Here’s a piece of Defence Alliance promotional art, beta 1.5 is on the way!

The Dirt: UT2004 patch 3369 was recently released. This patch fixes (full change log here) many bugs that existed in gameplay, networking, and the Unreal engine. You can download the standard Windows version of the patch at FilePlanet or visit Ryan C. Gordon’s Icculus.org for the Linux, Mac, and Win64 versions.

Headlines: Red Orchestra Interview Eight Simple Ways to Screw Up UT2007 Santaduck Tools Updated Mark Rein Interview at C&VG; Mr. Pants' Excessive Overkill 3.02

Featured Article: Our UT2007 section has been updated to include all of the information that surfaced during E3. Everything that you could ever want to know or see is there!

		Mon · Feb 20 · 2006	Submit News | Submit Pics

Red Orchestra Interview - redef - 2/20/06 13:42 PST - UT2004 Modifications A quick interview with Tripwire Interactive’s Ingmar Spit has been posted at UnrealFans.com. Their interview, as you would have no doubt already assumed, concerns Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45. Here’s an excerpt: Q. How did RO stick around? I mean we see so many WW2 mods claiming they are so much better than every one else and claim to be so different but and up dying because everyone already has a favorite? A. Red Orchestra is more sim oriented then most currently available WW2 games. This approach already made for a very different game play experience in the MOD, on which we vastly expand in the retail game. Playing RO is just 'different' and, in my eyes, a next step in WW2 FPS mainstream gaming. People who are open to new experiences will have a good time switching over to RO.

		Sun · Feb 19 · 2006	Submit News | Submit Pics

Eight Simple Ways to Screw Up UT2007 - redef - 2/19/06 14:13 PST - Commentary and Fun Stuff The folks over at BeyondUnreal have published an article entitled Eight Simple Ways to Screw Up UT2007. As the title suggests, it details eight different aspects that they think could ruin UT2007 for a hardcore fan. Here’s part of number three: 3 - Pee Ess Three The plan was simple - two shooter franchises - Unreal Tournament for the PC, Unreal Championship for the consoles. Now, we have nothing against consoles, much less the PS3 (which if we are to believe Sony comes with its own personal jetpack, allows you to lose weight while playing and doubles the size of your penis). However, after the hideous abortion that was Unreal Championship 1, you'll forgive us for being a tad worried to hear that UT2007 will be coming to the Sony's next-gen box of tricks as well as the PC. In order for UT2007 to be done right, it needs to be first and foremost a PC title. Hopefully Epic won't lose sight of this while developing UT2007 for PS3 alongside the PC version.

Santaduck Tools Updated - redef - 2/19/06 14:10 PST - UT2004 Modifications Santaduck Tools for Mac UT2004 has been updated to version 3.0. A forum post provides all the necessary details, some of which you can read below. Definitely check it out if you're one of those Mac players! The Santaduck Toolpak, a set of utilities for the Mac OS X version of Unreal Tournament 2004, has been updated. Specifically the DropInstaller app has had some important bugfixes, and the Benchmarking applications have been updated to implement the enabling or disabling of audio as well as graphics rendering. The disabling of graphics rendering provides and indication of the CPU-limited processes, and is similar to the r_skiprender option in Doom3 benchmarking. Shadow rendering features have also been enabled for benchmarking, something made possible by the recent Mac 3369.2 patch for UT2004.

