Tom's Fictional Dinner With Origin

"Let me ask you: what space sims are people still playing? Freespace Descent and that other one, you know, that Star Wars one. Is anyone still playing Wing Commander Prophecy? Nope. Know why? No multiplayer. Those yahoos running the show back then scrapped it to concentrate on the single player game. And guess what? We even put out all new single player missions. For free, for Chrissake! For free! It was like a whole new game, free of charge. And what did everyone do? They shrugged and went back to Parallel Online and that Microsoft Zone thing to fly their little Star Wars planes. Well, we'll see who shrugs when we release a massively multiplayer bombshell like Chris Roberts' Freelancer."

The above was a work of fiction. Any similarity between the character _____ and any _____s, either living or dead, is purely coincidence. Tom Chick's opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of Next Generation Online.

Starlancer Delayed

Recent announcements have confirmed that Digital Anvil's Starlancer is no longer scheduled for a 1999 release. Current estimates are first quarter 2000. Chris Roberts helped to found Digitial Anvil and his brother, Erin Roberts, is executive producer of Starlancer. Thanks to ATFW.

New RPG Calls for Players

DA Issues New Guidelines

Deathball correspondent Viman Vigga reports. The Deathball Association this afternoon revealed plans to add four new rules to the rulebook, a decision which will make that slim journal three times larger. The resolution was deemed necessary in light of a few recent matches - notably the Treyk-Barzon Incident, and the Fewley-Trenzik Massacre. From now on, use of nuclear, biological or chemical weapons is strictly banned. Any team using them immediately forfeit the match, be banned for a year, and have its manager executed. Also proscribed is the use of military vehicles and hardware - no more napalm strikes, unfortunately. Oh well, it's still a great game.