"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."

"Whiplash is set in a high-tech product testing facility of a greedy mega-corporation where questionable experiments are conducted on animals. This chaotic adventure stars two animal fugitives, Spanx and Redmond, but with two very different personalities. As a result of extensive electric-shock testing, Spanx is a loose cannon with a crazy streak. Redmond is a smart-aleck rabbit who has been the subject of some embarrassing cosmetics testing. Both characters are trying to escape the lab. There's one problem however - they're chained together!"

Red Dead Revolver Screens
Posted by @ 1:28 p.m. NZDT

Here's 3 new screenshot (platform unspecified) of the upcoming western action title, Red Dead Revolver (Rockstar San Diego/Rockstar Games) for Xbox and PS2.

"Read Dead Revolver is a blazing third person gun slinging action game, fueled by a revenge driven storyline punctuated with humor. The arcade style gameplay blends seamlessly with the elements of the Wild West era. Full motion capture cutscenes fuel the cinematic ambition of the game.

You will learn the ways of the untamed frontier as a bounty hunter, in your quest for justice. Red's arsenal includes a variety of weapons including pistols, rifles, shotguns, and dynamite. During levels Red can carry one side arm, one long arm, and one thrown weapon. In total there will be around 30 different weapons.

The Wild West is realized with a wide variety of environments. Dusty towns, windswept prairies, rugged saloons - all of the elements that one would expect to see in a classic Western movie respectfully integrated into the game. There is a stunning attention to lighting in Red Dead Revolver. Rays of sunlight stream in through windows, candles and torches correctly light interiors, and the sunsets are breathtaking."

Sony Goes For Olympic Gold
Posted by @ 1:23 p.m. NZDT

Sony has acquired exclusive rights to develop a PS2 game based on the 2004 Olympics Games in Athens. Developed by Eurocom, Athens 2004: The Official Videogame of the Olympic Games will be released this July (at least in the US), one month before the opening of the games in August. The will be 4-player support, via multitap.

"Developed by Eurocom in close cooperation with ISM and the Organising Committee of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games to ensure the authenticity of the game, Athens 2004^TM will capture the excitement and realism of the 2004 Olympic Games on PlayStation 2. The game features seven venues - the Olympic Stadium for Athletics, the Markopoulo Olympic Shooting Centre, the Olympic Aquatic Centre, the Nikaia Olympic Weightlifting Hall, the Olympic Indoor Hall for Gymnastics, the Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre and the historic Panathinaiko Stadium for Archery - which have been recreated in the game using accurate architectural plans and photography to ensure an exact replication of the real-life environments. The game's advanced motion-capture technique delivers unprecedented control and flexibility allowing for more complex and realistic movement, guaranteeing an accurate and immersive experience for players.

Athens 2004 , The Official Videogame of the Olympic Games, celebrates the diversity of the Olympic Games by delivering a wide variety of Olympic sports. Aquatics includes the Swimming discipline featuring 100m Backstroke, 100m Breaststroke, 100m Butterfly and 100m Freestyle events. Athletics includes Track and Field areas (including High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump, Discus Throw, Hammer Throw, Javelin Throw, Pole Vault, Shot Put, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 100m Hurdles and 110m Hurdles events), as well as the Combined area (including Decathlon and Heptathlon).

Gymnastics features the Artistic discipline including Floor Exercise, Rings and Vault events. Additional sports include Archery (Individual 70m event); Equestrian (Individual Mixed event for Jumping); Shooting (Skeet event); and Weightlifting (Clean & Jerk event)."

Danny Elfman Writes A Fable
Posted by @ 11:59 a.m. NZDT

Microsoft Game Studios recently announced that reknown composer Danny Elfman will contribute the main theme for the highly-anticipated upcoming Xbox exclusive RPG, Fable (Developed by Big Blue Box, and executive produced by Peter Molyneux, of Bullfrog fame). The theme will be recorded in Dolby Digital 5.1, and performed by a hand-picked orchestra of Elfman's choice.

Danny Elfman is an infamous Hollywood composer, best known for his collaborations with film director Tim Burton, composing The Simpsons main theme, and for the work by his former rock band Oingo Boingo. Elfman has been nominated for Oscars, Emmys, and Grammys on multiple occasions for his work across many forms of media, this will be his first outing into videogame music.

"FABLE is a ground-breaking role-playing adventure game from Peter Molyneux, in which your every action determines your skills, appearance, and reputation. Create your life story from childhood to death. Grow from an inexperienced adolescent into the most powerful being in the world. Choose the path of righteousness or dedicate your life to evil. Muscles expand with each feat of strength; force of will increases with each work of wit. Obesity follows gluttony, skin tans with exposure to sunlight and bleaches bone-white by moonlight. Earn scars in battle and lines of experience with age. Each person you aid, each flower you crush, each creature you slay, will change this world forever. Fable: Who will you be?"

GPstore News has drawn the winner of our Final Fantasy X-2 pre-order promotion ¡ª the lucky winner of a fancy FFX-2 Visual Arts Collection book is Jamie M. of New Plymouth. Congratulations, Jamie!

GPstore News updates all the latest details on release dates for games, DVDs, hardware and more.

Yesterday - Counter-Strike: Condition Zero release dated as 25th March.

Jungle Storm Has Gone Gold
Posted by @ 1:50 p.m. NZDT

Ubisoft today is proud to announce that Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Jungle Storm for PlayStation 2 has gone into the final stages of pressing.

The first-ever Ghost Recon online playable & using voice recognition technology will be available in two versions on March 12, 2004 :

A Standard Edition, including the game fully translated, including all the best furniture of the Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon.

A Limited Edition including Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Jungle Storm and a high quality headset. This headset will allow the player to give vocal orders to his AI teammates in single player, & chat with his friends during online gameplay.

Get ready to lead online the Ghost on your PlayStation 2! Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Jungle Storm provides you with the most complete multiplayer experience through on-line or split-screen, up to 11 modes, including adversarial or coop modes.

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Jungle Storm also brings the latest technologies of the voice command to the PlayStation 2. Lead your Ghosts in 16 missions across jungle areas, colonial villages and mysterious caves with the sound of your voice. Playing has never been so intuitive since you apply your strategy by giving voice orders during the battle. You will never experience the intensity of the front lines side-by-side with your battlefield brothers as speaking with them during the online game!

Here are 5 new screenshots from the game.

BAFTA Games Awards Announced
Posted by M @ 12:49 p.m. NZDT

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City won five prestigious BAFTAs at this year's inaugural BAFTA Games Awards, winning in the categories PS2, Design, Action, Sound and PC. It also won the Sunday Times Readers Award ?the only Award presented at the ceremony that is voted for by members of the public. The ceremony hosted by Bill Bailey was held at the Radisson Portman Hotel and attended by 350 guests from the Games industry.

Two games each won two Awards. Eye Toy: Play took home BAFTAs in the categories Children's and Technical Achievement, Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising won in the categories Gameboy Advance and Strategy.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic won the BAFTA for Xbox, Metroid Prime won in the category GameCube and Tony Hawk's won the Award for Mobile.

Battlefield 1942 won in the category Multiplayer, FIFA 2004 took the BAFTA for Sports, Project Gotham Racing 2 won the award for Racing, SoulCalibur II won in the category Animation/Intro, Adventure was won by Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Music was won by Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Call of Duty won the sought after Game on Any Platform ?The Year's Best Game.

A special award, one of the most prestigious awards bestowed by the British Academy, was awarded to Chris Deering, President of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, for his outstanding contribution to the games industry.

New Super Mario Bros. Completion Record
Posted by M @ 12:23 p.m. NZDT

Rankings and game stats site Twin Galaxies has announced a new world record for Super Mario Brothers on NES.

In the annals of gaming history, few titles have dominated the homegame landscape as has the NES edition of Super Mario Bros. Throughout the years, players worldwide have expended unlimited energy to be the first person on their block to finish the game and win acclaim from Nintendo Arena itself.

Now, many years later, the game has renetered the public limelight as players are striving to be the "fastest" SMB player in the world. The growing competition got hotter this week as the Super Mario Bros. world record transcended a new threshold, reaching the barely-attainable time of 5 minute and 17 seconds. In years of score gathering from among their platform users, Nintendo's best score was 5 minute and 20 seconds.

Said the referee who called the record after watching a video of the record completion: "...the times of course do not tell the entire story to Scott's success. A lot of trial and tribulation must have been undertaken to master every jump and situation in the path to completion. In truth, when executed properly and via identical means, the game is indeed a pattern in that the enemies will behave the same way based on your proximity, speed and approach, so finding the perfect combination of all three factors, and adjusting so that the flagpoles are not touched when the score ends in a (1, 3 or 6), is what every player hopes for.

"The path that Scott took is well known and extremely difficult to execute. Nintendo did an excellent job with respect to the controls for Mario¡­the character can be made to do whatever the player wishes. Your only drawback at times might be momentum, such as when the hidden vine is opened in stage (4-2) and you need to come to a quick halt and jump up to the next block to reach it. The same goes for diving into the warp areas. But a master player like Scott is well beyond these minor concerns. The real challenge lies in stage (8-3) and (8-4) where things get tough."

Read more.

Jagged Alliance 2 to Include Source Code
Posted by M @ 12:05 p.m. NZDT

Due to the overwhelming response for Jagged Alliance 2: Wildfire, to be released next month, publisher Strategy First has decided to include the source code for JA2 in the Wildfire box.

"The decision was based on the incredible fan support that Wildfire has generated," says Don McFatridge, President of Strategy First. "We want to keep the Jagged Alliance community active so releasing the source code that allows the modding community to alter the JA experience to their liking was an obvious decision."

Jagged Alliance 2: Wildfire will include the original title Jagged Alliance 2 when it releases in March. For more information, visit www.strategyfirst.com.

Features:

• Improvements to all structures within the game to closer match real-life facilities.
• Added tall grass, bushes, stones, and trees to sections of the map which were barren, which allows for better coverage for units and changes combat tactics.
• All military facilities have increased their defensive capabilities.
• Added mine fields, fences, watchtowers, perimeter lighting and alarms.
• All weapons have been rebalanced to better reflect real-life weapon characteristics.
• New weapons: USP Uzi UMP MP5A3 Mini-30 HK33 G36 MP7 MSG90 AN-94 RPK V-94 VAL VSS
• All existing weapons' graphics and sounds have been replaced
• The importance of sub-quests has been increased and now plays a major role in the game's overall flow.
• The Mafia has taken on a new role and is now part of the Arulcan order.
• The number of enemies has increased and they are a lot smarter and more ruthless this time around.

