Oddworld Deals Hand of Odd on PS2

Oddworld fans will have more than Munch's Oddysee, the next installment in the
Oddworld Quintology and follow-up to Abe's Oddysee, to keep their plates warm
when Sony's PlayStation 2 arrives next year. Oddworld Inhabitants just told us
about Hand of Odd, an offshoot of the Oddworld Quintology and a full, real-time
3D strategy game for the PlayStation 2 and PC.

Hand of Odd won't be a Quintology game, meaning it won't follow Abe's Oddysee,
or precede or follow Munch's Oddysee, but rather will live in that sort of
offshoot territory Abe's Exoddus occupied. Oddworld Inhabitants creator, Lorne
Lanning told us the specifics.

"With Hand of Odd, we wanted to give gamers the ability to see Oddworld, and
play Oddworld, from Odd's perspective. We didn't want to focus on individual
characters with specific dilemmas like we do in our Quintology games. We wanted
the focus to be on the ideological conflicts that exist in the Oddworld
Quintology, but to have the playing field work in much more the strategy
fashion. We wanted to give the gamer a chance to choose sides, then exploit
that side's ideology to its fullest potential."

Lanning also told us all about the game's concept, thus far.

"Hand of Odd is all about 'Ambitious Industrialists' going up against 'Eco
Extremists'. While building up hordes of characters, the entire landscape can
be transformed from one extreme to the other. Rape a beautiful landscape and
profit from it until it's a useless wasteland, or nurture an eco-disaster area
into the next rain forest. The choices are yours as you manipulate a
dysfunctional world of characters with hilarious interactions."

"The basic functionality of Hand of Odd is very similar to a strategy class
game. You build up lots of characters, you build up the places they live and
work, and you use them to do your bidding on a vast landscape. But in real time
strategy games today, you basically deplete the natural resources to build up
forces and then try to conquer an enemy who's doing the same. By which time the
world is spent and the game is over. Hand of Odd more fully plays out the
conflicts that exist between industrial civilizations and aboriginal tribes.
You can deplete the natural resources if you want, but you can also nourish
them. There is a monetary way to prosper, but there is also a spiritual way.
There is an ecological balance at work that allows the game to be played in
short spurts; or over much, much longer periods of time. It can also be left on
while your not around, like a sim game, and you can return to see how things
went while you were at work or at school.

"This game is extremely deep, and yet hilarious and simple on the surface. It
might be described as a strategy game that has been gene-spliced with an
environmental simulator, then left to stew with a few bags of demented sea
monkeys."

So can we expect to see Abe, the rescued Mudokons, the Sligs, and the whole
cast together again in Hand of Odd?

"[The game] will contain all of the species of characters seen thus far from
Oddworld, and at least a dozen more," said Lanning. "They will act and behave
as life forms. They have their own life cycles, and they act more like living
creatures than they do game characters. All of them are worth something...dead
or alive."

Hand of Odd will be single player and multiplayer from two to 16 players, with
the final multiplayer number yet to be determined. When you think of Oddworld,
you no doubt think of the characters' personalities. Lanning told us you won't
play a character in Hand of Odd, per se, but rather an ideology. And that each
ideology lets you control various species of characters. "There is a story, but
it's different from normal storylines. It focuses on a couple of characters
caught in the middle of the conflicts between the two ideologies."

Ideologies? Eco-terrorism? Capitalist plots? Thinking characters? Sound like a
typical Oddworld game? Yes. But there's more. "It will only be like our other
games in that it takes place on Oddworld, has tremendous entertaining
sensibilities, intellectually interesting concepts, high-production value,
fluid animations, beautiful art, and serious attention to detail. Other than
that, and the fact that we're focusing on simpler interfaces so that a broader
audience can also enjoy it... it's a completely new experience from Oddworld,"
said Lanning.

There's really only one thing left to say - PlayStation 2. "We wanted to design
the game to have more complexity, on its deeper levels, than a typical strategy
game. But we also wanted to be the first to build an interface that worked
beautifully on a console system," said Lanning. "We know that console gamers
would love strategy games, if only they had one that interfaced well to a
console system. With the PSII specs, and the latest PC specs; we can design the
game for both systems without compromising either one."

Hand of Odd won't be available for about a year and a half, as the production
cycle is very early, however, Lanning expressed, with confidence, "I promise
that you will not believe how real it looks." Stay with videogames.com for more
info as it becomes available.

By Lauren Fielder, videogames.com



Sony+Nabisco = A Truckload of Vids and Vittles

05.03.99
Nabisco and Sony have hooked up to bring America the Nabisco/PlayStation
sweepstakes. Up for grabs are more than 200,000 Nabisco, PlayStation, and Sony
prizes. Consumers can enter by calling a toll-free number that will appear on
specially marked packs of Chips Ahoy!, Oreo, Teddy Grahams, Nutter Butter
cookies, Ritz Bits, and other Nabisco brands. The contest will run from July 1
to October 31 of this year.

Prizes include PlayStation consoles, Dual Shock controllers, PlayStation
clothing, games like Spyro the Dragon, Crash Bandicoot: WARPED, and Gran
Turismo; and Sony music CDs. The Ultimate Prize is the PlayStation Thrills On
Wheels: the big daddy -- a mighty Sony convoy rollin' across the land, dodging
them smokies and puttin' the pedal to metal 'cuz they got a long way to go and
a short time to get there that will be pulling into one lucky winner's school
in May of 2000.

The Thrills On Wheels is a 68-foot mobile PlayStation come to life, a touring
attraction with 33 kiosks filled with Nabisco cookies and crackers, and loaded
with PlayStations and Sony games. You and your friends can skip class, gorge
yourselves on junk food, and fry your brains with vids all day long, and still
take home enough loot to ruin the rest of your lives with. Woo-Hah!

----------------------------------
Courtesy Game Informer

Sega's Latest Shenmue

TOKYO - During the weeklong holiday in Japan known as Golden Week, most of the
local businesses are closed, and the companies that aren't on vacation hold
special events to entertain people. One of the events called Network Jungle II,
which was sponsored by the Post Office Department, the Ministry of
International Trade and Industry, and NHK, was held from May 1-3. It's an event
that introduces people to services that make good use of networks and "digital
communication." Sega joined in on the festivities at the Network Jungle II and
displayed the latest build of its highly anticipated RPG, Shenmue for the
Dreamcast.

