RavenGames News Archives

August 2003

Team Elite 2.0, a multiplayer mod for Star Trek Voyager Elite Force, has just been released. New features:

Several things were renamed, moved around and removed for better gameplay.
Removed Technician, Morale Officer, Heavy Weapons Specialist, Starfleet Marine, food, fruit, playerid, Temporal Decelerator, Anti-Electrical Cannon.
CTF is default in UI.
Some balance issues with weapons and such.
Disintegration mode uses CR with locational damage (headshots kill instantly, body shots are powerup, legshots are weaker).
Sentry is now removed on cleanup.
Class items are removed on class change (sentries, alarms, tripwires, shields, etc)
Added camera shakes for some weapons: regfire Tetryon, Photon (both firemodes), altfire CR, altfire IMOD, regfire Particle Gun
Added slight recoil for alt CR and Photon (both firemodes)
Powerups removed from all gamemodes now.
I stepped through the code with another program, comparing it to the original EF codebase to find anything I forgot to document, and thus found some things I had to fix.
Fixed several bugs, "spiderweb bug", ingame browser bug, and more.

For more info on this mod, see the Team Elite website.

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Ah, Egyptian Gods. We need more skins of them, don't ya think? Of all of the models to use to create an Anubis, the Jackal God, skin, Reborn was probably the most appropriate. Something about that hood lends itself well to the whole Egyptian look, I guess. *shrug*

-=[DK]=-Anubis apparently likes the work of =-AJO-= ANUBIS, for he seems to have borrowed not only the name, but also the skin. He claims to have modified it a bit, but I'm not sure which parts he's modified since I'm not entirely familiar with the original. There is an image of a mummy on each side of the skin's legs. And sticking to the Egyptian theme, you'll find an ankh here and there, and some interesting tattoos on the skin's arms and back. Unfortunately, Anubis also felt the need to brand his name on his skin.

The sounds are fitting, I suppose. But there's only one extra sound and one taunt. This skin could've used more to make up for the lack of team skins and bot support. And about that chest ... um ... I've seen better, more convincing ... chests. The muscles just seem to be too big for this guy. Then again, he is a God, I guess. I have mixed feelings about this skin. It isn't a bad skin, by any means. But I'm just not sure how much of this skin is original work by the author submitting it. And I just prefer clan skins that subtly announce their affiliation, rather than printing it in bold letters on their skin who they are and who they belong to. Isn't your tag enough for that kind of advertisement? Anyway, decent skin, Anubis.
(news comments by AmosMagee)

Download this God from Jedi Knight 2 Files

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There really aren't many female skins and/or models out there for us female gamers. I mean, there are a few really great ones, but the ratio to the male skins and models is just ... well, yeah. So it's always nice to see a few good quality female skins added to this site. The two that OberstJedi have for us here are based on the female Zabrak model by a slew of authors (all mentioned in the readme).

Genumali's default skin may be black, but she follows the light side. Her bright green skin contrasts quite nicely with the black. I'm not sure what the marks on her skin are, but let's go with some alien form of freckles. Team support for this Jedi is not your standard red and blue. The markings on her face remain the same for both team skins, but the red team skin is actually a bright violet and the blue is a very bright blue - almost too bright. She wears a half-skirt/cape-like thingy as well.

Pirogoeth naturally has a darker look to her. The default skin is an earthy brownish-orange color with some black here and there. Her eyes are narrowed and red and the face tattoo she wears is much more bold and has sharper edges than that of her Jedi counterpart. The team skins change simply to that of red and blue, but the blue version actually changes some of her clothes green. Her boots go all the way up to her thigh and there is no half-skirt/cape-like thingy to hide her legs.

Both girls here have bot support and as expected, Genumali uses Jan's sounds and taunt and Pirogoeth uses Tavion's. I would really love to hear new sounds and taunts for both of these Zabraks. In my opinion, that is the other thing lacking in this small skin pack. I'm actually quite surprised at how different each skin is from each other, including the team skins. My favorite is the blue Pirogoeth. Great work here, OberstJedi and I
look forward to the update with new sounds and taunts!
(news comments by AmosMagee)

Download: Jedi Knight 2 Files

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When you think of camouflage, what does it look like to you? Usually clothing with splotches of dark green, brown, black and tan, so the wearer will blend in with his natural surroundings, right? Mmkay, so this skin is only camouflage by name. Unless you were trying to blend in with, like, the Matrix code or in Las Vegas. This Solid Snake reskin is supposed to be from the upcoming Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Camouflage like this is suicide. The bright green is practically like neon, screaming at your enemies "Hey! I'm over here!"

Why the author used the Prisoner model and not the Solid Snake model that's available, I'll never know. He did include three taunts, but I'm thinking that the pk3 wasn't packed properly because when I tested the taunt, it was just the Reborn laugh. Team support is included, but the skin doesn't change a bit. Oh, and there's bot support. I think this is the first skin I've come across that has everything that I like to see in a skin - bot support, team support and new sounds (or at least a taunt) - but in spite of it all, I can't recommend this to anyone. It's not a terrible skin, but compared to the Solid Snake model and skins for it, this just doesn't give MGS fans what they deserve. Good try though!
(news comments by AmosMagee)

Get it anywayz: Jedi Knight 2 Files

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It's interesting to watch the evolution of a mod as time goes by. Especially when a mod gets past updating just to make bug fixes. Dueler's mod is probably the biggest competition for Jedi Academy mod, though they seem to focus on different aspects of the FFA game type.