Sony has confirmed it will not fulfil its promise of a simultaneous global release of the PlayStation Portable this Christmas.

The next-generation handheld's release will instead follow the traditional pattern, debuting in Japan at the end of 2004 ahead of a North American release in the next calendar year.

Sony says the PSP will launch in North America in a year or so from now.

"We have received an overwhelming amount of support from the software development community with regard to PSP. In order to ensure that the launch timeframe is well supported, we want to allow developers and publishers sufficient time to optimize content for our new portable entertainment platform," the company said in a statement today.

The extra time may also prompt Sony into addressing design shortcomings of its prototype, unveiled last year. Although it is highly unlikely the PSP will remain in that form, concerns the D-pad design and protecting the TFT from scratching indicate Sony may have rushed its announcement of the would-be Game Boy competitor.

Master and Goblin Commander
Posted by @ 12:18 p.m. NZDT

Here are 8 new PS2-specific screenshots of Jaleco's upcoming title Goblin Commander: Unleash The Horde.

Enjoy!

From GPstore News:

Codemasters has released a playable demo for Colin McRae Rally 04, which is due to release for PC in early April. You can grab the 152MB demo, which lets you race a Citroen Xsara over three rally stages, from Gameplanet Downloads.

Nvidia to Use 11-Micron Process
Posted by M @ 8:20 p.m. NZDT

Nvidia has announced it will use an 11-micron process courtesy of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing for its latest GPUs, offering a new level of performance including lower power consumption.

The previous standard for chip makers was 13 microns.

Blitzkrieg 2 - Latest Screens
Posted by M @ 8:20 p.m. NZDT

The German language version of the official website for Blitzkrieg has the latest screenshots of the Burning Horizon expansion, due out soon.

Free Radical Screens - Second Sight
Posted by M @ 8:20 p.m. NZDT

UK developer Free Radical Design, of TimeSplitters fame and consisting of former GoldenEye 007 development staff at Rareware, has released the first screens of its latest console shooter, Second Sight, due later this year on all formats.

Free Radical recently shifted publishers after breaking with Eidos and has signed up with Electronic Arts. TimeSplitters 3 is not due out till in 2005.

Check out the full range of screenshots here at the official site.

Three Sony Exclusives Return for Christmas
Posted by M @ 8:18 p.m. NZDT

Sony has announced Jak 3 (Naughty Dog), Ratchet & Clank 3 (Insomniac), and Sly Racoon 2 (Sucker Punch). A tentative date of Q3 2004 has been given for all three titles in the US.

TeamTalk Goes 4-Player
Posted by M @ 8:17 p.m. NZDT

Following our recent coverage of Datel's TeamTalk package, you can now get up to four Xbox headsets Live on one console. Datel has also upped the TeamTalk package content from two to three headsets.

Simply connect the included Voicent adapter to your existing Xbox Live hardware, then connect up to four headsets (three included) to the VoiceNet adapter, and you can have the whole room talking, strategising, and trash talking like a team, says Datel.

Key Features:

• Now up to four players can communicate on a single Xbox Live account
• Games like MechAssault, Midnight Club 2, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Star Wars: Clone Wars, Unreal Championship, and many others allow up to four players on one Xbox - but only one player can use the headset - until now
• Talk, listen and strategise like a real team. Only one Xbox Live account is required - TeamTalk supplies the rest: 3 extra headsets, plus TeamTalk Voicenet Adapter.
• All four players can hear and be heard online, and the Voicenet Adapter allows all the players on your Xbox to hear each other on a local voice channel.

Latest Release Update
Posted by M @ 8:16 p.m. NZDT

Check out GPstore News for the latest release information in games, DVDs, hardware and more.

Yesterday - Pirates of the Carribean (PC, Xbox) re-releasing, Silent Storm (PC) delayed.

Two days ago we reported on Sony's PS2 videophone technology - now Datel has announced MAXim, which lets PS2 owners with a high-speed Internet connection chat in real-time with PS2 gamers all over the world.

MAXim has hundreds of different 'channels' covering different topics which can be running at any one time, and you can even create your own chat channel.

You can create a buddy list to keep track of your friends online, send private messages, and use smilies and chat commands. You can enter your chat via the on-screen keyboard or use a compatible USB keyboard.

Powered by Codejunkies.com, MAXim includes fully-featured discussion forums allowing you to create and reply to discussion topics at your leisure. Choose your own avatar and join in the fun - unlike text or voice messages via your mobile phone, each message in MAXim costs nothing to send.

For more information on MAXim, visit www.codejunkies.com.

MAXim is moderated by full-time staff, and the company keeps logged records of all dialogue.

Crash and Spyro Together
Posted by M @ 10:12 a.m. NZDT

Vivendi Universal Games has announced the next installments in the best-selling Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon videogame franchises will allow the two renowned characters tol meet up in each other's respective adventures.

Crash Bandicoot Fusion and Spyro: Fusion also allow gamers to can also link up with as many as three friends for numerous multi-player modes, including Party Games, Wager Games and Card Trading. Players can compete and win in mini-games found throughout the environments of each side-scrolling adventure, which reward with trading cards - a new feature for both franchises. Connecting both titles gives gamers the option of unlocking special content and allows them to trade and/or wager the cards with their friends.

"We're extremely excited about putting a compelling new spin on these two immensely popular franchises by joining them together in such a creative way," said Michael Pole, SVP, Worldwide Development, VU Games. "Both titles are completely immersive stand-alone games that maximize the current technology of GBA linking - delivering the deepest Crash and Spyro GBA experiences yet."

In Crash Bandicoot: Fusion and Spyro: Fusion, Dr. Neo Cortex (Crash's nemesis) and Ripto (Spyro's nemesis) have accidentally met up through underground portals and are set on taking over the entire universe. In an attempt to share resources and expand their territories, Cortex and Ripto are using portals to flood their two worlds with their evil minions. Crash and Spyro must team up with each other to discover the identity of the new menace and save the universe from this evil plot.

The Crash Bandicoot franchise made its debut in 1996 and has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. The Spyro the Dragon franchise premiered in 1998 and has sold more than 12 million units worldwide.

The two titles in the US will be named Crash Bandicoot Purple: Ripto's Rampage and Spyro Orange: The Cortex Conspirancy.

Acclaim Feels Pinch
Posted by M @ 10:12 a.m. NZDT

Gamers aren't the only ones mourning the Burnout franchise's recent move from Acclaim to Electronic Arts.

Accliam has taken significant measures in taking out a second mortgage on its headquarters and appointing a new managing director: Dominique Cor, formerly International Senior VP for Vivendi Universal as it struggles financially.

While Acclaim has had a number of substandard SEGA conversions as well as some outstanding releases in its time, the allure of top publishers is putting the struggle for survival on small publishers as well as the traditional victims, developers.

Critereon's Burnout franchise will lose both Xbox Live and GameCube support under Electronic Arts, although it is possible a GameCube version of Burnout 3, due later this year, will be developed for overseas markets.

More Product News
Posted by M @ 10:10 a.m. NZDT

Check out www.gpstore.co.nz/news for all your product release information in games, DVDs, hardware and more.

Yesterday - Lion King (DVD) ready for delivery.

We had some new pics from Ubisoft last week with a promise of more in a few days. Truth is, we were a little worried about that smoke not blowing everywhere, but besides that these look gorgeous.

Far Cry is just a month away now, and is already planned for conversion into a film for release next year, care of Uwe Boll who is also doing Fear Factor amongst others.

The software on show at the Japanese conference was still at the experimental stage and it's not clear at present whether Sony ultimately intends to make it commercially available or whether it was little more than a one-off tech demo.

Gran Turismo Q4
Posted by M @ 2:53 a.m. NZDT

A PAL version of Gran Turismo 4 may not be completed for another year.

Sony has announced it expects GT4 to be released in North America before Christmas, citing the northern Autumn as the latest scheduled release date. Prior to the latest announcement, GT4 has been variously scheduled for release between the middle of last year and mid 2004.

The delays follow the pattern that has characterised previous games in the series.

Developer Polyphony Digital released GT4 Prologue as a saleable demo after failing to make the full game available before Christmas 2003.

The latest delay may lead to the local release of GT4 Prologue. Although Prologue is currently only produced for Japan and China, PAL territories may receive the game as happened with the five-track Gran Turismo Concept update in 2002.

GT Concept was never released in North America.

Sidhe Interactive Does PSP
Posted by @ 2:23 a.m. NZDT

Wellington-based developer responsible for Stacey Jones Ruby League, Sidhe Interactive have received funding to develop for Sony's upcoming handheld system PlayStation Portable. Full press release below:

"Game development studio Sidhe Interactive announced today it has secured a government research grant from Technology New Zealand to assist in developing for upcoming handheld gaming device, the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP).

Tyrone McAuley, Technical Director at Sidhe, commented, "The Technology NZ funding complements our own significant investment, allowing us to accelerate our research programme for this exciting new platform".

Industry analysts are predicting a strong debut for the PlayStation Portable gaming platform, which Sony themselves are promoting as "the Walkman of the 21st Century".

"Tech NZ been proud to support Sidhe Interactive as a strong technology innovator", said Richard Hall, Investment Manager at Technology NZ. "We see great potential in the videogame sector as part of New Zealand's strengthening creative digital industry."

The Sony PlayStation Portable is expected for worldwide release by Sony Computer Entertainment in late 2004."

Gangland Demo Released
Posted by M @ 2:22 a.m. NZDT

As reported by GPStore News:

MediaMonsters have released a demo of their upcoming RTS/RPG mafia-styled game Gangland. Gangland will allow players to bribe, steal, set up extortion rackets, kill, bootleg, seduce, blow up buildings, put out contracts, get married and have children, build speak-easies, ally with international connections and much more. Sounds fun doesn't it?

The demo weighs in at only 123mb and is available locally on our Gameplanet Downloads server.

Hitman: Contracts Screens + Boxart
Posted by @ 2:13 a.m. NZDT

7 screenshots from the upcoming IO Entertainment/Edios game, Hitman: Contracts.

"Hitman: Contracts explores the dark psychology of killing for a living and promises to be the most disturbing episode in the series. The game delivers more action-packed and suspense-filled missions with a greater variety of ways to make the perfect kill. An increased arsenal of firearms, close combat weapons and new 'take-down' moves will be at your disposal allowing you to perform a wide range of brutal 'hits'. Developed by Io Interactive, Hitman: Contracts will be available for PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC in April 2004."

