Slashdot Mirror

Dr. Eggman writes "Valve announced today that their digital distribution system, Steam, is now hosting Irrational Games-turned-2K Boston's soon to be released title, Bioshock. The game will appear on Steam and the US August 21st and in Europe on the 24th. If you don't enjoy pipes, perhaps you'd like to utilize the tubes at 3DDownloads, Worthplaying, FilePlanet, or Gamer's Hell."

bbzzdd writes "Looks like FPS geeks aren't leaving the house this weekend. EA games has released a demo for the long awaited Battlefield 2 . The 547 MB demo is available at: Filerush (Torrent), GameSpot, Filefront, Gamer's Hell, Worthplaying, Download.com, Computer Games Romania .

Rogerpq3 writes "The first non-beta patch for DOOM 3 has been released. The patch addresses many issues found in multiplayer and single player portions of the game. It also adds a Win32 dedicated server executable. You can download the patch at: FileFront, Doom3HQ, FileShack, Worthplaying, and GamersHell."

An anonymous reader writes "It seems that Relic's Dawn of War has gone gold, and is due out on September 20th. Published by THQ, Dawn of War is a Real-time Strategy game based in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. It's gotten a few previews so far - but why trust them when you can grab the demo? Unfortunately, a quick jog through Google didn't turn up any torrents."

Thanks to 1UP for its article discussing BioWare's brief announcement of two new titles it'll be showcasing at E3 next week. Specifically: "The developer's own new project is Dragon Age, a new PC RPG set in an original fantasy world" - almost no other details are forthcoming for now. The piece also reveals another product to be shown at BioWare's E3 booth: "Polish developer CDProjekt will show The Witcher, a new action-RPG for the PC. It's powered by BioWare's Aurora engine, the 3D technology behind Neverwinter Nights." This title had some early previews, complete with several screenshots, back in 2003, although it's expected to have changed significantly since then.

Agram asks: "I bought the Sunflowers' 1503AD game practically as soon as it came out, since my wife and I loved to play the old 1602AD together via LAN. 1503AD's expanded multiplayer feature was touted all over the internet, yet when I bought the game, for a costly $52, I was very unpleasantly surprised that it had no multiplayer mode at all. Despite the continuous claims that the company is working on the MP patch, we're now over 7 months away from the initial release, the game now sells for a measly $15, and I have yet to play a single second of it, as I have no interest in the single player experience. My attempts at communication with the company led to nothing but dead-ends and unprovoked mistreatment. Unfortunately, this is not a unique occurrence in today's software entertainment industry, where atrocious lack of support is growing rampant and is increasingly coupled with ridiculous EULA's. I have therefore decided to finally exercise my end-user rights and pursue a class-action lawsuit against the company. I am now asking you, fellow Slashdot reader, for help in seeking answers to the following questions as, well assistance in assembling signatures for the class-action lawsuit."

"Here are my questions:

• How does one go about locating a reputable and internationally active law firm that could handle this case?
• What is the required number of the participants for a class-action lawsuit to be instantiated?
• Do you think that this course of action will yield any results?

If you have this game and feel the same like I do, I would like to urge you to please join the class-action lawsuit. Also, if you feel that you can and are willing to help out in any other shape or form (i.e. website maintenance etc.), please do not hesitate to contact me and/or visit the website stated below. I believe that this can be used to leverage further attempts at forcing the other entertainment software companies to support their product(s) as they ought to, as well as hopefully abolishing the obfuscated EULA's that relinquish them of any responsibility towards consumers. 1503AD is by no means an exception, but rather it is part of an unfortunate growing trend among the entertainment software companies.

For more details regarding this issue please visit this site."

Thanks to Eurogamer for their first impressions of Worms 3D, as Team 17's 2D turn-based strategy classic gets Sega-published and updated into the third dimension. The article suggest that "...we couldn't really see how the move to 3D would bring with it much in the way of 'improvements'", but ends up addicted, and "surprised at just how timeless the Worms formula appears to be." Blue's News reveals that a demo for Worms 3D is now out, possibly leaked early, but downloadable from Gamer's Hell, 3D Gamers, and BitTorrent via GameTab, and for those of you still digging the original 2D version, it seems the Asian-only Online Worms has 3 million Beta testers in China.

Thanks to Blue's News for pointing out that Valve has released the Counter-Strike 1.6 installer for Steam, the broadband delivery platform for which "over 200,000 new accounts have been created" since its official launch on Friday. The 379mb install, helpful for those who can't get swift downloads from Steam itself, is available from Gamer's Hell, Worthplaying, and FilePlanet (reg. required).

Thanks to Blue's News for the info that a PC demo of Homeworld 2 is now available, offering "a sample of Relic's now-gold space-based RTS sequel... [including] a tutorial, two solo missions and a pair of multiplayer maps." Mirrors of the 141mb demo include Gamer's Hell, IGN Downloads, Worthplaying, and a BitTorrent links via FileRush and GameTab.

Thanks to several readers for pointing out the PC demo for Activision's World War II FPS Call Of Duty has been released - there are mirrors at Gamer's Hell, 3D Gamers, and a BitTorrent via FileRush, and Blue's News, as well as providing a longer list of mirrors, clarifies: "The 174 MB demo offers the single-player Burnville mission from Infinity Ward's upcoming shooter." This public release follows last night's controversy over the demo's exclusivity to FilePlanet, and Activision's subsequent change of heart, following a petition from many of the major game sites.

