Posts by SWAT_OP-R8R

Princeton undergraduate Freddy Milton narowly escaped a violent mugging Saturday night, thanks in part to his incomprehensibly nerdy language. According to a police press release, at approximately 11:30 pm Milton was apporached by a drunkard who ordered him to hand over his wallet. Milton, who goes by the name "|\/|lL70n", proceeded to fire off threats in a manner of speaking so archaic, few human beings outside the world of internet message boards can understand it. The confused would-be mugger was apparently intimidated by the devil-talk and broke off the engagement.

Milton, a Computer Science major who reportedly has not seen the light of day in four years, was out on his weekly run for Mountain Dew and Doritos when the incident occured. After scaring away his assailant with his unintelligible and incoherent ravings, Milton hurried back to his dorm to report his triumph on a number of IRC channels. He also sent ICQ messages to several members of his Everquest guild to notify them of his recent non-cave-troll-slaying achievement. Milton then proceeded to level up his chaotic mage in an online game of Baldur's Gate.

The Princeton Township Police Department interviewed Milton following his encounter and has provided The Daily Orange with a record of that interview. We took the transcript to renowned linguist Elbert R. Gumfried of the National Insitute for the Study of the Socially Underdeveloped, whose translation and commentary on the language, called "Leet-Speak", can be found in italics.

Officer: Mr. Milton, could you describe your assailant?

Freddy Milton: He wuz drunxOrz off his @ss!!111

Translation: He was drunk off his ass! (Note intentional use of "1"s instead of exclamation marks)

O: So he was intoxicated. How did he approach you?

FM: 7|-|l5 llama wuz 4 mugz0r n00b. He +R13|) 2 ¥4n|< meh w4££37 |3U7 i 0wned teh sux0r.

Translation: This llama (A person of the dork persuasion, lacking of the skillz) was a mugger "newbie" (someone new to mugging). He tried to yank my wallet but I owned (ie: dominated, destroyed) the sucker.

O: Owned? Er, right. How exactly did you defend yourself?

FM: I 70ld hl|\/| h3 l4c|<3d teh l33t skillz, |3u+ I M UBE|^-L33T. I 54id "I pwn j00!!" 4nd 73|~| mu9z0r |24|\| /\\/\//\Y !!!!111

Translation: I told him he lacked the leet (derived from "elite", means intensely hardcore) skills, but I am super-leet. I said "I own (intentional use of "p" instead of "o" - sometimes this verb is pronounced "pween") you!" And the mugger ran away!"

O: You scared him off?

FM: o|3wo| |-|3 _)|_|57 (o|_|lo|n'7 |\/|47(|-| meh [*1m[* d15 s0 7h3 £4me|2 l3|=7 teh 9@m3. 4ll y0|_||2 |o4$3!!!!1111

Translation: Dude he just couldn't match my pimp dis so the lamer left the game. All your base! ("... are belong to us" - old-school nerd expression of computer gaming dominance)

O: He left the game? Don't you mean alleyway?

FM: O i \/\/45 74l|<1|\|9 4|o0|_|7 |\/|y (5 <l4n m47c|-| i h4o| l457 n19|-|7! m¥ |o4o| !!!111

Translation: Oh, I was talking about about my cs (shorthand for "Counter-Strike", a computer game and popular pastime for Mountain Dew guzzling programmers and other dweebs) clan match I had last night! My bad!

O: So what really happened Mr. Mil- er, |\/|lL70n?

FM: I |o|_|573o| 0u7 meh 4|<1m|30 [*3pp3|2 s[*r4z0rz!

Translation: I busted out my akimbo (supposed to mean holding two guns, but can be used for other items) pepper sprayers!

O: You used pepper spray in self-defense then?

FM: w00t w00t!

O: You little pansy -- pepper spray is for women! Now get the fux0r out of my office, sux0r.

SWAT_OP-R8R
Portal-Administrator

Konami also revealed some PS2 exclusive titles for 2004 during their Gamer's Day press event. Those were a Neo Contra, and Dance Dance Revolution Extreme, the next installment of the dance mat classic.

Following the success of 2001's side-scrolling shooter, Contra: Shattered Soldier, Neo Contra has been designed for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and takes players into an action-packed and stunningly-detailed 3D environment.

Neo Contra integrates all of the classic shooting gameplay elements that have come to define this renowned series while bringing the experience to a 3D world. Longtime fans and newcomers to the franchise will find classic, fast-paced action as they battle huge bosses who will stop at nothing to keep them from completing their mission. Players will need quick reflexes to dodge enemy attacks as well as access an arsenal of powerful weapons to defeat deadly enemies.

