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Quake Wars public beta keys coming this week
The community site for Enemy Territory: Quake Wars has announced that it plans on doing a public beta of the game soon; no start date has been given, but license keys will start to be given out "in the middle of this week." There will be 60,000 slots available and only one map for testing -- Sewers, according to a dev blog post, which is said to feature "an interesting mix of outdoor and indoor, vehicle and infantry combat, deployables and counter-deployables and good old-fashioned FPS combat." It's likely the map with the most possible situations for bug-testing. All slots will go to FilePlanet users, with half of the slots set aside for those who pay for the premium subscription. The post makes it very clear that this is not a demo. "If you want to just play a game for free you may find it a frustrating experience," it said. It also cautions that the beta will be taking data about your hardware configuration, "so you shouldn't apply unless you're comfortable with that." %Gallery-1618%
Quake Wars shoots for July release, fragged
The latest entry in the Quake series, sporting the title Enemy Territory: Quake Wars has been talked up every now and then, but a true release date was never really set in stone. Activision wants to change that -- kind of. They have come out to say they expect the game to ship out for the PC, PS3, and 360 any time from July through September of this year. We've heard that developers id Software like to polish and tinker with a product until they feel it's good and ready for release, so we're not sure if the release date schedule will properly reflect the release date for this game. September, maybe, but if they go that long, they'll probably just keep tweaking until it's holiday shopping time. Which starts in August, oddly. Stupid holiday shopping lasting five months ... That aside, who's excited for this game? More than Haze? More than Unreal Tournament 3? We'll take 'em in that order: Haze, UT3, then this game. But that's just us.
Id has new IP, keep wishing for that Cmdr. Keen remake
Id Software is working on a new game ... and it's not Doom, Quake, Wolfenstein or even Commander Keen related -- it's new. According to Id's CEO Todd Hollenshead the company is finishing off Enemy Territory: Quake Wars and moving onto this new game with a new engine developed by John Carmack. Hollenshead told GI.biz, "It is a new Id brand with an all-new John Carmack engine and I think that when we show it to people, once again they'll see, just like they saw when we first showed Doom 3, that John Carmack still has a lot of magic left." Hollenshead said they aren't ready to talk or show anything of the new concept. He says they like to play show and tell when they announce a game and they're just not ready to get in front of the class just yet. Hopefully we'll get something before or right around when Enemy Territory ships for PC, and then for PS3 and Xbox 360, later this year.
Some new Quake Wars screenshots seem explosive
Everyone loves the Quake franchise. Even those directly opposed to FPS titles from birth should be able to appreciate the nuances and intricacies the Quake games have brought to the -- oh, whatever. They're a good FPS series, but that's about it. However, with the newest upcoming entry, Quake Wars, they might actually change things up enough to appear fresh and delicious. The action shooter combining real-time strategy elements is showing off some new screenshots today and they look fantastic. Whether in a tank, on foot, or some kind of jet, the game looks intense. The game will hit the PC in mid-June, but a console release is expected shortly thereafter for the 360 and PS3. We don't know if the final result will merit all the hype, but we can hope so! Anyone else pumped for this game?
Quake Wars to rage on Macs in 2007
Multiplatform game publisher, Aspyr Media, will stay current with its Mac roots by publishing that version of Enemy Territory: Quake Wars sometime this year. (Aspyr had previously mentioned those plans but today's statement marks the official announcement.) Aspyr has already released Doom 3-engine games on the Mac, and its port is being developed by in-house coders. Quake Wars will be a tactical- and objective-based first-person shooter instead of the traditional Quake deathmatch. No release date has been named, but assuming that Aspyr is accurate when saying the Mac version will be out this year, PC and console versions may be out by the fall. %Gallery-1618%
Quake plays like a dream on the DS
When the first version of Quake DS was released by coder Simon Hall, we all saw his ambition. However, the first version of the game was not able to match that ambition, instead providing us with a slower, uglier version of Quake on our DS. Well, we're glad to report this is not the case any longer, as the second version of his project has released, offering up a slew of improvements. Of course, if you want to play this, you're going to need a flash card for your DS, along with a copy of Quake for your PC (supports retail and shareware).For a full breakdown on what's new, head past the post break.[Thanks, wraggster!]
