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Everything else can be found exactly where Red Storm left it in 1999. Nothing about the visuals, sound, or enemy AI has been improved. Aside from the maps (and many of them are somewhat rough), little effort was expended here. In a nutshell, Black Thorn is exactly what a pessimist would expect of an expansion for a two-year-old game.

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Desert Siege comes with 8 new single player maps, 4 new multiplayer maps, and 9 new weapons. There are new vehicles used by the enemy, including jeeps - and new sounds to enhance the atmosphere.

Two new multiplayer modes are included - "Siege" and "Domination" which involve taking control of and holding bases distributed across the map.

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Levels in Renegade are set in a wide variety of locations. The title starts off in a mountain canyon, and moves to seaside battles, caves, and the interiors of Nod bases. Even chateaus, churches, and quaint mountain villages become an intense battleground for Nod and GDI forces. What really brings levels to life in Renegade are the frequent scripted events that populate each environment. The levels buzz with life as helicopters zoom overhead, shores are bombarded by naval fire, and troops, both friend and foe, fight to the death regardless of your presence. Occasionally you will round a corner and watch a GDI Orca hover-jet do a missile strafing run on a Nod convoy, clearing the way for your progress. Such sights are commonplace in Renegade, and add to the feel of the player being just another unit in a huge war.

Most of the missions seem to begin as standard rescue operations, which then go awry and new objectives are fed to you as situations develop. Every mission has its share of primary, secondary and hidden tertiary objectives, with their distance and direction highlighted on your radar. A nice touch is that many non-primary objectives can actually affect the game either in the same mission or later on; for example, in one level, you can duck into a building off the main road and find yourself in a sniper tower overlooking the park. HQ radios in that now would be the perfect opportunity to take out the engineers around the Nod defensive structure to prevent its completion; successfully kill them and that's one less obstacle to overcome in the next mission.

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March is fast approaching, and I’m sure you’re all keen to be testing IGI2. We are working furiously on the multiplayer code, and expect to have the phase 1 test code out later next month. Some of the design features in there show a lot of promise, I’m just hoping they turn out as well in-game as they did on paper! :0)

Other news:
The squad AI systems are really coming together; these days it’s hard to find somewhere to hide when it’s all kicking off! The animation system is also shaping up nicely; this is making the AI look good as well as behaving intelligently. All in all, this has to be the biggest improvement over the first game – and, as you know, no respawning too.

A lot of the weapons are going into the game as I write this; I’m looking forward to balancing them in preparation for the test code to go out. Mmmm guns – one of the better parts of the job if you ask me!

The levels are coming together very well, both single and multiplayer, really starting to get some atmosphere and tension in there. End of a level, 4 enemy guards, 4 bullets left in gun. Time for some quiet headshots… Or grab an AK from a corpse and go for the noisy option. Your choice!

We’re working on some more art and screens etc for you guys in a future mail, and the test code is on its way.

Q:Will we be able to shoot round walls (lean and shoot)?

The 'peek' function allows the player to lean around corners and observe the enemy undetected. This gives the player a strong advantage, and a quick strafe-step will allow the player to put a bullet in someone with ease.

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IGI 2: Covert Strike is the sequel to Project IGI: I'm Going In, which was released in late 2000. The new game will include a number of improvements on its predecessor, including improved 3D graphics, better artificial intelligence, new multiplayer modes, and a new save-game feature. The game is in development at Innerloop Studios, the developer that created the previous game, and it is scheduled for release in mid-2002.

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Can you tell us what we can look forward to getting from Resistance expansion pack?

Two major improvements can be clearly identified just in the press release. It is a new campaign and a new island. The topic of the campaign is a resistance against invaders and it should bring quite a new approach to the Flashpoint. We simply tried to exploit the possibilities of the game at the maximum level and to create the campaign where individual missions are closely linked to each other and the role of player in the position of a commander is very important. Moreover, in order to let the players, who just like pure action, enjoy this game, we plan to include several individual missions independent of the story. We hope to satisfy almost everybody. The new island is larger then the old ones and I would say more varied. Since the campaign does not use the whole area of the island there are many new places where the game fans can place their custom missions.

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Thursday 21st Feb 2002: Ubi Soft and Red Storm Entertainment are pleased to announce plans to release editing tools for the 2001 Game Of The Year, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon.The toolkit will be included in the forthcoming Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Desert Siege Mission Pack which ships in the US on March 26th 2002. The toolkit will also be available for download at www.ghostrecon.com shortly after.

