Here's a snip:

Again Spec Ops II is being written using the internally developed Zombie game engine; Viper. The new engine will again support both 3rd and 1st person views, as well as the return of "buddy" who will now be even smarter and follow more commands, using a new click and drag GUI. We are also  experimenting with adding 3 buddies. This allows Spec Ops to be differentiated from the other shooter style military sims due out in the coming year.

Take a look, you'll be glad ya did. :)

Here's a small taste from the interview about said engine:

AVault: Describe a scene from Delta Force 2 that will be possible because of the updated voxel engine.

Eckhart: You know the enemy compound is on the other side of the ridge you're approaching, and you can tell by the sound of gunfire directed at your buddies that there are a lot of bad guys out there who're already alerted to your presence. You can't just go charging over the hill with your teeth bared, so what do you do? The patch of tall grass on the ridge looks like it would provide good concealment, so you drop to a prone position. Anyone who's not standing right next to you and looking down wouldn't know you were there, so you crawl through the grass to the top of the hill. As you near the edge of the grassy patch, you can make out a guy standing in a guard tower in the distance. [more...]

I like it indeed! Seems like moving trains are all the rage now too. :) Tho, if it goes over the mountain as shown in the pic, I'll be slightly disappointed!

Check out the rest of the article as well. Its a good read.

New Hidden & Dangerous screenshots [14:03:05 EST] by - Rush
The guys over at Tactical Planet have scored 3 more exclusive screenshots of Hidden & Dangerous, developed by Illusion Softworks. Man, I'm gonna be loving that sniper rifle! :)

SO2 interview at AGN [04:20:12 EST] by - Rush
I received email from Nigel letting me know that All Games Network(AGN) has put up a RealAudio interview with John Williamson, discussing of course, Zombie's Spec Ops 2. Once you load the page, hit pick a show, then pick Combat Reporter Live, then pick play last show (6-28-99), and ya should be golden.

They rap about Zombie's background, VR headsets, and of course talk nasty about Spec Ops, even mention word of Spec Ops 3: Navy SEALs. During the interview, ya can see a nice slideshow of Spec Ops pics.  Sounds like a pretty unique buddy control system too, with right clicking an object, and a menu popping up with actions to perform. Should prove interesting.

Woo! Almost a plug for SpecWar.org too. :)

Here's a snip on the different difficulty levels:

[Tactical Planet] Difficulty Settings (easy, normal, hard) are being added to the new demo: What changes were made here and what are the main differences between the settings? From "easy" to "normal", is it just the addition of more soldiers or do they become smarter and/or tougher (improved AI)?

Michal Bacik: The difficulty setting includes reaction time and shooting quality of enemies and deals with the player's own endurance.

Here's a snip from the article about the different viewpoints in the game:

There are a total of four different views in the game to choose from including first person, third person, slightly higher third person, and a map view in which you devise strategies and order your companions to perform a variety of tasks. There are so many tasks that can be performed that there is an almost unlimited amount of strategies that can be performed in a given situation. You can command one of your troops to move in multiple way points and attack an enemy with a weapon of your specification, but this could be a distraction while you and your other troops move behind the enemies and take them out.

Here's a snip on what Illusion Softworks thinks they've accomplished with the game:

Q: What is the one thing in Hidden & Dangerous that you're the most proud of?

Radek Bouzek: The immersive atmosphere of the game, definitely. This is the one thing that will make or break a game - if it doesn't have it, the game will fail. You can have great technology, a good scenario designer, but when the game doesn't make the player feel as though he's part of that universe, the game won't be successful. The player must forget about the outside world and concentrate only on the game, and it doesn't matter whether it's 3 PM or 3 AM. When players find themselves playing the game instead of going to work, we know we've done our job.

I like the shot along the river, with the boat and ice floes.. nice work! I didn't see a dog in any of the shots tho. :) Anyway, great read, check it out!™ :)

Hidden & Dangerous preview [01:02:32 EST] by - Rush
Tactical Planet has posted word of yet another Hidden & Dangerous demo review, this time over at Exxtreme 3D.

