NOT PLAYED, `DIDN`T MISS ANYTHING`
(15 September 2005, 00:20 | MoO3) One of the most celebrated leaders in the gaming industry is currently the Director of Creative Development at Firaxis Games, Sid Meier. Amongst his long list of credidentials that spans a career twenty-years strong is the Civilization series that began in 1991. Earlier this week he was interviewed by the co-hosts of "PC Gamer Podcast", the recently launched podcasting division of the Brisbane, California-based PC Gamer magazine, to talk about his company`s ongoing work on Civilization IV.
After being asked whether or not Meier thought CivIV`s overhauled interface would turn-off some hardcore fans, Master of Orion III was brought up as an unfavourable subject of comparison. The PCGP crew asks the Firaxis representative if his company learned anything from seeing MoO3 just kind of flop... because [its] interface was just really cluttered. When Meier responds that he has not played MoO3 at all, one of the show`s co-host retorts that [y]ou didn`t miss anything.
The show was released as a free MP3 download from PCGP`s website late yesterday. - DanQ
A `TRAGEDY` FOR THE FRANCHISE
(8 September 2005, 23:43 | MoO3) Master of Orion III spelled an ignominious end to Master of Orion, one of the best turn-based "4X" (explore, expand, exploit, exterminate) strategy series ever made, writes GameSpy`s Allen "Delsyn" Rausch at the start of his preview of Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords [see story]. GalCivII is the sequel to GalCiv from developer Stardock Systems, released just a month after MoO3 but made Rausch almost forget that MoO3 ever existed.
At that time [of GalCiv`s release], I, like many other turn-based strategy fans, was reeling from the tragedy [that was MoO3], he further slamed the third title in the MoO franchise.
News that Stardock may be preparing to purchase the MoO franchise from publisher Atari, who marketed MoO3 under their old label Infogrames, was brokered by Apolyton Civilization Site at the end of last month [see story]. - DanQ
MADE A MISTAKE, `WG` SAYS
(29 July 2005, 17:16 | MoO3) In retrospect, Wargamer (WG) has publicly chastised itself for naming Master of Orion III one of their picks for the "Best of Show" at the 2002 Electronic Entertainment Expo, more commonly referred to as E3.
For [our] audience, we choose to recognize the games that get us excited and offer the most potential, regardless of their state completion, the WG staff explain. Sometimes we take risks, picking titles which are still a year out and may or may not turn into great games. But historically speaking, we’ve picked some terrific titles (if you discount [MoO3]).
WG made the comments in the introduction to their thirteen "Best of Show" picks for the 2005 E3 convention held in Los Angeles, California this past May. MoO3 was released in 2003. - DanQ
ORIGINAL UP ON REVISED `TOP 100` INDEX
(27 July 2005, 19:21 | MoO3) Gaming site IGN has re-compiled their "Top 100 Games" list they originally published more than two years ago. Master of Orion III`s grandfather, Master of Orion, has moved from 98th on the first [see story] to 90th position on the new chart. The description as to why MoO made the list has changed as well.
While Civilization offered gamers a chance to live out their dreams of world domination, the truly ambitious gamers turned to another great title in the [developer] MicroPROSE [MPS] catalog... [MoO] took the 4X style of gameplay (explore, expand, exploit, exterminate) to the stars, letting players build up a mighty galactic empire. [..] There have been other space empire games since, but none better.
MoO was published by MPS to which Master of Orion III publisher Infogrames (now Atari) acquired the rights to through its purchase of Hasbro Interactive in January, 2001. Hasbro had previously purchased MPS. - DanQ
AMONG DOWNLOADABLE, PLAYABLE TITLES IN NEW SERVICE
(5 July 2005, 23:58 | MoO3) A "Games-On-Demand" or GD service has been added to Signapore-based StarHub`s line-up, and Master of Orion II and Master of Orion III are among the titles in the available line-up. Subscribers of SH`s "MaxOnline" service will be able to download, install, and play these and other games for a single monthly subscription fee without having to by each title outright. Notable other titles among the current 140-long list are RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 and Magic the Gathering.
