Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Alien Swarm and Source-based SDK launching for free this Monday]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/18/alien-swarm-and-source-based-sdk-launching-for-free-this-monday/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/18/alien-swarm-and-source-based-sdk-launching-for-free-this-monday/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/18/alien-swarm-and-source-based-sdk-launching-for-free-this-monday/#commentsFiled under: , ,

In an announcement perhaps meant to obliterate the definition of "Valve Time," the publisher announced that Alien Swarm has been rebuilt in Source Engine and will be released -- for free, no less -- tomorrow, Monday, July 19. The team that originally built the mod for UT2004 has since been hired on by Valve for work on the Left 4 Dead series and Portal 2, but luckily found enough time to move their game over to Valve's game engine between bouts of working on those other two games.

If you're so inclined, you can pre-load Alien Swarm starting right now before it goes live tomorrow. Oh! And when it does go live, Valve will also release the full SDK for the game, allowing users to get a more thorough look at what makes the game tick. Us? We're just excited to blast swarms of aliens with the totally insane looking flamethrower seen above. Hit the break for a trailer of the game in action.

[Thanks, Morey]

Gallery: Alien Swarm (Source)

Continue reading Alien Swarm and Source-based SDK launching for free this Monday

JoystiqAlien Swarm and Source-based SDK launching for free this Monday originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 18 Jul 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alien-swarmpcsdksource-enginesteamunreal-tournament-2004valvevalve-softwareSun, 18 Jul 2010 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[GOG.com offers good ol' deal on Unreal titles]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/28/gog-com-offers-good-ol-deal-on-unreal-titles/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/28/gog-com-offers-good-ol-deal-on-unreal-titles/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/28/gog-com-offers-good-ol-deal-on-unreal-titles/#comments
Believe it or not, there was a time before Unreal Tournament III when the series was (gasp!) not purely about multiplayer. It had ... a story. This story is about how the purveyors of good ol' games at GOG.com remember these less competitive times, and want their patrons to, as well. So, from now through next Monday, August 31, the site is offering the plot-driven Unreal and Unreal II: The Awakening for $8.49 a pop.

Of course, if you're still keen to revisit the transition into a tournament-play franchise, the first Unreal Tournament and still-quite-excellent Unreal Tournament 2004 are also being sold at the same low prices, through Monday. Us? We'll be playing other games, but are still glad we managed to make it through this post without referring to GOG.com's sale as an "unreal deal." (Wait, did that count?)

JoystiqGOG.com offers good ol' deal on Unreal titles originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>digital-extremesepicepic-gamesgog.comgood-old-gamesunrealunreal-2unreal-tournamentunreal-tournament-2004Fri, 28 Aug 2009 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Study finds 'action' video games can improve vision]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/study-finds-action-video-games-can-improve-vision/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/study-finds-action-video-games-can-improve-vision/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/study-finds-action-video-games-can-improve-vision/#comments
So, we've got good and bad news for you. First, the good news: A study conducted by the University of Rochester has found that "the very act of action video game playing enhances contrast sensitivity." Rather, playing lots of Call of Duty might actually help keep your eyes in shape and the contrasts in color sharp as you age. But now, the bad news: Those 100+ hours you sunk into Fallout 3 may not have helped.

The study explains that, of the "expert video game players" tested, the "VGP group" (group playing "action" games Unreal Tournament 2004 and Call of Duty 2) exhibited "enhanced contrast sensitivity" versus the "NVGP group" (the folks playing "non-action" game The Sims 2), especially in the light of the population differences' interactions with spatial frequencies. Wait, WHAT?!

In so many words, majority percentages of the "VGP group" were clustering together on the high end of the scale while "NVGP group" numbers were clustering on the other end. Professor Gary Rubin, of the University College London Institute of Ophthalmology, sums up these findings rather nicely, saying, "This is a small study, showing a small effect, but it was carefully done, and merits further investigation."

[Via BBC]

JoystiqStudy finds 'action' video games can improve vision originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BethesdaBethesda-Game-StudiosBethesda-Softworkscall-of-dutycall-of-duty-2eyesightfallout-3gary-rubinimagesresearchRPGthe-sims-2university-of-rochesterunreal-tournament-2004Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Scientists find red team is better than blue team (seriously)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/12/scientists-find-red-team-is-better-than-blue-team-seriously/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/12/scientists-find-red-team-is-better-than-blue-team-seriously/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/12/scientists-find-red-team-is-better-than-blue-team-seriously/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Finally. Proof that red team roolz. The scientific journal "Cyberpsychology & Behavior" has published the results of a research study, finding that over the course of 1,347 matches of Unreal Tournament 2004, the red team beat the blue team 55% of the time. Yes, this is actually what passes for science now.

One neuroscientist reasons that the slight red team advantage may be psychological, as the color red could prove distracting to men, "possibly because men flush and turn red when they're angry." As silly as that sounds, the study parallels a similar one performed in 2005, where it was found that wearing red in real-life one-on-one sporting events increased the likelihood of victory.

Acknowledging the findings of the research, Epic Games VP Mark Rein said they won't be changing the classic multiplayer colors of Unreal Tournament anytime soon. At least now you have an excuse for losing all the time, right blue team?

JoystiqScientists find red team is better than blue team (seriously) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>PCresearchscienceunreal-tournament-2004ut2k4Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:55:00 EST