The Editing Toolkit includes:

*3dStudio MAX editor plugins - For MAX version 3.x. Used to tag and export geometry for objects/maps as well as a plugin to be able to read RSB textures in MAX
*RSB Editor - Stand alone application used to give textures attributes used by the game
*Lighting Tool - Stand alone application used to light levels
*Over 50+ pages of documentation on how to use the tools.
*Sample source files

For more information on this release, please go to www.ghostrecon.com.

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The very first level of the game will see you assuming the role of a lone commando who needs to rescue a comrade captured behind enemy lines. Success in this mission sees you subsequently taking control of both of the characters for the next mission and by the time you reach the first mission proper - around level four or five - you'll have your full complement of four squad members, each with their own unique attributes and areas of expertise. You'll have a rifleman, a sniper, a heavy weapons expert and an electronics and infiltration specialist - although it's worth noting that each of the characters is fairly competent across the board.

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We enhanced the characters and enemies models. There were also many other non playing characters recreated and retextured using nearly 1500 polygons. We have also added some special ones, which the player can meet in special locations. Players will be able to steal the uniforms of dead enemies (same way as in H&D1) in order to infiltrate the enemy structure. This option will be available also in multiplayer. Whole change was enabled through the new technology of modelling and mapping developed by lead 3D graphic Peter Kubek. New textures meant taking new photographs of the various materials. There will be soon minor changes done in animations.

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	New island with over 100 sq. km
	Enhanced graphics engine with high resolution textures
	New thrilling campaign
	New vehicles and weapons
	New single-player and multi-player missions
	Refined network code for better multi-player combat

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Perhaps taking their cue from Operation Flashpoint there are a lot more vehicles in Desert Siege. Jeeps full of enemy soldiers come flying around corners mere seconds before you sign your name to the bottom of your insurance policy. The good news is that you can take out the tires on the wheeled vehicles to stop them in their tracks. Shooting the driver seems to have a similarly disorganizing influence on the passengers. Mobile SAM sites and tank columns will show up in quite a few of the missions, so the underutilized demo teams of the first game will finally start pulling their weight.

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Battlefield 1942 is an extremely accessible first-person shooter that takes place in all the major theatres of World War II and features 40 different playable wartime vehicles, including the Japanese Zero, the Russian T-34, and everything in between. We recently had the chance to try our hand at the latest build of Battlefield 1942, and despite the fact that the game is still several months away from completion, we walked away impressed with its current state and its potential to be on par with the likes of a Counter-Strike or Wolfenstein.

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Rodion, another well-known modder for Rogue Spear, has also made an Enhancement Pack for the Rainbow Six 2 mod. You can read about it on the Platoon forum.

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Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix was originally slated to appear on American store shelves at the tail end of 2001, but has been delayed until spring so that Raven can put the fine touches on the multiplayer aspect, as well as the “Random Mission Generator” feature, a unique gameplay scenario that creates randomly generated terrains and mission objectives, thereby enhancing the title’s replay value greatly. According to Raven, SOFII will feature 10 Single Player Missions Spanning 70 Levels, and feature full deathmatch/team deathmatch multiplayer support.

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The tactical shooter market is starting to get a ittle crowded with the release of games such as Ghost Recon and Operation Flashpoint, along with stalwarts such as the Rainbow Six and the Delta Force series. How do you feel the IGI series is different from the competition?

I think the main difference is the freedom of choice. You can choose to play it in a fast-paced Quake-style way, but you can also focus on stealth and a careful approach to progress. This is something we are focusing on for IGI 2, something which will be much more important than in Project IGI.

IGI was known more for its "sneaker" qualities. Can we expect more of the same with IGI2: Covert Strike or will things open up where you can go into battle with "guns-a-blazing?"

Definitely more of each.

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"SWAT: Urban Justice takes the great gameplay pioneered in SWAT 3 to an entirely new level with its new Takedown engine, faster pace, and 24-person multiplayer capabilities," says Adam Fossa, brand manager at Sierra. "Combine these new features with the added flexibility of Jumpstart mode, and the option to assign football-style plays to your five-man element, SWAT: Urban Justice becomes the perfect first-person shooter for everyone."

SWAT: Urban Justice is the only game to reward players for saving lives and protecting the innocent. It delivers 16 intense missions set in stunningly realistic Los Angeles locations that can be played in mission, career, and multiplayer modes. New weapons, characters, and gear, including the ability to pick up and use an opponent's radio, will also be included.

