<!–#set var="article_header" value="E3 Expo 2002, Los Angeles
Day Three of Three” –>
A Sober Show, Without Glamor
Rough times are on their way out. In his closing speech, Doug Lowenstein, president of IDSA, announced that the E3 will run for three weeks, starting from 2003. The first week will involve all sorts of rumors, the second week will be about the official announcements and the third week will be reserved for the show. We’ll have to wait and see what happens.
That German Touch!
Over time, German developers have created a unique genre of games in which management, strategy and combat play the primary roles. Without a doubt, the pioneer in this respect was The Settlers, which is now available in Version 4 and includes all the options you can imagine. At E3, Joowood presented The Culture, the second part of the game, which should soon be out on the market. This is the reason why Electronic Arts presented a new game from Sunflowers, called The New World, which follows up on Anno 1602. In The New World, you can establish and develop a civilization with either pacifistic or bellicose characteristics. There are a multitude of civilizations to work with, each with its own economic model. The 3D isometric graphics are well-done, showing lots of detailed items such as ships, buildings and different types of fields.
The Oldies Are Still Around
After a few attempts with consoles and PCs in the 80’s, Dragon’s Lair will return at the end of 2002, but this time for the PS2, Xbox, GameCube and PC! This latest version of the adventure game is called Dragon’s Lair 3D, and it lasts about ten times longer than the original version. However, they haven’t forgotten their recipe for success, which includes the cartoon-ish style of the game. The reason for this is that Encore Software has kept the original developers, Don Bluth and Gary Goldman, around to work on this new version. Older is sometimes better, isn’t it?
Not Allowed For Players Under 12
One of the most successful attractions of the E3 was probably the Doom III projection hall. At the Activision stand, long lines were a constant. Activision showed videos that were a few minutes long, as well as an excerpt from the single-player game in which the player fights against creatures from Hell. Doom III is extreme, both in its graphics engine and its shocking levels of violence. 5.1 sound adds to the feeling of immersion in the game. Doom III is supposed to be out on the market at the end of 2003, but it won’t be made available to players of all ages, since the realism, scariness and violence are the most important elements of this version. Once again, we can expect this game to make its mark in the short history of video games.
It’s Cool, General Sir!
One of the most impressive real-time strategy games comes from Westwood Studios at Electronic Arts. This awesome game is called Command & Conquer Generals, and thanks to its 3D engine, it knows no bounds – each element acts and reacts according to events. The scenario is set to take place twenty years in the future and involves troops from the USA and China, as well as rebels from the Global Liberation Army. The game exhibits the talent and humor for which Westwood is known, and the results are superb!
From Continent To Continent
Fans of “Shogun: Total War” are going to be happy with Medieval Total War, also developed by Creative Assembly, which takes the shogun concept and puts it in the context of the Middle Ages. This time, the scenario begins at the start of the 12th century and ends in the 14th century. Hundreds of details are taken from each era and country, which explains why you might not encounter a Teutonic knight until the end of the game. You will also find Russians and Danes in this time period. The most important battles of the 100 Year War (e.g. Crйcy, Poitiers, Azincourt) as well as the most important figures (Richard the Lion-hearted, Saladin, Le Cid, etc.) can all be found in the game. Compared to Shogun, the biggest differences are found in how you (the player) manage sieges and the weapons you use for breaking through castle walls. Unfortunately, multiplayer mode cannot always be played online, as with Shogun, only single-player scenarios can. The new A.I. offers more options, regardless of the level of difficulty. At the simplest level, motions are quite clear, but at the intermediate level, it gets more complicated. Activision should introduce this game to the market at the end of 2002.
CFS Returns To Europe
In Combat Flight Simulator 3, the scene is set to Europe in the years 1942 and 1943. Two big improvements are the graphics engine and the added option of flying a bomber. The numerous list of new models includes the JU88, B25 and B26, in which you can fend off enemies with machine guns. There will also be more role-playing options, such as taking on the bombadier’s post and then switching over to the pilot’s position, although this function was not implemented in the demo that we saw. In addition to the 30 machines that you can choose from, there are 80 further variations available. The new graphics engine is rather impressive, making it possible to create more realistic scenery and significantly improve the flow of constantly changing surroundings. The scenarios are not always dynamically created, but they use a system that integrates the results of the previous fights. If Microsoft continues along these lines, then a new CFS could theoretically come out next year, set in the Pacific and based on the same graphics engine.
