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[an error occurred while processing this directive] Archive of: September 2000 Well I'm back... And Michael K. has sent in a
report! (Note to other reporters: Watch and learn,
folks.) 4x4 Build 34 4x4 was reviewed earlier, but that was way back in Build 5. This is the latest beta: Build 34. According to TRI, this will be the last build before the game goes gold! I have never been this excited about a game before it had been out for a while (I have a history of "discovering" great games about a year after the rest of the world). But, on the review: In this version, TRI has added access to another SUV, the Nissan Pathfinder, and another track, Salvage Wasteland. The rendered antenna on the XTerra has been rather conspicuously killed, probably because, due to its very realistic waving, it ate up processor cycles on pure eye candy. There have been a few other minor graphical changes, but nothing significant. However, the ability to configure custom controls has been added, addressing one of my very serious concerns (the default controls are terrible if you want to use a manual tranny). Gameplay was pretty much covered in Alex's earlier review, but I'll touch on some little tidbits that he didn't cover: Although the game has a definite "arcade-ish" feel (the trucks get airborne way too much), it borrows a page from simulators by giving you the ability to tweak some basic attributes, such as tire type, axle ratio, brake balance, and torque split. A nice feature is that, in order to edit most of these attributes, you must buy the correct upgrade (brake proportioning valve for brake balance, etc). I'd like to see a few more, however, such as tire pressure (since the game uses all licensed names, you could choose Firestone tires, and if you underinflated them, they'd blow up on you!), and gear ratio (different from axle ratio: gear ratios go over each individual gear independently; 1st, 2nd, etc). The final release will include a career mode, where you start out with a stock vehicle, and must compete in races to win cash to buy upgrades for you truck (brush guards, race springs/dampers, brake proportioning valves, etc), and eventually new trucks. Build 34 is technically Public Network Test 2a, and they mean it when they say "network". Almost all of the bugs I have experienced in network play are fixed, and the multiplayer user interface has been polished. You use the GameSpy network through the game's own interface. Much like Battle.net, there are different rooms, but unlike Battle.net, games reside in specific room -- not in one big-huge game list. This makes finding games quite a bit easier, as you could go to a room called "Mac-only!", and join a game there. You wouldn't have to search a game list for Mac-only games. However, I the beta takes FOREVER to enter multiplayer mode, but it appears that this will be fixed in the full release. Also, I have been disconnected from the chat server several times, but this is no different than on Battle.net (it is rather disturbing, however, as Battle.net has as average of about 40,000 users online, while the 4x4 chat servers have about 15). This review was one-sided for a reason: there are very few bad sides to this game! If you meet the very hefty system requirements, I highly recommend it (when it is released). I will definitely part with my $50 over this gem. Platforms: Macintosh, Windows, Dreamcast. Due to a complete lack of standardized ratings, I'll do my own: Overall Rating: 5.0 Links: Terminal Reality's
Website Screenshots: FAAAAAASSSSSSSSTTT:
Given enough time, these little things can GO!
Not here... 9/20/00 to 9/29/00 Hum ba dum... *Rubs on more sun screen* :)
Family Problems 9/19/00 Well... I don't think I'll be able to do the DHD for the next few days... There are some health problems in the family, so... Sorry... Send me your articles and I'll put 'em up once the problems are resolved (one way or another...) Sorry again...
*mumble* 9/18/00 Well, school is really messing this up... I NEED MORE REPORTERS!!! AGH!
New Arrangement 9/17/00 Well, at a sugestion from Michael Kelly, I have set it up so that any articles sent in will be put on a waiting list, one per day. Also, we need reporters! Uhh, that's it...
Vacation 9/16/00 Vacation again... Maybe this can't be updated every day...
Issue 6 9/15/00 Articles Game Review - Missions of the Reliant II
Platform: Mac, I'm not sure if it's for Windows too... Average Rating: 4.5 Screenshots: AAAGHHH.gif
Earth is dead... Oops...
Vacation 9/14/00 Well, looks like today is a little vacation...
I'll give you a couple of neat links...