According to Yu Suzuki, the game's director, significant changes have been made
since the last Tokyo Game Show (TGS). At that show, Shenmue's most noticeable
exhibition was a facial demonstration where four CG characters' faces were
produced in real time by the Dreamcast console. Each face had its own voice and
told you about the exhibition and theme of the game. The camera was
controllable (it was set on a rail, though), and light sourcing was also done
in real time. This must have been the show-only demo, because Yu Suzuki said
prior to the show that characters in the game were made up of several hundred
polygons per character. But clearly, the facial demo used more polygons than
that. This newer demo shown at teh Network Jungle II show was intended to "wow"
show goers who think that the Dreamcast's capabilities aren't as good as the
PlayStation 2's. Aside from the issue of the Dreamcast's capabilities, the face
demo was quite impressive, although Suzuki admits that lip-synching isn't good
enough. Texture maps used in facial area were amazingly detailed, and you have
to admit that the female character, Syuei, is astonishingly beautiful.

There were also other playable Shenmue demos at the show. One demo showed Tom
teaching Ryo how to do a tornado kick, the same one we saw at TGS. But it's
been tweaked a little bit, and the move is much easier to pull off. There are
brand-new QTE events, like one where Ryo avoids a drunken man. There are also
two minigames: Excite QTE 2 and darts. The last two minigames are located
inside the Game Center You. Game Center means game arcade in Japan. And of
course You means Yu Suzuki. Excite QTE 2 is an exercise for an in-game Quick
Time Event. Just like in a real QTE, you have to push the correct button shown
onscreen. The game is placed in an old cabinet because the game is set in 1986.
At this game center, there are also cabinets like Space Harrier or Outrun,
other games created by Yu Suzuki. So far, Sega has not announced whether these
games will be playable in Shenmue, but we really hope they will be.

And last, Yu Suzuki himself appeared at the show and talked to fans about the
game itself.

At the last TGS, we heard that Shenmue will be at least 16 chapters, and the
one we'll see this summer will be the first chapter. It feels like the game has
been chopped or something. According to Suzuki, it's not like that at all.
During development, the game has been getting bigger and bigger, and it's
almost ten times larger than originally intended. The game contains 30 to 40
times more dialogue than the average two-hour movie. That's why Sega will
release the game in several parts. Currently there is a total of 244
characters, and that number could grow to around 300 at the end of the
development cycle. All characters have their own voices (and lines), and some
even have their own time schedules. For instance, there's one old woman named
Haru who owns a cigarette shop. She wakes up early in the morning and sweeps
the grounds near her shop. Afterwards she takes a little walk. Later, she goes
back to the shop to wait on customers during the day. At dusk she goes shopping
at nearby shops for her dinner, and after she closes her shop, she goes
upstairs to sleep. It's not currently known how many of Shenmue's characters
will have similar behavioral patterns.

Shenmue: Chapter 1 Yokosuka for the Dreamcast is scheduled for an August 5
release. While there's no official announcement about its price yet, it is
expected to be a "strategic" price.

Sega's executive Hidekazu Yukawa appeared at the show and told the audience
that Sega will soon release camera and microphone units for the Dreamcast that
will enable Internet videophone capabilities. And Yu Suzuki also revealed that
his other project, Ferrari F355 Challenge for the arcade, is currently being
tested at one Sega arcade in Tokyo. No word yet regarding Ferrari F355
Challenge's release date or game specifics.

By Yutaka Ohbuchi, videogames.com

Redline Racer

by Matthew Langan

Being the first developers to produce a motorbike racing game on the Dreamcast,
Criterion Studio's Redline Racer should have drawn a considerable amount of
attention. Apart from a few screenshots being released, little to no publicity
was given to RR's launch in Japan. Therefore, an obvious cry of worry was
going to arouse from a game which I was looking forward to playing.

I've always been a fan of motorbike games, with classics such as Super Hang On
and Manx TT eliminating any sort of social life I could have possibly had.
Wondering what a 128-bit version of these games would play like, I eagerly
awaited RR's release. Unfortunately, I didn't realize the disappointment I was
letting myself in for...

Redline Racer's objectives are fairly straightforward. Enter a tournament, pick
your bike, and do your best to win every race. There are a number of different
championships to test your skills on, as you race over beaches, country lanes,
snow and other terrains in order to become the best racer in the World, or more
realistically, unlock a variety of other courses and bikes. Offering 10 and 12
respectively, there's hardly a lack of road to race around on. Each one is
filled with tight corners, hills and ramps, making it anything but a peaceful
drive.

Graphically, RR is a sort of hit and miss. While bright and colourful at times,
the graphics are nothing outstanding, especially when compared to rivals such
as Sega Rally 2 or Metropolis. Thankfully, everything runs super smooth, with
neither pop up or fogging being easily spotted. This does go some way to
redeeming itself in this area, but overall, there's nothing that couldn't be
done on a Nintendo 64.

Moving on to the sound, this is where Redline Racer really falls. First off,
the engine noises themselves. Guess what? There are none! Well, that's not
exactly true, but everything is so subdued that you'd barely notice it
regardless. The audio itself is a mix of techno and rock. Obviously trying to
convey a futuristic appeal, it's let down dramatically by the fact that it
doesn't even suit the style of the game. In fact, you'd be best to just switch
the volume off your television altogether.

One positive point about RR has to be the two player mode. Not only is almost
all of the detail kept, but the frame rate remains intact, letting you enjoy
some very fast and fun races. With the power underneath the Dreamcast's
bonnet, this is something which should now be a standard affair, but hold on,
where's the four player option? Once again, this feature is left out in the
cold...

Overall, Redline Racer isn't that bad. The control of your bike is nice and
tight, and once accustomed to the analogue pad, you'll enjoy playing alone or
with a friend, albeit for a certain amount of time. With no apparent
competition around the corner, Criterion Studio's PC port will remain the only
type of game in this genre. However, this shouldn't be the reason to make do
with second best. Unless you can get over its faults, I'd advise you to stay
away - it's not worth it.

