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Bungie.net has posted an official FAQ for Gearbox's upcoming PC port of the highly-popular First Person Shooter Halo, developed by Bungie Studios and originally released for Microsoft's gaming console Xbox. The FAQ answers some of the most common questions about the PC version. Among such questions are those concerning Halo's support for fan-created modifications.

From the FAQ:

Q What's the deal with user-created MODs for Halo PC?

A Both Bungie and Gearbox recognize the need and overall coolness of supporting user created maps and modifications. The full extent of mod support won't be known until closer to the games final release but rest assured that both groups are working to make sure that Halo fans have the ability to create their own unique maps and gameplay experiences.

Westlake Interactive is currently working on the Macintosh version of Halo. The mac conversion is based upon GearBox's Halo PC code, so most questions in the FAQ are valid for the Mac version as well. The PC version is planned for release in late summer this year and the Mac version should not be far behind. We will keep you informed as more information about Halo for Mac is available.

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Bungie.net: Halo PC FAQ

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IMG has posted a review of Microsoft's sleek new mouse, the Bluetooth Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer. In response to the dearth of Bluetooth peripherals for PCs, Microsoft modified the Wireless Optical Desktop to meet Bluetooth standards, bundled it with a Bluetooth wireless transceiver, and hailed it as "the most advanced wireless desktop ever."

To check out the entire review, please follow the link below.

IMG Review: Bluetooth Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer

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IMG's Brad Custer is back again with another brilliant desktop. This week's desktop features Feral's upcoming 3D strategy game, Warrior Kings. Here's what Brad had to say about his latest desktop:

A few weeks ago Feral Interactive announced that the homepage for this game was going live and the requests started to flood my mailbox. This title obviously has a lot of you excited and, personally, I am as well. Why you ask? Okay, maybe you didn't, but I'll tell you anyway. ;) Warrior Kings marks the debut of a new partnership of myself and Feral Interactive. And I'm sure you've guessed what I'll be doing for them. Desktops! You will find 4 desktops on the upcoming CD in 12 different sizes for your viewing pleasure. I'm very excited to be doing this and hope to have a long and fruitful adventure with them. So with the help of the gang at Feral Interactive I was able to get my hands on a nice selection of art to do just this week's wallpaper. I simply entitled it, "Abbadon" after the star of the desktop. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it.

Custer's Desktops

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Many at this year's E3 took notice that 3D Realms' Duke Nukem Forever was no where to be seen. Speculation began that the game might be in trouble. But recently 3D Realms officials have been reassuring people that the game is still on its way. But when seems to be another question that keeps coming up.

As recently revealed by Take Two interactive in an investor conference call, 3DRealm's upcoming first-person shooter Duke Nukem Forever is very unlikely to see the light this year either.

Here's the snip from the conference call as covered by ShackNews:

Analyst: Regarding Duke Nukem Forever for the PC, any chance -any possibility under the sun- that we see that this holiday season? Or at what point do you guys just pull the plug on that?

Take Two: I think in terms of possibilities under the sun for this holiday season, the answer to that is 'no.' With regards to next year, we're in a wait and see mode at this point. You know, last quarter we wrote it down substantially, so we generally already pulled the plug. And right now we're just hopeful that the team in Dallas will finish it.

Just bear in mind that 3DR funds DNF 100% out of our own pockets. Take Two does nothing. If we didn't have utmost confidence in our abilities and the future of the game, then why would we continue to fund it ourselves? We could easily quit, scrap it, and do some other game.

All we want to do is keep quite, work on the game, and emerge later and show you what we're working on. We don't want hype. We don't want drama. We don't want Take Two saying stupid ass things in public, for the sole purposes of helping their stock.

But just remember, it's our time and our money we are spending on the game. So either we're absolutely stupid and clueless, or we believe in what we are working on. In the end, you guys will judge the final results. For now, all we want to do is keep quiet and work.

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Freeverse recently published the latest issue of MontyMail, its monthly newsletter. Besides the usual jokes and recipes, a new title has been announced that should be of interest to fans of burning monkeys everywhere. Entitled Burning Monkey Mah Jong, the game brings tile-matching play attached to a monkey theme:

With tons of extensible tilesets, music, sound effects, monkey antics, this will be the Mah Jong solitaire game of the millennium! And we're only on our third year into it!, so that says a lot.

Freeverse adds that both Burning Monkey Solitaire III and Monkey Mah Jong are in the latter stages of development, and that both titles should see release sometime during the summer.

Freeverse - MontyMail Vol. I, Issue 5

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The woodland themed tennis game for OSX Tennis Critters has had a recent update of their website, with multiple new screenshots displaying the quirky style graphics and gameplay that will be present in the game. Currently under development for the Mac by Nerd Riot Games, the 3D engine the developers are using is the Garage Games Torque engine, which is licensed out specifically to small developers like Nerd Riot. Considering some of the other indepent products produced using the Torque engine, such as Orbz and Think Tanks, Tennis Critters looks to be shaping up to be another interesting and high quality game.

Click on the link below to head on over to Nerd Riot's website and download the new screenshots, or visit Garage Game's website for more info on games such as these.

Nerd Riot and Tennis Critters Homepage

Garage Game's Website

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