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GAME.NET News
A couple of mod additions to mention this week with support for the Matrix / Kung Fu / Action Quake style Half-Life mod The Specialists introduced. For just the second beta version the mod is very polished and has been rolled out to our Clan Servers & Bookables, if you fancy having a go you can get the 120 MB Beta 2.0 here. In addition to this we have also introduced support on the Clan Servers & Bookables for the popular Half-Life mod Sven Coop, this co-operative mod allows you to play various missions (some from the original Half-Life game) with your mates, featuring a wealth of new content it is well worth a go if you have a copy of Half-Life lying around somewhere (and let's face it, who doesn't?).
Also new to our servers this week is the first public release of BattleField 1942 mod Galactic Conquest. Although the name doesn't give that much away this is in fact a Star-Wars based mod for BF1942, focusing on the Battle for Hoth that was featured in The Empire Strikes Back. There has been a fair amount of publicity for this mod so it will be interesting to see how this first alpha version is received, especially given that normally the initial releases of BF1942 mods get a very mixed reception due to the overwhelming number of bugs they contain, however if you do fancy giving Alpha 0.1 a try then you can find the 293 MB file here and the mod can be accessed on our Bookables & Clan Servers.
As you will see from the Files & Patches section it has been a busy week as far as new game versions as concerned, the most notable change being to RavenShield with our servers now on v1.31 (links below). Popular Half-Life mod Natural Selection has also been updated to the released-on-Thursday v2.0, this change taking effect as of 6am on Friday and covering all the servers we run for the mod.
Other mod / game updates to mention are as follows:
Unreal Tournament Anti-Cheat software UTPure updated to RC6E.
Half-Life Dedicated Server updated to v4111d, correcting an exploit and improving CPU usage methods.
Soldier of Fortune 2 OSP updated to v0.3f.
Medal of Honor & SpearHead various anti-cheat software updated to latest versions.
Return to Castle Wolfenstein Shrub mod updated to v3.1.1b.
What's On
Sunday 3rd August 2003
Jedi Knight 2: Low Gravity @15:00
Operation Flashpoint @ 17:00
Counter-Strike @ 20:00
Monday 4th August 2003
Elite Force II @ 19:00
Tuesday 5th August 2003
Battlefield 1942 @ 20:30
Quake 3 Arena: Urban Terror @ 20:30
Wednesday 6th August 2003
New Event >> Medal of Honor @ 19:00 << New Event
Battlefield 1942: Desert Combat @ 21:00
Thursday 7th August 2003
New Event >> Medal of Honor: SpearHead @ 17:00 << New Event
Half-Life: Day of Defeat @ 20:30
Quake 3 Arena: Capture The Flag @ 21:00
Half Life: Team Fortress Classic (TFC) @ 21:00
Friday 8th August 2003
Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory @ 13:00
Files and Patches
Trailers
Back up to normal levels of Trailerlicious stuff this week with the hype machine continuing to rumble on as far as Half-Life 2 is concerned, even though there have been mixed messages about its release date in the past few days with rumours that it might slip a month or two. Like most FPS gamers I'm clinging to the hope that the 30th of September will be when we see the game making an appearance and the latest two trailers continue to ramp up expectations, the first being a whopping 185 MB and featuring footage from the E3 trailer which got so many people wet in the first place. You can grab that one here, whilst it has been followed up with a similarly action filled movie showcasing the tunnel sections of the game, at 100 MB this one again shows just how well put together the game engine is.
Most of the other trailers release this week do not come close to match Half-Life 2 in terms of quality or size, but the released next year FPS game Far Cry gives it a go in a 76 MB in-game footage trailer (get it here) with a lovely German voice over (it comes from a German gaming magazine), although the graphical quality doesn't look that good I think that could be because of the format and the game itself does appear to be a pretty solid foray into the genre. Also looking to bring its own thing to the FPS table is Trinity, the usual post-apocalyptic storyline spruced up with you taking on the role of a bio-enhanced one-man army and the 11 MB demo (get it here) suggests that you will have all manner of spiffy targetting modes and other l33t abilities to exploit. Continuing the theme of a world gone mad is Freedom Fighters, in this unique blend of turn-based strategy and full on action you find yourself battling to free the USA from the grip of the Russkies after they win the Cold War. The 9 MB demo is available to download here and features a Planet of the Apes-style sequence to ramp up the patriotism, although it remains to be seen whether that many people outside the USA will be attracted to restoring it to freedom given the current attitude towards the country after the Iraq war.
