Latest News
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Neotokyo confirmed for July 3rd release
Neotokyo have recently confirmed they will aiming for a July 3rd release!
To keep you ticking over, Moddb have interviewed their "music/sound guy".By Blink on Wednesday, July 1st | Comments (41)
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Zombie Panic: Source 1.6 Released
One of the most popular released zombie Source mods, Zombie Panic: Source, is continuing to introduce new features to the original formula. As a result, the team have just released version 1.6 of the mod, which should download automatically in Steam.
"We have just released ZPS v1.6, which introduces several features. Features include a new gameplay mode called "Hardcore" mode. The round is shortened to five minutes, and difficulty is increased extremely for the survivor team. This mode can be enabled via a cvar, or via a map name's prefix.
In addition to this feature, we have added double-width slots for large weapons, chatbox messages that indicate who issued a voice command, and a few features to eliminate current gameplay exploits."
You can find the full changelog for v1.6 at their website, and can read more about the release over at ModDB.By ad_hominem on Saturday, June 27th | Comments (5)
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Left 4 Dead Update Released
As mentioned recently, Left 4 Dead was due an update and that has now been released.
- Players download third party campaigns as single .VPK file
- Players can manage and select add-on maps and campaigns via game UI
- Added matchmaking support and download/update prompt for add-on campaigns
- Custom campaign support in Leader boards
The full release can be found on the Steam news page.By Blink on Thursday, June 25th | Comments (10)
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Fistful of Frags 2.6 Beta Released
The multiplayer Western mod Fistful of Frags has been around for a while now, but the team are seemingly still dedicated to making additions, fixes and changes to the game. As proof of that, they've just released the version 2.6 beta to the public:
"Our newest beta is finally here. If you missed the last post, you'll find many new or highly reworked maps, new game modes like train robbery or prisoner escort, a new ranking system and many more things!"
From a brief look at the full changelog, this release certainly looks like it's worth a look, even if you've yet to play the mod at all. You can download the new version from ModDB, as well as find out more about the mod in general at their website.By ad_hominem on Wednesday, June 24th | Comments (2)
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Left 4 Dead Update Details
The Official Left 4 Dead Blog has detailed exactly what we can expect to find in the update that will be hitting Left 4 Dead next week. According to Valve, this update will allow the use of custom campaigns:
"Third party campaigns are designed to be installed using a new Add-On framework. Content authors will be able to package up their new maps, along with new posters, models, and textures, into a single .VPK file. To install and activate this content in-game, players need simply download the .VPK and double click on it. Alternatively, they will be able to drop it into a new "addons" folder. The list of installed add-ons will be viewable from a new item on the 'Extras' main menu flyout."
Valve are also apparently releasing the full L4D Authoring Tools, which will include the source files for all official Left 4 Dead Maps. You can read the whole thing on the Official Blog.By ad_hominem on Saturday, June 20th | Comments (46)
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City17 Episode 1 Media Update
The boys over at Gear have released another media update for the upcoming single player mod City 17: Episode 1, this time containing a full 7 minutes of the kind of gameplay you can expect from the finished mod.
You can check the rest of the update at their Moddb Page.By MrTwoVideoCards on Friday, June 19th | Comments (12)
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Jailbreak: Source 0.6 First Look
The wonderfully talented Jailbreak: Source team have released some teaser shots of what we can expect in the next update of the brilliant multiplayer mod. The big news is that it'll take place on the Orange Box platform, but it's got plenty more to offer than just that:
"We've been rather quiet for the last three months, in a form of solitary confinement one might say... But for a damn good reason! After having to abandon the development of Jailbreak: Source 0.5 on the Episode 1 Engine, we forged full steam ahead with re-creating everything for the Orange Box Engine. In the last few months we've also found time to add new weapons, player models, maps, gamemodes, and add all the goodies that the Orange Box brings!"
There are a lot more eye-catching images over at their ModDB page.By ad_hominem on Thursday, June 18th | Comments (13)
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NEOTOKYO Gears Up For Release, Gives Out 'Noob Hints'
The hotly anticipated Half-Life 2 multiplayer mod NEOTOKYO° is just around the corner by the looks of things, what with the team saying so themselves, and in preparation for the release, Radi-8 have released a number of 'Noob Hints' to give players an idea of exactly how the game will play - something they've been fairly quiet about up until now.