BBC's Spooks: the Game
Posted by @ 2:11 a.m. NZDT

BBC Multimedia, BBC Worldwide's software publishing business, is set to take the BAFTA-award winning drama Spooks to PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC.

It's the first time a BBC drama has been developed into a computer game. The multi-format title, developed by BBC Multimedia's in-house studio, Gamezlab, will be launched in Autumn 2004, and feature all the main characters from the TV series.

With a script by TV show writer Steve Bailie, Spooks will see games players control the main MI5 agents from the series in a quest to thwart an international criminal conspiracy; action will take place in a range of locations in the UK and abroad; and the game will task the player with completing a variety of Spook-like operations - from surveillance to code-breaking, stealthy tailing of suspects and the dramatic cracking of criminal cells.

The game launch will coincide with Spooks' third television series, due to air in the autumn on BBC ONE.

TV drama Spooks is a Kudos production for BBC ONE. The third series is produced by Andrew Woodhead and the executive producers are Jane Featherstone and Simon Crawford Collins for Kudos and Gareth Neame, Head of Drama Commissioning for the BBC. Spooks was created by David Wolstencroft. Also writing for the series are Simon Mirren, Matthew Graham, Steve Bailie, Ben Richards and Howard Brenton.

As well as receiving a best drama BAFTA, Spooks has been aired to critical acclaim in the US. The A&E Network broadcast the first two series (renamed MI-5), and is set to run series three.

Dave Lee, BBC Worldwide's Director of Multimedia, said: "The rich and engaging world of Spooks makes ideal material for a game. Added to this, the support and contribution of the show's production team will help the development of a truly involving title that I expect to appeal to fans of the series as well as the wider computer gaming community."

Stephen Garrett, Joint MD, Kudos Film & Television Ltd, said: "As a TV producer it's thrilling to find an internationally successful show like Spooks starting to develop a life of its own. With its potential for stealth and complex problem solving, Spooks seems a natural for the world of computer gaming, a world that until now television drama propositions have not really been able to inhabit."

Star Wars: Republic Commando Screens
Posted by @ 2:10 a.m. NZDT

13 screenshots from LucasArts' upcoming squad-based FPS, Star Wars: Republic Commando. Coming Q3 2004.

Expect a unique fantasy RPG adventure with an in-depth storyline and plenty of battles, a vast range of quests, and a story filled game. The game features an epic story-line with over 30 main missions and 200 sub-quests and random quests.

New Course for Links
Posted by M @ 12:31 p.m. NZDT

Microsoft today announced today the arrival of new downloadable content for Links 2004 on Xbox. The price in Europe is €4.99.

The par 73, 7,263-yard Plantation Course at Kapalua in Hawaii, is the opening event on the professional tour. Each January the course hosts an elite field of the previous year's winners.

The grand scale of the course designed by Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore unfurls across natural geographic formations and pineapple plantation fields that take your breath away.

The addition of Kapalua brings the total number of courses in Links 2004 to ten. Links 2004 also features real international courses like St Andrews, Loch Lomond, Grey Wolf, Four Seasons Resort Aviara and New South Wales.

GPstore has all the latest updates in product releases in games, DVDs, hardware and more, updated daily.

Just Flight
Posted by M @ 7:21 p.m. NZDT

Following on from this week's Gameplanet review of the Godzone Flight Simulator 2004 mod, Just Flight has just announced its own terrain mod that uses space shuttle data to bring true topographic relief to Flight Simulator 2002/2004.

The four CD set covers virtually all of Europe as well as USA (including Alaska and Hawaii), bringing up to 16x more detail to the default world.

FS Terrain is due out in March.

The default scenery in Flight Simulator looks gorgeous but because its reference points across the Earth's surface are a whopping 1.22km apart in most places, the topography is only an approximation of real life. Many mountains and valleys are simply lost and even lowland areas don't look as they should.

Just Flight have brought much needed relief for flight simmers to this problem in the shape of FS Terrain, which uses Space Shuttle radar data to dramatically increase the default surface detail by up to 16 times with reference points between 76 and 38 metres apart!

Featureless areas are transformed; mountains soar and valleys plunge. You can really see the difference!

As Just Flight's senior product manager, Alex Ford, comments, "After the success of the VFR Photographic Scenery, we had users clamouring for a similar package that would provide the same type of enhancement for the world's terrain. The default simulator scenery can look rather softened and unrealistic compared to real life due to the large distances between sampling points. This means that often you just don't get to see the mountains and hills as they should.

"While there has been a couple of previous attempts to improve things in this aspect by other publishers, we've invested time and effort to bring the best quality data in the most useable form for users."

Not only does FS Terrain provide 2.4 Gb of new terrain data, but users can switch between four levels of detail to best match the performance of their computer in individual areas and selectively install relevant areas. This way you can obtain the best compromise between visual quality and performance.

"The four-CD set covers practically all of Europe and the USA and offers terrific value for those looking to upgrade their Flight Simulator experience."

FS Terrain provides data for the main area of Europe from the west of Ireland to the border areas of Russia. The data extends from North 34 to as far North as the 60th parallel and fully covers 33 countries and partially covers four more. It also includes coverage for all of the continental US, Hawaii and Alaska.

Countries fully covered:

Albania Austria Belgium Bosnia Bulgaria Crete Croatia Czech Republic Denmark Eire Estonia France (including Corsica) Germany Greece Herzegovina Hungary Italy (including Sicily and Sardinia) Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Malta Montenegro Netherlands Portugal Poland Romania Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Switzerland Spain (including the Balearic Islands) United Kingdom United States of America

Additional countries partially covered:

Belarus Norway Sweden Ukraine

Just Flight publishes a wide range of digital aviation products. Its range spans over 50 titles, including standalone flight simulation games, add-ons for the multi-million selling Microsoft Flight Simulator and Combat Flight series and even books, videos and DVDs.

Full details of the company's range of titles can be found at www.justflight.com.

Chance to Blitz Blitzkrieg Developers
Posted by M @ 7:21 p.m. NZDT

The CDV Burning Horzon website will host a chat with the Blitzkrieg: Burning Horizon developers on Monday 23rd February 5.00 pm UK time on the German forum.

Here is a link to the site: http://www.cdv-board.de/deutsch/forumdisplay.php?forumid=8.

The chat will be hosted in German, but questions in English can be posted and a summary of the questions and answers in English will be available on the CDV UK Press Extranet a few days after.

Too Close to the Bone?
Posted by M @ 7:21 p.m. NZDT

The imminent release of the adventure horror title Midnight Nowhere seems to have caused quite a stir outside of the games media.

Midnight Nowhere, which promises an atmospheric world of horror, suspense, fiendish puzzles, gruesome murders and a dash of necrophilia, is being featured far beyond the usual gaming websites and magazines.

Coverage and galleries have appeared on a variety of horror and gore websites such as www.creature-corner.com, www.horror.org, www.reallyscary.com and a gallery of images from the game have even appeared on the fetish scene website. www.londonfetishscene.com. Two of the UK's leading fetish clubs have even requested permission to use images from the game in their clubs and literature.

There is also keen interest in the game from a number of horror publications that usually ignore computer games but have been inspired by the twisted content of the game ?including Bite Me and the Darkside.

Jim Scott, managing directo of publisher Oxygen, said "We expected that the subject matter and images in the game would generate an amount of interest from gaming sites and magazines, but what we hadn't expected was the way that horror fans and even the fetish community have picked up on it. It looks like the buzz on this has gone far beyond the usual gaming audience".

In response to the unexpected interest in Midnight Nowhere, Oxygen is increasing the launch marketing spend in order to fund advertising and additional activities in the horror press and have also increased their day one sales expectations.

Too Close 2
Posted by M @ 7:21 p.m. NZDT

Eidos has today announced ShellShock: Nam '67. ShellShock: Nam '67 depicts the true horrors of the Vietnam War for the first time in a video game. The game is being developed by Guerrilla and will be available for PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC in June.

ShellShock: Nam '67 focuses on one man's experience of one of the most controversial wars of modern times. You take on the role of a rookie soldier on his first tour of duty as he experiences the fear, chaos and atrocities of the Vietnam War. From the napalm bombardments of civilian villages and the gruesome VC (Viet Cong) boobytraps, to the permanent threat of invisible foes and deadly ambushes, Shellshock: Nam '67 dares to go where no other war game has gone.

Powered by Guerrilla's ground-breaking technology, ShellShock: Nam '67 delivers a graphically harrowing depiction of the terror of combat. You must fight your way through a variety of missions ranging from large scale battlefield encounters with the North Vietnamese Army to stealth-based missions such as assassinating a VC General. As you progress from a 'grunt' to Special Forces carrying out classified missions, you will have to rely on the same skills and tactics employed in the battlefields of Vietnam in order to survive. Your tour will take you from the lush wetlands of the South to the mountain borders of the North featuring diverse locations including dense jungles, rural Vietnamese villages and claustrophobic tunnel systems.

Hermen Hulst, managing director of Guerrilla, says: "With ShellShock: Nam '67, we are aiming to deliver a game that really provides as authentic a war experience as possible. Through extensive research on all topics, but also by not shying away from the more controversial aspects of war, we are looking to provide gamers with the closest thing to actually being there."

Mike McGarvey, CEO of Eidos, says: "Guerrilla is an extremely talented developer with brilliant technology and a clear understanding of what makes a great game. We've got high expectations for ShellShock: Nam '67 as it offers a unique take on what is a very successful genre."

Website: www.shellshockgame.com

Storm Warning for Xbox Live
Posted by M @ 7:20 p.m. NZDT

If the floods and gales ripping through the country are forcing you indoors, just wait till the Tsunami hits.

Tsunami is Microsoft's name for a set of enhancements to Xbox Live, according to media reports out this week. Expect the following enhancements to the Live experience by year's end:

• Improved Team dynamics, including enhanced intra-team messaging and challenges to rival clans both within the Xbox Live dashboard and on the Web via MSN messenger.
• Team customization features, which will allow gamers will to create and share team mottos and emblems, as well as statistics, rosters, history, maps, and other content.
• New custom-competition option that will let gamers build new types of contests and matches for titles that are created and administered by the publisher and/or the users.

MTV Music Generator 3 for XBox and PS2
Posted by M @ 7:20 p.m. NZDT

Codemasters announced today the development of MTV Music Generator 3, the latest generation in the popular music creation and remixing game series. Giving console owners the chance to make the music track of their dreams with ease, the title is scheduled for release in June on PlayStation 2 and for the first time ever on Xbox.

