Well, hello there! Most of you have been spared the inevitable anguish of me posting news, but that horrifying moment has come, BEWARE! Actually, I've wanted to help with the news more lately, and now is a perfect time. Nok is busy readying himself for the U9 IRC chat that is taking place tonight over at Stratics [Ed.: er, I couldn't connect to their network and was thus unable to attend the chat. =( We'll try to get a transcript ASAP. -Nok], and he asked me if I would be willing to take care of the news update tonight (for more detailed information on how to join, be sure to check the Stratics IRC page). I, of course, was more than willing to oblige, especially considering that it will solidify a hefty Christmas bonus!! Um.. Ok, so my Christmas bonus may come in the form of a stick of gum, but hey, I'll take what I can get! =Þ Without further ado, here's the earth-shattering RPG News o'the Day (TM):

I pulled this little interesting tidbit off the official MSN Gaming Zone - Asheron's Call - News page. It basically confirms that AC's "Sudden Season" event is inevitable, and may be in full swing as early as the end of this week! The rumor mill has ground the tidings of this event to dust, as many people have speculated as to what we can all expect. Here's the basic scoop direct from the site:

"Expect impressive developments by the end of next week, including a world-spanning quest and a range of holiday festivals. To get some idea of the scope of a major Asheron's Call event, we invite you to check out coverage of the "Fire in the Sky" from the end of beta. Next week will be just the first of the large-scale events we'll roll out every month. We look forward to sharing all the excitement with you in this next great adventure!"

And this from the MS Press Release

"****************************** MEDIA ALERT: DECEMBER 14, 1999 ******************************* ASHERON'S CALL EVENT: GET READY FOR THE "BIG FREEZE" LATER THIS WEEK Microsoft today announced an extraordinary holiday event that will take place later this week in the dynamic world of Asheron's Call. With an impressive array of gameplay developments, from new monsters and items to a new look for the world and a major quest, the "Sudden Season" event is the first in a series of large scale events planned now that Asheron's Call is commercially available. As was originally reported last week, temperatures have been steadily dropping on the isle of Dereth with expectations that even the desert will soon freeze. While many are planning winter celebrations with holiday festivals, others believe something more sinister is behind the change in climate. The truth will likely be revealed in coming days."

I'll be there with bells on (sparkly Christmas variety), and I urge fellow AC players to log in, and see what the entire hubbub is about. I'm really curious to see what AC has to offer in terms of them pushing the limits of their "dynamic world code". Keep up to date on the ins and outs of official AC news here, or my personal favorite AC News Fan-site, Crossroads of Dereth.

Yesterday, Rebel Act Studios posted a slew of new screenshots from their upcoming 'Action/Role Playing' game Blade. The engine for this game looks damn impressive. Full particle effect rendering, what looks like large texture bitmaps, real-time lighting effects, reflections.. yummy. 'Course, I'm a very visual person, but this game looks like it may just have some serious potential. I hope it delivers a fair share of 'RPG' in there with the 'Action'.

The guys (and gals?) over at GA-RPG have written a "Planescape: Torment First Impressions" article that is nicely done, and accompanied by some nifty screenshots. I must say I agree 100% with Chris.. I'm thinking this game might need to be placed in a running position for a Game-of-the-Year award or two. It's a terribly addicting experience chock full of innovative storytelling, as well as action, and tons of exploration. What other game could possibly deliver to you a text response option of: "Break your own neck.."? I've been Tormenting myself for the past few days, and I have to admit to being hooked. Look for a full overview piece by yours truly as soon as I've played a bit more, and have a firm grip on whatever reality Planescape: Torment has to offer.

Revenant, from Cinematix, has been reviewed over on Gibworld Networks. Overall, the reviewer's impressions were fairly negative, yet the game still garnered a 74% overall rating. I must say that I played the bejezus outta Revenant, and I found the game to be fun, and far excelled it's presumptuous tag of "Diablo Clone". The only similarity in my eyes was the 3/4 overhead view, but to me, the likeness ended there. I would still personally recommend the game to anyone that enjoys a good story, wrapped around a fun, and unique action engine.. but that's just IMNSHO.

