LAZY DAY TRAILERS: GEARS OF WAR 2 GDC 2008 DEBUT TRAILER

You read that right, true believers, it’s official – Gears of War 2 is in production and slated for a November 2008 release exclusively on the Xbox 360. If you recall, this site was pretty much engulfed in Emergence Day fever back in 2006, and I fully expect to once again catch the bug for this next installment. I’d ramble on more and more about this right now, as well as all the other juicy announcements coming out of the 2008 Game Developer’s Conference, but I’m still not really feeling 100% and just want to crawl into bed.

Since this is a Lazy Day Trailers post, it wouldn’t be complete without a video courtesy of the fine people at GameTrailers.com – check it out below!

While we’re talking about Gears of War 2, a free Xbox 360 dashboard theme and gamerpicture set (as well as the above video) are currently available in the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Gears of War 2 will be coming exclusively to the Xbox 360 (though you can just about be sure a PC port will eventually follow) in November of 2008. Expect many updates in the months to come.

• Gears of War 2 – Official website
• Gears of War 2 GDC 2008: Debut Trailer – GameTrailers

PC BETA DEMO OF UNREAL TOURNAMENT 3 NOW AVAILABLE

Yes, I’m a little behind with this update, but a PC BETA demo of Epic Games’ Unreal Tournament 3 is now available for download from most of your favorite PC file download sites. Download package is approximately 741MB.

Please note: as stated above, this is a BETA demo, and as such may contain numerous bugs and glitches as well as some instability. There have been quite a few reports of the game not running properly or causing other system problems after installation. While I can’t vouch for the system stability issues, I will say that I never managed to get the demo to run acceptably.

• Unreal Tournament 3 – Official website

DIGITALLIFE ‘07 – HANDS-ON: GEARS OF WAR (PC)

Those of you who’ve been coming to the site for awhile have probably guessed that one of the games I was hoping would make an appearance at DigitalLife ’07 was the Windows version of Gears of War. While many of the titles I was hoping to get a chance to play were no-shows, I’m glad to report that Gears was indeed playable on the show floor.

Perhaps the best place to start is with this statement… it’s Gears of War. The section of the game I had the chance to play through took me from Marcus & Dom’s escape from Jacinto Penitentiary, through the meeting with Colonel Hoffman and into the battles in the ruins. Through that part of the game, the Windows port offered the exact same gameplay experience as the Xbox 360 original.

So what is going to make this version of Gears worth purchasing? Well, naturally if you don’t have an Xbox 360, this will be your first chance to play Epic’s masterpiece – and Gears remains an experience that should not be missed. In addition, the PC version will contain five new campaign chapters not found on the 360 (and, according to Epic Games VP Mark Rein, due to changes made to Unreal Engine 3 since the 360 version of Gears was released, these chapters will never be coming to the 360)

Beyond those five chapters, there is one other truly stunning difference between the two versions… the graphics. Simply put, if you thought the Xbox 360 version of Gears was a thing of beauty, you haven’t seen anything yet. The game looked absolutely amazing running on the kiosks in the Microsoft Games booth. Everyone I spoke with playing or watching the game could not get over just how good Gears looked. While I’m sure reaching that level of graphics at home is going to take a monster of a system, if you’ve got it, you’re going to see details that truly make the game a visual treat.

Control wise, the game was set up to be played with keyboard and mouse, and after a bit of trial and error, I was able to easily perform the same maneuvers I could pull off using the Xbox 360 control pad. The only place I noticed any kind of issue was when attempting to take cover from a standing position (as opposed to getting under cover using roadie-run). To be honest, I’m pretty sure that problem was more tied to my unfamiliarity with the keyboard controls. Beyond that one complaint, the default scheme worked quite well – though I will admit that should I decide to pick this one up, I’ll probably find myself using an Xbox 360 controller for familiarity’s sake.

So, what else is there to say? The game seemed extremely stable on the demo PC provided and there were no signs of slowdown or glitches evident. All signs seem to point towards Gears of War being a standout title.

In summing things up, my advice to those who have a system that can handle the game – and haven’t had a chance to play through Gears on the 360 – is to immediately add this one to your “must have” list. As I said earlier, Gears of War truly is an experience you should not miss. However, If you’ve already played the game to death on the 360, you’ll need to judge whether or not the five new chapters will justify the $49.99 price tag the game will carry.

The Windows PC version of Gears of War is scheduled to release on November 6th, 2007.

• Gears of War – Official website

GEARS OF WAR HIDDEN FRONTS PACK NOW FREE

I’m still feeling a bit under the weather, so I’m keeping today’s update short. As promised by Microsoft, the Hidden Fronts map pack for Gears of War is now available as a free download. The pack includes four new multiplayer maps which I’ve taken the liberty of listing below;

• Bullet Marsh
  • In this Kryll-infested swamp, an old generator still powers the area lights. A few stray bullets could easily knock out the generator, leaving you to fend for yourself against the Kryll.
• Garden
  • This overgrown and crumbling conservatory still has a working fertilization and pesticide system. This system can pose a serious hazard to anyone who ventures into the greenhouse without first venting the air.
• Process
  • Fight for control of this subterranean Imulsion processing plant, still active despite the cessation of the Pendulum wars.
• Subway
  • Timgad’s Central Subway station used to serve as a central hub for commuters. Now the tunnels are crawling with Locust.

So there you have it – if you’ve been waiting for this pack to go free, head on over to the Live Marketplace and download it.

• Gears of War – Official website
• Free Gears of War Hidden Fronts Map Pack – Xbox.com

EPIC GAMES TO ADD GAMESPY SUPPORT TO UNREAL ENGINE 3

According to a post over at Kotaku, Epic Games has inked a deal with Gamespy to incorporate Gamespy’s online technology with Unreal Engine 3. Those of you wondering why you should care about this deal, Epic has confirmed that with the addition of Gamespy’s online technology, Unreal Tournament III will be able to support cross-platform gaming between the PlayStation 3 and PC platforms.

"BRISBANE, Calif. – August 15, 2007 – IGN Entertainment’s GameSpy, a leader in multiplayer and online gaming technology, and Epic Games today announced a licensing deal to incorporate GameSpy’s suite of online technology into Epic’s Unreal® Engine 3, one of the industry’s most popular game engines. Under the terms of the agreement, GameSpy will join Epic’s prestigious Integrated Partners Program, and its technology will be immediately available to any publishers or developers that license Unreal® Engine 3.

By incorporating GameSpy’s online technology into Unreal Engine 3, the two companies have created an integrated one-stop solution for game developers looking to leverage the world’s most advanced multi-player technology and game engine in one package. The partnership will span both the PC and PLAYSTATION®3 platforms within Unreal Engine 3, enabling seamless PLAYSTATION®3 and PC online functionality. Functionality available to Unreal Engine 3 licensees via Gamespy will include cross-platform gameplay, communication tools and competition applications." – Gamespy / Epic Games press release excerpt as reported at Kotaku

I mentioned in a previous article that the PS3 version of UT3 keeps looking better and better, and this little bit of news certainly continues that trend. Between the points I highlighted in that initial article, this announcement and recent statements by Epic Games VP Mark Rein regarding disc space issues with the Xbox 360 version, the choice to purchase the PS3 version over the 360’s is really beginning to look like a no-brainer.

Those of you looking to for the full text of yesterday’s press release should head over to Kotaku via the below link.

• Epic Games – Company Website
• GameSpy – Company website
• Unreal Tournament III – Official website
• Unreal Engine Adds GameSpy Tech For PS3-PC Crossplay – Kotaku
• Unreal Tournament III needs the Blu-ray legroom – Destructoid
• PlayStation 3 Unreal Tournament 3 to Support Keyboard & Mouse – NYLatenite.com

PLAYSTATION 3 UNREAL TOURNAMENT 3 TO SUPPORT KEYBOARD & MOUSE

You know, the PlayStation 3 version of Unreal Tournament 3 keeps looking better and better. It started with Epic Games Vice President Mark Rein announcing that mods made for the PC version of UT3 will work with the PS3 version and has just kept growing from there. The latest bit of news on the PlayStation 3 front (found by way of Kotaku) is that UT3 will also be supporting keyboard and mouse controls on the console. I can’t emphasize enough just how welcome that statement is to me.