Set in the distant future, Neo Contra continues the adventure of the legendary hero, Bill Rizer, and introduces a visually striking new character to the series - Genbei Jaguer Yagyu, a mysterious Samurai. In addition to stylized characters, players will also experience realistic environmental destruction and explosions as they make their way through extremely detailed stages. The game's incredible CG cinematic sequences will also enhance its engaging storyline and overall dynamic visual design.

The action explodes in November 2004. A playable version of the game will be on display at Konami's booth during E3 2004.

DDR Extreme will utilize the very successful DDR formula in order to take the best-selling dancing series to new heights. Showcasing over 100+ minutes of licensed and original dance music, DDR Extreme is packed with chart-topping dance songs that have been recorded by internationally acclaimed artists. Additionally, hit music videos will add to the excitement for dancers and spectators alike.

DDR Extreme includes new features designed to make the game the most advanced title in the series. The exciting and competitive Oni Mode, which first appeared in DDRMAX Dance Dance Revolution, returns in DDR Extreme as a full-fledged game mode. Aimed at the expert dancers, this non-stop challenge mode only allows players to make a maximum of four mistakes in a row during the entire course of a game. Also new is the never-before-seen Mission Mode which involves completing specific dancing challenges that can be played by a single player, or as an intense two-player dance battle.

Popular features from past tiles will also be included in DDR Extreme, such as the ever-popular Work Out mode, where players track how many calories they have burned during their session, and Edit Mode where gamers can create and customize dance steps for any of the songs. With the use of the memory card, players can also easily swap new dance routines, infinitely expanding their Dance Dance Revolution experience!

DDR Extreme will ship in Fall 2004. A playable version of the game will be on display at Konami's booth during E3 2004.

SWAT_OP-R8R
Portal-Administrator

The Discovery Channel's Xtreme Martial Arts (XMA) documentary has adopted a technique mainly used in the creation of games and big-budget movies and has produced a fascinating look at martial arts and the human body combining live-action fight sequences with physical and behavioral-based animation to illustrate the science of martial arts by highlighting moves normally impossible to analyze with the naked eye.

This combination of live-action footage, spectacular visuals, and biomechanically-sound animation may redefine the way we look at human motion and bring it to the screen, said Mickey Stern, executive producer of XMA for BASE Productions. The entertainment value is self-evident; the value for scientific study and learning is unlimited. Martial artists push their bodies to super-human levels, and only with NVIDIA Quadro graphics could we have measured and illustrated it down to the bone and tissue level.

Each martial artist in XMA stepped into Nexus Digital Studios laser scanner for the 3D body scan necessary to create a life-like virtual model of a human being. With scan data comprising hundreds of thousands of polygons, the NVIDIA Quadro FX 3000 created a 3D image of each performer in real time. Next, biomechanically accurate, animated skeletons were scaled to fit the body size of the performers according to their scans. As the artists fought, Motional Analysis Studios (MAS) used digitizing cameras to capture the subtlety and precision of their acrobatic and often deadly moves. MAS used this behavioral data and NVIDIA Quadro FX 3000 graphics to bring the 3D body scans to life by imposing natural movement onto the digitized characters.

The key technology behind the groundbreaking animation in XMA was the NVIDIA Quadro FX 3000, said Domi Piturro, studio director at Nexus Digital Studios. This professional graphics board easily transformed huge datasets generated by full body and facial scans into photo realistic 3D images with a level of precision that ensured high-quality results. Because of great people and the precision and performance of NVIDIA Quadro FX 3000 graphics, viewers will have a look inside martial arts and human body in ways never seen before.

To blend live action and animated sequences in real time, the studios combined scanned human characters with streaming motion capture data and mapped those moving, 3D characters onto 35mm digitized film. In one portion of the documentary, for instance, a martial artist jabs the end of a weapon into the torso of another. The resultant jolt to bones is shown to viewers through an animated x-ray technique mapped to the torso of the live action martial artist. This created the illusion that animated bones and tissue were those of the live performer.

With its ability to draw more than a hundred million triangles a second, only NVIDIA graphics had the horsepower necessary to transform the body scan, motion capture, and muscle sensor data generated while making XMA into the stunning animation that defines it, said Scott Gagain, vice president of project development at Motion Analysis Studios. With the NVIDIA Quadro FX 3000, we had more than enough 'oomph' to get the job done. That makes a big difference in a production environment.

