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Quake 4 is up for download on Macs
Quake 4 has been around the console block for almost a decade, and no, that's not an insult. For the first time since its initial launch in 2005, Quake 4 is available to download through the Mac App Store, GameAgent and other distribution hubs for $19.99.Quake 4 offers cross-platform PC-Mac play, so even if you're late to the party and on a Mac (two handicaps, we like to call it) you'll be able to strap in and take out some Strogg.
Quake 4 relaunches on June 19 for $20
The Xbox 360 is getting up there. Maybe you missed out on the Raven Software-deveolped Quake 4 during its initial launch, way back when in 2005? Bethesda is giving everyone a second chance to take on the Strogg this summer.The Bethesda Blog has announced that the Xbox 360 version of Quake 4 is being re-released at a new $19.99 price point on June 19. Currently, the only ways to pick up a copy of Quake 4 are through Steam (on Windows PC) and at the bottom of your local game retailer's bargain bin.Or maybe your cousin Carl? He told us he liked Quake once. Borrow his copy!
iControlPad gamepad frags demons on camera
While the iControlPad still isn't available for mass consumption, homebrew developer ZodTTD has released a video of him using it to play quake4iphone. Hard to tell just how well the gamepad works, but it's gotta be a helluva lot easier than blocking the screen with your greasy digits. Last we heard it had gone into production, but still no word on price or release date. Video embedded after the break.
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars is fighting through enemy territory to get to the Mac
Apple Insider has some shiny new Enemy Territory: Quake Wars screens for your drooling pleasure. I have to say-- the last few Quake games (and I'll include Doom III in that list) haven't really floated my boat much. As good as the graphics look, that old id charm just doesn't seem the same with games like Portal and Halo around. But Enemy Territory was definitely a winner (I played it on my Powerbook quite a bit), and so ET:QW is sure to be some good times.Unfortunately, Aspyr is porting the game, and their id ports in the past haven't exactly been up to snuff. Plus, apparently they've been hampered by updates to the already-released Windows version, so the Mac version is still only in alpha, while the other versions are out in the wild, already letting folks shoot at each other. And worst of all, AI says there is no online in the alpha version (!). Call us foolish, but we'll at least hold out hope until we see the actual release-- maybe with id making a conscious effort towards Mac gaming, Aspyr will get this one right.
Found Footage: Quake 4 running in Parallels 3.0
Last Friday Ben Rudolph, Parallel's Director of Corporate Communications, posted some screenshots of Halflife 2 running in Parallels 3.0 on his MacBook Pro. Parallels, for those who might not know, is virtualization software that lets you run a variety of OSes within OS X including Windows. Pictures sure are pretty, but the proof is in the video (a great man once said that), and so Ben has posted a video of Quake 4 running on a Mac in Parallels (I am going to assume he used his MacBook Pro for this as well, but he never mentions it so it could be running on a Mac Pro). As we reported, support for 3D acceleration is one of the big ticket items in Parallels Desktop for the Mac 3.0 (no known shipping date as of yet).
Holiday 2006 best bets for Mac gamers
With Apple's transition to Intel processors completed earlier this year, and emerging technologies such as Cider promising full compatibility with Windows games, the Mac platform is seeing even fewer native releases these days. But there are still some gems for dedicated Mac gamers this holiday season: Age of Empires III Big Bang Brain Games Call of Duty 2 Cars: The Videogame Civilization IV Dominions 3: The Awakening Quake 4 Sims 2: Nightlife Spongebob Squarepants Diner Dash WingNuts 2: Raina's Revenge World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade (coming in Jan.) X-Plane 8.5 Apple's gaming page has additional information, and check out last year's holiday recommendations for a little more variety on your Mac.
Id says 360 is a gem to develop on
In an interview with CVG, Id developer John Carmack talks about how easy it is to develop on the 360 for the upcoming Nazi killing shooter Castle Wolfenstein and said that "the Xbox 360 is the first console that I've ever worked with that actually has development tools that are better for games than what we've got for the PC." Whoa, those are bold claims Mr. Carmack ... bold claims indeed. Both Id and Raven are teaming up to create this next-gen shooter and both are working hard to squeeze as much power out of the 360 as possible. A true Xbox 360 fanboy has to be excited about this game, but be sure to keep your guard up, because we all know of a certain game developed by team Id/Raven that didn't live up to its potential (crappy multiplayer just angers me).
Black Friday megadeals for Xbox 360
Sister site Xbox 360 Fanboy got the goods on some upcoming Black Friday deals yesterday. For those of you who may not know, Black Friday (so very appropriately named) is the Friday immediately after Thanksgiving, when stores feature gargantuan sales in an effort to suck shoppers in and kick-start the Christmas shopping season.Best Buy is having an $18.99 sale featuring: Amped 3 Condemned NBA Live '06 Rockstar Games Presents: Table Tennis The Outfit (apparently you can score this one for only $9.99 if you buy it in-store before noon) Circuit City offers a different set at $16.99: Full Auto Gun Perfect Dark Zero Quake 4 Tony Hawk's American Wasteland Our advice is to call the stores to find out if these deals will be available online and stay inside. Black Friday is normally a hellish experience with a lot of pushing, shoving and greed. In fact, we're surprised Rockstar hasn't made a video game version yet. Your mission: take out other shoppers before they can get your sale items.