“I checked with Steve Polge and he said that YES we are supporting keyboard and mouse in Unreal Tournament 3 on PS3. He is confident we are doing it in a way that will be balanced without feeling “gimped” for either side. We’ll also allow people to choose whether or not they want to allow mixed controller vs. keyboard/mouse games or not.” – Mark Rein, vice president, Epic Games

It’s because of all these “PlayStation 3” only announcements that I’m beginning to think that Unreal Tournament 3 will be the first multi-platform title that I’ll be grabbing for the PlayStation 3 instead of the 360. I know not everyone has a setup where using the mouse and keyboard on a console is convenient, but in my case it is and it’s certainly a feature that I feel will help make UT3 the best experience it can be. Besides, if you don’t like it, you can always opt to only play against those who are using the same control setup that you are.

Those of you wondering why these changes are only being made for the PlayStation 3 version of the game an stop coming up with conspiracy theories as the answer is simple – Sony is allowing them to do it. Several comments made by Epic Games indicate that they’d like to implement the same features on the Xbox 360 version, however Microsoft’s testing policy, strict network control policy and vision for the 360 just won’t allow them to do it. Epic has left the door open for some of the best mods being provided on the 360 via downloadable content through the Live Marketplace somewhere down the road.

It probably won’t hurt the game’s PlayStation 3 sales that it’ll be coming out several months before the Xbox 360 version either.

• Unreal Tournament 3 – Official website
• Yes we will have PS3 keyboard and mouse support – Epic Games Forums
• Unreal Tournament III to Have Mouse/Keyboard Support – Kotaku
• E3: Midway Confirms UT3 PC Mods Playable On PS3 – Gamasutra

PLAYSTATION 3 UNREAL TOURNAMENT 3 TO SUPPORT KEYBOARD & MOUSE

You know, the PlayStation 3 version of Unreal Tournament 3 keeps looking better and better. It started with Epic Games Vice President Mark Rein announcing that mods made for the PC version of UT3 will work with the PS3 version and has just kept growing from there. The latest bit of news on the PlayStation 3 front (found by way of Kotaku) is that UT3 will also be supporting keyboard and mouse controls on the console. I can’t emphasize enough just how welcome that statement is to me.

“I checked with Steve Polge and he said that YES we are supporting keyboard and mouse in Unreal Tournament 3 on PS3. He is confident we are doing it in a way that will be balanced without feeling “gimped” for either side. We’ll also allow people to choose whether or not they want to allow mixed controller vs. keyboard/mouse games or not.” – Mark Rein, vice president, Epic Games

It’s because of all these “PlayStation 3” only announcements that I’m beginning to think that Unreal Tournament 3 will be the first multi-platform title that I’ll be grabbing for the PlayStation 3 instead of the 360. I know not everyone has a setup where using the mouse and keyboard on a console is convenient, but in my case it is and it’s certainly a feature that I feel will help make UT3 the best experience it can be. Besides, if you don’t like it, you can always opt to only play against those who are using the same control setup that you are.

Those of you wondering why these changes are only being made for the PlayStation 3 version of the game an stop coming up with conspiracy theories as the answer is simple – Sony is allowing them to do it. Several comments made by Epic Games indicate that they’d like to implement the same features on the Xbox 360 version, however Microsoft’s testing policy, strict network control policy and vision for the 360 just won’t allow them to do it. Epic has left the door open for some of the best mods being provided on the 360 via downloadable content through the Live Marketplace somewhere down the road.

It probably won’t hurt the game’s PlayStation 3 sales that it’ll be coming out several months before the Xbox 360 version either.

• Unreal Tournament 3 – Official website
• Yes we will have PS3 keyboard and mouse support – Epic Games Forums
• Unreal Tournament III to Have Mouse/Keyboard Support – Kotaku
• E3: Midway Confirms UT3 PC Mods Playable On PS3 – Gamasutra

PLAYSTATION 3 UNREAL TOURNAMENT 3 TO SUPPORT KEYBOARD & MOUSE

You know, the PlayStation 3 version of Unreal Tournament 3 keeps looking better and better. It started with Epic Games Vice President Mark Rein announcing that mods made for the PC version of UT3 will work with the PS3 version and has just kept growing from there. The latest bit of news on the PlayStation 3 front (found by way of Kotaku) is that UT3 will also be supporting keyboard and mouse controls on the console. I can’t emphasize enough just how welcome that statement is to me.

“I checked with Steve Polge and he said that YES we are supporting keyboard and mouse in Unreal Tournament 3 on PS3. He is confident we are doing it in a way that will be balanced without feeling “gimped” for either side. We’ll also allow people to choose whether or not they want to allow mixed controller vs. keyboard/mouse games or not.” – Mark Rein, vice president, Epic Games

It’s because of all these “PlayStation 3” only announcements that I’m beginning to think that Unreal Tournament 3 will be the first multi-platform title that I’ll be grabbing for the PlayStation 3 instead of the 360. I know not everyone has a setup where using the mouse and keyboard on a console is convenient, but in my case it is and it’s certainly a feature that I feel will help make UT3 the best experience it can be. Besides, if you don’t like it, you can always opt to only play against those who are using the same control setup that you are.

Those of you wondering why these changes are only being made for the PlayStation 3 version of the game an stop coming up with conspiracy theories as the answer is simple – Sony is allowing them to do it. Several comments made by Epic Games indicate that they’d like to implement the same features on the Xbox 360 version, however Microsoft’s testing policy, strict network control policy and vision for the 360 just won’t allow them to do it. Epic has left the door open for some of the best mods being provided on the 360 via downloadable content through the Live Marketplace somewhere down the road.

It probably won’t hurt the game’s PlayStation 3 sales that it’ll be coming out several months before the Xbox 360 version either.

• Unreal Tournament 3 – Official website
• Yes we will have PS3 keyboard and mouse support – Epic Games Forums
• Unreal Tournament III to Have Mouse/Keyboard Support – Kotaku
• E3: Midway Confirms UT3 PC Mods Playable On PS3 – Gamasutra

PLAYSTATION 3 UNREAL TOURNAMENT 3 TO SUPPORT KEYBOARD & MOUSE

You know, the PlayStation 3 version of Unreal Tournament 3 keeps looking better and better. It started with Epic Games Vice President Mark Rein announcing that mods made for the PC version of UT3 will work with the PS3 version and has just kept growing from there. The latest bit of news on the PlayStation 3 front (found by way of Kotaku) is that UT3 will also be supporting keyboard and mouse controls on the console. I can’t emphasize enough just how welcome that statement is to me.

“I checked with Steve Polge and he said that YES we are supporting keyboard and mouse in Unreal Tournament 3 on PS3. He is confident we are doing it in a way that will be balanced without feeling “gimped” for either side. We’ll also allow people to choose whether or not they want to allow mixed controller vs. keyboard/mouse games or not.” – Mark Rein, vice president, Epic Games

It’s because of all these “PlayStation 3” only announcements that I’m beginning to think that Unreal Tournament 3 will be the first multi-platform title that I’ll be grabbing for the PlayStation 3 instead of the 360. I know not everyone has a setup where using the mouse and keyboard on a console is convenient, but in my case it is and it’s certainly a feature that I feel will help make UT3 the best experience it can be. Besides, if you don’t like it, you can always opt to only play against those who are using the same control setup that you are.

Those of you wondering why these changes are only being made for the PlayStation 3 version of the game an stop coming up with conspiracy theories as the answer is simple – Sony is allowing them to do it. Several comments made by Epic Games indicate that they’d like to implement the same features on the Xbox 360 version, however Microsoft’s testing policy, strict network control policy and vision for the 360 just won’t allow them to do it. Epic has left the door open for some of the best mods being provided on the 360 via downloadable content through the Live Marketplace somewhere down the road.

It probably won’t hurt the game’s PlayStation 3 sales that it’ll be coming out several months before the Xbox 360 version either.

