Filed under: Biz

Like many other states, Oklahoma wants to give some tax breaks to game developers in order to encourage the start of new high-tech business. Game Politics reports that a new bill for that state’s legislature would give such tax breaks..but there’s a catch.

The bill, if passed into law, would keep those tax breaks away from any game that is rated M or higher. Apparently the restrictions were at the instance of state senators, many of whom voted for 2006 law that would have restricted sales of certain games to minors (that law was thrown out in a court battle in 2007). It remains to be seen if this bill will be passed.

Oklahoma bill would keep tax breaks from M-rated games originally appeared on Big Download Blog on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Meta BD

Once again its been a busy week for features, downloads and news at Large Download. So let’s don’t waste any more time and check out the week’s highlights:

Exclusive features

• A look at fictional US presidents in Computer games: We celebrate the inarguration of a new president by looking at the fictional Commanders-in-Chief that have showed up in PC games over the year.
• From Ink to Bytes: Turning pen-&-paper RPGs into Computer games: We look at a number of RPGs that have been adapted for the Computer game platform and speculate on other titles that could get the treatment.
• Stardock reveals details on next version of Impulse Reactor: We chat with Stardock head Brad Wardell as he reveals how the the next version of Impulse Reactor could be a help in protecting games from piracy
• More Spore on the horizon: We chat with EA’s Maxis team on the next Computer game versions of their ideal selling alien evolution title
• Impressions: Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War II multiplayer beta: We give our hands-on impressions of the multiplayer beta for Relic’s upcoming RTS game
• Mirror’s Edge Computer review: We give our final verdict to the PC port of Digital Illusions’ first person action game
• Mac Monday: Our weekly Mac game column looks at the fantasy-themed puzzle game 4 Elements.
• MODmonday: Our weekly mod column looks at the original Team Fortress for Quake.
• Indie Showcase: Our weekly Indie column this week looks at a number of new indie games including the contraversial title Kristallnacht along with The Manipulator, Mirror Stage, and This Game is Wizard.
• Big Ideas: Our weekly column on game themes asks what makes the perfect game experience.
• Big Iron: Our weekly hardware column this week looks at how processors are using smaller and smaller integrated circuit etchings.
• Freeware Friday: Our weekly look at free games takes a look at the shooter-strategy title Tremulous.
• Virtual Bargain Bin: Our weekly look at cheap games checks out Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War Soulstorm.

Continue reading The Ideal of Large Download: January 19-25

The Ideal of Huge Download: January 19-25 originally appeared on Big Download Blog on Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Betas, Hardware, Action, RPG, RTS, Demigod, Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War II

Gamestop’s web site sometimes yields a few interestesting items. One of them is the official reveal of a Collector’s Edition for Demigod, the upcoming action-strategy-RPG hybrid game from developer Gas Powered Games and publisher Stardock. Priced at $49.99 ($10 more than the standard version) the Collector’s Edition will contain a music soundtrack CD, a poster and a pewter figurine.

The Gamestop post also lists the game’s minimal and recommend system requirements for Demigod. We consider this info to be unofficial at this point since it didn’t come directly from Gas Powered or Stardock but it might give you some idea of what kind of PC you will need to run the final game. Check out the (unofficial) requirements after the jump:

Continue reading Demigod Collector’s Edition features; system requirements revealed?

Demigod Collector’s Edition features; system requirements revealed? originally appeared on Big Download Blog on Sun, 25 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Downloads, RTS, Screenshots, Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3

The upcoming stand alone expansion pack Command and Conquer Red Alert 3: Uprising is looking like it will be an interesting experience for Electronic Arts. While they have offered up downloadable games in the past this title (along with the upcoming Battlefield Heroes) is a move to bring some of EA’s big franchises away from retail store releases.

The official C&C web site has posted up new screenshots from Uprising which we have reproduced here. As we have reported before it will contain four new single-player mini-campigns, new multiplayer maps, new units and the Commander’s Challenge mod along with new live-action cut-scenes. Look for the download to be made available sometime this March.

