C&C TV: BattleCast Primetime Episode 1 [Command & Conquer TV via CustomPC]

Here's some highlights of this week's game offerings. Although I'm not big into sports games, I really want to try Mario Strikers Charged. something about Princess Peach in a sports bra makes me curious, don't ask me why.

Mario Strikers Charged (WII)
Play as your favorite Mushroom Kingdom characters in a soccer showdown.

Brave Story: New Traveler (PSP)
A new RPG based on the Brave Story movie.

Glory Days 2 (DS)
The DS action strategy game supports up to eight way multi-player and even 3D (the glasses kind)

Attack on Pearl Harbor (PC)
Play as the U.S. or Japan for the first time in a Pearl Harbor based game.

Picross DS (DS)
Solve puzzles to create pixelated pictures.

Pet Alien (DS)
The next best thing to Pet Rock: The Game!

Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars (MAC) C&C TW gives the Mac some love.

Battlefield 2142 (MAC)
It's a good week to be a mac gamer!

Written by Keith R. A. DeCandido, who has written novels for everything from Andromeda to Doctor Who to Star Trek, the novel will follow the storyline of Tiberium Wars closely, fleshing out the story seen in the game.

Nothing can give life to a gaming universe better than a good novel, or at the very least one that doesn't suck completely. Having read some of DeCandido's previous work, I'd say we're in for a good read. Personally I just want to find out if Billy Dee finally makes hot lovin' with the girl from House. You can't tell me that wouldn't be totally hot. Michael Fahey

EA AND DEL REY ANNOUNCE NOVEL BASED ON POPULAR COMMAND & CONQUER GAME SERIES
Gaming Universe Expands to New Forms of Media

CHERTSEY, UK - April 26, 2007 - Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) and Del Rey, an imprint of Ballantine Books at the Random House Publishing Group, announced today that Del Rey will publish a novel based on the critically-acclaimed Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars computer and videogame on 29th May 2007 in the US and Canada. The novel will release in the U.K. and Germany in the months following. The game is available now for the PC and will be in stores 11th May 2007 for the Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system.

In COMMAND & CONQUER: TIBERIUM WARS , the novel by Keith R. A. DeCandido, the year is 2047 and the stakes could not be higher. Tiberium—a self-replicating alien substance that has infected the Earth—is spreading like a radioactive ice age. The Global Defense Initiative, a high-tech alliance of the world's most advanced nations, is fighting to contain Tiberium, but Kane, the megalomaniacal leader of the Brotherhood of Nod has other plans for Earth. Kane's secret society turned superpower is bent on using Tiberium to take control and transform humanity into his twisted vision of the future. In the midst of battles throughout the world, a third alien race emerges, and all-out war rages over Tiberium. The fate of the planet rests in the balance.

"We're excited to expand the Command & Conquer franchise to a new form of media and offer a depth to the underlying fiction of the game series like never before," said Patrick O'Brien, VP of Business Affairs at EA. "Keith DeCandido wrote a great story, and we're pleased to have partnered with him and Del Rey."

Del Rey editor Keith Clayton said, "Command & Conquer remains one of the most popular and well-reviewed gaming franchises, and we're thrilled to have the opportunity to work on an original story set in EA's Tiberium Universe."

For further information on the novel, COMMAND & CONQUER: TIBERIUM WARS, visit www.delreybooks.com.
For information on Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars or the Command & Conquer series, visit www.CommandAndConquer.EA.com.

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I'd give you some impressions, but it was still downloading when I left the house this morning. I'm hoping the console controls add something novel to the experience, as the PC version, while an excellent entry into the series, felt a little stale to me. At the very least it has camera support, so I can finally stop flashing Uno players! Michael Fahey

That's why for this week's Frankenreview we're covering Westwood's sequel to Tiberian Sun (released 8 years ago already, btw), Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars. It's not just another RTS. It's another RTS with campy video. (And I mean that as a compliment).

So what did the "experts" have to say?