SWAT_OP-R8R
Portal-Administrator

ATI have confirmed that they have signed Creative Labs, the most recognizable brand name in entertainment hardware distribution, and have made an important step in catching-up with NVidia, as far as sales are concerned. After signing on Asus earlier this year and Visiontek in 2002, ATI needed that big push to move their RADEON brand into the mainstream spotlight, once and for all. There is no better partner to do that for a company than Creative Labs, who offer a reliable and instantly recognizable market name for any hardware manufacturer.

Creative Asia were already distributing ATI boards in their region but details of a European deal had not yet been finalized. Creative Labs Europe will provide ATI with an established and trusted partner in the region with proven experience in the retail channel through its dedicated sales, marketing and merchandising force.

Peter Edinger, Vice President, ATI Technologies Europe, commented, We are delighted to have formed this strategic relationship with Creative Labs Europe. The combination of Creatives impressive retail market strength across Europe together with ATIs strong technology and product portfolio will provide the ideal platform in further helping to increase ATIs presence within the European retail channel and gamer community.

Jean-Marc Dupuis, Vice President Sales and Marketing with Creative Labs Europe, added, Our vast infrastructure and strong retail market knowledge in Europe will ensure that ATI products get the best visibility across the European retail market.

SWAT_OP-R8R
Portal-Administrator

The announcement of the development of the Phantom games console was one of the most debated stories of 2003, with industry experts describing it in a variety of ways. Some suggested the console was vaporware, or an elaborate hoax, while others praised the proposed economic model but doubted that the company could last long enough to see profitability.

The debate is about to reach its climax, as Infinium Labs, the console's creators, are about to demonstrate the Phantom Gaming Service and silence the voices of those who doubt its existence.

Infinium Labs announced today that its Phantom Gaming Service will be unveiled to the public January 8-11 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Were very excited to be showing the Phantom Gaming Service for the first time at North America's largest tradeshow, said Timothy M. Roberts, CEO of Infinium Labs. This show gives us the unique opportunity to present the Phantom firsthand to both consumers and industry insiders.

The Phantom Gaming Service will be a featured product at the Microsoft Windows Embedded Device Showcase exhibit in the Las Vegas Convention Center. Infinium Labs is licensed by Microsoft Licensing, GP to use Windows XP Embedded for operating system components of the Phantom Gaming Service.

The Phantom Gaming Service also will be featured in a hospitality suite on the 7th floor of an office building at 101 Convention Center Drive, just half a block from the Las Vegas Convention Center, and at a penthouse suite at the Palms Casino Hotel.

CES attendees can catch a glimpse of the Phantom at a special gaming session, SS2 NextGeneration Gaming Console, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 8, at the LVCC North Hall N254. Robert Shambro, Executive Vice President of Strategy and Co-founder of Infinium Labs, will be a panel participant.

The Phantom Game Service is a next-generation gaming system that supports games on-demand, game rentals, game demos, seamless upgrades and patch management. At launch, the Phantom will be the fastest, most powerful gaming system on the market and will include a broad selection of pre-loaded games, on-demand games and game rentals.

The Phantom Gaming Service is an always-on broadband device, which will allow gamers a wealth of options, from wireless connectivity to massive multiplayer capabilities, allowing gamers to demo games before purchasing or subscribing.

SWAT_OP-R8R
Portal-Administrator

Take Two Interactive, during their Q4 2003 and Fiscal 2003 report, gave a brief description of the titles they expect from their developers during 2004. We saw what Rockstar are up to earlier but Take Two also have Gathering and Global Star. So here is what we found out about their upcoming titles.

Gathering's lineup includes Vietcong: Fist Alpha, an add-on to the popular Vietcong, and Vietcong: Purple Haze which will include Vietcong and Fist Alpha together; Destruction Derby Arena on PlayStation 2, the next generation installment to the successful PlayStation franchise, Destruction Derby, complete with full online playability; a sequel to the popular Hidden & Dangerous franchise, and the introduction of several new properties from Gathering's distribution arrangement with Destineer Publishing. Titles planned for release under the Gathering label from TDK's portfolio include Robotech and Spy vs Spy.