Here's a small bit on the graphics:

The graphics in this game were, without question, very cool. The detail of getting shot by a sniper bullet to the leg, arm, or even head can be seen with a very good 3D card. You see some little animated blood drip out, and if you get killed just right, you can see your own men shrivel up in agony (amazingly, a lot of these people get a seizure before they bite the dust). The texturing was superb and the character detailing were very great, as well. All this great graphic design and it didn't slow down the frame rate, at all.

Here's the press release:

Hidden & Dangerous Demo
At last you can download a copy of the Hidden and Dangerous
demo - It's a bit of a whopper at 67.5MB but it's worth the wait! -
Stick it on a LAN and go Multiplayer - you know you want to...

Grab it here! (Ha, wonder how long it's been there?! :)

H&D on Take 2's site [21:56:23 EST] by - Rush
The winners of the 'Wackiest Website Award' have to go to Take 2 Europe's site. Anyway, whilst browsing there, I came upon the Hidden & Dangerous page, and its chock full of goodies regarding the game. There's a press release, and of course some screen shots, some of which I've never seen before. (Sorry I can't post a direct link, as they use a lot of JavaScript to navigate the site.. Once ya load up the main page, hit games, then scroll down to Talonsoft, then hit the Hidden & Dangerous link.)

Here's a snip from the press release:

September 1942. Italy. 24:07 hours The game begins with an allied bomber – damaged and falling from the skies. It’s cargo, a small band of allied soldiers hand-picked for reconaissance and search/destroy missions far behind enemy lines are forced to parachute from the burning aircraft. Your first task is to guide your men to a safe landing – at night, in heavy fog. Once on the ground you will have to regroup using only landmarks or the stars. Deep within enemy territory you have to keep your men alive and achieve your mission objectives.

Sounds damn fine to me! (But, umm, what time is 24:07??!)

Rogue Spear article & shots [21:22:18 EST] by - Rush
A bit late on this one (work really killed me today, in fact, I'm still here..), but GameSpot UK has put up a preview (and some new screenshots) of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear.

Here's a snip about how weather will affect gameplay:

Weather also has an effect on operations, with snow and rain among the conditions your men will have to endure. As in Hidden & Dangerous, not only should it look good but it will also obscure your team from the enemy and vice-versa, upping the tension considerably.

Ha, even a nod to the as-yet unreleased Hidden & Dangerous. I like it. :)

Also, PC.IGN has updated yesterday's Rogue Spear article with 8 new screenshots. Check them out as well. Thanks Voodoo Extreme.

Private Wars shots and article [21:09:07 EST] by - Rush
Saw this over at Tactical Planet as well... The official Private Wars homepage has been updated with some new screenshots. The last two rows are the new pics. Looks like you'll be able to lean around corners. Some def nice shots, so check 'em out.

I missed this yesterday, but they've also got a new article up on sniping that's a great read as well.

Here's something from it that caught my eye:

In Private Wars, a thoughtful player will discover dozens of factors influencing his sniping performance. Ballistics is not a fancy word in our game, it's a hard science. The path of any fired projectile is corrected with regard for velocity, gravity and air resistance. Thus, the actual bullet trajectory is parabolic rather than a straight line-of-sight path. When aiming for distant targets, you have to learn to compensate for their distance and movement speed, or your ammo will be wasted.

Sounds like they're going all out on realism.. Can't wait! :)

Delta Force 2 news [17:05:52 EST] by - Rush
My good buddy Rexer from Tactical Planet has sent word that they have put up an interview with Wes Eckhart, producer of Delta Force 2 from Novalogic.

Here's a bit on how the new tall grass feature will affect gameplay:

[Tactical Planet] Will the tall grass completely conceal you from enemies at ground level and allow you to sneak up from behind for silent kills?

