Category Archives: Games

OpenTTD 1.0.0 Released

It’s finally happened OpenTTD 1.0.0 has been released, this means that all you losers without a copy Transport Tycoon Deluxe can now play with out needing the original game using the new open graphics. The rest of us can still use the old graphics because we have the game. (So there)

OpenTTD is modelled after the original Transport Tycoon Deluxe game by Chris Sawyer and enhances the game experience dramatically.

In March 2004 OpenTTD 0.1 was released. Hardly a month later in April 2004 OpenTTD 0.2. And today, six years later… OpenTTD 1.0.0. It was a lot of work, hundreds of thousands of translations, tens of thousands of commits, thousands of graphics, hundreds of patches, dozen of sounds and musics, and one goal. How many people contributed? Dozen of artists, translators and developers, hundreds of testers and bug reporters, and also the thousands of players. Looking at the readmes and credit sections only gives a small hint. Some of those who were main contributors left long ago, and there are only a few who know them all and talked to them once via IRC or the forums. But if you consider all contributors, including those of the used libraries, and the external artists of OpenSFX… Well, then most likely not every contributor actually knows OpenTTD.

So in the end, what was most fun in the past 6 years of OpenTTD? Playing? Contributing? Modding? Talking? Or just taking part in a large crowed moving in one direction? One direction? Well, at least in bigger scope. But in more detail there were quite some parties involved in the process. Sometimes pulling in the same direction, sometimes maybe pulling in slightly different ones. Let’s just mention some of the projects around OpenTTD which influenced it in this or that direction: The various integrated builds and patchpacks, first of all the MiniIN. Then the first Town Growth Challenge, TTDPatch, #openttdcoop, Goal Servers and the big patches (Subsidiaries, YAPF, YAPP, CargoDist, 32bpp & ExtraZoom). And not everything which made it into main trunk was happy sunshine, just to mention the first approach to Path Based Signalling, or the attempts around the AI.

But when looking back, most turned out fun. Thank you!

You can get your copy of OpenTTD below:
Download

Left 4 Dead 2 – Censored Vs Uncensored Video

The video above is a demonstration of the differences between the Uncut version of Left 4 Dead 2 and the Australian Censored version.

The details below are copied from the Youtube video description, lots of good details in this:

<Copypasta>
Video Comparison Between The Uncut version of Left4Dead2 and the Australian “Low Violence” version.

According to the classification board report, the modified version removes considerable amounts of gore from gameplay.
The board notes that the game no longer contains depictions of decapitation, dismemberment, wound detail or piles of dead bodies lying about the environment, the report said.

No wound detail is shown and the implicitly dead bodies and blood splatter disappear as they touch the ground.


EDIT: ALSO CONFIRMED (30.10.09)
But was unable to get footage of at time of making

Infected don’t actually Catch Fire in cut version (Except the Tank) however they still die in the flames.
NO Blood splatters on the screen
NO RIOT COP uncommon common in AUS release (violence against authority figures)
(and if you play with a person who has the cut version even if you dont, the riot cop will not spawn)
Pipebomb Explosion is Similar however the bodies ragdoll off and vanish in midair with out gibbing almost instantly


For those not in the know, the reason this game had 2 be modified to be released in Australia is because we don’t have a R18+ rating for games here in Australia. To have one introduced, all the states have to agree that they want one, all states have said yes to this, except SA (Michael Atkinson). So it is one man stopping the rest of us getting? an R18+ rating, So seeing as MA15+ is the highest we have got, the OFLC have no choice and the game must be modified to fit into that category if it is to be released here, otherwise its the ban hammer and the game gets Refused Classification(RC). So its not Valves Fault, Its not the OFLC’s fault its not the governments fault… its Michael Atkinson‘s Fault.

His Excuse is that he doesn’t think we need one and that if we don’t have one the? children wont get introduced into Violent Video Game, He thinks he is protecting the children, however when you think about it he is doing the opposite, by refusing to have a R18+ rating he is making it so that games that would have otherwise been rated as R18+ are being modified to? fit into the MA15+ rating therefore introducing those games to an even younger generation than would have been whilst at the same time punishing the rest of us by censoring the game and making a choice that should be ours for us.
We Should be allowed to play this as we want, in the uncensored version you have the option to disable gore if wanted.


EDIT: FIX (31.10.09)

There is a small fix for those that are fed this censored garbage, those that want to give it a try details are in the link below, HOWEVER take note of the following before you do so.

