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GOG is hosting a 'Shutdown Promo,' selling select games for 50% off
The US government shutdown is bad news for furloughed workers, but when it comes to video games, it's apparently a convenient excuse for an impromptu sale! GOG is currently holding what it calls the "Shutdown Promo," and has slashed prices on a bunch of great games. The pack includes a total of seven games, three of which are Mac compatible, and all of which are currently half price. Among the Mac-flavored content is Theme Hospital, Alpha Centauri and (comically) the Redneck Rampage collection. If you happen to have a Windows machine (or a fancy Boot Camp installation) you can take advantage of the price cuts on Tropico Reloaded, The Guild: Gold Edition, Capitalism Plus and Capitalism 2. If you happen to be one of the unfortunate furloughed government employees, you can email GOG with a photo of you holding your temporary lay-off notice and receive the entire collection for free. [via Joystiq]
GOG.com hosts big summer sale, including lots of cheap Mac games
GOG.com has launched a huge summer sale today, with over 500 games available for very cheap and more changing in and out every day. I'm mentioning it here because the site has a big Mac section with classic games like Dungeon Keeper, Syndicate and even the great System Shock 2 all on sale for less than US$5 each. Alpha Centauri is one of my favorite games ever, and it's also on sale, as is the recent indie success FTL: Faster Than Light. GOG is even offering the excellent dungeon crawler Torchlight for the low, low price of completely free, so definitely grab that and play it if you haven't yet. The big sale lasts through July 5, and there will be more titles in the mix as the event goes on, so stay tuned for more great games to play on your Mac this summer.
GOG weekend sale: Alpha Centauri, Syndicate and other EA classics 60% off
Several of EA's classic PC games have had their prices slashed to ridiculous levels on GOG for this weekend – games like Alpha Centauri, Syndicate, Populous and more can be had for under $3 each.Other EA games taking part in the sale include a whole bunch of Ultimas, the Wing Commander series and SimCity 2000. All of the games listed on GOG's weekend promo page will set you back $2.39 a pop. If you want to purchase all 26 eligible games, it'll cost $62.14.
GOG weekend sale is full of winners from the distant past at low, low prices
"As the Americans learned so painfully in Earth's final century, free flow of information is the only safeguard against tyranny. The once-chained people whose leaders at last lose their grip on information flow will soon burst with freedom and vitality, but the free nation gradually constricting its grip on public discourse has begun its rapid slide into despotism. Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master" – Commissioner Pravin Lal ... and there's never been a game quite like Alpha Centauri since.This weekend, GOG has Alpha Centauri, Dungeon Keeper 1 and 2, SimCity 2000 and Populous 1 and 2 for $3 apiece.If dated graphics don't bother you, we expect you to be done extracting the fun out of these games sometime in 2015.
Captain's Log: Fleet actions, the Crystalline Entity and you
Ahoy, ensigns and admirals! Welcome back to Captain's Log, our weekly dose of Star Trek Online news, tips and unfounded personal opinions straight from the final frontier. After Friday's look at the ups and downs of Season One, today's Captain's Log assumes its regular Thursday stardate. At least until his masters at Massively make good on their threat to reassign your humble captain to Q-tip quality control. On Ferenginar. This week, let's take a look at Fleet Actions. Some are a rewarding change of pace from the often solitary grind of patrol and exploration. And some -- well, okay, just one -- is the bane of Starfleet's existence. We'll get to that in a minute.
EA: Nobody 'better suited' to do Alpha Centauri II than Meier
As part of GameDaily's interview with Sid Meier, the site asked about the chances of an Alpha Centauri II. Meier responded, as almost everyone at Firaxis and 2K Games does, that the rights for a return to Planet is in the hands of EA. The site followed up with EA, which actually responded to the Alpha Centauri question, stating that there is still "a lot of good will toward Sid" from when he worked with the publisher and that, although it's inappropriate to comment on the issue due to the current buyout situation, it "can't think of anyone better suited to doing another Alpha Centauri game."Meier has been quite diplomatic about the possible acquisition of Firaxis' parent-company, Take-Two, by EA. Our "glass is half full" view on the issue is that although EA hasn't done anything with the Alpha Centauri license in almost ten years, nothing horrible has happened to it either.
Apple Games profiles Sid Meier
Apple Games has posted an article about one of my favorite game developers, the great Sid Meier, designer of Pirates! and probably the best game ever made, Civilization (although in my humble opinion, Alpha Centauri is the best Civ, but I digress). There are quite a few good anecdotes in there, about how Meier got his start in videogames (like all great men, he got caught bragging that he could do something better), and the fact that apparently Civ got canned before it was finished -- good thing they decided to give it a second go.Unfortunately, there's no real indication why Meier is being profiled -- the Mac version of Civ IV was released a few years ago, and the new Civilization Revolution is supposedly console-specific (which doesn't mean I won't be playing it on my 360). Maybe Apple just loves Sid as much as we do (Happy We Love the Emperor Day)? Or maybe we'll see -- I hesitate to even dream it, for fear that it might be true -- an iPhone version of Civ in the App Store come June?[via IMG]
Sid Meier practices diplomacy regarding EA/Take-Two deal
Newsweek's N'Gai Croal had a chance to eat filet mignon last week with Sid Meier and ask him a couple questions about the potential industry-altering EA buyout of Take-Two. Meier's company, Firaxis Games, currently has its titles published by Take-Two's 2K games, but he did work with EA almost ten years ago. Meier thinks as long as EA gives his company the creative freedom Take-Two did that everything should be fine.Sid Meier fanboys will also recognize that if Meier goes back under the EA umbrella, Firaxis will have access to the Alpha Centauri IP which EA owns. Granted, Alpha Centauri was Brian Reynold's baby, with Meier's name on the cover, but a return to Planet and its diaspora would certainly be welcomed by sci-fi strategy fans. Although, Sins of a Solar Empire is doing a fine job currently.
Sid Meier mentions possibility of a Civilization MMO
Be sure to take this one with a grain of salt, but Sid Meier is apparently very interested in making a Civilization MMO at some point in the future -- according to a recent interview. However, Sid basically goes on to say that he doesn't think that sort of game is his next project, as he's interested in doing some more single-player games (Alpha Centauri 2, please?) before tackling something else.We've got to admit it though, the concept of an MMO where you start your very own civilization and slowly expand it over time sounds intriguing to say the least. Aside from all sorts of design hurdles, there are some very exciting ideas in the concept. The easiest method of doing a massively Civilization game would be to take a few notes from Guild Wars in terms of subscription-style. That way, a player could work on their civilization for as long as they wanted, take a break for however long they felt like and then come back for expansions or just because they felt like it -- all monthly-payment free.[via MMORPGdot]
Firaxis wouldn't be against Alpha Centauri II
While talking with Firaxis about Civilization: Beyond the Sword and its space scenarios, it had to be asked whether we'll ever see the return of Alpha Centauri and its cast of characters bent on controlling the living planet. Producers from Firaxis and some representatives from 2K weren't opposed to the idea.Yes, Brian Reynolds (Big Huge Games), who designed the original game with Sid Meier has moved on and then there is the tricky issue that EA owns the rights. However, the Firaxis crew said if EA wouldn't be opposed to giving that up, there might be an opportunity for a sequel. It's the best and only chance for Firaxis to ever return gamers to Alpha Centauri. One producer for Firaxis turned around and said, "We could make 'Sid Meier's Space-something,' we have a great group to do that, but it just wouldn't be the same." No, it really wouldn't. Come on EA, it's not like you're doing anything with the series, work out a deal.
