BT Gold

Strategy First announces that “Culpa Innata”, developed by Momentum AS, has officially gone gold. Culpa Innata is due to hit stores across North America October 23rd, 2007.

…A World Union citizen is murdered in Russia, one of the few remaining Rogue States. This murder oddly coincides with the accidental death of a prominent professor in Adrianopolis, an important border town between the World Union and Russia. Peace Officer Phoenix Wallis is assigned to lead the investigation of the murder. Still young and inexperienced, she will soon make discoveries beyond her wildest imagination, as skilled hackers and subversive characters begin taking an inexplicable interest in Phoenix. Her investigation reveals enigmatic clues that lead her deeper and deeper into a mystery that challenges not only her case, but her very beliefs in the worldview she has sworn to protect.

Features:
- Original, complex story with a detailed history in a fully realized game world;
- Environments and characters rendered in 3D with dynamic camera implementation;
- Cinematics rendered with in-game engine for seamless graphics integration;
- Click and go character control; user friendly mouse-driven interface;
- Over 50 interactive characters, each created with Momentum-patented 3D facial animation technology;
- Intuitive dialogue system with player choice and branching conversation paths;
- Non-linearity and optional player activities offer rewarding replay-ability;
- Character journal capturing all key game moments;
- More than 40 unique locations;
- Diverse range of integrated challenges, from standalone logic puzzles to hi-tech gadgetry to inventory and dialogue obstacles;
- Original soundtrack.

Culpa Innata is rated M for Mature by ESRB.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Culpa Innata

ND Games, a production and development division of Noviy Disk, announces 9th Company: Roots of Terror ¨C a new action-oriented RTS developed by Lesta Studios, creators of Pacific Storm, using their brand new proprietary engine. The game is based on actual events that took place during the Soviet military campaign in Afghanistan. 9th Company follows the story of a ragged band of young recruits undergoing brutal training in Uzbekistan’s Fergana Valley and culminates with a bloody stand against the Mujahideen warriors on a nameless mountain top in Afghanistan. It’s the Battle of Thermopylae all over again: one Russian fighter against 10 Afghanis!

9th Company recreates in detail the events that took place during the last large-scale Soviet military operation. Few know the history: the 9th Company of the 345th Guards Airborne Regiment came under heavy fire on “Hill 3234″ on January 7th, 1988. They managed to stop several attacks by an estimated 400 Mujahideen and Pakistani mercenaries and held their position for two gory days. The company lost 6 men, and the remaining 28 of the total 39 were wounded. Two 9th Company soldiers were posthumously awarded the Golden Star medal and the title of Soviet Hero.

Game features:
- Warfare on two tactical levels: use the area operations map to choose your mission or explore 12 unique and highly detailed tactical maps of Afghanistan.
- Stunning 3D graphics and a spectacular physics engine guarantee a one-of-a-kind experience in destroying any mechanized unit or building.
- Merit reward and in-combat morale system for every character and advanced hit location system for mechanized units make tactical battles even more realistic.
- A complex system of tactical behavior and firepower control for mechanized infantry, assault, reconnaissance and special operations units. More than 80 different unit types.
- Nonlinear mission structure.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: 9th Company

Gears of War, a Games for Windows title, features the amazing tactical action and multiplayer excitement found in the critically acclaimed “Gears of War” for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system that sold more than 3.5 million units, and a variety of all-new content, including three new multiplayer maps, a new multiplayer game type, Game Editor, five new campaign chapters and DirectX 10 support. “Gears of War” thrusts gamers into a deep and harrowing story of humankind’s epic battle for survival against the Locust Horde, a nightmarish race of creatures that surface from the bowels of the planet.

With “Gears of War”, Epic Games returns gamers to the massively scoped worlds, memorable characters, cooperative gameplay and hyper-realistic combat that gamers have come to expect from the franchise, plus a few new surprises.