Two vehicle themed trailers to mention next, the first being for Rush Hour which is the first Expansion Pack for the pretty, but ultimately disappointing, Sim City 4. Whether or not improved transportation management and the ability to drive things will really make the game remains to be seen, but you can have a look at some in-game footage by grabbing the 12 MB trailer here. A far more superior driving experience can be found with Midnight Club II, this game released a few weeks ago with a demo already available but if you need more convincing that it should be in your collection then an action-packed 40 MB trailer (get it here) could be the thing for you.
Franchises could be the theme for the remaining three trailers to mention, Madden 2004 is the latest in the NFL series from EA Sports but unfortunately the 15 MB trailer (get it here) does little to convince me that it will be little more than a graphically tweaked version of last year's game, although I live in hope being an NFL fan. The question of whether or not a new game significantly improves on its predecessor will also be levelled at the upcoming EverQuest 2, another slightly unimpressive trailer (get it here) doesn't get me that worked up about a game which will doubtlessly still sell very well indeed. The same will also be true of The Hobbit, this 3D action game adopts the traditional console style approach but promises to stick to the Tolkein realm with some impressive detail and serious voice-over acting, the 26 MB trailer (get it here) gives some background to how the game was put together and also incorporates a substantial amount of game footage.
Playable Demos
On to the demos and this week I've picked out a couple, the first being a 114 MB demo for upcoming EA Sports game Rugby 2004 and this one gives you the chance to play Australia v England to get a feel for the game to see whether or not you rate it as an improvement on the last one in the series. Hopefully further demos will follow for the other 2004 updates, in the mean time if you are looking for something else to play then you can always try out the demo for upcoming RPG game Lionheart, the 150 MB demo (get it here) letting you get a hands-on feel before the full version hits the shelves later this month.
Game Patches
Patches galore this week and for a number of significant games, starting off with RavenShield which has been updated once more and is now running on v1.31. Should you choose to update yourself (and you should because our servers have already been updated) then you can opt for the 2.4 MB v1.30 to v1.31 patch, alternatively if you have just purchased the game and have yet to install any patches then go for the 10 MB v1.00 to v1.31 patch. Further double patch confusement comes for WarCraft 3 with patches for the original game and the Frozen Throne expansion pack available this week, both taking the game up to v1.12 and available here (original game) and here (expansion pack).
The updating process is a more simpler affair for Colin McRae 3, the new 10 MB v1.1 patch is available here to download and fixes a variety of sound and other issues. The 17 MB patch for the distinctive Ghost Master changes a fair bit more than the CM3 patch, gameplay tweaked and various other bugs ironed out, I've not played this game myself but it is quite intriguing and has had solid reviews, if you do own a copy then you can grab the Euro Patch #1 here. Other minor releases to get patches this week include RPG / FPS game Purge, a 21.5 MB patch available here and taking the game to v1.4.7, whilst Vampire-Sim BloodRayne gets a minor tweak with a tiny patch that you can grab here. If you like your gaming a bit more sedate then you might own a copy of Casino Inc, if that is the case then you'll be happy to hear that 4 MB patch has been released, you can grab it here to satisfy your gambling needs.
Mods
A couple of new Half-Life mod releases to mention this week, starting off with Natural Selection 2.0, the RTS / FPS modification for Half-Life which has seen a significant overhaul in this new version. Our servers (including a preview server) have already been updated to support the new version, early reports are promising and this 116MB update (download it here) could turn out to be the key moment in the development of the mod. Taking itself a bit less seriously the fellow Half-Life mod Monkeystrike has been updated to v1.1, this cartoon style mod certainly brings light relief to the mostly serious Half-Life mod scene and the 4 MB update (get it here) helps to improve the stability of the mod, along with introducing some minor new game elements.
Special Offers
If you are a fan of the Microsoft Flight Simulator series then you'll be happy to hear that we are giving away a free copy of Flight Sim Military Collection with the brand new Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 - A Century of Flight, saving you almost £20, enough to keep you flight sim weirdos satisfied for many hours on end :>.
Another freebie can be collected when you pre-order The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers on DVD, do so now and you'll get a copy of "The Making of the Movie" book worth £12.99. I know that a lot of the GAME.NET staff are looking forward to the 26th of August when the DVD is officially released, I am one of them with it being just a couple of days after my birthday (hint hint mum).
Regards,
Dave "BigFoot" Angus
GAME.NET Community Liaison
If you need any help or have any questions, we have a page set up to help you.
Please don't reply to this e-mail - we have all the support you need ready for you elsewhere.
http://www.game.net/
http://www.game.uk.com/
To Unsubscribe from this Community Newsletter simply go to this page, Logon and click the Unsubscribe button.