Copies of these full-featured games available to subscribers to this service are complete, with no restrictions on either available options or timeframe. Manual downloads in Adobe Acrobat or PDF format are also available. A copy of the press release from SH and its technology partner, Yummy Interactive Inc., has been posted to Yahoo! Finance's Singapore portal. - DanQ
NOT LISTED, BUT PREDECESSOR IS
(19 March 2005, 23:51 | MoO3) In the April 2005 of PC Gamer magazine, Master of Orion III did not make the list of "50 Best Games of All Time". The second installment in the series, Battle at Antares, did not place on the chart either but the original MoO did -- it placed forty-fourth. Civilization II took third followed by Half-Life in second and DOOM in first.
Thanks to snoopy369 for the news tip. - DanQ
MULTIPLAYER MODE VULNERABLE: REPORT
(30 November 2004, 23:29 | MoO3) Two vulnerabilities in Master of Orion III have been discovered that can be exploited by a remote attacker to crash the game in multiplayer mode, initiating a Denial of Service (DoS). One of the two that player Luigi Auriemma reports is in regards to nicknames where service on a game server can be disrupted by sending long nicknames over multiple connections. He says that MoO3 version 1.2.5 is affected, and others may be also. As the profile on this at SecuriTeam.com (ST) notes, no fix has yet been made or is available from developer Quicksilver Software (QS) or publisher Atari (Infogrames). A link to a copy of the exploitable code is provided on ST.
As well, Auriemma cautions as documented on Secunia that to minimize the likelihood of the DoS from occuring only trusted parties should have access to the game server. In labelling this problem `Moderately Critical`, the corresponding rating code at the site describes the security flaw as allow[ing] system compromises but requir[ing] user interaction. Neither QS or Atari have publicly commented on this matter to date. - DanQ
UTILITY COMPANION COVERS MORE GROUND
(10 September 2004, 23:09 | MoO3) In early June, Master of Orion III fan `Bhruic` released version 0.4 of the "MoO3 Patcher" [see story]. On Tuesday of this past week he followed up this work which, based on its more than 2,000 downloads from the work`s official site alone, has struck a cord with the game`s community looking for continued support and evolution in refining trouble spots. Nearly as many downloads from the said location have now been logged for the "MoO3 PatchPak" which, two days after its initial release, was updated which constitutes the utility`s first `full` release according to its author. The companion files each weigh in at 46KB. Details of each fix contained within are fully documented.
Thanks to Sean Fulmer for the heads-up. - DanQ
ADD-ON BY THIRD PARTY IN STAGES
(25 June 2004, 23:58 | MoO3) 'Quickshot14' has an ambitious project in the works. In early May he began to inform the online Master of Orion III community his intent to create and freely distribute "MoO3 UE" where "UE" stands for "Unofficial Expansion". He says: This mod[ification pack] is going to add and enhance to what MoO3 already has in it in many ways. The [MOD] will also be released in builds so the community and modders out there can try it out, and give feedback, ideas, contribute, and get balance issues fixed.
In late May of this year the first release, Alpha 1.0, was published. Today Alpha 1.2 comes to light, but the presence of its previous incarnation is required. According to 'Quickshot14' this update is primarily one that addresses and implements user interface and graphics changes. - DanQ
MAKING IT RIGHT
(25 June 2004, 23:57 | MoO3) Staff at The Master of Orion 3 Guardian (MoO3G) are attempting to gain interest and participation in an effort to create an "Official Unofficial MoO3 Patch" for, as the site and game name imply, Master of Orion III. Our main goal is to make the game function correctly, fixing all gameplay bug, writes MoO3G`s `Bladefist`. There will be no "tweaks" to this and that, nor let[']s add this and this. What we`re proposing right now, is simply to fix the game. In the future, we`re looking at perhaps adding some tweaks of our own. He expands on his discussion adding that if and when complete, those who use the release can pick and choose what parts of the game are and are not installed as well as increasing armada sizes if desired.
Version 0.4 is available for download having been released on June 7th. Lead Tester `Domaru` is still welcoming additional testers to the project; for more information and/or to offer your assistance, you can email him or send him an ICQ message at 98842625. - DanQ