		Fri · Feb 17 · 2006	Submit News | Submit Pics

	Mark Rein Interview at C&VG; - redef - 2/17/06 13:21 PST - Commentary and Fun Stuff Computer & Video Games has managed to interview Mark Rein and get some interesting bits of information out of him. Much of their conversation concerns Gears of War, but there’s also some Unreal Engine and Epic-related content. Here’s an excerpt concerning Gears of War: The [Gears of War] multiplayer testing sounds intriguing though? We haven't heard too much about that before. Mark Rein: Oh yeah, it's a lot of fun. The multiplayer has - well I don't want to pigeon hole it by saying it has a Counter-Strike feel to it - but imagine a more tactical Counter-Strike, where team work is absolutely essential, where cover is absolutely essential and it's just a lot of fun. We've had eight-player matches, they go on for a long time and everyone's really enjoying testing them out.
	Mr. Pants' Excessive Overkill 3.02 - redef - 2/17/06 13:08 PST - UT2004 Modifications MadNad has released version 3.02 of the UT2004 version of Mr. Pants' Excessive Overkill. This version fixes a variety of bugs, adds some new features (listed below), and allows for akimbo equipping of six different weapons. You can download a Zip and Umod version at FilePlanet. New Features Linkgun linking adds more beams and projectiles Can Blow up charged goo ball into pieces Added bouncy shock projectiles. Added akimbo weapons for BioRifle, ShockRifle, Minigun, FlakCannon, and RocketLauncher added webadmin excessive configuration added excessive server advertisement variables Added ability to turn of regen of ammo Added server option to keep all weapon pickups Added server option to keep only Akimbo weapon pickups Added server option to keep ammo pickups Added the scorpion charged jump Changed sniper rifle ( lighting gun ) to used a charged fire mode New napalm effects for flame thrower alt fire Added server option to disable any weapon
	Pandora Studios Seeking Lead Artist - Virax - 2/17/06 8:26 PST - General UT2004 News Pandora Studios, LLC - the developers of the high quality FragOps mod, as well as the in-progress FragOps: Zero Squad game and another unannounced title being developed on the Reality Engine - are seeking a new lead artist. Of course, you'll want the details on the job: Location: N/A (Online) Salary: Profit sharing, with payment upon product shipping Responsibilities: Produce models and skins, both rigid and organic, in a timely manner Produce normal maps by using high-poly modeling skills Report directly to the lead designer on art progress, providing renders and previews as needed Create a solid workflow for content creation and integration of content with the game engine Lead the art department by providing direction and tasks to other artists Required Qualifications: Multi-year experience in 3D Studio Max Strong low-poly and high-poly modelling skills Intermediate UV mapping and skinning knowledge Familiarity with content creation for games Able to work in a team environment Strong communication skills Dedicated work ethic Reliability Portfolio Requirements: Low-poly models recently created for games: Organic models Rigid models UV maps Skins Normal maps (or equivalent high-poly models) As many ingame examples of the above as possible Interested applicants should email cris@pandora-studios.com.

		Thu · Feb 16 · 2006	Submit News | Submit Pics

RO:Ostfront 41-45 - Steamy Pre-Ordering - Virax - 2/16/06 8:03 PST - General Unreal News In a follow-up to the game trailer released Tuesday, Tripwire Interactive has announced that Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45 is now available for pre-load and pre-purchase via Steam. Not only is this a chance to practically have the game already installed when the game comes out, but those who do pre-purchase are recieving a 10% discount off of the already low retail price of $24.95. I apologize if I sound like a broken record - or worse, a TV commercial - but I remember the very first release of RO, and boy, this game has come a long way. If these developers don't deserve a little free advertising, no one does. Aaaanyhow, for more details on pre-ordering, head here. For more details on the game, just head on over to the official site!

		Wed · Feb 15 · 2006	Submit News | Submit Pics

Cosmic Rapture Released - redef - 2/15/06 23:45 PST - UT2004 Modifications Shai'tan, a graduating student from the Game Design program at the Vancouver Film School, sent word of a UT2004 mod that he created as part of his curriculum. His email provides the info: If you're interested in some free entertainment, in the last four months I've created "Cosmic Rapture", a contra-esque side-scroller shooter using the Unreal Engine, with a single level balanced for up to 8-player co-op online. If you grab a copy of Unreal Tournament 2004 and the latest patch, it's a quick 33 meg download and should entertain you for at least an hour, if not longer.

Vision Studios Hiring - redef - 2/15/06 23:42 PST - General Unreal News Vision Studios, the folks who are best known for the creation of the Strike Force mod, are looking to recruit level designers for their upcoming projects. Here’s the info: Job: Level Designer (Full Time and Part-Time Positions - "Freelance") Vision Studios LLC is looking for one or more level designers to work on one of three upcoming 3d action titles using the Unreal 3 & Reality Engine. Candidates must: Have excellent level design skills using one or more of the following: UED Have playable levels & screen shots Be passionate about games and level design Excellent verbal and written communication skills Ability to think creatively and analytically. Ability and willingness to accept and follow direction, collaborate productively with others, and work "crunch time" to meet deadlines as necessary. Positive, professional attitude. Disciplined and self-motivated with a strong work ethic. Excellent organizational skills. Ability to multitask effectively, prioritizes competing demands, and follow through on details. Must be flexible enough to deal with changing role requirements. Other preferable skills include: Single player & multiplayer map experience is a plus Professional work or published mod work is a plus 3DS Max experience Send resumes & portfolio to: Mike 'Optimizer' Hamlett - vsllc@nc.rr.com