Global Star is focusing on building strong, aggressively-priced game franchises primarily for the console systems, across various popular genres including racing, sports and action games. Global Star's lineup of original sports and racing titles includes Carve, a personal watercraft based racing game for the Xbox, with online racing capability on Xbox Live, as well as Motocross Mania 3, the latest in the top selling Motocross Mania franchise, and a new console release in the successful Virtual Pool franchise. Global Star is also extending the recently acquired Army Men franchise with Army Men: Sarge's War for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Additionally, Global Star will release sports and racing console products from TDK's portfolio including Corvette and the PlayStation 2 title UFC: Sudden Impact.

SWAT_OP-R8R
Portal-Administrator

Microsoft are ending the year much like the started it, facing an avalanche of lawsuits. A week ago Real Networks, creators of Real Player and the Real media format, started the new wave of assaults with a suit claiming that Microsoft was using its Windows operating system to, unfairly, promote its Media Player software. Microsoft refuted the claims made by Real Networks in a statement issued the next day, accusing the company of first taking advantage of Windows in order to become successful and then attacking the OS in order to avoid further competition.

The latest legal action against MS and probably the last for this year, is far more interesting and involves a game Microsoft are about to publish, Mythica.
Fairfax Virginia based, Mythic Entertainment, developer and publisher of the massively multiplayer online role-playing game Dark Age of Camelot, and many other online games, announced that it has filed a lawsuit against Microsoft Corporation for trademark infringement and unfair competition.

We have worked hard for eight years to earn our reputation for producing high quality online games, including games that compete successfully with those offered by the biggest corporations in the world, such as Microsoft, Mark Jacobs, president and CEO of Mythic
Entertainment, said. We cannot allow Microsoft to usurp our rights, confuse the public, and use the Mythic brand to gain an unfair competitive advantage.

The case, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, in Alexandria, alleges that Microsoft's forthcoming online game, Mythica, and pre-release publicity for such game, infringes Mythic's name and federally-registered trademark MYTHIC ENTERTAINMENT, and amounts to unfair competition in violation of federal and state law.
The complaint alleges that the term Mythica is so similar to Mythic's registered mark and name as to be likely to cause confusion, mistake or deception among consumers. Mythic is seeking a permanent injunction and economic remedies. Mythic Entertainment objected to Microsoft's use of Mythica previously, but Microsoft refused to stop using the name.

As you can probably understand no company wants to face Microsoft in court and Mythic Entertainment certainly tried to find some way but Microsoft refused to negotiate.

Microsoft's Mythica is described as a MMORPG which casts the player in the role of an immortal in the mythological world of the Norse gods. Strangely enough the name is not the only thing MS's game shares with Mythic Entertainment since their MMORPG, Dark Age of Camelot, is also centered around Norse Mythology.

The first impressions suggest that Mythic Entertainment do have some sort of case but it is obviously too soon to to judge since Microsoft are refusing to comment on the case at this time. Perhaps the best thing to come out of this story is the comment made by Mythic Entertainment's CEO Mr. Jacobs: We would expect Microsoft to react no differently if someone launched an operating system called Microsofta just as Microsoft did when confronted with an operating system called Lindows.

SWAT_OP-R8R
Portal-Administrator

During Gamer's Day, Konami unveiled plans for its fourth terrifying installment of the wildly popular Silent Hill series. Silent Hill 4: The Room for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox is set to once again strike terror into the hearts of gamers in Fall 2004.

Taking the series in a new direction, apprehension and fear immediately run high when the new main character, Henry Townshend, finds himself trapped in his own cursed apartment. Only by exploring mysterious portals leading to disturbing alternate worlds will Henry begin to uncover clues as to why he is trapped. However, in true Silent Hill fashion, mysterious new characters, horrendous creatures, and the undead will use any means necessary to impede his progress. A tense atmosphere and grotesque enemies will get the player's heart thumping as Silent Hill 4 promises to deliver a gameplay experience that fans and newcomers will never forget.

Using state of the art technology, the development team has effectively created bone-chilling effects to add to the game's creepy atmosphere. Players will be able to see changes in environments over time, as the alternate world seeps into reality. In addition, Silent Hill 4 shifts between the first and third-person perspective, which is a first for the series. Beautifully detailed environments, a haunting soundtrack and the game's trademark psychological horror complete Silent Hill 4's overall fear factor as players travel between the room and their worst nightmare.

SWAT_OP-R8R
Portal-Administrator

During Gamer's Day, Konami unveiled plans for its fourth terrifying installment of the wildly popular Silent Hill series. Silent Hill 4: The Room for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox is set to once again strike terror into the hearts of gamers in Fall 2004.