The nice thing about the grass is that it will obscure you from everyone, including other players. It's going to be a really interesting experience to be standing in a field and have a guy pop up right next to you for that silent knife-kill. Players will now find themselves having to watch the ground to head off any unpleasant surprises.

That should add some interesting gameplay for sure! There are many other great things in the article, so check it out!

Here's a blurb on some of the new weaps coming our way:

IGNPC: What are some of the new weapons we can expect to see in Rogue Spear?

CS: Well, there have been some lists posted on our forums, but here are just a few of the new weapons:

- Steyr Aug
- H&K PSG-1
- Barret M95
- Walther WA 2000
- SPAS-12

And more. You can select different ammo types for each weapon. All standard firearms have a JHP (jacketed hollow point) and FMJ (full metal jacket) variant. The JHP is more deadly, but is more easily stopped by doors and body armor. The shotguns have buckshot, slugs, and even a rubber baton round.

The article is a great read, so check it out. Lots of new info in there...

Here's a snip on the multiplayer enhancement they've got planned:

And while Red Storm isn't making any major changes to the multiplayer game, they are adding more options that let players better customize their games. "We have added dozens of server side options that we feel will really enhance the multiplayer experience," says Schnurr. "Kit restrictions, clan names, specialized arm patches for clans and more feedback to the client on current game settings. We’re also hoping to squeeze in a few multiplayer only kit items, like a heartbeat sensor jammer. There are lots more multiplayer features but we want to keep some surprises."

Rogue Spear is def shaping up to take the world by storm (pun intended :) when it's released later this summer. Def look for it!

Here's the news:

Author:   Mike <http://www.illusionsoftworks.com> 12.79.203.227
Date:      6/22/99 4:27:00 PM
Subject:  Thank you for your patience and support.

A voice from the developing team:
Due to tremendous demand (and countless e-mails) from you fans we have decided to push up the release date of the new updated demo. The new demo will be available for download tomorrow at http://www.adrenalinevalt.com. and I'm sure will be mirrored from there in a matter of no time. The whole production staff would like to thank everyone for the great support we have received. Thank you and enjoy.

NOTE: Seems he has a typo in there. Avault's URL is http://www.avault.com.

Here's a bit on the various locations you'll explore during the game:

It is unlikely that the scenery and locations will make you fall asleep while the program is running. The levels differ a great deal from each other and they vary from Norway to the Danube area (Hungary), from Germany to Italy and from the open seas to claustrophobic caves. On the Hidden & Dangerous website there was this one screenshot from the naval scenery which definitely is one of my personal favorites. The freshness and brightness that can be seen here is as refreshing as it is astonishing.

I kinda remember reading this article before, but I guess I just forgot to post it. Def a good read.. check it out.

SWAT 3 interview [17:40:31 EST] by - Rush
GA-Source has posted an interview they did with Rod Fung, Producer and John Anderson, AI Programmer of Sierra Studio's upcoming game, SWAT 3. They've also got a nice sample of screenshots along with the article.

Here's a snip on the realism factor:

How interactive will the environments be and to what degree did the development team go to ensure realism of the game's settings and environment?

The player will be able to turn some lights on and off, open cabinets and doors, shoot through walls and doors, leave footprints if they walk through water or blood, mark areas with chemical lights, throw flashbangs grenades, open doors with C2 explosives, pick up and secure suspects weapons. The characters will bleed if they are shot, and leave a blood trail if they are still able to walk.

Shooting through walls and doors should def up the realism a bit. Gone are the days in SO and DF when ya couldn't shoot through canvas tents! I like it. :) For more, check out the rest of the article.

Yet another H&D demo review [16:12:19 EST] by - Rush
The gang over at Thresh's Firing Squad have put up a pretty in-depth demo review (and obligatory screenshots) of Illusion Softworks' game, Hidden & Dangerous.