As is suggested by the name of the mod, Dueler's mod caters to those who prefer to duel in FFA's. With two very different modes of dueling, it allows for a more relaxed dueling atmosphere or a ladder style type of tournament.

In the unorganized mode, you can challenge anyone you'd like to a duel and there can be as many duels as there are pairs of duelists in the server. Also in this mode, the clients (rather than the server admin) may decide what type of duel they'd like to have - with or without force. Additionally, with Dueler's mod, everyone disappears around you as you duel, and it makes for a very peaceful duel - no one can interfere! Yay!

Organized dueling mode structures the FFA for a tournament (ladder style). Each match is set up and determined by the current score. As you challenge and win your duels, you move up the ladder until you can finally challenge the best player on the server and try to take that place.

New features in Dueler's mod 1.3.1 include private clan chat in FFA. It works by using the Team Chat mode, along with a variable to set the password for that private chat. Also, there are two types of admin now, full admin and sub admin, with two seperate passwords and access to different admin features. Another new variable will allow dueling in team mode games. And now even more logging features. When a player connects or changes his name, their IP is logged.

So if your focus has always been on duels in an FFA environment and you run a server that needs a change from the mod you currently have, give Dueler's mod a try. It may be just what you've been looking for.
(news comments by AmosMagee)

Download this file from Jedi Knight 2 Files

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Caladien brings us the Final Silver Spiked Hud. It looks much better than before he took out the red, added one more spike, and fixed that little blur that there was on previous versions. The new spike is located at the center area, which makes the hud look finished. It is even better for mods that have 5 stances because everytime I would play JediPlus the purple stance looked red so I always thought I was using red, but when I tried this one it is much better to see. It looks a lot like the first version of his hud just BETTER!

This is much better than most huds out there and I would say 'GET THIS!'. Its an awesome looking hud, so mean and sharp. Its clean and it has no glitches. Caladien really has done it this time he made this hud better and better and I don't think any other hud can compare. Unfortunatly he said this might be his last file for JK2 because JK3/JKA is right around the corner. I recommend that people get this if you are looking for a new hud. Great Job Caladien keep up the good work and I can't wait to see your work in JK3/JKA.
(news comments by XgamerX)

Get 'em from Jedi Knight 2 Files

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cHoSeN oNe, author of the very popular Jedi Academy multiplayer mod, has created scripts specifically for use on servers running his mod. Whether you run the server and have access to rcon and the amlogin or you're just a regular visitor of a server that runs JA mod 1.4, there is a script here for you!

There are four seperate scripts included here. One for those with rcon access, one for those who have "am" level access, one for those with "jk" level access and finally a script for those who don't have admin access at all. Once you choose one that best suits your needs, you're going to have to spend some time customizing the keys so that they match the configuration that you're used to. I suggest that you print out copies of some of the cfg's with the commands so you can remember which bind does what.

Once you begin to play with the new script, you'll find yourself in a sea of menus. For example, if you use the JAT script, press F11, the default bind for the Jedi Academy Main Menu, and you'll be able to slap, sleep, punish, kick, ban, etc. anyone in your server just by pressing a series of already scripted keys for you! But wait! There's more! Not only do you have all of the admin-ing functions in easy-to-use menus at your disposal, there are also other features such as a Roleplaying script, demo recording made easy, tools to make communication during CTF's easier and much more! One great thing about this script is that it frees up more keys for those all-important text binds that we (okay, I) need. For instance, there are four message modes in JK2, so if you used all four, that would take up four whole keys! Not so with these scripts since there's a chat selector which only uses two keys! The default is the U key which will toggle through all four chat modes and Y will allow you to execute that chat mode. Yay! And just to give you an idea of the Roleplaying script ... you like use two keys to scroll through JK2 characters, then use another key to select that character. Let's say you chose Tavion. The script will change your skin to that of Tavion's and your name to Tavion.

When I tested these scripts, I'm sure I barely scratched the surface. The menus are extensive and there's just so much that can be done with these. If you run a server with Jedi Academy 1.4 on it, these scripts can make your job easier. Even if you just frequent a server that runs this excellent mod, these scripts can improve your time spent playing the game. Keep in mind that it will take some time to get used to all of the new binds and it will take quite a while to customize everything so that it suits your needs. But if you want to use the mod to its full potential, these scripts will certainly be useful for you. Be sure to read all of the readme's thoroughly.
(news comments by AmosMagee)

Download "Jedi Academy Mod Scripts" from Jedi Knight 2 Files

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Hey, if you've been looking for a map to tickle your duelin' bone, your search may be over! Ballroom Blitz comes with bot support (let the bot smashing begin), incredible lighting, and NO anomalies.

