BT Gold

Celebrating today’s first-time launch of Popeye on mobile phones, Namco Networks and Sprint announce a sweepstakes to promote Namco Networks’ latest mobile game to consumers nationwide.

In celebration of the nationwide premiere of Popeye on wireless phones, Namco will be hosting a Popeye sweepstakes from Oct. 16 through Nov. 30 on Sprint. Fans of Popeye and other Namco mobile games can enter for a chance to win the grand prize. 75 winners will win the authorized edition DVD four-disc set, Popeye The Sailor: 1933-1938 Volume 1, distributed by Warner Home Video.

Sprint customers can enter the sweepstakes by accessing the game’s home page on the Sprint wireless Web or by texting the word “popeye” to 26262 on a Sprint phone (standard text and data rates apply). Customers can check out the game and submit their phone number to gain an entry into the sweepstakes. Visit www.namcogames.com/popeyesweeps for the official rules and an alternate method of entry.

Capturing the spirit of the classic ’80s arcade hit, Popeye lets players relive his perennial quest to win back his sweetie, Olive Oyl, while overcoming the antics of his rival, Bluto. Players help Popeye win her back by collecting Olive’s love tokens in this mobile-optimized update to the popular arcade classic. Collect the hearts, musical notes and cries of “H-E-L-P” that a captured Olive tosses down to collect bonus points, while avoiding the Sea Hag’s thrown bottles, Bluto’s punches and other dangers. True to the comic and cartoon series, Popeye is “strong to the finich” if he eats his spinach, temporarily gaining the strength to go after Bluto and knock him off the screen.

Popeye on mobile includes both the original arcade version of the game as well as an enhanced mode with bonus game play. Building on the action in the arcade mode, the enhanced mode features fresh new graphics, two brand new rounds (”A Dream Walking” round and “Spinach Run” bonus round), and additional characters, including cameos by Eugene the Jeep and Bernice the Whiffle Hen. Points earned throughout the game can be redeemed for downloadable Popeye comics on mobile phones.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Mobile

Lock and Load! Commando 3 takes the no-holds-barred arcade spirit of its predecessors and crafts an all-new furious cooperative shooting adventure for the next generation! General Ratiev, evil leader of the Zalestad nation must be stopped. At the player’s disposal is a huge arsenal of weaponry, controllable vehicles, and a rag-tag group of specialized soldiers, each with their own unique characteristics. Thankfully, players aren’t alone in this mission; up to three players can enjoy the classic arcade-style experience together on a single console or online. Commando 3 even compensates for the multiplayer mode by dynamically shifting difficulty levels based on the number of players in the game, ensuring that the game always poses a challenge. The Commando 3 soundtrack is being created by Norihiko Hibino, an international composer well-known for his work creating music for the Metal Gear series of games. With a comprehensive scoring system and online leaderboards, players can see how they compare to the best digital soldiers in the world!

Features:
• Four playable soldiers with their own unique characteristics.
o Antonio Ramirez Carranza aka “Animal” – A grizzled former marine, Sgt. Carranza enjoys his work a little too much. Known for shooting anything that moves.
o “Smoke” – Not much is known about Smoke. Her records have been wiped clean, nevertheless, her skills at espionage and covert ops are known and feared far and wide.
o Roy McMurray aka “Boomer” ¨C The cranky vet of the bunch, specialist McMurray has been involved in full blown war, covert ops and police actions. He is renowned for his love of explosives.
• Multiple weapons, including rocket launchers, grenades and shotguns.
• More than 10 unique power-ups, including deadly “M-Crash” superbombs.
• Controllable co-op vehicles allow for maximum destruction! Up to three players can team up together to make vehicles mobile fortresses! One player drives while the other two shoot.
• Support for up to three players simultaneously, both online and on a single console.
• Four difficulty levels, which automatically adjust based on the number of players in the game.
• Comprehensive scoring system.
o Score Multipliers allow players to maximize their points tally.
o Online Leaderboards let players vie for the best online rank against the world’s greatest commandos.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Commando 3

Activision has teamed up with Disney-ABC Television Group’s ABC Entertainment and BBC Worldwide America to create the first ever “Dancing with the Stars” video game for the Wii home video game system.

