Here's something to scare (Thanks Eric) all the cablemodem users out there. A few cablemodem providers are getting pretty pissy about the file sharing services out there chewing up so much bandwidth. Here's the amazing climax to make you cry:

The cable companies are plowing ahead. Cox is pilot-testing a tiered pricing plan in Las Vegas. AT&T Broadband, which has yet to settle on a new pricing system, plans to have a new policy in place by summer's end. Spokeswoman Sarah Eder says it's considering charging customers based on the number of bits and bytes they send over the network

This is already a practice that takes place in a few places over in Europe and Canadia. So I'm thinking, is this really something that is restricted to cablemodems though? I would suspect that DSL providers face a somewhat similar situation?

Rolling in a day late are the nominees for the E3 2002 Game Critics Awards. Since the results are culled from the feedback of many press organizations, it is regarded as the de facto standard for E3 awards. While there are 15 different categories, here are the three categories Shack readers are likely interested in:

Best of Show
- DOOM III (id Software/Activision for PC)
- Metroid Prime (Retro Studios/Nintendo for GameCube)
- Neverwinter Nights (Bioware/Infogrames for PC)
- The Legend of Zelda (Nintendo for GameCube)
- The Sims Online (Maxis/Electronic Arts for PC)

Best PC Game
- Age of Mythology (Ensemble Studios/Microsoft for PC)
- Command & Conquer Generals (EA Pacific/Electronic Arts for PC)
- DOOM III (id Software/Activision for PC)
- Neverwinter Nights (Bioware/Infogrames for PC)
- Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided (Sony Online/LucasArts for PC)

Best Action Game
- Dead to Rights (Namco for Xbox)
- DOOM III (id Software/Activision for PC)
- Metroid Prime (Retro Studios/Nintendo for GameCube)
- Panzer Dragoon: Orta (Sega for Xbox)
- Shinobi (Overworks/Sega for PlayStation 2)

It seems those scary violent videogames are just all the rage with lawmakers. A bill introduced in Congress last week is attempting to make it illegal to sell games to teenagers with killing of humans with "lethal weapons" or through hand to hand combat. As well as depictions of car-jacking, aggravated assault, or other violent felonies. Oh yeah, decapitation too. The congressman's pitch!:

"When kids play video games, they assume the identity of the characters in the game, and some of these characters are murderers, thieves, rapists, drug addicts and prostitutes," Baca said in a press release. "Do you really want your kids assuming the role of a mass murderer or a car-jacker while you are away at work?"

I guess this kind of traces back to the games and free speech story from a few days ago. I can certainly see the point of view from the other side of the fence, but what in the world did we have government funded studies determining that games dont negatively influence kids for if we've still got congressmen trying to make laws to prevent something that our own government studies say doesnt even happen? (Give me some kind of award for that sentence please)

Nintendo news site N-Sider is reporting that Nintendo has purchased Retro Studios. Retro is currently working on the GameCube version of Metroid. It's the first time Nintendo has purchased an American development studio. Everybody say go Jack and Zoid! ;)

Here's some strange article about Jesse Ventura and videogames. Not entirely sure what the heck political games you can put on a cdrom.. but I imagine you guys have all sorts of ideas. Thanks FierceClaw

Here we go again..the German school shooting of last week is being connected with video games. Games are evil and should be banned is pretty much what they are saying again. The game of choice for shooter Robert Steinhauser? Counter-Strike. Thanks Lamar.

In a sign that the bloodbath may feature in the campaign for national elections this year, Edmund Stoiber, conservative challenger to Schroeder, said violent games should be banned.

According to Der Spiegel news magazine, Steinhauser spent much of his time playing violent computer video games. His favourite was called "Counterstrike" in which anti-terror units wearing masks battle each other to death.

So that's two paragraphs on games, while a bad relationship with his parents gets a quote..

A former classmate, Isabell Hartung, told Reuters that Steinhauser was intelligent and well-liked by his peers. But she said he often fought with teachers and had "bad relations with his parents."

Here's some more on the new G4TV channel stuff. Looks like they got about $150million in funding and the target is to break even in 5years. It's currently available to people in 3 million homes and most likely quite a few more down the road.

It seems like your big challenge is that you compete for viewers' time with the same material you cover. Why would someone want to watch other people talk about a game instead of actually playing the game?
The simple answer is you create compelling entertainment; you create programming that not only is compelling and creative but offers real value in terms of information and news. It's the same question you could ask a golfer or cook: Would you watch a golf show or a cooking show? Certainly all the evidence there is that they will. We think the same is true for gaming. Anyone who is passionate about a pastime wants to be informed and entertained about that interest.

