Charlie Brown Voice Actor Peter Robbins Pleads Not Guilty to Threatening Ex-Girlfriend, Surgeon Over Her Boob Job

by Alexis L. Loinaz Today 5:30 AM PST

REUTERS/John Gibbins/Pool

Things may not be peanuts for Peter Robbins when it comes to his run-in with the law.

The 56-year-old erstwhile actor, who as a child voiced Charlie Brown in several TV and movie specials, pleaded not guilty in San Diego Superior Court Wednesday to charges that he made threats against both his ex-girlfriend and a surgeon who performed a breast-augmentation surgery on her, per Reuters.

Robbins, who supposedly paid for the operation, was reportedly displeased with the outcome of the surgery and had wanted a refund.

Good grief! Charlie Brown voice actor Peter Robbins arrested on stalking charges

He faces two counts of stalking and 10 counts of criminal threats and is currently behind bars, with bail set at $550,000.

Robbins was arrested Sunday by border security at the San Ysidro Port of Entry in San Diego after officers ran his name through a computer and turned up a felony warrant for crimes against a person.

Robbins, who lives in Oceanside, Calif., did voice work for several Peanuts TV classics including A Boy Named Charlie Brown and A Charlie Brown Christmas.

A preliminary hearing is set for March 22.

Mug-shot mania! Check out celebs who've run afoul of the law

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Christian Bale Phones Young Cancer Patient Who's a Big Batman Fan—Watch Now

 Michael Stewart/Getty Images

OK, we gotta say it: Christian Bale is awesome.

The Dark Knight Rises star took time out from his ever-busy schedule to phone an 8-year-old Batman fan named Zach Guillot, who is courageously battling leukemia, and make his day by chatting with him about his favorite superhero.

In a video posted to YouTube on Friday, Bale asked the cancer patient about his love of Batman, and a bashful Zach answered that he had his own little Batmobile, which he made out of cardboard, as well as an authentic costume.

"That sounds fantastic," replied Bale. "You know what? I had to give mine back. They wouldn't let me keep mine. You're lucky you get to have one and run around and tell people you are Batman."

Christian Bale flies 4-year-old cancer patient and family to Disneyland

The 38-year-old actor also talked about how his native England is very similar to Zach's hometown of Seattle, noting that "it's kind of rainy."

After chatting about Zach dressing up as the Caped Crusader for Halloween and Bale sharing that his wife would dress up as Catwoman, Bale then talked about how the "whole point of the movie" and the character "is that anybody can be Batman."

"Anybody can be as strong as that, and help people and put good out into the world," reflected the Oscar winner.

Wrapping up the conversation, the thesp told Zach he was glad the little fan enjoyed Dark Knight Rises and promised that he'd speak to "the lady that plays Catwoman" (Anne Hathaway)—as well as Bane (Tom Hardy) and the director (Christopher Nolan)—and tell them what a huge fan of the movies Zach is.

Christian Bale visits Aurora shooting victims

"It makes us all so happy, so thank you for doing that for us," said Bale. "Thanks for carrying the torch and keepin' on playing Batman, OK?"

This isn't the first occasion Bale's cheered up an ailing child. Last September, he flew 4-year-old leukemia patient Jayden Barber and his family out to California for a lunch date at Disneyland's Club 33.

No doubt Bale's made himself more than just an actor. Get well, Zach!

Here are some other celeb do-gooders

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Emmy Rossum's Sentimental Journey Album Premiere—Listen to Her Cover Collection of Classic Hits!

by Alexis L. Loinaz Today 4:00 AM PST

Courtesy: Warner Bros Records

Talk about a serious triple threat.

Multihyphenate Emmy Rossum has made her mark in film and on TV. Now, she's ready to rule the music charts.

The 26-year-old Shameless star is gearing up to release her new studio album, Sentimental Journey, and E! has your exclusive first listen right here.

The album, which is being released by Warner Bros. Records and hits stores on Jan. 29, comprises a collection of covers of classic hits from the '20s to the '60s.

Adele set to perform "Skyfall" at the Oscars

And if the promise of that vintage throwback didn't already pique your interest, then the 12-song track list—which was recorded in three days and which Rossum says is meant to evoke a "musical calendar" of each month of the year—certainly might: It includes covers of "Autumn Leaves," "These Foolish Things" and "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out," among others.

How's that for some old-school cred!

Rossum, who got her start singing with the children's chorus of New York City's famed Metropolitan Opera, has a pretty busy schedule ahead: The third season of Shameless just premiered on Showtime; she has a new movie, Beautiful Creatures, hitting theaters on Feb. 14; and now her new album is ramping up for its debut.