Yahoo
This is probably the first Westwood style RTS that has almost everything you could want. It has hotkeys, easy unit selection options, ample visual cues, solid tactical AI, useful unit stances, formations, big obvious buttons, and helpful tool tips. You can even set an adjustable speed slider for multiplayer games and skirmishes. Cranked way down, Command & Conquer 3 is absolutely languid.
Gamespot
Some of the maps and textures are somewhat bland, but you aren't bound to care for long...In the most extreme battles, your screen will fill with mighty blasts and streams of lasers, as if you were the main player in a sci-fi action film. Amazingly, the game's performance never suffers, with few noticeable drops in frame rate and brief loading times.

Eurogamer
It's not really even trying to be a serious RTS - it just wants to live up to its name. You command, usually by drawing a big rectangle around everything on screen, and then you conquer, usually by then right-clicking on an enemy power station so their defences run out of juice and you can then kill everything else...this C&C is about entertaining rather than challenging.

Games Rader
Right off the bat, you'll notice how fast the game plays. Even at the default setting, there is little time for planning what you will build next or in which direction you will expand. Get a build order memorized and go, go, go; this is one of the most frantic real time-strategies in recent years....This is good, in a way, since it means you'll get to the action quickly.

Games For Windows (1up)
The last time we saw live bodies in a game was...what, last century?...Whether it's Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica) preaching you up in punky fishnets, Josh Holloway (Lost) drawling like everyone's favorite Southern-fried wiseass...personality's the reason why you really can't miss Tiberium Wars...[it's a] revival of steely actors staring you straight in the eye and declaiming "Save our bacon or else!"... Consequently, this sequel...has something that most of its peers don't: personality.
I miss the early CD titles and their obsession with awkward, cheesy live action video. So this is a must-buy in my book...though I'm waiting for the 360 version. Mark Wilson

Week one, patch one. This is becoming the norm, it seems, for PC games.

This week, Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars gets v1.1 patch.

Here's the fixes via Gamers Hell.

Exploits Scrin Mastermind's Teleport Units ability maximum range reduced. GDI Engineers, Nod Saboteurs, and Scrin Assimilators can no longer capture structures when under the effects of the Scrin's Phase Field support power.

Optimizations
Improved video playback on low-end system configurations.

Balance Changes
Scrin Storm Column cost / build time increased to 3,000 credits / 30 seconds.
Scrin Buzzer health reduced to 75 and weapon damage type changed to SNIPER.

Bug Fixes
Fixed an error that would occasionally result in a crash in Nod vs. Nod matches on the multiplayer map Deadly Sertao.
Fixed issues with automated map transfer feature in multiplayer.
Fixed an error that would sometimes cause a Commentator's telestrator drawings to not erase as intended while viewing BattleCast replays.
Fixed issues with replay file playback.
Fixed placeholder text and chat log errors with the Comrade in-game chat window.

Other Changes
Fixed an error in README.txt file regarding location of saved game files in Windows Vista; added references to EA Link version of the game; added disclosure about in-game advertising (Note: the EA Link version of the game ships with this updated ReadMe file).
References to Nod's "Avatar Warmech" unit have been changed to "Avatar".

Blue's News points out that the C&C team is already hard at work on patch 1.2 which will be the first "major" patch with balance changes, bug fixes and, thankyouverymuch, added maps. Brian Crecente

C&C 3 Patch [Blue's News]

A quick reminder of what B-list actors aren't A-list actors. Wow, this game should come with some crackers for that cheese. Brian Crecente

• The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles (X360, PC) The long awaited expansion for Oblivion is finally here! Lots of new stuff to do and places to go!
• Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars (PC)
  A new storyline and an additional race await you in the newest of the C&C series.
• Medal of Honor: Vanguard (WII, PS2)
  Join a group of paratroopers in the next iteration of the long running WWII series.
• Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent (PS3)
  Sam Fisher gets stealthy on the PS3!
• Disney's Meet the Robinsons (PS2, DS, WII, X360, GBA, GC, PC, PSP)
  Use fancy gadgets and time travel to make your way through the game based on Disney's newest 3D animated movie.
• Konami Classics Series: Arcade Hits (DS)
  Contra, Gradius, Time Pilot, Scramble, Rush'N Attack, Horror Maze, Pooyan, Roc'N Rope, Track & Field, Circus Charlie, Basketball, Road Fighter, Yie Ar Kung Fu, RainbowBell, Shao-lin's Road...Whew!

