Daily News Spin — July 6, 2001 (Friday)

Shoot Club: Lords of Reconstruction

On the timely release of the Diablo II expansion, orphans, and other such stuff. Can it get any more pathetic? Find out here.

Woodstock for gamers?

That's what the organizers of Recon 2000 claim. The event was a massive LAN party at Capital Expo Center in Chantilly, Maryland, with more than a thousand attendees, according to this Washington Post story.

The crowd consisted almost entirely of young men between 15 and 29, many of whom brought sleeping bags so they could sack out on the floor next to their computers between matches. Just as many seemed to pass out with their foreheads against their keyboards.

Update: That should be Chantilly, Virginia.

Movies out of games

The LA Times has an article looking at the recent trend to turn games into movies.

Just how hot popular video games have become is seen in some of the cart-before-the-horse stories coming from both sectors. The Industry Standard, an Internet business newsmagazine, reported in May that a screenwriter who is adapting a novel for the big screen decided to team up with a video game designer to turn the book into a video game first, just to get leverage for the film. And then there's Nickelodeon, the children's TV network that in April signed on video-game manufacturer THQ to make original video games--not games based on existing Nickelodeon programs--and then look into developing them as new TV series, movies, online games, magazines and merchandise.

EverGreed

Sony Online is now implementing a service that will allow players to move an EverQuest character from one server to another. Sounds great. The only problem is the price they're charging, $50. Sure, it takes time for someone at Verant to handle the transfer, back up files, make some coffee, yada yada.

But $50? Sheesh.

Are you ready for some Payne?

3DRealms' George Broussard has word in his .plan file that Max Payne is almost done.

The game is essentially done. It's close to a final release candidate and feature freeze (hopefully later this week). From there it will be bug/compatability fixes only. We're signed off on mouse pads, boxes and everything except the manual (which should be done Friday/Saturday). At that point we just play test and wait on the gold CD.

No need to rush it. It's only been what? four years in development?

Pub Brawl, the game

Apparently the soccer game brawl genre has been saturated, so they've turned to making games out of brawling in pubs. Computer and Videogame News has the scoop:

The real innovation lies in the consumption of virtual alcohol. As the press release explains, �It's not just a straightforward beat-em-up but a game of brawn and tactics. A majority of points are awarded for getting to the bar and downing a few drinks. However, every time the player drinks they start to move slightly slower, the vision starts to go, speech to others becomes unclear and you only pick up on some of the words said to you - but it's a great way of getting the bar to kick off.�

Challenge then enters the game, as you must negotiate bouncers and doormen in order to fulfill your quota on a given level. Naturally, if you�re a shambling, drunken wreck covered in beer stains they�ll probably be reluctant to allow you to enter. Thus, you have to fight your way in. Bok!

Sounds like the perfect game to get for that favorite nephew or niece!

3am

TopWare, makers of the Earth 2150 series, is changing its name to Reality Pump. Must've come up with that one after a few pints of some German beer.

Sony has revealed pricing for the PS2 hard drive, which will retail for about $150 in Japan. They better have a really compelling game that needs that drive if they expect to sell he device in any appreciable numbers. Accessories traditionally have just a fraction of the sell-through that the console itself gets.

Here's a story about real life Fast and Furious street racing in San Francisco.

MyGameBank promises to store up to 20 gigs of games on a portable device small enough to fit in your pocket, according to this story. Reportedly the games will be playable from the device. It will sell for $199.

Click here to read yesterday's news