MTV Music Generator 3: this is the Remix allows players to create and sample original music tracks as well as remix some of the hottest songs from today's biggest hip-hop and electronica artists.

In addition to these artists, for the first time players have infinite capabilities to bring their favourite artists together by combining samples from their own music collection in a unique remixed track. With technology of this magnitude, everyone's favourite feuding rappers, squabbling pop icons and artists of multiple genres have an opportunity to unite in a whole new entertainment medium.

"MTV Music Generator 3 is the easiest and simplest music creation product available and for the first time will provide players with the opportunity to create and mix samples from their very own CD collection, as well as popular artists already included," said Tony Calandra, Director, Interactive Products, MTV. "A recipient of the Sony Innovation Award, this series has been a huge success and we look forward to continuing our partnership with Codemasters."

Says David Solari, Head of Product Marketing at Codemasters: "It's the most successful brand in music creation for video game consoles and MTV Music Generator 3, which is more intuitive and powerful than ever before, will regenerate the series.

"To be working once again with MTV and to have secured such renowned international artists and tracks makes for a highly exciting package to continue the series' reputation of being the first choice for any console owner who wants to make and mix music."

The MTV Music Generator series has sold more than 1.2 million units worldwide. The game makes original music compilation and detailed remixing simple with an intuitive system capable of delivering a finished track with quality sound results. With creation functionality in a fully-featured Studio Mode, including an editing bay of riffs, beats, bass lines and vocals, aspiring DJs, producers and music aficionados alike can easily assemble material in a matter of minutes.

Players can also achieve instant effects in songs with simple game controller combinations, including manipulation during track play. In a short amount of time, a standard Hip-Hop, House, Trance, Garage, Dance Hall or Drum 'n' Bass track can achieve personalized flair with immediate ambient, radio, vocal or instrumental additions.

MTV and Codemasters launched The MTV Music Generator series in October 1999 for the PlayStation. For more information on MTV Music Generator 3, visit www.codemasters.co.uk/mtvmg3.

Free Dark Age of Camelot Expansion
Posted by M @ 7:19 p.m. NZDT

Mythic Entertainment, developer and publisher of the award-winning massively multiplayer online role-playing game Dark Age of Camelot, today announced Dark Age of Camelot: New Frontiers, a free downloadable expansion that reinvents the game's unique 'realm vs. realm' combat system, where player characters from the game's three different realms engage in life and death struggles across numerous battlegrounds, keeps and through the expansive frontier areas.

The realm vs. realm system was recognised upon the game's original release by players and reviewers alike as one of the many features which truly distinguished Dark Age from other MMORPGs. New Frontiers will make battles more accessible to players, deepen the tactical possibilities and diversity of warfare styles, and establish a concrete rewards system for realm vs. realm combat. Mythic plans to make New Frontiers available from next month.

Mythic is working closing with the Dark Age of Camelot community in the development of New Frontiers through open beta testing and frequent communication of design philosophy, goals, specific features, and implementation to its members, inviting their comments and feedback. Mythic will continue to release detailed information on the New Frontiers website, www.camelotherald.com/newfrontiers/, to ensure that fans can provide input on the design and testing process.

"The Dark Age of Camelot community has been anticipating a revamped RvR system for a long time, and we're proud to offer New Frontiers," said Matt Firor, Executive Producer at Mythic Entertainment. "There will be no secrets in the design and testing process of New Frontiers. Dark Age of Camelot players know the game best, and we look forward to updating the game's RvR systems with their input."

GPstore carries the latest release news in games, DVDs, hardware and more, updated daily.

Savage Competition
Posted by M @ 10:41 a.m. NZDT

Britsoft publisher Digital Jesters is launching a competition to find the hottest new game-making talent, with a unique 'mod'-making contest held in conjunction with Nvidia and PC Format.

With games such as Counter Strike originally emerging from such game-altering modifications, this is a very real chance for would-be programmers to take existing technology and morph it into a game of their choosing. The competition centres around the new release Savage: The Battle for Newerth, which itself is an evolutionary game, uniquely marrying the first-person-shooter genre with the resource management and hierarchy of a real-time strategy game. There's €2000 up for grabs for the winning individual or team, along with five Nvidia GeForce FX cards for the winner or winners.

Savage is a multiplayer-only game of brutal combat in which teams of up to 16 players battle against other factions. Each team comprises 15 warriors who battle from a first-person perspective and one commander who builds bases and weaponry and issues tactical advice to his side. It is this fusion of viewpoints that has created a fanatical US community, which has been enjoying Savage since its release there late last November. Indeed, the New York Times has described it as "the most innovative game of the year".

By way of inspiration, European gamers will be treated to an extra special bonus pack which contains a host of new maps and mods for Savage which illustrate the real diversity achievable through modifying the original game engine.

To enter the competition, players simply head to; http://www.savageeurope.com/index.php?page=modcomp.html, where the necessary tools are available for download. Additionally, hints and tips will be available in PC Format's new insert 'The Game Maker'. Further inspiration can be found on the Savage forums.

The winning mod will be chosen based on its originality, balancing and playability and all entries will be available for download from www.savageeurope.com. Full terms and conditions can also be found on the site.

Ratings Board Gets 1/5
Posted by M @ 10:40 a.m. NZDT

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), whose ratings we see on games sold here in New Zealand, isn't doing a good enough job according to Associated Press medical writer Lindsey Tanner.

Tanner reports on a Harvard study that shows the ESRB's stickers marked only 20% of games including sexual content, 17% with profanity, and 1% of games featuring the use of substances such as tobacco and alcohol.

The study was conducted by Kevin Haninger and Kimberly Thompson and sampled 81 rated games and 396 packaging labels.

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Beast Escapes With PC Halo Championship
Posted by M @ 10:40 a.m. NZDT

Briton Jonathon Finglass, a.k.a. BEAST, has been crowned the Halo for Windows Worldwide Champion after winning four of his five final matches. Stefan Dammers of the Netherlands came second, and Ju Yong Shin, Korea, came in third.

The trio take home an Alienware system packed with an AMD CPU and ATI graphics card.

Semifinalists were:

Sweden Anders Rudolfsson - Professor

Holland/Netherlands Stefan Dammers - forZe-FooKz

USA Noah Evans - Chummp

UK Jonathan Finglass - BEAST

Ireland Rick Sundberg - Melachi

Japan Teppei Terabe - SIGUMA

Denmark Jacob Grubbe Rasmussen - m¥m¤m_iCe-

Korea Ju Yong Shin - Bluemond

New GPUs from Nvidia
Posted by M @ 10:39 a.m. NZDT

Nvidia today unveiled the industry's first top-to-bottom family of PCI Express graphics processing units (GPUs), all designed to take full advantage of the additional bandwidth and features that this new I/O interconnection standard delivers.

By using an innovative PCI Express (PCX) high-speed interconnect (HSI), a complex piece of networking technology that performs seamless, bi-directional interconnect protocol conversion at incredible speed lines, Nvidia can transform its current award-winning GeForce FX series into a full family of PCI Express GPUs.

The new family includes:

GeForce PCX 5950?based on the DX9 GeForce architecture, this new GPU delivers extreme graphics power and performance for extreme gamers.

GeForce PCX 5750 ?designed for high-performance gaming with NVIDIA's full suite of cinematic effects and an unmatched feature set.

GeForce PCX 5300 –delivers state-of-the-art, best-in-class features and the reliability users have come to expect from NVIDIA, at an affordable price.

GeForce PCX 4300 ?provides entry-level pricing coupled with strong performance, unbeatable visual quality, and DVD playback.

"The PCI Express transition is going to be an exciting time for the PC industry," stated Jen-Hsun Huang, president and CEO at Nvidia. "By aligning ourselves closely with Intel and helping define this new specification, we were able to engineer an innovative protocol engine, in HSI, that delivers the full-PCI Express feature set without any compromises. HSI and PCI Express will enable a new level of performance for high bandwidth applications like graphics and networking."

In addition, last week in Taipei, Taiwan, Nvidia validated its family of GeForce PCX products with the industry's top motherboard, chipset, and BIOS vendors. Nvidia has already shipped more than 1,000 PCI Express boards to customers and partners.

"Nvidia is one of several key players in the PCI Express technology initiative, so it is fitting that they selected Intel's premier technology showcase to introduce their PCI Express product family," said Randy Wilhelm, vice president, desktop platforms group and general manager, client platform division at Intel Corporation. "By working closely with companies such as Nvidia, the industry is experiencing revolutionary new advancements in PC technology at a remarkable pace."

By qualifying a single unified device, Nvidia's partners can launch and be the first to validate, launch and market an entire family of PCI Express solutions. Products based on this new design are expected to become available in the second half of 2004 from the world's leading add-in card manufacturers including: Albatron Technology, Co. Ltd, AOpen, Anextek, ASUS Computer International, Chaintech, Gainward Co., Ltd., Gigabyte Technology, Co., Ltd., Leadtek Research, Inc., MSI, Palit Microsystems, Inc., Pine, XFX, a Division of Pine, Prolink Computer Inc., and Sparkle.

As a Gold Sponsor of the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) Spring 2004, Nvidia is showcasing the results of their collaborative engineering efforts with industry players, such as Intel. Nvidia and Intel processors form the foundation for many PCs, notebooks, workstations, gaming systems, media centers, and handheld devices being produced worldwide, and they are all on display at IDF.

Intel and companies like Nvidia enjoy a long-standing collaborative relationship with the common goal of driving progress in PC technology, including transitioning the PC industry to an advanced PC bus architecture, PCI Express. Since the graphics processing unit (GPU) has the largest bandwidth demand of all the PC subsystems, Nvidia has been a key contributor to the joint definition, development, and deployment of PCI Express solutions. Nvidia also serves as a member of PCI-SIG, the industry organisation that owns the PCI Express specification.

Zoo Tycoon 2 for Christmas
Posted by M @ 10:39 a.m. NZDT

Microsoft Game Studios today announced it will launch Zoo Tycoon 2, the long-awaited sequel to the award-winning Zoo Tycoon game for Windows from Blue Fang Games LLC next Christmas.

Zoo Tycoon 2 cranks up the excitement, challenge and fun of building the ultimate zoo, with 30 animals in incredible detail with more fun animations and a dazzling array of building tools and objects, including easier terrain-altering options, scenery, foliage, themed buildings, animal shelters and moats. Gameplay has been enhanced from that of the original title, with a new zoom feature and 3-D graphics that allow players to keep a closer eye on the action and craft more-creative zoos.