Taking the series in a new direction, apprehension and fear immediately run high when the new main character, Henry Townshend, finds himself trapped in his own cursed apartment. Only by exploring mysterious portals leading to disturbing alternate worlds will Henry begin to uncover clues as to why he is trapped. However, in true Silent Hill fashion, mysterious new characters, horrendous creatures, and the undead will use any means necessary to impede his progress. A tense atmosphere and grotesque enemies will get the player's heart thumping as Silent Hill 4 promises to deliver a gameplay experience that fans and newcomers will never forget.

Using state of the art technology, the development team has effectively created bone-chilling effects to add to the game's creepy atmosphere. Players will be able to see changes in environments over time, as the alternate world seeps into reality. In addition, Silent Hill 4 shifts between the first and third-person perspective, which is a first for the series. Beautifully detailed environments, a haunting soundtrack and the game's trademark psychological horror complete Silent Hill 4's overall fear factor as players travel between the room and their worst nightmare.

SWAT_OP-R8R
Portal-Administrator

Atari held an exclusive preview event in downtown San Francisco, CA for a hands-on demo of DRIV3R - an action-packed driving adventure video game with more than 60 playable vehicles, and three large, wide-open city environments: Miami, Nice and Istanbul. In addition, Atari screened a sneak peek of the rough-cut of Run The Gauntlet - a three-minute live-action short film inspired by DRIV3R and written and directed by Ridley Scott Associates' (RSA) Sean Mullens - as well as the behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film.

In attendance were Driver franchise developer Martin Edmondson of Atari's Reflections Interactive; actors Michael Madsen and Michelle Rodriguez who lend their voices to the game's main characters; and Ridley Scott Associates writer and director Sean Mullens.

The first vignette promoting the first 1-minute episode of "Run The Gauntlet" was posted on the Driv3r web site yesterday and the second vignette will be posted on January 19, building to the exclusive release of Episode I on the site on January 23, 2004.

Developed by Reflections Interactive (an Atari studio), DRIV3R is slated for release in March 2004 for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and the Xbox) video game system from Microsoft.

SWAT_OP-R8R
Portal-Administrator

Atari held an exclusive preview event in downtown San Francisco, CA for a hands-on demo of DRIV3R - an action-packed driving adventure video game with more than 60 playable vehicles, and three large, wide-open city environments: Miami, Nice and Istanbul. In addition, Atari screened a sneak peek of the rough-cut of Run The Gauntlet - a three-minute live-action short film inspired by DRIV3R and written and directed by Ridley Scott Associates' (RSA) Sean Mullens - as well as the behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film.

In attendance were Driver franchise developer Martin Edmondson of Atari's Reflections Interactive; actors Michael Madsen and Michelle Rodriguez who lend their voices to the game's main characters; and Ridley Scott Associates writer and director Sean Mullens.

The first vignette promoting the first 1-minute episode of "Run The Gauntlet" was posted on the Driv3r web site yesterday and the second vignette will be posted on January 19, building to the exclusive release of Episode I on the site on January 23, 2004.

Developed by Reflections Interactive (an Atari studio), DRIV3R is slated for release in March 2004 for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and the Xbox) video game system from Microsoft.

SWAT_OP-R8R
Portal-Administrator

Atheros Communications, a developer of advanced, multimode wireless LAN technology, announced that its 802.11g wireless-system-on-a-chip (WiSOC) chipset is featured in the new Xbox Wireless Adapter (MN-740) from Microsoft. The chipset enables users to connect to any 802.11g or 802.11b Wi-Fi network and play games wirelessly via the Xbox Live service, the world's largest all-broadband console gaming service. Atheros worked closely with Microsoft's Xbox and Broadband Networking Groups to develop the wireless LAN adapter. Xbox Wireless Adapter began shipping in the U.S. and Canada this month at an estimated U.S. retail price of USD 139.

With this new adapter, Xbox will deliver both high-performance wireless gaming and an easy-to-use, seamless user experience, said Craig Barratt, president and chief executive officer of Atheros. Atheros' wireless LAN technology is ideally suited for high-bandwidth, consumer applications like gaming, and we will continue to help partners like Microsoft develop multimedia products with advanced wireless capabilities.

Supporting the 802.11g Wi-Fi standard, Xbox Wireless Adapter allows gamers to experience data rate transfer speeds up to 54 Mbps, which is five times faster than an 802.11b Wi-Fi network. The higher performance provides a significant increase in throughput, which results in a better user playing experience, including higher quality multiplayer and head-to-head gaming, live chats and other bandwidth-intensive applications.