• Unreal Tournament 3 – Official website
• Yes we will have PS3 keyboard and mouse support – Epic Games Forums
• Unreal Tournament III to Have Mouse/Keyboard Support – Kotaku
• E3: Midway Confirms UT3 PC Mods Playable On PS3 – Gamasutra

PLAYSTATION 3 UNREAL TOURNAMENT 3 TO SUPPORT KEYBOARD & MOUSE

You know, the PlayStation 3 version of Unreal Tournament 3 keeps looking better and better. It started with Epic Games Vice President Mark Rein announcing that mods made for the PC version of UT3 will work with the PS3 version and has just kept growing from there. The latest bit of news on the PlayStation 3 front (found by way of Kotaku) is that UT3 will also be supporting keyboard and mouse controls on the console. I can’t emphasize enough just how welcome that statement is to me.

“I checked with Steve Polge and he said that YES we are supporting keyboard and mouse in Unreal Tournament 3 on PS3. He is confident we are doing it in a way that will be balanced without feeling “gimped” for either side. We’ll also allow people to choose whether or not they want to allow mixed controller vs. keyboard/mouse games or not.” – Mark Rein, vice president, Epic Games

It’s because of all these “PlayStation 3” only announcements that I’m beginning to think that Unreal Tournament 3 will be the first multi-platform title that I’ll be grabbing for the PlayStation 3 instead of the 360. I know not everyone has a setup where using the mouse and keyboard on a console is convenient, but in my case it is and it’s certainly a feature that I feel will help make UT3 the best experience it can be. Besides, if you don’t like it, you can always opt to only play against those who are using the same control setup that you are.

Those of you wondering why these changes are only being made for the PlayStation 3 version of the game an stop coming up with conspiracy theories as the answer is simple – Sony is allowing them to do it. Several comments made by Epic Games indicate that they’d like to implement the same features on the Xbox 360 version, however Microsoft’s testing policy, strict network control policy and vision for the 360 just won’t allow them to do it. Epic has left the door open for some of the best mods being provided on the 360 via downloadable content through the Live Marketplace somewhere down the road.

It probably won’t hurt the game’s PlayStation 3 sales that it’ll be coming out several months before the Xbox 360 version either.

• Unreal Tournament 3 – Official website
• Yes we will have PS3 keyboard and mouse support – Epic Games Forums
• Unreal Tournament III to Have Mouse/Keyboard Support – Kotaku
• E3: Midway Confirms UT3 PC Mods Playable On PS3 – Gamasutra

PLAYSTATION 3 UNREAL TOURNAMENT 3 TO SUPPORT KEYBOARD & MOUSE

You know, the PlayStation 3 version of Unreal Tournament 3 keeps looking better and better. It started with Epic Games Vice President Mark Rein announcing that mods made for the PC version of UT3 will work with the PS3 version and has just kept growing from there. The latest bit of news on the PlayStation 3 front (found by way of Kotaku) is that UT3 will also be supporting keyboard and mouse controls on the console. I can’t emphasize enough just how welcome that statement is to me.

“I checked with Steve Polge and he said that YES we are supporting keyboard and mouse in Unreal Tournament 3 on PS3. He is confident we are doing it in a way that will be balanced without feeling “gimped” for either side. We’ll also allow people to choose whether or not they want to allow mixed controller vs. keyboard/mouse games or not.” – Mark Rein, vice president, Epic Games

It’s because of all these “PlayStation 3” only announcements that I’m beginning to think that Unreal Tournament 3 will be the first multi-platform title that I’ll be grabbing for the PlayStation 3 instead of the 360. I know not everyone has a setup where using the mouse and keyboard on a console is convenient, but in my case it is and it’s certainly a feature that I feel will help make UT3 the best experience it can be. Besides, if you don’t like it, you can always opt to only play against those who are using the same control setup that you are.

Those of you wondering why these changes are only being made for the PlayStation 3 version of the game an stop coming up with conspiracy theories as the answer is simple – Sony is allowing them to do it. Several comments made by Epic Games indicate that they’d like to implement the same features on the Xbox 360 version, however Microsoft’s testing policy, strict network control policy and vision for the 360 just won’t allow them to do it. Epic has left the door open for some of the best mods being provided on the 360 via downloadable content through the Live Marketplace somewhere down the road.

It probably won’t hurt the game’s PlayStation 3 sales that it’ll be coming out several months before the Xbox 360 version either.

• Unreal Tournament 3 – Official website
• Yes we will have PS3 keyboard and mouse support – Epic Games Forums
• Unreal Tournament III to Have Mouse/Keyboard Support – Kotaku
• E3: Midway Confirms UT3 PC Mods Playable On PS3 – Gamasutra

PLAYSTATION 3 UNREAL TOURNAMENT 3 TO SUPPORT KEYBOARD & MOUSE

You know, the PlayStation 3 version of Unreal Tournament 3 keeps looking better and better. It started with Epic Games Vice President Mark Rein announcing that mods made for the PC version of UT3 will work with the PS3 version and has just kept growing from there. The latest bit of news on the PlayStation 3 front (found by way of Kotaku) is that UT3 will also be supporting keyboard and mouse controls on the console. I can’t emphasize enough just how welcome that statement is to me.

“I checked with Steve Polge and he said that YES we are supporting keyboard and mouse in Unreal Tournament 3 on PS3. He is confident we are doing it in a way that will be balanced without feeling “gimped” for either side. We’ll also allow people to choose whether or not they want to allow mixed controller vs. keyboard/mouse games or not.” – Mark Rein, vice president, Epic Games

It’s because of all these “PlayStation 3” only announcements that I’m beginning to think that Unreal Tournament 3 will be the first multi-platform title that I’ll be grabbing for the PlayStation 3 instead of the 360. I know not everyone has a setup where using the mouse and keyboard on a console is convenient, but in my case it is and it’s certainly a feature that I feel will help make UT3 the best experience it can be. Besides, if you don’t like it, you can always opt to only play against those who are using the same control setup that you are.

Those of you wondering why these changes are only being made for the PlayStation 3 version of the game an stop coming up with conspiracy theories as the answer is simple – Sony is allowing them to do it. Several comments made by Epic Games indicate that they’d like to implement the same features on the Xbox 360 version, however Microsoft’s testing policy, strict network control policy and vision for the 360 just won’t allow them to do it. Epic has left the door open for some of the best mods being provided on the 360 via downloadable content through the Live Marketplace somewhere down the road.

It probably won’t hurt the game’s PlayStation 3 sales that it’ll be coming out several months before the Xbox 360 version either.

• Unreal Tournament 3 – Official website
• Yes we will have PS3 keyboard and mouse support – Epic Games Forums
• Unreal Tournament III to Have Mouse/Keyboard Support – Kotaku
• E3: Midway Confirms UT3 PC Mods Playable On PS3 – Gamasutra

PLAYSTATION 3 UNREAL TOURNAMENT 3 TO SUPPORT KEYBOARD & MOUSE

You know, the PlayStation 3 version of Unreal Tournament 3 keeps looking better and better. It started with Epic Games Vice President Mark Rein announcing that mods made for the PC version of UT3 will work with the PS3 version and has just kept growing from there. The latest bit of news on the PlayStation 3 front (found by way of Kotaku) is that UT3 will also be supporting keyboard and mouse controls on the console. I can’t emphasize enough just how welcome that statement is to me.

“I checked with Steve Polge and he said that YES we are supporting keyboard and mouse in Unreal Tournament 3 on PS3. He is confident we are doing it in a way that will be balanced without feeling “gimped” for either side. We’ll also allow people to choose whether or not they want to allow mixed controller vs. keyboard/mouse games or not.” – Mark Rein, vice president, Epic Games

It’s because of all these “PlayStation 3” only announcements that I’m beginning to think that Unreal Tournament 3 will be the first multi-platform title that I’ll be grabbing for the PlayStation 3 instead of the 360. I know not everyone has a setup where using the mouse and keyboard on a console is convenient, but in my case it is and it’s certainly a feature that I feel will help make UT3 the best experience it can be. Besides, if you don’t like it, you can always opt to only play against those who are using the same control setup that you are.

