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It's a fairly well known fact that, for some reason, how high you can jump in Quake 3 Arena depends on your frame rate. The jump up to the megahealth on Q3DM13 is an obvious example - with the right frame rate settings you can simply hop up into the alcove, with the edge of the ledge helping to pull you up. Now one Quaker thinks he has the answer as to why the physics in Quake 3 depend on how fast your computer is.

- 3DO

Raven's Eric Biessman has some good news for those of you awaiting the new Gold Edition of "Soldier of Fortune" (and not living in British Columbia!). In a brief interview with SoFCenter he reports that "things are coming along great!" with the game apparently almost ready for release. "The entire add-on is complete and the new patch is currently being put through code release, so it should be somewhat soon. Since every patch needs to go through QA (and that means playing and testing through the entire game again) that is why it is taking a little longer. Essentially, it just needs to pass the code release and it will be good to go."

This week's editorial here on EuroGamer investigates the current situation with "Soldier of Fortune" in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The ultra-violent game, which features realistic weaponry which can blow people's limbs off in a spray of juicy gibs, was classified as an "adult motion picture" by British Columbia last month, and Activision recently announced that they will be fighting the decision on the grounds that it "undermines consumers' rights of freedom and choice of expression, and sets a precedent for government censorship".

On July 11th the Canadian province of British Columbia took the unprecedented step of classifying "Soldier of Fortune" as an "adult motion picture", making it illegal to sell the game to under 18s, and forcing retailers to stock it seperately. The decision gave companies thirty days to contest the ruling.

Love it or hate it, "Myst" remains one of the best selling computer games of all time, mostly thanks to its stunning visuals. Chances are that if you don't own a copy yourself, somebody you know does. So today on EuroGamer we have a special treat for your eyes in the form of a gallery featuring a selection of the latest screenshots and concept art from "Myst 3 : Exile", the sequel to "Myst" and "Riven" which is currently under development at Presto Studios. The artwork is stunning to say the least, and although none of it is exclusive, it's certainly well worth a look. Check it out!

The official word has just arrived from Battletop that they will be running a massive professional gaming tournament in Korea in October, with dozens of gamers from fourteen different countries fighting it out across five games, including Quake III Arena, FIFA 2000, and of course Starcraft, which the Koreans have an inexplicable love affair with. $300,000 in cash prizes will be up for grabs at the event, which Battletop are calling the "World Cyber Game Challenge".

The latest release information just arrived from Microsoft, who have quite an impressive line-up for the next year. "The Conquerors" add-on pack for their hit strategy game "Age Of Empires II" is now fixed for a September 15th release, with the PC version of Playstation mega-hit "Metal Gear Solid" now due in the UK on October 6th, along with "Midtown Madness 2".

A few months ago Lithtech Inc announced that they had licensed their 3D game engine to Real Networks, best known for their "Real Player" streaming media system. Exactly how this was going to work and what it meant for game developers was a little vague at the time, but now in an interview with 3DActionPlanet, Lithtech CEO Jason Hall has explained all...

One of the more .. unusual games currently in development is "Sheep", a puzzle game in which you must herd dozens of the dumb wool coated animals of the title through thirty levels filled with bizarre obstacles and hazards. With a decidely odd concept, "artificial stupidity", cute and colourful graphics, and a strong dose of humour, could Empire and Minds Eye be on to a winner with Sheep? Read our preview to find out more!

In a world of real time strategy games, first person shooters, third person action adventure games, and endless derivative sports sims with bigger and bigger numbers after their titles each year, every now and then there is a truly original idea which brings a breath of fresh air to the gaming industry.

This weekend's review here on EuroGamer takes a look at "Icewind Dale", the latest role-playing game based on the Infinity Engine to come out of Interplay. Developed by Black Isle Studios, the brains behind "Planescape Torment", but on more of a good old fashioned dungeon crawling tip, can Icewind Dale live up to its pedigree? Does the elderly engine which powered the original "Baldur's Gate" still have what it takes? Could this be the role-playing fix you've been looking for to tide you over until the appearance of "Baldur's Gate II" later in the year? Read our review to find out!

It's been a long and arduous wait for the horde of PC role-players eagerly awaiting a sequel to the classic Baldur's Gate, but now some relief can be had in the form of Icewind Dale.

When I was at university I seemed to spend more time playing and writing about computer games than actually studying for my degree course. Now you can have the best of both worlds by taking a three year BSc degree in "Computer and Video Games" at Salford University in Manchester, UK.

Using expert consultants when developing a game is nothing new, but in the case of tank sim "Steel Beasts" much of the game was tested and co-developed by "tankers". The game's sound effects, for example, are mostly the work of Edward "Volcano Man" Williams, an American soldier who is part of the crew of a real M1A1 tank, and has served in Bosnia and Germany in recent years.

The latest release schedule just arrived from Eidos, with a couple of important changes to their Autumn line-up. The PC version of Playstation hit "Resident Evil 3 : Nemesis" has been delayed by a couple of weeks to September 29th, and as we just reported, "Championship Manager : Season 00/01" has now been officially announced for a November 10th release. For all the latest UK release information, check EuroGamer's comprehensive UK release date list, now tracking over 100 games due for release during the next year.

The ever-popular "Championship Manager" soccer management sim is getting yet another outing, with the announcement of "Championship Manager : Season 00/01". Another updated version of Championship Manager 3, this latest game adds all the latest team and player information as well as a whole slew of other features, including twenty six leagues to take part in, international tournaments (including B teams and under 21 matches), an improved transfer system, and a data editor to let you customise all the millions of statistics. There's even a new feature allowing you to go grovelling to the FA to ask for a fixture to be postponed, or to lodge a formal complaint!

