Also on this issue:  Hannibal CTP2 Scenario
INFLUENTIAL FORCE IN GAMING
(22 March 2001, 11:38 EST) GameSpy UK has posted its second round of "The Godfathers of Gaming", their feature of the sites editors' 24 most influential forces in gaming; included in this list is none other than Sid Meier.

just having Sid Meier's name on the box is almost enough to guarantee a hit, GSpy UK writes. He's a game designer par excellence whose skill is to develop original titles where gameplay is measured in months rather than hours, and where hours pass like minutes.

Our thanks to GameSpot UK Production Editor Laura Stobart for the newstip. -DanQ

HANGDOG.CA: STAFF WANTED
(20 March 2001, 0:14 EST) We received an email message from Johnny Was, Editor of HangDog.ca, saying that they are looking for staff members for their start-up gaming site. From their website:

Do you love to play games? Can you form coherent thoughts and put them in an email? Do you own your own pants? Do you believe that the novels of Martyn Iannece are pretentious $%#*!?

If you answered YES to any of these questions you might be right for a career in politics. If, however, that doesn't appeal to you [or you're already a politician] maybe you'd like to write game reviews n' stuff here at hangdog!

You can email Was at abandoned@sympatico.ca. -DanQ

PCDATA CHART LISTING DISCONTINUED
(22 March 2001, 11:47 EST) If you have been a regular visitor to Apolyton for at least a month, you may have begun to expect a weekly posting of the Top 10 Selling Computer Games for the PC platform to be posted in our Miscellaneous section.

We are now serving notice that we have discontinued providing this service ourselves but wish to alert you to the fact that our host, the GameStats News Network, now carries the weekly list themselves. We recommend that you visit GameStats and bookmark the aforementioned page to get your dose of the top of pops four times a month -- they update their listing every Thursday. -DanQ

Apolyton
News

18-24/Mar/01


GSPOT-UK INTERVIEWS MEIER
(22 March 2001, 12:12 EST) We receieved word from GameSpot UK's Production Editor Laura Stobart that an interview with Sid Meier was posted on their site earlier today.

Here are some excerpts from the interview:

GameSpot UK: The Civ series is still rated one of the best strategy games of all time - is it possible to improve on perfection?

Sid: Yes! We're taking the "light-hearted" fun elements of Civ, the depth of CivII and the technological advancements of Alpha Centauri, refining and improving them, and adding many new features and ideas we've gathered from years of Civ player feedback, to make CivIII the best Civ experience ever.

GameSpot UK: Who or what has been the biggest influence on your career as a games designer and why?

Sid: The gaming fans have been and continue to be my biggest influence. The messages I receive from people who play my games, whether in the form of support, encouragement, criticisms or suggestions, influence my game-making the most. And I really appreciate all of it.

GameSpot UK: What do you think are the biggest challenges facing games developers today?

Sid: It costs a lot of money to make games unique and exciting for today's gamers and it's more difficult getting the attention of consumers because of the number of titles out there. And technological advancements have presented more opportunities to create better looking and playing games than ever before.

Last but not least, GSpot-UK asks Meier to look forward to the future in the twenty-first century.

GameSpot UK: What do you think of the battle of the next-generation consoles?

Sid: The future will show that there will be distinct segments in the gaming market - single player, multiplayer, console, online only - and each segment will grow along side each other, not at the demise of another. -DanQ


CHIPS&BITS TOP 10 16-22/MAR/01
(24 March 2001, 20:28 EST) No changes at the top 3 for Chips&Bits sales chart.

EUROPA UNIVERSALIS is unchanged at #1. ICEWIND DALE: HEART OF WINTER is still at #2. SPACE EMPIRES IV is hanging at #3.

1. Europa Universalis ($39.95)
2. Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter ($28.95)
3. Space Empires IV ($42.95)
4. NASCAR Racing IV ($42.95)
5. Grim Fandango ($9.95)
6. Fighting Steel ($19.95)
7. Hollywood Mogul ($28.95)
8. B-17 Flying Fortress 2 ($44.95)
9. Fate of the Dragon: Three Kingdoms ($34.95)
10. Championship Manager (5) 00'-'01 ($42.95)

STARSIEGE TRIBES 2 and BLACK & WHITE are coming out soon and are expected to hit the top, according to C&B -MarkG


CTP TRIBES ON GAMELEAGUE!
(21 March 2001, 18:07 EST) March 8th was a great for CTP(1 not 2!). GameLeague announced the expansion of their tribe feature to include CTP. 8 Tribes have already formed. Let the battle begin! -MarkG

CTP PBEM CHART 18/3/2001
(19 March 2001, 17:49 EST) The chart has been updated, here it is straight from Solver's desk

RANK NAME................... RATING WIN. LOSS NAT.TR
0001 KLAIR.................. 23.256 0027 0000 FRA...
0002 MOBIUS................. 23.248 0020 0000 GBR.EN
0003 SWISSY................. 21.840 0009 0001 USA.IL
0004 RICK_ELKINS............ 21.583 0012 0008 USA.NY
0005 ST_JON................. 21.160 0034 0034 GBR.EN
0006 STAVROS................ 21.004 0044 0017 GER...
0007 KRALJ_MATJAZ........... 20.982 0024 0003 SLO...
0008 SLAMP.................. 20.964 0022 0008 FRA...
0009 QUINNS................. 20.951 0033 0030 USA.CA
0010 LUNG................... 20.924 0015 0008 AUS.SW

Details at the forums (as always). -MarkG


Also on this issue:  Hannibal CTP2 Scenario

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