While it probably looks quiet from where you’re sitting, I can assure you that there is more NS activity happening then ever. I (Flayra) just got back from the Game Developer’s Conference in San Jose, where I could be seen in the Fairmont lobby with my new custom NS laptop (most amazing gift ever, thanks Grandpa), stopping passerby and working contacts. I saw lots of new engines and technology, and the future is looking up for the next game. We aren’t ready to make any announcements about it yet, but if you like NS, I’m positive you’ll like what we come up with next. Check Unknown Worlds Entertainment for more information.
Sorry there’s no April Fool’s update today. To read the previous two years, click "archived news" at the bottom of this page, then search for "4/01". You’ll be glad you did (?). Many e-mails were sent about those posts, from people who thought they they were for real…
There is some great news in the competitive scene. Firstly, round two of the CAL playoffs are happening this Saturday, with the finals happening on the Saturday after that (April 10th). The first season finals were a blast to watch, and although HLTV isn’t working very well in beta 3, it will definitely be worth watching. Also, NS is going to be at the B.Y.O.C. at the CPL this summer! Paul "SolarCurve" Drew has been working hard to get this set up, and it will be a lot of fun and give NS a lot of exposure to all the people that haven’t seen it before. I’m planning on attending as well, and it should be a blast.
The official competitive NS site is still being set up, but we’re making progress. Also, we haven’t forgotten about the big ATI tournament, it’s just that everything’s taking longer then we wanted. We’ll be making an announcement about this as soon as it’s up and running, and you’ll be able to sign up your clan for the tournament at that time. If you haven’t heard, the prize for the winning clan is 6 brand-new Radeon 9800 Pro cards, donated by ATI!
While NS development is taking a backseat to our next game, work on beta 4 continues. In there will be HLTV fixes, balance tweaks (especially Combat), plenty of map updates, and lots of bug-fixes. We are currently planning on releasing it Friday, April 16th, so get ready.
Finally, there is also one big new system that XP-Cagey, Joev, and myself are working on that will open up lots of possibilities. We will be making a big announcement about this system as we get closer to releasing it, but it will suffice to say that we think it will transform how NS is played. We’re really excited about it, and I think you guys will love it. Stay tuned.