When I attempted to restart ATFW in 2004, I didn't realize the path I would take. I was without internet for a few months and then I was back at work and had to juggle All the Myriad Things in Life. As time passed, I figured I eventually might have time here and there to update. Brian helped out for a while, but keeping up on something like this can be damned near impossible when you have a job, a social life, a significant other, other priorities, and need the elusive shot of Me Time.

I had hoped for many months that I would be able to return with some sort of renewed passion, but really, the moment has passed. Unless you have good chunks of time on multiple occasions each week, there are simply not enough hours in the day to scoop up news, to play and to write, and to publish after a day of work, a night out, or a night in. Five or ten hours per week isn't enough to successfully keep ATFW zooming.

I still game, mostly on the 360 (where the space combat I've experienced still suffers from console-suck. SW Battlefront II--yup, I'm pointing at you.) I don't game as much as I used to, and writing lots about one genre, which means also mostly playing just one genre, doesn't appeal to me now. I tend to write far more fiction these days than non-fiction in any case, and that's where I want to be.

The conclusion is: if you can only manage something half-assed, you might as well just engage ramming speed and go with the pretty boom. Some things do have to end, after all.

Stargamer.net is up and running, however, and they're trying to build some momentum. Hopefully, they will put together a solid staff that will share in duties and really start cracking. I may even pop in there from time to time, writing what I want to write and ignoring the day-to-day news that can take so long to compile.

I am sorry this took as long as it did, but surprise--perhaps I am a nostalgic optimist.

Word Verification On

A quick administrative note: word verification has been switched on to prevent comment spamming.

GalCiv 2 Beta 3 Manual and Tech Tree Visual

The Galactic Civilizations 2 website has been updated with word that Apolyton Directory offers a new tech tree screenshot.

In related news, the Beta 3 User Manual (screenshots plus info) can be viewed at the GalCiv2 forum.

STO: Two Questions, Two Answers

STGU provides a translation of a very brief Q&A (two questions regarding localization and the in-game economy) with Star Trek Online Executive Producer, Daron Stinnett. If you'd prefer to read the French original, click over to StarTrekMMOG.net.

FreeAllegiance.org New Cadet Session A

FreeAllegiance.org has announced that they have begun a new eight-week Cadet Session for new Allegiance players.

EVE Vids and Interview

The official EVE site hosts a pair of recent EVE videos that include gameplay footage set to a soundtrack by JunkieXL.

Also, Game Industry recently chatted with CCP's Reynir Petursson, who chats about the Cold War expansion and the game's community.

iMod v2.2 for MOO3

Laryllan sends word that iMod v2.2 for Master of Orion 3 is now available. A description of the mod follows, which is lifted from the mod's site:

iMOD is a modification for Master of Orion 3 to improve the multiplayer experience.

It features new, less annoying graphics and sounds, readable fonts, new player colors and gameplay changes. The first goal of iMOD is to make it possible to win with every race without allowing any killer races or strategies. For that reason, all race picks have been rebalanced, as have governments; every race features hardcoded modifiers and one race-specific level zero technology. The weapon system was changed with more emphasis on beam weapons, many changes have been done to the AI to make it a threat, and much more...

The mod weighs in at 34.2MB and can be downloaded at the mod's site.

X3 Footage

The official X site has word that German gaming site, JustGamers, has posted a two-minute video that features footage from X3, along with commentary (white noise for non-German speakers) from Bernd Lehahn.

B5 Starship Commander Updates

The B5SC site discloses that an initial alpha offering of the strategy title should be available in late September. Also, the devlog serves up details on a number of features that have recently been added to the work-in-progress.

Gal Civ 2 Dev Bloggage: Beta 3, UI, Graphics

Cari talks Galactic Civilizations 2 Beta 3, UI, and technical graphics details in a recent blog entry.

Vendetta Online Fixes

Vendetta Online has experienced a recent update, which addresses a few bugs, alters the XP system for newbie players, and changes wormhole and sector jumping rules.

EON Mag Preview (EVE)

Thanks to EVE-I for pointing out that CCP has posted a preview of the first issue of EON, a magazine devoted to EVE Online. The first issue will ship on October 1, and future issues will be released on a quarterly basis. A sneak peek of articles and the zine can be viewed at the EVE site.

The Epic Culture Clash?

Sometimes the emails I receive are so interestingly-worded in a blindingly original style that I feel compelled to share the entire thing. With no further ado, here's Silver Stiletto's heads up regarding Wing Commander Universe, which is currently in Pre-alpha status as an add-on (see release notes) to the Privateer Remake:

Wing Commander Privateer, the Han-Solo style space combat and piracy game has lingered in many gamers' hearts since its epic 1993 debut. The vaunted release of the open source, cross platform Privateer Remake 1.0 has brought with it political upheaval in the world of game development.

When faded Technicolor EGA memories from 1993 are shattered by the harsh reality of cold, hard 3d accelerated pixels, the calm ripples of the past congeal and explode into a torrent of desire, anguish and pain. It was like Lucas bringing the star wars legacy into the 21st century, stirring up previously calm, collected, knowing fans from decades past into a veritable whirlwind.