Ronin Entertainment, developers of the 'Action/RPG' title Legend of the BladeMasters, has posted a bunch of new screenshots, showing off gameplay. The game designers boast a innovative AI system, multi-texturing, heavy use of lighting, and a sophisticated particle system. Might be worth keeping an eye on.

Lastly, Blizzard has a new Diablo II Screenshot of the Week up for your enjoyment. Be sure to check out the full analysis here on DiabloII.net.

OK.. it's time for me to go Torment myself for a bit before bed. Hope the information here was easily digestible. If not... head here.

It is with great personal pleasure that I announce that there is a new version (3.30) of THE cardinal RPG, Nethack. For the uninitiated, Nethack is the direct descendant of one of the very first PC games called Rogue, which was released in 1984. The game quickly became freeware and open source and soon spawned a bevy of similar games, each adding their own unique twists. Nethack is perhaps the most faithful to the original Rogue although it is now orders of magnitude more complex and engrossing. In Nethack, you choose from a standard set of medieval character classes and plunge into a randomly generated dungeon in search of the Amulet of Yendor.

Now, this game will not appeal to everyone. For one thing, there are no graphics to speak of. The entire game is rendered in ASCII... but you'll be surprised just how much can be accomplished with this basic set of symbols. Also, this game is HARD. I've been playing versions since the original Rogue, and I can't claim to have even come close to winning (without cheating that is). Lastly, the interface hearkens back to an earlier day of gaming. Pretty much every key on the keyboard does something different, further complicated by the shift, ctrl, and alt keys. Just learning how to play and not die every 5 moves can be a challenge.

But if all this doesn't scare you away, you will be rewarded by something truly unique in the RPG universe. This game has limitless replayability, a huge game world, a vast array of monsters, tons of items including a variety of unique and quest items, a powerful spell system, and towels. Oh, and it's got sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll, too. I kid thee not. Seriously, this game has everything AND the kitchen sink!

Although I've only spent a day or so playing the current version, here are some of the new features I've noticed in version 3.30:

• The ability to choose your race, sex, and alignment regardless of your class.
• The ability to use two weapons at once, if your character has that skill.
• The ability to ride animals. If you start as a Knight, you get a 'saddled pony' for a pet. And perhaps if you make it far enough, dare I say it, dragons?
• New monsters, potions, and probably spells, scrolls, rings, etc. too.
• A large revamp of the spell system, breaking up the available spells into sub-schools such as 'Attack Spells' and 'Escape Spells'.
• Probably a great deal more that I haven't uncovered yet.

So to get your copy and to begin your exploration of the Mazes of Menace, simply select the local copy of the appropriate version below: (all files are about 1 MB, give or take)

Win9x/WinNT - MS-DOS/Win3.1x - Linux - Macintosh - OS/2

Or you can grab them from the official homepage, nethack.org. There are also many sites on the 'net giving tips on how to start, playguides, and just plain spoilers. My favorite of these is Boudewijn Waijers' Nethack Page. Check it out for all your Nethack needs!

GA-RPG has posted a new edition of their weekly RPG Mythology column written by the brains of Bioware. This time Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka (Joint-CEO's and Co-Executive Producers) provide a whimsical overview of a typical day in their zany world of game design. It's humorous, informative, and nutritional... er... scratch that last one. But still give it a read here.

Speaking of Bioware, the BG Chronicles website (which started only covering Baldur's Gate but expanded to all of Bioware and Black Isle's AD&D games) has launched a sub-site devoted to Planescape: Torment. The comprehensive site also prided themselves on including every scrap of known data about the original BG, and one can only assume the tradition will continue through future games. Check out the new P:T section here.