Features:
- Frag-filled new content. “Gears of War” will feature locations that are unique to the franchise and the genre. Players will encounter all their favorite foes from the Xbox 360 version; however, these intense encounters will take place in some new environments and allow players to manipulate the new game modes and technology found only in the Games for Windows title. Boasting three new multiplayer maps, a new multiplayer game type, Game Editor, five new campaign chapters and DirectX 10 support, “Gears of War, ” will challenge and push the limits of the PC gaming experience and provide an unparalleled visual presentation.
- Engaging and disturbing cinematic story. Movie-like cut scenes, cinematic camera moves and in-game storytelling bring the brutal, emotionally charged narrative to life. Gamers control Marcus Fenix and his fire team as they pit advanced technology against the overwhelming and horrific Locust Horde.
- Unmatched online gaming. “Gears of War” will tap into the power of Games for Windows ¡ª LIVE to deliver online matchmaking for its Gold account members. The service will enable gamers around the world to connect via their PCs, allowing players to experience individualized matchmaking, view player statistics, earn player Achievements, customize games and create personalized profiles.
- New Game Editor. The game will also feature the all-new Game Editor, guaranteeing new user-generated content in the future. The “Gears of War” community will be able to tap its endless creative potential to develop an unlimited number of user-created levels through complete access to the Unreal Editor. Using the new engine, players can now import custom artwork into the engine, create particle systems, scripted encounters, cinematics and more.
- Astounding visuals in next-generation gaming. “Gears of War” ushers in the next generation with incredible visuals, pushing DirectX 10 visual designs and bringing out the smallest details in the largest battle. Gamers experience a rich, dynamic world with a supreme level of detail. Characters come to life with unbelievable model quality and a physics-integrated animation system that has them truly reacting intelligently to events unfolding around them.
- Hyper-realistic and intense combat. In “Gears of War” the battlefield is a lethal place ¡ª to foolishly stand out in the open is to invite an untimely demise. To survive, gamers must employ strategy, take cover using the interactive and dynamic environments, and suppress the enemy with blind fire, using their weapons and teammates to outwit and outfight their terrifying enemies.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Fact Sheet, Gears of War, Windows

Gladiator Trials II rolls together turn-based and real-time strategy and sim elements into the one game. Building up your camp to train Gladiators and prepare them for Arena Battles and further Adventures, while hiring Peasants to save them going hungry and thirsty. Then have them forge new equipment so your Gladiators don’t wander into the Arena unprepared. Brute Strength isn’t the only option though, build an archery and train their Dexterity or test their mental with libraries so they can unleash a fury of spells at their unsuspecting opponents.

Peasants shouldn’t be ignored either, intelligent peasants can learn new skills quicker and training their dexterity will speed up their laborious tasks. Winning gold isn’t just to stuff your pockets, if you don’t have enough gold when payday comes you’ll have some angry slaves on your hands.

Included is an in-game editor, which has no scripting requirements, so anyone can keep the fun going. Feeling even more adventurous? Then jump into the mod editor and create new spells and opponents to use in your own creations. Gladiator Trials II is now available for Windows PC, and coming early 2008 for Mac OSX.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Gladiator Trials II

Activision announces additional songs to be included in the main set list for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. While delivering more master tracks than ever before, strategic partnerships have been secured with all the major and independent record labels and publishers to allow unrivaled access to their vast catalogs of music, along with supplying artists’ original recordings for even greater authenticity.

The additional tracks include:
¡¤ Same Old Song and Dance (by Aerosmith);
¡¤ Helicopter (by Bloc Party);
¡¤ Stricken (by Disturbed);
¡¤ Monsters (by Matchbook Romance);
¡¤ Before I Forget (by Slipknot);
¡¤ Kool Thing (by Sonic Youth);
¡¤ When You Were Young (by The Killers);
¡¤ Devil Went Down to Georgia (as made famous by Charlie Daniels Band);
¡¤ Sunshine of Your Love (as made famous by Cream);
¡¤ Holiday in Cambodia (as made famous by Dead Kennedys);
¡¤ Cliffs of Dover (as made famous by Eric Johnson);
¡¤ Hit Me with Your Best Shot (as made famous by Pat Benetar);
¡¤ Black Magic Woman (as made famous by Santana);
¡¤ Story of My Life (as made famous by Social Distortion)
¡¤ Pride and Joy (as made famous by Stevie Ray Vaughn);
¡¤ The Seeker (as made famous by The Who);
¡¤ Black Sunshine (as made famous by White Zombie).