Those of you wondering why these changes are only being made for the PlayStation 3 version of the game an stop coming up with conspiracy theories as the answer is simple – Sony is allowing them to do it. Several comments made by Epic Games indicate that they’d like to implement the same features on the Xbox 360 version, however Microsoft’s testing policy, strict network control policy and vision for the 360 just won’t allow them to do it. Epic has left the door open for some of the best mods being provided on the 360 via downloadable content through the Live Marketplace somewhere down the road.

It probably won’t hurt the game’s PlayStation 3 sales that it’ll be coming out several months before the Xbox 360 version either.

• Unreal Tournament 3 – Official website
• Yes we will have PS3 keyboard and mouse support – Epic Games Forums
• Unreal Tournament III to Have Mouse/Keyboard Support – Kotaku
• E3: Midway Confirms UT3 PC Mods Playable On PS3 – Gamasutra

PLAYSTATION 3 UNREAL TOURNAMENT 3 TO SUPPORT KEYBOARD & MOUSE

You know, the PlayStation 3 version of Unreal Tournament 3 keeps looking better and better. It started with Epic Games Vice President Mark Rein announcing that mods made for the PC version of UT3 will work with the PS3 version and has just kept growing from there. The latest bit of news on the PlayStation 3 front (found by way of Kotaku) is that UT3 will also be supporting keyboard and mouse controls on the console. I can’t emphasize enough just how welcome that statement is to me.

“I checked with Steve Polge and he said that YES we are supporting keyboard and mouse in Unreal Tournament 3 on PS3. He is confident we are doing it in a way that will be balanced without feeling “gimped” for either side. We’ll also allow people to choose whether or not they want to allow mixed controller vs. keyboard/mouse games or not.” – Mark Rein, vice president, Epic Games

It’s because of all these “PlayStation 3” only announcements that I’m beginning to think that Unreal Tournament 3 will be the first multi-platform title that I’ll be grabbing for the PlayStation 3 instead of the 360. I know not everyone has a setup where using the mouse and keyboard on a console is convenient, but in my case it is and it’s certainly a feature that I feel will help make UT3 the best experience it can be. Besides, if you don’t like it, you can always opt to only play against those who are using the same control setup that you are.

Those of you wondering why these changes are only being made for the PlayStation 3 version of the game an stop coming up with conspiracy theories as the answer is simple – Sony is allowing them to do it. Several comments made by Epic Games indicate that they’d like to implement the same features on the Xbox 360 version, however Microsoft’s testing policy, strict network control policy and vision for the 360 just won’t allow them to do it. Epic has left the door open for some of the best mods being provided on the 360 via downloadable content through the Live Marketplace somewhere down the road.

It probably won’t hurt the game’s PlayStation 3 sales that it’ll be coming out several months before the Xbox 360 version either.

• Unreal Tournament 3 – Official website
• Yes we will have PS3 keyboard and mouse support – Epic Games Forums
• Unreal Tournament III to Have Mouse/Keyboard Support – Kotaku
• E3: Midway Confirms UT3 PC Mods Playable On PS3 – Gamasutra

PLAYSTATION 3 UNREAL TOURNAMENT 3 TO SUPPORT KEYBOARD & MOUSE

You know, the PlayStation 3 version of Unreal Tournament 3 keeps looking better and better. It started with Epic Games Vice President Mark Rein announcing that mods made for the PC version of UT3 will work with the PS3 version and has just kept growing from there. The latest bit of news on the PlayStation 3 front (found by way of Kotaku) is that UT3 will also be supporting keyboard and mouse controls on the console. I can’t emphasize enough just how welcome that statement is to me.

“I checked with Steve Polge and he said that YES we are supporting keyboard and mouse in Unreal Tournament 3 on PS3. He is confident we are doing it in a way that will be balanced without feeling “gimped” for either side. We’ll also allow people to choose whether or not they want to allow mixed controller vs. keyboard/mouse games or not.” – Mark Rein, vice president, Epic Games

It’s because of all these “PlayStation 3” only announcements that I’m beginning to think that Unreal Tournament 3 will be the first multi-platform title that I’ll be grabbing for the PlayStation 3 instead of the 360. I know not everyone has a setup where using the mouse and keyboard on a console is convenient, but in my case it is and it’s certainly a feature that I feel will help make UT3 the best experience it can be. Besides, if you don’t like it, you can always opt to only play against those who are using the same control setup that you are.

Those of you wondering why these changes are only being made for the PlayStation 3 version of the game an stop coming up with conspiracy theories as the answer is simple – Sony is allowing them to do it. Several comments made by Epic Games indicate that they’d like to implement the same features on the Xbox 360 version, however Microsoft’s testing policy, strict network control policy and vision for the 360 just won’t allow them to do it. Epic has left the door open for some of the best mods being provided on the 360 via downloadable content through the Live Marketplace somewhere down the road.

It probably won’t hurt the game’s PlayStation 3 sales that it’ll be coming out several months before the Xbox 360 version either.

• Unreal Tournament 3 – Official website
• Yes we will have PS3 keyboard and mouse support – Epic Games Forums
• Unreal Tournament III to Have Mouse/Keyboard Support – Kotaku
• E3: Midway Confirms UT3 PC Mods Playable On PS3 – Gamasutra

PLAYSTATION 3 UNREAL TOURNAMENT 3 TO SUPPORT KEYBOARD & MOUSE

You know, the PlayStation 3 version of Unreal Tournament 3 keeps looking better and better. It started with Epic Games Vice President Mark Rein announcing that mods made for the PC version of UT3 will work with the PS3 version and has just kept growing from there. The latest bit of news on the PlayStation 3 front (found by way of Kotaku) is that UT3 will also be supporting keyboard and mouse controls on the console. I can’t emphasize enough just how welcome that statement is to me.

“I checked with Steve Polge and he said that YES we are supporting keyboard and mouse in Unreal Tournament 3 on PS3. He is confident we are doing it in a way that will be balanced without feeling “gimped” for either side. We’ll also allow people to choose whether or not they want to allow mixed controller vs. keyboard/mouse games or not.” – Mark Rein, vice president, Epic Games

It’s because of all these “PlayStation 3” only announcements that I’m beginning to think that Unreal Tournament 3 will be the first multi-platform title that I’ll be grabbing for the PlayStation 3 instead of the 360. I know not everyone has a setup where using the mouse and keyboard on a console is convenient, but in my case it is and it’s certainly a feature that I feel will help make UT3 the best experience it can be. Besides, if you don’t like it, you can always opt to only play against those who are using the same control setup that you are.

Those of you wondering why these changes are only being made for the PlayStation 3 version of the game an stop coming up with conspiracy theories as the answer is simple – Sony is allowing them to do it. Several comments made by Epic Games indicate that they’d like to implement the same features on the Xbox 360 version, however Microsoft’s testing policy, strict network control policy and vision for the 360 just won’t allow them to do it. Epic has left the door open for some of the best mods being provided on the 360 via downloadable content through the Live Marketplace somewhere down the road.

It probably won’t hurt the game’s PlayStation 3 sales that it’ll be coming out several months before the Xbox 360 version either.

• Unreal Tournament 3 – Official website
• Yes we will have PS3 keyboard and mouse support – Epic Games Forums
• Unreal Tournament III to Have Mouse/Keyboard Support – Kotaku
• E3: Midway Confirms UT3 PC Mods Playable On PS3 – Gamasutra

PLAYSTATION 3 UNREAL TOURNAMENT 3 TO SUPPORT KEYBOARD & MOUSE

You know, the PlayStation 3 version of Unreal Tournament 3 keeps looking better and better. It started with Epic Games Vice President Mark Rein announcing that mods made for the PC version of UT3 will work with the PS3 version and has just kept growing from there. The latest bit of news on the PlayStation 3 front (found by way of Kotaku) is that UT3 will also be supporting keyboard and mouse controls on the console. I can’t emphasize enough just how welcome that statement is to me.