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Enhancing the Flashpoint universe, Operation Flashpoint: Resistance creates an additional 100km2 island complete with industrial-style buildings and original landscape scenery. Thanks to the use of high-resolution textures throughout, the visuals will be much more detailed and dramatic than ever before.

The expansion also delivers a new campaign that forms a prequel to the original game's plot and is set years before Operation Flashpoint's Cold War hit crisis point.

Operation Flashpoint: Resistance casts the player as Victor Troska, an experienced ex-Special Forces militia soldier. Having turned his back on his military past, Troska has settled into a respectable civilian life on the island of Nogova (working title), a short distance from the original game's three islands. However, his situation changes when the Soviet force invades the island group and destroys Troska's idyllic dreams.

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Expect the overall feel of Urban Justice to be faster paced than comparable games. One of the new features that'll make this possible is an option to give your element football-style plays after receiving your mission briefing. Called "jump start," this option gives you the ability to assign your element standing orders without having to give them individual commands every time you come to a closed door or a blind corner.

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Rogue Spear fans who owned a SoundBlaster Live! card will remember the awesome effects of EAX (Environmental Audio), such as firing a subgun inside the restrooms of the Met and hearing the sound reverberate off of the tile.

Well, I recently installed an SB Audigy card and gave Rogue Spear: Urban Ops a whirl(with the most recent patch installed). Apparently, the newest version of RS or RS's EAX Unified Shell supports EAX 3.0, which allows room effects (or "environments", like the tile reverberation) to escape into adjoining rooms, as the Audigy card supports up to 3 environments at once. Also, the abrupt change from one environment to another that was clearly audible with EAX 2.0 is no more. Now one environment "morphs" into another.

So, if you're a big fan of RS and of EAX, consider grabbing an SB Audigy card and reacquainting yourself with one of the most realistic Close-Quarters tactical shooters in gaming history.

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It looks like we should see weapons modelling that keeps each weapon's effective range correctly proportional to the others(with some adaptations), though reduced sufficiently for the approximately 450m square maps so as not to have weapons whose effective ranges exceed those of the playing field. Attributes like penetration, stopping power, and accuracy of each ammo type will be accurately simulated. Real-world stats like magazine capacity, rates of fire, accessories, and select-fire options will be enjoyed in-game.

I'm looking forward to giving the VSS Vintorez a work-out, having enjoyed it in some of Rogue Spear's better user-made weapons mods.

Hopefully decibel-levels and malfunctioning will also be simulated, but that's only my personal opinion.

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Speaking of this new cosmic scheme of things, P3 Interactive had this to say about one of their upcoming releases:

New World Order is a single and multiplayer team-based game where teams battle it out in environments and situations that could be taken right out of an action-movie. It is a fast paced action-simulator with attitude, switching between stealthy game play and adrenalin-pumping action, always keeping the player on his toes - never knowing when all hell will break lose.

New World Order features a strong, involving, single player experience and a high-energy tactical multiplayer game. Play the single player missions in cooperative mode with your friends - working closely together to take out the enemies.

It's the next step in team-based gaming - coming to your PC in early 2002.

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The game will provide players with extremely dynamic gameplay of fast and tough combats, where players are to oppose dangerous and wise enemies, a large set of multifarious weaponry, possibility to control various machinery, incredible detailing and game world interactivity, story-driven single player with original team gameplay, a well-balanced multiplayer with numerous modes: DeathMatch, CTF, Cooperative, various team games and much more.

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GameSpyDaily: Let's talk a little about the single-player. Four campaigns will be available for the player, correct? How will the campaigns play out, and how long is each one?

Romain: There is actually 1 campaign that regroups 4 theatres of operations: North Africa, the Pacific, Western Europe and Eastern Europe. The player will be fighting throughout the war from 1942 to 1945 in various places like Tobruk, Market Garden (Holland), Stalingrad or Midway.

It is hard to tell how long it takes to finish the campaign as nothing is scripted, which means that you can play it and replay it several times without having twice the same experience. It is also not always necessary to win a battle in order to move on to the next one. Of course, losing too many battles could push your country to surrender earlier than expected.

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Eight brand new single-player missions will be included in Desert Siege, along with new weapons, new vehicles and all-new enemies. There'll also be new multiplayer maps for LAN and Net gaming addicts and the sound effects and graphics have been given an overhaul too!

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+The original game plus AddOn Fight For Freedom in a completely revised engine.

+Improved Gameplay with dozens of new features

+An editor for own missions, which can be exchanged over the Internet with other players

+Shadow and lighting in real time

+Environmental & Bump Mapping for improved graphics

+Improved gameplay stability as well as improved performance

+Speech transmission with Internet play

+Support of the newest generation of graphic cards and the new DirectX feature.