In addition to the newly announced tracks, previously announced songs in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock include:
¡¤ Miss Murder (by AFI);
¡¤ Minus Celsius (by Backyard Babies);
¡¤ Sabotage (by Beastie Boys);
¡¤ Hier Kommt Alex (by Die Toten Hosen);
¡¤ Through Fire and Flames (by Dragonforce);
¡¤ In the Belly of a Shark (by Gallows);
¡¤ Welcome to The Jungle (by Guns N’ Roses);
¡¤ Avalancha (by Heroes Del Silencio);
¡¤ Take This Life (by In Flames);
¡¤ Number of the Beast (by Iron Maiden);
¡¤ Ruby (by Kaiser Chiefs);
¡¤ Closer (by Lacuna Coil);
¡¤ Cult of Personality (by Living Colour);
¡¤ One (by Metallica);
¡¤ Knights of Cydonia (by Muse);
¡¤ Mauvais Garcon (by NAAST);
¡¤ Even Flow (by Pearl Jam);
¡¤ Lay Down (by Priestess);
¡¤ Bulls on Parade (by Rage Against The Machine);
¡¤ 3’s and 7’s (by Queens of the Stone Age);
¡¤ Suck My Kiss (by Red Hot Chili Peppers);
¡¤ Generation Rock (by Revolverheld);
¡¤ Raining Blood (by Slayer);
¡¤ Cherub Rock (by Smashing Pumpkins);
¡¤ Radio Song (by Superbus);
¡¤ The Metal (by Tenacious D);
¡¤ I’m in the Band (by The Hellacopters);
¡¤ Anarchy in the U.K. (by The Sex Pistols);
¡¤ Reptillia (by The Strokes);
¡¤ Paint It Black (by The Rolling Stones);
¡¤ My Name is Jonas (by Weezer);
¡¤ Slash’s Original Boss Battle Recording;
¡¤ Tom Morello’s Original Boss Battle Recording;
¡¤ School’s Out (as made famous by Alice Cooper);
¡¤ Paranoid (as made famous by Black Sabbath);
¡¤ Cities on Flame (as made famous by Blue Oyster Cult);
¡¤ Slow Ride (as made famous by Foghat);
¡¤ Barracuda (as made famous by Heart);
¡¤ Rock and Roll All Nite (as made famous by Kiss);
¡¤ Mississippi Queen (as made famous by Mountain);
¡¤ Rock You Like a Hurricane (as made famous by Scorpions);
¡¤ La Grange (as made famous by ZZ Top).

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock will include explosive new content and features including a multiplayer action-inspired battle mode, grueling boss battles, a host of exclusive unlockable content and visually stunning rock venues. Expanded online multiplayer game modes will also allow axe-shredders worldwide to compete head-to-head for true legendary rock status. While continuing to retain all the key features from their prior legendary performances, fresh downloadable content will be offered on multiple platforms, and players can now shred to a killer set list from many of the most popular rock songs ever recorded.

For the first time ever, Guitar Hero fans will also be able to thrash and burn with new wireless guitar controllers available for each platform, including exclusive Gibson Guitar’s Les Paul model for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Wii home video game system from Nintendo, and PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system. PlayStation 2 gamers will also get to shred on a new exclusive shape, Gibson’s Kramer guitar, popularized by hard rockers and known for its body design, pickups, electronics and construction for furious finger fretting.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, published by RedOctane and developed by Neversoft, is rated ‘T’ for Teen by the ESRB and will be available October 28, 2007.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Guitar Hero III

Shrapnel Games announces that Chronic Reality’s Scallywag: In the Lair of the Medusa is now available for purchase as a download. Available for Windows, the game can be acquired directly from the Shrapnel Games e-store, the Gamers Front.

Scallywag: In the Lair of the Medusa is a sprawling single-player action RPG in the Rogue tradition; randomly created levels populated with fresh bad guys and booty with each new play. Playing as Rapius, the reluctant hero intent on saving his valley and its supply of ShrOOm ale, gamers will experience eight different worlds (Dirt Caves, Insect Nest, Tagloth Dungeons, Ice World, Fungus Gardens, Magma Caverns, Necropolis, and Lost City), each with ten levels for a total of eighty levels of dungeon descending action. In these worlds players will deal with environmental challenges (and no, not things like making sure the aluminum cans are separated from the plastic bottles), fiendish monsters, and powerful boss creatures. And then there’s the dark.

Everyone knows you always play a non-human in RPGs to get all the cool racial bonuses, but not Rapius. Unable to see in the dark Rapius has been forced to bring along a lantern to light his way. Players can control how brightly the lantern burns, which affects both the rate of oil burning and how well Rapius can be spotted by the lurkers below. Turn it low and it’s possible to sneak your way through the dark, or fire that sucker up to engage your foes from a distance. Just remember to keep an eye out for flasks of oil otherwise it’s lights out.

Scallywag: In the Lair of the Medusa offers massive replayability. There are four different levels of difficulty to choose from, and the randomly generated content ensures that players have plenty to discover with each new session. Items can be collected and combined, and there are over twenty different status effects Rapius can be hit with, many of which can be quite positive.

Even if players have beaten the game at every difficulty level a dozen times over, and they think they’ve ingested every form of mushroom and smoked every bit of fungus, there is still giving in to your RAGe! RAGe (Random Adventure Game engine) allows anyone to mod Scallywag: In the Lair of the Medusa with basic software tools most users will probably have on their desktop already. No programming skills needed, just your imagination!

Using RAGe items can be altered, added, or deleted. Monsters can be weakened or toughened up, given new powers, or created from scratch. Want to add in new sound effects or music? You can do so within seconds. Tweak how the maps are made. Want them smaller? Larger? Control the rarity of items. Make the adventure you want to play. Pull out your best dungeoncrawl module from your favorite pen and paper RPG and turn it into a game! Or go into a completely different direction from fantasy and turn Scallywag: In the Lair of the Medusa into a Roaring Twenties mob adventure! All it takes is some time and creativity.