Courtesy of SegaDreamcast.net


Acclaim Sports Re- Signs 6-Time Supercross Champion
Jeremy McGrath to Exclusive Multi-Year Deal

McGrath to be Featured in Upcoming Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000 for Multiple
Gaming Platforms

Glen Cove, NY, May 3rd, 1999 -- Acclaim Sports, a division of Acclaim
Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKLM), a leading worldwide interactive
entertainment company, today announced they have re-signed the most successful
racer in Supercross history, Jeremy McGrath, to an exclusive multi-year
endorsement deal. McGrath will be featured in Acclaim Sports' Jeremy McGrath
Supercross 2000, shipping in Fall 1999 for PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Color
Gameboy and Windows 95/98 computers. McGrath recently clinched his sixth
Supercross Championship and is regarded as the greatest rider in the history of
the sport.

McGrath, an avid gamer, will work as a consultant to the game developers and
provide insight into track design, racing strategies, and bike physics. The
game will also feature commentary from McGrath as you race through indoor and
outdoor circuits.

"I was very impressed with the development team's knowledge of Supercross even
before they spent time at my training facility," said McGrath. "We're going to
create a Supercross game that everyone will love."

McGrath joins a select group of professional athletes including Brett Favre and
Derek Jeter who serve as spokespersons for Acclaim Sports' titles. McGrath will
be featured on all packaging, merchandising, and advertising for the game.
Additionally, to further promote his tie-in to Acclaim Sports, McGrath to
appear at Acclaim's booth during the 1999 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los
Angeles, May 13-15, 1999.

Since he began racing in 1989, McGrath has set countless records and was the
first rookie to ever win a Supercross Championship. He has won the 250cc
Supercross title six times and holds the record for the most career Supercross
wins and championships. Jeremy rides for Chaparral and Yamaha.

"Jeremy has guided Supercross into the public spotlight and we expect his
enormous popularity to once again drive our franchise," said Mike Jerchower,
Acclaim Sports marketing manager. "If a racing fan wants to see Jeremy McGrath
in a videogame, they will only find him in Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000."

Acclaim Entertainment Background Information Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. is a
leading worldwide developer, publisher and mass marketer of software for use
with interactive entertainment platforms including Nintendo, Sony and Sega
hardware systems, and PCs. Acclaim owns and operates four studios located in
the United States and the United Kingdom, and publishes and distributes its
software directly in North America, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and
Australia. Acclaim also distributes entertainment software for other publishers
worldwide, and publishes comic books and software strategy guides. Acclaim's
company objectives are to produce high quality interactive entertainment
software, build and maintain brands, and build shareholder value. Acclaim's
headquarters are in Glen Cove, New York and Acclaim's common stock is publicly
traded on NASDAQ under the symbol AKLM. For more information please visit our
website at www.acclaim.net.


Michael Meyers
Director of Product Public Relations
Acclaim Entertainment, Inc



EA Sports E3 Lineup

It's no surprise what the company has in store for the PlayStation.

Madden NFL 2000
This version marks the tenth anniversary of the series, and to celebrate the
game will now feature an All-Madden Millenium team. The new version wil also
include updated rosters and teams, including the Cleveland Browns and also
features new motion capturing technology recorded with Jamal Anderson and
Terrel Owens. A new arcade mode brings NFL Blitz-style action to the series,
and new Madden commentary complements the on-field action. Release date: Fall
1999

Tiger Woods 2000
This new golf title marks the ninth year in EA Sports' license with the PGA
Tour and the second version with Tiger Woods. This new version will feature a
more arcade-style golfing experience with input from Tiger Woods himself. Like
last year, he will provide motion capture information. This year, expect
surprise power-ups, fantasy golf courses, and an easy-to-play one button mode,
as well as 300+monster drives, and a mixture of real and fantasy players.
Release date: Fall 1999

Knockout Kings 2000
The next version of the company's boxing series will feature more than fifty
fighters, including Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya, Joe Frazier, and
Muhammed Ali. The game will feature a new Flashstart option, and you'll be able
to re-enact classic bouts in the new Great Fights mode. The game will also have
an updated create-a-fighter option, just like last year's game. Release date:
Fall 1999

Nascar 2000
The next-in-line racer will improve on the past year's gameplay as well as
adding a handful of fantasy road courses. There will also be a create-a-driver
mode, motion-captured interactive pit stops and a two player season mode in the
game as well. Release date: Fall 1999

NCAA Football 2000
College football fans should keep an eye on this one – EA Sports' new title
will feature 141 division 1-A and 1-AA teams and 80 historical teams. You'll be
able to create a personal playbook or select from more than 1000 plays created
with the Coach's Edge software. More than twenty bowl games will be included
with exclusive rights to the Orange, Sugar, and Fiesta Bowls. Game improvements
include more teams, deeper game features, more plays, and an optimized 3D
engine. Release date: Fall 1999

NHL 2000
EA Sports' series just keeps going and going, and let's hope the company
listened to the collective groans caused by last year's game – it looks like
the new version will improve the graphic and animation quality for the 2000
build, and it will also feature a cryptic "two-button" mode and a full dynasty
mode. Release date: Fall 1999

NBA Live 2000
The sixth incarnation of the Live series will now feature player speech and a
new broadcast-style camera technology. And for the first time, Live 2000
enables users to challenge their favorite NBA players to a game of one-on-one
street ball on an outdoor court. Release date: Fall 1999

FIFA 2000
The next rendition of the award-winning FIFA series features national teams,
domestic leagues, and international matches. The new version includes a
redesigned season mode as well as enhancements in graphics and gameplay.
Release date: Fall 1999

Courtesy of PSX.IGN.COM


It's An Honor Just To Be Nominated...

05.04.99
...Indeed it is. But, it's even more of an honor to win. To be numero uno. The
best. Alas, it appears that GI will have to wait one more year before we are
given the recognition from our peers that we so richly deserve. This year, the
Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences curiously overlooked gameinformer.com
when it handed out nods for Online Entertainment Site of the Year. We suspect
it might have something to do with last year's ceremony; from which the Game
Hombre was forcibly escorted for wearing nothing but a cowboy hat and a diaper.
But rest assured, next year, when we win, expect the GI staff to bum rush the
stage like Ol' Dirty Bastard at the Grammy Awards.

