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by Gail Helmer

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Friday, October 13, 2000


eBattlefield and OpenSim Merger
eBattlefield.Org and OpenSim.Org are officially merging their efforts. The combined effort was decided on during a conference call by the founders of both groups - Gilman "Chopstick" Louie, Jaume "Primetime" Sabater, Craig "Moose" Ferris, and Mike "Stimpy" Strauss. This brings together a wealth of experience, knowledge, and organization critical to the projects success.

Gilman "Chopstick" Louie, serving in an advisory role, brings with him the lessons he learned during his career in the gaming industry plus a wide range of resources from the gaming and military industries. eBattlefield.Org has almost one hundred developers and designers signed up. They have also been working on an organizing their effort over the past four months.

Gilman "Chopstick" Louie (Opensim), whose fame includes Falcon 4.0 had this to say about the project:

"I've spoken with members of the eBattlefield.Org team and have agreed to unify our efforts in creating a true open sourced combat battlefield simulation system. The team is committed to working with the entire user community to create the next generation multiplayer battlefield simulation and will open up its membership and leadership to the community at large. These individuals are dedicating a large amount of their time and resources to this program. This is an important first step to making this project a reality. While no one should underestimate the size of this Herculean effort, I am encouraged by the cooperation and enthusiasms of all of those involved. I have agreed to serve as an advisor on this project and look forward to working with this inspired community of developers, designers, and users. If we set our sights high, keep our standards open, and build an inclusive organization, then the possibilities are endless. I would like to invite all those who are interested in building an open source simulation to join this effort."

Originally conceived by the two teams as a "Wouldn't it be nice if..." idea on the forums at www.combatsim.com, eBattlefield.Org is an open-source project striving to create a mega-multiplayer combat simulation environment that will encompass all areas of military operations including air, land and naval. Building an open source battlefield engine will allow other groups to add custom clients for any vehicle or military system they would like to simulate. This will create the worlds largest and most in-depth massive multiplayer combat simulator ever designed.

For more information and to volunteer for this exciting development please visit eBattlefield to see how you can contribute. Additional information can be found at OpenSim

SWAT 3: Elite Edition Update!
Sierra Studios has announced that SWAT 3: Elite Edition has shipped to retail stores. SWAT 3: Elite Edition includes the original SWAT 3: Close Quarters Battle, and it adds five new missions along with a tool kit that allows players to create their own scenarios. It also brings multiplayer capabilities to SWAT 3, offering five different game types for up to six players. More SWAT3 information: SWAT 3

Sierra Studios has also released free updates for those who already own SWAT 3: Close Quarters Battle. Download updates here:
SWAT 3: Close Quartes Battle - 1.6 North America

SWAT 3: Elite Edition - Development Tools Pack

SWAT 3: Elite Edition 1.6 North America

Combat Squadron - Newly Announced
Abacus Software announced a their latest add-on, Combat Squadron, an impressive collection of warbirds from the World War II era for users of CFS2, CFS1 and FS2000. Ship date for Combat Squadron - World War II Classics is mid-November. For more information: Abacus

IL-2 Development Update!
This week Oleg Maddox announces they have finished the features of Quick Mission Builder. For screenshots and further details: IL-2 Forum



Thursday, October 12, 2000


Squad Leader Goes Gold!
Hasbro Interactive's SQUAD LEADER, the World War II, squad-level tactical PC game from Hasbro Interactive has gone gold. Meaning, expect to see it on store shelves soon! Bring yourself up to speed and check out COMBATSIM.COM's preview of Squad Leader at: Squad Leader Preview

New IL-2 Sturmovik Screenshots, Movie and Updated FAQ!
Blue Byte announced today the release of new screenshots, movie and updated FAQ for IL-2 Sturmovik.

NEW AVI Movie - See the LA5-v-JU88 in action. Click Here: AVI Movie
New and Updated FAQ from Oleg Maddox! Updated FAQ

Hasbro Considering Selling off Interactive Games Division!
With performance below expectations, Hasbro today announced plans to refocus on core businesses to improve profitability. Among those plans were the possible disposal of non-performing divisions including the interactive entertainment business.

"The interactive games business is not performing to already reduced expectations," the company said in a statement, "However, the Company is exploring strategic alternatives for this business."
Further Details at: Hasbro Press Release

Interplay to Publish Jagged Alliance 2: Unfinished Business!