I've been posting a lot about how the game plays, so here's a snip on the sound, and graphics engine:

Speaking of smooth graphics, Hidden and Dangerous looks like it'll have plenty of those. The two levels we got to play were swell lookin', especially the nicely detailed people, and the nifty fog/rain effects in the opening level. Powered by Illusion Softworks' Insanity engine, the graphics are everything you'd expect out of a contemporary 3D game, if not more. Combined with the absolutely necessary sound (it's important to know as soon as you're being shot at, and you can generally hear bullets whizzing toward you before you see them) and support for force feedback joysticks, it looks like Talonsoft has developed a game that will please a good three out of five senses!

Here's a snip of what's in store for you:

Everything is fresh and new here. This time we will get to face two opposing armies who want to grip the world with their unholy ways. The Russian Mafia and a band of Middle Eastern guys with guns want to take over and make everything unlivable. It's up to you to make the world safe for finger puppets again.

New Locales… is that what you want? Oh yeah, it's here. Art museums, airplane hijackings, and opera houses. Close and tight. The tension will surely build as you strut down the lean walkway of a jet and try to sneak up on the ringleader of a hijack situation. Forget the spaciousness of the oil rigs you liberated yesteryear.

Hidden & Dangerous Q&A [18:23:35 EST] by - Rush
GA-Source has posted a tiny Q&A with Petr Vochozka from Illusion Softworks about what else, but Hidden & Dangerous. Three pics are included as well.

Here's the relevant part about H&D:

Could you give me a development update on H&D? Is it already released in Europe?

Hidden and Dangerous UK version is ready, and will be on the shelves on July the 2nd (yes, in 2 weeks only!). I hope this information is not too confident :)) For us it will be a good opportunity to compete with other strong releases like Dungeon Keeper 2 and Aliens vs. Predator, which are set for the same release as our game. Really looking forward to seeing the charts :))

Nothing we didn't already know, but short and sweet. And a few more screens never hurt! :) Petr also mentions that depending on how well H&D does (which I predict will do very well), there will be a sequel. Great news!

AVault on DF2 [13:26:39 EST] by - Rush
Not that this is news (to us anyway :), but AVault has a news post up regarding 'new' Delta Force 2 screenshots. If you haven't yet seen them, head here to check them out.

Here's a snip from Avault's description of the game:

Players serve again as members of Delta Force, the U.S. Army's elite Special Forces unit assigned to covert missions in global hotspots. The 3D environments and 32-bit color produced by the next generation of the Voxel Space engine produce wide-open vistas and terrain that can be used for camouflaging maneuvers. For example, players can creep past the enemy by crawling through the tall grass or hide behind a rugged hill as they prepare to shoot down opponents. Rounding out the list of features is the usual new content, including weapons, enemies, missions and campaigns

Woah, I just noticed that the crosshairs on the scope now intersect completely, instead of having that large gap like DF1 had. That should make sniping a whole lot easier! Killer! (No pun intended! :)

More Hidden & Dangerous news! [10:07:57 EST] by - Rush
While doing my daily snooping over at the Illusion Softworks website (looking to see if  they have the new demo online yet), I noticed a post from Petr, managing director of H&D.

Here's the scoop:

Name: Petr Vochozka
Homepage: Illusion Softworks
Company: Illusion Softworks
Sent: June 18, 1999

Hi all! Producer of Hidden and Dangerous speaking. The release date in Europe (English, Italian, French, Spanish versions) is 2nd of July (yes, in about 2 weeks), German and US version following late July (plus a Japanese one in August). New demo has been sent to all major magazines and more than 6500 retailers, should appear on some webpage soon.

Argh! "Late" July for the U.S.  Again, I hope no one is spoofing us with this news. :) But the new demo should hold us over for awhile! (Whenever it gets here that is! :)

Delta Force 2 info! [01:53:25 EST] by - Rush
Woo Hoo! Novalogic has finally updated their Delta Force 2 page with some awesome screenshots and expanded game info! Most of the pics have already made the rounds on the 'net, but there is one new pic of the sniper rifle in action. Ya can get a really good idea of the rolling hill terrain from that shot. Def looking nice!