Here's a rundown of the console games that are nominated for IAA awards this
year:

Action Game of the Year

Banjo-Kazooie, Nintendo of America/Rare (N64)
Metal Gear Solid, Konami of America, Inc./KCEJ (PS)
Parasite Eve, Square Electronic Arts L.L.C./Square Soft, Inc. (PS)
Spyro the Dragon, Sony Computer Entertainment America/ Insomniac Games
(PS)
Tenchu: Stealth Assassins, Activision, Inc./Sony Music Entertainment
Japan (PS)

Adventure Game of the Year

Banjo-Kazooie, Nintendo of America/Rare (N64)
MediEvil, Sony Computer Entertainment America(PS)
Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus, GT Interactive Software/Oddworld Inhabitants
(PS)
Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Nintendo of America/Nintendo Co. Ltd. (N64)

Fighting Game of the Year

Bushido Blade 2, Square Electronic Arts L.L.C./Square Soft, Inc. (PS)
WCW/NWO Revenge, THQ/Asmik of Japan (N64)
WWF: Warzone, Acclaim Entertainment /Iguana West (N64)
WWF: Warzone, Acclaim Entertainment/Iguana West (PS)

Racing Game of the Year

Extreme-G 2, Acclaim Entertainment/Probe Entertainment (N64)
F-Zero X, Nintendo of America/Nintendo Co. Ltd. (N64)
Gran Turismo, Sony Computer Entertainment America/ Polyphony Digital
Inc. (PS)
Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit, Electronic Arts/Electronic Arts
Canada (PS)

Role-Playing Game of the Year

DMG Pokemon, Nintendo of America/Creatures Inc./Game Freak, Inc. (Game
Boy)
Panzer Dragoon Saga, Sega of America/Sega of America (Sega-Saturn)
Parasite Eve, Square Electronic Arts L.L.C./Square Soft, Inc. (PS)
Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Nintendo of America/Nintendo Co. Ltd. (N64)

Sports Game of the Year

1080 Snowboarding, Nintendo of America/Nintendo Co. Ltd. (N64)
Hot Shots Golf, Sony Computer Entertainment America (PS)
Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside, Nintendo of America/Left Field
Productions (N64)
NFL Blitz, Midway Home Entertainment/Midway Games Inc. (N64)
NFL Quarterback Club'99, Acclaim Entertainment/Iguana Entertainment
(N64)

Console Game of the Year

All Console category finalists are nominated.

Game of the Year

(Includes PC and Console Games)

Banjo-Kazooie, Nintendo of America/Rare (N64)
Grim Fandango, LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC (PC)
Metal Gear Solid, Konami of America, Inc/KCEJ (PS)
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, Electronic Arts/Firaxis Games (PC)
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC &
Factor 5 (N64)
Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Nintendo of America/Nintendo Co. Ltd. (N64)

----------------------------------
Courtesy Game Informer


Nintendo Chairman to Step Down

Nintendo of America's Howard Lincoln to retire as chairman of company early
next year.

May 03, 1999

IGN64 has learned that Nintendo of America chairman Howard Lincoln plans to
retire from his position as chairman of the company by February 2000. Lincoln,
who has served as unofficial head of Nintendo's US operations for more than 15
years, will not drop off the circuit altogether, but will instead take a less
active role in the company, relinquishing much of his duties to separate
executives of the firm. Nintendo currently has no plans to replace Lincoln's
position.

"Howard will be with Nintendo into the millennium. He plans to retire from his
specific role as chairman of Nintendo of America at the end of February 2000,"
Nintendo's Perrin Kaplan, director, Corporate Affairs, told IGN64 today. "He
will remain on the board of directors of Nintendo of America, Rare Ltd., and
the Baseball Club of Seattle, the owner of the Seattle Mariners. As a board
member of Nintendo of America, he will continue to work closely with Mr.
Arakawa and the other officers of the company and will also be available for
special projects where necessary."

According to Kaplan, Mr. Lincoln will not be replaced. Instead,
responsibilities will be delegated to various officers of Nintendo of America,
including Nintendo of America President Minoru Arakawa.

------------------------------------

Courtesy IGN64.com


NASCAR and NBA Live drive into the next millennium.

May 03, 1999

While NASCAR has been "America's fastest growing sport" for the last several
years, the NBA has fallen on hard times recently and both leagues will get a
nice boost from EA Sports' NASCAR 2000 and NBA Live 2000. It will be the second
go-round for each game after debuting on the N64 last fall.

NASCAR 2000 will have all of the current paint jobs, teams and new drivers
including Little E, Dale Earnhardt Jr. This year's game will also have the
Homestead racetrack, bringing the total to 18 licensed NASCAR tracks.

After successfully making the jump to the N64 last year, NBA Live 2000
continues the in-your-face attitude of the NBA Live franchise. The full NBA
license is there but the excitement should come from the new player speech
feature and television-style camera views. If that's not enough there's a
one-on-one mode where you can take on any NBA player on an outdoor court.

These games are in addition to the other EA Sports games that were announced
today and IGN64 will have more on all of these titles from E3 next week.

-----------------------------------

Courtesy IGN64.com


Say Hello to Project Dolphin

IGN64 unearths new information regarding Nintendo's next-generation hardware.

May 04, 1999

IGN64 has learned that Nintendo's next-generation hardware, commonly referred
to by the press as "N2000," is officially being called "Project Dolphin"
(codename only) internally at Nintendo. The machine, which is still scheduled
for a 2000/2001 release, will feature powerful graphics hardware comparable to
that seen in PlayStation 2.

"Management is claiming better graphics than the PSX2," a Nintendo insider told
IGN64. "And supposedly it will run on DVD, but that's still a big maybe at this
point."

According to the source, four companies already have development kits and have
begun making software for the Dolphin. Those companies are Rare, Retro Studios,
EAD and Nintendo of America's local studios NST.

"The buzz is that the system is a lot easier to program for than the Nintendo
64," said the Nintendo source who wishes to remain anonymous. "And it appears
Art-X [the system's graphics chip provider] managed to slap out a nasty chipset
for pretty cheap."

Meanwhile, Nintendo is still keeping extremely quiet on the specifics of the
hardware and isn't expected to announce anything in regards to the system at E3
in less than two weeks.

IGN64 will have more on the story soon.