Easy to start and easy to play, "Zoo Tycoon 2" gets players up close and interacting with the animals and zoo, offering intuitive controls and fun tutorials that allow players of all ages to enjoy the game right out of the box. Players are immersed in the zoo experience with new features including the Zoo Guest mode, in which players can walk around and enjoy the game like visitors on a day at the zoo; Zoo Keeper mode, which allows players to interact with their animals as never before; and a new Photo Mode. Players can take pictures of their favorite animals and guests and share them online with friends. A Zoopedia, chock full of entertaining and interesting facts about animals, rounds out the new and improved features of the upcoming game.

Unlike the original "Zoo Tycoon," the new version allows players to participate in up to three challenging gameplay types: Campaign, Freeform and Sandbox.

"Zoo Tycoon has been a perennial top-10 game since its launch in 2001. Zoo Tycoon 2 raises the bar for all 'tycoon' and simulation games and is a truly revolutionary step for the franchise," said Adam Kovach, product manager at Microsoft Game Studios. "Players of all ages and at all skill levels can experience and enjoy a level of detail and immersiveness that just hasn't been available in simulated zoo games before."

Get Comfy with Microsoft
Posted by M @ 1:34 a.m. NZDT

The kind fellows at Microsoft have offered some free inflatable gaming couchs to Xbox.Geek forum members. In order to qualify for one of these couches, you must send in a current photo of your gaming set up. Click here for more details.

Microsoft is also sponsoring the inaugural GP Simulations screenshot competition with three games to give away. Check out the rules and current entries here.

Smash Court Tennis Sequel Announced
Posted by M @ 1:34 a.m. NZDT

Namco has announced Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament 2 for PlayStation 2, due this Winter in time for the second half of the international tennis season.

Namco's highly successful and, until the release of the first Pro Tournament on PS2 in 2001, realistic Smash Tennis series peaked with its Anna Kournikova-endorsed PlayStation version in 1999, one of the greatest tennis games ever.

Pro Tournament 2 follows other games in the genre in offering a custom player mode, mini-games, official events and a host of tennis stars including Serena Williams, Lleyton Hewitt and Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Will Pro Tournament 2 feature Kournikova again? Retirement didn't stop Pete Sampras' appearance in Top Spin on Xbox, which has our vote as the best tennis game available. Whether Pro Tournament 2 can regain its crown is something we'll be looking at in our upcoming review.

With Mario Tennis also due for its GameCube and GBA updates around the same time, the virtual tennis competition is going to be just as interesting as the Champions' Race.

Eye Toy Spots SingStars
Posted by M @ 1:33 a.m. NZDT

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has announced SingStar, a new title that invites players to step into the spotlight and exercise their vocal cords. Developed by Sony London, the studio responsible for EyeToy, SingStar offers an "engaging, social experience that encourages even the most reticent singer to unleash his inner rock star."

SingStar's technology analyses the player's vocal skills, based on their pitch, tone and timing as players sing into the USB microphone, and provides feedback based on how well or badly they are doing.

SingStar's expansive track list features a wide variety of well-known classics. Each track is the artist's original recording and SingStar also includes the original music video for many of the songs.

SingStar International Track List:

Liberty X - Just a Little, Mis-Teeq - Scandalous, The Darkness - I Believe in a Thing Called Love, A-Ha - Take on Me, Pink - Get the Party Started, Jamelia - Superstar, Motorhead - Ace of Spades, George Michael - Careless Whisper, Avril Lavigne - Complicated, Petula Clark - Downtown, Sophie Ellis Bexter - Murder on the Dancefloor, Daniel Bedingfield - If You're Not the One, Carl Douglas - Kung Fu Fighting, Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up, Westlife - World of Our Own, Ricky Martin - Livin La Vida Loca, Bill Withers - Ain't No Sunshine, Madonna - Like a Virgin, Roy Orbison Pretty Woman, S Club - Don't Stop Movin', Deee-Lite - Groove is in the Heart, Sugababes - Round Round, Elvis - Suspicious Minds, Busted - Crashed the Wedding, Village People - YMCA, Good Charlotte - Girls and Boys, Blondie - Heart of Glass, Dido - Thank You, Atomic Kitten - Eternal Flame, Blue - One Love.

SingStar features three gameplay modes that allow for between one and eight players to join in together. Sing Mode encourages players to simply pick up the mic and start singing, either alone or battling against a mate. Pass the Mic is the ultimate party game, encouraging duets and team competitions; and Star Maker allows budding stars to follow their dream from singing in the bedroom to performing in a sell-out concert for their adoring fans.

SingStar comes with two microphones that plug into PlayStation 2 via a USB adapter, offering an instant multi-play experience. In addition, the game is EyeToy compatible, allowing players to actually see themselves singing within the game. SingStar will be available this summer, exclusively on PlayStation 2.

Konami Throws in Bra
Posted by M @ 1:33 a.m. NZDT

Konami is full of exclamation marks over 'one of the most innovative titles to grace the PlayStation 2' in Karaoke Stage, due for release in May. However, this one looks more like a cross between SingStar and Space Channel 5.

We're not yet sure whether the former's list of hits features orginal artists.

Using proprietary voice recognition software, Karaoke Stage judges the user's pitch and rhythm as they sing along to a host of well-known tunes, ranking them as they sing.

"As a user-created on-screen alter ego dances on stage and sings to the crowd, the lyrics to each song and the length of each note are detailed at the bottom of the screen. As the player sings along, the game gauges his accuracy and closeness to the real song, rating him as anything from 'poor' to 'great.' The audience is also quick to offer an opinion of the player's performance, with the on-screen crowds drifting away if the player fails to impress or going wild in appreciation of a real star.

Konami offers the would-be star an extensive catalogue of tracks that spans rock, classic ballads, pop and R'n'B ?including karaoke stalwarts such as 'Wind Beneath my Wings' and 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun.' Also featured are modern-day hits from the likes of Avril Lavigne, REM and Barenaked Ladies, while PAL versions of the game will also boast a number of tracks not seen in the US release.

Karaoke Stage also features a 'Showtime' mode, which follows players' singing careers beginning in grimy clubs as they chase pop superstardom.

Konamis says Karaoke Stage "is certain to enjoy the same phenomenal success as... [its] ever-popular Dancing Stage series".

Ha ya
Posted by M @ 1:32 a.m. NZDT

Namco has a comedy trailer on its official site to accompany the release of I-Ninja.

We'll have a full review for you this Friday.

Massive Assault Patched Up
Posted by M @ 1:32 a.m. NZDT

Wargaming.Net has announced the patch v. 1.1.191 for Massive Assault: http://www.massiveassault.com/patch.php

The most crucial part of this patch is scoring system in singleplayer mode, which shows the player's rank increasing as he passes through world war missions, scenarios and campaigns. Moreover, the scoring system encourages players to develop their skills thus giving higher scores to those who completed the mission faster and with less casualties.

In addition, significant enchantments have been done to both the graphics engine and gameplay.

For the full list of improvements please visit: http://www.massiveassault.com/patch.php

More Product News
Posted by M @ 1:31 a.m. NZDT

See GPstore news for the latest release schedule update for games, DVDs, hardware and more. There's been a bunch of new DVD and game info over the last few days including an anime DVD update so check out the site, updated daily.

This week - Final Fantasy X-2 in the country, Mafia (PS2) this Friday, Vietcong Purple Haze this Friday, MX Unleashed slips, more.

Annually, the Academy's two signature events are the Interactive Achievement Awards, the industry's premier and most highly regarded award show, recognising outstanding achievement in interactive entertainment, and The DICE Summit, the only entertainment industry event dedicated exclusively to exploring the creative process, current trends and future of game design, development and marketing.

Nintendo DS Functions
Posted by M @ 7:11 a.m. NZDT

UK development industry hints indicate three interesting features will be part of Nintendo's Dual Screen handheld due to be unveiled in May.

Touch-screen functions, a camera and in-built GPS technology are all said to be part of the DS experience. Nintendo has refused to confirm the details.

The original Game Boy Camera proved a hot seller and Ban Dai's Tamagotchi 2 will feature GPS functionality to allow virtual pets to communicate with other units.

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Rise of Website
Posted by M @ 7:11 a.m. NZDT

Microsoft Game Studios today announced that the official site for the Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots expansion pack is now live, at http://www.microsoft.com/games/thronesandpatriots/. Visitors will screenshots, desktop wallpapers and descriptions of the campaigns, nations and governments included found in the expansion to the award-winning Rise of Nations.

A Thrones and Patriots Fan Site Kit (28 MB) is also available for download from the new site and includes in-game screenshots, logos, concept art and unit renders to help webmasters build their sites.

Developed by Brian Reynolds and Big Huge Games, Thrones and Patriots adds six new nations, a wide variety of new single player campaigns, more than 20 new units, new wonders and an innovative new Government feature. With the new Government feature, any nation, old or new, can choose exactly how to be governed, which has far-reaching effects on how units perform in various situations. All-new single player campaigns will allow gamers to control the course of history during historical events that changed the world. Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots is scheduled to ship in Q2.

The original Rise of Nations has won several major awards, including Game of the Year and Strategy Game of the Year.

Rise of Nations combines the epic scope of turn-based strategy games like Civilization with the fast-paced action of RTS games. In Rise of Nations, players build a city and then improve its infrastructure, create new cities and expand national borders. Gamers have the option to win through military might, using everything from slingshots and cannons to stealth bombers, or they can corner the market on key commodities as they wheel and deal with a wide variety of civilizations. Unlike other historical RTS games, Rise of Nations allows gamers to quickly play through history, from early civilization to the modern age.

Thief: Deadly Shadows Site Now Open
Posted by M @ 7:10 a.m. NZDT

The official Thief: Deadly Shadows website is now open at www.thiefgame.com.

The site features game information, downloads, artwork and brand new screenshots. Thief: Deadly Shadows is being developed by Ion Storm and will be available for Xbox and PC in Q2.

More Product News
Posted by M @ 7:09 a.m. NZDT

For the latest release news in games, DVDs, accessories and more, visit GPStore News, updated daily.

Their favourite time to play online was between midnight and 5am.

SEGA Gets Rebranded Championship Manager
Posted by M @ 6:53 a.m. NZDT

SEGA has signed up to distribute all content for five years from Sports Interactive, including the critically acclaimed Championship Manager series. The next version is planned for release in Q4, and has been rebranded Football Manager 2005.

Football Manager 2005 will see numerous advancements in technology and gameplay, including new tactics, pre- and post-match analysis and other features designed to immerse players further into the game.