"As far as development goes... the mod is essentially done. We've just got a few things to tidy up (double checking to make sure maps don't have problems like not enough spawns for large player counts, working with server admins to see if their admin tools are essentially compatible with NT, fine tuning a couple weapons for balance, etc..) We're also going to try and get the word out a little more aggressively by doing the usual PR stuff."
You can find out more about the mod at their ModDB page, or you can go directly to the 'Noob Hints' to find out how to play when NEOTOKYO° arrives.By ad_hominem on Thursday, June 18th | Comments (5)
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TF2 SDK Update
According to the TF2 Official Blog, the Source SDK has been updated to include the .vmf files to many of the official TF2 maps. Valve feel that this should give a lot of people a better idea of exactly how they go about creating the levels:
"For the experienced map makers, we hope this gives you a variety of examples of how we design and construct levels, the tools we use to finish the aesthetic/thematic elements, and some specific implementation solutions to performance and networking problems. We also hope that it'll reduce the amount of confusion around the game logic and entity setup required for the various TF game modes."
Head on over to the Official Blog for the full post.By ad_hominem on Monday, June 15th | Comments (29)
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L4D Map 'Dam It' Released
We're already starting to see high-quality stuff come from the Left 4 Dead community, and I'm always happy to bring you news of a quality release from someone on these very forums. Tom Baldry has released a nice looking map as a kind of mini campaign. You can view some of the highlights in this short video:
Head over to his release thread on the forums to find some screenshots and download mirrors.By ad_hominem on Sunday, June 14th | Comments (32)
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Curse: Episodes Released
Named as ModDB's 'Best Upcoming Mod' back in february, HL2 Total Conversion Curse Episodes has just been released to the public. It's quite a bit shorter than I think a lot of people were expecting, weighing in at only 3 levels, but it looks promising all the same and the sudden inclusion of 'Episodes' in the title indicates that more is to come.
"Curse episodes is an egyptian themed action/ horror/ puzzle/ exploration FPS where you can kill mummies, evil wizards with a huge spiky club and break expensive egyptian furniture and pottery using telekinesis!
Features:
Unique melee combat system
Physics based puzzles
3 interconnected levels
3 different enemies
2 boss fights
Original music and sound effects"
You can read the release news post on ModDB, or go straight to their download page.By ad_hominem on Thursday, June 11th | Comments (15)
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Gabe Speaks about L4D 2 and other projects
It seems G4tv managed to grab Gabe Newell for some interesting questions about L4D 2 and Valve in general. I think this part will calm most people:
"G4: You guys are known for episodic content and a lot DLC and things like that. Why not just put some of these things in DLC instead?
Newell: Well we’re going to continue to do DLC for Left 4 Dead. That hasn’t stopped at all. We’re continuing to do updates for Left 4 Dead even after Left 4 Dead 2 ships. So, that hasn’t changed."
Unless I'm missing something obvious, why not just tell us that the day L4D 2 was announced? They were aware of the backlash that was likely to erupt amongst the community. Very odd.
Read the full interview for more.By Blink on Thursday, June 11th | Comments (18)
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Why Valve Don't Make PS3 Games
Gaming website Loot Ninja managed to have a chat with Valve's Tom Leonard at E3 and Tom gave some quite scathing comments on the PS3;
"The PC and the 360 are just more straightforward. We can focus on what we want to do, which is make game experiences, instead of sweating bullets over obscure architectural decisions they make with their platform... I didn’t come into this business in the 90s because of some technical fetish. I came in because I wanted to give people experiences that made them have fun."
You can read the full article if you need any more convincing that L4D isn't heading to the PS3 anytime soon.By Mess on Wednesday, June 10th | Comments (24)
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Valve responds to the L4D 2 criticism
It's been quite a controversial time with the annoucement of L4D 2. Some people love the idea and some people feel a bit cheated by it. CVG have posted an article with some comments from Valve over the whole thing:
"Apparently the developer was expecting backlash from the sequel before it was even announced, deciding to text prominent map makers minutes after its reveal to let them know that their work would not be affected negatively by the sequel.
