Area 51
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Alienware introduces 4x Blu-ray drives for desktops
Alienware, never afraid of spec'ing its machines just a little bit ahead of the curve, has just introduced 4x Blu-ray drives into its Area-51 7500, Aurora 7500, Area-51 ALX, and Aurora ALX desktops, making the systems the first in the industry (or so they claim) to carry the faster drives. The new additions to the PCs will offer a significant performance increase in reading and writing Blu-ray discs (a 100 percent increase, in case you're not doing the math), which should make burning those massive discs just slightly more tolerable. Of course, the whole shebang is backward-compatible with CD and DVD discs, per typical Blu-ray spec, and will set you back an additional $600. Available right now.
Alienware offers Area-51 m5550 "Quick Ship" laptop
While Dell is still having trouble shipping one of its most desirable laptops, its subsidiary Alienware looks to be having no such troubles with its Area-51 m5550 laptop, and it's now offering a new "Quick Ship" version that it's promising to get to you even sooner. While you won't be able to configure it to your heart's content like other Alienware systems, your impatience will still net you a pretty well-equipped system, including a 15.4-inch display, a T7200 Core 2 Duo processor, ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 graphics, 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and an 8x dual layer CD-RW/DVD±RW burner. If that'll do, you can get your order in now for $1,599, which includes a 48-hour shipping guarantee.
Alienware offers SSD for the m9750, m9700, and m5550
Alienware, certainly no stranger to the high-end spec game, has further upped the ante with a recent announcement touting SSD options for three of its laptops -- the Area-51 m9750, m550, and the Aurora m9700. The gamer-centric PC manufacturer is now making the solid-state choice available as a single 32GB SSD, or a 64GB SSD RAID 0 dual configuration. In addition, the 32GB option can be coupled with a 200GB hard drive for added secondary storage. The new drives should increase battery life for the power-hungry laptops, while running faster and stabilizing your extra-important game saves and frag videos. The drives are available now, running in price from $500 for the 32GB single option, to $920 for the RAID set-up.
Video: Blacksite trailer is all about being home
There's a new Blacksite: Area 51 trailer in town and it's all about the pretty visuals and those rascally aliens landing on our home turf. Embedded above is Midway's latest Blacksite trailer aptly named "Followed Home" featuring an entire gamut of aliens including tall ones with skinny legs, wormy ones, spider ones and aliens that shoot rockets. Yup, when you're followed home by these aliens we recommend putting on your running shoes and taking off. That is unless you are military trained. Which, luckily for us, we are.
Halo 3 will boost BlackSite sales, dev prays
According to BlackSite designer Ricardo Bare, there are two "schools of thought" among developers who must release their games alongside Halo. The first, and most obvious, is the understanding that your game is doomed, and therefore you should curse your publisher for scheduling an imbecilic release date and quickly settle into the realization that you won't be receiving a bonus for all those sleepless hours spent smoothing out the buggy corridor in that damned missile silo near the end of level four. But then, there are those, like Midway (who has no publisher to blame), who believe that blockbusters like Halo 3 help to spur sales of like-genred alien shooters. (Note our reaction to this theory in the image above.)"Whenever you go and see a really bad ass action movie like X-Men, it just makes you want to go and see Spider-Man 3, right? You usually want more of the same," Bare told CVG, adding, "when something really huge comes out, it helps the other two or three really good games that also come out, because you want more FPS action." But Bare was also quick to draw a distinction between Halo 3 and his team's Area 51 follow-up, which adds squad-based tactics and political commentary to the alien extermination plot. So whether you want "more of the same" or something a bit different, BlackSite has you covered? Have we got the slogan right? Midway had best launch a stronger marketing campaign than that (and start reaching out to the PC and PS3 crowds) and, even more importantly, beat Halo 3 to store shelves. In other words, stop cannibalizing resources for another demo (this time with multiplayer) and don't waste any more time pondering the BlackSite sequel -- Halo 3 is here September 25th. Guys, maybe it's time to consider a 'strategic' delay?
