SCOTT DRAEKER INTERVIEW (26 June 2000, 13:52 EST) GameSpy's James Hill talked with Loki Entertainment Software President Scott Draeker about his company's success as the Linux porter of choice for many top-selling PC games.
In the interview, Draeker discsses numerous topics with Hill, ranging from the growing support for Linux has impacted Loki and where he sees the Linux gaming market going in the future.
Loki's contributions to the Civilization began with the port of Civilization: Call To Power to the Linux OS last year; it was the first commercial game to land in the Linux corner in its short history. They are currently working on Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri and its Alien Crossfire expanson pack which are currently in private beta testing. -DanQ
COLUMN #121; BY ADAMADA (24 June 2000, 9:30 EST) adaMada wrestles with the question about some users' reputation in the Off-Topic forum in his article entitled "The Spammer's Reputation".
MID-WEST ACS BBQ (28 June 2000, 18:13 EST) Steve Wilson, aka MacUser -- the webmaster of our CivII Mac section -- is looking to see if there is any interest in holding an Apolyton CS Barbeque in Kansas City, Missouri.
If so, let him know in the related forum thread. No date, preliminary or otherwise, has yet been set. -DanQ
VISIBLE PRESENCE (24 June 2000, 9:11 EST) In the 390th installment of the Top 100 PC Games, published every week by Global 100, Civilization: Call To Power has a fix on the 28th spot on the countdown, just ahead of Nox developed by Westwood Studios.
THERE AND BACK AGAIN (24 June 2000, 9:09 EST) In the 390th installment of the Top 100 PC Games, published every week by Global 100, Civilization II: Test Of Time has regained its 12th position standing, jumping two notches over its performance last week.
CRUISE CONTROL (24 June 2000, 9:08 EST) In the 390th installment of the Top 100 PC Games, published every week by Global 100, Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri/Sid Meier's Alien Crossfire has put on cruise control as it retains the #4 spot for the the third week in a row.
CLASH UPDATES (23 June 2000, 8:54 EST) The Clash Of Civilizations website has been given its first overhaul in three months. Webmaster Dom reports:
"Rodrigo Quijada has developed new Government, Social, and Riot Models. They are now tightly integrated, and represent a major step forward in this crucial segment of the Clash System!
Mark Everson has added some new Graphics to the Map AI Model. Very intriguing! The Demo 5 Central page contains the very latest links and buzz on a subject that's of interest to everyone!
[And finally] Richard Bruns has been working hard to refine the NEW Climate & Ecology Model. Check it out!"
Speaking of the pending fifth incarnation of the Clash demo, its projected release date is September 30th, 2000. -DanQ
NEW CIV GAME ON THE WORKS (25 June 2000, 8:02 EST)Erik Engheim informed of a new civ game that he has recently begun working on. "I do not try to make a clone of Civilization, instead I want to make a civ like game with features I think was missing in the original game. The way I see it, it would be more like a breed between SMAC, CTP and Imperialism II" Erik said to us. To find out more have a look at http://erik.binary.no -MarkG
OPEN SOURCE CIVILIZATION (26 June 2000, 10:02 EST) Yesterday we told you about Civilization: The Rise & Fall of Empires, a freeware title currently under development for the Linux and BeOS platform. This morning we are excited to bring you word of another Civ-clone in the works: Open Source Civilization.
From its official website, the team of OSC has been working dilligently in seeing the project going through including keeping their visitors up-to-date on the latest developments through their site. The team is made up of 6 coders to date, 1 artist, and the design stage is the primary focus of 3-4 others.
On the growing list of accomplishments to date, a 3D engine for the game has already been constructed. Head over to our Alt. Civ forum to read up on what's new and up-and-coming. -DanQ
PC DATA: JUNE 11-17, 2000 (27 June 2000, 21:28 EST) For the week June 11-17, 2000, those listed below are the Top 10 Selling PC Computer Games based on sales data gathered by PCData based in Reston, Virgina. This chart is developed from data provided by 42 retail chains comprising more than 80% of the U.S. market.
The top three remain unchanged from last week, and both Roller Coaster Tycoon Corkscrew Follies and SimCity 3000 Unlimited move up a notch.
1) Who Wants To Be A Millionaire 2nd Edition | Disney 2) The Sims | Electronic Arts 3) Vampire: The Masquerade -- Redemption | Activision 4) Roller Coaster Tycoon | Hasbro Interactive 5) Shogun: Total War | Electronic Arts 6) Roller Coaster Tycoon Corkscrew Follies | Hasbro Interactive 7) SimCity 3000 Unlimited | Electronic Arts 8) Age of Empires II | Microsoft 9) Who Wants To Be A Millionaire | Disney 10) Motorcross Madness 2 | Microsoft -DanQ
CHART-TRAK: JUNE 17, 2000 (26 June 2000, 19:17 EST)The Sims is unseated by a whirlwind entry on the Top Selling PC Games in the U.K. countdown for the week ending June 17, 2000. According to Chart-Trak, Shogun: Total War rockets past the competition entering into top spot in its debut week. All other titles fall a notch in turn, which knocks SimCity 3000 World Edition to sixth spot and off the leaderboard.
1) Shogun: Total War | Electronic Arts 2) The Sims | Electronic Arts 3) Championship Manager: Season 99/00 | Eidos 4) Age of Empires II | Microsoft 5) Soldier Of Fortune | Activision -DanQ
CHART-TRAK: JUNE 24, 2000 (28 June 2000, 10:25 EST) Below are the Top Selling PC Games in the U.K. for the week ending June 24, 2000, according to Chart-Trak. Electronic Arts' Shogun: Total War is beginning its reign on the U.K. charts, having held onto the top spot for the second week in a row. Havas Interactive's Ground Control also broke into the top five this week, landing firmly at number four.
1) Shogun: Total War | Electronic Arts 2) The Sims | Electronic Arts 3) Championship Manager: Season 99/00 | Eidos 4) Ground Control | Havas Interactive 5) Age of Empires II | Microsoft -DanQ
CIVILOPEDIA IS BACK (21 June 2000, 20:24 EST) After a brief period of downtime, the Civilization III Civilopedia is back online. Webmaster Dustin Bainbridge is promising that something new is coming to the site, but that we'll just have to wait and see... -DanQ
Erik Engheim informed of a new civ game that he has recently begun working on.