id Software poised for a comeback, says id Software
It's been a long time since id Software defined the first-person shooter with Wolfenstein 3D, and later took it to a new level of insanity with Doom. The company got rich not only off their own revolutionary games, but also by farming out their powerful engines to other developers.In recent years, id has fallen from prominence. Doom 3 and Quake 4 were mere shadows of their predecessors. id began to lose FPS market share as other people's engines got more play. Even id founder/visionary John Carmack seemed to be losing interest in the genre he created, and spent his time building rockets and cell phone games.But in a new interview with Next Generation, id CEO Todd Hollenshead makes it clear that his company has a few tricks up its sleeve, the most exciting of which is Carmack's "brand new shooter that is not based on any previous IP." While Hollenshead refuses to reveal much about this mysterious new game, he does say that "[Carmack's] approach allows us to do some things visually that we haven't ever been able to do before. He is really unfettering the ability of artists to go absolutely nuts."Do you hear that, video game artists? Are you tired of those fetters on your ability to go absolutely nuts? Get a job at id.
Quake III Team Arena on XBLA?
The ESRB is becoming a better resource for leaking Xbox Live Arcade titles than we could have dreamed. This time, it's an entry for Quake III: Team Arena. Granted, the Xbox 360 is not short on shooters, but Quake III is one of the best. Quake III provided some great multiplayer thrills back in tha' day, and it would be a perfect addition to Xbox Live Arcade, especially at a budget price. Quake III is graphically more sophisticated than most XBLA titles, so it's a safe bet that the game will utilize the new 150MB size limit.Would you buy Quake III for Xbox Live Arcade, or do you have enough shooters already? Frankly, we miss good old fashioned rocket jumping, so we're willing to give it a try.[Via Joystiq]
John Romero: PC is about to make console its bitch
With the disfigured ghost of an anti-climactic game and the remnants of a self-destructive marketing campaign chasing him for the rest of his life, it's only fair that John Romero occasionally gets to look forward and into the future. In an interview with Adrenaline Vault, the Quake designer predicts that "cheap" multi-core processors will eventually steal hardcore gamers away from the "next-gen" consoles and bring them to the PC (or something "PC-like"), while the Wii's simplicity will earn it a casual gamer audience. "Next-gen console is big but its future isn't too bright with the emergence of cheap PC multi-core processors and the big change the PC industry will go through during the next 5 years to accommodate the new multi-core-centric hardware designs," says Romero. "My prediction is that the game console in the vein of the PS3 and XBOX 360 is going to either undergo a massive rethink or go away altogether." While the next five years may indeed bring enough cheap multi-core processors to blot out the sun, we submit that the PS3 and Xbox 360's intended audiences will happily play in the shade. By the time those PC parts are even considered to be cheap (try buying just a comparable multi-core chipset and a Direct X 10 graphics card for under $400 today), these consoles will likely be home to several franchises that hardcore gamers will be taxed to resist -- and the next wave of consoles won't be far off either.Romero goes on to say that "The Wii has the perfect design for a console that doesn't pretend to be a PC and is geared more toward casual gamers than hardcore gamers. The hardcore gamers are going to either be playing on their PCs or a new PC-like platform that sits in the living room but still serves the whole house over wifi, even the video signal." A PC-like platform sitting in the living room? Now that sounds a little more likely -- in fact, hasn't this convergence already begun?
ESRB leaks 'Quake III: Team Arena' for Xbox 360 (XBLA?)
