Games Archive

The Inquirer reports that Microsoft released the Xbox 2 SDK for the Apple Power Mac G5s, but no one knows as of yet if it runs natively or via VirtualPC or if it is 64bit or not.

GarageGames announced the availability of an exporter tool that allows Blender, the Open Source 3D content creation suite, to be used with GarageGames' flagship Torque Game Engine technology (the power behind Tribes2). The Blender exporter and Torque runs on the Mac OS X, Linux and Windows platforms. The Torque Game Engine (TGE) is a fully featured AAA game engine with a multi-player network code, seamless indoor/outdoor rendering engines, skeletal animation, DnD GUI creation, a built-in world editor, and a C-like scripting language. Unlike most commercial game engines, as part of the low cost license ($100), you receive all C++ source code to the multi-platform gaming engine.

According to the Financial Times, Microsoft will be switching to the PowerPC architecture for its next X-Box. If this is true, it could mean that they are planning on porting parts of windows to PPC as well (such as the elements of DirectX used in the X-Box.

There is an interesting article on Gamespy about sales of console game units. This is relevant to an OS oriented forum because of the underlying struggle for real estate. Both Sony and Microsoft covet the space on top of your TV. The so-called "set top box" is seen by both as the key to dominating the converging worlds of entertainment, communication and computing.

Tulip Computers, which bought the rights to the Commodore name in 1997, is "taking over" the main C64 web portal and will be making a vast library of old programs and games available, legally, for download.There are still a lot of C64 enthusiasts out there, some using old hardware, but probably many more using emulators to relive their youth. The downside: Tulip is planning on defending its trademarks, which may mean that fan sites might be getting harrassed. More at PC World.

A group of Xbox security researchers say they've found a way to run the open-source operating system on the game console without using a so-called mod chip.

J2ME (Java 2 Micro Edition) and the .Net Compact Framework follow different design philosophies and target different developer communities. However, both have important places in the future world of pervasive computing.

This time around, Transgaming WineX 3.0 has some new tools as well as improvements in the number of games supported and gaming speeds. In this article, LinuxOrbit is going to take a look at the new features of WineX 3.0, with a focus on their new GUI installer called Point2Play.

It is no secret that the vast majority of current game titles will never see the light of day on Linux. With Loki dead and gone, and their old stock quickly running out, some would go as far as to say that Linux gaming is dead as well. However, in recent days, Linux users have been getting more titles than one would think, and many more are on the horizon for later this year. Which games will be coming out? Who is releasing them? Is this the start of something big?

IncaGold GmbH and Hyperion Entertainment VOF announced that they entered into a comprehensive license agreement which will see many of IncaGold's current and future entertainment software titles converted for the Amiga, Linux and Macintosh platforms.

One of the coolest 3D OpenGL games written for the Mac 8.x/9.x, WaterRace, is now GPL and it would be great if developers would port it to other platforms that support GL.

Nintendo has announced that a new Gameboy version will be introduced in March. This version will include a front-lit screen, a rechargeable lithium-Ion battery and opens and closes like a mini-laptop. Since the Gameboy introduction in 1989, there have been over 120 million units sold. Of the most recent version, the Game Boy Advance, almost 12 million units have been sold since its June 2001 debut. Update: Gamespot.com has revealed that they have learned that a blue-colored and black-colored version will be available upon release in Japan on the 14th of February.

This download contains DirectX 8.1b plus some DirectPlay fixes related to performance and connectivity issues exhibited with some online multiplayer game titles. This release of DirectX is not recommended for general installation. You should only consider installing this release if you have an online gaming problem that has been identified as being fixed with DirectX 8.2. This version of DirectX can replace all previous released versions of DirectX.

Sony is dropping some hints about the product's likely lack of shape--it's looking into installing an OS that could run game programs in various home appliances.