The Tycoon series is still going strong, with the latest additions Beer Tycoon and Fairy Godmother Tycoon set to be a hit when they are released. However, one of the series' best-known titles, RollerCoaster Tycoon is under threat by a lawsuit which has now reached the highest court in the land (England, that is), the House of Lords. The lawsuit is between publishing giant Atari and Chris Sawyer, creator of the RollerCoaster Tycoon series relating to $4.8 million which Sawyer claims Atari owe him due to a breach of contract.

However, Atari also claim that Sawyer has breached their contract with him, claiming that Sawyer has broken an agreement by letting developer Frontier create a demo based on the RollerCoaster Tycoon franchise. House of Lords Judge Lord Justice Chadwick said "This is one of those unusual cases in which a claim which the court considers has no real prospect of success (as the law stands) should, nevertheless, be permitted to go trial."

So what does this mean? Well, two other cases in this area of law known as "inducement" are pending, and whatever happens in these cases, if the House of Lords decides to make a precedent then the RollerCoaster Tycoon case will follow these decisions.

However, if no precedents are made in the two pending cases then it is likely that the claim will be dropped. Take it from a Law student, if this case is dropped there will be an expensive bill for both Atari and Mr Sawyer - the House of Lords isn't a cheap court to go to.

 

Today THQ Inc informed us that the next installment in the motorcycle racing phenomenon Moto GP will be coming to the Xbox 360 and PCs in the fall of 2007. Moto GP '07 is supposed to deliver the "next generation racing experience" with an improved race day experience and the complete 2007 MotoGP season that will make the video game just as exciting as the real thing.

Of course, no new MotoGP title would be complete without a set of all-new bikes, tracks, and game modes, along with some of the favorites from previous titles. Moto GP '07 will have enhanced customization options, building on the popular "Extreme mode" that allows players to race on city streets around the world.

The MotoGP series has topped over 1.5 million in sales this year, and as Bob Aniello, senior vice president of worldwide marketing at THQ states, the MotoGP series is "critically acclaimed for pushing the limits of realism and console technology. With MotoGP ‘07, THQ raises the bar yet again for both core gamers and racing enthusiasts." Hopefully THQ will raise the bar with some screenshots and more details on the game soon.

 

A few days ago we reported on the different launch parties that were going on around the world to celebrate the release of what's set to be the world's next most popular Operating System, and today we bring you coverage from the Vista launch at the British library in the UK.

Windows is everywhere: from your home, to work, to entertainment; you just can't get away from it. Windows Vista is the successor to Windows XP and is supposed to be more efficient, more secure and more reliable than it's predecessor. But according to Bill Gates himself at the London shindig, we can expect much more from Vista that will shape the future of gaming.

Mr. Gates said, "Today is a big day, and it's really the start of something different," proceeding to comment on the future of games in Vista, the Operating System which will allow us to "play games that are of a whole new level of realism and connecting up with other people around the world". He talked about the developer tools which will be available for Vista will 'empower' the software industry, giving them the ability to create high quality software at low prices. He concluded by saying "We're unleashing people's creativity and we're excited about what can happen."

This speech appears to have been made in response to the Vista compatibility questions that have sprouted up all around the internet, but if Microsoft get this right it could be the sale of the century. Developer tools in Vista are going to be one of the huge factors in the development of games in the future.

Developers are only as good as the tools they can use to create their games, and with the use of extensive information and documents Gates has promised devs, we should be seeing more huge games with amazing graphics that challenge the boundaries between reality and virtual reality. We could even see a game better than World of Warcraft.

  

CDV Software Entertainment America has today announced that the official website for Alien Shooter: Vengeance has gone live today to the delight of fans who've been enjoying the official demo of the game since December. An action RPG, Alien Shooter: Vengeance builds upon the RPG style character building to add alien-blasting and a variety of devastating weapons, while crashing through sci-fi environments in fast and deadly vehicles. All these elements may point towards a first person shooter or a Battlefield-esque fighter but Alien Shooter: Vengeance's RPG roots are clear.

The game features multiple character types and an intensive RPG skill-tree to expand the gaming experience, with multiplayer gameplay mode as a nice add-on to increase the lifespan of the game when you've exhausted the single player campaign. The website features some great screenshots of the game (actually, the first screenshots of the game released to the public), a full explanation of the story in 'the game' section, and the vehicles and weapons pages to be updated soon. There's also some Alien Shooter forums so you can go to to talk about the game or the demo!

   

With your children tucked away in bed waiting for Santa to arrive, you need to take some time to relax. After thinking about it for a while, we at QJ decided a good bit of airborne shooting in the form of an aircraft dogfight for Battlestations: Midway (for Xbox 360 and PC) would just do the trick.

We may have only just found out that Battlestations: Midway will ship to North American retailers on January 30, 2007, but we're already excited and this supplement to the tactical air strikes trailer released earlier this month just adds fuel to the fire of anticipation for the release of this game.

In this game, you are the one in the pilot seat, the one expected to fight for your country when the skies are full of danger. Judging by this footage, there is no better way to experience the thrill of being a hero (other than being one in real life!) than with Battlestations: Midway. The roar of your propeller-driven aircraft, the bang of your machine gun fire hurtling towards enemy aircraft and the wind passing by at 200Mph are all put through to you in this game. You have split seconds to make your decision in a dogfight - a decision which could mean the difference between life and death. How will you react?

If you haven't ordered Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars yet just for the bonuses from Gamestop, then this might be something to convince you. "Games for Windows" magazine (which has a title rather like this blog so it must be reliable...hehe) has released information on a new race to be included in the new Command and Conquer 3: aliens! As you can see from the images above, it does look a little like Earth 2160 or a similar alien RTS game but with the gameplay style and authenticity that you can only find in a Command and Conquer game.