Besides the ease of modding the basic game with no programming skills, those that do possess the mad C++ skills can create plug-ins that change the core experience itself, opening up numerous gameplay possibilities.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Available, Download

Data Design Interactive has partnered with Destineer, who will publish ten Data Design Interactive’s casual Wii titles in North America. The games will be distributed and published under Destineer’s Bold Games label, including Myth Makers: Orbs of Doom, Kawasaki 4X4 Quad Bikes, Kawasaki Jet Ski, Big Rig Racer 2, London Taxi: Rush Hour, Monster Trucks: Offroad, Classic British Motor Racing, and three titles in the popular Kidz Sports series: Kidz Sports International Football, Kidz Sports Basketball, and Kidz Sports Ice Hockey.

The first titles from the Bold Games/DDI partnership are scheduled to be in stores by the end of the year.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Data Design

When the game is on the line and the ball is in your hands, what will you do? Will you penetrate, drive the lane and rise above the rim for a monster dunk, or find an opening on the perimeter and sink a game-winning three? Electronic Arts’ NBA Live 08 hits stores across North America and will be available in Europe on October 5. NBA Live 08 features Washington Wizards All-Star Gilbert Arenas on the cover, and is available on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PSP, Wii and PC.

Providing an unrivaled level of authenticity to the sport, NBA Live 08 introduces Hot Spots, where real NBA shot data is used to illuminate the locations on the floor where your players are most effective. Couple this with an intuitive gameplay mechanic called Quickstrike Ballhandling that gives you the direct responsiveness you need to perform a full repertoire of ballhandling moves, and the new shot-countershot control called Own the Paint. On the perimeter, in the paint, and with complete authenticity to the sport of basketball, dominate with your Go-To Move in NBA Live 08.

For the first time ever, NBA Live 08 will feature eight international teams as part of a multi-year licensing agreement with FIBA, the world governing body for basketball. The game features a number of the NBA’s biggest international stars on packaging across Europe, including Tony Parker and Boris Diaw (France), Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), Pau Gasol (Spain) and Andrea Bargnani (Italy).

EA Sports also continues its partnership with the NBA for the second year of NBA Europe Live presented by EA Sports, which began on October 1. This year’s tour features the Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves in a series of training camps and exhibition games in six cities across Italy, Spain, Turkey and the UK. The inaugural NBA Europe Live drew more than 36 million viewers and 115,000 spectators in October 2006.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: NBA

INTERNET perverts are using a hit computer game to groom youngsters and act out sick sex fantasies.

The makers of World of Warcraft, the world¡¯s most popular online game with 9MILLION users, have been forced to shut down parts of the role-playing site.

Players link to the internet and create their own characters to battle monsters and cast spells.

But one group using the game has been banned after bragging about ¡°playing¡± with six-year-olds.

Dad-of-two Billy Caldwell, 39, warned: ¡°This is a hunting ground for paedophiles.¡±

Billy, from Manchester, lets his two children play the game. But he admitted: ¡°It really worries me. There will be dubious individuals and it gives them a place to look for children.

¡°It would be frightening if it led to meetings with strangers.¡±

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre believes youngsters are at risk. Another game called RuneScape accounted for eight per cent of reports to them about online grooming by paedophiles.

A spokesman said: ¡°We need to be vigilant.¡±

Warcraft¡¯s US makers Blizzard shut down a group called Abhorrent Taboo ¡ª one of many ¡°Guilds¡± operating away from the main game.

Abhorrent Taboo has now re-emerged under the name Vile Anathema. One post on an internet forum appealed for new members.

It said: ¡°We¡¯ve got six and seven-year-old characters of both genders and no grown-ups or other children to play with them.

¡°No matter if you like to play a very young character or if you just like to play WITH them, Abhorrent Taboo wants you.¡±

Blizzard told an online forum: ¡°We appreciate those of you who brought this particular issue to our attention and we will continue to follow up this matter to ensure the safety of all parties concerned.¡±

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: WOW

Sierra Entertainment confirms that the Xbox 360 edition of World in Conflict, the action-strategy game developed by Massive Entertainment, will now ship in 2008. The game’s original ship date was targeted for Fall 2007.

World in Conflict for the personal computer is now available at retail outlets worldwide. The PC game has been met with worldwide critical success, with reviews from around the world averaging more than 92%. World in Conflict for PC has been called “¡­the best PC game of the year, so far, ” by GameSpot.com while IGN PC says “Whether you’re a strategy fan or not, you’d be silly not to take a look at WIC.”

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: 360, Xbox