Courtesy IGN64

 

Accolade E3 Lineup

At long last, Accolade has finally unveiled their respective plans for the
forthcoming E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) next week. As we reported first
News Shorts 04.14 -
http://www.segadreamcast.net/news/news_990414_newsshorts.htm  the company had
already been involved in Dreamcast development for some time. Included in their
upcoming E3 lineup for the Dreamcast are Test Drive 6 & Slave Zero. Shown
below are two brief paragraphs regarding both of the aforementioned titles:

Test Drive 6, the latest in the successful Test Drive racing series, includes
40 licensed cars and 30 new tracks. The game has a completely revamped physics
model, which will give each car in its class a specific driving style and
handling model. As players win races, they are able to upgrade their cars, with
five upgrades available per car. The game will feature interactive driving
environments that will include breakable objects, unpredictable objects and
nerve-racking shortcuts. Cars will race through outdoor cafes in Paris, France,
causing tables to crash and fly into the air, swerve to avoid alligators in the
Louisiana swamplands, or jump over forklifts in the back alleys of Hong Kong.
Test Drive 6 will be available this holiday season.

Slave Zero is a 3D action giant robot game that gives players control of a
60-foot biomechanical war machine 500 years in the future in a battle against
rival forces throughout the vast metropolis of S1-9. The city is ruled by the
SovKahn, an evil dictator who possesses dark matter, a mysterious energy source
that is used to control the populace. The player is part of a rebellion force
who steals the technology to create a 60-foot slave robot and becomes one with
the giant biomechanical creature, Slave Zero. The game will be available for
personal computers in July and Sega Dreamcast in the fall.

Written By: Dennis Day

Courtesy of SegaDreamcast.net

WWW.Soccer Update

Japanese developer 'Clean Fight' recently released some new images and updated
information regarding their forthcoming Dreamcast sports title, 'WWW.Soccer'.
As we've told you previously, WWW.Soccer will feature seven different world
soccer leagues, each broken down by region. The bulk of the game appears to
revolve around it's internet related capabilities. Gameplayers will be able to
log online and play against one another in a series of different leagues,
matches.

Although a final number of gameplay modes haven't been confirmed, gameplayers
will be able to edit a variety of in-game functions. In particular, gameplayers
can keep track of how well players are performing, and replace them at will.
Also, gameplayers can arrange different defend and attack patterns. Albeit
still somewhat early, WWW.Soccer looks promising. The game is said to be on
target for a release in Japan this November, we'll keep you posted on it's
on-going development.

Written By: Dennis Day

Courtesy of SegaDreamcast.net


Interplay Exhibits No Smoke No Mirrors Attitude at E3;
Awesome Lineup to Be Featured at Expo

IRVINE, Calif., May 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Interplay Entertainment Corp.
(Nasdaq: IPLY), a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment
software, today announced its line up for the Electronic Entertainment Expo
(E3), being held in Los Angeles, May 13 -- 15, 1999 at the Los Angeles
Convention Center. Interplay, on a roll from first quarter Baldur's Gate(TM)
success, shows no signs of letting up in 1999. Interplay will be flexing its
muscles by prominently showcasing 13 titles, many of which have already gained
attention within the industry as breakthrough games. All titles displayed are
anticipated to release in the 1999 calendar year. Interplay encourages E3
attendees to visit their booth, located on the ground level in the Concourse
Hall # 5131.

The impressive breadth of titles being featured by Interplay include, nine
PC titles (Giants: Citizen Kabuto(TM), Planescape: Torment(TM), Star Trek(R):
Starfleet Command(TM), Messiah(TM), FreeSpace 2(TM), F/A-18E Super Hornet(TM),
Star Trek(R): Klingon Academy(TM), Star Trek(R): New Worlds(TM), and
Evolva(TM)) and four console games (Wild Water World Championships(TM) and
Carmageddon(TM) for the Sony PlayStation(TM) as well as Nintendo 64(TM)
versions of Carmageddon and Earthworm Jim 3D(TM)).

"Our 1999 lineup is the strongest we've ever had," stated Brian Fargo,
chairman and CEO of Interplay. "Our upcoming titles illustrate our strong
commitment to providing gamers with innovative, challenging and fun products.
The quality, creativity and passion in our releases this year is second to
none."

Leading the pack and shipping this summer is an amazing trio consisting of
Giants, Torment and Star Trek(R): Starfleet Command(TM).

Appearing on the covers of gaming publications, Giants is a must see title.
Developed by Planet Moon Studios, Giants is a new breed of the action genera
that includes elements of strategy and offbeat humor in this single and
multi-player game for the PC. This real-time 3D title is set on a massive
fragment of a shattered planet consisting of 30 separate islands. The
magnificent rendered world will blow your mind. Gamers will play three very
original creatures, the Sea Reapers, the Meccaryn and the giant, Kabuto. All
are fighting for control of the beautiful world. During confrontation, each
character's strengths and weaknesses will come to the forefront. Kabuto can
crush victims with his bare hands, Meccaryns have technological might, space
travel and weapons to their advantage and the Sea Reapers can travel the seas
and control devastating elemental powers.

Black Isle Studios' latest endeavor, Planescape Torment, is being hailed
as; "Potential masterpiece," "one of the most intriguing RPG concepts around"
and "Hallmarks of potential." The title is the first computer RPG set in the
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons(R) world of Planescape(TM). Torment is an epic
story of an immortal character who suffers from amnesia and must search for his
own past, identity and destiny. Powered by the Bioware Infinity Engine(TM)
used in Baldur's Gate, Torment is a mystery with the player's character as the
central enigma. The player dies, only to find himself miraculously resurrected
in a strange place with his memory completely erased. Throughout the game,
curiosity, fear, greed, survival, self-defense and revenge will all take turns
driving the character toward an unforgettable end.

With Star Trek:(R) Starfleet Command(TM) (SFC), explore dozens of planetary
systems, stars, nebulaes, black holes and asteroid fields in the historical
Star Trek(R) universe. Based on the popular board game, Starfleet Battles
(SFB), SFC incorporates the richly developed game mechanics of SFB into the
game's original design. The single-player experience will feature dynamically
generated missions responding to events in the galaxy and the player's career.
SFC also features up to six players in multi-player missions. Players will be
able to pilot ships from several different political forces, including: United
Federation of Planets, Klingon Empire, Romulan Star Empire, Lyran Star Empire
and the Hydran Kingdom.