Here's a snip on what's new in DF2:

Features:
- New Commander's Screen provides some control of your AI teammates
- The Next-generation Voxel Space 3 terrain engine allows for unprecedented long-range engagements
- Weather effects like rain, snow, wind and fog dramatically effect gameplay
- New character moves and special effects
- 32 bit software support

Multiplayer:
- Talk to your teammates with NovaLogic's Voice-Over-Net™ communication technology
- New multiplayer game types
- For frenzied multiplayer gaming, connect to other players quickly and easily through NovaWorld

Sounds like that 'Commander Screen' is a nod to Rainbow Six, and we finally get to control our AI buddies this time. For the most part in DF1, they were just cannon fodder for the enemy. I'm particularly looking forward to the weather enhancements. But then again, I'm a sucker for atmosphere. :) Delta Force 2 is slated for a Fall '99 release.

Hidden & Dangerous news [01:23:46 EST] by - Rush
A bit late in posting this (hey, I have a life too! :), but in case you haven't already seen this news on Tactical Planet, the Illusion Softworks home page has been updated with some news. They mention a few new reviews of our favorite, Hidden & Dangerous, and they have opened up the Guestbook on the H&D page where you can leave comments about the game. One of the game's developers even posted that the new demo is ready and should be hitting game mag CDROMs and the 'net soon. The new demo should have some fixes and enhancements, and even has multiplayer enabled too!  He also said that the game itself is ready and should be appearing in stores in early July (in Europe). Woo! (I hope someone wasn't spoofing. :)

I noticed over at Tactical Planet that Soldier of Fortune.com has put up (yesterday actually) an exclusive screenshot  of Raven's Soldier of Fortune. Check it out.™ :)

DF tactics article [18:04:45 EST] by - Rush
I'm on fire today! :)

The guys over at Delta-Force2.com have posted a pretty nice article on tactics to use while playing NovaLogic's Delta Force. The site is slowly coming alive with all things DF, so check it out, and tell 'em Rushian sent ya! :)

Soldier of Fortune demo movie soon [17:37:58 EST] by - Rush
Raven's Kenn Hoekstra has updated his plan with news that they will be releasing a Soldier of Fortune AVI soon. Once released, the movie will be found at the official SoF website and a few other sites around the 'net as well. Stay tuned.

Here's the .plan file:

Tuesday, June 15th, 1999 - The Soldier of Fortune AVI trailer that was banned from E3 should be making an appearance on the net soon. We're still working out the details of who is going to post it and exactly when, but it will be coming your way soon. The trailer shows some of the gameplay and some enemies being gunned down by our mercenary hero... It's pretty slick! I'll post more details on the AVI release as they become available. =) Regardless of where it gets posted, I'm sure it will ultimately make its way to The Official Raven Soldier of Fortune Site.

Should be a good one. :) Thanks Voodoo Extreme.

SWAT 3 shots and news [17:28:34 EST] by - Rush
The guys over at GA-Source have posted an exclusive screenshot from Sierra Studio's upcoming game, SWAT 3. Damn, games are looking really sweet these days. :)

[Update 23:00:00] Also saw on Tactical Planet that PC.IGN has just put up an interview with Rod Fung, producer of Sierra Studio's SWAT 3. They also updated their shots page with 10 new exclusive screenshots. Nice!

Yet another H&D preview [15:21:02 EST] by - Rush
Not sure how new or old this is, but I found another Hidden & Dangerous preview by PC Player (European PC gaming mag) over at TotalGames.net.

Can you say immersion? Here's a snip:

As you fight on, the ricochets of bullets, the explosions and even the stomping of booted feet on different surfaces are totally realistic. On the screens between missions and during climactic events there's suitable tunes as the fortunes of war and the lives of your men hang in the balance. As you progress and equipment starts to run out, you can take items from the bodies of fallen soldiers, use vehicles to act as diversions or to improve your survival chances. It isn't quite a totally interactive world, you can't shoot out tyres or through thin objects but its still pretty damn close.

