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MMORPG.com has posted an interview with Andrew Tepper which focuses on A Tale in the Desert III, the latest chapter in the unique Egyptian themed MMORPG saga. Unlike most other online games, ATITD III focuses on puzzle solving and social interaction rather than combat.

MMORPG.com: The community is an important part of any game. However, in ATITD, the community is the game. Can you tell me why you choose to put the focus so squarely on the players?

Andrew Tepper: I find that the most interesting game situations are those where even the designers don't know how things will turn out. If our game had as one of it's goals “kill the Flax Dragon”, then I pretty much know that people are going to get the best weapons and armor, and ready all the most powerful spells, and kill foozle. But if the goal is “Build as large a group of friends as you can without anyone stabbing you in the back” (Test of the Bureaucrat) then you're going to have all sorts of weird, unexpected stuff happen.

Human beings are going to be far more complex, subtle, and unpredictable than any system that I could ever design. This gives a far more interesting gameplay experience.

MMORPG.com: A Tale in the Desert III Interview

A Tale In The Desert

eGenesis

A Tale in the Desert

The popular casual game by Mystery Studio, Wild West Wendy, is now available on Macgamestore.com as a digital download for $19.95. A free demo is available for download from the web site.

Conquer the Wild West with your saloon franchise! Serve drinks! Capture criminals! Return missing cows! Live the Wild West through 9 beautiful scenarios, over 35 cartoons, and over a hundred news from the town's newspaper. All the excitement of the Wild West awaits you in this action-packed game for the whole family!

For more, head over to Macgamestore.com.

Macgamestore: Wild West Wendy

Big Fish Games today released Mystic Inn for the Macintosh. Mystic Inn was created by the company's new Big Fish Studios Europe. The French studio (formerly FunPause), joined Big Fish Games earlier this year and is known for its cinematic production values, soothing music and addictive game play.

Mystic Inn is an arcade-styled casual game in which players must help Daphne break the spell of the enchanted Inn. This visually stunning new game takes casual Mac gamers to a new level with high production values and addictive gameplay. Mystic Inn is designed to give players the best possible experience on Macintosh. The game showcases stunning full-screen OpenGL graphics as well as a studio soundtrack and lead vocals from singer Julianne Regan.

Playing as Daphne, the unfortunate hostess ensnared by the enchanted Mystic
Inn, you serve potions to a multitude of impatient patrons. Serve them
quickly, and you'll earn magic tips that will help pay for the inn's
upgrade. Take too long, or serve them in the wrong order and you risk losing
customers-and valuable tips! Only once the Inn has been restored to its
original grandeur can Daphne break the spell. The game's five chapters and
50 total levels take time and patience to complete.

Unlock juggling frogs, a charmed harp, and your own take-out owl to help
earn more magic tips. A potion-building mini-game will allow you to create
time-stopping mixtures, making it easier to succeed when your time is
running out. Detailed graphics and artwork mesh with addictive gameplay to
make Mystic Inn an immersive and exciting treat for all ages.

MGF: Mystic Inn

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Blizzard updated their Massive Multiplayer Online Role-playing Game World of Warcraft to version 1.10.2 today, fixing numerous small issues.

The only Mac specific fix is:

Fixed a client crash caused by weather effects when running OS 10.3.9

World of Warcraft Patch Notes

Blizzard Entertainment

World of Warcraft

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Mac Gaming Mods has released several new and updated maps and mods for Ghost Recon and Raven Shield over the last few weeks. These additions include two DOOM inspired maps for Raven Shield and the popular Alpha Squad Mod for Ghost Recon.

Maps and Mods Released:

Ghost Recon
Alpha Squad Mod 2.6
Alpha Squad Mod 2.6 Patch
SR2005 Tournament Missions
Mad Max's Soldier Stat Upgrades
Mad Max's Dumb AI

Raven Shield
Doom Hanger 2
Return to Doom 2
CO Store
Library 007
BAC Mines
Big Office
Calle Juela

Mac Gaming Mods

Aspyr Media

Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield

Red Storm

Buy Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield

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Macworld's Game Room has posted another review, this time focusing on the recently released Mac version of Quake 4. The game puts players in the role of Matthew Kane as he and his fellow soldiers battle the destructive forces of the Strogg. The Game Room gave Quake 4 a score of 4 out of 5 mice.

From the review:

The first three installments of the Quake franchise had very little in common with each other. The first was a techno-gothic monster shooter; the second was a straight-up sci-fi action game; and the third was an arena-based multiplayer game. Quake 4 actually picks up the story of Quake 2—you return as a human space Marine assaulting the homeworld of the Strogg—these nasty cybernetic aliens look like Star Trek’s Borg on growth hormones.

While a technically impressive game, Doom 3’s level design and overall gameplay style left a lot of first-person shooter enthusiasts wanting. That game was prone to way too many dark rooms and spots where you’d get ambushed by monsters—that’s great for a haunted house attraction at Halloween, but it doesn’t exactly make for compelling gameplay. Quake 4 doesn’t fall into that trap—most spots are well lit enough to see. And when they aren’t, your weapons often have flashlights so you can see what you’re doing in the dark.

Macworld Game Room: Quake 4 Review

Aspyr Media

Quake 4

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A new review of the PC version of Fable: The Lost Chapters has arrived at PC Gameworld. F:TLC is the expanded version of the XBox game Fable for the PC, an RPG which offered gamers the chance to create either a hero or villain based on their choices in the game. The Lost Chapters adds a variety of new additions to the game including quests, items, and improved graphics.

The game’s graphics are impressive. Besides having detailed backgrounds, amusing animations, and wicked special effects (the lightning spell beats out any seen in a Star Wars game), it’s a joy just to walk around and take in the colorful sights.

Sound and music are put to good use, too. The sound effects are top-notch, from the solid clanging of weapon on shield to the awesome grandeur of your spells. Fable’s voice acting is commendable and used to good effect, as is the mood music that adjusts to what’s going on in the game.

Other features I enjoyed included an easy control scheme (left click to attack, right click to block, shift key to cast spells), and a few features that streamline questing. For example, you can easily teleport back to home base between missions, cutting out a lot of tedious walking. It’s also easy to access your quest details so you don’t get mixed up and, say, rescue the wrong maiden in distress.

PC Gameworld: Fable The Lost Chapters Review

Feral Interactive

Fable: The Lost Chapters

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Lead programmer Alex Mantzaris recently offered IGN an early look at Civilization IV: Warlords, the first expansion for the popular world building strategy sim. CIVW will introduce warlords to the mix. Among other things the new units will have the ability to join with regular military units and increase their effectiveness significantly. The expansion will also add six new civilizations, ten new leaders, and six new scenarios to the game.

Though it sounds like the expansion caters more to the warmongers among us, Alex is quick to point out that there are plenty of new tools and options for peaceniks. "Peaceful players should have no fear," he says "because we are very careful to balance the new features for all styles of play. In fact, because of the vassal states concept, they may even get the opportunity to win the game by domination."

The new system for vassal states sets up two nations in what Alex calls an "asymmetric alliance." Basically, one civilization serves as the master in the relationship and collects tribute from the weaker, vassal nation. The vassal nation is automatically at war with any of the master nation's enemies. Most importantly, the vassal's land counts as the master's land for domination purposes. Alex explains that you can get a nation to be your vassal if you can get them to "trust you enough to protect them or if they're scared enough of your power."

To read the rest of the preview click on the link below.

IGN: Civ IV Warlords Preview

Civilization IV: Warlords

Aspyr Media

Civilization IV

Firaxis Games

Buy Civilization IV

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