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mono-lith != microsoft. SHOGO was even published by mono-lith, so i really don't know where you got microsoft. the same mono-lith that brought us Blood, NOLF and recently F.E.A.R.

it is true that the game required DX but it was ported to amiga, linux and mac so i would not go so far as to call it a DX showcase.

IIRC, Blood (released in 1997, three years before Nintendo's claim) had something *very* similar if you got bitten by the spiders:

Spiders

Despite their small size, Blood's spiders are in no way mere nuisances. Depending on their species, their bite can cause either delirium or blindness. The smaller, reddish brown spider will give the player a sense of delirium, the screen swaying back and forth and tilting. (Almost as though Caleb was intoxicated or high.) The second spider, which is larger and green-colored will also bite you, causing the screen to dim. Both of these effects are accumulative (but temporary), meaning that with multiple spider bites a player could become totally blind, delirious or both. The third type of spider is the giant mother spider, detailed below. (...) (Source).

You should give No One Lives Forever and NOLF 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way a try. These are fun, award-winning games featuring a female lead in a James Bond/Austin Powers series of super-spy adventures.

You should give No One Lives Forever and NOLF 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way a try. These are fun, award-winning games featuring a female lead in a James Bond/Austin Powers series of super-spy adventures.

I'm am Jack's complete lack of surprise. Really, who didn't see this coming? Most online games have been heading in this direction for quite awhile now, with several game development studios working on similar solutions (Valve's Steam, Microsoft's Xbox Live Tsunami, etc).

I find it more surprising that no MSN Messenger integration occured in the initial offering of Xbox Live. Furthermore, it wasn't surprising, but somewhat disapointing that Xbox Live communication was performed on a per a game basis -- thus support varies per a game, while some games have no Xbox Live communications at all. I'm certain it alleviated a lot of software maintenance and OS deployment issues for Microsoft, but it has some obvious disadvantages.

So what does this have to do with AOL's integration of IM with the Matrix Online? Well, I predict AOL's IM integration into the Matrix Online: the IM clients will be standalone applications. For example, when you launch the Matrix Online, it will force your current IM client offline then launch it's own custom IM stack. I have a hard time believing AOL has a nice clean portable IM stack, which they can simply throw over to Monolith Productions, or an IM service in the works.

The more likely scenario is that they are making a slightly customized version of their IM stack, which places AOL in the interesting position of maintaining two stacks. Or, more likely, in maintaining their current IM client and occationally doing updates to Monolith's IM stack... until it slips their minds.

This will probably be modded OT but I think something should be said.

Here's the original post (including the missing financial context and Google link) that I wrote up shortly after reading the article at midnight last night when the New York Times site is updated.

Hollywood's Rising Fascination With Video Games

The New York Times Technology's Laura M. Holson writes about a growing trend: Hollywood movie directors making videogames. The reason? Big money, sometimes even more than they made from the movies they directed. Peter Jackson missed out on the bonanza from the Lord of the Rings trilogy but will have creative control of Ubisoft's King Kong movie tie-in. John Woo's (Face/Off, Mission Impossible 2, Hard-Boiled) Tiger Hill Games and Sega have a 30-person team developing a heist game (maybe a Metroid title too?). Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Alien, Gladiator) and Tony Scott (Top Gun, Crimson Tide, Enemy of the State) are in talks with major game executives. Finally, the Wachowski brothers raked in millions from the Enter the Matrix game, which Warner Brothers declined to back. Determined not to miss more opportunities, the studio founded Warner Games, led by Monolith co-founder and ex-CEO Jason Hall. What if the games are better than the movies they are based on?

Admittedly, it's a bit long and deserves some necessary editing (substituting the IMDB link for the directors' respective filmographies and movie credits for example).

When I logged in early this morning, the post was rejected and in mid-afternoon simoniker posted the story (1 of only 2 today - it's after 6:30 PM as I write this comment). It's entirely possible - though somewhat unlikely considering the sequence of events - that simoniker stumbled on the article by himself and wrote it up entirely by himself.

In the past I've largely ignored that fact that many articles submitted when simoniker was editing invariably are rejected and then - often very similar or identical text - are posted uncredited.

I'm not the first person here to take notice of the pattern or to point this out.

It's not about the Karma or complaining that something wasn't posted, or anything of that sort because I've been maxed out on Karma for a long time, I have lots of submitted items posted, and probably even more rejected because someone else thought to submit it before me. Rejected posts aren't the problem.

It's about common courtesy and respect for the readers and the people who make Slashdot work.

Slashdot works because of the people who take the time to write in and let their fellow readers know about items of interest to geeks everywhere. It's more than a little irritating to take time to do a write-up on a holiday weekend, have it rejected and then see a nearly identical (less so in this particular case) item uncredited.

