AUDIO & SOUND
Nikko Enters In a Licensing Agreement with Interactive Objects
Nikko will build and distribute a range of digital audio products based on iObjects’ Dharma hardware design and Dadio OS software under multiple brands through their worldwide distribution channels. As part of this agreement, I–Jam Multimedia will become one of Nikko’s U.S. distributors of the Nikko WinJam 88. The digital audio player supports music and other audio encoded exclusively in the Microsoft Windows Media Audio (WMA) format.
FGN4KIDS
Safeguarding Children Online
Reports of e–stalkers in chat rooms or kids accidentally accessing porn sites have parents looking to companies such as Guiding Light Software for alternate ways to keep their children safe online. The company’s computer usage tracking application, Lighthouse, provides parents with screen shots and recordings of their children’s online activity. Lighthouse is adaptable with Internet filtering software and services as well.
More info.
GAMES_MULTIPLATFORM
2000 American League MVP and All–Star Makes a Triple Play
First baseman Jason Giambi will be EA SPORTS’ new spokesman for Triple Play Baseball with his image appearing on all Triple Play Baseball packaging and merchandising. Giambi led the Oakland Athletics in 43 home runs and 137 runs batted in, and will add his ball game expertise during the game’s development. Triple Play Baseball will be available in time for the 2001 baseball season.
GAMES_MULTIPLATFORM
Dreading Those Dreadnoughts
They’re not exactly nice people, those Dreadnoughts, who are fighting for dominance over the planets. Xenopi Studios Inc., a new independent videogame company, has Dreadnoughts for the PC (Windows 9x and 2000) in the works but can’t name a release date, yet. Xenopi is also working on a Xbox version, with PlayStation 2, Gamecube and other conversions a possibility. Dreadnoughts is a team/squad first–person action game, in which there’s cooperative team role–playing, as you vie for control of the Capital ships. Xenopi Studios likens it to multiplayer games such as Quake and Unreal, with real-time voice communication, and text–based chat for low bandwidth gamers. Currently the design includes up to eight gamers on each team. More info at.
GAMES_PC
Steel Soldiers Steal a Date
The sequel to the PC game Z, Steel Soldiers, developed by Bitmap Brothers, Eon Digital Entertainment and Cool Beans Productions has had the launch date moved. Originally you should be able to get this real–time action/strat game today, but according to the Bitmap Brothers site, the date is (maybe, sortof, cross your fingers) sometime in March. Others speculate more like April. The developers are hoping to deliver a clean and balanced game that also enables changes from motion video scenes to comic–book style animations, which is what Cool Beans Productions will be responsible for. More info.
GAMES_PC
Smile, You’re on Cam Games
Combining two technologies, Xirlink, Inc. a camera maker, and Reality Fusion, an interactive technologist, have arrived at a new concept — interactive games that enable you to have your image captured by a digital camera and then included in a game. Reality Fusion’s GameCam SE software will be included in Xirlink’s camera bundles, with the first SE bundle including Volleyball and Karate games, as well as BounceIt and PopTheBubbles interactive screensaver games. More info.
GAMES_PLAYSTATION
Green and Tan Attack One More Time
Tan forces are on the move again, prompting the Green military juggernaut to spearhead a global assault against enemy installations in a variety of locations. Yes, the 3DO Company has shipped the Army Men: World War — Final Front for the PlayStation. The title follows the latest Army Men: World War — Land Sea Air game and is the final episode in the Army Men: World War series for the PlayStation.
GAMES_PLAYSTATION
Revealing Hidden Invasion
Upcoming from Toka and Conspiracy is Hidden Invasion, an action–heavy, horror and sci–fi adventure game for the PlayStation 2. Here you’ll be a male or female leader of a Special Forces team in charge of a terrorist crime scene. As the plot unfolds, you’ll see that there’s an Alien conspiracy in which ’they’ want to take over the world. Hidden Invasion is compared to the Die Hard movies — lots of action and needless destruction — as you forcefully solve the various situations. Toka says the game will be in full 3D 3/4 overhead view, and you can play in single– or two–player cooperative mode. Hidden Invasion will be available in April. More info at.
GAMES_XBOX
Up to Their NEC With Gamecube LSI Production
A dedicated manufacturing plant, Fab 9, has been constructed on the first floor of the number eight NEC factory in Japan for more than $760 million. Fab 9 adopts the 0.18–micron embedded DRAM process in order to deliver highly advanced graphics LSI for the Gamecube. The plant will deliver 10,000 eight–inch wafers a month, translating to 70,000 wafers by the launch date in July.
HARDWARE & PERIPHERALS
A Prophet of Hurculean Proportions
Hercules announces the latest graphics accelerator, the 3D Prophet III, which features nVidia’s latest chip, GeForce3. Also on board the 3D Prophet III are the Hercules 3D Tweaker 2.0 which enables you to adjust display setting and Power DVD 3.0 which is a playback program that lets you playback on NTSC and PAL TV. The 3D Prophet III is a state of the art fragging device, with the first fully programmable GPU which provides total hardware optimization for interactive environments and complex 3D animations. The 3D Prophet III will sell for $529.99 in March. Included with the board will be 64 MB of DDR RAM that runs at 460MHZ, which can execute 800 billion operations per second. More info at.