Aspyr finally gets a clue, releases Quake 4 demo
Forgive the bitter headline, but I'm sick of Mac game companies releasing games, especially ones as massive and significant as Quake 4, without a demo. This gripe is further compounded by the fact that the current state of Mac gaming is so demanding of hardware; yes, it's certainly improving, but many of these games require a PowerMac G5 or, now with the Intel switch, at least an iMac or a MacBook Pro to run them with any decent amount of detail and frame rate. Releasing $50 games without the ability for users to test them first is shooting oneself in the foot, and apparently, companies like Aspyr seem to have no shortage of feet.With that small bit of editorial out of the way: Aspyr has (finally) released a demo of Quake 4! Hooray! Both a torrent and a direct download link of the 536MB Universal Binary demo are available from MacGameFiles. Enjoy.[via MacMinute]
Couch co-op gives way to internet teamplay
Co-op mode in video games is often a very popular feature, probably because of the added intensity of competing with A.I. in partnership with a friend. Games like Halo and Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory become entirely different (and better) games when played in co-operative mode. Of course, the early innovator was Contra, which, without a co-op mode, would have been just another side scrolling shooter. With the greats of the co-op gaming genre in mind, Vic over at Bits & bytes & pixels & sprites has written up a feature calling for a next-generation renaissance in co-operative games. Couch co-op has never been an assured feature with games, especially recently. Since 2000, developers on the PC platform have clearly ignored the co-op mode in favor of dedicated multiplayer modes with big name first person shooters like Half-Life 2, Doom 3 and Quake 4 skipping on the mode. Games with teamplay orientated multiplayer modes like Counter-Strike and Call of Duty have picked up the fundamentals of co-op based games and thanks to their easy accessibility over the internet, have become wildly popular as a result (especially in comparison to the limit of 2-4 players in a usual co-op game). There will always be developers that include couch co-op modes in their games (Bungie, Blizzard and Ubisoft come to mind), but there's unlikely to be a massive resurgence in the number of couch co-op games mainly due to an internet based takeover of team based gameplay. [Thanks, Daniel Zuccarelli]
Pizza Hut to sponsor cyberathletes
Pizza Hut recently announced they will become the first fast food franchise to sponsor the Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL) and its affiliated tournaments. When engaged in league play, CPL professional and amateur members will be directed to special deals at Pizza Hut's web site, although there's no mention if this agreement also includes the Hut's Wing Street brand of chicken wings.According to Pizza Hut marketing exec Bill Ogle, "ordering a Pizza Hut pizza and having it delivered, without having to stop a game in progress, is a huge plus for this audience." While the marketing campaign makes more sense than McDonald's "feeding the world's Olympic athletes", you might want to keep a roll of paper towels handy, lest you defile that brand new 360 controller or Zboard with sauce and grease.Check out the CPL's Summer Championships schedule which includes tournaments for Quake 4, Halo 2, GRAW, and Project Gotham 3. And don't forget the breadsticks.
Quake 4 Universal Binary shipping
Quake 4, a game that could literally destroy my productivity in one swooping install, is now shipping as a Universal Binary for Mac OS X. Getting back to its first-person storyline roots, this latest installment picks up after the events of Quake 2, in which you are part of an elite marine force whose mission is to stop an Earth invasion and blow a ton of stuff up. Check out Aspyr Media's Quake 4 product page for more storyline details and system specs, as a PowerPC G4/G5 at 1.67 is required (which we've mentioned before), but they recommend a G5 or Intel-based Mac.Quake 4 is priced at $49.99 and is available from Amazon.[via Macworld]
Continents clash in transatlantic tournament
A $100,000 gaming tournament is taking place from today until Sunday in New York, hosted by the Global Gaming League. The "AmeriCup vs EuroCup TransAtlantic Showdown" pits the winners from the European EuroCup tournament against the AmeriCup champions across three games: Counter-Strike 1.6, Quake 4 and Warcraft 3.There is live streaming media from the GGL website, and it's entertaining to watch, especially if you're interested in competitive gaming. If you're not, the seriousness of the event and its commentators may surprise you, but there's big money at stake for the champions--no laughing matter.
Quake 4 patch 1.1 beta available
A new patch for Quake 4 has been released in beta form, allowing keen Quake gamers to get their hands on a whole slew of updates. The focus of the patch? In id Software's words, "multiplayer is fixed", with the addition of voice chat and a lot of multiplayer tweaks from a forcemodel option to a one-minute tournament warning.When this patch leaves beta, it will become a required update, bringing with it four new maps.
Quake 4 available for pre-order
Last month we got our first hints about Quake 4, and this week Aspyr has offered some more information. It's currently available for pre-order in the US at a cost of $49.99, with an expected shipping date of February 28, 2006. Aspyr notes that final system requirements will be made available 4-6 weeks prior to shipping, which really means any time now. Rest assured, Quake fans, the wait is almost over.[Via MacBytes]
