Major Fubar 0 Posted November 13, 2002 Full story - click here </span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">REDWOOD CITY, CA—Video-game developer Pixxel Arts announced Monday that it will delay the release of Beltway Sniper: Silent Strike out of respect for the victims of the recent D.C.-area shootings.  Based on the sniper attacks linked to suspects John Muhammad and John Lee Malvo, Beltway Sniper: Silent Strike was slated to hit store shelves Nov. 15. Last Friday, however, Pixxel top brass made the decision to postpone the game's release until March 2003. "Upon discussing the matter internally, we decided that it would be inappropriate to unleash the intense sniping action and white-knuckle stealth gameplay of Beltway Sniper at this time," Pixxel Arts president Davis Conway said. "Out of respect for the victims of this horrific killing spree and their loved ones, we are delaying release of the mind-blowing first-person shooter until early next year." According to Rich Koslow, editor of GamePro magazine, Beltway Sniper: Silent Strike was expected to be one of the hottest video-game releases of the holiday season. Available for Nintendo Gamecube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC, the game enables players to wander through an ultra-realistic suburban D.C. landscape shooting innocent passersby. "Beltway Sniper is everything you've heard and more," Koslow said. "I recently had a chance to play it myself at Pixxel's offices, and it's as close as you can come to real-life experience short of actually being Muhammad or Malvo himself." Despite the strong buzz surrounding the game, Conway said Pixxel Arts is committed to holding off releasing Beltway Sniper "until the wounds from the tragedy have begun to heal." He stressed that the delay has nothing to do with any problems with the game itself.  "I want people to understand that the delay is strictly a product of our deep and profound compassion for those affected by this tragedy," Conway said. "The game itself is ready to go and, believe me, it more than delivers: The mind-blowing, fully rendered 3-D graphics feature both first- and third- person modes, and the special SneakScope View enables players to track their targets with deadly precision while still keeping an eye out for police. Once enough time has passed and we as a nation have put these events behind us, I am confident that gamers will find the strength to move on to more than 20 thrilling levels of stealth-shooter action." Though disappointed by the delay, software programmers at Pixxel Arts fully support the decision. "This was clearly the right thing to do—it's just too soon," programmer Russell Sperber said. "No one is ready for the realistic wound-channel modeling or rifle-bullet ballistics right now, but by the time March rolls around, they'll go nuts over it. That and the unlockable extra levels, the 'Create A Cryptic Note' feature, and the 'Play As The Cops' mode. And, of course, we'll be expanding the Create-A-Sniper feature, in which you can put yourself or your friends in a tree outside a strip-mall parking lot and take aim at the customers exiting such stores as Ponderosa, T.J. Maxx, and Jo-Ann Fabrics." As new details of the sniper case unfold, Pixxel Arts has agreed to work in tandem with D.C.-area law enforcement. "We've been in regular communication with the various police forces involved in the case," Conway said. "They've been very helpful, both with regard to how to respectfully approach this event and how to make the gameplay as realistic as humanly possible. In situations like this, it's crucial that you do things right." Conway said that a percentage of the profits from sales of Beltway Sniper would be donated to the victims' families.<span id='postcolor'> Above: A scene from Beltway Sniper: Silent Strike. Above: A Pixxel representative demonstrates Beltway Sniper at a recent video-game-industry convention. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Badgerboy 0 Posted November 13, 2002 You have to love the Onion! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Col. Kurtz 0 Posted November 13, 2002 If it wasnt for the fact you have a screenshot, I would say you were making this up. Who would really want to make a game based on real events where you shoot innocent bystaders? What next, Columbine High:Lock and Load for PC, X-Box and PS2? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Warin 0 Posted November 13, 2002 Dude, it's on the Onion. I think there is a rule that the Onion never shows real news, no matter what! I was -totally- taken and had thoughts of 'good lord, how tacky!' until I saw Badgerboy comment on the source. Ah..The Onion..purveyors of twisted humour. Gotta love em! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Major Fubar 0 Posted November 13, 2002 Hmm, I just assumed people would release it was a gag...guess I should have made it clearer... Sorry... