For the past few months, Ive contemplated whether I wanted an IPod or not. Ive been weighing how much it costs vs. how much I would use it. Right now, the time I would use it still doesnt seem to fit the price. I was reading news on the Internet the other day and ran across a new article that President Bush and VP Cheney have IPods. I quickly realized how square I really was.
Hackers Extort White Wolf Games
We thought you might find this interesting….
White Wolf Publishing Inc., a company responsible for some of the most popular role-playing game brands, has shut down operations after international hackers exploited a software flaw and stole user data that included user names, e-mail addresses and encrypted passwords.
Following the breach, the company, based in Stone Mountain, Ga., said the hackers attempted to extort money by threatening to post the potentially sensitive user data on the Internet.
Read the full story at EWeek.
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas
This is a time of year that many reflect on the year that passed, for me it is a time that I reflect upon my faith and the things that I may face in the future. For me the holiday is about Jesus and what he has done for me. Each of us here celebrate different things this time of year, but I wanted to share mine.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
EA Gives Away Free Battlefield 2 “Booster Packs” (Unless you play on a PC)
Somewhere deep in the bowels of EA, someone decided that because I bought Battlefield 2 for the PC, that I care about Battlefield 2: Modern Combat for XBox. This is part of a Battlefield Newsletter email that I received today:
“Play 3 new maps; Frostbite, Full Frontal and Hidden.
Take control of the new attack snowmobiles with dual-mounted machine guns, modified pickup trucks with .50 cal armament, assault vans loaded with mini-guns, and a RIB boat with four open positions.
All-new arctic camouflage for your soldiers helps you blend into the winter background.
Download the Warsome Booster Pack from Xbox Live TODAY!”
In what I can only hope is a marketing SNAFU, DICE issues a Press Release on the same day touting the success of the Special Forces Expansion and discussing the future of Battlefield 2. That future includes releasing two “Booster Packs” for Battlefield 2 in 2006, for $9.99 each. So, if I am reading this correctly, XBox owners get new content and weapons for FREE, while us lowly PC players have to pay.
Merry Christmas!
The entire press release is included if you click on “read more”. Continue reading EA Gives Away Free Battlefield 2 “Booster Packs” (Unless you play on a PC)
Free Online Flash Arcade Games Updated!
In the spirit of Christmas, we bring you a few new Flash Arcade Games. A few of them have a Christmas theme or Snow/Ice theme. A few are fan favorites. As always, dont forget Bloody Pingu Throw. After all, it is our number 1 most played game….
Here are the new games.
Pazzo Francesco – Escape from Rakoth Dun
PS A BIG THANKS to Raze for the Holiday Theme!
Quake Wars: Enemy Territory Character Class Review
At first, I was not paying attention to the new Enemy Territory: Quake Wars. The initial information I received made it sound cheesy. Having recently received more details, I can honestly say I am excited to see how this game turns out.
It is being developed by the guys who created Enemy Territory for Wolfenstein. Based partially on Quake: Team Fortress and sharing some concepts with Battlefield 2, this game is poised to be a big hit. That is if they can actually pull off everything they are talking about. With vehicles, deployables, artillery calls, objective based large maps, this game looks to combine the tactics I enjoy in Battlefield with a slightly SciFi experience.
For a list of the current classes for both the Global Defense Forces and the Strogg, click Read More… Continue reading Quake Wars: Enemy Territory Character Class Review
Track List Revealed For Underworld:Evolution Soundtrack
The track listing has been revealed for the upcoming soundtrack to the film “Underworld: Evolution”, check it out below:
01 – Puscifer (Maynard James Keenan of Tool) – “The Undertaker” (Renholder Mix)
02 – Chester Bennington (of Linkin Park) vs. Julien-K – “Morning After”
03 – Hawthorne Heights – “Where Do I Stab Myself In The Ears” (The Legion Of Doom Remix)
04 – My Chemical Romance – “To The End” (RnR Cheryl Mix)
05 – Slipknot – “Vermillion Pt. 2” (Bloodstone Mix)
06 – Alkaline Trio – “Burn” (Alleged Remix)
07 – Aiden – “The Last Sunrise” (Dusk Mix)
08 – Senses Fail – “Bite To Break Skin” (The Legion Of Doom Remix)
09 – Atreyu – “Her Portrait In Black”
10 – Trivium – “Washing Away Me In The Tides”
11 – Mendozza – “Eternal Battle”
12 – Lacuna Coil – “Our Truth”
13 – Gosling – “Cat People (Putting Out The Fire)”
14 – Bobby Gold – “Why Are You Up”
15 – Meat Beat Manifesto – “Suicide”
16 – Cradle Of Filth – “HW2”
The album is due out on January 10th via Lakeshore Records. Puscifer is a side project of Tool/A Perfect Circle frontman Maynard James Keenan.
