Carmack Talks: From id/EA to Mac gaming and PS3 Programming

We had a chance yesterday to sit down with id's John Carmack and Tim Willits as well as Electronic Arts' David DeMartini to talk over the freshly minted deal between Electronic Arts and id Software. The deal, he tells us, is for just Rage. id has never, apparently, signed a multi-game deal with a publisher. In fact, Activision is still signed to release the next Wolfenstein.

Check out our four -part interview to hear the three talk about the deal, id's new engine and new game, the future of Doom and other interesting tidbits.

Get Portal's GLaDOS On Your GPS

If you're gettin' around town via GPS but find you just don't have enough maniacal supercomputer guidance? Should you be technologically slightly ahead of the curve and in ownership of a Garmin Nuvi (or possibly StreetPilot) GPS device, you can now receive your driving directions courtesy of the GLaGPS — Genetic Lifeform and Global Positioning System — a 'bot that does a near pitch perfect impression of Portal's GLaDOS.

Hit up the official site for download and installation instructions, but obviously not before you check out the compatible hardware guide. And the demonstration video, natch.

Genetic Lifeform and Global Positioning System [via Waxy]

Virginia Tech Grad Ponders Game About Shootings' Aftermath

Virginia Tech graduate and Raven Software game developer Manveer Heir wants to make a game about the emotional aftermath of the tragedy that befell his alma mater in the spring of 2007.

He's taking up the call made by 2K Marin designer Steve Gaynor to "express through interaction an experience that the player will find meaningful— something novel, poignant, interesting, personal, or enlightening."

Alone in the Dark 5 Tech Demo

PX-3600, The Official Bestest Console In The World

Unreal Engine Invades Kids' Summer Camp

iD Tech Camps, a sort of summer camp for children interesting in game development and computers, announced today that they will be offering classes on using the Unreal Engine 3 tools to make games to six or seven students this year. The instruction sounds like it will be heavy on the modding, but there will also be instruction on creating original games and environments.

"We've partnered with iD Tech Camps because of their reputation for quality game development instruction for teens," said Mark Rein, vice president of Epic Games. "Unreal Tournament 3 delivers unparalleled game quality that gamers have come to know and expect from Epic Games. We are reaching an audience of gaming enthusiasts who play the game as well as learn to design and mod with our deep set of tools."

This seems like a pretty smart move on Epic's part. It's sort of like Apple giving computers to schools to use in their labs. It hooks kids when their young.

Women In Gaming - Advantageous?

No, if anything it's been a bonus. For instance, I'm doing this interview right now because I'm a woman in games, and I've done many because I was a woman in games. It's also important to have that diversity of opinion on a team, and a lot of companies recognize that. So that's been helpful. I haven't experienced, except once, anything that I would say was discrimination because of my gender. And then I would chalk it up to the guy being an idiot more than I would chalk it up to intentional discrimination.

Tom Brokaw Deems Blogs, Video Games "Cancerous"

Mad Catz Backs Breasts

Breast Cancer Awareness Month has turned our supermarkets as pink as the Toys R Us Barbie aisle. And now, Mad Catz is getting in on the pink products campaign. They have partnered with the National Breast Cancer Foundation to give 10% of the proceeds back from Nintendo DS Lite Pink Tech Pack sales. The $19.99 accessory kit is available at Circuit City and the donations will continue...we're not exactly sure how long...but if you wanted the kit anyway, and you like pink...

Mad Catz(R) Pledges Support [via maxconsole]

Out Of Body Gaming

NaturalMotion Tackles Football With Backbreaker

"Backbreaker is the first football game with truly interactive tackles. By utilizing our motion synthesis engine, euphoria, players will never make the same tackle twice, giving them an intensely unique experience every time they play the game," said NaturalMotion CEO Torsten Reil. "Backbreaker puts players in the middle of the gridiron by providing a pure, realistic football experience only possible on next-generation consoles."

Dr. Phil Tackles Video Game Violence

Rage

Here it is, your first look at id's Rage using their new id Tech 5 engine.

John Carmack today announced id Software's new franchise, Rage, a game that blends the best elements of action and adventure built on id's new id Tech 5 engine and developed for a simultaneous launch on the PC, Mac, PS3 and Xbox 360.

Todd Hollenshead, CEO of id Software, walked me through what to expect from the game and the Quake Con presentation earlier this afternoon.

"It's more than just a first-person shooter, we will show vehicles and racetracks, driving and racing elements," he said. "It is an action-oriented game but with a lot of adventure elements. It will be story driven, but you can also choose your own route to go through things."

The game's basic story is one centered around an oppressive "machine" you are rallying against. While the game, which id has been working on for more than 18 months, will still have indoor and outdoor shooter elements, it will also have plenty of racing including some road rage and the ability to mod and soup up your vehicle.

The Hand-Carved Case Mod

LaRouche Camp Calls Foul On VA Tech Report

Designing for Tragedy

Carmack's id Tech 5 Demo