Following close behind is the much anticipated and one of the most talked
about games of 1999, Messiah. Come by and play what's got the industry
salivating! Messiah is a state-of-the-art action adventure game that uses a
third person camera view set in the dark world of a possible future. As the
cherub, Bob, you have been given the daunting task of returning Earth to its
once pristine beauty by defeating the forces of evil. Through the course of the
game Bob will encounter over 50 different characters. Although defenseless
against the powers of evil, Bob has been given one very special ability, he can
possess and control the body of any living thing he encounters. Messiah, with
its RT-DAT technology (Real Time Deformation and Tessellation) will set the new
visual standard for all games. A PlayStation version of Messiah is also
anticipated to release in Winter 1999 .

FreeSpace 2 is sure to knock you off your feet with heart-pounding
dogfights and spectacular visual effects. The sequel to the highly acclaimed
space combat simulation, Descent FreeSpace: The Great War(TM), FreeSpace 2, is
being developed by Volition, Inc., and will offer players significant new
gameplay advances, including immersive nebulas that cloak enemies and allies
alike, Juggernaut capital ships that dwarf all other ships, and new ships like
the Stealth Fighter and AWAC's designed specifically for nebula missions. All
new single and multiplayer missions, including SquadWars and the free matching
service, Parallax Online, add a new dimension to the space combat genre.

Generated from the Titus agreement, Interplay will be featuring F/A-18E
Super Hornet, which Interplay will be distributing for the France based
company. Digital Integration, the same group that created such award-winning
simulations as Apache Longbow(TM), Hind(TM) and F-16 Fighting Falcon(TM), is
bringing the air combat simulation to life with F/A-18E Super Hornet. The
F/A-18E Super Hornet is the future of naval aviation. It will be the first
U.S. Navy aircraft to make use of radar and infra red signature-reduction
technologies (STEALTH). The title is anticipated to ship in the Fall of 1999
for Windows 98 based computers.

A prequel to Star Trek(R) VI: The Undiscovered Country(TM), Star Trek(R)
Klingon Academy(TM) includes a star studded cast with Christopher Plummer as
General Chang and David Warner as Chancellor Gorkon. Under the tutelage of
Chang, you will learn battle tactics and the code of the Klingon warrior.
Complete with 3-D space terrain, a Gunnery Chair and the ability to command
capital ships, Klingon Academy has set a new standard in space combat. Prove
yourself worthy and you may be recruited to fight with Chang in an even
greater, conflict - a conflict that will decide the fate of the Klingon Empire.

Boldly go where no one has gone before - the frontier itself! Star Trek(R)
New Worlds(TM) is the first 3D ground based real time strategy game set in the
Star Trek(R) universe. Choose to join the colonial forces of the Federation,
the Klingon Imperial Task Force or the regiments of the Romulan Star Empire and
journey to the surface of the planets. Construct colonies, build war machines,
attack and defend your base against all enemies. Choose from a wealth of
available structures and resources, all unique to their race and customs. Three
separate story lines are interwoven throughout the game bringing both conflict
and adventure into the strategy gaming experience.

If you think Aliens are trouble, then Evolva is certain to jolt the
strategy gamer in you. Spawned from the Interplay/Virgin agreement, Evolva
pits the player against an alien parasite as two warring factions battle it out
for supremacy across a planet infected by the deadly creature. Players are
challenged with building an army of fully customizable foot soldiers then
guiding them into a series of confrontations with the parasite's armies before
facing off with the central organism itself. The game uses the organic art
design from the acclaimed development house, Computer Artwork Studio in
England. Evolva will be releasing on the PC this winter.

Watch out gamers! Speeding into your living rooms this summer is the PC
smash hit Carmageddon for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64! Two all new
versions designed specifically with the console gamer in mind will be sweeping
the nation. Carmageddon's console versions provide gamers with completely new
challenges as they prepare for the race of their life! With all new levels,
missions and cars, Carmageddon console is sure to deliver smashing excitement
for the gamer in you.

Get ready, the ever-popular annelid is back. The worm has returned to star
in his next adventure, Earthworm Jim 3D. Earthworm Jim 3D is being developed
by Vis Interactive, in conjunction with Interplay. The game features a new
engine with advanced polygon smoothing technology to give it the look of a
cartoon and allow close-ups of Jim's most animated expressions. Players will
have complete freedom of movement in a fully interactive polygonal environment
as they play groovy games and solve nutty puzzles on Jim's road to mental
recovery.

What happens when a bunch of bored eccentric millionaires get together?
They race! Putting fortunes on the line, they make up their own rules. Wild
Water World Championships is that race. It's a cross between Cannonball Run
and Wacky Racers(TM).

Wild Water World Championships will release on four platforms -
PlayStation, PC, Nintendo 64, and Dreamcast. Containing six tracks, 27
characters and countless obstacles and weapons, it's a fast-paced adventure
with a cartoon look and feel.

Wild Water World Championships is being created by Promethean Designs and
published by Interplay Sports.

Interplay Entertainment Corp. is a leading developer, publisher and
distributor of interactive entertainment software for both core gamers and the
mass market. Interplay currently balances its development efforts by
publishing for personal computers and current generation video game consoles.
Interplay releases products through Interplay, Shiny Entertainment, Tantrum,
Black Isle Studios, Interplay Sports, 14 Degrees East, its distribution
partners and its wholly owned subsidiary Interplay OEM, Inc. More
comprehensive information on Interplay and its products is available through
its worldwide web site at http://www.interplay.com.


Rally Masters

This beautiful racer may just leave the competition in the dust.

May 5, 1999

Developer Digital Illusions (Motorhead) has teamed up with publishing force
Infogrames to bring a racer to Nintendo 64. But this isn't your standard,
run-of-the-mill driving game, it's a realistic Rally speedster and it looks to
give even Boss Game's best a run for its money. It's called Rally Masters and
it features a ton of goodies -- from a huge selection of real-world cars and
tracks to a four-player mode and beautiful visual effects -- that are sure to
render racing fanatics ravenous with anticipation. Best of all, the game is
already up and running on Nintendo 64 hardware and, judging from the
screen-shots Digital Illusions has provided us with, it looks absolutely
amazing.

