EDITORIAL: ON A SERVER FAR, FAR AWAY

LucasArts announced that it is teaming with Verant Interactive and Sony to make a massively multiplayer Star Wars CRPG. Since the movies are really old -- heck, even that Phantom Menace thing is a year old -- I doubt they will be able to drum up any interest in this at all. I mean, what's this Verant company done that indicates it can even make an RPG? The game will take place during the "classic" or "better" trilogy and will offer all kinds of locations and more than a few wretched servers of scum and villainy.

Anyway, I asked a few fans to talk about what they are looking forward to in the game. "Camping at the Rancor pit and making the Kessel run" were popular ideas. "Hunting for Ewok pelts and cheating the Jawas" were also mentioned. Meanwhile, your Beatdown columnist plans on simply going to Tashi Station to pick up some power converters and perhaps bulls-eyeing a few Womp rats like he used to do in his T-16 back home.

3 MATRIX GAMES!

There was a great deal of excitement when gamers initially saw the name Matrix, coupled with the phrase "three new games," today. It all turned sour when the net fanboys realized that Matrix Games is the name of some company, and that it was only announcing three turn-based WWII era war games.
"Will you pick the red counter or the blue one?" quipped longtime war game fan Gerry Brucyk. "Dude, Neo could kick Montgomery's ass!" exclaimed the assembled cybergeeks in return.

BIG HUGE NEWS PART 2

Veteran game designer Douglas Kaufman has left the Firaxis building! Kaufman created a few old school classics like Ace of Aces and the totally inspired Paranoia RPG, not to mention helping out with computer games like Civ2 and Alpha Centauri. He leaves Sid Meier's studio to join the recently departed Brian Reynolds, Tim Train, Jason Coleman, and David Inscore at their new startup, Big Huge Games. Naturally we expect Firaxis developers Jeff Briggs, Mike Ely and Sid Meier will probably leave Firaxis next and the new studio to be renamed Sid Meier's Big Huge Games: A Brian Reynolds Design.

SURVEY SAYS? X

Who wants to interact with Louie Anderson? No, not Loni Anderson, but portly and extremely annoying comedian Louie Anderson. For those of you who do, Hasbro Interactive has announced plans to make a brand new interactive edition of the classic game show Family Feud. Hasbro is also apparently raising Bob Barker from the dead for a Price is Right game. Why? Because, Hasbro wants to be a Millionaire, of course!

LAYOFFS OCCUR IN THREES

This past week marked the demise of Warzone 2100 creators Pumpkin Studios, Eurotrash importer Project 2 and the recently formed Codemaster's US division.

The first one is sad, because this was one hell of a bright and talented studio, responsible for a decent RTS game whose only sin was a tired story. Still, Pumpkin did support its product with gusto and numerous patches and tweaks. Eidos very likely laid them off only because Ion Storm is inches away from actually releasing a game (Dominion does NOT count), and this will appease stockholders a bit.

The second one is sad only if you really like crappy adventure games (Reah and Liath) from France and other parts of Europe.

The third is a nonstory until you consider the story behind it. Codemasters USA was composed of many of the former Yosemite development team that was once integral to Sierra On-Line. The only casualty is the real-world tactical simulation Navy SEALS, which would likely have featured annoying commentary by real world badass scary loon Richard Marcinko and Rainbow Six-style gameplay. This studio also represented the only hope Babylon 5 fans had left. Oddly, the only thing that will stay afloat is the "older than dirt" multiplayer RPG known as The Realm, which is news... I had no idea it was still turning a profit.

THE PCDATA TOP 10 FOR FEBRUARY 2000! Courtesy of PCData (www.pcdata.com).
1. The Sims: Maxis/EA
Bob and Betty Newbie don't have actual lives themselves, so they go out and buy a game that allows them to fake it. At least by doing so, they've knocked Regis from the number one spot, where he has been sitting since time -- and this column -- began.

2. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire: Disney
Ah, the wheels of fortune are fickle wild jokers of greed. We see Regis fall to the number two spot. Finally. But the franchise is not in serious jeopardy because, for all those mainstream buyers, the price is certainly right.

3. Roller Coaster Tycoon: Microprose/Hasbro
Packed with all the charm and sophistication of building your own theme park, charging far too much and watching people vomit on your pathways. Chris Sawyer is an absolute genius...

4. Age of Empires II: Ensemble/Microsoft
... and so is Bruce Shelley. Take basic RTS elements and tweak them to perfection. Next, add a lot of depth and be sure to give it a heaping helping of tender loving care before release and they will come.

5. Centipede: Hasbro
It was a bomb when it debuted. Really. A total loser of a game. But the Wee Folk strike back against the big old bug with a huge price cut and with Hasbro pimping the hell out of it, shoppers are buying.

6. RC Tycoon: Corkscrew Follies: Microprose/Hasbro
It doesn't add much, but people just wanted more, as it turned out. This is the most successful add-on pack ever made and shows no signs of stopping. Sawyer is reportedly working on a second add-on pack, which will, no doubt, also dominate the charts.

7. Starcraft: Blizzard/Sierra
Speaking of dominance, this one is old, and it still sells like mad. But that just shows the power of word of mouth and quality.

8. Half-Life: Valve/Sierra
See above. Remember when Sin came out? Activision rushed it out with crippling bugs and uninspired gameplay, so it could compete with Half-Life. Remember that? I still think that's a really funny story.

9. Rainbow Six Gold: Red Storm
Tom Clancy readers with brand new PCs smell a bargain here. Since Rogue Spear is really just an add-on pack to the first one, why not spend less and get more?

10. Final Fantasy VIII: Square/EA
I think this is a console game, but I refuse to play it. Why? I missed Final Fantasy 1-7, so I probably would have no idea what was going on in this one (I'm kidding).

The next 10 show some interesting trends, like Unreal Tournament (13) finally edging past the much less cool Quake 3: Arena (15). Naturally 10-20 also show where the low priced crap (Hasbro's annoying board game series) and deer hunting games reside. The oddest thing, for me, is Lemmings Paintball from Psygnosis at number 19. The PCData Top 10 will appear again as soon as the March numbers roll in. Look for it here next month.

Is it Friday night? If so, this is a brand new edition of the most sarcastic column in existence. Remember Andrew mocks only because he loves the industry. Keep a sense of humor, even if you find mine lacking. Comment? Critique? Vendetta? News Tip? Asdante@execpc.com.

- Andrew S Bub