Although we were expecting space sim add-on "X-Tension" and role-playing game "Arcatera" to be released today in the UK, as well as console port "Dino Crisis", but the only confirmed new release this week is UbiSoft's vehicle-bound action-strategy game "Infestation". Thanks as usual to Nemesis, who also mentioned that the Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition rules are now available as well, for any old school pencil and paper role-players out there.

Last month ASUS announced that they had developed a new set of features known as "3D SeeThrough Technologies" for their graphics card drivers, which would allow players to see through walls. Although ASUS later claimed this was a way of showing how 3D games work, the original press release made it clear that they considered it as a means of allowing their customers to cheat in online games. A poll run by The Online Gamers Association showed that 90% of its members were against the new drivers being released, resulting in an open letter being sent to ASUS.

Obviously, the GameBoy Color does not quite have the oomph to drive a nicely rendered 3D gaming environment, a la PlayStation or PC. But it does have vivid colours and more than enough graphical prowess to drive a beautifully drawn and animated 2D side-scrolling platformer. Luckily, Core have done a superb job of carrying the feel (as it were) of Lara Croft on other platforms, to Nintendo's handheld pocket rocket. You may recall that we were very impressed a couple of months ago with Ubisoft's Rayman for GBC. Well, a similar level of detail, care and attention can be found in Tomb Raider. You will guide Lara through 14 levels to gather the five panel pieces, which can be used to gain access to the Nightmare Stone (cue dramatic music). Each level is faithful to the original Tomb Raider titles on other platforms, where you have to find keys and flick switches to open doors, avoid or dispose of baddies, and generally keep your wits about you in order to make progress. If you've ever played Prince of Persia (2D), you'll get the gist. In addition to the obligatory pistol, which Lara can use to shoot baddies, you will pick up various goodies on your travels. These can be as mundane as a small medical kit to heal your wounds, or as interesting as a stick of dynamite which can be used to blow up walls! Your inventory is accessed using the Start button, where it is all presented in a similar vein to the other console Tomb Raider releases.

David Braben is probably still best known for his work on the classic space sim "Elite", way back in the days when the BBC Micro was considered to be a cutting edge piece of hardware. Since then his output with Frontier Developments has been rather more hit and miss, from the terminally buggy "Elite : First Encounters" to V2000. His latest game is Infestation, an action-strategy game in which you drive a vehicle capable of transforming between different forms. We took the game for an exhaustive test drive ahead of its UK release tomorrow - to find out whether it's worth your hard earned credits, read our review!

One of the more interesting role-playing games currently in development is Irrational's "Freedom Force", in which you take control of a group of super-heroes as they battle crime and villainy in 1960's New York City. Project Manager Jonathan Chey describes it as "the first game that recreates the experience of controlling a team of superheroes with all their own strengths, weaknesses and personalities .. using the varied abilities of their characters to defeat an array of super-villains in a dynamic interactive environment - everything is destructible".

Microsoft has announced that it will be working with BritSoft developer Climax on their persistent world multiplayer strategy game "Warhammer Online", which is based on the classic table-top battle system. Microsoft will be contributing to everything "from online gameplay (through effective use of the DPlay API) through to management of the game's back-end databases and e-commerce functionality". For the full story, read the press release.

The year is 2237, and mankind has spread to the stars using a network of warp gates which link settlements on dozens of different planets. Unfortunately an alien race has stumbled across your cosmic answer to the Underground, and is using the gates to travel from world to world, wiping out your colonies.

Vampire Vault have posted the fourth part of their "storytelling handbook" for Vampire : The Masquerade

Today we take a peek at Gift, a rather odd looking 3D platform game from French purveyors of the bizarre Cryo Interactive. Featuring "a sneaky overweight slob with a big mouth" as its hero, seeking to rescue a gravity-defying delusional damsel in distress by finding seven sinful dwarves, this is certainly going to be one of the weirdest games of the year. And with quietly impressive graphics and gameplay to match, it could well prove to be a pleasant surprise... To find out more, read our preview, and then be sure to check out our Gift gallery, featuring the latest and greatest screenshots and concept art from the game.

Funcom have announced that their massively multiplayer sci-fi role-playing game "Anarchy Online" has just gone into public beta testing. The first phase is now under way, with a limited number of players taking part in a closed beta test. As the beta testing continues more and more people will become involved, until the fourth and final phase when as many as 50,000 players are expected to take part! The game is expected to go live by the end of the year. To find out more, check the official Anarchy Online website.

There must be something in the water at French software house Cryo. My first encounter with the company was "Dune" way back in 1992, a strange mixture of free-form strategy and adventure game. More recently they have made a name for themselves producing sedate graphics-driven adventure games based on everything from ancient history to Wagner's operatic Ring Cycle, taking in mythology and science fiction along the way.

was unveiled earlier this summer, a company founded by veterans of Starsiege Tribes developers Dynamix, and intended to encourage and support independent and amateur game development. According to co-founder Jeff Tunnel, "GarageGames will be offering awesome technology, a game development community, exposure and possible money making opportunities for independent game makers". In an interview on 3D Action Planet, Jeff explains how this is going to work...

Impression Games have hit the big time over the last few years with their ancient world city building sims, bringing us the Caesar trilogy set in classical Rome, and more recently the Egyptian flavoured Pharaoh. Currently they are working on "Zeus", applying the winning formula to ancient Greece. Lead designer Chris Beatrice explained that "when I think of ancient, classical civilizations, I always come back to the "big three" - Rome, Greece, and Egypt. Each has its own distinct character, of course, and I knew that eventually we would cover them all."