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About Rainier

PC gamer, WorthPlaying EIC, globe-trotting couch potato, patriot, '80s headbanger, movie watcher, music lover, foodie and man in black -- squirrel!

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Xicat Goes 'Ballistic' With 'Jane'

by Rainier on Sept. 27, 2001 @ 6:55 p.m. PDT

Xicat seems to be on the war path after they apparently signed a deal with Swedish Developers Grin to publish their highly aticipated "Ballistic". As that was not enough they also snagged former EA developer Jane's licenses thus signing the biggest war sim developer to their name .. Go Xicat!

Xicat Licenses Jane’s

Xicat Interactive is very happy to announce that they have reached an agreement with Jane’s Information group, the leading authority on Military information. Xicat Interactive will be the sole Licensor of the name Jane’s and use of Jane’s abundant Library of resources.

Xicat will continue the excellent heritage of military games left off from Electronic arts with titles already in the pipeline that will accurately and fully capture the realism and drama of military conflict.

Steve Brown, Director of European Sales said…
“This I believe adds even more weight to our claims that we intend to be a serious player within the Interactive Games Arena. Jane’s is by far the biggest license to be working with in the field of Combat simulations and with a developer like Mad Doc alongside for the first title I am sure we have the first hit of many in this exciting new partnership.”

Attack Squadron, to be released…. Qtr1 2002

Xicat Interactive are working together with Mad Doc Software on the first of many titles form the Jane stable, Dr Ian Lane Davis, head of Mad Doc Software said…

“Mad Doc Software is terrifically excited to be able to bring Jane’s Attack squadron to an eager market. We fully expect Jane’s Attack Squadron to be the greatest WW11 Flight Sim ever. JAS has been a labor of love for many of our employees who worked on it for years at Looking Glass, and to be able to complete a game of this caliber and beauty is a thrill for all of us.”

Xicat Interactive Goes Ballistic!

Ballistics™
Release anticipated 12th October 2001

Xicat Interactive is proud to announce today that they have attained the worldwide publishing rights to Ballistics. The fastest race in the universe is still taking applicants. Ballistics shreds space and time in blistering races through futuristic worlds, optimized for the upcoming GeForce 3 card. The GeForce 3 will revolutionise the way computer games are played, allowing fluid, photo-realistic visuals to be created on a home PC. Ballistic pushes the envelope in every aspect of graphics and gameplay, bending the new powers of the GeForce 3 to its advantage.

C.E.O. for Xicat Interactive, Jaimee Wolf, said, “Ballistics is an exciting step both for Xicat and the games industry. As we progress into an era where games become more and more real, Xicat will lead the way in creating captivating gaming experiences.”

The Ballistics races have evolved from the Formula One races. Ballistics pilots are trained from their teens, and using electronic enhancers, their reflexes are much faster than any ordinary humans. To withstand the extreme g-forces experienced during each race, they also replace some of their skeleton with titanium. Wearing g-suits like today's fighter pilots, Ballistics pilots set out to race in these insane speed fests in their hunt for fame and fortune.

According to Steve Brown, Xicat’s Director of European Sales, ‘Xicat is looking to become renowned for publishing innovative new games. The first title that will really put us on the map will be Ballistics for PC. It is the first game to use the GeForce 3. We are very confident in it being a major success.’

The Game
This is Ballistics™ - Velocity in its purest form! Ballistics™ takes place during mans next century. Technology and increasing demand for hazardous entertainment has born a new form of racing. The Ballistics™ pilots run their hover bikes on magnetic fields inside a track that allows full 360ยบ movement. The races take place in many different settings; all with their own unique design concept and environment, but all shaped to breed the speed.

Game play
The second control system is enabled by hitting the detach switch on the dashboard and release from the magnetic field. This will enable free motion; loop, roll and turn inside the tunnels. The free movement will allow the pilot to reach certain positions in the track that allow bonus power ups or just price money. The downside of free movement is of course that it is harder to control and can cause crashing at high speeds. The free movement should be avoided and only used for short periods. Colliding with obstacles will knock the player into detach mode and it is imperative for him to get back on track and attach.
The game play is built upon almost limitless speed and the avoidance of in track obstacles, and the collecting of booster fuel and using of cooler zones that are placed along the course. All this while opponents try to overtake and ram you into the tunnel walls in their attempts to snag the first place. Classy moves and extreme courage is rewarded with money. Rushing down the tunnels at well above MACH 2 pilots are in for a real challenge!

Graphics and effects
Using GRINs own Diesel Engine Ballistics render from 20,000 to 110,000 thousand polygons in the view port. Adding up to a total sum of over 1500 textures in seven tracks with fully animated environments and light effects, you have a stunning piece of entertainment. Effects like masked chrome, real time lights, reflections, morphing animations, bump mapping, sparks, explosions, rain, snow and fog are all well balanced together with the 3D sound to give the gamer a nice run for money spent on new 3D hardware.

Features

  • Contains 7 highly detailed and original tracks
  • 40 Speeder parts catering for over 10.000 possible Speeder combinations
  • Gameplay which offers a lot of technique to be mastered for the higher divisions while still enabling the user to quickly get into the game on the easier levels.
  • True 3D sound in outside scenes, ambients in the racetrack and sound placed on passing opponents used to raise the speed sensation even more
  • In game speech giving you tips and comments your play.
  • Very configurable graphical set-up. Enabling the user to set his features in game to balance as he wishes between performance and graphical quality.
  • Speed beyond what you thought you could handle
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