SEGA has rights to distribute Sports Interactive's games across all relevant territories using its global publishing operation. As SEGA grows its portfolio of products to match games offerings to market-specific tastes, the partnership with Sports Interactive will also see the UK developer's games spreading to a broader market than before, with additional sports being considered for future management games.

Naoya Tsurumi, President and COO, SEGA Europe Ltd, commented, "SEGA Europe's relationship with SI is a significant partnership for both companies. SEGA is looking forward to growing its base of market-specific products outside Japan, and signing one of the most important developers in the UK underlines our strong commitment to this."

Ten Grand for New Logo
Posted by M @ 6:53 a.m. NZDT

Following on from its deal with SEGA, Sports Interactive is offering ten thousand pounds sterling to the winning design in its quest to find a new logo for Football Manager 2005, the latest game in the Championship Manager series which is due at the end of the year.

Sports Interactive is inviting those interested in taking part in this competition to supply a logo design in digital format. When all entries are in (the closing date is Thursday, April 8th), a short-list of 10 finalists will be decided. The 10 short-listed candidates will then be displayed on all of the participating websites, where they will be 'voted out' one-by-one until a winner is chosen.

SI offers potential entrants the following advice: "The logo must be confident, contemporary and stylish, while enforcing the game's 'grass roots' personality.

"Realism, authenticity and depth are key to Sports Interactive and its games. The winning logo will need to work as the name 'Football Manager' but must also operate on another level as an insignia/badge (with the initials 'FM'). Finally, consideration should be given to how the logo can be developed for new Football Manager titles via adaptation of design, colour, typography and so on."

Further details and full competition rules can be found on the Sports Interactive website, www.sigames.com.

Pandora Tomorrow for Smallest Box of All
Posted by M @ 6:53 a.m. NZDT

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow is due for release on Game Boy Advance at the end of March.

Following the story of the Xbox original and continuing its 2D side-scrolling design, the game includes 22 new objectives spread through nine new missions and environments, new NPC characters, and new moves.

Pandora Tomorrow utilises a new light and shadow system designed specifically for stealth gameplay. Your character Sam Fisher can now hide behind objects, shoot lights and use shadows to progress through his missions.

Features:

• New GBA multilayer management
• New Sam Fisher action moves including sneak, force coop, human shield, grab enemies, floor roll, the capability to hide in the shadows, behind objects and walls, etc.
• New improved enemy A.I.
• 14 minigames to use all around the mission objectives.
• 3 silent scope game modes: Camera shoot, Sniper, and Laser Mic.
• Night and thermal vision can now be used everywhere at anytime.

King Looks at Catwoman
Posted by M @ 6:53 a.m. NZDT

Publishing giant Electronic Arts has taken up the Catwoman license in conjunction with the new movie due out this year.

"The dynamic visuals of Catwoman in action present an opportunity for a uniquely styled videogame," said Paul Levitz, President & Publisher of DC Comics. "We look forward to seeing how the wizards at EA translate the visual excitement of the film into their medium."

Catwoman is being produced by the team responsible for the successful Harry Potter games.

Gamers will control Catwoman as they play the movie, utilising her unique catlike skills, senses and cunning to defeat her enemies. Boasting incredible acrobatic skills, Catwoman can leap across roofs, run up walls, pounce on prey, utilize inimitable "cat senses," and avoid enemy bullets with feline grace. In addition, she can use her whip to swing through the air, and utilize the fully interactive enviroments to trap or knock her foes unconcious. The game will take players through numerous levels set in seven different locations from the movie.

"Catwoman is a great complement to EA's portfolio... and we look forward to delivering a great game based on the film," said Bruce McMillan, EA Executive Vice President worldwide studios. "We're also happy to extend our relationship with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics."

"As we have enjoyed successful ventures with EA, we are looking forward to continuing the relationship with Catwoman," said Jason Hall, Senior Vice President, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. "The action, adventure, storyline, and characters in the film offer fertile ground for the development of compelling games."

Electronic Arts also now holds the Superman license, and has this week announced a publishing deal with Marvel Comics to produce new characters for its comics and to pit against Marvel characters in EA video games.

GBA Advances Faster
Posted by M @ 6:52 a.m. NZDT

Nintendo has announced the Game Boy Advance models have sold 20 million units in the US, making it the fastest-selling generation of Game Boy in its first two-and-a-half years on the market.

The original Game Boy and Game Boy Color sold 2.4 million and 14.3 million units in the same time period after their respective launches.

The US has been a Nintendo stronghold since the company revived the country's video game industry in the mid 1980s. The Nintendo 64 outsold the original PlayStation through most of its life in the US, while Nintendo says the GameCube, which sells at the same price as the GBA SP, was the highest selling console last Christmas.

Many commentators expect Nintendo to announce full details of its next console at E3 in May, something the company has traditionally reserved for its own event in Japan later in the year.

Latest Release News
Posted by M @ 6:52 a.m. NZDT

For the latest release news in games, DVDs, hardware and more, visit GPStore News.

Yesterday - Unreal Tounament 2004 demo and special offer, Microsoft PC game price drops.

Swain hopes to decide on the recommendation by May.

Pro Evolution Soccer Update Not Online
Posted by M @ 6:53 a.m. NZDT

The US update to Konami's peerless Pro Evolution Soccer 3 on PlayStation 2 does not feature online play.

Winning Eleven 7 International comes a year after Konami's first US version of the series, and features a number of small changes to the PAL Pro Evolution Soccer 3. PES 3 is itself an upgraded version of the Japanese Winning Eleven 7.

So far no version of the multi-format series has included online play. Although Konami is known to have a frosty relationship with Microsoft, omitting the feature for PlayStation 2 is a major bugbear for enthusiasts.

Electronic Arts, publisher of the Fifa soccer series, is also currently at odds with Microsoft and has omitted online play from the Xbox version of Fifa 2004 as well as all other games it publishes on the console.

As online console play and broadband penetration rates increase in Asia and PAL territories, it is hoped the next PAL Pro Evolution Soccer game will include the feature. Sony's online service is due to launch in New Zealand in March, a month ahead of Xbox Live.

Take-Two Rocks Cradle
Posted by M @ 6:53 a.m. NZDT

Take-Two Interactive, publisher of restricted games such as Grand Theft Auto from Rockstar Games, has announced a deal with the Cartoon Network to boost its penetration of the 6-11 year old market. Take-Two is the world's second-largest third-party publisher after Electronic Arts.

"We are extremely pleased to work with Cartoon Network and form such a significant relationship with an established and well respected children's entertainment enterprise," said Bill Gross, general manager of Take-Two Licensing. "Cartoon Network is an ideal partner for Take-Two and we appreciate their commitment to our strategy to expand our product offerings of children's interactive entertainment. This agreement further solidifies Take-Two's licensed product business."

Rockstar Games' latest release, Manhunt, has been banned in New Zealand.

Yesterday Electronic Arts announced a deal to use Marvel Comics characters in games and to develop characters for use in Marvel publications.

First Alpha Today
Posted by M @ 6:53 a.m. NZDT

Vietcong: First Alpha is due out today at GPStore. First Alpha is the long-awaited expansion pack for the highly rated Vietnam-based shooter, Vietcong.

For the latest product release news in games, DVDs, hardware and more, see GPStore News, updated daily.

Nvidia is using the sponsorship to promote its 'the way it's meant to be played' programme, through which publishers and developers work with Nvidia products during development to ensure stability and improved performance in computer games. There are currently around 200 games produced through the programme.

Infinium Adds Officers, Offices
Posted by M @ 6:11 a.m. NZDT

Start-up console maker Infinum Labs has announced it is opening offices in Seattle and Los Angeles in the next few months to assist bring the Phantom Gaming Service to market. While the press release follows the website in being strangely naive of gaming jargon and terminology, Infinium's new president, former Xbox man Kevin Bachus, also announced the addition of three more senior staff with a gaming background.

Rich Skoba will become executive vice president of sales and business development, Ty Graham vice president of product development and Dan Platko vice president of operations.

Infinium plans to release its PC-based Phantom console with online content distribution some time this year. Though the company had previously announced a release on the eve of April Fool's Day.

The company is funded by a venture capital firm and has recently been listed on the stock market, though officials have criticised its methods of financial disclosure.

Ninja Gaiden Bonus, More News
Posted by M @ 6:11 a.m. NZDT

The much-anticipated Ninja Gaiden on Xbox will also feature the Super Nintendo Ninja Gaiden Trilogy, according to reports from the developers.

For more product release news, see today's GPStore News.

Yesterday - Battlefield: Vietnam comes forward, Victoria: Empire Under the Sun arrives, Trainz 2004 arrives, Disciples II games arrive.

See PS2 Geek for more information and pictures.

More Product News
Posted by M @ 7:13 a.m. NZDT

For more product news check out GPStore News, updated daily.

Yesterday - Silent Hill 3 PC cancelled, Balder's Gate: Dark Alliance II PS2 delayed, more.

"It's a unique opportunity, partnering with Marvel to bring their renowned super heroes into original video game environments, as well as providing us an opportunity to create new heroes that will live in games, comic books and other licensing or media opportunities that Marvel presents," said John Riccitiello, President and COO for Electronic Arts. "Fans of both traditional Marvel comics as well as video games have a lot to be excited about as they will be able to fight it out between established Marvel Super Heroes and EA's new heroes in original scenarios."

Victoria - Empire Under the Sun Details
Posted by M @ 5:54 p.m. NZDT

Here are some details of the intriguing Victoria - Empire Under the Sun, due this Wednesday on PC.

Developed by the creators of the award-winning Hearts of Iron and Europa Universalis I and II, Paradox Entertaiment, Victoria challenges players to achieve global supremacy during the 19th Century.

From 1837 to 1901, Queen Victoria's reign was one of the longest of any English Monarch and witnessed an evolution in English politics and expansion of the British Empire. Through industrial and military might she grew the Empire to almost double the size encompassing Canada, Australia, India and various locales in Africa and the South Pacific. Facing challenges both domestic and foreign, Victoria's reign restored dignity and popularity to the British crown and may have saved the monarchy from abolition.

Victoria focuses on six different aspects of governing a nation. These are interconnected to provide in-depth, yet easily manageable game play. Players direct their nation in the fields of Diplomacy, Warfare, Economy & Industrialization, Colonization, Technological Research and Politics.

The ultimate goal is to become one of the eight great powers of the era. This is accomplished by achieving global supremacy, by spanning the globe to become the dominant empire of the period. Victoria is about recreating world history according to the player's wishes. While the game strives to simulate the conditions and prerequisites of the time period as close as possible, it leaves all the decision-making to the player.