New multiplayer BlackSite demo on the way, sequel rumored
Speaking to Eurogamer, Midway's Harvey Smith, creative director for BlackSite: Area 51, admitted that he's already thinking of ways to expand the next game in the series. While he doesn't officially confirm a sequel is in development, it seems at least that he's hoping for one. More intriguing to those of us who exist in the here and now, Smith intimates that Midway is considering another demo in addition to the one already available on Xbox Live Marketplace. Smith notes that it may be longer than the (very short) demo already available. Also, the new demo should include some multiplayer elements from the game. The retail game is expected to include deathmatch, CTF, and co-op modes, so a multiplayer demo would certainly be welcome. No date for the new demo has been announced
Happy Friday! Area 51 demo on Marketplace
There are few things better than an unexpected Friday demo. We were delighted to see a demo for BlackSite: Area 51 sitting quietly on Marketplace this morning. After a few minutes we had the demo downloaded and took it for a spin. Upon firing up the demo, you will be quickly greeted by some impressive Unreal Engine 3 visuals. The character models are top notch, and the lighting effects (particularly the wet, reflective surfaces) look fantastic. Not only does it look great, but most of the environment is destructible. The gameplay is sort of a streamlined version of Rainbow Six Vegas, with one button squad commands (you start with two team members) and tactical firefights. You won't be issuing any complicated commands, it's all basic things like "go there" or "open that door," so it's not overwhelming. The demo is very short, you basically make your way through three firefights and that's it. The closing screens of the demo promise more tactical gameplay, lots of vehicles, levels based in US cities, and a robust multiplayer component.All in all the demo is sweet but just a little too short. Hopefully, we'll see a multiplayer demo before the game hits retail this year.
Area 51 being renovated at Hollywood's Paramount Pictures
As far as game-to-film adaptations go, Midway's Area 51 is almost certainly one of the easiest ones to pitch; the equivalent of a limp-wristed grandma flinging a roll of film at an executive producer sitting five inches away. Ticking nearly all of the boxes on Hollywood's quality assurance list, namely "aliens," "guns" and (this one is crucial) "aliens being killed by guns," Area 51 seems like a natural property for Paramount Pictures to abduct and perform hideous experiments on. Variety reports that comic book writer and artist, Grant Morrison, has been handed the task of adapting the 2005 first-person shooter (which was itself loosely based on the 90's light gun game) into a piece of cinema. Morrison's list of published works includes issues of Judge Dredd, New X-Men, Batman, JLA and Fantastic Four. If completed and released (Paramount has reportedly been sitting on the rights since 2004), Area 51 will mark his first produced film project. Hollywood monster guru, Stan Winston, is also attached as producer. Hopefully, the production team will gather some inspiration from forthcoming Area 51 sequel, Blacksite, which is said to be more politically charged and thoughtful than the first. Then again, perhaps Hollywood should concentrate on getting the basics right first.[Via FirstShowing.net]
Alienware shows off developer PCs
Alienware launched a new developer workstation and showed off a recent laptop at GDC. The company was tucked away in the meeting rooms of the North hall, and we stopped by unannounced to ogle the hardware.The MJ-12 8550i is the new high-end desktop machine with two quad-core Xeon processors, DDR2 memory, and other industry-leading specs. Alienware decided to ship this machine with the consumer-level Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX so that developers don't need to switch machines to test their progress. (Alienware reps even suggested getting in a game of F.E.A.R. while waiting for a recomplie.)We asked about a dual video card configuration, and we were told that that may happen; the company is even considering a switch that would toggle between pro and consumer cards connected to a single monitor.Keeping the desktop machine company, Alienware also showed the m5790 laptop that ships with a 2.33GHz Core 2 Duo. And Alienware is so confident in the stability of the chip that it can overclock it under warranty to 2.66GHz.Prices for the systems vary by configuration, with the laptop starting at $1,300 and the workstation at $2,500. Of course, both are able to run thousands of dollars higher.%Gallery-2065%
BlackSite: Midway investigates Area 51 again
Midway has cracked the lid off of its Area 51 sequel, now known as BlackSite: Area 51 (no longer Area 52). As a sequel, BlackSite shares little in common with its predecessor beyond the general setting of hidden military facilities in Nevada and a pervasive alien threat. While Area 51 was deliberately campy, BlackSite is fear driven. It's squad-based too (with online co-op likely); and will utilize Midway's Massive D system, the same technology that drives the fragile environments in Stranglehold.GameSpy wasn't moved by a short BlackSite demo featured during a recent Midway junket in Las Vegas. We don't blame 'em. BlackSite, like Area 51 before it, looks to nail the formula without taking risks. Mediocrity can still drive sales.