Atheros' high performance and standards-based wireless LAN technologies made its chipset a preferred solution for Microsoft, said Todd Greenberg, product manager for Broadband Networking at Microsoft Corp. This first-of-its-kind wireless adapter for Xbox gaming will make it much more convenient to experience Xbox Live from any Xbox-connected television in the home, without the need to use messy cables or drill holes in the walls.

The Xbox Wireless Adapter uses Atheros' 802.11g WiSOC chipset, which supports 802.11b and 802.11g networks in the 2.4-GHz band. Atheros chipsets support the latest wireless security standards such as Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and draft 802.11i Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) without reducing performance. They also include draft 802.11e Quality of Service enhancements for multimedia and voice chat applications.

SWAT_OP-R8R
Portal-Administrator

Microsoft announced that it has entered into a semiconductor technology agreement with IBM Corp. Under the agreement, Microsoft has licensed leading-edge semiconductor processor technology from IBM for use in future Xbox products and services to be announced at a later date.

Microsoft is already developing the software and services that will drive the Digital Decade, said Robbie Bach, senior vice president of the Home & Entertainment Division at Microsoft. By combining our vision, software experience and R&D resources with IBM's computer and semiconductor technologies, we plan to deliver unprecedented and unparalleled entertainment experiences to consumers while creating new engines of growth for the technology and entertainment industries.

According to Bernie Meyerson, IBM Fellow and chief technologist for IBM's Technology Group, the new Xbox technologies will be based on the latest in IBM's family of state-of-the-art processors.

IBM's advanced chip technologies are in demand across a wide range of industries and applications, Meyerson said. We're excited to be working on a project of this magnitude and that Microsoft has chosen IBM to provide technologies that will power future consumer devices and expand the boundaries of what's possible in entertainment.

Intel supplied the chip for Microsoft's current XBox console and had landed the deal after a long and bitter fight with rivals, AMD. Considering that Intel considers Microsoft as its systems design partner, there must be a few surprised faces at the company's HQ in Santa Clara today.
Although Intel and AMD seem to have gained control of the PC market, IBM has a growing clientele and is the power behind the Apple computers and Nintendo's GameCube. With a new plant in New York the IBM seems to be going from strength to strength and the sheer magnitude of this deal is guaranteed to further strengthen their processor business.

According to current MS roadmaps, the next XBox will be announced in January 2004 and should be available by late fall of the same year.

SWAT_OP-R8R
Portal-Administrator

Just as the noise from the H-L 2 beta release and of the methods used to procure it are dying down, a new early version has come to shock game developers.
Just before 2004 stumbled in, a Pre-Alpha version of STALKER surfaced on various P2P networks. Unlike the Half-Life 2 pre-release, this one, it is rumoured, is very playable and only needs some basic messing around with configuration files in order to work.

We were sent a screenshot from this release which does seem to be in full working order. It is certain that this build (1096) does not carry the full feature set of the game and that it definitely lacks the graphics and audio refinement which will grace the release version of STALKER.

It is however, important to mention that most who have contacted us, claim that the Pre-Alpha plays extremely well, with high frame rates and excellent quality on a wide range of, even the most basic, systems.

If the hype wasn't enough, this leak may prove an excellent PR weapon for the game's creators since it seems to be carrying out the job of a good demo. Let's hope the finished product will be just as good.

SWAT_OP-R8R
Portal-Administrator

Yves Guillemot, head of Ubisoft, has mentioned that a new type of AI, called Ambient AI, will be used in the next installment of Splinter Cell.
In an interview to BBC News online, Mr Guillemot, outlined his company's vision for the future of gaming. As part of that interview he pointed out that Ubisoft are focusing their attention to the differences between gamers in order to recognize the needs of specific groups of people that play video games.

The company is working on Ambient AI, a technology that will allow the game to watch what a player does and adjusts the game and its plot to their specific skill level.
We should be able to improve the game for particular kinds of people. It is about making sure you can understand the reactions of the players to give them the things that will really work for them. It is about AI reacting to your abilities. If you cannot do something after 20 tries it makes sure you still progress, says Guillemot.

According to Ubisoft's boss, Splinter Cell : Pandora Tomorrow will feature a version of this AI, making the game much more accessible to a wide variety of players, from the casual gamer to the hardcore enthusiast.
Ambient AI will also carry the added advantage of creating an atmosphere which will make players feel at the heart of the action. With this new system, in-game events no longer have to be strictly scripted so an explosion for example could be held back until the player is in the right position to witness it directly.