The level has a red carpet in the middle, with an abundance of cylindrical pillars surrounding the inner hall. A staircase leads up to the second level of the ballroom, which leads you to the balcony overlooking the entire area. Breakable windows reside on the side walls and on the ceiling. When looking outside one of the side windows (on either side), you will spot an exterior balcony, overlooking the earthly terrain outside. I don't believe it is possible to access the exterior balcony, as window grids would block your way. 8 chandeliers illuminate the ballroom, although I believe they could have been improved upon (design and graphics wise).

The size of the map itself is nothing to complain about, as it is a perfect fit for a dueling map (unlike some, which I think are gigantic or too small). I really enjoyed this map, and I wouldn't be surprised to see this popping up on servers. I also liked it because there really isn't anywhere you can hide or run from your opponent, (something I find myself doing when dueling with friends ), forcing you to fight them. This map expressed qualities that all maps should try to follow: Giving a fun environment to play in, while using a relatively simple design and keeping size of the file itself small. Overall, I highly recommend this map to be added to your collection. Grrreat work, Darth Thistle, and I hope we get to see more from you !
(news comments by ima007)

Get it from Jedi Knight 2 Files

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Now here is an example of a very complete clan skin pack. The author, neok!, has included five skins, all with bot support, a taunt of their own, team support and some new sounds for a few of the skins. As is usually the case with clan skins, the Reborn is the popular choice. For the Azrael Lords, a Reborn was used for both skins. Battousai has red eyes and a goatee, while neok! opts for the glowing blue eyes and no facial hair. Other than that, both skins are pretty much the same, with Azrael written down the back. The members of Azrael get an even more basic Reborn, with a little facial hair, no cool glowy eyes and aZ stamped on the front of their skin - almost branding them, claiming them, making everyone aware that they belong to the Azrael clan. The sithlord of Azrael refuses to conform to the Reborn standard and instead has a reskin of the Imperial Officer. The exposed robotic arm on this skin is very Dark side, indeed. And then there's the Tead skin. I have no idea what a "tead" is. In this case, it's a reskin of the Chiss model.

The best thing about this skin pack (other than it including everything it should include) is that it has consistancy. There is one thing that draws them all together. "Azrael" written on the back of every skin lets you know that they belong together. That Azrael is a clan. But each skin does have a little something that makes it unique. Though, in my opinion, not enough individuality is in each skin. Most of the taunts I can't understand at all, but at least they sound cool! Every skin includes team support, but for each skin, it's simply a recolor of some part of the body to indicate red or blue. It's hard to give the author a hard time for not putting more time into the team skins or into giving more personality for each skin since he did do 5 different skins here. And none of these skins are bad skins. They just seem a little bland is all. But if the clan is happy with them, that's all that matters. And really the only reason to download this skin pack is if you're either in the clan, or you play with the Azrael clan and are tired of seeing Kyle. In any case, I applaud your efforts, neok! ... good job.
(news comments by AmosMagee)

Download this skinpack from Jedi Knight 2 Files

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GameSpot just released a new hands-on preview, describing their actual gaming experiences collected at a recent European press event:

In one of the game's early levels, you must rescue the impounded Millennium Falcon with the aid of Chewbacca, who acts as a computer-controlled helper, much like Jan followed and provided backup for Kyle Katarn in Jedi Knight II. Chewie was armed with a wookiee bowcaster, a crossbow-like weapon that fires green bursts of energy, and though we were able to sample several different weapons, including several of the blaster weapons from Jedi Knight II, we found that the default lightsaber served us quite well, especially since our character automatically deflected most enemy beam attacks with it as long as we weren't attacking.

Read the rest of the article at GameSpot.

(Source: RavenForums)

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Lucas Arts have released the first of three screensavers for Jedi Academy, and it is available on the downloads section of the site:

http://www.lucasarts.com/products/jediacademy

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Just got this info about an all-new gameplay mod for Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force from ladysarah:

I've created a new CTF 'mode' for EF - Reverse CTF.
Basically, people start in the enemy base instead of their own, and although at first thought it seems easier to capture the flags - it makes it harder, as you will have to contend with lots of enemies back at your base!
I thought that this might introduce a new fresh perspective of playing CTF games, as new tactics and skills would have to be used.

I have converted over the popular CTF_VOY1 and CTF_VOY2 maps already, and am in the process of doing others.

You can read more on this at the Reverse CTF homepage or in our forums.

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Computer and Video Games has a new Jedi Academy interview with Activision producer Graham Fuchs.

From what we know of Jedi Academy's mission structure, it will be non-linear. Is it therefore branching?

This is another example of how we've given the player complete control over their game experience. The player will be presented with a series of missions to go on for the Academy, and can complete them in any order they wish. Once the player picks a mission, they will pick a Force power they want to train in, and what weapons they want to bring with them.

After completing a mission, the player will get to keep the force power they trained in and choose another mission. At certain points the player will advance in the Jedi Academy hierarchy and new missions, new saber styles and new fighting styles will become available to them. If they pick a mission they feel is too difficult or that they aren't enjoying, they can choose another mission and come back to it later when they have more force power.

The player doesn't actually need to complete all the missions to progress through the game, but skipping missions will cost them force power in the long run. Ultimately, the player will have to decide which side of the Force he is going to fight for, and the last several levels of the game play out completely differently depending on the player's choice.