I'm taping a couple of short bits with these guys this afternoon so I'll get some first hand experience with how they handle things. The possibility of getting gaming on TV is pretty exciting. Everyone cross your fingers that they dont take the cornball approach.

Looks like Interplay found a buyer for Shiny Entertainment. This quick news brief on ZDNet reveals that Infogrames is buying Shiny Entertainment along with the rights to a Matrix game for $47million in cash and notes.

Interplay received a $5 million advance from Microsoft to produce a "Matrix" game for the company's Xbox console. Interplay has posted growing losses in the past year and received a delisting notice from the Nasdaq exchange a few months ago

Shiny has been responsible for such games as Messiah , MDK, Earthworm Jim , and Sacrifice

Today is launch day for G4TV. It's showing on Comcast cable to a few million people around the US and supposedly set to expand on to other networks in the next couple of months. There is piece on CNN speculating on the viability of the whole thing and umm.. who knows? So I guess it's on the TV right now for some people. Anyone see what it's like yet? Suck or not?

Oh and this press release made me cry.

Got a few million to spare? According to this story at GameSpot, Interplay is selling Shiny, the creators of such games as Earthworm Jim, Sacrifice, Messiah and MDK. This despite the fact that Shiny is currently developing an Xbox game based on The Matrix, which will feature new footage shot specifically for the game. This is of course due to Interplay's current financial woes, and assuming a buyer steps in, their current projects should be unaffected. My guess is that it'll be Microsoft, who already gave Interplay/Shiny a crapload of money to make The Matrix game initially an Xbox exclusive.

Following up on this morning's story about games we'd like to see at E3, GameSpot is reporting that three big name games will not be shown in any form at the expo. Specifically these are the much-anticipated (but still unseen) Homeworld 2, the recently announced Tribes: Fast Attack, and Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom, the latest strategy game from Impressions. They have however, confirmed that Gearbox's Counter-Strike: Condition Zero will be there, as will SWAT: Urban Justice.

Yesterday's news about the future of New World Computing came as a big surprise to most, but according to fan page Celestial Heavens (who first reported on the massive layoffs) it's not totally over for the developer. The site has posted quotes from several insiders at New World, who report that the company has not completely laid off their entire staff, and it's only those employees who were not selected to stay in house that were given the choice to relocate to 3DO at their own expense or go unemployed. Furthermore, employees are quoted as saying that the company will be returning to its roots, developing one game at a time, and that they have "every intention of doing an expansion pack for Heroes 4 and creating Heroes 5."

Heroes of Might and Magic Fan page Celestial Heavens is reporting that 3DO has laid off nearly two thirds of the staff at New World Computing (thanks Rob Merritt). This includes most of the staff of the just-released Might and Magic IX and many people from the Heroes of Might and Magic IV team. Those not laid off were apparently given the option of moving to 3DO's San Francisco office to work on in-house titles at their own expense, with vacation days being used during the time they have to take off to facilitate the move. There is no word on the site as to what future, if any New World Computing or the Might and Magic series has, or whether this will have any effect on the the promised multiplayer add-on for Heroes IV or extras promised to members of 3DO's Might and Magic Guild. Expect some kind of further announcement in the days to come.

The G4 Television network, TV for gamers is set to launch in just a couple of weeks. Their website is now live with information about some of the shows that they have assembled for launch. Here's a quick list and descriptions of stuff we might be seeing if your cable company is carrying the channel

- Arena - multiplayer games with play by play commentary
- Blister - action and adventure games
- Cheat - cheatcodes and ogc
- Cinematech - latest in storytelling in gaming
- Filter - countdown show showing off the top10 in action/rpg/etc
- G4TV - interactive talk show
- GameOn - i have no idea
- Icons - focus on partiuclar developers/characters
- Judgement Day - am i hot or not for games
- Players - famous people playing games to make us not feel like dorks
- Portal - massive multiplayer games
- Pulse - weekly news show
- Sweat - sports games

Meant to publish this one over the weekend but forgot, most likely due to daydreaming about the day Maarten arrives here. (Wednesday!). At any rate, here's a bit on the New York Times discussing the unending quest of game technology developers to simulate "reality".

