Web Posted December 31, 2004
Updated December 31, 2004

Happy holidays combatants. Once again my plan to send this issue to you on time was shredded by HVMGs. At least there is content that is slightly interesting, however.

The two big news items for this issue is the release of the Duel Special Edition DVD and Grand Theft Auto San Andreas. This movie and game should keep you occupied until Auto Assault is released early next year.

In the spirit of this season of giving, I would greatly appreciate you give me news on Car Wars gaming and articles for autodueling in the near future. Once again, here are some ideas for contributions.

1. What miniatures do you use most often for Car Wars (1X metal, 1.5X Micro Machines and Speedeez, 3X Hot Wheels and Matchbox, 8X models, 16X Tonka, 100% scale)?

2. What are some rules would you like to see changed in Car Wars?

3. What gasoline engine options not in Car Wars would you like to see in the game?
 

4. What are your five favorite electronic auto-combat games?

Wishing you success driving on the D3 and D4 hazards of snow and ice this winter holiday season,

Michael P. Owen
 

From: Jim Hintz <hintzjim@hotmail.com>
To: owenmp@hotmail.com
Subject: CWIN Suggestions for Content
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2004 02:29:31 -0500

Hi, Michael. I'm working on a bit of content for you but my time is limited at the moment.

Things I have wanted to see in Car Wars . . .

Well, let us start with things promised and never finished.

* Revised Chassis and Crossbow rules
* Golden Spike (railroad supplement)
* Naval Vessels

I know there was something else in the works but I cannot think of it.

Things I want to see personally.

* Rules for cannons (from ship cannons to Civil War era, including wooden ship rules) and ideas how to handle really big objects in Car Wars (i.e. battleships, aircraft carriers, etc.).
* Maybe some anti-grav vehicles a la Ogre.
* If it moves and can mount a weapon I'd like to see it in Car Wars.

Man, it is too late in the morning, my brain is on strike. Hopefully this will give you something to start on. I have some little bits and pieces of rules I did for myself I will look up. I will see about getting them typed up and sent you. Maybe you'll find something useful in there.

Keep up the good fight.

Jim "Napthyme" Hintz
Napthyme's MSN Roleplaying Gamestore
http://groups.msn.com/NapthymesroleplayingDenStorecommunity/home.htm
 

NOTORIOUS: DIE TO DRIVE

2004 Electronic Entertainment Expo
Motor Trend's Truck Trend
http://www.trucktrend.com/autoshows/coverage/112_2004e3/index6.html

In an over-the-top example of the darker side of driving games, Ubisoft has developed "Notorious: Die to Drive," a gangsta-style driving game that takes combat racing to the urban streets and makes "Vice City" look like "Disney City." Strap on your selection of firepower, and make a mad dash for power racing in more than 30 unique non-licensed vehicles against ruthless street crews, taking out opponents, and building an empire of money, all while being rewarded with high-priced honeys, the finest bling, and millionaire cribs. Aimed at the 16+ audience, "Notorious" is not shy about its violence, offering 45 stages and seven game modes of urban car combat, from Deathmatch, Duel, Elimination, and Zulu King gameplay, in single and multiplayer modes including PS2 and Xbox Live online modes. Truly not meant for an educated, mature audience, this offensive racing game pushes the boundaries for soundtrack language, dialogue vulgarity, and wanton in-game violence. Protect your family starting early 2005 when this title shames stores nationwide.
 

msxbox-world.com
http://www.msxbox-world.com/xbox/games/games/747/Notorious-Die-to-Drive.html
http://msxbox-world.com/xbox/news/article/2121/Notorious-Die-to-Drive---Details-and-Screenshots.html

Date: 2004-05-14
Posted by: Ade

Genre: Racing/Combat
Developer: Ubi Soft Entertainment
Publisher: Ubi Soft Entertainment

Notorious: Die to Drive will feature car racing laced with the key urban elements of power and respect. The game will offer a varied and immersive reward system where a player can move up in reputation, wealth and power, bringing the finest bling and millionaire cribs to the notorious few who can survive this dangerous game.

Players will be able to select from more than 30 unique vehicles ranging from vintage roadsters to modern cars in a quest to rule the streets of four West Coast neighborhoods. With more than 20 weapons, including an array of pistols, machine guns, shotguns and Molotov Cocktails, players can blaze through more than 45 stages and seven game modes in their quest to become notorious.

The blacktop's about to blaze with the most dangerous, ludicrous, and notorious combat racing to erupt on the urban streets.

Fully strapped with a gang-load of firepower and fearless driving skills, players make a mad dash for power by racing against ruthless street crews, murdering their opponents and building an empire of cash money.

High-priced honeys, the finest bling and millionaire cribs are just some of the rewards for the notorious few who can survive this most dangerous game. Once you go Notorious, there's no going back.

Key Features:

* Gangsta-style car combat: Select from more than 30 unique vehicles ranging from the vintage roadsters to the modern models in your quest to rule the streets of four West Coast neighborhoods.

* Grab a piece: Load up with more than 20 weapons, including an array of pistols, machine guns, shotguns and Molotov Cocktails.

* Play your way: Blaze through more than 45 stages and seven game modes in your quest to become notorious.

* School your friends: Battle with your friends in merciless Deathmatch, Duel, Elimination and Zulu King multiplayer modes.

* Protect your hood: Battle players across the country on PlayStation 2 and Xbox Live online modes.
 
