Total Gaming Network

We reported earlier this week about Bioware's and EA's plans for copy right protection in the upcoming titles, Mass Effect, and Spore for PC, well it seems that it was maybe a bit too much. Check it out:

BioWare producer Derek French recently caused an uproar after announcing that copy protection on the PC editions of Mass Effect and Spore would require online validation every 10 days in order for the games to continue functioning.

In the face of increasing pressure, BioWare and publisher Electronic Arts today relented, updating the official Mass Effect PC FAQ to note that validation will now only be required when the player downloads new game content.

Electronic Arts also released a statement mentioning that Spore's copy protection will be similarly changed to allow for offline play, only requiring validation on a patch or game content update.

Read more at Shacknews here.

We recently had a lively discussion on Crytek's comments blaming piracy for the reason they will no longer be making PC exclusive games. Well the guys over at Tom's Hardware have posted up a new video from the Second Take series discussing these latest remarks and giving their take on them. You can check the video out at the link below:

Looking forward to Mass Effect on the PC? You better be looking forward to re-validating your CD-Key every 10 days or you won't be able to play it anymore. Pirates beware:

Here is BioWare's plan for copy protection:

"Mass Effect PC uses SecuROM which requires an online activation for the first time you play Mass Effect PC after installation. After the first activation, SecuROM requires that it re-check with the server within ten days in order to revalidate the CD key. If it can't contact the server before the 10 days are up, the game still runs and it will re-check until it is successful. If the check is not successfully performed within the 10 day period, Mass Effect will not run until an online check is successful."

Basically, this will punish paying customers while pirates merely circumvent the authentification process altogether (probably). The plan will also allow the game to be activated on 3 PCs at one time.

Mass Effect on the PC releases on May 27, 2008 and features an updated UI. Check out a Q&A on the copy protection at the BioWare Forums.

The Total Gaming League is now accepting admin applications for all games and nearly all positions. We're especially eager to find talented staff for Call of Duty 4, CounterStrike: Source, and Team Fortress 2.

Each position has a varying level of responsibility and required dedication. Ideal applicants must be mature, act in a professional manner, have extensive knowledge of the game they're applying for, be 18 years old or higher, and have the capability to provide TGL users with excellent customer service. Preference will be given to those with strong communication, organizational, and conflict-resolution skills.

If you'd like to assist us in managing one of the fastest growing and most exciting competition organizations in existence today, please go to our staff application page and start filling in your information. Thank you and good luck!

Visit the Total Gaming League website for more details here.

According to a new post over on GameSpy, id Software has begun looking for new team members for a project. That project was then formally announced as Doom 4. Take a look:

In the course of sending out a press release stating its active recruitment for the project, id Software has formally announced the development of Doom 4. No details on the game were forthcoming, but id is evidently seeking the industry's best and brightest to craft the presumably high-budget, high-tech shooter.

"DOOM is part of the id Software DNA and demands the greatest talent and brightest minds in the industry to bring the next installment of our flagship franchise to Earth," said id CEO Todd Hollenshead in the press release. "It's critical for id Software to have the best creative minds in-house to develop games that meet the standards synonymous with our titles."

Perusing the "jobs" section of www.idsoftware.com reveals numerous open positions in various disciplines, including vacancies for a lead designer, an art director, and a lead animator.

Stay tuned for more news on this newly announced entry into the Doom series.

The latest episode of the Total Gaming Network Podcast has been released today. Here's what this newest episode covers:

In this episode of the Total Gaming Network Podcast, Stu is back from his week long hiatus and we steer the train wreck in the direction of the Total Gaming Network sites. After we cover the news, Stu has a one on one chat with Internal Coordinator of Battle for Europe, Zweibz. Stu and Zweibz talk about BFE's 19th campaign and the evolution of the BFE tournament from it's beginnings as a Call of Duty tournament in the WWII style to the modern combat of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.

Also, stick around after the interview as Delta1 has put together some of our "best" material that got left on the cutting room floor. We guarantee that it will leave you with a smile on your face.