They give it a 93% overall. Check it out! :)  [Update: Found out this was posted on June 4th, so its fairly new. :)]

Codename Eagle screenshots [15:02:14 EST] by - Rush
World War II shooters seem to be all the rage these days. News has surfaced of another 3D shooter set in W.W.II, but this time in a parallel 1900's Russia. The game is called Codename Eagle, and will be published by Take 2 Europe. As Voodoo Extreme describes, "You play a Special Agent sent to defeat a power crazed Russian Emperor in his attempt to dominate the globe." Sounds like it'll be kinda like Hidden & Dangerous (also to be published in Europe by Take 2.)  I'll see if I can dig up some more info on it (though wading through Take 2's website is no picnic! Can't find a damn thing on there! :). In the meantime, check out some screenshots!

AVault previews H&D [11:55:14 EST] by - Rush
Avault has posted a pretty in-depth preview (and screenshots) they did of Illusion Softworks' baby, Hidden & Dangerous. This game has been getting some serious press lately, for good reason, as it looks pretty awesome. :)

Here's a bit from the Avault article about what to expect in the realism category:

Illusion has gone to great lengths to ensure that the environments are real-world and not player dependent. All enemy and non-player character activities are based upon actual situations, and their activities, while affected by the player's actions, are not dependent upon them. TalonSoft wants to ensure that the AI model is superior to anything we've seen before. Enemies will not only see you, they'll be able to hear you and will hunt you down, making each step you take or decision you make all the more intense.

Def sounds like a winning combination... July can't get here soon enuf for me.

Note: this is not the same movie that was in the first H&D playable demo. This one is in MPG format, so its a lot clearer (and smaller) and WAY cooler! The effects and scenery ROCK! :)  (And that first AVI one was pretty cool too!)

Private Wars Interview [12:15:53 EST] by - Rush
Rexer from Tactical Planet sent me email letting me know that they have posted a "HUGE interview with Sergey Titov from TS Group about their upcoming game Private Wars", with 2 new exclusive screen shots at the end.

Here's a snip on the different multiplayer options it will support:

[Tactical Planet]-In multiplayer, a team can control the "good guys" and another team the "bad guys." What are some other game style options for multiplayer?

[Titov]-Ok, here we go :
- Co-op play mentioned above. You could play thru ALL missions as a team.
- Assassin duel. Two to eight snipers placed in dense forest with natural landscaping, and must eliminate as much of their counterparts as possible. There'll be no respawn. As same time you'll be able to use foliage for hiding and you'll have a choice of masking suits.
- VIP Guard. Two teams must escort VIP person thru the map from one navpoint to another, eliminating other team's VIP.
- Battlefield. Two to four teams ( each up to 16 person ) placed in camp in different parts of the map, and must battle other teams to dominate map.
- Some sort of team fortress gameplay.
- Last man standing. Deathmatch with limit for respawn.
- No one will stop the nuke. One team is a terrorists and must place nuclear device at deserted building. Other team - special police team must stop them. Bad guys leader have a detonator for the nuke and could activate it.
- More game scenarios planned. They're under discussion right now. Any suggestions are welcome.

There's lots more to learn, so check out the article.

Delta-Force2.com goes online [11:44:45 EST] by - Rush
I received mail from Morgan at Delta-Force2.com letting us know he's gone online for all things Delta Force.  Check it out!

Soldier of Fortune audio info [16:23:48 EST] by - Rush
Aureal's "By Design" site has put up an interview they did with Chia Chin Lee, Sound Designer and Composer from Ravensoft.

Here's a bit on the challenges of sound production:

Were there any specific challenges as a sound designer on this project based solely upon the subject matter?