 

DUSTIN, DAX REVVED UP FOR 'CAR WARS'
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=filmNews&storyID=6879031

By Liza Foreman
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
Sun Nov 21,10:39 PM ET

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) -- Dustin Hoffman and Dax Shepard are ready to face off against each other in the comedy "Car Wars."

The Warner Bros. project follows a snobby Mercedes-Benz dealer (Hoffman) who sees his kingdom crumble after a "Hollywood Classic Cars" shop opens up across the street. The new dealer (Shepard) quickly befriends Hoffman's character despite his immense hostility.

Shepard's recent credits include the comedies "Without a Paddle" and "Cheaper by the Dozen." He is shooting "Zathura" for Columbia Pictures. Hoffman is in theaters with "I Heart Huckabees" and "Finding Neverland." He co-stars in "Meet the Fockers," which opens Dec. 22 via Universal.
 

From: Jason Walters <ckosacranoid@hotmail.com>
Sent:  Tuesday, November 16, 2004 6:18 PM
To: owenmp@hotmail.com
Subject: Overdrive Arena Stuff

Hey, Owen. It is one of the rare people who make comments to you about things for the Car Wars Internet Newsletter.

I am writng to let you know about more about the Overdrive Arena game. I am now a member of thier Pit Crew Demo Team. This past weekend I ran five games at Windy Con here in the Chi-Town Area. I ran three demo games with everyone playing with the same type of car, and two games with everyone building and running teams of cars.

The first game had two players. I jumped into the game to run it for the first time and to show the other two players how to play. The game was done in about 20 minutes. The rookie rules we using are very easy and fast to play.

The second game had six players and lasted about 15 minutes before half of the players had to leave. I was left with three players who battled it out.

The third game had 4 players and lasted about 30 mints and had lots of action going on. all of the games had lots of cars spiinging out left and right from failed contral roles and lots of rams going for trying to get a kill and both cars finding them selves bounceing off each other beacause they could not meet the damage roll.

The other two games that I run late at night started out with everyone having $50,000 to spend on a team of cars. One kid ran one sedan and had his cars lose control in the first round of fire and flip over taking him out. His car was not damaged at all. Someone else had a sedan and a compact who did fairly well before he had his sedan flip and the compact taken out by guns.

The mother of one of my friends played in that game. She also ran a sedan and compact and was one of the last two players with her compact get taken out by gunfire. The winning player had a sports car that was taken out by skidding into a wall and took the last point of damage to kill it. The compact he had won the game.

I played the spoiler in the game just to see what you could do. I ran three compacts with lots of fun, two with guns and light armor, and one with no guns and heavy armor for a ram car which worked. After a little while I took myself out of the game to let someone else win. I lost my ram car to a flip and my other two cars where still able to fight well, however. The game lasted for about 90 minutes.

The last game was called short due to time. Everyone ran one car and with three two-player teams. There were many flips but no real kills. One car was very lucky flipping and landing on its wheels, and kept going for a couple of more turns before being flipped again and not being so lucky.

It was very fun running the games. There is now a forum for Overdrive Arena on the official Web site. If anyone wants to chat with me my username is "ckosacranoid" on the Overdrive Arena Forum.

Overdrive Arena
http://www.overdrivearena.com

Smoked and hoping for bigger guns,

Jason Walters
 

GURPS ONLINE PROJECT CANCELED

The Daily Illuminator
http://www.sjgames.com/ill
December 18, 2004

Steve Jackson Games and World Apart Productions have mutually agreed to stop development of the GURPS Online project. We gave it the "old college try," but after delays caused by other project priorities, and a re-evaluation of the economics of text-based games into today's computer game market, we decided not to continue with the effort. Worlds Apart is continuing to give full support to its The Lord of the Rings Online Trading Card Game and other online TCG projects. Steve Jackson Games doesn't have any new plans for an online GURPS game; when that changes, we'll let you know.

-- Steve Jackson
 

BRIGHAM YOUNG TABERNACLE AND BURLESQUE THEATER FORUMS: AMERICAN AUTODUEL ASSOCIATION
http://www.icehex.net/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=58

Caution: Expletives are used routinely on this message board.
 
 

CAR WARS COORDINATION CENTER OF GERMANY (CWKD)
http://www.mystikersreich.de/Games/Carwars/index_cwkd.htm
 
 

GEEKLIST: GAMES OF AUTOMOTIVE DEATH
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist.php3?action=view&listid=4704
 
 

JUNK YARD RACES

Board Game Geek Reviews: Junk Yard Races
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/8986

Hivemania.com
http://www.hivemania.com

gen.four.two games: Junk Yard Races
http://www.genfourtwo.com
 
 

THRILL KILL CAFE: AN UNOFFICIAL WRECKAGE WEB SITE
http://www.ourlair.com/wreckage
 

NEW OMAHA VEHICULAR ASSOCIATION (NOVA)
http://novacw.com/nova.htm

Arena Watch: Kaiju Arena
Nightmessenger Archive: Vol. 16, No. 3
 

MOVIES

Duel Special Edition DVD
Released: 2004
Availability: Most Retailers
 

CONSOLE GAMES

Car Battler Joe
Platform: Game Boy Advance
Released: 2001
Availability: Limited
 

Grand Theft Auto
Platform: Game Boy Advance
Released: 2004
Availability: Most Retailers
 

Grand Theft Auto San Andreas
Platform: PlayStation 2, XBox
Released: 2004
Availability: Most Retailers