HARDWARE & PERIPHERALS
Who’s the Bully Now?
"We are not bullying anyone, we only want other companies to respect our intellectual property rights." That was NYKO President Herschel Naghi’s response to NUBY VP Ed Hames’ claims that NYKO used "bullying tactics." Allegedly, NUBY’s Cobra Light possesses all of the basic elements of NYKO’s Worm Light patent, which was established to protect the company’s large investment in the technology. Naghi concludes, "NUBY mentions harm done to retailers. I couldn’t agree more...By continuing to supply them with a product, that, as we have spelled out very strongly in our lawsuit, clearly infringes our patent, they may be putting retailers in a tight spot."
HARDWARE & PERIPHERALS
Capture Dazzling Video with Two New USB Devices
SCM Microsystems, Inc. has added the DVC 50 and DVC 80 USB video connectors to its Dazzle Digital Video Creator (DVC) line of video editing solutions. Now users can quickly and easily capture video from any camcorder, TV, VCR or webcam and edit/enhance, store on a CD, email or incorporate the captured video into Power Point presentations. More info.
INDUSTRY
Disney’s Cycore Web Magic
Cycore’s Canadian headquarters entered into an exclusive agreement with Disney Interactive/Buena Vista Home Entertainment Canada to co–develop high–quality 3D rich media solutions for its e–tailers to use in marketing Disney products. Cycore’s Cult3D provides low–bandwidth interactive 3D images and web content, which can be viewed by virtually anyone with the click of a mouse.
INDUSTRY
The Best of the Best in Interactive Entertainment
This year’s E3Expo 2001 offers tens of thousands of retailers, developers, investors, distributors and media, workshops and conferences which will examine ongoing issues of interest to the computer and video game industry. Five new three–hour workshops will provide hands–on, in–depth training and educational sessions called "In Conversation" enable attendees to engage in face–to–face conversations with some of the industry’s most recognized individuals. The E3Expo 2001 conference program is scheduled for May 16–18 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, with exhibits running May 17–19. More info.
INDUSTRY
The LucasArts Ensemble
LucasArts formed a strategic alliance with Ensemble Studios to develop a new Real Time Strategy (RTS) franchise for the digital interactive gaming market. Star Wars Battleground will be the first release under this co–venture in Fall 2001. The title will combine LucasArts’ design talents and Ensemble’s proprietary engine technology used in the Age of Empires Series.
INDUSTRY
Koei to Move Midway Titles
Midway Games Inc. signed a distribution agreement with Japanese PC Publisher, Koei Net Co. Ltd. The deal gives Koei exclusive distribution of selected Midway home video game products in the Far East. Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2, NBA Hoopz and Gauntlet Dark Legacy are among the first titles for distribution.
TECHNOLOGY
Universal Cross Media Player
Lumenati, Inc., formerly NetTV, has developed a digital and broadband entertainment software architecture that plays MP3, CD, DVD, iTV and streaming audio and video. Lumenati Basic eliminates the need to download, learn and manage multiple music or video players and has the ability to play multiple formats simultaneously on a single interface. The Beta version will debut at the Intel Developer Forum in the San Jose Convention Center, February 26 to March 1, 2001. More info.
February 27, 2001, News
PC Virtual Audio Recording Studio, Adobe’s New Motion and Visual Effects, A Bigger Sandbox, Power Rangers to the Rescue in Time Force for Game Boy Advance, Mary–Kate and Ashley Gallop onto the GBC and PSOne, The Moon is Gold, 3D Tiger Hits the Green with EA’s Latest Release, 3D Eyes on Xbox, Accelerated PC Graphics, Sega’s Voluntary Pink Slips, Toshiba Wants a Stake in Heart of AOL Time Warner, Fox’s Goes Ape and Speaks in Tongues
Current Reviews & Features
Links 2001 from Microsoft, reviewed by Ed Hurta
Oni from G.O.D./Rockstar, reviewed by Michael Askounes
Quake 3 Team Arena from id Software, reviewed by Reuben Ahmed
Giants: Citizen Kabuto from Interplay Entertainment, reviewed by Michael Askounes
Walt Disney World Magical Racing Tour from Activsion, reviewed by Reuben Ahmed
Delta Force: Land Warrior from NovaLogic, reviewed by Paul 'Sly' Wolf
The Cole Perspective #3: Game Industry Checkup by David Cole.
Spawn: In the Demon’s Hand (DC), reviewed by Alex Nekrassov.
Xtreme Sports from Infogrames (DC), reviewed by Reuben Ahmed.
Reach for the Stars from SSI (PC), reviewed by Michael Askounes.
Close Combat V: Invasion Normandy from SSI (PC), reviewed by Sean Freeman.
Racing Madness from Microsoft (PC), reviewed by Mike Chantry.
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