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OCAU News |
EA are apparently making another installment in the Battlefield series, but this time it will be free to download and ad supported. So, presumably it'll be Battlefield Pizza Hut or similar. :) The company hopes the game will generate revenue through advertising and small in-game transactions that allow players to spend a few dollars on new outfits, weapons and other virtual gear.
Speaking of which, Bit-Tech consider the whole "advergaming" phenomenon. We've got used to sports games especially having real brands advertised on billboards (the FIFA games have been doing this since 1994) and for the most part this doesn't offend and perhaps even adds to the immersion. Unfortunately, if not carefully implemented, product placement can be jarring.
Phoronix have an editorial about ATI/AMD's Open Source Plans. Among the interesting comments made were that TexturedVideo/X-Video support for the R500/600 may be coming quite soon, DRM and Mesa work forthcoming, open-source multi-GPU CrossFire support is on the road-map, and they will be re-releasing R200 programming documents.
Dan has more letters. In this edition: Killer Tasers, ticking hard drives, phono cable extension, network splitters, photo hosting, magic spark plugs, and the mysteries of fuel consumption.
Carlos notes that WinXP SP3 RC2 is now available via Windows Update. It is recommended that you apply the resulting update package to an activated, genuine copy of Windows XP, in a test environment. As with any pre-release software, it is also recommended that you back up files and settings on your machine before applying this update package.
However Craig spotted a list from Microsoft of things that are broken by Vista SP1. "Windows Vista Service Pack 1 contains many security, reliability, and feature updates for Windows Vista," the company said. "A program may experience a loss of functionality after you install Windows Vista SP1. However, most programs will continue to work as expected after you install Windows Vista SP1."
R-Rated video games may be on shelves in Australia at some point. But a spokeswoman for the Minister for Home Affairs, Bob Debus, confirmed the issue of whether or not to allow an R18+ classification for games would be discussed at the next Standing Committee of Attorneys-General meeting on March 28. It will be the first time the issue is discussed since November 2005.
AudioSurf is an interesting-sounding game that visualises your MP3 collection. DriverHeaven and TrustedReviews checked it out. Whether you can call it a fully-fledged game or not, Audiosurf is a compulsive, habit-forming activity, and one that really does let you experience music in a new and interesting way.
And for something completely different, Gibbon sent in these photos of a cheeseburger in a can. Mmm, convenelicious:
    
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