I really take no sides in the PC VS. console dispute, so here are the four latest screens for each version. Michael Fahey

Opposable Thumbs snagged the Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars demo last night, quickly played through it and posted their impressions this morning.

Frank Caron seemed suitable impressed with the game. Top of the list was the "gorgeous presentation", "gorgeous interface" and solid gameplay and balance.

The gameplay itself is as solid as ever, and it appears that there have been many different tweaks for the sake of balance. As is the tradition with RTS games, a more extensive play time is likely to reveal small little details that stand out as either fantastic or flawed. The interface has been tweaked and the presentation as a whole is impressive. Heck, even the FMVs that I was skeptical about add a certain personality to the game. At one point, I even found myself giggling and yelling out (as one of our readers put it) "Break on through, Micheal Ironside!" Overall, I really enjoyed my time spent with C&C3 and I'm looking forward to picking it up come March 28.

It sounds like this is going to be a Supreme Commander versus Command & Conquer 3 sorta season. Which do you think will win and do either top Company of Heroes? Brian Crecente

Demo impressions: Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars (PC) [Opposable Thumbs]

"Plus, for the winner, the Spotlight cam gives you an unchallenged ten seconds of fame to let your enemy know exactly how you feel about your victory."

If you do plan on playing C&C 3: TB via the 360, keep your favorite recording medium handy. If there's one thing the internet needs it's more videos of people acting like idiots. Michael Fahey

C&C3 360 to support camera [Eurogamer -

Electronic Arts today announced Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars: Kane Edition, a numbered collector's edition of the PC game set to hit in March.

Kane Edition will come packed with a DVD featuring a behind the scenes documentary, deleted scenes and a blooper reel from the live action video shoots, a series of gameplay strategy videos from the game designers, five wallpapers and exclusive in-game content including five new multiplayer maps and three unique unit skins—one for each of the three factions in the game.

"The Command & Conquer fans are among the most dedicated in the world. It's very exciting to be able to create a special bonus edition of C&C 3 with our fans in mind," said Mike Verdu, Vice President and Executive Producer at EALA. "The exclusive maps, strategy tutorials, special unit skins and 'making of' video provide hours of enjoyment to anyone who loves Command & Conquer. The 'blooper reel' is just flat out funny. I can't wait for Command & Conquer fans to get their hands on this game."

I can't wait for C&C3, but I really couldn't care less about this special edition. Numbers? You can number something forever if you want. Brian Crecente

LOS ANGELES, Calif., December 22, 2006 - Electronic Arts Inc., (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars : Kane Edition (C&C 3: Kane Edition) - a special, numbered collector's edition for the PC that will ship in March 2007 simultaneously with Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars (C&C 3). Filled with an enormous amount of exclusive content, C&C 3: Kane Edition will be the definitive collectible for any Command & Conquer or Real-time Strategy (RTS) game fan.

C&C 3: Kane Edition will include an exclusive bonus DVD featuring a behind the scenes documentary, deleted scenes and a blooper reel from the live action video shoots, a series of gameplay strategy videos from the game designers themselves, and more. C&C 3: Kane Edition will also feature exclusive in-game content including five new multiplayer maps and three unique unit skins—one for each of the three factions in the game. Fans will also enjoy five exclusive wallpapers.

"The Command & Conquer fans are among the most dedicated in the world. It's very exciting to be able to create a special bonus edition of C&C 3 with our fans in mind," said Mike Verdu, Vice President and Executive Producer at EALA. "The exclusive maps, strategy tutorials, special unit skins and 'making of' video provide hours of enjoyment to anyone who loves Command & Conquer. The 'blooper reel' is just flat out funny. I can't wait for Command & Conquer fans to get their hands on this game."

Command & Conquer, the groundbreaking series that put the RTS genre on the map, is returning in full force with C&C 3. This highly-anticipated next chapter takes the popular series back to its roots in the Tiberium Universe and features the fast, fluid gameplay that Command & Conquer is known for and an epic tale that will redefine storytelling in RTS games.