They're back, BlackSite: Area 51 is 360 bound [update 1]
Midway Studios just confirmed that their "aliens gone wild" game BlackSite: Area 51 will be coming to the Xbox 360 this summer. Not only did they make that announcement, but they also released a few new screenshots, a trailer, and game details. BlackSite: Area 51 looks to be going with a more realistic and modern approach to the Area 51 series, something we're thinking fans will enjoy. Midway also announced a few gameplay tidbits and revealed the multiplayer modes including Death Match, Team Death Match, Capture the Flag, and Human vs Reborn. Jump into the Hummer and get on the chain-gun soldier ... we're taking back our base! Video and screenshots after the jump.Update 1: Fixed some grammar issues.
Blu-ray, SLI-equipped Alienware Area-51 7500 reviewed
Alienware's Area-51 7500 desktop has certainly been on the chopping block before, but the inquisitive folks over at Bit-Tech were able to land a refreshed unit that not only featured dual NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX graphics card and a 2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800 processor, but a built-in (unbranded Matshita) Blu-ray drive to boot. Instantly, reviewers expected the snazzy looking machine to spin right on through every benchmark laid in front of it, and for the coin you'd be paying, we can't say that's such an unrealistic request. During 2D / 3D testing, the SLI-equipped system simply dominated in terms of FPS, image quality, and smoothness, as reviewers actually stated that current games couldn't even take full advantage of all that horsepower just yet. Also of note was the Blu-ray playback, which ended up being practically flawless after the review crew had their (understandable) doubts about how well the unit itself and HDCP films would operate within a PC environment. After trying out both analog and digital monitor connections, the player streamed out films in crisp 1,920 x 1,080 resolution without a hitch after PowerDVD 6.5 was loaded up, officially allowing for a collective sigh of relief. With a system this pricey, however, criticisms come easier, and they were quick to note that the included Patriot RAM was likely hindering performance somewhat due to "faulty memory timings," and also stated that the lackluster audio card should have been spruced up given the lofty cost. Overall, Bit-Tech was quite pleased with Alienware's latest, but while the machine itself landed an 8 out of 10 rating, the £3,434 ($6,780) pricetag resulted in a paltry 5 out of 10 in the "Value" department, which is about par for the course for these guys.
Alienware's not quite "most powerful" Area-51 m5790 laptop
While it might not be the world's "most powerful 17-inch system" -- like the recently announced (and similarly named) Area-51 m9750 -- the Area-51 m5790 is no slouch in the specs department. The SLI NVIDIA graphics are out, replaced with the more modest 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon X1900 but the rest of the specs are the same: Core 2 Duo processors are in, Blu-ray optical drive, dual HDD up to 200GB per and up to 2GB of dual-channel DDR2 667MHz RAM and a 17" WUXGA display capable of rendering a 1920 x 1200 resolution. The system ships with Windows XP, but is Windows Vista-capable so you can upgrade when Vista hits on January 30th (don't forget about your 50% discount).
Alienware launches "most powerful" Area-51 m9750 laptop
While we'll have to wait on some benchmarks to find out if Alienware's new Area-51 m9750 laptop is actually the world's "most powerful 17-inch system," there's no denying that the specs are plenty hot. The laptop features SLI NVIDIA graphics, Core 2 Duo processors, a Blu-ray optical drive, dual HDD up to 200GB per and up to 2GB of dual-channel DDR2 667MHz RAM. That 17-inch monitor features an eyesight bustin' 1920 x 1200 resolution, and should look nice with Vista, which will come pre-installed on the laptop. Alienware even tossed in a TV tuner and a full-size numeric keypad. No word on price or availability, but January 30th (Vista's out) seems a decent guess, and "a whole wad of cash" seems quite likely as well.
A new Area 51 game emerges for certain!
How many of you remember that classic Midway arcade title, Area 51? With that weird 3-D live action characters and the fairly wonky, but cool as hell, aiming system (I swear I missed completely, yet I nailed many a creature more often than not)? If so, get excited, since it seems the rumors of an Area 51 sequel are true -- enter the trailer for Area 51: BlackSite. It's a PS3 game for sure. In the trailer at least, no other platform is mentioned, but there will probably be word on that later on. Not much else to say about this -- check out the trailer on IGN and see for yourself if this brings back memories or if I've gotten some Area 51's mixed up in my distant arcade-rocking past.