The gameplay in “Dancing with the Stars” for Wii is accessible for gamers of all ages and abilities. The Wii Remote and the Nunchuk is used to physically mimic elegant dance moves while at the same time allowing the player to add his or her own personal flair. The game, studded with stars like Emmitt Smith and Stacy Keibler, is already quick-stepping into the marketplace with a nationwide promotional push.

“Dancing with the Stars” for Wii will be available on October 30th, 2007 with a rating of “E 10+” for Ages 10 and up by the ESRB. It will also be available for PlayStation 2 and compatible with the PlayStation 2 Dance Pad. A limited-edition “Dancing with the Stars” dance pad bundled with the PlayStation 2 game will be available on November 13th, 2007.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Video Game

Capcom Entertainment confirms the return of one of its classic franchises with the announcement that Bionic Commando is in development for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Sony Computer Entertainment’s PlayStation 3 and Windows-based PC. Taking its inspiration from its 8-bit namesake released on the Nintendo Entertainment System back in 1988, Bionic Commando features Nathan Spencer (voiced by former lead singer of Faith No More, Mike Patton), a shining example of the technological advances made by the Federal Bionic Armaments Development Division. After distinguishing himself in a fierce conflict against the Imperials, Spencer is betrayed and falsely imprisoned by the very people he unquestioningly served.

…Three years later, on the very day he is due to be executed for his supposed crimes, an experimental weapon detonates in Ascension City, unleashing an immensely powerful earthquake coupled with a radiation shockwave that leaves the city in ruins, wiping out its populace. Military intelligence suggests that a large terrorist search force has moved in and occupied Ascension City, but as yet their motives remain unclear. With the terrain in ruins and the terrorists in control of Ascension City’s air defenses the FSA has only one option open to them ¨C the reactivation of Nathan Spencer.

Bionic Commando harnesses the power of the latest generation of hardware to fully exploit the swing mechanic that made the original title so unique. The ruins of Ascension City and its surroundings provide an engaging environment of towering buildings, suspended roadways and monorails, deep canyons and sheer rock faces that allow gamers to traverse each area via multiple routes using swinging, rappelling, climbing and wall walking techniques.

An expertly trained operative, Spencer is able to target and take out enemies while hanging upside down, climbing a building or even in mid-swing. At close quarters, the bionic arm packs a mean punch, while from a distance, objects such as boulders and cars can be grabbed and launched at enemies.

The development team behind Bionic Commando represents a unique and compelling collaboration of cultures and skills, consisting of an American Producer living in Japan, a Japanese Creative Advisor and highly-rated Swedish developer GRIN providing a European influence. This partnership provides a further example of Capcom’s strategy to work with the best developer talent, while maintaining the unique elements of creativity and approach to game design for which Capcom is renowned.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Returns

Sony’s proverbial cat escaped its bag quite a while ago, and since then they’ve been announcing the cheaper, 40GB PlayStation 3 in small doses. First came Europe a short while ago, then Australia and Japan. Now, everything is official, we’re getting a 40GB PS3 at $399 on November 2. You won’t have to wait until November for a cheaper PS3, however, as the 80GB model has already been dropped to $499.

The new SKU doesn’t have some memory card and USB ports, but the most talked-about change is the total lack of backwards compatibility. In Europe, the system’s 60GB iteration is being phased out; and without the 80GB ever having been released, those across the pond have a limited window to get a PS3 that includes the feature.

Right now, it’s hard to tell if we’ll see a similar phase-out in the US to leave the 40GB as the only option. On one hand, Sony specifically mentions in its press release that “consumers looking for backwards compatibility can take advantage of the limited PlayStation 2 backwards compatibility of the 80GB PS3.”