Thanks to HomeLanFed for their initial report on the official unveiling of EA/Origin's new PC MMORPG, Ultima X: Odyssey. They say that the previously rumored title is "...a massively multiplayer game that was described as a 'sister' game to Ultima Online. The dev team promised that players will not have to worry about using macros in the game or beating up on tiny rats just to level up at the beginning." It's also confirmed that the game is "powered by Epic's Unreal engine", and "very action oriented", and much new information is expected as the EA-X Event continues on Friday. Update: 08/22 15:26 GMT by S : There's now an official press release, screenshots courtesy GameSpyDaily, and a 21mb trailer downloadable from Gamershell, Worthplaying, and via BitTorrent courtesy GameTab.

Thanks to Blue's News for their post indicating that the playable PC demo of Battlefield 1942: Secret Weapons of WWII has been released, "offering a sample of the upcoming Battlefield 1942 add-on that plays 'what if' with experimental weapons." You don't need the original title to play, and there are mirrors of the 165 MB download on 3D Gamers, Gamer's Hell, BF1942files.com, and a BitTorrent link via 3DGamers.

An anonymous reader writes "The first public alpha of Galactic Conquest, a Star Wars mod for Battlefield 1942, has been released. It features Imperial troopers fighting against the Rebels on Hoth. You can choose from several infantry classes (sniper, light infantry, heavy infantry, anti-armor, and support), each of which is given a Star Wars feel. Useable vehicles in this version include snowspeeders, AT-STs, TIE fighters, TIE bombers, the Millennium Falcon, and various Hoth turret installations. Go give it a try if you're interested." Here are some mirrors for this 293mb unofficial (and possibly Lucas-baiting?) mod from Gamers Hell, Shortdog.us, AusGamers, and via BitTorrent.

As part of the continuing Half-Life 2 media blitz, GameSpy has an interview with Valve's Doug Lombardi about the much-heralded FPS sequel. This insightful interview has info on who'll be returning: "A few of your friends from Black Mesa are in Half-Life 2, and they are sort of immediately your allies; like some of the scientists and Barney the security guard character", as well as more on system requirements: "I think that Valve tries very hard to support as far back with system as we humanly can, and in this case we're going back to a Pentium II 800 with 128mb of RAM, but as get up to a Pentium 4 class you'll see better water and better effects." Meanwhile, the third direct-feed Half-Life 2 movie, 'Kleiner's Lab', is available via Steam, Gamers Hell, BitTorrent via GameTab, and most of the other usual online stockists.

Thanks to RPGDot for pointing out there's a trailer for Microsoft/Gas Powered Games' Dungeon Siege II available from the official DSII site, as well as via Gamers Hell, showcasing a lush cinematic-style teaser (using the in-game engine) for this PC RPG sequel, which is simply listed as "coming 2004". The original Dungeon Siege was largely well-received, but sparked some complaints about repetitiveness/linearity, so it'll be interesting to see how the sequel develops the gameplay.

Thanks to several readers for pointing to the release of a second trailer ('The Docks') from Half-Life 2, via Valve's Steam content delivery system, as well as via GamersHell, IGN, 3D Gamers, and the obligatory BitTorrent link, courtesy GameTab. This follows the first movie, named 'G-Man,' that was posted a couple of days back -- all of these new Bink-encoded executable movies are direct-feed parts of the large shakycam E3 movie we mentioned a few weeks back.

Thanks to GamersHell for posting a new press release and screenshots revealing The Sims: Makin' Magic, the 'expansion pack finale' for The Sims. In this 7th and final add-on expansion to the all-time top selling game, "..your Sims can cast magic spells to improve their love life, wreak havoc on visiting neighbors, or put an end to their tedious chores." Oh, and in case you thought all this expansion-pack wizardry was side-effect free, "..every spell has a unique Backfire, including toad plagues, donkey heads, and lightning strikes."

ydkcookie writes "According to Voodoo Extreme, the PC multiplayer demo of Tron 2.0 has been released! This 160mb demo features light-cycle racing and a first-person multiplayer shooter style level." There's also a BitTorrent link available, courtesy GameTab, and also a download link at GamersHell for the demo of this Monolith-developed title we previewed a few weeks back.

Thanks to an anonymous reader for pointing out a downloadable demo of Japanese PC videogame Chair Chaser is available over at Gamershell. A little research uncovers that this unique racing game, subtitled 'Let's Get The President's Seat!!' and developed by (the student part of?) Konami Osaka, has you racing round a skyscraper astride office chairs. It was part of the 2002-2003 CESA Amateur Awards, entering a competition organized by the Japanese game trade organization body (who have a demo mirror on their site.) Nice to see a game adding to the 'office action' genre popularized by Ambrosia's Harry The Handsome Executive.

Thanks to an anonymous reader for pointing out a downloadable demo of Japanese PC videogame Chair Chaser is available over at Gamershell. A little research uncovers that this unique racing game, subtitled 'Let's Get The President's Seat!!' and developed by (the student part of?) Konami Osaka, has you racing round a skyscraper astride office chairs. It was part of the 2002-2003 CESA Amateur Awards, entering a competition organized by the Japanese game trade organization body (who have a demo mirror on their site.) Nice to see a game adding to the 'office action' genre popularized by Ambrosia's Harry The Handsome Executive.

Galactic Civilizations is a recently released PC space-based strategy game (see our earlier story on it, or check out an elegant review at Gamespot), notable for favorable comparisons against the none too favorably received Master Of Orion 3. There's now a Windows demo (51mb) of Galactic Civilizations available, originally released via Gamespot, but also downloadable from Gamershell, Fileshack, and from Gametab's BitTorrents page. Not bad for a game originally developed for OS/2 back in 1994.