The ESRB is always a great place to spot upcoming Xbox Live Arcade titles with the word "arena" in the title (Wing Commander Arena, anyone?). Without the enormous lead times of their retail counterparts (see Shadowrun above), these digitally distributed darlings will often sneak in under the radar. Take the Xbox 360 listing for Quake III: Team Arena above. The 1999 multiplayer classic would be a perfect fit for the Xbox Live service (right alongside older brother DOOM), and the newly enlarged 150MB size limit could make it a possibility. Or maybe this is just a retail port, though we can't imagine it faring well in today's competitive FPS environment. We've asked Microsoft and Pi Studios to comment on the listing.[Via GameAlmighty]
Live Anywhere nowhere to be found in Enemy Territory: Quake Wars
As the first game to support Live Anywhere, Shadowrun has erected a rickety bridge between the realms of the PC and the Xbox 360, allowing players to dash across and kill each other using their peripherals of choice. Perhaps it is in the interest of peace then, that id Software has ruled out the possibility of cross-platform multiplayer for their upcoming shooter, Enemy Territory: Quake Wars. "Console players will not play against PC players," says id co-owner and creative director, Kevin Cloud, in an interview with GameZone. "Consoles require a certain [adaptation], and that wasn't something that we wanted to take on." While there's no immediate framework to necessitate play between the PS3 and PC just yet, Live Anywhere promises to bring more convergence between Microsoft's Vista and 360 platforms -- but could the $50 Live entry fee for Xbox-PC multiplayer prove to be a turn-off for developers and gamers alike? %Gallery-1618% [Via CVG]
Quake Wars admits: no cross-platform online play
Makers of Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, id Software, have come out saying that the title will not feature cross-platform online play. Kevin Cloud said "Console players will not play against PC players...Consoles require a certain [adaptation], and that wasn't something that we wanted to take on." What he means is that it would be difficult to keep a level playing field between consoles and PCs. Because not all consoles support the keyboard/mouse combo. However, don't think the console versions of the game will be handicapped in any way -- they're going to be the same as the PC version. Both will feature the neat action with little bits of RTS features to fight against... you guessed it, maniacal enemy creatures that want to destroy. Look for the game later this year on the PC, PS3, and XBox 360.
No cross-plat play for Quake Wars
CVG reports that id's Kevin Cloud has confirmed that cross-platform play will not be featured in the upcoming Enemy Territory: Quake Wars for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. According to Cloud, the concept is possible, but requires too many tweaks to each platform in order to level the playing field. We imagine Cloud is referring to the advantage of a mouse and keyboard on PC (and potentially PS3). The mouse obviously offers an aim advantage, and the keyboard could provide plenty of shortcuts for the game's RTS like features. Cloud does mention, however, that id is striving to make sure that the overall Quake Wars experience will be maintained across all platforms. Well, thank God. Expect Quake Wars to debut some time this year.
Japan's earthquake warning system tested out
It's a good thing that Japan's Meteorological Agency actually had the nationwide earthquake warning system ready to rock in March, as the fiber optic system was put into use this month in an attempt to warn citizens of an imminent tsunami. Reportedly, a "huge tremor" struck and triggered the system, which allowed warnings to be beamed out en masse "within a single minute." Although the system was tested before in false alarm fashion, this was the first time it had been used in a legitimate emergency, and it beat the previous options "by around one to two minutes." Sadly, it still wasn't quick enough to save everyone from the 6.9-magnitude quake, as 170 people suffered various injuries while one individual passed away, but the statistics could've been much worse had the speedy system not kicked in at all.
id Software CEO: piracy pushed us multiplatform
At an early session Friday, id Software CEO Todd Hollenshead gave a lecture on the problems of piracy on the internet. During his speech, Hollenshead revealed that, although they are still primarily a PC developer, id Software had begun to look at console game releases as a way to financially combat piracy. "Piracy has pushed id as being multiplatform," Hollenshead said, noting that the current project Enemy Territory: Quake Wars is being scheduled for release on PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Hollenshead's rationale is that console piracy is, by a large factor, minimal relative to the rampant PC piracy. In Hollenshead's lecture, entitled "The Videogame Piracy Problem: Fifteen Men on a Dead Man's Chest," was a discussion on the problems of piracy, his company's experiences with the issues, and suggestions to help the diffuse the issue.