Desert Conflict CTF Mod Update
These guys are on a role. They are back again with an update on the progress of their Capture the Flag mini-mod after releasing their first version just last weekend. In addition to adding in Kubra Dam as a CTF map, the flag icons can be seen across the battlefield and update them in near-real time. The flag icon also shows through solids and has a distance reading on it for those all important “Get Our Flag Back!” moments. They have lengthed the time the flag hangs around after being dropped and it should not disappear immediately any longer.
They expect to be testing this week and have version .2 out to the general public soon along with some more BF2 maps included. Anyone will also be able to host a server with the .2 release as well now that they are more confident in the stability of the server side game.
Look for more information at the Desert Conflict website
The next BF2 Patch
Still no timeline and apparently this isnt a complete list, but it does look promising.
Directly from the EAUK Battlefield 2 Forums
New information on the 1.2 Update:
Hi all,
We are currently working on the next Battlefield 2 update. We believe this update has some significant improvements that everyone will appreciate. We’ve seen the discussions on the forum and will do our best to address as many issues as possible, as soon as possible.
Here is a quick run down of just some of the issues we have been working on.
– Helicopter now carry 8 missiles rather than 14
– TV-Guided missile now have a shorter range
– Hit points on all air vehicles has been reduced
– AA missile lock has been improved
– Support kits have had their primary weapons adjusted for accuracy
– Sniper kits have had their primary weapons adjusted for accuracy
– Anti-Tank kits have had their primary weapons adjusted for accuracy
– “Dolphin Diving” is no longer possible
– Players can no longer jump and shoot at the same time
– “Prone Spamming” is now fixed
– “Sprint exploit” is now fixed
– The Sa80 weapon has been improved
– The G3A3 weapon has been improved
– Reload while sprinting has been enabled
– Chinese and MEC APCs can now shoot through penetrable materials
– Damage decreased for the M134
– Medic defibrillator paddles have been adjusted. They now reload while not in use.Well be announcing further additions to this list, but that will have to wait until the next update. This is NOT the complete list of items we are working on. As we have more items go through testing and we are sure of a change we will update you.
For now, cheers.
Armando “Aj” Marini
Battlefield Team
Discuss it with us in the GR Forums
Desert Conflict Capture the Flag v 0.1
I have been playing the Desert Conflict Capture the Flag mini-mod (version .1) for BF2 since Saturday and must say have been having a blast. While this is an early release and there are some things that I think need changing, it is a challenging and fun game and for me any how, has completely surpassed the fun that I was having with the Special Forces Expansion. At this point, there are only three maps (Mashtuur City, Wake, and Zatar Wetlands) but Karkand is coming as soon as some bugs are worked out.
If you played CTF for BF42 and liked it, give this one a shot.
Get the mod here: Desert Conflict Mod for BF2
Sony does it again.
Well, if the rootkit wasnt enough for Sony to get into hot water, enter MediaMax. Another tool used by Sony to enforce DRM upon its customers. This time the software poses a MAJOR vulnerability allowing a hacker to take control of your PC.
Finally, The Digital Revolution Is Really Here!
There is something interesting happening right under Microsofts nose. I wonder if they even realize it. M$ has been trying to get into the Entertainment industry for quite some time with Windows XP Media Center Edition. I wouldnt call it a success, but a few people like it.
However, the little company that could, Apple, has done something to thwart M$s endeavor into the world of Computers in the Home Entertainment Theater. Look around and you will see recent announcements that Apple is adding even more content to their Itunes Video offerings. Shows like Battlestar Galactica, The Office, Surface and classics like Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Adam-12 and Knight Rider (Raze, your dreams have come true!).
For $1.99, you can legally download episodes you missed to your Video Ipod. But wait! Who would want to watch tv on a tiny 2 inch screen for $1.99 an episode? You are missing the point. Its not about the Ipod. Its about being able to download TV shows for a reasonable price legally. In fact, nothing says you have to play it on an Ipod. You could play it from any computer using Quicktime and pipe it out to your big screen TV. I have S-Video on my laptop and I can push the video to my 42†TV just as easily as I can watch it on an Ipod. That is the beauty of this whole situation. Without buying Windows XP Media Center Edition, Apple has given me an easy way to use my everyday laptop as a Media Center computer without paying the Microsoft Tax.
Another company that should be paying attention is Tivo. Its rumored that Apple is going to launch a DVR next. Imagine that? You can record your favorite TV shows for free, but miss an episode and for $1.99 you can grab it outside the normal delivery cycle. I love my Tivo, but if the price was right, I would buy an Apple DVR and put my Tivo on Ebay.
The thing that really gets me about this whole situation is the only people that understand the digital revolution is about cheap and easily acquired digital content is Apple and a few Hundred Million PC users. Are you listening RIAA? MPAA?
Read more details at ArsTechnica:
Apple Adds New Television Shows To Its Lineup
Apple Gaining Corporate Mind Share for Video Distribution
Battlefield 2 Special Forces Review
Our review of Battlefield 2: Special Forces has been posted. Check it out here!