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FallenPaladin 0 Posted November 13, 2002 </span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Major Fubar @ Nov. 13 2002,05:46)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Full story - click here </span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"> "Beltway Sniper is everything you've heard and more," Koslow said. "I recently had a chance to play it myself at Pixxel's offices, and it's as close as you can come to real-life experience short of actually being Muhammad or Malvo himself." "in which you can put yourself or your friends in a tree outside a strip-mall parking lot and take aim at the customers exiting such stores as Ponderosa, T.J. Maxx, and Jo-Ann Fabrics." "We've been in regular communication with the various police forces involved in the case," Conway said. "They've been very helpful, both with regard to how to respectfully approach this event and how to make the gameplay as realistic as humanly possible. In situations like this, it's crucial that you do things right." Conway said that a percentage of the profits from sales of Beltway Sniper would be donated to the victims' families.<span id='postcolor'><span id='postcolor'> Are they all out of their minds?!? That`s indeed sick!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FallenPaladin 0 Posted November 13, 2002 You fooled me! Â Â D`oh!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dayglow 2 Posted November 13, 2002 The screen looks like a doctored Virta Cop screenshot COLINMAN Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OFPunk 0 Posted November 13, 2002 </span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">If it wasnt for the fact you have a screenshot, I would say you were making this up. Who would really want to make a game based on real events where you shoot innocent bystaders? What next, Columbine High:Lock and Load for PC, X-Box and PS2? <span id='postcolor'> I cant beleive you actually beleived that even after looking at the screenshot, it was a dead giveway. You better edit your post before too many others see that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Col. Kurtz 0 Posted November 13, 2002 </span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (OFPunk @ Nov. 13 2002,16:22)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">If it wasnt for the fact you have a screenshot, I would say you were making this up. Who would really want to make a game based on real events where you shoot innocent bystaders? What next, Columbine High:Lock and Load for PC, X-Box and PS2? <span id='postcolor'> I cant beleive you actually beleived that even after looking at the screenshot, it was a dead giveway. You better edit your post before too many others see that.<span id='postcolor'> Well I've never really been into games like Virtu Cop, so how should I know? Although it does look a little tacky for todays technology. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Assault (CAN) 1 Posted November 13, 2002 </span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">"I want people to understand that the delay is strictly a product of our deep and profound compassion for those affected by this tragedy,"..........Once enough time has passed and we as a nation have put these events behind us, I am confident that gamers will find the strength to move on to more than 20 thrilling levels of stealth-shooter action." <span id='postcolor'> LMAO. Satire at it's best. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DarkLight 0 Posted November 13, 2002 Not hard to know that it's fake, just look at that horrible screenshot! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FallenPaladin 0 Posted November 13, 2002 A terrible screenshot doesn`t mean that there could be no game linked to it. Think of games like "Autobahnraser" here in Germany or "Moorhuhn" ... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DarkLight 0 Posted November 14, 2002 </span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (FallenPaladin @ Nov. 12 2002,20:03)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">A terrible screenshot doesn`t mean that there could be no game linked to it. Think of games like "Autobahnraser" here in Germany or "Moorhuhn" ... Â <span id='postcolor'> Well.... those are german games so that doesn't surprise me Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Balschoiw 0 Posted November 14, 2002 There are several games from germany that DO kick ass http://www.xicat.com/games/Gothic.htm I am awaiting Gothic2 it shall be out at end of November. Get it ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Placebo 28 Posted November 14, 2002 Agree about Gothic, excellent game Now back on topic Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Major Fubar 0 Posted November 14, 2002 Does anyone remember a 2D game called Postal? It was banned in Australia (still is) so I only got to play the demo. You play a disgruntled psycho who gets points for blowing away civilians and cops alike, and the game encourages tactics like wounding someone, then lying in wait for the paramedics and wasting them when they arrive. As sick as it sounds, this was a really fun game, and your character had catch phrases like "Bleed!" and "I regret nothing!". And when you quit the game your character stuck his gun in his mouth and blew his head off. The censors here in Australia almost had a fit when they heard about this one... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Renagade 0 Posted November 14, 2002 I rememberr that on gamsmaster(ye olde games show over here) ages ago. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
STS_SolidSnake 0 Posted November 15, 2002 There is already GTA III and GTA:VICECITY for these kind of stuff....... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