“I checked with Steve Polge and he said that YES we are supporting keyboard and mouse in Unreal Tournament 3 on PS3. He is confident we are doing it in a way that will be balanced without feeling “gimped” for either side. We’ll also allow people to choose whether or not they want to allow mixed controller vs. keyboard/mouse games or not.” – Mark Rein, vice president, Epic Games

It’s because of all these “PlayStation 3” only announcements that I’m beginning to think that Unreal Tournament 3 will be the first multi-platform title that I’ll be grabbing for the PlayStation 3 instead of the 360. I know not everyone has a setup where using the mouse and keyboard on a console is convenient, but in my case it is and it’s certainly a feature that I feel will help make UT3 the best experience it can be. Besides, if you don’t like it, you can always opt to only play against those who are using the same control setup that you are.

Those of you wondering why these changes are only being made for the PlayStation 3 version of the game an stop coming up with conspiracy theories as the answer is simple – Sony is allowing them to do it. Several comments made by Epic Games indicate that they’d like to implement the same features on the Xbox 360 version, however Microsoft’s testing policy, strict network control policy and vision for the 360 just won’t allow them to do it. Epic has left the door open for some of the best mods being provided on the 360 via downloadable content through the Live Marketplace somewhere down the road.

It probably won’t hurt the game’s PlayStation 3 sales that it’ll be coming out several months before the Xbox 360 version either.

• Unreal Tournament 3 – Official website
• Yes we will have PS3 keyboard and mouse support – Epic Games Forums
• Unreal Tournament III to Have Mouse/Keyboard Support – Kotaku
• E3: Midway Confirms UT3 PC Mods Playable On PS3 – Gamasutra

GEARS OF WAR TO GET TITLE UPDATE TODAY

Epic Games has announced that they will be making a title update to Gears of War today via the Xbox Live Marketplace. The main focus of the update will be the addition of 250 achievement points for the previously released downloadable “Hidden Fronts” map pack and some fixes to the Roadie Run feature which should prevent some of the issues with taking cover when you don’t mean to.

Here’s the press release from Epic describing what changes players can expect to see following the update;

“Thursday, June 14, at 2 a.m. GMT, the stakes get even higher as Gears of War releases eight new Achievements for the “Annex” gametype and the “Hidden Fronts” Multiplayer Map Pack on Xbox LIVE®.

In addition to adding new Achievements, worth a total of 250 points, Gears of War developer Epic has improved the Roadie Run controls so players have greater control of their movement and can better annihilate their pestilent enemies. The title update will also help squash multiplayer exploits and provide general housekeeping.

For those who have yet to man up and join the battle, the “Annex” gametype is now available for free and the “Hidden Fronts” Multiplayer Map Pack is available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 800 Microsoft Points. All four multiplayer maps will be made available at no cost over Xbox LIVE on Sept. 3, 2007.

Release Notes

• New Achievements added! Eight new achievements worth a total of 250 points created for playing Annex and the Hidden Fronts Multiplayer Map Pack
• Improved Roadie Run to reduce getting snagged on cover
• Tweaked up the amount of damage done by the Lancer Assault Rifle in multiplayer
• Fixed split-screen players interrupting the other player’s actions when they die
• Stopped Annex scoring whenever a “Connection Error” dialog box is displayed
• Reduced the duration that corpses remain visible when hosting an Annex match
• Reduced the range of possible Annex bleed-out times selectable by host
• Addressed a number of multiplayer exploits
• Addressed other general housekeeping“ – Epic Games

• Gears of War – Official website
• Epic Games – Company website
• Gamers, Ready Your Weapons. Stop. New Gears of War®
  Multiplayer Achievements Added. Stop. – Press release

RUMOR SMASHED: GEARS OF WAR NOT GOING MULTIPLATFORM

If you’ve been hanging around the internet water cooler, you may have heard a rumor that Epic Games is so pissed off with Microsoft at the moment that they’re considering bringing Gears of War to the PlayStation 3… well, in a post on Gears’ official forums, Epic Vice President Mark Rein decided to set the record straight once and for all;

“This story is complete bull****. I emailed the site and asked them to take it down. We’re very happy with our relationship with Microsoft. If it weren’t for them Gears wouldn’t be the huge hit it has become.” – Mark Rein, vice president, Epic Games

According to this article over at Kotaku, the rumor began on the forums of a small PlayStation 3 site called “The Sony Protection Group“and even went so far as to claim Cliff “CliffyB” Bleszinski had threatened to move the series to the PlayStation 3. Needless to say, as with anything on the internet, the story continued to grow from there.

Not content with just debunking the rumor over at the Gears of War forums, Rein also sent a little nasty-gram to the staff of the site expressing his displeasure;

“Please remove that complete b******* story about Gears going to PS3. Cliff Bleszinski has NEVER been quoted as “threatening Microsoft to port over Gears to the PS3″. We’re very happy with our relationship with Microsoft and are extremely grateful of everything they’ve done to help make Gears the huge success it has become. Part of that success came from being an Xbox 360 exclusive FIRST PARTY title and Microsoft getting behind it in a huge way. They’re the publisher of Gears of War and, unless they say otherwise, there is no chance Gears is coming to PS3. For PS3 we have Unreal Tournament 3 and it’s going to be fantastic.” – Mark Rein

So there you have it folks, there’s no double-talk or hidden meanings in this one – it looks like Gears of War will be remaining an Xbox 360 exclusive. While I don’t think it’s the case here, one thing I often wonder when I hear wild stories such as this is whether or not the sites in question run these kind of stories knowing full well that they’re false, but are hoping that the traffic the story is bound to create will increase their readership.

• Gears of War coming to the PS3?! – Official Gears of War forums
• Could Gears of War2 go multiplat? – Sony Protection Group Forums
• GoW Definitely Not Coming to PS3 – Kotaku

GEARS OF WAR FANSITE KIT NOW AVAILABLE

Epic Games has made a fansite kit for Gears of War available via the Gears of War official website. The kit weighs in at 100.6mb and mostly contains icons, screenshots and hi-res wallpapers and images. Nothing overly earthshaking. Click here for the fansite kit download page.

BIG GEARS OF WAR ANNOUNCEMENT COMING NEXT WEEK

ArsTechnica is reporting that Mark Rein, administrator of the official Gears of War forums has announced that there will be a BIG announcement regarding Gears coming sometime next week. While there’s tons of speculation going around regarding the announcement being that they’re releasing a demo of the game in the Xbox Live Marketplace, I’m putting my money down on it being a tentative release date.

A demo would be pretty fricken sweet though, wouldn’t it? Click here for the ArsTechnica article and here for the forum posting that inspired it.

GEARS OF WAR X05 FOOTAGE

Sure this footage is almost a year old now, but with all the hype we’re seeing regarding the combat portions of Gears of War, the survival horror aspects of the game seem to be falling out of public view.

As such, I found this clip from Microsoft’s X05 Gears of War presentation which does a nice job of showcasing not only the tension the game aims to create, but some of the horrors players can expect to face come Emergence Day.

Gears of War is scheduled to launch later this year exclusively on the Xbox 360 console – as if you didn’t know that already.

IGN PROFILES THE SOLDIERS OF GEARS OF WAR

You’ve read the backstory, you’ve seen the trailers, now get to know the soldiers of Delta Squad. IGN has posted a look at the soldiers of Delta Squad, the team players will be joining as Marcus Fenix when Gears of War is released sometime this fall. Here’s what the IGN article has to say about each COG soldier.

“Marcus Fenix

Son of the famed military scientist Adam Fenix, Marcus established a reputation as a brilliant soldier during the Pendulum Wars, earning numerous field promotions and decorations. He was on a fast track to an outstanding military career until the war with the Locust Horde.

When the Horde breached Jacinto Plateau’s defenses, Marcus defied orders to save his father, who was under siege at East Barricade Academy. He was too late. Marcus was charged with dereliction of duty and was sentenced to 40 years in Jacinto Maximum Security Penitentiary.