GAME.NET News
A couple of mod additions to mention this week with support for the Matrix / Kung Fu / Action Quake style Half-Life mod The Specialists introduced. For just the second beta version the mod is very polished and has been rolled out to our Clan Servers & Bookables, if you fancy having a go you can get the 120 MB Beta 2.0 here. In addition to this we have also introduced support on the Clan Servers & Bookables for the popular Half-Life mod Sven Coop, this co-operative mod allows you to play various missions (some from the original Half-Life game) with your mates, featuring a wealth of new content it is well worth a go if you have a copy of Half-Life lying around somewhere (and let's face it, who doesn't?).
Also new to our servers this week is the first public release of BattleField 1942 mod Galactic Conquest. Although the name doesn't give that much away this is in fact a Star-Wars based mod for BF1942, focusing on the Battle for Hoth that was featured in The Empire Strikes Back. There has been a fair amount of publicity for this mod so it will be interesting to see how this first alpha version is received, especially given that normally the initial releases of BF1942 mods get a very mixed reception due to the overwhelming number of bugs they contain, however if you do fancy giving Alpha 0.1 a try then you can find the 293 MB file here and the mod can be accessed on our Bookables & Clan Servers.
As you will see from the Files & Patches section it has been a busy week as far as new game versions as concerned, the most notable change being to RavenShield with our servers now on v1.31 (links below). Popular Half-Life mod Natural Selection has also been updated to the released-on-Thursday v2.0, this change taking effect as of 6am on Friday and covering all the servers we run for the mod.
Other mod / game updates to mention are as follows:
Unreal Tournament Anti-Cheat software UTPure updated to RC6E.
Half-Life Dedicated Server updated to v4111d, correcting an exploit and improving CPU usage methods.
Soldier of Fortune 2 OSP updated to v0.3f.
Medal of Honor & SpearHead various anti-cheat software updated to latest versions.
Return to Castle Wolfenstein Shrub mod updated to v3.1.1b.
What's On
Sunday 3rd August 2003
Jedi Knight 2: Low Gravity @15:00
Operation Flashpoint @ 17:00
Counter-Strike @ 20:00
Monday 4th August 2003
Elite Force II @ 19:00
Tuesday 5th August 2003
Battlefield 1942 @ 20:30
Quake 3 Arena: Urban Terror @ 20:30
Wednesday 6th August 2003
New Event >> Medal of Honor @ 19:00 << New Event
Battlefield 1942: Desert Combat @ 21:00
Thursday 7th August 2003
New Event >> Medal of Honor: SpearHead @ 17:00 << New Event
Half-Life: Day of Defeat @ 20:30
Quake 3 Arena: Capture The Flag @ 21:00
Half Life: Team Fortress Classic (TFC) @ 21:00
Friday 8th August 2003
Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory @ 13:00
Files and Patches
Trailers
Back up to normal levels of Trailerlicious stuff this week with the hype machine continuing to rumble on as far as Half-Life 2 is concerned, even though there have been mixed messages about its release date in the past few days with rumours that it might slip a month or two. Like most FPS gamers I'm clinging to the hope that the 30th of September will be when we see the game making an appearance and the latest two trailers continue to ramp up expectations, the first being a whopping 185 MB and featuring footage from the E3 trailer which got so many people wet in the first place. You can grab that one here, whilst it has been followed up with a similarly action filled movie showcasing the tunnel sections of the game, at 100 MB this one again shows just how well put together the game engine is.
Most of the other trailers release this week do not come close to match Half-Life 2 in terms of quality or size, but the released next year FPS game Far Cry gives it a go in a 76 MB in-game footage trailer (get it here) with a lovely German voice over (it comes from a German gaming magazine), although the graphical quality doesn't look that good I think that could be because of the format and the game itself does appear to be a pretty solid foray into the genre. Also looking to bring its own thing to the FPS table is Trinity, the usual post-apocalyptic storyline spruced up with you taking on the role of a bio-enhanced one-man army and the 11 MB demo (get it here) suggests that you will have all manner of spiffy targetting modes and other l33t abilities to exploit. Continuing the theme of a world gone mad is Freedom Fighters, in this unique blend of turn-based strategy and full on action you find yourself battling to free the USA from the grip of the Russkies after they win the Cold War. The 9 MB demo is available to download here and features a Planet of the Apes-style sequence to ramp up the patriotism, although it remains to be seen whether that many people outside the USA will be attracted to restoring it to freedom given the current attitude towards the country after the Iraq war.
