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Reminder: FASA IRC chat and final day of Shadowrun beta today
We just wanted to remind everyone that FASA's holding an IRC Chat today at 2:00 PM PDT to 6:00 PDT to celebrate the end of the Shadowrun beta. There prizes given out, as well as the opportunity to ask the developers any questions you might have about the June bound FPS. The chat will be on the #Shadowrun.FASA chat channel, on the Gamesurge server. Will you fellow testers out there be playing to night and shooting the breeze with the devs?
Shadowrun Devs to have IRC chat with fans
Matt Webster, aka fall over at the Shadowrun Forums, has announced that since the beta is ending on the 30th (We know, it sucks), the devs at FASA Studio will be having an IRC chat that Monday, from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM PDT. There are going to be prizes available, so if the fact it's Shadowrun didn't sway you, free swag should definitely do the trick. It will take place in the #Shadowrun.FASA chat channel, on the Gamesurge server. Will you join in on the fun on IRC, or the beta itself on its last day?[Via HushedCasket]
Want in the Shadowrun beta?
Xbox 360 Achievements is giving away two beta invites to Shadowrun. So, if you want a chance to play in the beta and either didn't sign up, or feel your chances of getting in with the weekly lump of newcomers is too slim, then this is your shot. The contest is pretty easy, shamelessly plug x360a somewhere on the interwebs before 11:59 (GMT) on Wednesday, March 28th. Sure, the free publicity is a little cheesy, but Shadowrun is Shadowrun, and the more people who get a taste of how awesome and deep this unique FPS is, the better. Full rules are available at the accompanying thread.
Shadowrun Beta NDA lifted
Over the past 4 months, beta testers for Shadowrun have had to acknowledge the NDA and keep tight lipped about the goings on in the game. Today, FASA officially lifted the NDA, and testers are allowed to speak freely about their experiences in the game. FASA reminds us that the beta does not use final art, and to consult their screenshots to get an idea of how the game will look. Also, the gameplay is constantly being tweaked and balanced, including feedback from the testers themselves having a prominent effect. For example, before the patch when it was just Elves and Humans with a portion of the Tech and Magic, the shotgun was not that effective. After the patch added all the remaining tech, magic and races, FASA also changed the balance of the weapons, giving the shotgun a significant boost in power. Some think it's been given too much power and that it's effectiveness at range should be reduced. When running into FASA devs online, as they do play the beta frequently, they've said that the shotgun's current stats aren't final, though they are closer than in the initial build. Another example would be that in the beta, Humans take a smaller penalty to their available essence than any other race for the tech they equip. It's been confirmed that there will be no penalty to their essence for any tech equipped, which will drastically change the balance of the game between now and June. In any case, should any extraordinary occurrences take place in the beta, our blogging testers will definitely keep you up to date.
Sign up for the Shadowrun beta
Microsoft and FASA Studio have officially announced the Shadowrun beta program. Shadowrun, you may recall, is the launch vehicle for Microsoft's Live Anywhere service, allowing gamers on both PC and Xbox 360 to compete with each other. An FPS that combines both technology and magic, Shadowrun looks to bring something different to the shooter genre -- and answer the age old keyboard and mouse/gamepad question once and for all. Find instructions on how to participate in the beta after the break.