Four years into his sentence, the Horde overtook the penitentiary but Marcus was rescued by his best friend Dominic Santiago, so that he could rejoin the fight against the unstoppable Locust Horde.

Dominic Santiago

Dom is a vocal, colorful and yet practical soldier. He’s loyal to a fault, especially with his friends, and has no patience for those that think of themselves first.

Dominic has always believed in his country and his leaders, but his faith has been slipping in the face of this endless war. Dom lost his wife in the Emergence Day cataclysm. For him, the fight against the Horde is deeply personal.

By testifying in Marcus’ defense, Dom prevented an execution, but was forced to accept the heavy judgment the military tribunal handed down to his childhood friend. Never forgetting, Dom seized his first opportunity to save Marcus’ life, and convinced Lieutenant Minh Young Kim to enlist Marcus into his squad.

Minh Young Kim

Lieutenant Kim is a proud, dedicated and ambitious soldier, a by-the-books believer in all things COG. To Kim, the Coalition of Organized Governments is humanity’s only hope for survival and feels that it is an honor and privilege to serve as a Gear.

Kim moved quickly through the ranks, but after a run of bad luck he was left leading the misfits of Delta Squad. Feeling undervalued and overlooked, Kim has something to prove.

Only the strength of Dom’s faith — and the scarcity of experienced soldiers – convinced Kim to consider bringing former prisoner Fenix into his squad.

Augustus Cole

Cole, aka “The Cole Train”, is an adrenaline junkie and former professional thrashball player. He craves action, and prefers to take the most direct path to the Locust Horde in any situation. What he lacks in finesse, he makes up for in raw energy.

Along with his child-like enthusiasm and charm, Cole is supremely confident in his own abilities to overcome anything, regardless of the odds—and he hasn’t been proven wrong yet.

Cole and Damon Baird have served together for years, and he treats Baird as he would an older brother with a younger brother’s license to torment.

Damon Baird

Despite being a reluctant and cynical soldier, Baird excels at the military life. Baird is perfectly capable of being a successful officer, but has never been promoted due to his poor attitude, short temper and his unwillingness to take on any responsibility.

Baird’s greatest strength is his intelligence. He not only fights the Locust, but he studies and observes them as well. He’s the closest the COG have to an expert, and when Baird tells his comrades to be quiet and listen, they know it is in their best interest to do exactly that.

Baird’s only motivation is self preservation. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to get through the war alive — even march along side a troublemaker like Fenix.” – IGN

For more information, including new screenshots of each soldier profiled, check out the full IGN article here while you continue your preparations for Emergence Day.

IGN PROFILES THE SOLDIERS OF GEARS OF WAR

You’ve read the backstory, you’ve seen the trailers, now get to know the soldiers of Delta Squad. IGN has posted a look at the soldiers of Delta Squad, the team players will be joining as Marcus Fenix when Gears of War is released sometime this fall. Here’s what the IGN article has to say about each COG soldier.

“Marcus Fenix

Son of the famed military scientist Adam Fenix, Marcus established a reputation as a brilliant soldier during the Pendulum Wars, earning numerous field promotions and decorations. He was on a fast track to an outstanding military career until the war with the Locust Horde.

When the Horde breached Jacinto Plateau’s defenses, Marcus defied orders to save his father, who was under siege at East Barricade Academy. He was too late. Marcus was charged with dereliction of duty and was sentenced to 40 years in Jacinto Maximum Security Penitentiary.

Four years into his sentence, the Horde overtook the penitentiary but Marcus was rescued by his best friend Dominic Santiago, so that he could rejoin the fight against the unstoppable Locust Horde.

Dominic Santiago

Dom is a vocal, colorful and yet practical soldier. He’s loyal to a fault, especially with his friends, and has no patience for those that think of themselves first.

Dominic has always believed in his country and his leaders, but his faith has been slipping in the face of this endless war. Dom lost his wife in the Emergence Day cataclysm. For him, the fight against the Horde is deeply personal.

By testifying in Marcus’ defense, Dom prevented an execution, but was forced to accept the heavy judgment the military tribunal handed down to his childhood friend. Never forgetting, Dom seized his first opportunity to save Marcus’ life, and convinced Lieutenant Minh Young Kim to enlist Marcus into his squad.

Minh Young Kim

Lieutenant Kim is a proud, dedicated and ambitious soldier, a by-the-books believer in all things COG. To Kim, the Coalition of Organized Governments is humanity’s only hope for survival and feels that it is an honor and privilege to serve as a Gear.

Kim moved quickly through the ranks, but after a run of bad luck he was left leading the misfits of Delta Squad. Feeling undervalued and overlooked, Kim has something to prove.

Only the strength of Dom’s faith — and the scarcity of experienced soldiers – convinced Kim to consider bringing former prisoner Fenix into his squad.

Augustus Cole

Cole, aka “The Cole Train”, is an adrenaline junkie and former professional thrashball player. He craves action, and prefers to take the most direct path to the Locust Horde in any situation. What he lacks in finesse, he makes up for in raw energy.

Along with his child-like enthusiasm and charm, Cole is supremely confident in his own abilities to overcome anything, regardless of the odds—and he hasn’t been proven wrong yet.

Cole and Damon Baird have served together for years, and he treats Baird as he would an older brother with a younger brother’s license to torment.

Damon Baird

Despite being a reluctant and cynical soldier, Baird excels at the military life. Baird is perfectly capable of being a successful officer, but has never been promoted due to his poor attitude, short temper and his unwillingness to take on any responsibility.

Baird’s greatest strength is his intelligence. He not only fights the Locust, but he studies and observes them as well. He’s the closest the COG have to an expert, and when Baird tells his comrades to be quiet and listen, they know it is in their best interest to do exactly that.

Baird’s only motivation is self preservation. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to get through the war alive — even march along side a troublemaker like Fenix.” – IGN

For more information, including new screenshots of each soldier profiled, check out the full IGN article here while you continue your preparations for Emergence Day.

GEARS OF WAR VOICE SYNCHRONIZATION

Another week, another new cool Gears of War feature revealed. Flicker Gaming is reporting that along with voice support via the Xbox 360 headset, character models in the game will attempt to mimic whatever players are saying. While at present most of the descriptions of the feature I can find only point to “yelling” animations, it certainly shows the level of detail Epic is putting into Gears. Check out Flicker Gaming’s news post here and be sure to look up a good voice coach in the phone book. Have I ever mentioned that I can’t wait for Emergence Day?

GEARS OF WAR PREVIEW AT PLANET XBOX 360

The kind folks over at Planet Xbox 360 have put together everything they know so far about Gears of War into one easy to swallow package for you. The article contains a wealth of information and is a perfect introduction to the game for the person who’s hasn’t been following Gears religiously over the last year.

For those of you who are as consumed with desire over Gears as I am, there’s still some new information to be had here, such as this little snippet about the weapons available to you in the game;

“Speaking of weapons, Epic has cooked up quite an exotic list for your destructing pleasure. During a few missions you’ll be able to use the Hammer of Dawn. This is a remote laser strike that is as easy as point and click. The next item on the list is the Torque Bow. This is a crossbow styled weapon that when shot will detonate in anything the arrow has plunged into. Are you tired of the rudimentary grenade throwing found in most games? The Bolo Grenades should answer that. These are sticky grenades on a sling that you twirl above your head until you have your perfect arc. Last but not least, the weapon that Epic says defines the Gears of War brand is the Lancer Rifle. This visceral beast is an assault rifle with a chainsaw as its bayonet. This allows you to shred through your opponents when they get too close.” -Planet Xbox 360

Definitely stop by Planet Xbox 360 and check the article out. Once you have, you can join me in packing for that inevitable midnight wait outside EB.

GEARS OF WAR LEVEL DESIGN

While we’re on the subject of Gamerscore Blog, they’ve got a link up to a video at The Ten Show that goes behind the scenes with Epic Games and takes a look at the process of how level designers weave their magic.

Even if you’re not into learning about game design, it’s still worth a look as you’ll get an early peek at one of the multiplayer levels in Gears of War. Stop off at The Ten Show to watch the video.

