Like Steam, EA Origin will be offering more than just downloadable games, Origin will feature social networking features, trophies/achievements, in game messaging and probably the most interesting, the ability to register non Origin bought games and integrate them into the service.

From the Wall Street Journal excerpt available via MorningStar.

Even if consumers don’t purchase games through Origin, they will be able to use it to create profile pages that record all of their scores and other progress on EA games and to establish Origin friend lists based on their friend lists on Facebook and other social networks.

This ability is something I wished Steam should have done a long time ago and fingers crossed, regional price gouging is kept to a minimum.

Is this the EA Origin Homepage or some Mockup?

I have no idea where the image came from – this one was taken from Kotaku.

In Order to make a submission, you need to answer this question:

Should the Australian National Classification Scheme include an R 18+ classification category for computer games?

Submit and download all the relevant documents here.

The submission template contains multiple choice questions as well as a 250 word comment section, not really enough words allowed to thoroughly discuss the issue yet it is better than nothing.

The Commonwealth Government has released a discussion paper which briefly summarises the key arguments for and against an R 18+ classification for computer games.  Censorship Ministers have considered the issue of an adult classification for computer games on several occasions.  However, they have not undertaken public consultation on this issue.

Submissions are being sought on whether the Australian National Classification Scheme should include an R 18+ classification category for computer games.  Submissions can be made by downloading and completing the submission template.  Submissions may also be mailed or faxed.  The discussion paper and submission template contain the contact details for making a submission.

The Interplay Steam store page will be made available at this URL when Gabe wakes up in the morning.

(August 17th, 2009) – Interplay Entertainment (Interplay), the publisher of many video game hits, and Valve Corporation (Valve), a developer of leading-edge technologies and software, announced today an agreement to bring Interplay titles to customers worldwide via Steam®, Valve’s leading platform for digital content distribution and management.

Beginning today, Interplay titles including Fallout, Sacrifice and Kingpin will become available for purchase via Steam, which makes PC games available online to more than 20 million users worldwide.

This weeks top 10:

1. Left 4 Dead
2. Killing Floor
3. Assassin’s Creed™: Director’s Cut Edition
4. Team Fortress 2
5. Unreal Tournament 3 Black
6. Penumbra Collector Pack
7. Counter-Strike: Source
8. Unreal Deal Pack
9. The Orange Box
10. Freedom Force: Freedom Pack

Jarate

Jarate is a thrown jar that splashes upon impact. When splashed on enemies, they take 35% more damage for a period of time. Jumping in water will wash off Jarate. Jarate is also able to short out Spies’ cloaking devices. When used on teammates, Jarate will extinguish any fire effects.

* Jarate is neither affiliated with, nor a substitute for, Karate.

Just in case you missed it, the Day 6 Spy Unlock is The Ambassador.

Source: L4D Blog

If you want to get started on the beta, we suggest joining two mailing lists:
http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/l4dmapper

And the general Source mapper’s list. http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlmappers

This is beta software, so if you have any problems or issues, please send them to the l4dmapper email list.

We have also updated our developer Wiki http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Authoring_Tools/SDK_(Left_4_Dead)

Valve has released a beta SDK and it has various fixes for hl2DM.  All slam issues are now fixed and also the third person animations are fixed as well as all the effects and I am releasing a mod soon witch will use the new sdk – orange box.

I had a quick play around with it last night – Damn impressive.  The Tau Cannon behaves almost like it did originally without the issues presented byHL2DM pro.  Movement, speed are fluid – just need to test in an online environment.

Features

Weapons

• Tau Cannon (AKA “GaussGun”) The same gun that is on the buggy in Half-Life 2 but its hand held like it was in Half-Life 1
• SniperRifle
• The Gluon gun (AKA “The Egon”) From Half-Life 1 Coming soon
• The PhysGun that was cut from Half-Life 2 is also in the works

Enhancements

• Chat Bubble above players head when typing
• RPG now holds 8 Rockets and the Laser can be turned on or off.
• The Frag Grenade now explodes sooner
• Added First Person Ragdolls
• Added Muzzle Flash Lighting
• Added Counter Strike Source Muzzle Flashes
• Added High Res textures on all weapons
• New SMG1 Model and Sounds
• Added HDR Lighting to all Maps
• Maxplayers can now go up to 32
• Floating Slam issues are now fixed
• Better Thirdperson coming soon
• Half-Life 2 Deathmatch Revolution uses The Orange Box Source Engine
• Multiplayer Source Code fixes
• Players animate with the new animation system that came along with TF2.
• Fixed third person animations and all effects
• Fixed SLAM issues
• Fixed Use of UTIL_GetLocalPlayer on the server in various locations
• Fixed a number of other bugs / asserts.

“We can confirm that our relationship with 3D Realms for Duke Nukem Forever was a publishing arrangement, which did not include ongoing funds for development of the title,” said Take-Two VP of communications Alan Lewis in a prepared statement.

3D Realms has been working on Duke Nukem Forever for what seems Forever.

What does this mean for the future DNF?

Does anyone really care anymore?

Entrants were asked to choose a scene from a movie and create a 3D environment based on itin Realtime -  either using a game engine or a 3D app.

For this competition, you must choose a scene from a movie and create a 3D environment based on it. You can either recreate it exactly, or you can use it as a reference to create something new – but it has to be recognizable and it has to look like it belongs to that movie.

All the entries are absolutely stunning, my favourite being the 8th placed 5th Element submission.  Here are the the top 3 winners:

Blade Runner

Hook

X-Men 2