Check out the rest of the interview here.

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Just registered the 700th entry into our Raven Clans Index. The lucky team to get some extra publicity is the SoF2 clan called =The Elite Force=.

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Yup, a long awaited update for some people on the Attack Of The Clones Total Conversion screenshots section, now showing more NPC models, weapons, vehicles and such!!! Every new shot looks even greater than the old ones, giving hope that this TC is still running fastly!!! Check out the great new shots here.

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The second game to get the new look and subdomain is our X-Men Legends section. Along with this rework also a screenshot gallery has been added, check it out here.

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Lucasarts have done a great job in fixing up the Offical JK3 site with a flash makeover. IT includes videos of the force powers, character creations and trailers:

Visit It Now!

[EDIT] If you look on the community page, you will notice that Ravengames is the second link!

[EDIT 2] IF you read the downloads page, you will see that it says thzat the Demo will be released in the next few weeks!

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As the first of the RavenGames subsites, the Take No Prisoners game section has been migrated to a new subdomain, along with a layout change. The content has also been databased, and as part of the process the review list has been updated (broken links dropped, new ones added) and a new page listing all enemies, weapons and items of the game has been added. Check it all out at the new Take No Prisoners game section.

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GameSpot has a new Jedi Academy trailer, including some stuff not yet shown in other trailers. Check it out at GameSpot.

(Source: RavenForums)

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Up to this point, I've never come in contact with a schizophrenic (mark the spelling, boys and girls, as it's sure to be on a test) individual. I've met some in my day-to-day RL workings, and heck, I even have a uncle who's a paranoid skitzo (seriously; every day is Conspiracy Theory for him). I have never, however, come in contact with one online. Now, admittedly, I'm not positive that the author of this map here is actually a schizophrenic, but I'm pretty darn sure. Why, you ask? Simple: it's the only possible way this map could have been created, because it's a prime example of both fantastic and piece-of-shitaki mushroom design. Never before have I seen such a combination of beauty and simple elegance with imagery so harsh on the eyes it hurts.

The map layout is actually relatively basic: a huge temple is the centerpiece for this oxymoronic marvel, a clover-leaf platform floating above a bottomless pit within the structure's walls, a slightly raised viewing walkway around the sides. The temple is an example of great mapping: aside from the disjointed feel of the roof, the detail of the area surrounding the dueling platform is visually pleasing while remaining technically light, allowing for some sweet dueling framerates. Head on downstairs and you'll find yourself in flame-lit catacombs (note that every single little torch deals damage to unwary jumpers) leading off two four separate dueling areas.

Here, of course, is where things start getting problematic. Two of the dueling areas are gorgeous. Two look like they were concocted by a drunk and stoned Mr. Hyde.

First up: the Greenhouse (and yes, I'm naming the arenas myself; I love naming things myself, because then if folks start using the names in-game -- which they won't, but I can pretend they will -- I get a major ego-boost). The Greenhouse is actually a simple dueling area: a flat square battleground ringing a lone tree, looking through a series of high windows out onto a breezy balcony. The balcony's cute, but the dueling surface itself is the gem. Little irrigation ditches crisscross the floor around the tree, giving the dueling surface a three-dimensional visual feel while keeping the gameplay solid and level. To be frank, aside from the floor the room is deceptively simple, but it feels right, and that's what's important. Again, framerates are great.

Then there's the Two Levels room. As far as I can tell, this was created for the sole purpose of playing around with curves. They're everywhere. Curves in the floor allow for really quirky patterns. Curves in the walls bend it into a giant circle. Curves in the ceiling makes the roof look like a set of four bulbous balls making dents in cloth. The room makes zero sense. There's no feel of flow to duels, and framerates are horrible because of the overuse of curves. The area's a waste of space. There are so many curves in it that you get even sicker of them than you do of seeing the word “curves” so many times in this review.

Of course, there's the Cavern as well. That's not to say that it's actually a cavern... it's a big box with stalactites and stalagmites coming from the ceiling and floor, and a couple outcroppings to denote bends in the walls. There's a pool of water, but it might as well be flat, because it isn't deep at all. Basically, it's just a big flat room.

Hoo. Ray.

The last arena, however, is another simplistic marvel. Beautifully lit by a combination of wall torches and lit panels, it's virtually barren -- with the exception of the mirrors on the floor. Yes, I'll admit, it a VERY simple effect, but it doesn't seem to tax computer resources at all. It's elegant, it's striking, and it's fresh.

The bottom line? Lost Temple is a very simple map. Four duel areas, a main arena, and connecting hallways. It’s both beautiful and eye-gougingly horrible, serene and daringly painful. It has the capability to house some absolutely terrific games. It also has the problem of simple architecture and boring textures in many locations. Should you download it? It all depends. If you're a mapper, grab it right now; it's a fantastic source of information on simple but effective use of basic design. If you're an FFA-er, you might want to skip on by. If you're an FFA-dueler, then pick it up, but be forewarned: you'll be spending your time in very specific locations of the map, and rarely hit anywhere else unless you're unlucky enough to spawn there.