GEARS OF WAR DESIGN TEAM BLOGS

Yup, more Gears news, because once you get me going about it, I just can’t stop. The official Gears of War website has been updated with a set of links to the personal blogs of several members of the design team. I’ll be looking over all those sites in the coming days to see if I can find any more juicy tidbits about just what we can expect come Emergence Day. Check it out here.

CLIFFYB’S NEXT PROJECT? LOOKS LIKE IT’S GEARS OF WAR 2

You didn’t think a week was going to go by without me having something to report on Gears of War, now did you? Videogamesblogger is reporting that in a Yahoo News chat session, when asked what his next project for Epic would be once Gears of War is completed, CliffyB responded “Gears of War 2, I’d imagine.”

While certainly not a revolutionary bit of news, as I’m sure we all realize that if Gears of War does as well as it’s expected to it would inevitably get a sequel, it does make a point that whatever is going to happen in Gears won’t be limited to just the first game. CliffyB mentioned in his podcast interview with OXM that Gears of War would start dark and only get darker, and this could be an indication that the entire story arc may take more than one game to complete. Check out the Videogameblogger report here and be sure to get your copy of Gears of War reserved asap. You can also check out our write up of that OXM podcast interview here.

DESTROYED BEAUTY: AN INSIDE LOOK AT GEARS OF WAR

While out hunting for more Gears of War news last night, I came across this booklet in BeyondUnreal‘s Gears of War section. Epic apparently sent out this full color booklet to give people (or the press) a look at the story behind Gears as well as a brief look at the history of Sera some time ago. While you may already be familiar with the story, the art alone makes it worth a look. Better late than never, I always say. Check it out here.

OXM PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH CLIFFYB

The Official Xbox Magazine had a chance to talk with Gears of War’s CliffyB on a recent podcast about Gears, E3 and everything in between. As usual, CliffyB makes for one hell of an interview subject, and doesn’t dance around the subject when talking about the industry or Gears itself. Here’s a small sampling of what the 30 minute interview touched on.

• On E3
  • The Gears team was very happy with the reception the game got at E3, so much so that they had to remind themselves that there’s still a long way to go, and it’s nowhere near time to start celebrating.
  • The tension between Microsoft and Epic over the chainsaw bayonet was played up a bit for the MTV special. While there were some issues involving the decision to put the chainsaw in the demo, it wasn’t nearly as tense as it was made out to be.
  • Despite the great reception Gears got, the team is still working hard to make the game just right. As CliffyB put it;
    • “The difference between good and great are all those small touches.” – Cliff “CliffyB” Bleszinski
• On taking cover in Gears
  • There’s a huge emphasis in the game on making you feel the “weight” and realism of the game. They use Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter as an example of this. In GRAW, when you come up against a wall, you simply lean up on it for the most part. In Gears they want that feeling of momentum – it’s not supposed to be this delicate little maneuver, but rather express the feeling that you are in a battle for your life, and anything that is going to save you is good, no matter how painful it may be. Since he’s so quotable, here’s CliffyB’s thoughts on the matter;
    • “If I’m being shot at, I’m gonna dive into that fucking wall, man. I’m gonna hit that wall like a ton of bricks. I don’t care if I blow out my clavicle doing it” -Cliffy B
• Grenades
  • Grenades are going to be somewhat rare in the game, and will come both in the explosive and smoke variants.
  • At first, grenades were not in mutiplayer, but have now been added.
• The idea behind Gears of War
  • CliffyB wanted to do something akin to Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers, but didn’t want to go anywhere near the WWII era, as he feels it’s been done to death.
  • The game initially was essentially “Quake Wars”, and featured large open battlefields with massive vehicles, etc.
  • The Locust were originally invaders from space, not an underground race.
  • The Locust originally had a different name that was changed due to legal issues. CliffyB would not go into further details on that end.
  • It’s designed to feature close quarter battles that bring the violence to a personal level.
• On the chainsaw bayonet
  • The idea goes back to a game he wanted to create back in 1998 called Overfiend. This game was the reason he moved from California to the Epic offices in North Carolina, and the loss of the title almost caused him to leave Epic.
• On where his career has taken him
  • I’ll let CliffyB take this one without any further comment from me.
    • “I want to create IP. I think one of my strengths is to create games that feel good, are fun and solid, but also, you know, a decent, interesting, fascinating universe that could potentially transfer well to other mediums…like Underoos.” -CliffyB
• On the plot of Gears of War
  • In discussing the plot and how games tend to try and give you a happy ending, he states that Gears will “start dark and just get darker.”
  • The game will not be totally grim though. They’ve hired Lester Speight, better known as “Terrible” Terry Tate, Office Linebacker to play the part of one of Marcus Fenix’s squad mates. Let me tell you, this game just sounds better and better to me all the time.
  • In summing up the game, CliffyB jokingly took a page from Peter Molyneaux‘s book and gave us some hype;
    • “I tell you, this game is going to do everything for you, It’s going to wash your car, it’s gonna make coffee, give you a hand job, it’ll fulfill all your dreams.” he then added, “Can you tell I’m nervous as shit about this?”

The wait until Emergence Day just feels longer and longer with each passing day, but the more I hear about how much effort is being put into making Gears something special, the more that wait seems worthwhile. you can check out the full (NSFW) OXM podcast here, the Gears of War official website here, and CliffyB’s personal website here. Now get moving!

UNREAL TOURNAMENT 2004 COMMUNITY MAP PACK 3 RELEASED

The Unreal Community Map Pack Team has released their final set of maps for Epic’s Unreal Tournament 2004. The pack, titled Community Bonus Pack 3, includes 4 Deathmatch maps, 1 Capture the Flag map and 1 Assault map. As always the pack is provided free of charge, the trick currently is finding it online at an unburdened server. According to this post over at Beyond Unreal, right now they are the only ones hosting the map pack, so start your search there.

ERIC NYLUND ON GEARS OF WAR

The official Gears of War website has posted a short interview with Eric Nylund, current story advisor to Epic Games on Gears of War and author of Halo: The Fall of Reach, regarding the story behind the game. The latest revelation? Despite the claim in the E3 trailer that “For a time, the humans of Sera knew the illusion of peace”, Nylund states that the the people of Sera have been involved in a long-standing war over valuable energy resources when the Locust attack;

“The humans of Sera have been fighting a decades-long war over the miracle energy source known as Imulsion when a new enemy appears: The Locust Horde. Erupting from underground warrens, the Horde attacks humanity, and overnight more than a quarter of the planet’s population is massacred. What remains of the human military flees to Jacinto Plateau, where they make a final desperate stand against overwhelming forces.” -Eric Nylund

While it’s a short interview to say the least, I think by now anyone who follows this site should know by now that I’ll jump on just about any Gears of War news I can find. Check out the full interview here.

GEARS OF WAR & UT2007 CONCEPT ART

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I’ll jump on just about any Gears of War news I can find, so I was thrilled to spot a story over at Kotaku that stated that one of Epic Games artists who posts under the name Hawkprey, had posted some concept art for Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 2007 over at the conceptart.org forums. Stop listening to me ramble on about this and head on over to the ConceptArt forums by clicking here to check them out!

GEARS OF WAR & UT2007 CONCEPT ART

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I’ll jump on just about any Gears of War news I can find, so I was thrilled to spot a story over at Kotaku that stated that one of Epic Games artists who posts under the name Hawkprey, had posted some concept art for Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 2007 over at the conceptart.org forums. Stop listening to me ramble on about this and head on over to the ConceptArt forums by clicking here to check them out!

GEARS OF WAR & UT2007 CONCEPT ART

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I’ll jump on just about any Gears of War news I can find, so I was thrilled to spot a story over at Kotaku that stated that one of Epic Games artists who posts under the name Hawkprey, had posted some concept art for Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 2007 over at the conceptart.org forums. Stop listening to me ramble on about this and head on over to the ConceptArt forums by clicking here to check them out!