Naturally some want more, some want less, but everyone wants change. Unlike many Internet phenomenon, and perhaps similar to the epic Phantom Edit from 1999, the complaints about Privateer Remake did not remain in written English. Some of the disputants translated their elaborate expositions into C++ or python and others went straight into to .3ds and png. Users and developers began pounding out their own vision of how the game was--and how it should be, each with a vision both as opaque as frothing bubbling water and as clear as the sound of a graphite on a slate block.

It was as much a coming together of the community as would be an earth shattering, cataclysmic clashing of tectonic plates. But in the titanic crashing of the mountains of developers through the ethereal seas of cyberspace, three continents formed. The remake remained chipped but in tact, delivering the first stable update, version 1.2 with physics more similar to the original but retaining the subtle improvements of 1.0, but two entirely new land masses were chiseled from the uniform whole, traveling askew, opposite on a spectrum ranging from the pure past to the tumultuous future.

This future body, named Wing Commander Universe, a fork of the remake, offers a dissonance of starships from the early wing commander series and access to a mind boggling array of star systems and maps to explore, or rather tumble through, in the hopes that some distant memory may be sparked by the familiar stars packed into a swath of outlandish systems. In stark contrast, the other fork, Privateer Remake gold edition scooped while still in beta by the german news website returns to the placid meadows of the past, dissociating itself from both the sweeping changes of Wing Commander Universe and the even more nuanced changes of the Privateer Remake itself. And with each branch of the main tree comes an even more jarringly verbose crowd of developers all with unique memories of large blocky pixels and the coldest sea full of pirates, bounty hunters and one lucky Privateer.

Gotta love "faded Technicolor EGA memories". Posted as submitted. Thanks Silver Stiletto!

TBP v3.2 and Raider Wars v2.0

The Babylon Project, the stand-alone Babylon 5-based space sim, has been updated to v3.2. In addition to the updated base files, there is also a new version of the Raider Wars campaign (along with a v2.01 patch that addresses a crashing issue). Thanks to dabrain for the heads up.

ATFW Status Update

It seems as if I've been slacking off a great deal as of late, but it's my current goal to manage one day of updates per week. Between the job (which ends at the end of August), the obvious job search underway now, writing elsewhere, having some time for myself, and the indulgence of occasions of the social variety, I haven't had a lot of time for ATFW.

Having said that, "For the People, By the People" will continue its holding pattern while I'm in desperately-seeking-more-hours-in-the-day mode. Once the future job has been secured, and I've resettled, things should pick up again. In the meantime, I ask for your patience and understanding.

Flight Commander Patched

Eddie Benowitz has posted word that Flight Commander has been updated. Mostly geared towards the modding community, but it also adds a couple of multimedia features. Thanks CIC.

Gal Civ 2 Updates

Stardock announces that Paradox will be publishing Galactic Civilizations 2 in Europe. Paradox carries the full press release, which was created a couple of weeks ago.

The release of Beta 2 also saw the creation of a number of developer journal entries: CariElf discusses about efforts made on the new screens, mormegil shares eight screenshots from the second beta and also talks about UI design, BoogieBac offers a trio of concept art pieces and talks art, and Draginol reveals the release date (February 2006), gives an update on the game, where it stands, and how the beta will proceed, and also serves up four screenshots from the game.

X3 Screenshots

Egosoft have published a dozen screenshots in recent days that show off the X3.

Stargunner Freewared

Stargunner, a space/sci-fi shooter from then Apogee (now, 3D Realms), has been released as freeware. The 38.4 MB download includes 34 space-based and land-based levels (and one underwater level, to boot). Thanks Blue's.

Evochron v2.028

StarWraith 3D has updated their free-form space combat sim, Evochron, to v2.028. The latest patch can be applied via the game's installer or the full version can be grabbed from the gamesite.

MMPOG Round-Up

EVE-I.com shares a dev blog entry by kieron regarding a volunteer abuse in the ISD and the resolution of that issue.

A pair of missed Friday Features (Kkhowir Forest and Rryatt Trail) lurk at the official Star Wars Galaxies site.

Wizards of Technology airs a podcast (near the 30 minute mark) that includes a chat with Guild's John Bergman; apparent topics include Vendetta Online's future and an upcoming contest.

B5 Starfury Sim v1.2

The Babylon 5 Starfury Simulator has reached the v1.2 milestone. The latest and greatest adds mouse flight controls for the joystick-challenged, new graphical enhancements, and a number of new features (all listed near the bottom of the page).

Privateer Remake v1.1

Privateer Remake v1.1 has been launched in full versions (Windows, Mac OSX, Linux) and v1.0 to v1.1 patches (Windows and Linux). The full changelog (and there are a number of tweaks and enhancements) may be viewed in this thread at the Vega Strike Forums. Thanks PR team!

Star Trek Neutral Zone 2 Alpha 2.5

Thanks to Stuart and Justin for the news that Star Trek Neutral Zone 2 Alpha 2.5 has been released. The latest version adds 3D audio support. Undetermined future versions will include 3D models, screenshots of which can be seen here and there and that-a-way.

Gal Civ 2 Beta 2 Update

The Galactic Civilizations II site has been updated with news that the next beta version will include more features than planned but will be available later than expected (the second week of June).