Oh, and if you're female, please find my phone number hidden strategically in the contents of this review. The first one to call gets two extra roses in the initial bouquet on our first date.
(news comments by Dan "ViperEye" Tennant)

Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh... Jedi Knight 2 Files

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Silverwest claims this is an update to his map and it is bigger than his first version, so, I'll trust him on that, though I see no differences really. The sky is still incredible, the fireflies still flit about and fog hugs the ground all around in the swampy marshes of this map. The map is a bit dark still, but it's a beautiful map and fun to play. There are a few passageways that still might be difficult to find. A small lift takes you up to a sniper's spot above the middle area where flag carriers will be running through to get back to safety at their base.

It's difficult to review an update of a map that never really needed an update and I can't quite tell what was updated. This is such a complete map. Not only does it have bot support, but it includes new textures and new sounds and music. The skybox is most impressive. And this map supports almost every game type. What more could one ask for in a map? Oh, and my FPS was great. Yes, with all of the effects and detail in this map, it was done well so my FPS remains decent. YAY! Really, my only complaint about this map is how dark it is. When I think of "twilight", I imagine a lighter nighttime, a sun-has-just-set kind of nighttime. But I shall complain no more. I adore this map in spite of my issue with the darkness. I'll simply turn up my gamma. I'm glad the author updated this map, even though I can't figure out what was updated. At the very least, it's a nice revival for an old map.
(news comments by AmosMagee)

Yeah, baby --> Jedi Knight 2 Files

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Well, long story short here is yet another hilt from our friendly DBerko. And what a hilt it is. It's basically the same hilt style we have seen from our developer, except for one nice detail - it glows a very nice red, almost like it's on fire on the inside. This is especially nice when you are using the red lightsaber.

The best part is, it's mod compatible. Personally, I can't wait to see his work put into Jedi Academy.
(news comments by Chrono)

Download at Jedi Knight 2 Files

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DAK puts forth his latest effort on the Link model. And wow, what an effort it was. Alot of fixes were implemented in this version (most notably, the face). The boots are sharpened up, the face looks a LOT better than the previous version of Link we saw. Also added in this version was 2 additional models - Link with only the Master Sword sheath, and Fierce Deity Link from Majora's Mask. With 4 different meshes and CTF variations of each, this is definitely worth the download.

I...have no problems whatsoever with this model. Other than some clipping issues with the sheath and shield (which are given, anyway) there is nothing I can pick at. The sounds I wish were a little more taunting than just his video game sounds, but hey - to each his own. The Master Sword and Diety Sword (included as separate PK3s) are VERY well done and to boot are BOTH mod compatible (how awesome is that?)!

Whether or not you are a Link fan, update your Link model or download this now. Especially in time for Jedi Academy and the supposed backwards compatibility!
(news comments by Chrono)

Download this file from Jedi Knight 2 Files

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Kartoon brings us a newer, fresher model of Darth Vader, everyone's favorite dark lord of the sith. He comes complete with all sounds (albeit the sithlord-ii sounds), bot support, all the bells and whistles (including CTF skins).

My only problem with this model is that at first glance it doesn't APPEAR too different from the Cheshire Cat and Sithlord-ii versions. However, seeing as how Sithlord himself skinned this, then it doesn't surprise me at all ^_^. Download this dark lord and slap him in your file directory so you can play around and have fun taunting people without your cape clipping through your shoulders. Be prepared though, this increases the Darth Vader model number to 3 now. Personally, I'd like to see a better Darth Maul or Darth Tyranus - but hey - Darth Vader can kill them both anyway.
(news comments by Chrono)

You can get this file from Jedi Knight 2 Files

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I can remember spending hours playing the first Super Mario Bros. game with my cousins and never getting tired of hearing those same sounds or playing the same levels over and over (though I did always try to skip the water levels - I hated those!). And now a blast from our past visits us in the world of JK2.Choosing Morgan as the model for a skin of Mario, from ... well ... of course, the Super Mario Bros. games, was the perfect choice. The classic Mario is portrayed here, with his red shirt, suspenders with gold buttons, blue pants and his tool belt (which was in the cartoon and movie, right?).

What I must praise Kuro Hou for most of all is the use of sounds. We all know and love Mario and his sounds are quite recognizable. The jump and death sounds are perfect. The taunt is neither here nor there to me. But everything else sounds great. Yes, this skin looks very cartoony - as the author pointed out. But, I mean, c'mon ... it's Mario ... he's supposed to be cartoony! I think he looks great, considering the limits of the model. He even has those white gloves. *giggle* So, after playing with this skin, I now feel the need to revisit that old game just because I'm feeling nostalgic.
(news comments by AmosMagee)

Get this file from Jedi Knight 2 Files

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MistaMM's latest skin is like, I dunno, like he dipped this skin in a vat o' Vegas. I can't say I've seen a more neon-esque skin before. And the shaders only enhance that neon quality. There's so much going on with this skin that I'm really not sure where to begin. It's incredibly ... shiny. And I'm easily distracted by shiny objects. AHA! Distract your opponents by blinding them with this skin and then cut their head/arm/leg/appendage off!