GEARS OF WAR & UT2007 CONCEPT ART

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I’ll jump on just about any Gears of War news I can find, so I was thrilled to spot a story over at Kotaku that stated that one of Epic Games artists who posts under the name Hawkprey, had posted some concept art for Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 2007 over at the conceptart.org forums. Stop listening to me ramble on about this and head on over to the ConceptArt forums by clicking here to check them out!

GEARS OF WAR & UT2007 CONCEPT ART

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I’ll jump on just about any Gears of War news I can find, so I was thrilled to spot a story over at Kotaku that stated that one of Epic Games artists who posts under the name Hawkprey, had posted some concept art for Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 2007 over at the conceptart.org forums. Stop listening to me ramble on about this and head on over to the ConceptArt forums by clicking here to check them out!

GEARS OF WAR & UT2007 CONCEPT ART

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I’ll jump on just about any Gears of War news I can find, so I was thrilled to spot a story over at Kotaku that stated that one of Epic Games artists who posts under the name Hawkprey, had posted some concept art for Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 2007 over at the conceptart.org forums. Stop listening to me ramble on about this and head on over to the ConceptArt forums by clicking here to check them out!

GEARS OF WAR & UT2007 CONCEPT ART

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I’ll jump on just about any Gears of War news I can find, so I was thrilled to spot a story over at Kotaku that stated that one of Epic Games artists who posts under the name Hawkprey, had posted some concept art for Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 2007 over at the conceptart.org forums. Stop listening to me ramble on about this and head on over to the ConceptArt forums by clicking here to check them out!

GEARS OF WAR & UT2007 CONCEPT ART

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I’ll jump on just about any Gears of War news I can find, so I was thrilled to spot a story over at Kotaku that stated that one of Epic Games artists who posts under the name Hawkprey, had posted some concept art for Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 2007 over at the conceptart.org forums. Stop listening to me ramble on about this and head on over to the ConceptArt forums by clicking here to check them out!

GEARS OF WAR & UT2007 CONCEPT ART

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I’ll jump on just about any Gears of War news I can find, so I was thrilled to spot a story over at Kotaku that stated that one of Epic Games artists who posts under the name Hawkprey, had posted some concept art for Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 2007 over at the conceptart.org forums. Stop listening to me ramble on about this and head on over to the ConceptArt forums by clicking here to check them out!

GEARS OF WAR & UT2007 CONCEPT ART

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I’ll jump on just about any Gears of War news I can find, so I was thrilled to spot a story over at Kotaku that stated that one of Epic Games artists who posts under the name Hawkprey, had posted some concept art for Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 2007 over at the conceptart.org forums. Stop listening to me ramble on about this and head on over to the ConceptArt forums by clicking here to check them out!

GEARS OF WAR & UT2007 CONCEPT ART

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I’ll jump on just about any Gears of War news I can find, so I was thrilled to spot a story over at Kotaku that stated that one of Epic Games artists who posts under the name Hawkprey, had posted some concept art for Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 2007 over at the conceptart.org forums. Stop listening to me ramble on about this and head on over to the ConceptArt forums by clicking here to check them out!

GEARS OF WAR & UT2007 CONCEPT ART

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I’ll jump on just about any Gears of War news I can find, so I was thrilled to spot a story over at Kotaku that stated that one of Epic Games artists who posts under the name Hawkprey, had posted some concept art for Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 2007 over at the conceptart.org forums. Stop listening to me ramble on about this and head on over to the ConceptArt forums by clicking here to check them out!

GEARS OF WAR & UT2007 CONCEPT ART

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I’ll jump on just about any Gears of War news I can find, so I was thrilled to spot a story over at Kotaku that stated that one of Epic Games artists who posts under the name Hawkprey, had posted some concept art for Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 2007 over at the conceptart.org forums. Stop listening to me ramble on about this and head on over to the ConceptArt forums by clicking here to check them out!

GEARS OF WAR & UT2007 CONCEPT ART

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I’ll jump on just about any Gears of War news I can find, so I was thrilled to spot a story over at Kotaku that stated that one of Epic Games artists who posts under the name Hawkprey, had posted some concept art for Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 2007 over at the conceptart.org forums. Stop listening to me ramble on about this and head on over to the ConceptArt forums by clicking here to check them out!

GEARS OF WAR & UT2007 CONCEPT ART

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I’ll jump on just about any Gears of War news I can find, so I was thrilled to spot a story over at Kotaku that stated that one of Epic Games artists who posts under the name Hawkprey, had posted some concept art for Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 2007 over at the conceptart.org forums. Stop listening to me ramble on about this and head on over to the ConceptArt forums by clicking here to check them out!

GEARS OF WAR & UT2007 CONCEPT ART

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I’ll jump on just about any Gears of War news I can find, so I was thrilled to spot a story over at Kotaku that stated that one of Epic Games artists who posts under the name Hawkprey, had posted some concept art for Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 2007 over at the conceptart.org forums. Stop listening to me ramble on about this and head on over to the ConceptArt forums by clicking here to check them out!

GEARS OF WAR & UT2007 CONCEPT ART

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I’ll jump on just about any Gears of War news I can find, so I was thrilled to spot a story over at Kotaku that stated that one of Epic Games artists who posts under the name Hawkprey, had posted some concept art for Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 2007 over at the conceptart.org forums. Stop listening to me ramble on about this and head on over to the ConceptArt forums by clicking here to check them out!

GEARS OF WAR & UT2007 CONCEPT ART

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I’ll jump on just about any Gears of War news I can find, so I was thrilled to spot a story over at Kotaku that stated that one of Epic Games artists who posts under the name Hawkprey, had posted some concept art for Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 2007 over at the conceptart.org forums. Stop listening to me ramble on about this and head on over to the ConceptArt forums by clicking here to check them out!

GEARS OF WAR & UT2007 CONCEPT ART

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I’ll jump on just about any Gears of War news I can find, so I was thrilled to spot a story over at Kotaku that stated that one of Epic Games artists who posts under the name Hawkprey, had posted some concept art for Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 2007 over at the conceptart.org forums. Stop listening to me ramble on about this and head on over to the ConceptArt forums by clicking here to check them out!

GEARS OF WAR & UT2007 CONCEPT ART

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I’ll jump on just about any Gears of War news I can find, so I was thrilled to spot a story over at Kotaku that stated that one of Epic Games artists who posts under the name Hawkprey, had posted some concept art for Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 2007 over at the conceptart.org forums. Stop listening to me ramble on about this and head on over to the ConceptArt forums by clicking here to check them out!

GEARS OF WAR: THE RACE TO E3 – PART 2 ON MTV TONIGHT

Some of you may have downloaded the part one of Gears of War: The Race to E3 last week via the Xbox Live Marketplace. For those of you who can’t get enough information about Epic’s upcoming masterpiece, part two of the special airs tomorrow night at 10pm EST on MTV, with replays airing throughout the week. Set your Tivo accordingly.

FIRING SQUAD GOES HANDS ON WITH GEARS OF WAR MULTIPLAYER

Those lucky dogs over at Firing Squad got to go play the multiplayer end of Epic Games upcoming Xbox 360 title Gears of War at E3. Once you manage to get the taste of envy and jealousy out of your mouth, head on over to Firing Squad and give it a read. Here’s part of what Firing Squad had to say;

“With what looks to be both a solid single and multiplayer game in one package, Gears of War is looking like it will live up to its promise and be one of the best action games of 2006” – Firing Squad

Did I mention how much of a downer it was when Microsoft announced that there wasn’t going to be a Live Marketplace demo of the game during E3? Emergence Day just can’t get here soon enough. Check out the Firing Squad article here.

GEARS OF WAR OFFICIAL WEBSITE NOW LIVE

If the rumors are to be believed, Emergence Day is sometime in November so Microsoft can take some thunder away from the Playstation 3 behemoth. With the possibility of a playable demo of Gears of War appearing on Live during E3, the anticipation is beginning to hit a fever pitch. To push you just a bit further over the edge, Epic Games has now launched the official Gears of War website. Head on over to http://www.gearsofwar.com and check it out!
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The more I see of Gears of War, the more Emergence Day seems just too far away, even without a tentative date. Join with me in hoping that a playable demo is premiered at E3 and that it quickly finds it’s way to the Live Marketplace.