In a Reuters report, however, SCEA president Jack Tretton commented that the PlayStation 2’s sales clearly show it has life left in it as its own device. “We’re choosing to focus on the PlayStation 2 consumer with the PlayStation 2, which remains incredibly relevant, and focus on the PlayStation 3 consumer with the new 40-gigabyte model and the great software coming out,” he said. “Backward compatibility is a nice secondary consideration, but it’s far from the number-one priority.”

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: PS3

Curse, Inc. continues to grow with a new U.S. headquarters in downtown San Francisco, additions to the executive team and a growing staff of nearly 25 full-time employees.

With more than 4 million unique visitors each month, and over 6 million projected by early 2008, Curse reaches the MMO player demographic in a way that no other site can, and offers publishers the opportunity to connect directly with their users. A centralized hub for MMO gamers, the company recently announced more than $5 million in Series-A funding.

As a result of its growth and expanded service offerings, the company has gained the expertise of industry veterans Kurtis Buckmaster and Lars Koschin. Curse also underwent a management restructuring: Founder Hubert Thieblot continues as the company’s CEO, with General Manager Wilson Kriegel assuming the duties of Executive Vice President in addition to his previous role. New addition Lars Koschin will manage the technical direction of Curse as CTO, with Kurtis Buckmaster rounding out the executive team as Vice President of Marketing and Product Development.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: U.S. Headquarters

K2 Network has announced the expansion of the cash shop within its epic Age of Exploration MMORPG Sword of the New World: Granado Espada.

There is more than 30 new and exciting items that have been added to the cash shop for gamers to buy will allows players to personalize and enhance their gaming experience while playing Sword of the New World: Granado Espada.

On offer will be a plethora of must-have items including:
- School Costumes – A unique costume that changes your character’s appearance overriding any armor that your character may be wearing. School costumes apply to all base classes.
- The Memoir (Veteran) – A book that will restore stat points used after reaching Veteran Status, In Sword of the New World one stat point can mean the difference between life and death, so don’t waste time with a stat point in the wrong spot.
- Triumph Fillers – Acquiring these will increase attack and defense ratings for 10 minutes and with the addition of this item ALL players will gain the ability to complete Irawain’s quest line and obtain his UPC card. Irawain is a UPC from the Far East who specializes in the Mui Thai fighting style. He is a powerful ally to have in the dangerous new world.
- Forgotten Dungeons – The wide selection of items from the expanded cash shop vary from changing appearance, to gameplay updates like the new Forgotten dungeons which lets players access new premium-only dungeons where they can fight stronger monsters with better loot!
- Wings – Give your characters that epic look and feel everyone desires! While wings won’t actually let you fly, they are the perfect way to make your characters shine.
- Combat Manuals – Increase the amount of experience your character receives from killing monsters. These Manuals come in multiple bonus experience levels and last anywhere from 15 to 30 days. Hardcore gamers and Casual players alike will find these manuals a useful tool to advance their characters.
- Strategy Manuals – Increase the amount of experience your character gains from using their stances and skills. With several levels of Strategy Manuals available players will be able to cut the amount of time to max out their stances and skills in half. These manuals will last anywhere from 15 to 30 days.

Many more invaluable items will be offered and whatever the players style or needs, there is something for everyone at the Sword of the New World: Granado Espada cash shop.

Player can purchase gold to spend on items to make life a little easier via a simple online process.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Cash Shop Expanded

Turbine and Codemasters Online Gaming announce the details of the third free content update for subscribers to The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar. Book 11: Defenders of Eriador continues the epic story of The Lord of the Rings Online adds over 100 new quests, a new 12-player raid, two new areas in Middle-earth and introduces the player housing system. Book 11: Defenders of Eriador will be available to subscribers of The Lord of the Rings Online on October 24, 2007 in North America and October 25, 2007 in Europe.