All this and more on the best podcast for gamers, by gamers... the TGN Podcast!

Be sure to listen to this podcast and stay tuned to the feed! Feel free to post your feedback in this thread. You can also post any suggestions or ideas for the podcast in this forum.

Ubisoft has released a brand new trailer today for their upcoming FPS Far Cry 2. This new trailer shows off in game footage as well as gives information about the game straight from the developers. Check it out below courtesy of Game Trailers:

DICE has released a new gameplay video showing their latest venture, Mirror's Edge. The video was shown at Sony's Gamers Day:

IGN has recently posted up an updated version of their release dates. As you know, release dates can change at any time. This is just a rough guide.

XBOX 360
Rock Band: Special Edition - May 23rd 2008 [UK]
Battlefield: Bad Company - June 13th 2008 [UK] June 23rd 2008 [US]
The Bourne Conspiracy - June 27th 2008 [UK] June 3rd 2008 [US]
Saint's Row 2 - August 26th 2008 [UK] August 26th 2008 [US]

Playstation 3
Haze - May 23rd 2008 [UK] May 20th 2008 [US]
MGS4: Guns of the Patriots - June 12th 2008 [UK] June 12th 2008 [US]
Battlefield: Bad Company - June 13th 2008 [UK] June 23rd 2008 [US]
Saint's Row 2 - August 28th [UK] August 26th [US]

Nintendo Wii
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 - June 6th 2008 [UK] August 5th 2008 [US]
Super Smash Bros Brawl - June 27th 2008 [UK]
Alone In The Dark - June 20th 2008 [UK] June 24th 2008 [US]
Wii Fit - May 19th 2008 [US]

PC
Age of Conan - May 20th 2008 [UK] May 20th 2008 [US]
Mass Effect - June 6th 2008 [UK] May 27th 2008 [US]
Alone In The Dark - June 20th 2008 [UK] June 24th 2008 [US]
S.T.A.L.K.E.R Clear Sky - August 28th 2008 [UK] August 29th 2008 [US]
Spore - September 5th 2008 [UK] September [US]

Remember, this dates are subject and probably will change.

The Sega Saturn console will celebrate it's 13th birthday in America, on the 11th of May. Known as one of the greatest disasters in video game history, I take a look back at the ill-fated console and try and work out exactly what went wrong.

For those of you not familiar with the Saturn, the Saturn was a fifth-generation 32-bit console, which was launched in Japan in November 94' and in America/Europe in May/June 95'. The Saturn was hailed by Sega to be the answer to Sony's Playstation.

Sega originally planned a September 2 release date followed by the PlayStation console a week later. However, the president of Sega at that time, Tom Kalinske dropped the bombshell that the September release date was deliberately faked and the console would be shipping alot earlier, in fact it would ship the very day he made the announcement.

Whilst the launch was exciting and unexpected, the effect on the retailers and the non-Sega publishers would do more harm than good. Following several months after it's north american release, the Saturn would have a very small library of Sega-published games and most likely resulted in publishers using Playstation instead of the Saturn.

The system came with a port of usually arcade-based Virtua Fighter, followed by games such as Daytona USA, Worldwide Soccer and Clockwork Knight. Daytona USA proved to gamers that the Saturn was rocking or rather not rocking, as good hardware as it's more dominant competition.

By September of that same year, it was clear the console hadn't been a great a success as Sega had hoped. They managed to sell around 82,000 consoles. However, when the PSX or Playstation was released, it surpassed the saturns numbers by 18,000 even on release and went on to sell 102 million consoles in total. The Saturn sold 17 million before it was discontinued in 2000.

So, what was the nail in the coffin for the Saturn? Was it the poor range of games, available upon release. Maybe the console never really gained the momentum it should have. Perhaps it was the confusion of it's North American release date? Or, maybe it was just that the Playstation was just that damn good?

If you had a Sega Saturn, then let us know what you thought of the doomed console.