The team skins are the expected red and blue versions of the default. And MistaMM has not only included multiple taunts to choose from, but also new sounds all around. Even bot support was added. You may also notice that there are three saber pk3's included. Appropriately, one color for each skin here. Unfortunately, I couldn't get them to work, but maybe I was doing something wrong, who knows? Mmkay, so what's my opinion of this skin? It's ... shiny ... and stuff. So ... yeah.
(news comments by AmosMagee)

Download from Jedi Knight 2 Files

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A very nice map indeed, plenty of places to hide and wait for your next victim, places to to play hide and snipe for you snipers too. Supports CTF, DM, ELIM, INF. A pretty cool map overall, add this to your collection now.

You
can download it Here!

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Medium sized map based on the layout from the well known Dust maps, this map has been extended and has mirrors attached to some of the walls, makes you jump when you first see them looks like a another player is close by. Supports CTF, DM, TDM, ELIM. This map will do great on servers, its awesome. Get this map now.

You
can download it Here!

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This is the updated version of the Texas map, in the new gold version all gametypes are added. Supports CTF, DM, TDM, ELIM, INF. I recommend you download this map, its great.

You can download it Here!

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This final version of Inferno 2003 is a conversion of a classic CS map de_inferno, originally made by Chris Auty. The conversion is done by GODh. It''s just like the last version, just better, so what are you waiting for?

You can download it Here!

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Coming from JK2Files, Jedi Knight: Academy is being released Gold, and can now be preordered:

LucasArts Store
Game UK

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A unique map with a really great yet simple design. It supports CTP and ELIM, download it and give it a try.

You can download it Here!

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X-MEN: Legends is going to be an old-school beat-em-up game featuring our dear heroes from the X-MEN comic books (and movies... and books... and cartoon series... and...). The game supports up to four players and focuses heavily on team play. Coupled with RPG elements this could result in a game that's more interesting than the average comic-book-to-game-conversion. We'll all know for sure when X-MEN: Legends is released in 2004 for the Xbox, the PS2 and the GameCube.


Check Out the Preview

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Just got this from Mr.White:

After a nice long summer vacation the ICS team is back, hard at work on version 2.0. Features in ICS 2.0 will include a brand new referee system, slightly modified weapons balance, small changes to the Hitmen gametype, fixes to the medal system, new skins and of course, new maps. This time around they're looking for public contributions. Anybody who has a map you feel would fit the ICS theme and wish to submit for ICS 2.0; check out the ICS website.

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This is a re-skin of the in-game reborn by our own Maddog. This skin is one of the reasons why I don't hate on the Reborn model, because even though the model is used alot, 90% of the design and 50+% of the finished look is something new and exciting. The drab Reborn costume has been exchanged for the hip snakeskin pants and the buffness of his bare chest (This guy must've worked out a long time before this photo shoot...every other Reborn I've seen was puny.). And as should be expected, Snake has everything possible: bots, team skins, and new sounds.

This is definitely a must d/l. Everything about this submission is top-notch! And, it can be used as blackmail if certain people start hating on Reborn models.
(news comments by JEDIofONE)

You can download this file from Jedi Knight II Files

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clone348 brings us a multiple game mode map. The Hall is exactly what you would expect it to be a hall with some pillars and windows. This map is best suited for duels and small FFA matches. Watch out in FFA mode a serious hurting can be given to you and your opponents in this very tight area.

This map is pretty good and very easy on the eyes but is very reminiscent of another map I have played before. As I mentioned earlier this map is best suited for dueling, all it needs is a little music and we are all set. Good job, keep on mapping.
(news comments by Maddog)

More on this file here: Jedi Kinght II Files

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Blaze brings us a model of a new hilt. The Monovial hilt looks like two pipes connected together at the middle, each end is almost shaped like an arrow. A shader is applied and there is a red marking on both ends of the hilt, very Sith like in my opinion.

I followed the author’s instructions for download and I couldn’t get the hilt to work so I added it to my JediPlus folder and it is selectable there. I also got a shader error message in game, nothing to hinder game play though. Not bad for a first model, good job.
(news comments by Maddog)

Get this file at Jedi Knight II Files

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Here we have a reskin of the very popular Cloud model by Chairwalker as reviewed by Maddog here: http://www.jk2files.com/file.info?ID=16670. His hair is as pointy as ever, but the skin was polished up and is more true to everyone’s favourite Final Fantasy character. Besides team colours (much darker and dramatic than the original skin), a "Sith" variation was included... for those of you eager to unleash the dark side of your own final fantasies.

Overall, this is a decent skin, although the Sith variation face looks a bit more like a racoon than a dark force endowed being (but that might just be me and my love of racoons!). To izanagi’s credit, the face and details on the other variations look great. Those of you into RPG skins will be on cloud nine.
(news comments by ShroomDuck)

You can get this file from Jedi Knight II Files

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This is a re-skin of the in-game Jedi model. Thomas Skywalker submits his first (!!!) skin and managed to shock me with the quality and detail he gives us. Skywalker has given the Jedi a humdinger of a mock turtleneck, brilliant in color and design.