Slow down there, Emily: You're making us all feel like underachievers!

Check out the most anticipated albums of 2013

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Jennifer Lopez and Andrea Bocelli Record Spanish Duet—Listen to a Sneak Preview!

Cover your ears, Casper Smart: Jennifer Lopez is collaborating with another man.

The former American Idol judge has recorded a duet with Italian singer Andrea Bocelli. In a sneak preview of "Quizás, Quizás, Quizás" ("Maybe, Maybe, Maybe"), Lopez accompanies the opera star on the classic Spanish tune.

J.Lo opens up about divorce, Casper Smart

Marc Anthony's ex released a Spanish album, Coma Ama una Mujer, in 2007. She and Anthony also produced and hosted ¡Q'viva! The Chosen, an international reality show looking for Latin America's best talent.

Bocelli's new album, Passione, debuts Jan. 29 and also features a duet with Nelly Furtado.

A look at Jennifer Lopez and Casper Smart's romance

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Justin Timberlake Releases Full "Suit & Tie" Lyric Video—Watch the Entire Clip!

Justin Timberlake, you are a tease—a beautiful, worth-the-wait tease.

Jessica Biel's hubby premiered the lyric video for "Suit & Tie" on MTV.com Thursday. (On Wednesday, he gave fans as sneak peek of the sexy clip, but now we get to see the full thing.)

Looking debonair and classy, the 31-year-old (who turns 32 next Thursday—get your baby-blue ready!) works his magic in the studio. He snaps, smokes (we're not a fan of that, but we'll forgive it just this once for artistic reasons) and gives us a tiny peep of those famous dance moves.

We also get several glimpses of his wedding ring (aw) and that gajillion-dollar smile (swoon) as he hangs around a casino and classic car.

Justin's back in the studio recording The 20/20 Experience

Jay-Z, who raps on the track, doesn't make an appearance in this lyric vid, but J.T. puffs on a cigar as Hova's verses play. (We certainly hope to see Hov in the real clip.)

At the end of the video, Justin smashes through a glass window that says "The 20/20 Experience Coming Soon." And it's easy to miss, but March 19 flashes on the screen as his album release date.

We'll get fixed up to the nines...just for you, J.T.

Check out J.T.'s famous BFFs

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Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett to Collaborate on Album

by Alexis L. Loinaz Today 4:32 AM PST

Twitter

Apparently, Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett's onstage duet was just an enticing preview.

A day after performing "The Lady Is a Tramp" together at an inaugural ball in Washington, D.C., for President Barack Obama's campaign staffers, Mother Monster has revealed that she and the legendary crooner will be teaming up to work on an album.

Gaga took to Twitter to share the exciting news as she recapped their gig at the inaugural bash.

Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett play inaugural ball for Obama campaign staffers

"I had the most amazing evening with The President, First Lady & The Whitehouse staff," she wrote, posting several twitpics from the ball.

"And here's me and my handsome date," the 26-year-old pop star added, tweeting a photo of her and Bennett, 86. "I simply cannot wait for our album together, he's my darling!"

The two had previously recorded a version of "The Lady Is a Tramp" for his Duets II album, which was released in 2011.

Beyoncé lip-sync backtrack? Marine Corps admits band wasn't live

Gaga, who is gearing up to release her new album, ARTPOP, is certainly no stranger to duets. (Hello, "Telephone"! Hello, Beyoncé!)

But Mother Monster and the legendary Mr. Bennett? We're definitely gaga over that, too!

Check out which celebs glammed up the inaugural

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Spoiler Chat: Scoop on Glee, Dexter, Grey's Anatomy, Pretty Little Liars and More!

 FOX; ABC; ABC Family

Breaking news: Glee's back! It's finally back!

In honor of the Fox hit's return, we've got scoop on a fan favorite couple...who currently isn't together. But will they be reuniting soon? Also in today's Spoiler Chat, we've got scoop on Pretty Little Liars' Spencer now that she's learned the truth about Toby and new info on season eight of Dexter courtesy of Michael C. Hall. Plus, we've got inside intel on Grey's Anatomy, The Mindy Project and more...

WesleyPomatto: If Don't Trust the B is canceled does that mean Happy Endings is gone too? Say it ain't so!
Totally woulds if we coulds! An ABC source tells us that a decision has yet to be made on Happy Endings' future, but stresses that the network's president Paul Lee is a huge fan. So right now it has about a 50-50 chance for a renewal. Impromptu prayer circle in the comments is in order, no?