New features:
- The Epic Continues ¡ª Amarthiel has lost the Palantir, but not before using it to discover a clue to the location of Narchuil, the ancient Ring she lost at the Battle of Fornost. She turns her gaze eastward seeking to recover the Ring while the Dunedain find themselves with only one way to halt her advance. Calenglad believes that Mordrambor, the Black Numenorean held prisoner by the Dunedain, may be the key to ending Amarthiel’s ambitions.
- Player Housing ¡ª Players can now live in their own home in Middle-earth. Housing choices from four different neighborhoods – be it a majestic home overlooking a waterfall in Ered Luin, or a cozy hobbit-hole in the Shire. Kinship Halls provide plenty of space for groups to gather after a long day of adventuring. All homes provide the option of additional storage and can be customized inside and out with hundreds of unique items.
- Two New Areas ¡ª Players can now explore even more of Middle-earth. Tal Bruinen is an extension of the Trollshaws where players can see Gollum for the first time in The Lord of the Rings Online. Players can also trek to the High Pass in the Misty Mountains to combat fierce snowstorms and visit Goblin-town, the famous site where Bilbo Baggins was captured in The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.
- Raid-”The Rift” ¡ª The Lord of the Rings Online’s second raid will be introduced in Book 11. This 12-player epic takes you through many new dangers in the Rift of Nurz Ghashu to face a fearsome Balrog.
- New Musical Instruments ¡ª Book 11 brings more enhancements to our popular music system. Players can now entertain others with one of three new instruments including the Bagpipe and Cowbell.
- Over 100 New Quests ¡ª The story continues for players as they aid the Fellowship and encounter new adventures.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: LotR Online Announced

This week we have added an extra feature to the Clan Chat system: LootShare! By switching this option on, all monster drops and rewards will be fairly shared between the clan members fighting with you. LootShare even remembers if you were unlucky enough to receive nothing in a battle, increasing your chance of being lucky next time!

Because it is based on the existing Clan Chat system, setting up a group is simple. To activate it, turn on the LootShare option on your Clan Chat menu. You can organise yourselves into a LootShare clan beforehand, or you can invite people to join your chat channel in any multiway area. Once organised, you can chat to your friends using the Clan Chat system and work out tactics for defeating any brutish beasties!

The Clan Chat owner can set the minimum rank for anyone wishing to LootShare in a multiway combat area.

After two minutes, LootShare will become activated and you will be included in the sharing of the monster drops. As long as you are within 16 squares of the defeated creature, you will be considered for LootShare!

To get a better understanding of the LootShare system, we advise you to read the Knowledge Base article, here.

Summary

Ability to share monster drops and

rewards with your clan

Fair and even LootShare in

multiway areas

Just turn ‘LootShare’ on in your

Clan Chat menu!

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In other news…

The ring of life has had its behaviour slightly modified. It will now remove any poison that you may have been affected with as well as its usual effects.

A few seagulls on Karamja were getting a bit stuck. They can once more fly freely around this lush area.

The Hunter pitfall trap has had some tweaking to fix a graphical problem for certain camera angles. Also, the gnome scarf and the Fletching Cape of Accomplishment have been altered to fix render issues.

White knights have been re-trained to hold swords correctly and not hit themselves on their heads!

The ambient sounds of magic trees have been somewhat toned down and adjusted so the result is a less intrusive and more pleasant magical jingle.

A change has been made to the mechanics when a player is killed by a monster. Your items will remain on the ground only visible to you for one minute should you wish to run back to recover them. After that, anyone nearby will be able to see them. Previously, if a player died to a monster the items were appearing instantly for everyone.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: RS

Valve has once again wowed us all with the release of Half-Life 2: Episode 2. The latest chapter in the journey of Gordon Freeman has received rave reviews for good reason, allowing gamers to quickly forget any frustration that might have been caused by the wait between episodes (a little under two years for Episode 1, a little over a year for Episode 2). After all, Games For Windows Magazine (then Computer Gaming World) once graced its cover to their magazine exclaiming, “A new Half-Life every six months!”

There has been a subtle but perceptible shift in tone when Valve representatives discuss the Half-Life Episodes since their original announcement. The developer has moved away from the term “episodic content,” despite being one of its biggest supporters when Episode One was announced. More recently (and explicitly), Valve co-founder Gabe Newell admitted that they might re-think episodic gaming after their trilogy is finished. Continue reading »

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Episodic Gaming