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Virtual Programming has posted a status update on their upcoming port of Reality Pump Studios' and Zuxxez Entertainment's dairy based RPG/RTS game KnightShift (also known as Once Upon a Knight). The game is doing good progress and is quickly approaching beta.

From the post:

The characters are now displayed and animated correctly and they are fighting away in the menu sequences nicely :-)

The majority of the graphical features are now working and are looking great. The game also uses the same gamma control as the PC version which does help to make the graphics look better.

There are some issues on the to do list e.g. the mouse and keyboard improvements and we need to get the intro movie playback working, but progress has been good of late :-)

Thanks to the good progress of the game, we hope to see KnightShift heading to the Mac in time for summer. IMG will keep you posted as more information becomes available, so stay tuned to our news page.

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Virtual Programming: Latest news on KnightShift

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Apple refreshed its consumer/education desktop yesterday by updating many of its components, all while trimming $100 from the price tag.

The eMac is now powered by a 1.25 GHz G4 processor with 512 KB L2 cache, double that of its predecessor. Graphics are now handled by ATI's Radeon 9200, a noticeable improvement over the Radeon 7500, though the amount of VRAM (32 MB) remains unchanged. Also new are its three USB 2.0 ports and Bluetooth and AirPort Extreme connectivity options. The $999 eMac features an 8x SuperDrive and the $799 model has a 32x combo drive.

Apple's press release (linked below) provides the model breakdown:

The 17-inch flat CRT eMac, for a suggested retail price of $799 (US) includes:

1.25 GHz PowerPC G4 processor;

256MB of 333 MHz DDR SDRAM;

a 32x Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) optical drive;

five USB ports (three USB 2.0) and two Firewire 400;

ATI Radeon 9200 with 32MB video memory; and

a 40GB Ultra ATA/100 hard drive.

The 17-inch flat CRT eMac, for a suggested retail price of $999 (US) includes:

1.25 GHz PowerPC G4 processor;

256MB of 333 MHz DDR SDRAM;

an 8x SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW) optical drive;

five USB ports (three USB 2.0) and two Firewire 400;

ATI Radeon 9200 with 32MB video memory; and

an 80GB Ultra ATA/100 hard drive.

PR: Apple Announces a Faster, More Affordable eMac

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The trackball is perhaps the most easily overlooked of peripherals, maybe due to it's seemingly alien interface to those born and bred on the mouse, but it is a control mechanism that has proved its mettle over years – it simply refuses to die, and its proponents concur. Though it seems unwieldy, those who have the perserverance to adjust to the change are often well served in their effort. With this in mind, Trevor Buchanan undertakes the job of learning and using the Microsoft Trackball Explorer.

Here is an excerpt from the review:

First person shooters are tough with this device, I won't sugarcoat it. Using one's middle finger to look and the primary button to shoot is confusing at best – and in an online game can mean immediate death for the uninitiated.

However, by using some unorthodox control schemes I found that my aim actually got better and my scores increased. I had the best luck in a Halo match but a faster paced game like Soldier of Fortune II was much more challenging with this pointer. The jury's still out on this one, though. I'll keep my mouse around for clan matches.

IMG Review: Microsoft Trackball Explorer

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The IMG Store began shipping Command & Conquer: Generals, the eagerly-anticipated modern warfare game from Aspyr Media. In C&C: Generals, you wage real-time war in more ways than ever with a modern and near-future arsenal. Command the powerful U.S. forces, the vast Chinese war machine, or the resourceful Global Liberation Army.

The game is available for $48.99. If you are an IMG Pro or MacGames DVD subscriber, you can order it for just $43.99.

Not a subscriber? No problem. Subscribe to the MacGames DVD and get 8 issues on DVD for just $49 a year. Plus a free game of your choice. Add the MacGames DVD subscription to your cart and you'll automatically get C&C: Generals for just $43.99. For more details, follow the link below.

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The once popular IMG poll is back after a "brief" four year hiatus. Polls are an excellent way to gage the Mac gaming comunity and we think it will be an extremely useful and fun tool.

Our very first poll asks which commercial Mac game publisher is your current favorite. To cast your vote in the poll, please follow the link below.

Special thanks to Randall Shaw for putting the poll code together.

IMG Poll

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Bungie Studios the creators of Halo: Combat Evolved and the timeless classic Myth and Marathon series has launched their new website at Bungie.net with a completely new design. The redesigned site promises regular updates on the sequel to Halo, currently in development for X-box, and also offers lots of information and brand new wallpapers on their older titles, including the Marathon games, Myth and Oni:

Wow! Finally! The new Bungie.net is here at last. We've been promising big things, for a long time, and here they are: A new look, new functionality and most important of all, new content, news, features and art! Go ahead and explore, and read more for a taste of what's in store.

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Aspyr Media sends quick word this morning that Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell is now officially in beta testing. The company is hoping to release the game as soon as next month, and this progress puts them on track to do so.

In case you're unfamiliar with Splinter Cell, here's a rundown of some of the title's features from Aspyr's mini-site:

• Covert stealth-action featuring a compelling original storyline and characters inspired by the world of Tom Clancy and endorsed by the famous author.
  
• Revolutionary lighting, shadowing, animation, physics, and sound effects create an astonishingly realistic tension-filled experience.
  
• Comprehensive stealth techniques including sniping, split jumping, zip lining, rappelling, and using human shields bring gameplay possibilities to a new level.
  
• Experimental intelligence gadgets (night/thermal vision goggles, prototype weapons and surveillance gear, etc.) give Fisher the edge against his enemies.

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IMG Preview: Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell

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