Features

- 22+ Cars from all rally groups old and new with selectable color schemes (two
skins per car minimum)
- 23+ real World Rally Drivers (new, WRC and legends)
- 51 unique tracks
- Four Championship Game modes as well as Single race, Time attack, Ghost play
and four-player mode
- Custom championship editor
- Divisions on all championships
- Three Difficulty settings (Easy, Med, Hard)
- Various vehicle settings including tire choice, gear ratios, springs, etc.
- Real-time on-screen car damage with option to affect car handling
- Reflection mapping on cars in all modes of play
- Trophy room to see you achievements
- Car and driver bios

As you can see, the game has quite a bit going for it, but is it really going
to be all that different from the competition's offerings? Digital Illusions
think so. "Looking at the current racing games on the N64, they seem to share
certain shortcomings," the developer says. And to ensure that Rally Masters
doesn't fall victim to the same problem, the game will feature special visual
enhancements in the vein of high resolution textures and top-of-the-line
framerates.

"Blurry and repetitive textures are all too common in the [N64's] current
lineup of racers," notes Digital Illusions. "The engine [for Rally Masters] has
been designed to handle more and larger textures than normally seen on N64
racing titles. This will give the game a much superior visual impact."

As far as framerates go, the developer comments, "The jerky graphics
experienced in a lot of N64 racing games comes from the fact that the framerate
varies between 20-30 fps (16-25 on PAL systems). By keeping a constant 30fps
(25 on PAL systems) we'll ensure a much smoother gaming experience."

Other notable features the Digital Illusions is planning on include:

- Detailed car models. With the processing power of the N64 there is no need
for the cars to look like cardboard boxes.
- Visually impressive weather effects like snow and rain. Lighting effects,
lens-flares, specular environment mapping, water reflections among others.
Environmental effects, - smoke and dust clouds, water splashes.
- High resolution graphics using Nintendo's 4MB Expansion Pak.
- Cars consisting of 750+ polygons each
- Tracks consisting of 60,000+ Polygons each
- 10 other specially written metal/techno tunes for the Nintendo 64.

The game will play very similar to other Rally-based racers, meaning players,
using a variety of different vehicles, must race through unforgiving terrain
while fending off aggressive opponents. Bumpy roads and sliding through corners
will, of course, play an integral part of the gaming experience.

Outlook: Digital Illusions is certainly aiming high with the title and has
listed a plethora of intriguing features and graphic effects that Rally Masters
supports. If everything comes together as the developer plans then the game
could very well show up being Nintendo 64's best racer to date. Unfortunately,
that's a very big 'IF' at this point and we're going to have to wait and see
exactly how the game materializes.

Hopefully an E3 showing of the product will wow us. Certainly the Nintendo 64
screen-shots of the 75% complete game are extremely impressive.

Courtesy IGN64


Daytona 2

Over the last two years, Sega's R&D departments have been hard at work creating
massive sequels to some of their biggest ever hits - Sega Rally, Fighting
Vipers, Virtual On, and lastly Daytona USA. D2: Battle On The Edge possesses
all the features which made the first game so popular, but exaggerates
everything to make it even more exciting than before. More players, faster
cars, more amazing scenery and even more astonishing crashes!

As with the original Daytona USA, there are three courses from which to choose
- Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced - each with their own distinctive look
and feel. The first track is a simple high-speed oval. As with the first
Daytona's 777 Speedway, there's only one or two tight corners, letting players
reach some ridiculous speeds! Set in a giant glass dome, it truly is an
incredible course. Moving on to the intermediate track, this is arguably the
best one. Hosted inside a bizarre amusement park, racers get to travel past
canyons, rollercoasters, haunted houses and demons, before returning to the
finish line to cross underneath a huge banana boat! Does the word astonishing
spring to mind?

Finally, the advanced course, which like its predecessor, is very long and
tough. Getting on the more realistic side of things, players will race past a
dockyard, city streets and a freeway section. The track itself is very twisty,
leading to a lot of reflexes being needed just in order to make the
checkpoints.

Unlike the original, D2 offers a choice of three cars. For novices, Chums Gum
Racing (nice name!) offers easy handling, but a poor acceleration. For more
advanced players, Scorpio Plasma Racing is the automobile to go for. If you
think you're an expert, Phantom Racing is the car to choose, letting racers
reach maximum speeds, but at the cost of some very tight control.

With forty cars speeding around circuits such as these, you can be sure to
expect many crashes. Daytona 2 definitely does not disappoint, welcoming major
car damage and multiple pile-ups. If you're not careful in the beginning, you
could be zimmer framing along at five miles per hour in no time! Best of all
though has to be the collision graphics. Whenever you cars hits the side of a
wall, showers of sparks will arrive out of nowhere, followed by long trails of
smoke - a very nice touch.

Thanks to the power of the Model 3 Step 2 board, everything looks wonderful.
Gone is the pop up which plagued the original, replacing it with graphics to
die for! Even the cars themselves look great, boasting a very solid style
appearance. While eclipsed by forthcoming titles such as Sega's own Shen Mue,
D2 is still without a doubt, one of the best looking racing games out there.

True to Sega tradition, Daytona, like Virtua Fighter 3 and Spikeout, has
received an update in order to appease hardcore fans crazing for more. Titled
"Daytona 2 Power Edition", this nifty little update marks the return of the
Hornet from D1, and adds a special track which lets you race through all three
courses! Starting off on the advanced track, racers move into the expert before
making their way down to the beginner. Aside from that, and a few graphics
changes, nothing else has been tinkered with. When a Dreamcast version does
arrive on the scene, expect it to be a compilation of both games, which will
hopefully feature some brand new courses, cars and gameplay modes. Until the
inevitable is announced, get down to your nearest arcade to enjoy one of the
best arcade sequels ever. I for one will be doing just that.

Previewed by: Matthew Langan

Courtesy of SegaDreamcast.net


Dreamcast Has Furballs

Metropolis SR's developer throws cartoon characters into his visually stunning
blast-o-rama for Dreamcast and PC - meet the Furballs...and several exclusive
screens.

UK developer Bizarre Creations looks set to bring another blinding title to
Sega's upcoming console on top of the already critically acclaimed Metropolis
Street Racer, the only 1.5 party developer title as yet confirmed for the
European launch of the machine. Furballs doesn't have a great deal in common
with; well, anything else. It looks cute: cute cats, fluffy bears and waddling
penguins roam around in fully 3D environments - until they take up "f**k off"
guns and blows seven bells out of the animated enemy.