During the last year or so technological realism has claimed its greatest triumph yet, as three major game systems made their debuts. Lives there an 8 to 18-year-old or an adult guiltily aspiring to that state of mind who has not yet heard about the technological accomplishments of Sony's PlayStation 2, Microsoft's Xbox and Nintendo's GameCube? Elaborate textures and sounds make earlier games seem like playthings. The humble controller that once maneuvered a diminutive and plump plumber named Mario across a television screen, allowing him to jump, bop and run, has now been pumped up like Lara Croft's bodice; the bloated Xbox controller has eight buttons, two triggers, three toggling switches and untapped possibilities. And the promise and threat of these systems caused sales of video game systems and games to jump 42 percent last year to $9.4 billion

Seems to me the cycle is pretty predictable. New wizbang pretty technology comes out, first guys outa the gate make something really pretty but not all that fun, the fun patch comes out later. There are exceptions of course, but I'm making generalizations here, work with me people.

In what is surely a major blow to anyone who ever wanted to play a massively multiplayer game that would call them during dinner and leave threatening messages on their voice mail, Electronic Arts has announced that Majestic is shutting down (thanks RayMan). Here's the brief announcement posted to the game's official site:

After April 30, 2002, Majestic will no longer be in service. While the game was a huge critical success, it was not as popular with players. Consequently, EA has decided to discontinue the Majestic service in order to focus resources on new, more popular content. The Majestic Team is extremely proud to have contributed to one of the most creative, innovative and critically acclaimed games in history.

Players may play through their game until April 30th. Majestic puzzles and gameplay can be completed in just under two months, so it is possible to finish Majestic before the service ends on April 30th.

Be sure to play Majestic daily and complete each day's activities in order to complete Majestic before April 30th. If you are a current Majestic player, please check the email associated with your Majestic game account for an important notice regarding this change to your service. We hope you've enjoyed Majestic as much as we have -- watch for great new games from EA.

I guess the grand vision of games that would be played exclusively by fax, cell-phone and IM presented by AOL's Bob Pitman at E3 a few years back really was as far-fetched and impractical as it sounded at the time.

CNNMoney has a bit on the upcoming round of violent games anticipating everyone's favorite backlash on about how videogames turn kids in to violent killers etc. The author gives some really interesting statistics on the FPS genre in the industry and the age of gamers etc. Check it out:

First and foremost, the average gamer is not a child. He or she is 28 years old. In fact, adults purchase 90 percent of all titles on the market. And for all the hue and cry they cause, first-person shooters made up just 3.5 percent of the games on the market in 2001. (In fact, only 10 percent of all games sold were rated "M".)

There is also a brief mention of Lineage over in Korea which has been the catalyst for some fights over there. But then again I saw a kid get his nose broken when I was 12 fighting over an ice cream cone. and it was that gross pralines and cream stuff!

Snowballs In Hell is Jason's latest article, looking at what this year has brought us news and game wise already. Because there sure have been things going that could be considered surprising.

I was just sitting around thinking the other day, when I came to a definite conclusion: Ladies and gentlemen, hell has most certainly frozen over.
What makes me say that? Let’s take a look at some recent events.
In just over a year, Sega has gone from getting slammed from all sides thanks to the ailing Dreamcast to being the darling of everybody in the industry. And I really mean everybody. Sega’s announced new games for every possible platform, from the GBA to arcades and Palm Pilots.
And what games they have announced! They’re bringing back the original Phantasy Star games on the GBA. They’re working on a new Panzer Dragoon title for the Xbox. Shenmue will continue on the Xbox.
But wait! There’s more! [read more]

It seems more people are getting involved in the whole online gaming thing. Lycos is gonna do it too now. Online gaming is going to continue to grow as everyone suspected. They have an interesting approach to things which may just be THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE!

"We are taking the cable TV approach: Subscribe to a channel and that channel will be themed, such as family or action," DeBenedictis said. "New content will come in like it does on HBO and Showtime and we will present content (that) people ask for."  A five-game package will cost nearly $8 a month while a 20-game pack that allows access to all of Terra Lycos' titles will initially cost around $14 a month.

The only way I could imagine this working out is if a company got the vast majority of game publisher and developer on board to be sure that all the quality games would be available to the consumers through your service. If you're gonna throw out a service offering 20 games for $14/month and 19 of those games are crap, well that's crap. But if you can offer 20 quality games of my choosing for $14/month then well hey that's a good deal. Thanks John K. for the link

Paul Jaquays, level designer for id Software for almost 5 years exactly is departing the company to work at Ensemble Studios. No huge soap operas or pissing matches, but a simple note from Paul saying his heart just wasnt in it anymore. Of course since this is the first question people will ask, Paul added this:

[...] P.S. and don’t worry about Doom, the guys who have been doing all the really cool stuff for the game are still busting their chops hard as ever on it.