In This FPS, Cheating Is Encouraged

animated image courtesy of Alpha Beta Gamer

In Screencheat, a new first person shooter game for the PC being developed by Surprise Attack Games, not only is cheating encouraged, it's actually a key game mechanic. Screencheat is a multi-player first-person shooter where each player is invisible! That means that the only way you can figure out where you or your opponents are is by looking looking at THEIR side of the screen, figure out where they are and hunt them down. Here is the reveal trailer for Screencheats that was released last week:




If that's not enough to whet your whistle, you can check out the free public beta for the game that starts in August here!

EA Expands Potential Social Network For MMORPGs, Finally Makes Shawn Fanning Rich

Shawn Fanning, best known for founding Napster, has a new job. He will be working at Electronic Arts, which is about to buy his social-network-gaming startup Rupture for $30 million, according to sources with knowledge of the deal. His co-founder Jon Baudanza will also join Electronic Arts. Rumors of a possible deal for just such a buy-out offer began swirling in early February when TechCrunch first broke the story, but did not know the identity of the buyer.

Rupture’s first product was a social network for players of the online video game World of Warcraft, but it only came out with a beta version and kept delaying its public launch.

Electronic Arts is buying the company for its technology, since it doesn’t have a lot of users (it was only ever in beta) and never launched the second version of its service. Presumably, creating social networks around MMORPGs is a key component of its online strategy. The company has not yet officially announced the acquisition, but it is expected to do so soon.

Rupture had previously raised only $2.5 to $3 million in an angel round last summer from investors including Ron Conway, Joi Ito, Reid Hoffman, and Baseline Ventures. Although this is not Fanning’s first startup, it is his first real payday. Napster helped change the music industry, but it went bankrupt doing so. And although he just sold his second startup SnoCap to Imeem, that was more of a pity fu mercy acquisition.

Beta Build of Sleeper Hit Rythmn Game "Rez" for Dreamcast Released

K-Project, the beta version of Rez for the Dreamcast. The file is a self-booting image that will fit on a standard 80-Minute CD-R.

Here are the details from the .NFO file:

K-Project, the beta version of Rez for the Dreamcast. The file is a self-booting image that will fit on a standard 80-Minute CD-R.

Here are the details from the .NFO file

==== K-Project ====
(Rez beta version)

Date: March 3, 2008
# of RARs: 7 x 20MB
Filename: kprjbeta

Some notable differences from the retail version:

- Debug menus appear in the beginning of the game; this can
sometimes disappear if this isn't your first time playing the disc.
- A mouse cursor appears during the beginning; a mouse can probably
be used to mess with the debug menus.
- Loading screen shows 'Project Eden'; the title screen says 'VIBES.'
- The menus are different from the retail release.
- Some of the sound effects have changed from the retail release.
- The music is mostly different from the retail release.
- The bosses act differently than in the retail release.
- The timing of the attack waves is less precise than the retail
version, and sometimes groups of enemies will appear and disappear
during transitional sections.
- The VMU displays a different animation than the retail version.
- The options on the main menu are different:
PLAY - Same as retail
EXTRA - Play all areas one after the other, like BEYOND mode
in retail, sans options
REPLAY - Shows a replay of your last played game
DEMO - Similar to HOW TO PLAY in retail, but can select
tutorial or short demos from stages 1 to 4
- Sometimes a small debug window flashes at the top right of the screen.
- Some of the graphics in-game are different from the retail version.
- The end-of-level score screen looks different.
- You can continue right where you died, unlike in the retail version.
- There is a unique intro to each Boss in the Boss Rush area which is
not in the retail version. You shoot groups of enemies that
form the name of the boss to earn bonus points.
- There is no music during the Boss Rush.
- The third boss in the Boss Rush is different.
- The final boss is similar to the retail version, but you start in the
center and gradually pan out at each evolutionary stage. The
video footage between each stage is also different.
- There is no ending, but the Boss Rush is labelled as Area 6 and you
are scored separately from Area 5.
- There's a sinister 3D picture on the options scrren.
- VMU saving, just like the retail version, works fine and takes 9 blocks.

== Nothing was ripped from the GD-R to create a burnable MIL-CD. ==
== This MIL-CD image was kept as true as possible to the GD-R in ==
== all possible ways, including the track and files structure. ==

Wow, this sounds like a hell of a find. Here's the original link:
http://underground-gamer.com/details.php?id=27140

Here's the megaupload version:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=J5HR8VNM

A hat tip to the Lost Levels forums, where you can also get a guide to the Dreamcast Keyboard commands for the debug menu for the Rez Beta.

RPGX.org Release New Game For Cheapos, People Eating Fast Food

Hey! If you read this blog, chances are you like tabletop games. And unless you're some kind of mutant commie Bolshevik space alien, you probably like board games, too.

Have the RPGX crew got something for you!

X-Craft: Fast Food Table Top Strategy!

X-Craft is a 2 player, hex map board game that can be played with loose change and a drinking straw. The game was originally created to be played on the back of "generic" fast food wrappers containing a hex map design. Rules are simple and a game usually lasts about an hour.

The downloadable rule book folds into a 4 page booklet no bigger than a standard sized buisness card. Rules are availible for download now.

You can beta test the new rules for free!

X-Craft "Beta Version"