According to "GfW" magazine, Steve Jablonsky and Trevor Morris are doing the music for the game. They're including some of the more popular tracks from past Command and Conquer titles just for your pleasure.

Also in this PC game are amazing graphics and a completely destructible environment. You'll be pleased to hear that the loading times have been dramatically reduced, with average loading times on an average specification of PC taking 10 seconds. What do you think about the addition of an alien race in Command and Conquer? Make your views heard in the comments!

  

City interactive have today unveiled a large gallery of screenshots for their upcoming PC title Terrorist Takedown: Covert Operations. Now if you've been a hardcore PC gamer for a while now, just like most of the QJ office, the first game which will come to mind when first person shooters and terrorists are mentioned is of course Counter-Strike, but this game is completely different. If you fancy a break from shooting aliens, in Terrorist Takedown: Covert Operations you take the position of a US military soldier fighting against a drug cartel in the depths of the South American jungle. You aren't on your own though, you'll have the aid of a US military squad and a whole host of standard issue military weapons as well as any weapons you can get your hands on from terrorist forces to fight with.

Although team-based gameplay is an essential part of Terrorist Takedown: Covert Operations, in the final part of the game you have to go it alone, seeking the notorious drug baron known as Mendoza Rambo-style before backup arrives. There'll be a large range of vehicles on offer too, although it is not yet clear if you'll be able to pilot helicopters or drive a Humvee. Until next time Soldier, onto the screens!

   

Catch 'em all after the jump! Click on the "Full Article" link below.

PC gaming has taken a slight hit from the next generation of home and portable games consoles, with gamers going for the cheaper reality of console gaming over quite costly PC upgrades. PC gaming needs something to draw those gamers back and according to EA UK Managing Director Keith Ramsdale, episodic content is the way to draw gamers away from their consoles and onto PCs. Ramsdale said:

FIFA on PC for years used to be a constant number. We used to know we'd sell 70,000 units in the UK. And over the last couple of years, that number's just gone - it's gone to 20,000 units, and I think those users have moved to Xbox and PS, the consoles. In Korea they launched FIFA Online, and instantly it had 100,000 users.

Ramsdale is trying to say that by using direct PC download games, massively multiplayer online games, and episodic content, gamers will move towards PC gaming for the content alone.

Ramsdale went on to say, "There are some examples already - you've got add-ons which are inherent in the PC business that work well, and it shows an appetite for episodic content."

We might be seeing some more online and episodic-oriented games from EA in the future. A few ideas that have been conjured up by other members of staff back at the QJ office include World of FIFA and Battlefield: 2242, 2243 and 2244; but I doubt they'd succeed. Wait a minute...World of FIFA? What a good idea! Hopefully episodic games will take people away from hacking game sites, too.

We all like a good freebie or two and if you're a Windows lovers, you'll surely be very pleased to hear what we're about to tell you. The title does not lie: by watching a few online videos, you could get your hands on a pristine copy of either Windows Vista or Microsoft Office 2007, two of Microsoft's next generation range of computer software. This isn't illegal, nor is it happening behind the backs of those guys at Microsoft. It's 100% genuine and all it asks is that you are over 18 years of age and are a resident of the U.S.

Now, just register at the special "Power Together" site and make sure to watch the the three webcasts featuring Windows Vista and Office 2007 within 30 days, and you'll soon (say six to eight weeks soon) have a shiny copy of Vista Business (not the cheap one) or Office 2007 posted directly to your door. With the technological enhancements in Vista providing increased security, amazing 3D graphics, and a nice new user interface for higher spec computers, this is one you'll surely want. There's no catch to this "promo" as it has been confirmed legitimate and COMPLETELY FREE by MSDN officials. As long as you meet the above requirements, you're in.

The obvious ploy behind these webcasts is to encourage the use of Office 2007 and Vista together - and by sending you one of the two for free, you'll surely be encouraged you to buy the other product. As Microsoft claims, it's the Zen of Vista and Office 2007 that will make you happy. Even if you are unsure of this, it sure beats shelling out hundreds of dollars for this software! I'd advise you sign up quick (just click the link below), this offer will go from zero to millions of registered users in minutes.

Grey Dog Software has released the v1.1 patch for their sports management simulation game Wrestling Spirit 2. If you haven't heard of this PC game which was released back in March, it's a wrestling simulation title that answers the question "What would happen if pro wrestling was organized like a real sport". the answer comes via two modes: "Pro League" and "World League".

Very much a non-"revamped WWE" title, Wrestling Spirit 2 lets you take control of a wrestler and take part in a competitive league, battling it out over the course of a season as you fight against fellow grapplers to decide promotions and relegations.

Dubbed "the thinking man's fighting game", Wrestling Spirit 2 breaks the mould and takes you into a world of it's own. Here's the changelog for v1.1 of the patch to this simulation game:

• Fixed problem with portfolio sales
• Fixed problem with world league profile showing in pro league
• Fixed problem with Years Completed not increasing correctly
• Potential fix to RTE13 error
• Fix to RTE error when requesting feud with someone higher up the card
• Fixed RTE9 error that occurred when a new promotion was generated
• Fixed problem with championships not being defended
• Fixed error with "fall on top" pins counting outside of the ring
• Fixed issue with new workers appearing in inactive game areas
• Improved tag team AI
• Quickened pace of promotion size changes
• Fixed issue with lifetime contracts
• Fixed error where off-air TV shows were appearing in fed profiles
• Various minor tweaks

Download: [Wrestling Spirit 2 - v1.1 Patch]