fragment of Tyrranth has seen its share of turmoil over the ages, and until recently the lands enjoyed a long age of peace. The battle between the Commonwealth (CW), VA, and Salvation has created such a quagmire (Read: A Traitor at the Gates) that nearly every major kingdom is now engulfed in a vicious conflict. Due to various political relationships nearly every battle has seen a different assortment of nation crests, and an ally one day has turned into an aggressor the next, on many occasions.

For the moment the Burning Legion (BL) and the Commonwealth/VA seem to be fighting together to achieve mutual goals, but both sides have denied any sort of official alliance. The Covenant of Swords (CoS), Salvation, the defiant Irekei nation Jov'ach Vir'habat, and smaller cities surrounding them all seem to be fighting for the same causes.

Major battles have been fought around the cities of Vengeance, Enyo, Zion, Sanctity, and Stormwood, and as a result many of the smaller cities around those areas have been hurled headlong into a massive war.

Shadowbane War Report

Shadowbane Demo Video

Ubisoft

Wolfpack Studios

Shadowbane

Today Apple has given their portable line a boost by upgrading both iBook and PowerBook models, while even trimming costs on some. This is great news for gamers on the go, as both series feature more powerful ATI graphics chips, as well as faster CPUs.

The iBook has reached an important price point, now starting at under $1000. That model you will get a 700MHz G3 with a 16MB ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 chip. The other 12.1" version features an even better 32MB Mobility Radeon 7500, along with a 800MHz G3 and combo CD-RW/DVD drive. Here is a rundown of the iBook models:

iBook with a suggested retail price of $999 (US) includes:
• a 700 MHz PowerPC G3 processor with 512K on-chip level 2 cache;
  
• a 12.1-inch (diagonal) active-matrix TFT display;
  
• ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 graphics controller with 16MB RAM;

  iBook with a suggested retail price of $1,299 (US) includes:

• a 800 MHz PowerPC G3 processor with 512K on-chip level 2 cache;
  
• a 12.1-inch (diagonal) active-matrix TFT display;
  
• ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 graphics controller with 32MB RAM;

  iBook with a suggested retail price of $1,599 (US) includes:

• a 800 MHz PowerPC G3 processor with 512K on-chip level 2 cache;
  
• a 14.1-inch (diagonal) active-matrix TFT display;
  
• ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 graphics controller with 32MB RAM;
  

The PowerBook G4 is now aggressively priced at only $2,299 (US) and includes:
• 867 MHz PowerPC G4 with 1MB DDR level 3 cache;
  
• Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) optical drive;
  
• ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 with 32MB DDR SDRAM graphics memory

  The $2,999 (US) PowerBook G4 includes:

• 1 GHz PowerPC G4 with 1MB DDR level 3 cache;
  
• SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW) optical drive;
  
• ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 with 64MB DDR SDRAM graphics memory;

Apple Introduces New Titanium PowerBook G4

Apple Makes iBook Line More Powerful & Affordable than Ever

ATI Mobility Radeon 7500

ATI Mobility Radeon 9000

Apple

Apple Store

A new java-based online Baseball game is now available for free from AndNow. Called SmallBall, the game is made by two former Sega employees and baseball fans Ed Annunziata and Gerry Blau, and is a labor of love. They felt Baseball had been ruined by money, so they made the game focusing on what they love about baseball. In the game, you're given a fresh team of players who you must name. From there, you train your players and pit your team against other players from around the world.

Here's a description of the game from the SmallBall website:

SmallBall gives you your own team. You train your players and decide what positions they play. Then, when you're ready, you challenge other teams. You are the coach, manager, and owner.

Your goal: Own the BEST team in the WORLD!!!

The strategy of SmallBall is deep. Your players grow and evolve. Over time you get to know each of them, their strengths and weaknesses. As you observe their abilities you will determine how to train them.

SmallBall is played in a public arena. An active community of other players will see your every triumph, and your every failure!

SmallBall Website

AndNow Software

Click to enlarge

Forsaking the traditional RTS formula in favor of a more hardcore style of play, Myth: The Fallen Lords, first released in November 1997, still garners a loyal following that continues to play it and its sequels to this day. To celebrate its 5 year anniversary, Mariusnet, an online service specializing in Myth games, is throwing a party to celebrate.

The party, which takes place this weekend from Nov. 8-9, invites players from all over the world to compete and celebrate in a variety of activities:

Help celebrate five years of online carnage this
weekend, November 8th and 9th on the 3rd party online
game server Mariusnet (www.mariusnet.com). If you use to play the game and have moved on, you are urged to stop by, you might see some old friends for the bungie.net days. If you have never played Myth TFL -
swing by www.mariusnet.com/demo.html for information on downloading the demo, playable on Mariusnet.

For those unfamiliar with the title, Myth holds the distinction of being one of the first RTS titles to give players a true 3D battlefield and intense tactical play mechanics.

Mariusnet - Myth Turns 5!

Bungie Studios

Myth: The Total Codex

Click to enlarge

An IMG forum-goer recently posted some information regarding the popular online flight sim WarBirds III. Starting this week, a change has been made to the billing program that allows newcomers to try out the game in its entirety for a free trial period of two weeks:

This will give new players unlimited access to everything that Warbirds III has to offer with no restrictions. We will use our database to limit the number of times a person can sign up for a new free account. If during that 2 weeks the new players decide not to maintain an active account , they can go to the account maintenance web page and IMMEDIATELY CANCEL THEIR ACCOUNT using the new "Cancel" function.