Features:

• Take sides in the American Civil War, crush the Zulus, or force open the Dardanelles in the Crimean War
• Send explorers to map out the inner parts of Africa and the Americas, and bring home prestige to your Empire
• Simulation of the Industrialization of the World, with a full economic system.
• Political system simulating the change from absolute monarchism to the parliamentarian democracy of the modern world
• Let ironclads rule the seas while you develop gatling guns and repeater rifles for your land troops
• Full scenario editor and complete Multiplayer support

System requirements:

Windows?98/ ME /2000 /XP Pentium III 450 MHz (recommend 800MHz) 128 Mb RAM (recommend 256 Mb RAM) 600 Mb Free Hard Drive Space 4Mb Video Card DirectX Compatible (recommend 8Mb) DirectX Compatible Sound Card DirectX 9.0 or higher (included on the CD)

Mech Assault 2 this Winter
Posted by M @ 5:53 p.m. NZDT

Microsoft Game Studios has announced that MechAssault 2 is currently in development and is scheduled for the middle of the year.

MechAssault 2 is being developed by Day 1 Studios, creators of the best-selling Xbox original, and promises some exciting changes.

No longer limited to life within a single BattleMech, gamers take on the role of a fully-fledged human pilot and are able to pick and choose from a roster of combat vehicles including Tanks, Vertical TakeOff and Landing crafts (VTOLs), BattleArmor, and, of course, BattleMechs. The right vehicle choice is key to successfully completing the wide variety of missions in the game and defeating the opposition. Solo gamers will find the single-player campaign significantly richer with a deeper story line, NPC interaction, and missions delivered on the fly.

BattleArmor, a new addition, will play a key role in the action. BattleArmor allows gamers to become one of the deadliest weapons in the MechAssault 2 universe. More than just a protective shell, BattleArmor gives the wearer the ability to hijack enemy 'Mechs, climb buildings, tear through infantry squads, and unleash pure devastation on enemy armor. BattleArmor-equipped gamers can even hitch a ride on VTOLs for a quick airborne assault on enemy positions.

Xbox Live battles will rage between teams armed to the teeth with 'Mechs, Tanks, BattleArmor, and VTOLs. Squads of BattleArmor are dropped by VTOLs into enemy territory, leaving chaos and destruction in their wake as they 'jack enemy 'Mechs and turn defensive systems against their own clan. Xbox Live will give MechAssault 2 players the opportunity to wage war between clans and across planets while still offering popular gameplay modes from the original.

Far Cry Getting Close
Posted by M @ 5:51 p.m. NZDT

With the disappointing delay of Full Spectum Warrior, it's good to know Far Cry's plans are still on track for next month, police raid or not.

There's a new website address, www.farcry-thegame.com, to keep players informed and up-to-date on the game with demo material, screenshots, descriptions and more.

More Product News
Posted by M @ 5:50 p.m. NZDT

For more news in games, DVDs, hardware and accessories, check out today's GPStore News update.

Mario Golf Coming Back to Game Boy
Posted by M @ 5:03 p.m. NZDT

Mario Golf is set to return as expected to GBA this Winter. The Game Boy Color version was never released in NZ, despite outstanding gameplay and an intriguing tour mode that surpassed the equivalents in Mario Tennis. Mario Golf on N64 was only released in this country after continued pressure from Gameplanet staff.

PlayStation 2 Gets the Blues
Posted by M @ 4:42 p.m. NZDT

Sony has announced it plans to release a limited edition aqua PlayStation 2 in all PAL territories next month. It appears the existing blue stands, controllers and memory cards will match the console and DualShock 2 it comes with.

The choice of colour was not intended to reflect slowing PS2 sales: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe says 'aqua' is the perfect choice for the northern Spring.

GPStore News has the latest updates in games, DVDs, accessories and more, updated daily.

EverQuest Upgrading to New Engine, DX9
Posted by M @ 7:48 p.m. NZDT

Sony is planning to upgrade to a brand new engine for its online game EverQuest in Q2.

The upgrade includes using DirectX 9, which a number of players may not be able to use with their current graphics cards. Sony has teamed up with NVIDIA to offer discounts to affected EverQuest players on compatible cards, which is estimated to affect around 1 percent of players.

2D Summers
Posted by M @ 7:46 p.m. NZDT

Want to head North for another summer? VideoGame.Net, a private firm that partners with colleges and universities to host videogame related summer camps and academic programs for students in 6th through 12th grades, is providing a free seminar on creating 2D video game characters at the Philly Classic 5 video game convention in March.

All Philly Classic 5 attendees are invited to attend a workshop on character development and animation. After a brief lecture, participants will have the chance to work hands on with Macromedia Flash and Adobe Photoshop to create an animated videogame character. To accommodate the seminar, VideoGame.Net will have a 10 by 20 enclosed booth and dedicated computer workstations for each participant.

"We are pleased to offer attendees of the Philly Classic a chance to look at how videogame characters are created," said Ed Fleming, founder of VideoGame.Net. "This is a great chance for folks who have always been interested in developing videogames to get their feet wet."

After developing a videogame character, gamers will get to play with their creations inside of a pre-configured platform game. Once the character has been developed it will also be uploaded to the VideoGame.Net website where anyone on the Internet can play with it.

For more information about the 2004 programs or schedules, visit www.videogame.net/experience.

Innovators, Educators
Posted by M @ 7:45 p.m. NZDT

DigiPen is now offering a Nintendo Professorship of Video Game Technology, which is the first time Nintendo has sponsored a North American programme.

Nintendo Co., Ltd already has a programme in Japan to assist the industry to build talent, created by former Nintendo chairman Hiroshi Yamauchi, who retired in 2001. Yamauchi is credited with an uncanny business sense, and hired artist Shigeru Miyamoto as a favour to a friend before spurring him to become the world's greatest video game designer.

These are great prizes and there will be other events happening throughout February. The Simulations Forum has continued to grow since its addition to the Gameplanet Network, and has become a vibrant community of gamers from all simulation genres: flight, racing, combat, naval and space sims. Check out the Simulations forum to see what simming is all about.

Fear Effect Film on the Way
Posted by M @ 4:17 p.m. NZDT

Eidos' heroines Hana and Rain are set to become anime film stars as the movie rights to the Fear Effect video games are given to producer and director Uwe Boll and his company, BollKG. There is no mention of the characters' sexuality, the issue of which probably sold more copies of the game than the disappointing, point-and-click style adventure content. Despite the titilating marketing, the games themselves handled the girls' mutual attraction subtly and sympathetically.

"Fear Effect is a fantastic game with a dark story. I want to create an action film in the vein of Charlie's Angels but portray its sexy heroines Hana and Rain in a much edgier fashion," says Boll.

Boll's credits include House of the Dead, based on the Sega video game, which was released by Artisan Entertainment on 10th October 2003. Boll also produced and directed the upcoming movie Alone in the Dark, based on the Atari video game. Starring Christian Slater and Tara Reid, the Alone in the Dark film is slated for a mid-2004 release.

Big Boi's Toys
Posted by M @ 4:02 p.m. NZDT

Microsoft is today inviting players around the world to play ESPN NFL Football against Big Boi from the band Outkast.

The event is part of the 'Game with Fame' promotional programme, and Microsoft plans to give players the chance to play against others such as Phantom Planet, the Strokes, the Crystal Method, Fefe Dobson, Kings of Leon, Korn, Hoobastank, a New Found Glory, and Thrice.

The Outkast is in Los Angeles preparing for the 46th Grammy Awards.

Uru Live Cancelled
Posted by M @ 4:02 p.m. NZDT

Ubisoft has decided not to proceed with Uru Live, the online component of Uru: Ages Beyond Myst due to projected lack of subscribers.

The publisher and its developer, Cyan, will continue to the support the game. Single-player Content from Uru Live will be released as an expansion pack later in the year and an 'age' from Live will be provided next month as a free download.

Police Raid Far Cry Developer
Posted by M @ 4:01 p.m. NZDT

A disgruntled ex-employee of Crytek has sent the police into the highly anitipated Far Cry developer's offices to investigate alledged fraudulent use of image treatment software.

Mixed reports suggest various levels of reaction from what was found, if anything, with some suggesting several employees were arrested. The issue concerns the number of program copies in relation to the number of licenses held by the developer.

The company denies any criminal activity, and has said the team is back working on Far Cry and that the game will not be delayed from its March release.

Take Two from Take-Two, Says Analyst
Posted by M @ 4:01 p.m. NZDT

Banc of America Securities analyst Gary L. Cooper has recommended the chairman and a major shareholder of troubled developer Take-Two Interactive should be replaced, according to reports.

The latest call concerns selling of shares and accounting troubles. The shareholder is a member of the audit committee.

Analyst researcher Starmine rates Cooper 4/5 on his performance with Take-Two stock recommendations and earnings accuracy.

Take-Two Interactive has been under investigation in the US by the Securities and Exchange Commission for about two years, and a recent notice served to the New York-based developer indicates S.E.C. staff will recommend a civil action by the full commission to be taken over accounting issues.

Multimedia Dream Predicted to Become Reality
Posted by M @ 4:01 p.m. NZDT

The manufacturer's ideal of multimedia video game machines is predicted to finally catch on with the public.

Ever since CD creators Sony and Philips brought the compact disc to video games, hopes of pushing compact disc sales through multimedia functionality have never been met by market demand.

Now, as the original compact disc begins to fade from the industry, Juniper Research believes multimedia functionality to lead to a huge boom for next-generation game console sales.

The industy's main multimedia proponent has been Sony, which initially contracted with Nintendo for a CD drive for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

Sony's latest attempt at a multimedia device, the PSX, has sold poorly since its release last year, and the PlayStation 2 has had its high-speed i.Link port removed in the latest models due to a lack of support for its data transfer capacity.

Juper Research's key assumption is multimedia functionality in next-generation consoles. As reported yesterday, recent information regarding Microsoft's Xbox successor may be more focussed on gaming than ever, while Nintendo, the pioneer of online functionality, seems set to remain dedicated to single-purpose console design.

Gamer Research Affirms Behavioural Picture
Posted by M @ 4:00 p.m. NZDT

The first study to compare adult and adolescent online computer game players has found that online gamers are social individuals, but adolescents are more likely to prefer the violent elements of a game.

The research was carried out by a team of psychologists at The Nottingham Trent University, led by Professor Mark Griffiths with colleagues Dr Mark Davies and Darren Chappell. The results are published in this month's issue of the Journal of Adolescence, the top ranked peer reviewed journal for adolescent research in the UK.

