The Shadowrun beta has ended. EnragedGnome wrote that it ended a few hours earlier than expected over on SR.thx.com. That was odd, I guess. I know one user in Germany actually couldn’t play early this afternoon because the time has already come for that timezone.

I agree with what Gnome said. It was great to be a part of the development process. FASA listened to what we had to say and actually changed the game based on our feedback. I was fortunate to be in the beta when just several dozen players were playing it outside of the Microsoft campus. FASA has named bots after some of the testers. They gave Crackdown out before the game was released. They are handing out a lot of swag for the testers. (They even flew some people out to Microsoft to play the game). It was a good ride and FASA was very cool throughout the whole process.

More importantly, I found a new shooter that had a lot of replay value even if we had limited options and just two maps. I played the same two maps with XBOX-quality graphics and limited weapons, magic, and tech for many hours each week. I thought the gameplay was so good that I would play the same bare version of the game.

I wish more of you could have played it.

Will THX like this game? I hope so. A demo will be made available sometime around the launch date (unknown). I’ll definitely keep lobbying for you guys to buy the game.

I think if everyone gave it a try, they would like it. Shadowrun is a shooter that allows you to play your game on your build in your way. Like to play slow and snipe? Then build your character that way. Like to be sneaky and fast? Then build your character that way. Like to play a supporting role? Then play that way. Just select your race and select your upgrades. There are some older testers (some have grandkids) in the beta that are quite good at Shadowrun. They may not be the best shot. But they are good at the game.

I think Shadowrun could easily bring back the LAN on Live feel. I even feel that this game would be great on LAN. After all, the party system is based on an improved version of the HALO 2 party system. Actually, the game itself has deep, dark Bungie roots.

Oculus, jayWHY, and Gnome will vouch for the game. They’ll be ordering it for one of their platforms.

What do I have planned? I’ll be buying the game for PC (and likely 360 if THX adopts and we have LANs). I’m going to play it a lot*. I’ve actually got dedicated SR servers already lined up. I only expect to play Shadowrun and HALO 2 (PC) for the rest of the year. I’ll likely try another game or two (like Quake Wars and UT3).

I’m also going to try to hold a Shadowrun LAN at my house (or in the brewery?**) after the game is released. Some of the top beta testers live within a few hours of here. Also, other beta testers have said they would attend. Maybe in fact some testers will come. Ideally, I’d like to get a FASA representative out here, too. Working on it. More on that later.

So, yeah. The beta is over. Good news for me is that HALO 2 (PC) comes out next Tuesday. I’ll be taking the day off of work for that one.

* That said, I haven’t played the PC version of the game. If I feel that FASA has tweaked the keyboard and mouse too much, I likely won’t play the game on PC. Cross-platform play is dangerous. A lot of balancing has gone into the gameplay to slow down the keyboard and mouse players. If I’m a lot better on 360, I’ll play on 360. However, since I feel constrained with a controller surely I’ll like it on PC better even if the aiming reticle has been skewed and some graphics effects made exclusive to the console.

** Got to work that one out. Good rock if it does. Uber cool space for LAN party.
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rapzilla blog | Shadowrun | HALO 2 Vista | cooked Gamers

HALO3.com has been updated with some new information. Among the new content is a listing of weapons. The first one listed? The M6D.

Unfortunately, we get no performance information. However, they do mention the 2x scope.

What if HALO 3 ships with the old-school HALO 1 pistol?
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rapzilla blog | Shadowrun | HALO 2 Vista | cooked Gamers

Xbox Live Arcade fans are in for a nice treat. Three arcade titles are coming out, each giving gamers something nice for their gaming pleasure.

Legendary board game “Catan” arrives on Xbox LIVE Arcade

Brush up on your plans for expansion and hone your trading strategies because “Catan” is coming to Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360 this Wednesday, May 2 at 0900 GMT (2:00 a.m. Pacific).

“Catan” from Big Huge Games is the Xbox LIVE Arcade edition of the legendary multiplayer board game Settlers of Catan. With over 10 million units sold, Settlers of Catan is one of the most popular board games to hail from Europe, and has been translated into twenty-five languages from the original German.

“Catan” for Xbox LIVE Arcade puts players in the role of colonists on a newly discovered island, where they vie for control of valuable territory and resources through strategy and trading. The game can be learned in just minutes, but will challenge players of all skill levels, even the experts!

Klaus Teuber, creator of the original Settlers of Catan board game, had this to say about the collaboration with Big Huge Games: “I had no doubts that Brian Reynolds would do a great job, and the first version of the game exceeded my highest expectations. The AI is so clever that I even lost several games in a row! Hands down, this game for the Xbox LIVE Arcade is an amazing achievement.”

“Catan” will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points and is rated E for Everyone.