NOTE: You can only play with other people using the same ID (510). (you can only play with others who have done this fix also, limiting your possible teammates)
NOTE: this fix may not be permanent. This seems like it’ll only be temporary.
NOTE: May have an affect on your Gameplay Statistics and Achievements as this makes steam think you are playing a different game. (May Not save them)
NOTE: You’ll have to launch the game through the left4dead2.exe instead of through Steam. Steam will disconnect you immediately

</Copypasta>

Battlefield 2 Update v1.50 on The 1st September

Battlefield 2 v1.50 is finally finished and will be released on Tuesday 1st September 2009 at 5pm UK time. (It’s about freakin time)

I must say though we must at least thank EA for makeing the effort to release a patch to a game thats 3 years old now, and while I havn’t played for a few months now I will probably give it another go once the patch is out and return to some more heavy play sessions over Friday nights and weekends to see how the games has improved. (or failed misurably and become worse)

List of Features, Tweaks and Bug Fixes being added to the game:

  • Additional support for Windows Vista
  • Added Highway Tampa as a required map
  • Added a new map “Operation Blue Pearl”
  • Added Euro Force and Armored Fury as free to play content for all Battlefield 2 players
  • Added Widescreen support
  • Added support for the Novint Falcon controller
  • Allowed BF2.exe to use more than 2Gb RAM
  • Changes made to both the J10 and F35B to make them more balanced
  • AA targeting tweaked to make it more effective
  • Added checks to prevent “runway grieving”
  • Various changes made to prevent cheating
  • Tweaked the hit detection, hits will be more accurate to the model
  • Occasional connection drops after being on a server a couple of minutes – Fixed
  • Prevented use of mouse wheel to provide speed boost to vehicles
  • Prevented use of mouse wheel to exploit parachutes
  • Players can now pass claymores by going prone
  • Update the HUD on TV Guided missiles to increase visibility on maps like Dragon Valley
  • Added Battlefield 2142 style prone deviation (going prone will now cause reduced accuracy for a brief period)
  • Fixed the issue where picking up a players kit would cause CTD
  • Updated BF2OpenAL.dll from version 1.1.1.0 to version 2.1.8.1
  • Updated ch_gas_station collision mesh on Dragon Valley to be consistent with other gas station buildings
  • Fixed the issue where MEC artillery piece on Operation Clean Sweep changes to the USMC’s control when they capture the Airfield flag
  • Updated the Challenger2 HUD to show the correct icon instead of the M1A2 HUD icon
  • Changed a PLA FAV to MEC FAV on Road to Jalalabad
  • Tweaked the artillery respawn time on Dragon Valley for to 360 seconds as other artillery uses
  • Included a delay after weapon switch for the Bizon (PP-19) to 0.666
  • Updated the F35B’s lock delay to 1 second instead of 1.5 seconds to match other aircraft
  • Changed the Humvee camo on Taraba Quarry to be the correct design
  • Increased the splash damage of the UH-60 (Black Hawk) guns from 0.25 to 1.5
  • Updated the G36E HUD to react the same as other weapons during sprint

RollerCoaster Tycoon: Loopy Landscapes 1.20.013 UK patch

Another piece of software that’s hard to find is a patch that fixes RollerCoaster Tycoon: Loopy Landscapes. Since I like playing this old game, below you will find the patch that fixes the game so it will run properly and not throw an error on start-up.

RollerCoaster Tycoon Loopy Landscapes 1.20.013 UK patch

Why GTA 4 Will Probably be Banned in Australia

This video kind of demonstrates my point as to why Grand Theft Auto 4 (GTA 4) will probably either be modified for release in Australia, or banned outright.

Before watching the video I thought it best to describe what you will see in the video.

Synopsis of Video

First of all you will see the character receiving a hand job from the ‘lady of the night’ he has previously picked up, the hand job costs him $20. After conducting her business transaction the girl then gets out of the car and the player proceeds on to his next sexual conquest.

Upon finding the next slut to play with, she gets in the car and you drive a more secluded area inside the game. Once you have a nice quiet spot you pay $50 and this time you receive a blow job. Once you reach your happy ending, the hooker gets out of the car and you drive off looking for your next score.

Once finding the next girl the player dives to another place that quiet. This time the fee in $70, but this time it’s plain and simple sex, , ok maybe not so simple as the position in the driver seat doesn’t look all that comfortable for either party. After finishing off the girl gets out of the car, but this time so does the player. As the girl is walking away the player pulls a gun she begins to run…. bang, 9mm round to the head, that’s one dead hooker. Oh one more thing don’t forget to pick up her cash that dropped off her when she got hit in the head, it’s amazing how people drop there money and you don’t’ have fish through their cloths when you shoot them in the head.

My Reaction

Having now seen the video the usual people are going to start to cry, that’s not suitable for kids why would they make a game like that. The point here is that GTA 4 isn’t designed for kids, if your a parent and you buy this for your kids your irresponsible and should know better.

GTA 4 is designed for older teenagers and adults, not to mention it’s meant to be a story about the life of an immigrant moving to Liberty City he’s kind of depressed and lonely being in a new place and country, so maybe he wants to have sex occasionally and is willing to pay for it. Reality is however as the player you don’t have to interact with the prostitutes it’s entirely optional. In fact I would be more concerned about the kid that comes up with the idea to kill the hooker after having sex with her, then any dangers the game may pose. Seriously if your kid was playing this and decided it was a good idea to kill the hooker after paying for sex, then your kid needs serious help now, as they are already one fucked up individual and they didn’t need this game to make them that way.