Alienware boosts Area-51 7500, ALX to Core 2 Extreme
While there aren't too many applications that currently will tax four processors, Alienware hopes that your winter vacation spent playing "World of Warcraft" will be as smooth as sliding your old and busted gaming rig down that nearby snow-covered hill. The new Area-51 7500 (pictured) and the higher-end Area-51 ALX have just been bumped to an optional Core 2 Extreme processor, officially bringing your setup to ludicrous speed. Like its predecessor, the 7500 has a standard 1GB of RAM that can be raised to 4GB, and has your choice of an NVIDIA GeForce 7950 or a Dual NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX. The base config (that's without the quad-core) starts at $2,200 -- but where's the fun in that? Adding a Core 2 Extreme chip will add nearly another grand, while maxing out the whole equipage will put you within striking distance of $10,000 (including a $1,300 Dell 30-inch monitor and some sweet $400 speakers, of course). What about that ALX? It starts at $6,100 (quad-core action included), and naturally, maxes out just under 10K.Read - Area-51 7500Read - Area-51 ALX
Alienware adds Core 2 Duo to Area-51, Sentia laptops
The folks at Alienware haven't really made their trade on budget price-points, but their new line of Core 2 Duo laptops has some of the best pricing we've seen for the new processor. Of course, to score the 17-inch m5750 for it's base price of $1,399 you'll have to settle for the 1.66GHz T5500 Core 2 Duo, a 60GB HDD, 512MB of RAM and a CD-RW / DVD ROM combo drive, but the specs only go up from there, and all m5750 configurations include an ATI Radeon Mobility X1800 card with 256MB of memory. The other laptops feature similarly weak base configurations, but even better prices. The 15.4-inch Area-51 m5550 starts at $899, while the 14.1-inch Sentia m3450 hits $849. All three models have the full range of Core 2 Duo chips available to them, from the T5500 to the 2.33GHz T7600, other than the Sentia which omits the middling T5600. The laptops are due to ship in the first half of September.Read - Area-51 m5750Read - Area-51 m5550Read - Sentia m3450
Area 51 sequel in the works for next-gen
GamesAreFun has pointed out that according to some recent job postings, Midway is currently looking for a little help in developing a possible Area 51 sequel, called Area 52, of course. According to the listings, the game will most likely appear on the 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. Sorry Ninty fans, no Wii.There is also another new IP listed as Criminal for the PS3 and 360. Area 51 was a decent FPS, so it'll be interesting to see what direction Area 52 will go. We can only hope David Duchovny will make a return appearance.
Alienware Area 51 m5500 notebook reviewed
While Alienware is a name commonly spoken in any high-end notebook discussion, its managed to mingle in less elite crowds by offering more financially manageable options. The Area 51 m5500 is a mid-range laptop with all the "prestigious styling cues" associated with the company, but lacks some of the bleeding-edge hardware found in the upper-echelon offerings. Reghardware's review model was actually a scaled-down version of the current machine (albeit with the same price), but it still performed fairly admirably. The finalized units will receive an Intel Core Duo processor, 1GB of RAM, either a Mobility Radeon X1400 or a GeForce Go 7600 with 256MB of RAM, 100GB SATA HD, a DVD-playing CD burner, a 15.4-inch display sporting a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, a trio of USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire connector, and the standard wireless suite (WiFi and Bluetooth). The subtle beast faired well considering the tame innards required to hit the £899 (and up) price point; the biggest gripes came from the weak battery life (1:30-2:00) and the rubber grips atop the lid that "added unnecessary weight," but it's possible the bragging rights you'll gain would far outweigh any extra pounds they add. If you're scouting a gaming laptop, there's definitely a world of options, but if you need that element of extraterrestrial distinction to set you apart from the rest, the m5500 will be landing in August.
Alienware's Superman-themed limited-edition Area-51 systems
Not to be outdone by parent company Dell's X-men-themed XPS machine, Alienware fired up their factory on the planet Krypton to produce a limited number of their Area-51 laptops (limited to 350) and desktops (limited to 250) with artwork, themes and a mousepad from the upcoming movie Superman Returns. The desktop, which is emblazoned with an impressive mural by comic artist Tommy Lee, starts at $1,899 (without a monitor, of course) but quickly heads skyward when you add upgrades like a 3.4GHz Pentium D dual core processor, liquid cooling, 1TB of storage and the ability to turn back time by reversing the earth's rotation. The 17-inch Core Duo notebook starts at around $2,500 and is slightly less bawdy in appearance, ditching the mural for a sleek blue finish and the Superman shield in place of the usual alien head. You can keep track of how many of the individually-numbered systems are sold via Alienware's website, so we'd recommend you move faster than a speeding something-or-other should you want one.