Game Features

* Learn As You Play tutorial, making the game instantly accessible even to players who have never played “Settlers of Catan” before
* All New 3D “Living World” Board
* Play against any combination of 13 historical personalities such as Alexander, Cleopatra and Tokugawa, which provide a range of play styles and difficulty levels that will test players’ wits and strategy
* Fans of the board game will enjoy the inclusion of popular house rules like Friendly Robber and Friendly Resources
* Multiplayer gameplay over Xbox LIVE for up to 4 players
* The ability to taunt opponents with engaging animations and use emotes to compliment (or belittle!) the opposition over Xbox LIVE
* Voice Chat enabled
* Earn up to 12 Achievements and 200 Gamerscore points

Arthropods Attack! “Centipede” and “Millipede” Invade Xbox LIVE Arcade

Two of Atari’s best loved coin-op classics, “Centipede” and “Millipede,” will be available for download on Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360 beginning Wednesday, May 2 at 0900 GMT (2:00 a.m. Pacific).

The classic version of “Centipede” challenges gamers to defend their villages against an onslaught of centipedes, spiders, army ants and more. Xbox LIVE Arcade gamers will also have access to an “Evolved” version which features pre-rendered, high definition graphics, special effects like motion blur, trails and particle-based explosions that make this classic as enjoyable today as it was in the arcade decades ago.

In “Millipede,” the primary challenge is to obliterate chains of arthropods that creep down from the top of the screen. Scattered mushrooms are the gamers’ main tool to shoot, destroy and redirect the menacing millipedes. “Millipede” also offers up Xbox LIVE Arcade gamers an “Evolved” version of this coin-op classic.

“Centipede” and “Millipede” will be available worldwide as a joint download for 400 Microsoft Points and are rated E for Everyone.

Game Features

· Two games in one! Enjoy both classic and evolved versions of both “Centipede” and “Millipede”

· Dolby Digital surround sound

* Earn up to 12 Achievements and 200 Gamerscore points

Xbox Live Arcade fans are in for a nice treat. Three arcade titles are coming out, each giving gamers something nice for their gaming pleasure.

Legendary board game “Catan” arrives on Xbox LIVE Arcade

Brush up on your plans for expansion and hone your trading strategies because “Catan” is coming to Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360 this Wednesday, May 2 at 0900 GMT (2:00 a.m. Pacific).

“Catan” from Big Huge Games is the Xbox LIVE Arcade edition of the legendary multiplayer board game Settlers of Catan. With over 10 million units sold, Settlers of Catan is one of the most popular board games to hail from Europe, and has been translated into twenty-five languages from the original German.

“Catan” for Xbox LIVE Arcade puts players in the role of colonists on a newly discovered island, where they vie for control of valuable territory and resources through strategy and trading. The game can be learned in just minutes, but will challenge players of all skill levels, even the experts!

Klaus Teuber, creator of the original Settlers of Catan board game, had this to say about the collaboration with Big Huge Games: “I had no doubts that Brian Reynolds would do a great job, and the first version of the game exceeded my highest expectations. The AI is so clever that I even lost several games in a row! Hands down, this game for the Xbox LIVE Arcade is an amazing achievement.”

“Catan” will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points and is rated E for Everyone.

Game Features

* Learn As You Play tutorial, making the game instantly accessible even to players who have never played “Settlers of Catan” before
* All New 3D “Living World” Board
* Play against any combination of 13 historical personalities such as Alexander, Cleopatra and Tokugawa, which provide a range of play styles and difficulty levels that will test players’ wits and strategy
* Fans of the board game will enjoy the inclusion of popular house rules like Friendly Robber and Friendly Resources
* Multiplayer gameplay over Xbox LIVE for up to 4 players
* The ability to taunt opponents with engaging animations and use emotes to compliment (or belittle!) the opposition over Xbox LIVE
* Voice Chat enabled
* Earn up to 12 Achievements and 200 Gamerscore points

Arthropods Attack! “Centipede” and “Millipede” Invade Xbox LIVE Arcade

Two of Atari’s best loved coin-op classics, “Centipede” and “Millipede,” will be available for download on Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360 beginning Wednesday, May 2 at 0900 GMT (2:00 a.m. Pacific).

The classic version of “Centipede” challenges gamers to defend their villages against an onslaught of centipedes, spiders, army ants and more. Xbox LIVE Arcade gamers will also have access to an “Evolved” version which features pre-rendered, high definition graphics, special effects like motion blur, trails and particle-based explosions that make this classic as enjoyable today as it was in the arcade decades ago.

In “Millipede,” the primary challenge is to obliterate chains of arthropods that creep down from the top of the screen. Scattered mushrooms are the gamers’ main tool to shoot, destroy and redirect the menacing millipedes. “Millipede” also offers up Xbox LIVE Arcade gamers an “Evolved” version of this coin-op classic.

“Centipede” and “Millipede” will be available worldwide as a joint download for 400 Microsoft Points and are rated E for Everyone.

Game Features

· Two games in one! Enjoy both classic and evolved versions of both “Centipede” and “Millipede”

· Dolby Digital surround sound

* Earn up to 12 Achievements and 200 Gamerscore points