Quake DS conversion released
It's been a while since we heard about the homebrew DS port of Quake. But now the coder, Simon Hall, has emerged from his Tower of Porting Ordeals and made his work available for public consumption! If you have a DS flash card and a copy of Quake for the PC (shareware or full version!) then in just a few short minutes you could be on your way to playing a flat-shaded, slow, imperfectly-emulated, but still undeniably Quakey Quake! We are willing to cut them some slack on the technical issues, since the release is still a work in progress, and the fact that it works at all is keen. They've also added touchscreen camera control and the ability to toggle god mode with the R button! We have great memories of playing multiplayer Quake at one of those pay-by-the-hour LAN gaming centers at our 16th birthday party. We also have great memories of playing our DS earlier today. Seeing the two come together is just blissful. We love the ingenuity of the homebrew community. We're going to crank up the Nine Inch Nails and get to installing.[Thanks, wraggster!]
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars coming to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3
Id Software is rounding up the old gang, or gangs in this case, to develop Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 ports of the highly anticipated (and nebulously dated) PC-shooter, Enemy Territory: Quake Wars. Id's fellow Dallasites at Nerve Software, who previously worked on other Id projects like Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War for Xbox and DOOM 3: Resurrection of Evil for the PC and Xbox, will be responsible for bringing the title to the Xbox 360 platform while Activision's very own Z-Axis, who most notably delivered Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX, will handle PlayStation 3 duties. The press release reveals that the console versions will feature 16-player multiplayer, whereas the PC version is slated to feature 24-players. Nevertheless, we're heartened that the game -- which is being produced by Id Software but developed by Splash Damage -- will be coming to both of the obvious new-gen systems despite John Carmack's rather outspoken feelings on the console wars. It should come as no surprise that there is no date for any of the releases, but we're sticking with Activision's guess of "before Christmas." %Gallery-1618%
Quake Wars confirmed for Xbox 360
Id Software confirmed today that Quake Wars: Enemy Territory will be arriving on the Xbox 360. The 360 version is being developed by Nerve Software, best known for their expansions to games like Doom 3 and Return to Castle Wolfenstein. Quake Wars sets players in an epic struggle between humanity and a malicious alien race known as the Strogg. The game will support up to 16 players and features strategic team play, deployable structures, and both land and air vehicles. Players can choose from five different classes and will enjoy persistent character promotions and plenty of online stat tracking. Quake Wars is expected as early as April 2007 for the PC; hopefully we won't be waiting too long for the 360 version. Keep in mind though, this is an id Software title, so "it's done when it's done®." [Thanks, DarkSaviour69]
Today's hottest game video: UT3
Unreal Tournament 2007 3, in trailer form, earns our nod for today's video. We have our own, internal Joystiq tiffs about the UT-versus-Quake debate (this writer likes UT), and we're looking forward to this release to compare against the aging Quake 4. This trailer, also available in HD, makes the UT3 wait seem even longer. Must ... play ... soon.See the video after the break.
Quake Wars by March 2008, as early as April '07
Activision's latest financial reports reveal that Enemy Territory: Quake Wars is now positioned in the broad release window of the "fiscal year 2008." While that could imply a major delay (as late as March 2008), it could also mean that Quake Wars is on schedule for an early, in this case April (2007) launch. A previous, but unconfirmed delay last year pushed the game's release from fall 2006 to spring 2007. An Activision spokesperson told Eurogamer that Quake Wars is expected before Christmas, adding ominously, but "it's an id Software title so it's done when it's done."