The work here is incredible. From the detail of the textures on the clothes to the sideburns on the face, and from the bot support to the team skins, this IMO may be the best first submission I've ever seen in since over a year ago when I first began visiting JK2Files.com. Very little can be done to improve this, except adding some custom sounds. If you could add a green skin and some taunts, this would easily be a 10/10.
(news coments by JEDIofONE)

Download this file at Jedi Knight II Files

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The latest version of the Hexen RPG mod is out. The most important new feature is the ability to sell unneeded items in the shop. Two new damage skins and a couple of bugfixes are also included. For more info and to download the mod, check out the Korax Mod website.

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Wow! talk about fun! This map has it all, its nice and big, and set in the theme of the shop level editions. Any shop lover fragger out there should download and play this, its a great map to get used to and should be a good addition to your collection. I can't think of anything wrong with this map, its perfect, except only supports DM gametypes. Hopefully a new version will come out that supports more gametypes. But still, i love it.

You can download it Here!

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Go play this map now, it's pretty sweet stuff. It supports all gametypes, and is fun to explore and cruise around in. Its set in a desert/building theme and is spacious and fun. Give it a try, you might like it.

You can download it Here!

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Action Vault has a new interview with Kenn Hoekstra about Jedi Academy.

Action Vault: What weapons will be available and how will the selection differ from before? What are the new ones this time? Will there also be vehicles that players can use?

Kenn Hoekstra: Jedi Academy will feature 12 weapons as well as three different lightsabers. The two new weapons in the game are the DL-44 Heavy Blaster Pistol and the Stouker Concussion rifle. There are several vehicles, both rideable and driveable that appear throughout the game, including Swoops and Tauntauns.

Action Vault: How about the enemy AI? To what extent will they act "realistically" by varying their tactics, retreating when outgunned et al? How will the AI cater to players of varying abilities? Will any friendly NPCs help you out this time?

Kenn Hoekstra: The AI in Jedi Academy is a refined version of the Jedi Outcast AI, which featured tactical combat, retreat, flanking and a variety of other "realistic" functions. The AI will adjust to the difficulty levels in the game to accommodate players of varying skill levels. As in Jedi Outcast, there are instances where you will encounter friendly NPCs and work together with them to accomplish a common goal. Chewbacca is one such NPC, but we wouldn't want to ruin the surprise by revealing the others.

Read the rest of the interview at Action Vault.

(Source: Wilhuf )

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Nice map in the theme of a skyscraper situation. 2 tall buildings, and a connecting pathway between them, this map has been done quite nicely indeed. Recommended for everyone who can either snipe or do things guerilla style. Great map, why not add it to your collection?

You can download it Here!

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Based on the brilliant Shop levels, this map by MAD Mike has lots of places to go and lots of cool, fun places to defend. He obviously hates sloppy maps, cause this map is professionally done, and really enjoyable. Go down it now!

You can download it Here!

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A really, really mint map by Tech. 4 towers on each corner and the middle temple to snipe from, the perfect layout. Inside the temple are some moving platforms and a lot of stairs. Go and download it, you'll love it, its even got a few secrets.

You can download it Here!

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The classic map from Counter Strike is back, now for SoF2'ers to enjoy. Inferno. Made by GODh, this map is truley well done, and is well worth a download.

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Just got this from H@ze:

Our sof2 ladders have restarted and the lsit of clans participating is quickly groeing. With two matches last sunday and four for this weekend, people are realizing that clanwarz ladders are easy to join and comprehend. We have spent a year on research and debugging to accomondate our clans in a way no other ladder can. Please visit us at www.clanwarz.net and join the sof2 ctf ladders. Here are the scores for this week:

Slyder Clan over came the {SL} clan in Sof2 real damge mod.

-1st match: Slyder 3 {SL}Clan 0
-2nd match: Slyder 10 {Sl}Clan 0

|KcM| clan over came the -=xXx=- clan in sof2

-1st match: |KcM| 5 -=xXx=- 2
-2nd match |KcM| 10 -=xXx=- 0

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From visiting the forums for the last week, I've seen the Jedi Academy Beta mentioned on many occasions. Can i remind you that if you have this Beta, you are breaking the law, and in such, RavenGames does not want to be dragged down into that. Please under no circumstances mention the beta on the forums or anywhere on the network. Here is a forum link for reference: About JK3 Beta

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_Leviathan_ brings us a beta of his newest map entitled Imperial Complex. Imperial Complex has two rooms that connect to each other by two small corridors. The rooms are a decent size and have ample space for a duel in each room. I like the way this looks especially the connecting corridors, it has a nice effect that almost looks like a shader was used but there isn’t one.

I really enjoyed testing this map; I just wish it were the full version. The author even found the time to add music to his beta map; most don’t even add music to the full version maps. Anyway what I am trying to say is I like this map and its worth a glance till the full version makes it way into our hands. Great job, and get back to the full version.
(news comments by Maddog)

Download this file from Jedi Knight II Files

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This is a re-skin/texture of the in-game Rodian model/skin by evansMP. The Rodian loses the dorky jumpsuit and clads himself in rough brown burlap. Too bad he couldn't get some plastic surgery with it.
(news comments by JEDIofONE)

Get this file from Jedi Knight II Files

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Infinity Blade releases his model Mercenary Kyle, and wow what a model this is. It has full team support, bot support, and as a bonus he includes a separate PK3 that replaces the Single Player Kyle.