Two vehicle themed trailers to mention next, the first being for Rush Hour which is the first Expansion Pack for the pretty, but ultimately disappointing, Sim City 4. Whether or not improved transportation management and the ability to drive things will really make the game remains to be seen, but you can have a look at some in-game footage by grabbing the 12 MB trailer here. A far more superior driving experience can be found with Midnight Club II, this game released a few weeks ago with a demo already available but if you need more convincing that it should be in your collection then an action-packed 40 MB trailer (get it here) could be the thing for you.
Franchises could be the theme for the remaining three trailers to mention, Madden 2004 is the latest in the NFL series from EA Sports but unfortunately the 15 MB trailer (get it here) does little to convince me that it will be little more than a graphically tweaked version of last year's game, although I live in hope being an NFL fan. The question of whether or not a new game significantly improves on its predecessor will also be levelled at the upcoming EverQuest 2, another slightly unimpressive trailer (get it here) doesn't get me that worked up about a game which will doubtlessly still sell very well indeed. The same will also be true of The Hobbit, this 3D action game adopts the traditional console style approach but promises to stick to the Tolkein realm with some impressive detail and serious voice-over acting, the 26 MB trailer (get it here) gives some background to how the game was put together and also incorporates a substantial amount of game footage.
Playable Demos
On to the demos and this week I've picked out a couple, the first being a 114 MB demo for upcoming EA Sports game Rugby 2004 and this one gives you the chance to play Australia v England to get a feel for the game to see whether or not you rate it as an improvement on the last one in the series. Hopefully further demos will follow for the other 2004 updates, in the mean time if you are looking for something else to play then you can always try out the demo for upcoming RPG game Lionheart, the 150 MB demo (get it here) letting you get a hands-on feel before the full version hits the shelves later this month.
Game Patches
Patches galore this week and for a number of significant games, starting off with RavenShield which has been updated once more and is now running on v1.31. Should you choose to update yourself (and you should because our servers have already been updated) then you can opt for the 2.4 MB v1.30 to v1.31 patch, alternatively if you have just purchased the game and have yet to install any patches then go for the 10 MB v1.00 to v1.31 patch. Further double patch confusement comes for WarCraft 3 with patches for the original game and the Frozen Throne expansion pack available this week, both taking the game up to v1.12 and available here (original game) and here (expansion pack).
The updating process is a more simpler affair for Colin McRae 3, the new 10 MB v1.1 patch is available here to download and fixes a variety of sound and other issues. The 17 MB patch for the distinctive Ghost Master changes a fair bit more than the CM3 patch, gameplay tweaked and various other bugs ironed out, I've not played this game myself but it is quite intriguing and has had solid reviews, if you do own a copy then you can grab the Euro Patch #1 here. Other minor releases to get patches this week include RPG / FPS game Purge, a 21.5 MB patch available here and taking the game to v1.4.7, whilst Vampire-Sim BloodRayne gets a minor tweak with a tiny patch that you can grab here. If you like your gaming a bit more sedate then you might own a copy of Casino Inc, if that is the case then you'll be happy to hear that 4 MB patch has been released, you can grab it here to satisfy your gambling needs.
Mods
A couple of new Half-Life mod releases to mention this week, starting off with Natural Selection 2.0, the RTS / FPS modification for Half-Life which has seen a significant overhaul in this new version. Our servers (including a preview server) have already been updated to support the new version, early reports are promising and this 116MB update (download it here) could turn out to be the key moment in the development of the mod. Taking itself a bit less seriously the fellow Half-Life mod Monkeystrike has been updated to v1.1, this cartoon style mod certainly brings light relief to the mostly serious Half-Life mod scene and the 4 MB update (get it here) helps to improve the stability of the mod, along with introducing some minor new game elements.
Special Offers
If you are a fan of the Microsoft Flight Simulator series then you'll be happy to hear that we are giving away a free copy of Flight Sim Military Collection with the brand new Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 - A Century of Flight, saving you almost £20, enough to keep you flight sim weirdos satisfied for many hours on end :>.
Another freebie can be collected when you pre-order The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers on DVD, do so now and you'll get a copy of "The Making of the Movie" book worth £12.99. I know that a lot of the GAME.NET staff are looking forward to the 26th of August when the DVD is officially released, I am one of them with it being just a couple of days after my birthday (hint hint mum).
Regards,
Dave "BigFoot" Angus
GAME.NET Community Liaison
If you need any help or have any questions, we have a page set up to help you.
Please don't reply to this e-mail - we have all the support you need ready for you elsewhere.
http://www.game.net/
http://www.game.uk.com/
To Unsubscribe from this Community Newsletter simply go to this page, Logon and click the Unsubscribe button.