It is 2047 and the stakes could not be higher. Tiberium—a self-replicating alien substance that has infected the Earth—is spreading like a radioactive ice age. The Global Defense Initiative, a high-tech alliance of the world's most advanced nations, is fighting to contain Tiberium, but Kane, the megalomaniacal leader of The Brotherhood of Nod has other plans for Earth. Kane's secret society turned superpower is bent on using Tiberium to take control and transform humanity into his twisted vision of the future. All-out war rages over Tiberium and the fate of the planet rests in the balance.

The epic story of C&C 3, set in the Tiberium Universe, is seamlessly tied together with live action, high-definition video sequences featuring top Hollywood talent including Tricia Helfer, Josh Holloway, Michael Ironside, Billy Dee Williams, Grace Park, and more.

Currently in development at EA's Los Angeles studio, C&C 3 and C&C 3: Kane Edition will ship worldwide in March 2007 for Windows PC. C&C 3 has a suggested retail price (MSRP) of $49.99 and C&C 3: Kane Edition will be available at select retailers with a MSRP of $59.99. C&C 3 will also be available in 2007 for the Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system. These products are not yet rated by the ESRB, PEGI or USK. For more information, please visit www.CommandAndConquer.EA.com.

No more info on the alien race has been leaked, but GFW subscribers should start tackling their mailman and pulling their copies from his bag to get a look. Non-subscribers should either sign up, wait for the press embargo to expire or sneak a peek at more pics at the Gamespot forums. Michael McWhertor

OFFICIAL the new race is... (GFW magazine) [via BluesNews]

Check out the high-res version above and head over to the official site to sign up for updates. Michael McWhertor

C&C3: Tiberium Wars Official Site

A day after the rumors mills starting buzzing around speculation of a Command & Conquer 3, Electronic Arts has made it official.

Comand & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars will take place in teh Tiberium Universe and feature good old fashioned real-time strategy gamplay. The game, in development by the EALA studio, will ship in 2007 and support online play, voice chat, clan support and some new game play modes.

Hit the jump for the full release.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., April 20, 2006 - The epic struggle between the Global Defense Initiative (GDI) and The Brotherhood of NOD continues...and the third Tiberium War is about to begin. Welcome back, Commander. Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced that Command & Conquer , the groundbreaking series that put the Real-time Strategy (RTS) genre on the map, is returning in full force with Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars*. This highly-anticipated next chapter takes the popular series back to its roots in the Tiberium universe and features the fast, fluid gameplay that Command & Conquer is known for and a gripping story that will redefine storytelling in RTS games.

It is 2047 and the stakes could not be higher. Tiberium-a self-replicating alien substance that has infected the Earth-is spreading like a radioactive ice age. The GDI, a high-tech alliance of the world's most advanced nations, is fighting to contain Tiberium, but Kane, the megalomaniacal leader of The Brotherhood of NOD has other plans for Earth. Kane's secret society turned superpower is bent on using Tiberium to take control and transform humanity into his twisted vision of the future. All-out war rages over Tiberium and the fate of the planet rests in the balance.

"Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars combines fast-paced gameplay with new ways to tell a story in an RTS game," said Mike Verdu, Executive Producer at EA Los Angeles (EALA). "We're building a next generation Command & Conquer game that is true to the spirit of this classic franchise, but is updated with state-of-the-art visuals, added strategic depth, and gameplay innovations that will move the genre forward. I am very excited to be working on this amazing game."

"We have been waiting to reveal this game for quite some time and are thrilled to bring the series back to where it all began," said Louis Castle, VP of Creative Development at EA Los Angeles (EALA) and co-founder of Westwood Studios, creator of the Command & Conquer series. "The Tiberium universe is a personal favorite of mine, and this saga's new direction will prove to be a worthy addition to one of the most celebrated RTS franchises."

Experience a revolution in RTS gaming with a breakthrough single player campaign that rewards you for your gameplay style. Add layers of strategy to your gaming experience by building mobile bases, wielding the power of terrifying Ion Storms on the battlefield, or customizing your armies by combining units. Battle it out online with native voice-over IP, integrated clan support, and new spectator modes that let you play RTS games like a sport.

Currently in development at EALA, Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars will ship in 2007 for Windows PC. This product is not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information about Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars or the Command & Conquer series, please visit www.CommandAndConquer.EA.com.

* working title