But according to Faliszek, Left 4 Dead 2's five new campaigns, new weapons, special infected and zombie dismemberment are simply too huge to put in an update."
It's worth reading the full article and seeing if your opinion changes at all.By Blink on Wednesday, June 10th | Comments (15)
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Improvements Ahoy!
Finally we're back.
Apologies for the extended downtime, I had some complications with the phpBB upgrade amongst everything else that was changed.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the improvements to the site and forums. Some are obvious and some are subtle but it should improve the experience for everyone.
There are a couple of minor bugs floating around that I'll be fixing in the background but leave your comments/issues as usual
Cheers!
EDIT: I know it's a credit crunch but donations are more than welcome! Check the paypal link in the bottom right column.By Blink on Wednesday, June 10th | Comments (40)
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Firearms Source Update
The Firearms team have recently posted some new eye-catching media for everyone to devour:
"I introduce to you the new Red Force player model. Last year, at the team leadership's request, Schmung created a new red player model to replace the CSS stub you've been seeing us use up until tonight. Shinobi has weighted the model to a new set of animations done by Christian Oelund, a former FA team member, and the skin you see has been done by none other than the very talented StealthSilver. Those "new" animations include not just prone, which is pictured, but brand-new animations for every other player action in the game: Running, jumping, shooting, reloading, and crouching. Nothing is used or taken from Valve, and is all original work by the FAS team."
Check out over at their site.By Blink on Monday, June 8th | Comments (20)
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Left 4 Dead 2 announced!
I just opened my email and saw this!
"June 1, 2009 - Valve, creators of best-selling game franchises (such as Half-Life and Counter-Strike) and leading technologies (such as Steam and Source), today announced Left 4 Dead 2 (L4D2), the sequel to the best-selling and critically-acclaimed co-operative multiplayer thriller.
Coming exclusively to Xbox 360 and PC, L4D2 promises to set a new benchmark for co-operative action games and become one of 2009's marquee titles.
"A large part of how Left 4 Dead became 2008's top-selling new IP on Xbox 360 and the PC was the custom-tailored gameplay made possible by the AI Director," said Gabe Newell, president and co-founder of Valve. "With the knowledge gained from creating the original, new technology, and a passionate team, L4D2 will set a new benchmark for cooperative action games."
Set for release on November 17, the title adds melee combat to enable deeper co-operative gameplay, with items such as a chainsaw, frying pan, axe, baseball bat, and more.
Introducing the AI Director 2.0, L4D's dynamic gameplay is taken to the next level by giving the Director the ability to procedurally change weather effects, world objects, and pathways in addition to tailoring the enemy population, effects, and sounds to match the players' performance. The result is a unique game session custom fitted to provide a satisfying and uniquely challenging experience each time the game is played.
Featuring new Survivors, boss zombies, weapons, and items, Left 4 Dead 2 offers a much larger game than the original with more co-operative campaigns, more Versus campaigns, and maps for Survival mode available at launch.
Supported by a $10+ million marketing campaign, Left 4 Dead has sold over 2.5 million retail copies since it was released in November of 2008. Left 4 Dead 2 is targeted for release on Xbox 360 and the PC on November 17, 2009, and will be launched worldwide with a multi-million dollar marketing campaign across TV, Outdoor, and Online.
"Left 4 Dead was backed by our most aggressive advertising campaign to date, and resulted in a top 5 showing on two platforms during holiday 2008," said Doug Lombardi, VP of marketing at Valve. "Left 4 Dead 2 is a larger game and will be supported with even more consumer and retail advertising programs than the original."
Left 4 Dead 2 will be featured as the cover story on PC Gamer and Official Xbox Magazines this month. For more information, please visit http://www.l4d.com "
They kept that quiet!By Blink on Monday, June 1st | Comments (242)
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Origins of the 'Meet The Team' Videos
The folks over at Kotaku have interviewed Robin Walker and Erik Wolpaw about the origins of the 'Meet The Team' videos.
Within the interview there is discussion about how the movies came to be as well as how they influenced the design of new features within the game such as Jarate. Also discussed is the possibility of a feature-length movie or 10 minute shorts which is something definitely up for consideration.By Psy on Monday, June 1st | Comments (4)
