A Random Game Related Picture

EverQuest Phase 4 Beta CD. Now where are my Beta 2 cds..

Atari Comes to Steam

I expect more publishers to sign up in the future:

March 12, 2008 - Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR), one of the world's most recognized brands and a third-party video game publisher and distributor, and Valve today announced an agreement to bring a variety of PC games from the Atari catalog to Steam, a leading platform for the delivery and management of PC games and digital content with over 15 million accounts around the world.

Starting today, gamers in North America may add the following Atari titles to their Steam games library:

Act of War: Direct Action - a real-time strategy experience that puts players squarely in control of counterterrorist forces and delivers a first look at tomorrow's war.

Act of War: High Treason - an ultra-realistic modern military real-time strategy game.

ArmA: Combat Operations - a first person tactical military shooter with large elements of realism and simulation.

Atari 80 Classics in 1 - the ultimate collection of the original games that inspired generations of gamers.

Death to Spies - third-person stealth action game that immerses the player into the atmosphere of World War II military intelligence operations.

Desperados 2: Cooper's Revenge - an RTS set in a thrilling Western atmosphere.

Indigo Prophecy - a thrilling supernatural mystery adventure game.

RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Platinum - combines the roller coaster theme park fun of the Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 with included expansion packs Soaked! and Wild!

Tycoon City: New York - a tycoon simulation game set in one of America's most exciting metropolises.

In the coming weeks, The Witcher, the award winning RPG of 2007, Neverwinter Nights 2 and the expansion pack NeverWinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer - the sequel to one of the best-selling and genre-defining role-playing games ever - will also be added to Atari's Steam lineup.

Alternative Programming

Tired of reading yet another article about polygons and shaders? Check these links out:

Donkey Kong and Me, multiplatform programming and licensing in the days of Atari-past.

Using Microsoft Excel as a 3D engine at Gamasutra... really!

Spore ported to iPhone

Apple announced a slew of new features for the iPhone today including the release of their software development kit (SDK). One of the demonstrations applications shown was a quickie port of Spore from EA as well as a port of Sega's Super Monkey Ball, both hardware 3D accelerated with OpenGL ES. Will this usher in a new era of mobile gaming?

Applications will be distributed through iTunes, with the developer receiving a 70% share of revenue. Signing as a developer will cost $99 annually. Apple will also allow free applications to be distributed through iTunes.

D&D Story Manager answers /.

Slashdot has up answers to some of its users questions about the upcoming 4th Edition of Dungeons and Dragons including how the new ruleset relates to videogames. Head over and have a look.

RIP Gary Gygax

Sad news came today as word spread that Gary Gygax, one of the creators of Dungeons & Dragons has passed away. His role in shaping not only pen and paper Role Playing Games but electronic ones as well will never be forgotten. RIP.

Dungeons and Dragons Experience updates

Wizards of the Coast is currently hosting the Dungeons and Dragons Experience in Virginia and news about the upcoming Fourth Edition (4E) of the game is starting to leak out. Check out Wired for a scan of the 4th Edition Player Character sheet and also keep an eye on ENWorld and GleeMax for all the latest from the festival.

Update: Wizards has released the character sheets in PDF (ZIP).

Update: AICN's exclusive playtest review: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Update: Videos from the conference (thanks to Krypt0nian).