My job in Soldier of Fortune is to create and implement a complete audio concept for the game. The unique challenge for this project is delivering hyper-realistic sounds and environments without crossing into the confines of pure fantasy. Because "realism" itself is so prosaic and mundane, this realism needs a lot of massaging to help accentuate the exciting elements. Also, Soldier of Fortune contains a very cinematic quality through the use of motion capture and in-game scripted events. The stylized and polished sounds and music are essential in capturing the filmic feel.

There's not too much specific game info in the review, but more of the overall 'feel' of the game. Here's a snip:

And the truth about Hidden & Dangerous? It's simply this: Hidden & Dangerous is a Second World War 3D third-person shooter. But to put it more glamorously, it's the beautiful offspring of Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six. It's also one of the best games of any genre you will play this year and one of the hardest - which is something of statement considering I've been playing games since about 1981. But while it's a game for the hardcore gamer, if you don't like it, well frankly you don't like games.

Rogue Spear preview at AVault [16:23:29 EST] by - Rush
Avault has put up a nice in-depth preview of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear (say that 3 times fast! :) from Redstorm Entertainment.

Here's a bit on just how 'real' the game can be:

Red Storm knows they've already discovered those elusive factors that make a title great. With such a solid foundation to build on, the designers are really having fun discovering new and creative ways to enhance the experience. For example, when you got nailed by a flashbang in Rainbow Six, a light would flash, the screen would go black for a couple of seconds and things returned to normal. In Rogue Spear, a flashbang once again casts a bright light followed by darkness, but then depending on where you were looking when it went off, you may have a discolored blur on your screen when your vision returns. They've perfectly replicated that annoying "spot" you see when you look into a bright light too long. It lasts for quite awhile and if it's in the center of your screen, it's a real hindrance. Additionally, if you were standing close to it when it went off, a roaring sound will fill your ears long after the explosion, drowning out the other sounds you need to be hearing. Finally, the flashbang and its after-effects are perfectly represented.

Wow, sounds pretty awesome to me! (Damn, I picked the same quote as did the guys over at Tactical Planet, but hey, it def sounds like the game will be a winner!)

Soldier of Fortune Interview [16:14:01 EST] by - Rush
I noticed over at Voodoo Extreme that MGON has posted an interview (and screenshots 'natch) they did with Raven Software regarding their upcoming game, Soldier of Fortune.

Here's what they have to say about localized player damage:

MGON: We've heard much about the "realistic damage" in SoF, how will the damage to the player be handled? Will there be some type of meter? Is it possible to be killed by only one shot?

Kenn: There is a damage locator on the interface that tells the player what direction the shots are coming from. The enemies in Soldier of Fortune are pretty deadly, but there are a number of stealth options and armor pickups to help keep you alive. You can be killed with one shot if you are hit in the head or if you are hit with a super powerful weapon, yes.

(Sorry I don't have the link to the PR...)

More Rogue Spear screenshots [16:27:27 EST] by - Rush
The dudes over at RainbowSix.net have scored a few new shots of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear by Redstorm Entertainment. They're right on the main page, so check em out! The outdoor shot near the airliner looks pretty killer!

Novalogic website updated [04:39:19 EST] by - Rush
I noticed that the Novalogic website has been given an overhaul, (well, saw it a few days ago actually, but didn't get to post it till now. :)

Nothing new on the Delta Force 2 page, only that it's slated for a late Fall '99 release.

Rogue Spear interview at R6R [04:00:00 EST] by - Rush
The guys over at Rogue Spear Retreat (the site formerly known as Rainbow Six Retreat) have put up a tiny interview they did with Redstorm Entertainment about their upcoming game Rogue Spear.

Here's the whole thing:

1. What kind of new environment effects should we be looking for such as rain, snow, lightning, etc.

    Rain, Snow, and......drum roll....lightning. Maybe!

2. AI can be used as teammates in single player and co-op games but what about using AI bots for multiplayer games to fill out an empty server?

     Good idea but not implemented.

3. We heard that an RSE employee observed an actual flashbang to know what it is like. Who was this brave man and what are his comments?