In related news, the forum posting also makes note of a Veterans Day event taking place on Nov 11th, which will support up to 400 AI units as well as participating players. More information can be found at the posting.

IMG Forum - WarBirds to have 2 WEEK FREE TRIAL ACCOUNTS!

iEntertainment Network

WarBirds III

IMG - WarBirds III Review

Scott Kevill, programmer of GameRanger, recently added support for Aspyr Media's release of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon to his flagship product.

Ghost Recon is the latest in the popular series of strategy/action titles based on the popular novels by Tom Clancy. GameRanger is a free, Mac-only internet game service where players can find hosted games, meet other players, and discuss issues in GameRanger-supported chat rooms. GameRanger boasts a membership of over one hundred thousand players, and currently supports over one hundred games in a variety of different genres, including the newly released Jedi Knight 2 and Soldier of Fortune 2. GameRanger was also recently awarded the Best of Show Award at Macworld Expo New York 2002.

Click on the links below to download the latest version of the GameRanger software.

GameRanger

Macgamefiles: GameRanger 3.0.1 Download

Click to enlarge

Brian Greenstone's Pangea Software released another update to the company's newest third-person adventure game, Bugdom 2.

The 300k update brings the game to version 1.0.3 and fixes a bug in one of the levels, while adding better foreign language support to the game:

1.0.3 Fixed a crash problem on the garbage level which only affected OS 10.1. Fixed some font problems with special French characters. Added Dutch and Japanese language support.

The sequel to the popular title Bugdom, Bugdom 2 forges in an entirely new direction, giving players a new cast of characters as well as a new style of play. Taking place three years after the original, Bugdom 2 introduces a new protagonist by the name of Skip. On his way to visit his family on the far side of Bugdom, a rather mean bee swoops down and steals his traveling pack. Naturally incensed at this turn of events, Skip attempts to overtake this Bully Bee to regain what’s rightfully his. On the way, he’ll encounter various enemies and obstacles to overcome as well as friends that will help him out during his quest.

Macgamefiles: Bugdom 2 1.0.3 Update

Macgamefiles: Bugdom 2 Demo and Full Version

Pangea Software

Bugdom 2

Buy Bugdom 2

Glasko has posted an interview with shareware developer and owner of Spiderweb Software, Jeff Vogel. The interview covers a variety of topics, from how he gets artwork for his games to tips for aspiring programmers.

Here's a snippet of the Interview:

Danoz: The games produced by SpiderWeb software are unique, they tell a story and are some of the most interactive games I have ever played. Even in the original Exile, where stellar 3D graphics aren’t the key to the games design; the writing is so vivid that it surpasses that. It’s almost like your reading a book, and the outcome is yours to decide. What were/are your majors in college that lead you to this kind of skill? How much of it is self-taught?

Jeff Vogel: My interest in game design came purely from playing games and loving them. I got a little formal programming training in high school and college but, in general, my game design interest came from just loving games.

Danoz: (Q) – How do you create the graphics in your games? It’s very interesting to see your newer games in isometric form. What are your favorite programs and techniques in graphics creation?

Jeff Vogel: We generally get graphics by throwing money at freelance artists. However, we do sometimes use Poser and KPT Bryce to build 3-D graphics.

Spiderweb Interview

Spiderweb Software

Click to enlarge

Contraband programmer Bill "Burger" Heineman has just updated the Ambrosia Software progress log with news on how to archive Escape Velocity: Nova plug-ins for multi-platform distribution. Heineman is currently working on the Windows port of Nova, and this new technique will allow all platforms to share in the many plug-ins available:

Use DropZip from Aladdin Systems.

In preferences, make sure in the option "MacBinary" you check the box "Smart" or "Always". Do NOT .zip your plug-ins with the option "Never". I will be sad. EV Nova will be sad. And you will be sad since your file will not work on the PC version.

Save your files in the .zip archive as usual.

Now on the PC version, you can use ANY .zip utility to decompress. You will notice that all files (Most of them anyways) will end with .bin appened to the filename. This is normal. Nothing to be alarmed about. EV Nova on the PC will read MacBinary encoded files and do the magic to use the data as is. Please, do NOT remove the .bin extension. EV Nova PC will hate you.

Then put the files in the proper folders (Plug ins) and run EV Nova.exe and the plug ins will install just like the mac version. You don't need to much else.

Ambrosia Software's Web Board: EV Nova Progress Log

Ambrosia Software

Escape Velocity: Nova

Click to enlarge

A new press release from Strategy First announces the official version of World War II Online due out next week will support the current line of iMac computers from Apple. IMG also talked with the company to pin down specifics on the minimum and recommended system requirements for this massively multiplayer online war simulation. Here's a clip from the initial PR:

Final Beta testing and development has resulted in new minimum system specs bringing iMac users onto the virtual battlefield as well. More players, more excitement, more fun.

"For the Mac players who have been waiting since last year for WWII Online, it’s time to rock and roll,” said Al “Rafter” Corey of Playnet. “Based on the incredible response to our Beta program we know there are a lot of Mac guys waiting to try out the virtual battlefield and we’re ready for them.”

Minimum System Requirements:
Apple OSX
G4 700MHz CPU with 256Mb Ram
32Mb Video Card (GeForce 2 or 4)
32X CD-ROM Drive
1Gb Free Hard Disk Space
56k or Higher Speed Internet Access

Recommended System Requirements:
Apple OSX
G4 800MHz CPU with 512Mb Ram
64Mb Video Card
32X CD-ROM Drive
1Gb Free Hard Disk Space
56k or Higher Speed Internet Access

Strategy First

Cornered Rat Software

World War II Online

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