An upcoming 3D RPG called Blade has been receiving a lot of press lately and is in the process of generating a following eagerly awaiting the release of the game targeted for next Spring. Now we're not the type of site to just jump on the bandwagon and report on this game just because everyone else is, but after checking out the official website, I have to say, this game looks intriguing, if not revolutionary. At the least, it should be one hell of a pretty romp through an interesting fantasy world.

Finally tonight, we have one more review of Ultima IX: Ascension. This one is from Wewp! Entertainment covers the basics and scores the game a 5, claiming that it's technical shortcomings overwhelm an otherwise excellent game. Read the review here.

Well, if you are a regular to the site, I'm sure you noticed the ad banner above. Don't worry, we haven't sold out or anything. The banner is merely part of a link exchange, meaning we link to a selection of sites, and they link back to us. We're not making a penny off of it. We just want to boost our readership and this is really the best way to reach the widest audience possible. I chose this particular link exchange (with the wildly original name, linkexchange.com) in part because of their large circulation, but mostly because they are one of the very fastest to load. The last thing I wanted to do was bog down the page with extra images and commercial nonsense. So again, I assure you that we have not sold out. And we won't... well at least not until they offer us the m@d Ka$h! =Þ

Those lucky devils from DiabloII.net are currently spending the weekend in sunny California playing Diablo II and schmoozing with the folks at Blizzard. They have posted their first report which is up on their site now on the DiabloII.net Visit Blizzard North page. There are many juicy tidbits about features creeping into the game and changes made to what's already been announced. I won't steal their thunder, so you should just go read it yourself. But I will pass along that they have confirmed the suspicion that the D2 Beta will NOT be out before the end of the year. I know this will disappoint many people, but after a 'certain other game' received so much flak for being released in an unfinished state, I don't think anyone can fault Blizzard for taking their time.

IGN PC has posted part two of their Baldur's Gate II Development Journal, this time featuring a nice little essay by Producer, Chris Parker. He discusses his role in the creative process and focuses on what he's been doing lately, including coordinating the the announcement of the game's existence, creating the game's logo, and, of course, playing the game. Give it a read here, or if you missed part one with fellow Producer, Ben Smedstad, click here.

The Ultima IX: Ascension website has been updated with the following announcement

"12/10/99 - Our official discussion boards have been in operation now for just over a year, and it's our community that has made them such a success! To get a little closer to that community, Stratics will be hosting an Ultima IX: Ascension House of Commons on Stratics IRC in #ascension. Come join us for this moderated chat on Tuesday, December 14th, from 7 to 9 pm CST. Members of the Ascension development team will be on hand to answer your questions about the game, ranging from design questions to technical issues. "

Although they have never had one devoted to U9 before, these Stratics chat sessions are always very informative and, dare I say it, fun. For instructions on how you can join in, check the Stratics IRC Page. I intend to be there and will be happy to ask any questions sent to me. So if there's something you just gotta know, send it in.

Okay, I think I have my 'net connection back under control and so we can return to normal operation around here. I'll start off with the veritable tidal wave of Ultima IX: Ascension news. Lead Designer Capn Bill has continued to report on his team's progress on the patches, offering further clarification about what we can expect. There is an excellent summary of his posts over on Ultima IX Horizons, so if you're interested go give it a read.

I think today brought us the most new U9 reviews yet, so here they are in no particular order:

• This nostalgic review over on Jackchaos.com give the game a glowing review and chalks the game's performance problems up to the limitations of today's computers. Beware, spoilers contained within!
• CGO has posted their review stating that the experience will probably be ruined for most players due to bugs, but that those predisposed to liking Ultimas (such as myself) will still absolutely love it.
• This initial impressions piece from the Fantasy Gaming Network states that one's enjoyment of the game will be a "highly personal experience", but that the reviewer's experience was a positive one.
• The Daily Radar sports the ominous catch phrase: "It could have been the best roleplaying game ever made" in their review. You can probably guess how the rest of the review goes.
• Lastly, GAMEZnet follows the standard mold in their review, wishing they could give the game a higher score than the 80% the do give.