Interplay has announced that it will publish Sir-Tech Canada's upcoming stand-alone expansion to 1999's critically acclaimed turn-based strategy game Jagged Alliance 2. The expansion is titled Jagged Alliance 2: Unfinished Business and features the same squad-based tactical combat gameplay as the previous game, which was published by TalonSoft. Unfinished Business features six levels of difficulty, ten new characters, several additional weapons, and 20 new sectors. More information at: Jagged Alliance 2

Squadlinks Delta Force League Officially Opens!
The Squadlinks Delta Force League (SDFL) officially opens its doors! And with that, they are offering their initial tournament series - Final Conflict. Squads can sign up to play in DF1 TDM, DF2 TDM, DF2 CTF, DF2 TKOTH, or DF2 Flagball tournaments. This is just the beginning of what they are planning for the future. "These tournaments will be fast and furious - an intense way to finish off DF1 & DF2 as LW approaches!" Check it out at:Squadlinks

3d Retreat Reviews Intel's D815EEA Motherboard
The 3d Retreat has published a review of Intel's D815EEA motherboard. You can find the review at 3d Retreat

Rage Updates Website: New B-17 II Screenshots!
Rage Software has updated their website, with Flash. Check out the new B-17 II page and screenshots. Information is limited, but the screenshots look great! Go to: Rage

Multi-Media Auto-Pilot Tutorial for Jane's F/A-18 Fans!
There is more to using the auto-pilot in Jane's F/A-18 than just hitting the "A" key on your keyboard. The Jane's F/A-18 Hornet has over a half a dozen different auto-pilot modes. Check out this multi-media slide show that Richard "Deadly" McSwain has put together that explains what the different modes do and how to access them from the UFC display. Download tutorial now: Tutorial Download

Here is the: 107th Naval Command Site



Wednesday, October 11, 2000



Flanker 2.03 Patch Status Update!

Carl Norman's comments about the Flanker 2.03 Patch:

Flanker Faithful,
We are currently downloading a new build of the V2.03 patch this morning and will be putting it through the paces with our internal testers. If we find that it is a candidate we will ask our external testers to review it as well.

Regarding the Voodoo problems with the mirrors and MFD in A2G mode: One of the very last features added to V2.03 was an increase in resolution for the mirriors. It appears that this increase does not work with the Voodoo 2 & 3 cards. As the A2G radar display is most likely part of the same overlay, it is also being displayed improperly by the Voodoo cards. It's always that last thing being added that trips up a software development effort. We had not seen this problem before because it was intoduced in the Beta version that was accidently released. Sometimes you get the bear, and sometimes the bear gets you.

Those of you having the problem please try using the A2G radar WITHOUT the mirrors and report what your results are to the V2.03 bug thread in the Bugs section of this forum.

If we can not get the higher resolution mirrors to work with the Voodoo cards then a potential solution will be to have a user option to set the mirrors to either a low or high resolution.

We still need time to verify the fixes being made so please be patient with us.

We changed the name of file that is the beta version on our FTP site. It is still there if people want to try it, but the link from Adrenaline Vault no longer works since we changed the name. I am not encouraging users to download this Beta version, but I felt it would be unfair to those who have not had the opportunity to download the Beta if we removed it from the FTP site. We've renamed it so that it is identified as a Beta and are not promoting it.

We appreciate all the feedback and enthusiastic support we've received this week from all of you. Sorry for all the confusion, but we're hoping to turn this around and get the patch out as soon as possible.
Cheers,
Carl

For further details: Flanker 2.0 Forum

ABIT Announces an i815E Powerhouse, SA6R!
The SA6R is ABIT’s latest ATX mainboard based on the Intel 815E chipset, and represents the very top of the line in support for current Intel FC-PGA Socket CPUs. The SA6R combines appealing i815E features such as integrated AGP 2X, 133MHz and PC133 SDRAM support, and full Communication/Networking Riser capabilities with unique ABIT innovations such as SoftMenu™III, ATA/100, and IDE RAID! With all these features, the SA6R is truly loaded with power.

The i815E chipset provides the SA6R with all of today’s standard top-of-the-line features: 66/100/133MHz FSB support, 2 USB ports, 4 DIMM slots for SDRAM modules, 1 AGP slot (with AGP 4X support and AIMM compatibility), integrated AGP 2X, 1 CNR slot, and 6 PCI slots. The “E” in i815E stands for the South Bridge’s ICH2 (I/O Controller Hub 2), which brings with it a few features of its own: ATA/100 on the two native IDE channels, an extra USB channel (for a grand total of up to 4 USB ports), and full support for CNR networking cards. ABIT

Team Factor Development Update!
7FX has posted models of the first Black team in Team Factor. Team Factor is a stand-alone multiplayer action game with realistic fact-fiction story background set in attractive enviroment of "shadow" military operations. Screenshots at: 7FX

ABIT Introduces the SH6, the Only Slot 1 i815E
The SH6 is ABIT’s newest motherboard based on Intel’s 815E chipset. The SH6 is an ATX form-factor mainboard designed for use with all “Slot 1” processors including PII, PIII and Celeron. It supports all normal industry standard functions, including Advanced Configuration and Power Management Interface (ACPI), AGP 1X/2X/4X and 66/100/133MHz SDRAM Memory Bus Settings. The SH6 features four 168-pin DIMM sockets supporting PC100/PC133 SDRAM modules and Suspend-To-RAM (STR). ABIT

Rage Updates Website: New Typhoon Screenshots!
Rage Software has updated their website, with Flash. Check out the new Typhoon page and screenshots. Information is limited, but the screenshots look great! Go to: Rage

NavSim2000 Now Known As NavSim: Sea Power
Force 85 announced today that its tactical naval combat simulation NavSim2000 is being renamed. It will now be known as NavSim: Sea Power.