Most people have had at least one experience of a pinhead boss taking credit for their work, and most people have tolerated it because they get paid to do their jobs and don't want to risk workplace wrath. Here, nobody's getting paid except the Slashdot editors, to whom none of us are accountable. The reader/reporters aren't getting paid and the virtual tip of the hat as thanks is the only reward. I've read people's compaints about a relative lack of submissions or stories in the Games section. If this type of behavior is the reason, it goes a long way to explaining why.

simonker, 'Stuff that matters' is part of Slashdot's slogan. The bottom line: Give credit where credit is due.

It matters.

I would also like to see Ubi-Soft and the actual developers of the game Monolith Productions actually work with companies that will do the Macintosh and Linux development so we don't run into the whole deal where one platform is left behind or end up not even having the ability to play with the windows users. If you choose Linux or Mac, I would seriously suggest contacting Monolith and voicing your opinion.

I would also like to see Ubi-Soft and the actual developers of the game Monolith Productions actually work with companies that will do the Macintosh and Linux development so we don't run into the whole deal where one platform is left behind or end up not even having the ability to play with the windows users. If you choose Linux or Mac, I would seriously suggest contacting Monolith and voicing your opinion.

I wonder if these spy movies (e.g., James Bond, Austin Powers, etc.) actually inspired Monolith company to make NOLF games. :)

They left out Caleb from Blood. I liked that game even more than Duke Nukem 3D.


"Whooah! Oh...it's just me..."

-Caleb, after looking in the mirror

Grab a clue. There are plenty of profitable games companies around. There always will be. Just because some can't make a business model work and others are led by idiots you shouldn't conclude that there is no future. Of course, you have to be good.

I am elated to finally find a paper that so clearly elucidates my position and observations. I am also saddened to realise that people who would benefit the most from it are also the least likely to read it and understand it.

3) That subjective experience either doesn't exist, or is unimportant because it is some sort of ambient or peripheral effect.

Item 3 in particular hit home; I have had the exact same conversation and thought process ("Perhaps the person I'm talking with doesn't have a subjective experience?"), for the last five years. The last time I had it was a few days ago while talking with a fellow engineer here at LithTech.

Subjective experience is not an easy problem; in fact, it is a very hard problem, but there is something in too many scientist's minds that makes them want to treat the subject as a superstitious topic, and treat those who find subjective experience difficult to fit within a computational framework as religious or spiritual zealots. Larson has correctly identified the currently popular model of the world, "Cybernetic Totalism."

By the way; Not understanding his paper is not something to be proud of. Ignorance about *anything* is not something to be proud of. Use a dictionary or a search engine, whatever it takes, and understand these words.

LithTech/ Linux Press release - Posted 1/19/2000 by Tom Kirkland, WA (January 19, 1999) -

Monolith Productions and Hyperion Software announced today that they have extended an existing licensing agreement to include a port of Monolith's critically acclaimed Shogo: Mobile Armor Division and LithTech 1.0 and 2.0 to the Linux operating system. The Linux port is expected to be available in the second quarter of 2000. Under an initial agreement with Monolith in April, 1999, Hyperion agreed to port Shogo and the LithTech 3D Engine to both the Amiga and Apple Macintosh platforms (http://www.lith.com/corporate/04_28_1 999.html). The existing agreement has now been extended to include Linux for x86 and Power PC processors.

"Porting the LithTech 3D engine to Linux gives licensees and game players one more reason to choose LithTech technology and LithTech-based games" comments Jason Hall, CEO of Monolith Productions. "Our latest agreement with Hyperion continues our quest to provide the highest quality, most versatile 3D engine in the market."

The LithTech 3D Engine, the technology behind Shogo: M.A.D. and upcoming Monolith games Sanity and No One Lives Forever, allows for a full range of cutting edge graphic effects, from spectacular lighting to highly detailed character models. The engine also allows designers to create breath-taking outdoor areas from magnificent mountain ranges to sprawling cities. Current LithTech licensees include Third Law Interactive and New World Computing. Extensive information including FAQ's about LithTech can be found at www.lithtech.com.

Shogo: Mobile Armor Division, inspired by the Japanese "anime" tradition, is an action-packed first-person shooter combining spectacular environments (from neon-lit, futuristic cityscapes to gaping desert ravines and canyons) with a meaningful storyline packed with intriguing characters, plot revelations and huge transforming machines known as mecha.

About Monolith Productions, Inc.
Monolith Productions, Inc., based in Kirkland, WA, is focused on combining uncompromising gaming content with the ultimate in high-end gaming technology. Founded by six game developers in 1995, Monolith's passion for programming resulted in the creation of the LithTech 3D Engine. This proprietary software is used in the creation of Monolith products, such as the well-received Shogo: Mobile Armor Division, and is available for license to the wider development community. For the latest news and information on Monolith and it products, visit their Web site at http://www.lith.com.

About Hyperion Software
Hyperion is a recently established Belgian-German software house dedicated to bringing high-end PC games to PowerPC based Amiga and Mac computers. Individual members of the Hyperion team have been involved in various commercial and non-commercial projects on the Amiga, Mac, Linux and PC platforms. For any information about Hyperion Software, visit their website at http://www.hyperion-software.com

Valkyrie Studios. Even published by Monolith, more the sweetness...