"Furballs gameplay is quite unique," said a Bizarre Creations spokesperson.
"Its style can be summed up in one word: 'sarcasm'. It blends intense shooting
action with challenging puzzles in a way which should appeal to the mischievous
and even macabre nature in all of us.

"There are two main elements of the gameplay which prevent the game from being
categorised into the neat slots that some publishers prefer. The first is the
violence, action and skill of the third person shoot-em-up. The second is the
deeper challenge and real-world complexity of the puzzles, which unravel the
storyline as the player progresses.

"But the most important feature of the game is the sarcasm and humor, which is
woven into every area of the game. From shooting off a bear's head, to setting
dynamite traps for peacocks, there's adult humor all the way through the
shooting action. We've got comical puzzles, rich character animations, and
snappy cut scenes keep the humor flowing throughout the whole game.

"Furballs is aimed at a teenage and adult audience. It may seem from first
appearances that it's a cutesy little platformer, but nothing could be further
from the truth. In the same way that South Park and other adult cartoons
provide a shock factor in having a cute cartoon character acting in a adult
way, we're aiming to have Furballs provide a breath of fresh air in the area of
cartoon games," the source concluded.

The playable characters in the game, the Furballs, come in various shapes and
sizes - here's all you need to know.

Roofus
The oldest of the Furballs, this tough hound has dependability stamped all over
him. Raised in the brutal inner city kennels of Glasgow, he joined the army to
escape the slums as much as fight. He was a natural soldier, and has won many
medals, but shunned all offers of promotion. He leads the Furballs as the most
experienced fighter, steeling himself for one last battle to help save his
family.

Species - Dog
Age - 12 years
Height - 1.7 meters
Blood Group - A
Special Skill - Burrowing through soft ground

Chang
Chang was born into a rich family in rural China, and raised in the bright
lights of the countries' southern boom cities. When the war started, he
horrified his kin by choosing to become a common foot soldier. His
encyclopaedic knowledge of science and strategy, combined with his natural
agility and cunning, make him one of the Furballs' best weapons.

Species - Firefox (Chinese panda)
Age - 7 years
Height - 1.3 meters
Blood Group - B
Special Skill - Contortionist (can squeeze through holes)

Juliette
Beautiful and athletic, Juliette is also a supreme warrior. She can be
temperamental stubborn and selfish, with an annoying tendency not to listen to
others. When she becomes frustrated, she is often tempted to go it alone, but
with persuasion, she has decided to stick with the team.

Species - Cat
Age - 5 years
Height - 1.6 meters
Blood Group - AB
Special Skill - Climbing

Rico
Raised among the huge penguin communities of southern Argentina, this
idealistic bird always craved more than his mundane life of fishing and dodging
orcas. He set forth in search of his dream, and stumbled upon the Furballs, who
have helped him to hone his talents. Rico is somewhat overconfident, and prone
to daydreaming. He isn't quite the hero he thinks he is, but is quick to show
that in the water, there's no-one more skilled.

Species - Rockhopper penguin
Age - 5 years
Height - 1.8 meters
Blood Group - O
Special Skill - Swimming

Bungalow
Bungalow is a fully-grown male Kangaroo, whose best friend is Roofus the hound.
This massive antipodean, although well-endowed with strength, does not match
this in the brains department. He is happiest when taking orders from others -
usually Roofus or his domineering wife!

Species - Kangaroo
Age - 7 Years
Height - 2.0 meters
Blood Group - A
Special Skill - High jumps

Tweak
Tweak is less than a day old. The last of his mother's eggs to hatch, he only
spent a few precious minutes with her and his siblings before General Viggo
stole them away. Although he is the largest and slowest of his brothers and
sisters, he knows he must fight to get them back. Clumsy and nervous, he finds
his new world scary and fascinating, but is helped by his instinctive knowledge
of firearms, and the other Furballs looking out for him.

Species - Dragon
Age - 0.002 years
Height - 2.2 meters
Blood Group - A
Special Skill - Gliding long distances

The developer is yet to confirm a publisher for the title, to be shown off at
E3. Furballs is expected to launch on Dreamcast and PC in the first quarter
2000.

Courtesy Next Generation Online


Disney, Nintendo Form Pub. Pact

It's a small world after all. Disney and Nintendo, certain that they can't
acquire each other, are cutting a deal instead.

Disney Interactive and Nintendo have announced a worldwide agreement for
Nintendo to publish a slew of games for the N64 and Game Boy Color.
Additionally, titles using the Mickey license will almost certainly appear on
the Next Generation Nintendo system, now dubbed (according to Nintendo sources)
Project Dolphin.

This marks a reunification of sorts for the two companies, given that Nintendo
was founded making licensed Mickey Mouse playing cards in Japan. Now Mickey is
returning to Nintendo, in a way, as he will make appearances on N64 in full 3D.

The Mickey games, a 'Mickey Racing' title (Game Boy Color), a 'Disney Racing'
title (N64 and Game Boy Color) and a 'Mickey Adventure' title (home console and
Game Boy Color), will be created by Rare. The games are scheduled for release
during the holiday seasons of 1999, 2000 and 2001, respectively.

"We are thrilled to introduce Mickey to an entirely new audience by combining
his global popularity with the innovative technology that the Game Boy Color
and N64 platforms have to offer," says Jan Smith, Disney Interactive's senior
vice president and general manager. "Our relationship with Nintendo and Rare
will create the most exciting and immersive Mickey gaming experience ever."

"The incomparable ability of Rare to create interactive magic is about to be
integrated with the incomparable appeal of Mickey Mouse," says Howard Lincoln,
chairman, Nintendo of America. "The results will broaden the appeal of video
gaming to an ever-widening number of households around the world."

Disney Interactive will also develop multiple titles for the Game Boy Color
platform. The games will either target the girl game software market or tie in
with major video releases from Buena Vista Home Entertainment.

The first two titles, 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'Alice in Wonderland,' which
focus on girl gamers, are scheduled for Fall, 1999.

Courtesy Next Generation Online

 

left.gif (2263 bytes) Back to Index