Professor Griffiths and his team used an online questionnaire to examine 540 online gamers who played the world's most popular online game Everquest.

Results showed that most players were male, and that in general, the younger the player, the longer they spent each week playing. Adolescent gamers were significantly more likely to be male (9 out of 10 players), whereas adult gamers included a significant proportion of women (1 in five players).

Approximately three-quarters of both adolescents and adults played the game with friends and about half the players said their favourite aspects to game playing were social. This is contrary to the notion that gamers are solitary asocial individuals.

The study also examined the favourite reasons for playing. Almost 20% of adolescents said that game violence was their favourite aspect as opposed to only one in 25 adults.

Professor Griffiths said: "Our research confirms some of the work we published last year, but is a significant advance because the data was supplied by the gamers themselves rather than relying on secondary sources."

The research was funded through a grant from the British Academy and is being followed up with further research into aspects of excessive playing and addiction.

The published study also found that just under 10% of adolescents claimed to play over 50 hours a week compared to 2.5% of adults. The research also revealed that adults were much more likely to sacrifice socializing than adolescents and adolescents were much more likely to sacrifice their education or work.

Play Together, Stay Together
Posted by M @ 4:00 p.m. NZDT

Microsoft is using confirmation of the age-old saying to promote software such as Zoo Tycoon following a US survey by StrategyOne which found that nearly a quarter of adults 18-34 believe playing computer games together helps couples' relationships.

That is, most people surveyed still believed the age-old saying that computer gamers are antisocial geeks.

Latest Product Release News
Posted by M @ 3:59 p.m. NZDT

GPStore News has the latest news in games, hardware, DVDs and more. Check out the latest updates in pricing, release dates, new products and availability, updated daily.

Yesterday - Ninja Gaiden update, Gladiator: Sword of Vengeance released, more.

Bandai hopes to sell two million units in Japan by March.

Sands of 2004
Posted by M @ 4:58 p.m. NZDT

Ubisoft has announced a new installment in its acclaimed Prince of Persia franchise.

"Today, Prince of Persia: the Sands of Time is a resounding success for our group," said Ubisoft Chairman Yves Guillemot. "A sequel to this hit is already being planned with an improved marketing positioning."

Gameplanet has recently published the first feature in its series on another Ubisoft title whose marketing betrayed the recognition we thought it deserves: Beyond Good and Evil.

Sands of Time is the most recent in the Prince of Persia series, and the first successful 3D update. Sands of Time is actually the prequel to the original game, a refined emulation of which is included as an unlockable bonus in the latest release.

Combat Mission 3 Gets Best-of Award
Posted by M @ 4:45 p.m. NZDT

The worldwide best-selling games magazine, PC Gamer US, has decorated the strategy game Combat Mission: Africa Corps as the best turn-based strategy title of 2003. Furthermore, the game won the treasured "Editor's Choice" award.

Check out Gameplanet's review here.

Combat Mission 3 sends strategists into the most dramatic battles of WWII. As allied or axis commander, you give sophisticated orders to your detailed designed units, who accomplish their tasks in single real-time phases. Strategy fans and games press praised this unique gameplay within the two prequels, but the current Combat Mission has won the crown with the PC Gamer Award.

Van Helsing Film, Game in Development
Posted by M @ 4:12 p.m. NZDT

Vivendi Universal Games announced today that it will be unleashing Van Helsing for the PS2 and Xbox, based on the highly-anticipated film from Universal Pictures.

Van Helsing, the new epic action-adventure film from writer-director Stephen Sommers, (Mummy, Mummy Returns) draws inspiration from the studio's classic horror properties and introduces Van Helsing, Bram Stoker's fabled monster hunter, who is summoned to a distant Eastern European land on a quest to vanquish evil. The stars Hugh Jackman (X-Men, Swordfish, Kate & Leopold) and Kate Beckinsale (Pearl Harbor, Underworld) and is slated for release later this year.

The third-person action game transports players back to the macabre world of 19th century Transylvania - home to the legendary Dracula, Wolf Man and the Frankenstein Monster. As the renowned monster hunter Van Helsing, players must hunt down and destroy the evil that inhabits these ancient lands before darkness engulfs the world. Van Helsing is being developed by Saffire Studios and will be available in conjunction with the film's release.

"The Van Helsing game puts a fresh, exciting and contemporary twist on some of the most legendary characters to ever appear in print or film," said says Luc Vanhal, President and Chief Operating Officer, North America, Vivendi Universal Games. "Paralleling and expanding on the epic events of the film, the game offers players a cinematic action experience packed with nightmarish creatures, furious combat and daring escapes."

As players progress through Transylvania and the strongholds of Castle Frankenstein and Castle Dracula, they'll encounter untold fiends and evil minions including the legendary dark prince Dracula, the Wolf Man, the Frankenstein Monster and Igor as well as a host of original creatures created for the game including stone gargoyles, fell sprits and banshees.

Set in the late 19th century, Sommers' screenplay finds Bram Stoker's fabled monster hunter, Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman), summoned to a distant Eastern European land on a quest to vanquish evil. Now, for the first time since the 1940s, Universal's greatest classic monsters - Dracula, the Frankenstein monster and The Wolf Man - return to the screen as complex, multi-dimensional beings re-imagined by writer-director Sommers.

The Van Helsing character first appeared onscreen in the seminal 1931 Universal classic Dracula and has since appeared in hundreds of motion picture and theatrical adaptations of Stoker's novel.

Latest Product Release Updates
Posted by M @ 4:11 p.m. NZDT

Check out GPStore News for today's product release news in games, DVDs, accessories and more.

Yesterday - Eye Toy: Groove price reduced, new SOCOM Navy SEALS pricing, more.

Sony's PSX Lacking Chip Technology
Posted by M @ 7:38 a.m. NZDT

Further to reports of Microsoft's Xbox successor using 90-nanometre microchip technology, Canadian patent analysis firm Semiconductor Insights has discovered that Sony's PSX is not utilising 90nm chip technology as claimed according to its tests on the integrated graphics synthesiser / 'emotion engine' microchip, originally produced as two seperate chips for the PlayStation 2.

SI says the PSX chip uses 130nm technology.

Sony began selling the PlayStation 2 while still working on a custom equivalent to IBM's .18 micron chips used by Nintendo for GameCube in 2000. Nintendo's use of suppliers' existing, mass-produced technology has been a key cost-saving strategy that has allowed it to sell units profitably and keep prices low ever since the Famicom family computer debuted in Japan over 20 years ago.

Nintendo has made no recent announcements concerning its 'N5' successor to GameCube.

Both Sony and Microsoft seem set to use IBM chips in their next-generation machines, with Microsoft also using graphics chips by Nintendo's long-time partner ATI.

NZ Gamers to Miss out on Miyamoto's Pac-Man Exclusive
Posted by M @ 9:30 a.m. NZDT

Electronic Arts NZ's recent decision to drop GameCube games will mean local gamers miss out on Shigeru Miyamoto's Pac-Man Versus when it comes with the GameCube version of Namco's R: Racing.

Pac-Man Versus utilises Nintendo's GBA-GameCube link function, with a player controlling Pac-Man on the GBA and up to three players controlling ghosts via the GameCube.

R: Racing is gaining acclaim overseas after initial fears Namco, once the world's dominant arcade game company and one of the first third-party Nintendo publishers, would again fail to work outside of the Ridge Racer mould. Previous efforts have produced disastrous results, but Namco isn't the only arcade company struggling with the genre. Xbox gamers are hoping a new version of Capcom's cel-shaded Auto Modellista will fulfil promises of a reworked handling set.

Intel Unveils New Details on PC Chips
Posted by M @ 9:29 a.m. NZDT

Intel's 'Prescott' microchips are set to reach 4GHz by the end of the year, with gaming PCs set to further establish themselves away from dedicated business machines.

The latest 90nm chips are currently benchmarked at 3.4GHz, but come with additional features which, while not currently supported by developers such as Microsoft, could allow for big steps in overall data handling and performance including security and multi-tasking.

Sabre Wulf Returns on GBA
Posted by M @ 9:28 a.m. NZDT

That's right. A mysterious stranger has arrived in the tranquil village of Blackwyche and done the unthinkable: shattered the fabled Sabre Wulf amulet, releasing the savage 'Wulf itself from long years of imprisonment and bringing fear and panic to the world. Both of these villains must be stopped. Once more it falls to veteran explorer Sabreman to track and recapture his most fearsome nemesis.

Features:

Experience a completely unique and amazing gaming experience combining multiple gameplay types, including:

- Exploration: Master the terrain and collect treasure spread over 8 amazing village

- Action: Recover the 8 pieces of Sabre Wulf amulet spread throughout Sabre Wulf's lethal lairs and numerous level

- Adventure: Use a combination of wits, skill, and creatures to overcome the obstacles and traps set by Sabre Man's enemies and Sabre Wulf itself

Collect and master Sabre Man's menagerie of fantastical creatures, learning how to use the unique powers and talents of each

- Find buried treasure and cash, then trade them in for armour, creatures, and all sorts of useful item

Mini-games, combos, photography, and much much more

New Championship Manager, New Dev Team
Posted by M @ 9:28 a.m. NZDT

Eidos, one of the world's leading publishers and developers of entertainment software, has officially unveiled its new internal development team, Beautiful Game Studios. Based in North London, Beautiful Game Studios will be responsible for developing future versions of the market-leading Championship Manager football management game.

Beautiful Game Studios employs 30 staff with over 100 years of cumulative development experience between them. In total the team have worked on over 90 published titles, 60 of which were football-related games.

Beautiful Game Studios is currently developing Championship Manager 5, the next instalment in the series. The game will be released in Spring 2004 on PC. Beautiful Game Studios has recruited the services of an agency that specialises in providing player info and statistics to professional football clubs around the world. This database is used by many of the world's top football managers and coaches. Championship Manager 5 will use an even more detailed version of this database. As well as improving upon Championship Manager 03/04 by offering more accurate and objective data, the game will deliver a much more responsive experience, partly as a result of significantly reduced loading times.

The official Championship Manager website, www.championshipmanager.co.uk, is now live and will be the 'indispensable guide to the world of Championship Manager' featuring news, articles, forums, interviews with the development team and much more.

Latest Product Release News
Posted by M @ 9:27 a.m. NZDT

See GPStore News for the latest release updates and new products in games, peripherals, DVDs and more.

Yesterday - new pricing for R: Racing and SimCity 4, Armed & Dangerous comes forward, more.