Personally, I love this model. It's everything Kyle should have looked like in JK2 (albeit a lot older) and gives you that definite mercenary feel. The team colors add to the variety of an already growing amount of new models out there, and the bonus PK3 for Single Player is great - considering many model and skins are not released with them at all. I hope to see more from this guy, especially for JKA.
(news comments by Chrono)

Download this file from Jedi Knight II Files

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Okay, it's obvious that I liked the beta version of this map, so can you think of any reason why I wouldn't like the final version? Yeah, me neither. There are some extra rooms here and there and some lighting changes which I think are a huge improvement. Remember the staircase down to the ysalamiri? Now you don't have to like, shield your eyes from the bright blue-white light. He's toned that down quite a bit. No more missing textures by that broken down well. And the biggest, most noticable change - the skybox! The large ysalamiri statues look so much nicer against the bright blue. Very pretty. Oooo ... and the reward for finding the secret area ... very cool, indeed. You can bet that this map will be updated on the JK2Files server very soon.
(news comments by AmosMagee)

Download this file from Jedi Knight II Files

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With snakeskin-like pants and Jawa-like glowing yellow eyes, SmokeRingHalo's latest version of his Dark Shadow skin is a decent little package. I can't say it's an improvement, since I'm not familiar with the first version. Oddly enough though, I'm actually quite fond of the team skins - even more so than the default.

When I first saw the default skin, I thought it looked like a large Jawa. *giggle* Which is actually a good thing, because I didn't notice right away that it's actually a Reborn. And you all know how I feel about Reborn skins. The custom sounds are great and really fit this skin and my first thought of an oversized Jawa. With bot support included too (which seems to be something of a rarity in skins these days), this is a very complete skin.
(news comments by AmosMagee)

Get this file at Jedi Knight II Files

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SlayeR has created a slick latex version of Jan here. It's a very simple skin. Jan in a shiny black latex catsuit with a nice shader to give that gleam of light bouncing off of skintight latex. On the back of the skin you'll find a simple graphic of a ... a ... well, I don't know what, but it's very evil looking. Her eyes have also been changed to match the color of that image on the back. Same goes for the team skins.

There's just something about this skin that I like. Sometimes keeping things simple is best - especially when a shader is involved. I only wish there were new sounds and a deliciously evil taunt included. Latex Jan - because there's a little bit of Sith in all of us.
(news comments by AmosMagee)

Get this file from Jedi Knight II Files

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Kensai brings us a Hilt model based on a saber he say pictures of on the Internet. Silverbone Hilt is chrome colored hilt with a few red and black buttons. This saber comes with mod compatibility, HUD compatibility and it also works with your MP and SP versions of the game.

This is a very complete package, the author kept the whole JK2 community in mind when making and submitting this model. This is pretty cool hilt; I wish I had of my own (maybe I can checks the readme hehe). Great job keep on modeling, two thumbs up.
(news comments by Maddog)

Get this file at Jedi Knight II Files

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This map is an incredible bit of work by Onobi Foondu. He has recreated an Italian city, and a staggering amount of detail. Everywhere you look there are photographic textures, realistic animations, and life-like architecture.

ACK! What a monster! I know I have a crummy computer, but even on 320x240 with all the gfx turned off or down I still lagged my way around the map. If you have a high-end computer, I'd definitely suggest a download. For those of us with older machines, this isn't your cup of tea.
(news comments by JEDIofONE)

Download this file from Jedi Knight II Files

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Although still an incomplete model (her sounds and taunt are taken from Jan and Tavion), Shaak Ti is a beautiful model. Her very unique appearance is unmistakable and she has an undeniably regal look about her.

I cannot wait to see the final product with team support, new sounds and a few custom taunts to choose from. This is an excellent model and should be one that everyone have in their collection.
(news comments by AmosMagee)

Get this file at PC Game Mods

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We have to report that the latest member of our forums is already a late member. Our condolences to him (her?) and his (her?) family...

Yeah I know it's not April 1st but it was really a one of a kind occasion. :)

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Action Vault has posted a preview of the upcoming Jedi Knight game.

As you might expect, Jedi Academy will include a number of familiar characters and locations. We caught a glimpse of Chewbacca fighting at your side in one of the missions, and the planets of Tatooine and Hoth were named. The lizard-like tauntauns native to the latter's windswept ice fields will be available as mounts in some of the multiplayer scenarios. You'll also be able to take control of an unspecified number of vehicles; one stated explicitly was the All Terrain Scout Transport walker, or AT-ST. Multiplayer aficionados will be able to partake in deathmatch, duel and a siege mode in which two teams, Imperial and Rebel, will have conflicting objectives. It appears the game will support up to 16 players. We might expect the Quake III engine to support as many as 64, but the developers seem to be emphasizing quality over quantity.

Read the rest of the preview here.

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Our news editor Col.J.P. just checked out today and won't be back before somewhen early September. I'll also be gone for a couple of days next week. To sum it up, news upgrades over the next 4-5 weeks won't be as frequent as normally.

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