Finally, Well Rounded Entertainment has posted Part II of their interview with Richard Garriott. This part focuses mainly on Mr. Garriott's rise to stardom in the computer world and beyond, and discusses how he (barely) avoided letting the fame go to his head.

Gamespot has posted their lengthy preview of Nox, the quirky action/RPG coming soon from Westwood Studios. Looks like they are pretty excited about this game (but then again, they always seem excited in their previews =P). The focus mainly on the game's inception, the character classes, and finally the aspect I'm most looking forward to, multiplayer. Read it all here.

And speaking Nox's multiplayer, FGN Online has a brief statement from the game's Executive Producer, John Hight, explaining what they were shooting for. Here it is in its entirety (or just go read it here):

Right on. I've always thought it a shame that the First Person Shooter genre has had a lock on the visceral carnage of true Internet deathmatch. I am keeping my fingers crossed that Nox begins to change that. (Plus I just like the name a whole lot.)

The Adrenaline Vault has two tidbits up on this page about two games scheduled to hit store shelves today: Planescape: Torment and Crusaders of Might and Magic. There's nothing new here, but it looks like they've managed to score what I think are three exclusive screenshots of Planescape.

The Adrenaline Vault goes on to post new info on some of the monsters you can expect to encounter once Icewind Dale comes out early next year. There are specific D&D stats plus screenshots to accompany each. Give it a look-see here. Apparently this information was disseminated straight from publisher, Interplay, as GA-RPG has an almost identical piece up here.

And since they're on a roll, the busy boys from the The Adrenaline Vault have posted three new screenshots of the Total Annihilation: Kingdoms expansion pack, The Iron Plague (AKA the game without a homepage). Check them out here.

Finally tonight, we have a tidbit on this page over on Gamespot about a hush-hush RPG being developed by Total Annihilation creator, Chris Taylor. Entitled Dungeon Siege the game will be an "action-fantasy-RPG" allowing players to enter a spacious 3D world. The only word on what will set this game apart is the fact that you will be given the choice of facing challenges with a traditional party, or you can go at it alone. The game is apparently being published by Microsoft and they've already got a nice uninformative page up here for you to look at. If there's anything more to report, count on us to bring it to you!

I apologize for the lack of updates past few days. My 'net connection has been down since late Tuesday night and I haven't been able to keep up with the news, let alone update the site. As it is right now, I'm updating from a friends computer. My time is limited tonight so I'll just fire out some of the biggest news tonight in just a haphazard, come-as-you-are fashion..

There's an extensive new guide for Asheron's Call from those folks who love to put out game guides, Gamespot. I have to say, this guide is pretty helpful and comprehensive. Although I think their description of the magic system is a tad misleading to someone who has never played the game. But it's definitely worth a look here.

The Ultima IX: Ascension news continues apace. Most importantly, if you already own the game, you'll want to get caught up with all the posts the development team has been making to the official boards containing performance hints and status updates on future patches. You can read a roundup of all the updates over at Ultima IX Horizons on their main page. The long and the short of it is that the next patch (which will fix more bugs and take the first big steps towards improved D3D performance) is being sent off for testing shortly and that it is scheduled for release around Christmas. I must say, although there has been much lampooning of Origin for taking the game out of the oven too soon, they have done an admirable job of connecting with the fan base to specifically address whatever troubles people are having. Most would argue that this is no substitute for releasing an unfinished product, but this goes a long way towards dealing with the situation as it stands.

And for those that have yet to buy the game, you can check out these new reviews. The first is a editorial piece here on Loonygames. The concentrate less on the actual game and more on the overreaching influence the game could have on the RPG genre as a whole. I don't know if I agree with many of the conclusions, but it's worth a look. Then there's a more traditional review on this Gamecenter page. They rate the game a 6 by stating the usual opinion that the game is a ton of fun, mired by it's performance.