     Well, Jonathan Peedin & Carl Schnurr are the ones that actually observed the flashbang (So they could make sure the reaction of the characters was appropriate). However, Philip Hebert (one of the engineers that worked on special effects) actually stared into a flashlight long enough to burn a spot in his retina so he could see what it would look like. Dedicated eh?

4. Sniper rifles are in RS and you can zoom in with them. The question is: Can you run while zoomed in on a sniper rifle?

    No, in fact, you can't run while zoomed in with any weapon.

5. I'd assume that you've learned many lessons from making Rainbow Six and the add-on, Eagle Watch. What is the biggest lesson you've learned or mistake you've noticed that you are "fixing" for Rogue Spear?

   Steve: I suck at shooting guns.

Here's a snip on the game atmosphere:

This may sound like familiar territory, but Hidden and Dangerous differs in several paramount areas. Firstly, while never less than impossibly hard, the challenges are created naturally rather than stemming from some fake situations that you must work out a predetermined answer too. Here you're given a gloriously complicated scenario, a variety of tools and are then left to figure out your own answers. Secondly, it's completely, unreservedly, best-game-since-Half-Life brilliant. In terms of sheer scope, the game dazzles. Each of the 21 levels grasps you firmly by the hand and pulls you in an original direction. Any wrinkle of a doubt we may have had about these unknown chaps from Eastern Europe was instantly smoothed away as their scene-setting prowess became apparent. The missions never cease to impress, from the midnight raids on lonely chateaux to room-by-room clearances of nuclear-missile bunkers. Thanks to the quality of the innovation, you're constantly reeling from the flow of fresh ideas.

Wow, they gave it a 93% overall! Killer! The article takes a jab at Spec Ops :(, but otherwise it's a good read.

SoF interview at Tactical Planet [21:48:24 EST] by - Rush
The guys over at Tactical Planet have posted an interview (and screenshots) they did with Raven regarding their upcoming game, Soldier of Fortune.

Here's a snip for ya:

[Tactical Planet] Why do you think SoF will be a hit?

From Kenn: In my opinion, the realism, the hard core action, the story and the unique gameplay will combine to make SoF a big hit with action gamers.

From Lead Artist Scott Rice: The realism that Soldier of Fortune affords due to our attention to detail is a huge selling point. I think people will be amazed when they see it. The game is addicting simply because you feel like you are in an action movie. It is visceral, real, and exhilarating. I think the realism affects the gameplay in a new and exciting way.

Sounds good to me, and the screenshots look killer. Check it out!

Rogue Spear site updated [21:24:17 EST] by - Rush
The official Rogue Spear website has been updated. Active areas include a weapons section, designer logs, back story, media & a forum.

Here's a bit on what's new in the gameplay:

Players will have new weapons at their disposal as well as sniper specialists to properly take out deadly foes from afar, and with over 400 new motion capture moves, terrorists and hostages will react even more realistically to you and your team. The frozen breaths of team members will be seen puffing from their mouths in snowy conditions while footprints are left behind. Guide your team with a joystick, add more terrorists with the mission editor, and send your friends a copy of your greatest attack with the cinematic replay feature. All of this and more will make Rogue Spear the greatest action/strategy game you’ve ever played. Just remember one thing: if you fail, the game isn’t over…the world is.

Here's a bit on what John likes in the game, and I'd have to agree:

[Tactical Planet] What aspect/feature of the game do you like the most?

[JW] There are quite a few to choose to from: we have much better AI, lights that you can shoot out, wonderful interior spaces, dynamic shadows, flashlights, better mo cap, and each new feature is my favorite for a week or so, but right now, I have to say that my favorite feature is the look and feel of the worlds. I think we have the best combination of open areas (ala Delta Force) and the best interior spaces (ala Quake/Rainbow 6), all set in real world locations, with photo realistic texture maps. All this gives us a very realistic looking and feeling world for our game to take place.