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Between reality and fiction.The game takes place in an imaginary environment that has been inspired by real events.IronStorm takes real elements from the First World War (trenches, barbed wire fences, mines, gas warfare…) and combines them with more modern elements from the Second World War (radar, penicillin, automatic weapons, tanks…) as well as elements inspired by the Vietnam War (helicopters, lasers, electronics…).

The development team has taken great care to create a realistic environment, one which includes well-known items but also some much lesser-known ones: vehicles, weapons, uniforms, communication and warning systems, animals living in the trenches, protagonists’ nationalities, etc.

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Collaboration announcement with Cameron Spence (2/7/02)

SCi Entertainment is pleased to announce an exclusive collaboration with Cameron Spence. Cameron, an ex-member of 22 Special Air Service (SAS) is advising the games publisher on the logistics and realism of its new product ‘Conflict: Desert Storm’. The game is based on the Gulf War conflict where Cameron was a serving senior NCO.

“Conflict: Desert Storm” is due for release in June 2002 and will be available for games platforms including Sony’s Playstation II, PC and the Microsoft Xbox.

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The company is in a phase of finishing five-month work on Hidden and Dangerous Deluxe. This game is a remake of successful Hidden and Dangerous, combined with H&D: Fight For Freedom. Featuring 32 missions, game is being adapted to run on platforms, which weren?t present at time of its original release. This includes Windows 2000 and Windows XP, using new features of DirectX 8.1.

The game now utilizes new generation of graphics hardware with improved Insanity3D engine, taking advantage of hardware vertex processing of modern 3D cards. Updated compatibility, bug fixes and speed-up, together with added support for Voice chat and GameSpy matchmaking service, dynamic shadows, and other improvements should attract player?s attention again.

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The company also revealed the storyline of the expansion, which is set in Northern Africa in the midst of a conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea. When the Ethiopian military captures the Eritrean coastline, shipping is disrupted in the Red Sea and relief efforts are halted in the region. Players must lead their team of elite soldiers on a mission to push the invading army back to its own border.

Ghost Recon: Desert Siege will add new missions, weapons, vehicles, and enemies, as well as enhanced graphics and sound [...]

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Hi all, as the Codemasters External Producer for IGI2 I would like to thank you for being so patient waiting to start the test process. The game progresses, and to show that we?ve not forgotten you, attached is some exclusive artwork from the game. The Innerloop team are working really hard to make a great game, special attention has been paid to the AI, to make it more challenging and believe me when I tell you that "Gung Ho" tactics will be met by squads of enemy guards attacking from different directions with a hail of high calibre ammo and grenades.

The designs and code for the multiplayer are moving ever swiftly onwards and promised is some really challenging tactical combat to gain strategic objectives. The way to win will be to work together and we intend to provide the means to enable this. As seen with Flashpoint we will continue to support the Online community beyond release.

Finally we ask you to be a little more patient, but in the coming weeks we will be selecting the first group of code testers so watch this space.

Firstly I want to apologise for not being around the forums much, but if you had a copy of IGI-2 would you have time to chat?

The game is moving forward well, we see substantial progress with each new version. The lighting system that went in recently adds a lot of atmosphere to the game, it was not much fun trying to hide in the shadows in a fullbright map. Most of the testing is focused around the single player part of the game, we are starting to see a campaign structure emerging and are looking forward to the script going in and seeing some of the cutscenes.

I can't wait to start testing multiplayer properly, design have done a great job and if half the ideas they have actually make it into the game then we are going to have a whole lot of fun.

As the QA Team Leader I will be responsible for coordinating the test process. Once the code is advanced enough to go out you will be hearing from me again.

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In tactical sims, control is everything and the new command interface Ghost Recon employs takes it up to the next level. Ghost Recon represents a significant evolution of the tactical sim that should see a lot of user-created mods taking advantage of the built in mod activator.

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In Shadow Force: Razor Unit, you are a member of the Air Force Special Operations Group. One of the elite Combat Controllers, responsible with everything from directing air strikes to controlling air traffic, you are ready to be sent in the Middle East. Trouble has arisen again over there, and you will support a team of Army Rangers.

The Demo contains:
- 1 single player level
- 2 multiplayer levels (for deathmatch, team deathmatch and capture the flag game modes)
- more than 10 weapons to choose from including: Rotational Grenade Launcher, M4 carbine, Mp-5 submachine gun and many more.