Consumers are getting a little bit tired and they want things to be different to when they were six, seven or 10 years old, added Mr Guillemot.

SWAT_OP-R8R
Portal-Administrator

It started with the promise of an online Utopia, a virtual land of kindness and friendship, a place where human morality and values, free from the constraints of economic and social necessities, would rise through proving once and for all that we are, collectively, good.

Instead, the world of The Sims Online is now facing a nightmare scenario, crime, underage prostitution and organized crime are running rampant, Alphaville, is now open for business.

Alphaville is the equivalent of a Metropolis in the world of The Sims Online. You get to choose your appearance, your home and job but it seems that no one can escape the realities of the Real world. The promise of a Utopia was an obvious marketing trick by the game's developers and publisher's and anyone with a basic understanding of computer games and Psychology could have immediately told you that gamers would eventually use the world to vent off all the frustration, disappointment and anger they have garnered from the Real world.

It is not however, that anyone expected a perfect world to be created by the Online version of The Sims, after all, however technologically advanced, a game is still, pretty much, just that, it cannot offer the player the joy or happiness their character may feel, so eventually the novelty wears off. It is the extent of the corruption in Alphaville which is turning it from a game to a social experiment.

Peter Ludlow, a philosophy professor at the University of Michigan was a Sims Online player for a long time and created the Alphaville Herald, a newspaper which aimed to chronicle life in the game and to follow the creation of political, economic and social structures within it. Instead the Herald now features interviews with Alphaville's child prostitutes, sadomasochists, members of Sims Organized Crime and members of its shadow government. The latest headline in the paper, reads: Interview with anonymous on Alphaville's bondage, discipline and sadomasochism community.

When Professor Ludlow reported the shady goings-on to the game's creators he received a cold silence and saw his accounts disappear. He now hosts his newspaper himself and is determined to impose some controls over Alphaville's downward spiral. Considering the severe nature of some of the events happening in virtual world of The Sims Online and the fact that underage gamers may be exposed to some of those, it is understandable that some form of regulation has to be implemented.

SWAT_OP-R8R
Portal-Administrator

The music industry has had a rough week as it faced setbacks on two fronts. Courts in Europe and the U.S. have thrown out attempts by the recording industry to impose restrictions on file sharing software and to track individual users by obtaining information from ISP's.

The Dutch Supreme Court on Friday rejected an attempt by the music copyright agency to put controls on Kazaa. Buma Stemra, the Dutch royalties collection society, demanded that Kazaa distribution cease and that future versions be modified so that copyrighted materials cannot be exchanged over the network.
The victory by Kazaa creates an important precedent for the legality of peer-to-peer software, both in the European Union as elsewhere, Kazaa's lawyers Bird & Bird said in a statement.
The agency pursuing the demand stated, Today's ruling on Kazaa by the Dutch Supreme Court is a flawed judgment, but still leaves no doubt that the vast majority of people who are using file-swapping services like Kazaa are acting illegally -- whatever country they are in. Although this loss is a setback for the recording industry, there is little doubt that they will seek other ways of pursuing Kazaa, the worrying fact about this decision however, is how, if at all, it may influence a similar case which the recording industry is pursuing in the U.S. against Sharman Networks, Kazaa's new, Australian owners.

The case in the U.S. was more of a surprise since it saw the Appeals Court overturn a ruling which allowed the Recording Industry to obtain user information from ISP's prior to filing a lawsuit. The court went as far as to claim that the industry's legal basis for inundating Internet providers with thousands of subpoenas borders upon the silly. This ruling was another chapter in the saga of the case of Verizon Vs RIAA.

Verizon can not remove or disable one user's access to infringing material resident on another user's computer because Verizon does not control the content on its subscribers' computers, Chief Judge Douglas Ginsburg wrote.

The Recording Industry Association of America began filing lawsuits against individual users this fall, and so far has reached more than 220 out-of-court settlements, usually for USD 5,000 or less.
Many experts suggest that although the, so called, John Doe lawsuits are an expensive and difficult procedure, the RIAA will have to research evidence much more thoroughly, helping it avoid public relations fiascos such as the pursuit of a 12 year old girl for possession of copyrighted nursery rhymes.

Overall a bad week for the RIAA but if we know one thing about them is that they love the courts and especially their lawyers, so expect to hear from them soon.

SWAT_OP-R8R
Portal-Administrator

It appears that the race for the graphics crown is on again for the two main rivals. nVidia's NV40 and ATI's R420, their latest project-wonders, are about to be unleashed upon the gaming world and the task facing each company is simple, be the first.

