Velocity Vector
Wired has some coverage of the Classic Gaming Expo:
http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,68628,00.html
C|Net looks at EA's recent strategic moves, and suggests that EA is creating an environment that will be even more hits-driven than before:
http://news.com.com/EA+invests+big+in+the+future/2100-1043_3-5842444.html
This could be very bad news for gamers and indie developers, as high-budget sequels and clones become even more dominant.
If this story is correct, a man in Japan has been arrested for attacking and looting other players in a game:
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7865&feedId=online-news_rss20
It's unclear whether Japan intends to begin arresting baseball players for stealing second base.
Nintendo is looking for volunteers to test the Nintendo DS wireless network:
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=10767
Rocketbox Studios has released a library of 100 characters in three different polygon counts, along with precreated animations and support for skeletal animation. The package is available for 3DSMax, with a Maya version to follow:
http://www.complete-characters.com/
Major figures in the video game industry are attempting to buy off Hillary Clinton with fundraising help:
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=10668
Maybe Clinton's feigned outrage over "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" stems as much from a desire to raise money as from a desire to pander for votes.
Microsoft is restricting sales of XBox 360 accessories and charging fees that will drive up the cost of such XBox 360 products:
http://news.com.com/Digging+profits+out+of+Xbox/2100-1043_3-5827110.html
Piper Jaffray has some predictions for the XBox 360 lauch:
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=10627
The estimate is that about 1.6 million XBox 360s will be shipped by the end of the year, likely leading to intense shortages in much of the world. Around 25 XBox 360 games are expected to be available by the end of the year.
C|Net has an article on the difficulty of determining exchange rates between real-world money and money in multiplayer online games:
http://news.com.com/Virtual+gamings+elusive+exchange+rates/2100-1043_3-5820137.html
The home site of the flyer series of space rts is uploaded and fully functional. You can visit at http://www.vapourhost.com/~flyer . Flyer is a space based rts game featuring fully 3d action and a series of great campaigns and multiplayer. Please sign up to the forums and become a part of our community we could use the support.
Cronosoft will be releasing two titles at Classic Gaming Expo UK for the ZX Spectrum. The titles are "The Fantastic Mister Fruity" and "Stranded".
Cronosoft will also rerelease "Yarkon Blues" for the Amstrad CPC.
The Screen Actors' Guild (SAG) has caved in and agreed to a contract for video game voice work:
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=10468
This is not really *new* news, but I thought I'd point out my favorite mud (that's the old school term for what the n00bs refer to as a "MMORPG"), Ancient Anguish. It has been around for over 13 years and has stood the test of time:
"The Griffon Legend is the first finished RPG written in FreeBasic...and I'll get straight to the point: this game rocks. I implore you to check it out. You won't regret it. In my opinion, this is the best FreeBasic game that has been released to date." - Pete from QB Express - QBasic / QuickBasic / FreeBasic Magazine
Check it out in the Featured Games Section!
Wired takes an interesting look at Electronic Arts' attempts to make use of movie licenses:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.08/ea.html