There's a new demo of Crusaders of Might and Magic out over at PC IGN. The 25.6MB demo of this action/RPG title can be downloaded from this page.

And finally, there has been a new Postmortem of System Shock II written up over on Gamasutra. They go into depth about the development process that went into this game and specifically single out what went wrong and what went right. It's worth a look if either you enjoyed SS2 or if you're just curious about what goes into making a game. And if you're thinking "hey, there's no swordplay in SS2, it's in space!"... well, you're just plain wrong. My favorite weapon in the whole game was the laser rapier, one helluva cool sword. So there!

Hmmm... there has been uncharacteristically little news on Diablo II recently, but we've got a few tidbits today. Firstly, there is a RealVideo interview with D2 Lead Designer, Bill Roper, over on Gamer's Playground. There's nothing really new, but it's cool to at least hear the B-Man's voice and to hear how excited he is about the game. He also briefly touches on the subject of Warcraft III, but only to say how excited Blizzard is to finally be taking their first step into the world of true 3D. Also in the show is a brief review of Ultima IX: Ascension, but I don't give it much validity since several statements are just plain wrong and the screenshots displayed are from UO, not U9. =Þ Give the entire broadcast a viewing here.

Also on the D2 front, DiabloII.net has just announced that they will be taking a trip to Blizzard's headquarters this weekend to play D2 and talk with the creators. (Lucky bastards! :) They are accepting questions right now and will ask the designers the best ones when they get there. So if you've got anything you're just dying to know, head on over to DiabloII.net and ask away!

And of course, since today is Tuesday, there's a brand new Diablo II Screenshot of the Week. Like last week, the shot is from the Jungles of Kurast in Act III, but this time it feature the Necromancer conversing with one of the locals. As usual, look to this page on DiabloII.net for the full vivisection.

Dr. Ray Muzyka has posted the first installment of what's being called the Baldur's Gate II Developer's Diary over on The Vault Network. Dr. Mazyka is a Co-Executive Producer over at Bioware and is currently overseeing the creation of Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. While most of this issue is devoted to the basic improvements in the game, he promises that future columns will cover all manner of game design issues. He also takes a moment to explain just what it is and Executive Producer does. Here's a clip:

"An executive producer in the video game industry looks over multiple projects at the same time, and thus doesn't know them all as intimately as the producers on the respective projects would. The exec producer has to be simultaneously thinking of constructive criticism and ways to improve design decisions that have been made, as well as always be supportive of the efforts of the producer and team. The exec producer also understands a little bit about everything, about ALL projects - and thus can anticipate personnel needs and conflicting schedules between projects better than anyone else - or at least, that's the way it's supposed to work. :)"

Read the full column here.

Now if your favored brand of swordplay is of a more Real Time Strategy flavor, then this is for you. Cavedog Entertainment has just announced that they are working on an expansion to their RTS extravaganza, Total Annihilation: Kingdoms. The expansion, titled The Iron Plague, boasts the following features:

• The land of Creon, a fifth civilization based on science and technology
• 25 new single-player missions
• 25 new multi-player maps
• The Darien Crusades™, the new online cooperative multi-player game, available on Boneyards™
• The Total Annihilation: Kingdoms 2.0 update for faster gameplay
• All downloadable units released to date via www.cavedog.com
• New unit downloads and continuing support at www.cavedog.com

You can read the full press release here.

Also in RTS news, there is a new Gamespot Review of the game of medieval carnage known as Age of Wonders. The reviewer seems less than impressed in several areas, but feels the whole thing hangs together well enough to earn it an 8.6. Read all about it here.

The gang an GA-RPG have taken a first look at the sophisticated-looking upcoming 3D RPG, Soulbringer, from Gremlin Interactive. The game won't be out for a while, but you can take a look at what's known so far here.

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