"As we've moved closer to completion," said Force 85 Lead Developer Eric D. Schoell, "we've seen the sim move closer to what Admiral Mahan wrote about in The Influence of Sea Power Upon Nations - the importance of commanding the seas. We felt it was an apt title for our simulation."

NavSim: Sea Power will model the world's navies, comprehensively, accurately and in great detail. Players will be able to command a wide selection of submarines and surface ships - they will not be limited to merely one or two - and will be able to play head-to-head over the internet.

NavSim: Sea Power is currently in beta testing, and is tentatively scheduled for completion in January 2001. For more info: Force 85



Tuesday, October 10, 2000



Aviano Fighters Train with German MiGs
LAAGE, Germany (AFPN) -- Air Force F-16s and airmen deployed to this former East German air base Oct. 2 for two weeks of flying training against MiG-29 Fulcrums, one of NATO's Cold War enemy fighter aircraft.

While the German pilots at the controls of the Soviet-built MiGs may be NATO allies, they can play the part of the bad guys better than anyone around.Full Story at: Air Force Link

Microsoft's SideWinder Force Feedback 2 Heads to Stores.
Microsoft has announced that the new SideWinder Force Feedback 2 joystick has started shipping to stores. This latest revision of the product line features an integrated power supply, a redesigned throttle, and a more compact base. The Force Feedback 2 joystick supports 100 force feedback effects for games through DirectX to give players a tactile response to in-game action and a more immersive gaming experience

Combat Flight Simulator 2: WWII Pacific Theater Lands on Store Shelves
Microsoft today announced that Combat Flight Simulator 2: WWII Pacific Theater, the sequel to 1998's award-winning Combat Flight Simulator, has started to appear on store shelves. There have been several reports of its availability at locations throughout the United States, and full domestic distribution is expected later this month.

News: Flanker 2.03 Patch Not Ready for Primetime!

Carl Norman's comments about the Flanker 2.03 Patch:

Where are Scully and Mulder when you need 'em? I'm getting some feedback that several people are convinced that the premature release of V2.03 was done on purpose and that we did this just to get more Beta testing from the public. Not true.

There was no conspiracy with Adrenaline Vault to release it early. We fully expected that we would test this weekend (by ourselves.)

If I wanted the public to test for us I would have just came out and asked. I don't have the resources to manage thousands of external testers, but to be honest, having many of you put the final Beta through its paces has some advantages. I am not asking you to download the Beta; I am asking that if you DO downloaded it, please provide us your feedback. It's up to you, regardless of what you want to do, we are going to, most likely, release a V2.03a "Official Patch" once we are satisfied. Will it be the "perfect patch?" No such thing in my experience.

It was never a planned event to have this latest version of 2.03 out to the public and you are just going to have to take my word on it.
Agent Norman

For further details: Flanker 2.0 Forum

Release: Bob Church's New Drivers for Saitek USB Combo!
Bob Church has just released a driver for the very popular Saitek USB combo that will allow for USB pedal users (CH Pro USB Pedals. His previous release was only for analog pedals to work with all games. Pretty much Saitek users have the ultimate setup now as we have USB stick, throttle, and a USB set of pedals that will work in ALL games now. Download drivers here: Stickworks site

Release:New Hunter/Killer Patch!
New Hunter/Killer Patch! The Seawolves have packaged the new 688i patch into self extracting executables. One each for English, French, and German patches. Also included in the file is a default 688HK.ini file and the iniManager program (which is a Cheat.exe). Go to: Seawolves Site
Or, download the exe files directly here:
English Download .exe
French Download .exe
German Download .exe

Release: New Fighter Squadron Files from SimFiles!
BF110D-1. A desert skin for the BF110 Robbins Adventures (3Dover Missions). 3 Adventures of the British Pilot J.Robbins.

The Memphis Belle. This is a tribute to the most famous B-17 still alive, the "Memphis Belle"! Skins for B-17F & B-17G models.

Tuskegee Airmen Squadron. This is a squadron for Fighter Squadron:SDOE that pays tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, who fought adversity at home & abroad. Simply unzip into your Fighter Squadron directory & your ready to fly! All files available at: SimFiles

Demo: Close Combat: Invasion Normandy Demo!
Close Combat: Invasion: Normandy demo is now available at Atomic Games or download exe files directly here:Close Combat: Invasion Normandy Demo.exe




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