Issue 5! 9/13/00 Articles Game Review - Future Cop
I first got FutureCop: L.A.P.D. ("FC"), becuase I played it at Alex Dodge's house, and decided right there that it was the coolest game ever made. Much time has since passed, but it still holds a high place on my wall-of-really-good-games. In FC, you guide a police X-1 Alpha (a 'mech-like vehicle that also has a hovercraft mode) around futuristic Los Angeles, smashing stuff, flipping switches, and killing bosses. It's an odd cross between the adrenaline-filled rush of Unreal Tournament, and Prince of Persia's impossible jumps. You choose a gun, secondary, and special weapon before each level, your weapon choices expanding as you complete more levels. The weapons play a huge part in most games. This one is no different, and weapons are exquisite. Your choices range from the slow but deadly Flamethrower, to the highy dangerous Pop-Up Mine, to the powerful, homing, Fusion Torpedo. Every weapon (15 in all) has its own upgraded version, and makes a unique explosion when "applied" to different objects. Multiplayer play is availible, both on the same computer (split-screen), and over the internet. FC features two modes of play: Crime Wars and Precinct Assault. In Crime Wars, you fight through 8 huge levels, each with a powerful boss at the end. In Precinct Assault, you play an explosion-filled variant of capture the flag -- against the Sky Captain in single-player mode, and against another player in multiplayer. There are a few issues, however: In certain places, the physics is a bit off, causing to to fly up walls. And using the Rage 128 graphics chip in Apple G3 minitowers apparently produces artifacts on the screen (switch to software rendering, though, and everything's fine). Overall, I highly reccomend this game. Though it's a bit old, it can be picked up CHEAP at just about any computer store. Platform: Mac or Windows Average Rating: 4.5 Screenshots: ConcussionBeam.gif
An X-1 blows a gun turret to smithereens with a Concussion Beam. Game Review - Pizza Rush
Well, I don't remember when I first found this, but it's rather cool... The story is that you are a dilivery guy for "Moe's Pizza" and you have to, uhh, diliver... Pizzas... That's it... But it's fun! You get a bigger tip if you arive quicker, but, you can't run into other cars... Also, if you run out of gas (Ed. note: Gas station is in the lower left section.) The game in itself isn't that great, but the fact that, much like Burning Rubber, you can change everything makes it one of the better games... Platform: Mac Splat Rating: 0 Screenshots:
Articles Game Review - Burning Rubber
Platform: Mac Splat Rating: 3
Issue 3! 9/11/00 Articles Game Review - Animorphs Demo
While surfing, I stumbled upon a demo for Infogrames upcoming PC game, Animorphs. Having been a fan of Scholastic’s adventure books myself, it appeared on my desktop as fast as I could click on the download button. For those of us who have not read the ever-popular series of now over 30 books, or watched the television show, I’ll lay out the plot. Five kids, who are known to the readers/players as simply Jake, Cassie, Marco, Rachel, and Tobias (they can’t tell you their last names-the enemy could be listening), chase Jake’s dog, Homer into an abandoned construction site, where an alien spaceship lands, and an injured alien stumbles out. This turns out to be a ‘good alien,’ an Andalite, who warns them about the bad aliens (mind-controlling slugs called ‘Yeerks’ who slither inside your brain), who have already landed on earth, and are trying to take over the world. He then gives them each the power to ‘morph,’ which allows them to turn into any animal they touch by acquiring their DNA. Then the bad aliens land. It turns out the Yeerks have taken over three other worlds. One, the world they started out on, is a world populated by monkey-creatures. Next, they took over the Taxxons, gigantic centipedes with voracious appetites. Last, they took over the Hork-Bajir, which are pretty much walking slicer-dicers. Hork-Bajir and Taxxons stream out of the ship. Their leader, who has taken over an Andalite, morphs into a huge monster from another planet and eats the good alien. Then, the kids are noticed. They run, make it safely home, and it’s up to them to save the world. Now, on to the game. I start the game, and Tobias, who has permanently morphed into a hawk, explains the game by walking you through all the controls. I’ll say now, before anything else, that this game is beautiful, graphically. First you’re walked through walking, running, and picking up objects, all of which is easy. Next, you get to do a little ‘time race,’ as either a wolf or a tiger. This is truly cool. You have to jump pits and low branches, and dodge rocks and (gulp) one of those ‘swinging log’ traps (In the full version, you get to dodge lasers, and more). Then, you get to fight some Hork-Bajir. The way combat is handled in this game is: first, you choose a animal to morph into for Jake, Cassie, Marco, and Rachel (hmm... let’s see, gorilla, or grizzly’). Tobias doesn’t fight, he’s stuck as a hawk (long story). Then, when it’s each character’s turn, you type in different combinations for different special attacks. Other than that, it’s rather like final fantasy combat (for some reason, the Hork-Bajir drop energy bars). Then you walk in front of a white house, and the demo ends. All in all, this looks like it’s going to be a great game, and it’s on my wish list. Download the demo at www.infogrames.com. (Disclaimer: Infogrames, Animorphs, Scholastic, and Final Fantasy are copyright by Infogrames, Scholastic, Scholastic, and Squaresoft, respectively). Platform: Windows Overall Rating: 5 Website Review - Avara.org
New Reporter Well, I'm on a roll! Another new reporter! His name is Michael Kelly, not to be confused with Michael Weaver, and he is the webmaster of the DWS clan page! Well, that's it! Update Time Well, I can't be home at all hours... So, this page will be updated at about 10 PM.
2nd Issue! 9/10/00 Articles Game Review - 4x4 Evolution I was first alerted to 4x4 by my friend Michael Kelly. He had been looking for a new Multi-player game for us to play. Upon downloading it I played solo for a while to try and learn it. It's fun! It has three game modes that work in the demo/beta. The Time Attack Mode, a mode that allows you to play against a previous best lap. It's great for enhancing your skills. The Quick Race Mode, a mode that allows you to play vs Comps. It's great, but the comps are flawless, they never mess up! The only way to win is to load up a rocket launcher... :) Finaly, there's Multiplayer, a mode that lets you play with others over the internet. All in all, a great game! You can download it at download.com. Type in 4x4. Platform: Mac or Windows Average Rating: 4.5 Screenshots: New Reporters Well! We have two new reporters! Their names are
Chris Remmel (I never got the go ahead to put his email up) and Michael
Weaver, they just agreed to be reporters! Well... I'm
not sure exactly what they're going to write about, but just thought
everyone would like to know... Update Time I've desided to update this page every day at about 2:00
PM PST, so if you check at 2:30 you should get the update.
First Issue! 9/9/00 Articles Welcome to the Daily Hot Dog! Well! We've got a little thingie! Neat, huh? I'm still working on getting reporters, so, if you want to be a reporter, then email me! All you have to do is write a article on something, email it to me, and have me put it up... I'm not sure what the articles will be about, but if you have an idea, email me! Well, that's all I have to talk about, but I'll try and write again tomorrow.
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