Codemaster Goes Vroom
In rally racing, Colin McRae 2 is without a doubt the best of them. Now there’s Version 3, and if you get a chance to look at this blockbuster game, you’re sure to be dazzled. This version was shown on the Xbox and PS2, and if the essentials of the game are pretty much the same for the two consoles, then we can say that the graphics seemed to be much better on the Xbox. Colin McRae 3 should be available for both platforms in September. After a few minutes of watching it, you can already tell that improvements have been made in the physics and the interactivity. All of the surroundings interact with the car, so for example, a car can sink into a snowdrift. The version for the Xbox has very convincing graphics, especially for effects such as the dirt and trailing. However, perhaps our expectations were too high, because we thought we’d get more than Rally Sport Challenge, for example. On the other hand, the game we saw was not completely finished, so maybe we should wait a bit before passing judgment. The driving experience is really enjoyable and fun, at least in the first few seconds.
TOCA Race Driver for the PC has made progress, and it looks really great. The cars respond as they should and driving is intuitive. All aspects of this game are impressive – unfortunately, it won’t be available until November 2002. Therefore the PS2 version, which is not as good-looking and which is less similar to arcade games, will be the first to arrive on the market. The Xbox version will come not long after that.
Hardware For The Eyes, Ears and Hands
Altec Lansing Plays Its 5.1 Card
Altec Lansing has a good reputation for 4.1 sound systems, and the company wanted to keep it that way. However, because the demand for home cinema is particularly high, they decided to offer 5.2 kits, as well. First, there’s the 251 model, which will have a price tag of less than $100 in the USA. Even if the design seems a bit old-fashioned, the quality is still there. The various settings are found on the speaker on the right, and can be adjusted independently for front and back speakers. The 5100 system is a bit better. It basically looks like the 4100 series (read about it in our previous article Сравнение тринадцати 4.1 и 5.1 звуковых систем), with sleek styling and two microdriver loudspeakers. The sound quality gives you nothing to complain about – but of course we made this judgment at one of the noisiest conventions in the world. The remote control is well thought-out: each speaker can be adjusted individually so that you can create a surround sound effect based on where you are situated at the time. The big surprise came from the world of consoles – the XA series has a rather retro design that is futuristic at the same time, which indicates that it is meant to appeal to a younger group of customers. There are two systems here, 2.1 and 5.1. The latter, equipped with 50 Watt RMS, gets quite noisy and is noticeably lacking in bass tones for games on a TV. On the other hand, the system is code-free, which should have been the case for the PS2 and Xbox, possibly making them more attractive. The XA3051 is capable of reproducing Dolby Prologic, which allows it to achieve a surround sound effect.
NVIDIA Does Its Job
Basically, NVIDIA did not present anything new, instead devoting itself to evangelizing about DirectX 8 games and their availability for their well-known GeForce 4 Ti4200 cards. According to NVIDIA, the Ti series brings graphics processing power to everyone. The cards will be available at a very competitive price ($179) for the 64 MB version. Even if it has somewhat less potential (due to a lower frequency), the card is entirely suitable 99% of the time. In addition, it has all the latest technology from NVIDIA. So, save your money – don’t buy a GeForce 4 MX and go for a 4200 instead. At the NVIDIA stand, we saw scenes from Tomb Raider for the PC, which leaves the console version in the dust, particularly when it comes to the modeling quality of the Lara Croft figure. We also saw Sea Dogs 2, which had amazing ships with fluttering sails, on an ocean that, for the first time, manages to be convincing.
Saitek: New Pads Sighted
Saitek, one of the most well-known manufacturers of game pads, has completely renovated its series of PC pads. We must admit that we were never great fans of the previous series. The design is nice, although the gray-green color is somewhat unexpected. The first in the series, the P220, is available for $15. It’s quite simple, and the four digital settings are quite acceptable. The P880 bundles two analog joysticks and the 2600 has a vibration function. The P300 is truly innovative – it’s a wireless pad that communicates via radio frequency to a base connected to the USB port. The problem of batteries running out is addressed via the two rechargeable batteries bundled in the package. You can use one of them while recharging the other one, which is a good idea. The pads seem quite ergonomic, but this still has to be confirmed. Saitek also makes another step towards game consoles – the PS2 will get the Cyborg 3D Pro joystick from the PC series, as well as an RX 550 Force Feedback wheel. It will also get an RX 600 wireless wheel. Saitek will also offer wireless pads with a similar battery system for the PS2. For the Xbox, the Adrenalin Pad will be available in a wireless version. And lastly, the Xbox will also get a wireless version of the Adrenalin joystick, originally for PC systems.
Madkatz: The American Specialist for Game Consoles
Madkatz launched a new series of pads for all platforms, which includes wireless versions and a smaller version. The smaller pads are specifically for the Xbox. Another bit of good news: Madkatz should be coming out with a machine gun as well as a DVD remote control that is even smaller and less expensive than the one from Microsoft.