The latest news suggests that the NV40 taped out in late December, consider the average 4 months needed from that stage to actual shelf presence and we could have new nVidia boards by April 2004. It will however, be a race for nVidia to secure boards to display for this year's CeBit exhibition, a task made even more urgent by ATI's almost certain presence in Hannover, Germany.

It is also obvious that the exhibitions will serve as springboards which nVidia and ATI will use to promote their new chips. The physical presence of a board however, will convince everyone, including market traders, that the companies will meet their target shipping dates.

Although it does seem that the pressure is on both companies, we have to remember that the ball lies, squarely, in nVidia's court since ATI are currently the leaders in graphics performance, in gamer conscience at least. If both chips prove to be similar in performance, as experts seem to suggest, then ATI may get the time they need to narrow the gap from nVidia even further.

SWAT_OP-R8R
Portal-Administrator

APEX Digital is scheduled to announce a new PC gaming platform at CES in Las Vegas this week. The current name of the product is the ApeXtreme Console and the fact that it will be announced at an event primarily sponsored by VIA Technologies is no coincidence. Apparently the console will be based on the CN400, VIA's newest chipset. The chipset is expected to produce a major improvement over the CLE chipset by allowing for an AGP chip.

If you are wondering where you have seen the shape of the console before it will help if we let you know that the design/base unit was provided by Digital Interactive Systems, makers of the DISCover system.

Richard Brown, Associate Vice President of Marketing for VIA Technologies has indicated that the console will be available in two versions, one with an integrated Unichrome graphics core (MSRP USD 299) and one with the DeltaChrome graphics chip (MSRP USD 399) from S3 Graphics, another VIA associated product.

Nadeem Mohammad, Product Marketing Manager for S3 stated, S3Graphics is excited to partner with Apex Digital by providing our latest DeltaChrome graphics processor as part of the core technology of the ApeXtreme Console. We feel that the ApeXtreme Console is an outstanding platform for current and next generation PC-based games without the constraints of proprietary licensing.

The CES web site description of the console also offers some insight into its functionality:

ApeXtreme is an electronic game console that plays games designed to be played on a personal computer. Its Windows architecture means that the ApeXtreme is not platform-dependent like other consoles.

The fact that this console will also be based on Windows indicates that it will have broader goals compared to the XBOX and PS2. The Windows XP operating system will be embedded, and optimized for quick boot times for instant-on capability. The unit will target the following tasks:

- Gaming (up to and including Dx9 titles)
- DVD Playback (Integrated Mpeg 2 decoder and six channel audio)
- MP3 Playback
- Image Viewing

- 1.4 Ghz C3 processor
- 20 GB Hard drive
- 256 MB RAM
- DeltaChrome or UniChrome based graphics chip

Anticipated connectivity options are as follows:

- USB 2 ports
- DVI / S-Video output
- Ethernet / Modem
- SPDIF

SWAT_OP-R8R
Portal-Administrator

Sony Computer Entertainment vice president, Saeki Masatsuka, interviewed by the Japanese press has cast doubt over the November global 2004 launch of the PSP. Mr. Masatsuka said that the launch will be pushed back to mid-December 2004 for Japan.
This announcement must be an embarassment to the new Sony Europe President, Chris Deering, who was eager to claim the company's first global launch in November of this year.

The interview also produced some interesting facts about the launch title lineup for the PSP as the SCE VC claimed that most prominent Japanese developers will have something available for the fledgling handheld. SCE's own titles will be accompanied by games from Capcom, Koei, Konami and Namco. Most of the launch games are expected to surface at this year's E3 in some form or other.

SEGA is another name which will support the PSP and although plans will be announced this fall, it is certain that some SEGA games will be available on launch. Square Enix, the Japanese gaming giant, will also support Sony's new platform and will almost certainly port its major assets to the PSP. Whether Square Enix has any plans for original PSP content is something we will find out during this year's Tokyo Games Show.

Although no one will mention a price for the system, remember the memory issue which may still be unresolved, rumours, originating from Japan, suggest a USD 350-400 tag.

The fact thet Mr. Masatsuka did not mention anything about a launch outside of Japan, may suggest that the global launch plans will not be realised with PSP following the traditional route of a Japanese launch preceeding any U.S. or European appearance. If that is the case, Chris Deering may have a bone to pick with Sony HQ.

SWAT_OP-R8R
Portal-Administrator