New Red Alert 3 Uprising screenshots released originally appeared on Big Download Blog on Sun, 25 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Downloads, Hardware

Microsoft’s beta release of their upcoming Windows 7 OS suffered through some issues at first as tons of people wanted to download the file. Microsoft extended the inital deadline until, well, this day. However on Friday Microsoft officially announced that they were pushing back the deadline yet again.

On the official Windows 7 blog site the announcement was made that the final deadline to download the beta will now be February 10. So you still have over two weeks to decided whether or not you want to take the risk to install the OS on your Computer. The beta expires in August and Windows 7 itself is currently speculated to be released sometime before the end of the year.

Windows 7 beta download deadline extended again originally appeared on Massive Download Blog on Sat, 24 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Culture

While Microsoft was busy this week shutting down game studios and laying off other game oriented team members, it also revealed that they’ll be making some changes for its huge game development conference Gamefest. While the official Gamefest web site does not have a specific date, Gamasuta reports that the Seattle based conference will not be held in 2009 after all.

Instead Microsoft plans to run the event sometime in the first quarter of 2010 in order to make the event more accessible to game developers who want to attend. Microsoft made a number of major Personal computer game announcements at their 2008 Gamefest including the announcement that Games For Windows Live would be completely free and the first details on DirectX11, the 3D graphics API that’ll likely launch as part of Windows 7.

No Microsoft Gamefest in 2009? originally appeared on Huge Download Blog on Sat, 24 Jan 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Culture

Yep, we can’t seem to get away from 2008, especially when it comes to awards. This week the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences announced the nominees for its 12th annual Interactive Achievement Awards. The awards themselves will be given out during the DICE Summit in Las Vegas on Feb. 19.

The awards were very good for Left 4 Dead and Fallout 3; both games got a number of nominations in various categories, including both PC game of the year and overall game of the year. We are curious as to why Spore was named as a nominee for best PC game of the year and not Sins of a Solar Empire, but you can’t have everything. Check out the full nominee list after the jump.

Continue reading 2008 Interactive Achievement Awards nominees announced

2008 Interactive Achievement Awards nominees announced originally appeared on Big Download Blog on Sat, 24 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Downloads, Strategy

Last time we checked in with Capcom on the long delayed Personal computer release of Age of Booty their spokesperson stated they were targeting a release sometime this month. Well the downloadable pirate themed strategy game from developer Certain Affinity seems to have run into yet another delay.

According to a new IGN article, Capcom now appears to be targeting a late February release for the PC version. The release would be timed with updates to the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions which were made available last fall. There’s still no word as to why the Computer version of Age of Booty has been pushed back yet again.

Yet another delay for Computer Age of Booty? originally appeared on Huge Download Blog on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Biz, Simulation

Microsoft’s layoffs this week affected their PC gaming development business heavily with the company now confirming that their internal ACES Studio, home of the Microsoft Flight Simulator series, had been shut down. However, IGN reports that Microsoft may not be closing the doors on the Flight Sim series.

According to a Microsoft spokesperson, “We are committed to the Flight Simulator franchise which has proven to be a successful PC based game for the last 27 years. You should expect us to continue to invest in enabling great LIVE experiences on Windows, including flying games, but we have nothing specific to announce at this time.” Microsoft has said much the same thing about the Age of Empires franchise, saying they plan to release new games in the RTS series despite the closure of its dev team at Ensemble Studios.

Microsoft Flight Simulator series to continue? originally appeared on Big Download Blog on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Downloads, Strategy

GoG.com is making their own weekend download game sale a regular habit. This day the DRM-free download site offers its customers a way to get several of the titles in the Jagged Alliance series of turn-based strategy games at a good discount for the weekend.

Yep you can now get four games in the cult series first created by the now defunct Sirtech for one low price. Jagged Alliance, Jagged Alliance: Deadly Games, Jagged Alliance 2 and Jagged Alliance 2: Unfinished Business can be purchased for just $24.99, a 30 percent discount from its normal price. If you already own one or more of the games in the bundle you can get each game for a $1.50 discount with the exception of Jagged Alliance 2: Unfinished Business which gets a $1 discount. The sale ends at 11:59 pm ET on Monday.

Jagged Alliance weekend bundle deal on GoG.com originally appeared on Big Download Blog on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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