Find out when Mad Men will return

CoryConquersAll: What is next for Finn on Glee?
A reunion with his ex-lady! Alex Newell tells us that Finchel fans just need to be a little bit more patient, because the couple will be reunited soon. "They're in two different states [right now], but they have some stuff coming up," she reveals. Bonus tidbit, Newell spilled that Lea Michele and Cory Monteith are "lovey-dovey" off-camera whenever they are together. Awww…isn't that sweet?

Rachel in Philadelphia: Is it possible to get some Grey's spoilers out of you?
Only if you send us chocolate. Or money. Or chocolate-covered money. Once the goodies arrive, we will tell you that one of Seattle Grace's finest will deal with a patient who is battling a fatal disease and thus, wants the doc to help him participate in an assisted suicide. This particular doctor (no, we can't reveal who) will have trouble going through with it, which puts them at odds with the patient they truly care about. It turns into quite the emotional episode, and no one can make us cry like Shonda Rhimes. Do your worst, Grey's boss!

Hilary Duff to guest star on Raising Hope

Geena: Love me some Danny on The Mindy Project. What's coming up for him?
If you wanna know all about Danny's past, then episode 18 is the one for you. We'll get to hear about Danny's eating habits when he was a kid (read: he was fat), plus his dating history (spoiler: he was quite "progressive" in his lady choices). But if that doesn't tempt you, then a moment between Danny and Mindy at the end of the episode might do it for you.

Randy Tepper/Showtime

Madison: I need to know what's next for Spencer now that she knows about Toby on Pretty Little Liars! I felt so bad for her!
Spencer is about do take a dark turn! Creator Marlene King teases, "When she accepts that Toby is in the ‘A' Team she has nothing left to lose, so she does things that we we would never expect Spencer to do." Bonus PLL scoop: King says fans will learn how the Uber "A" assembled the team's members in the finale. Blackmail or recruitment? Hmmm…

Jason in Anderson, S.C.: I miss Dexter, so any bit of info you have will be appreciated. Thanks!
What a coincidence! We just chatted with Michael C. Hall about the new season, which started preproduction this past Tuesday. "In mid-February we will start shooting," Hall reveals. And about that cliffhanger that we ended on...that situation is going to get worse before it gets better. "The writers manage to put the guy in hotter and hotter water," he teases about the season premiere.

Fox has pulled Ben and Kate from its schedule

Mary Anne: Parks and Rec spoilers!
Lots happening as Parks and Recreation's season winds down, and not just with Leslie. Dennis Feinstein, Tom's hero in the cologne world, returns for more shenanigans. April is thisclose to her dream job (hint: it involves animals). Chris, the healthiest human ever, has a little mishap that puts him in a cast, and Ron's health might be in danger! (Phew). Of course, all those goings-on equal Parks and Rec hilarity, so it all works out.

—Additional reporting by Jenna Mullins and Tierney Bricker

Want your TV questions answered in our next Spoiler Chat? Email them to tvdiva@eonline.com or tweet at @KristinDSantos!

Check out TV's latest watercooler moments

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Beyoncé Resurfaces After Lip-Sync Controversy, Posts Twitpic From New Orleans

 Instagram

Continuing to ignore the Inauguration Day lip-syncing controversy that's taken the media by storm, Beyoncé is clearly staying focused on one thing: her highly anticipated halftime performance at next month's Super Bowl down in the Big Easy.

The R&B songstress posted to her Instagram page the first photo of her current whereabouts since the scandal broke, showing her at New Orleans' Mother's Restaurant, which—by the look of the menu she's holding up—apparently has the world's best baked ham.

Yesterday, after it was revealed that Beyoncé lip-synced "The Star-Spangled Banner" to a prerecorded track—something hardly out of the ordinary for major events (see: Whitney Houston's famed Super Bowl rendition of the national anthem) but which nevertheless sparked outrage—B has remained mum on the matter except to post some pictures of her rehearsing for Monday's big performance.

Beyoncé lip-syncing controversy: Here's why she faked it

On Tuesday, the director of the U.S. Marine Corps Band, Col. Michael J. Colburn, confirmed that Beyoncé used the prerecorded version because she had been busy getting ready for her highly anticipated appearance at Feb. 2's Super Bowl and didn't have time to rehearse the anthem properly with the band. He also said the cold weather was a factor.

In any case, a number of the 31-year-old superstar's fellow artists have come to her defense, among them LeAnn Rimes, Jennifer Lopez and, most notably, the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin, who sang at President Barack Obama's 2009 Inauguration.

Franklin told ABC News that when she heard Beyoncé used a prerecorded track while performing in chilly temperatures, she laughed, noting that "for most singers, that is just not good singing weather." She also praised her protégé, saying, "She did a beautiful job with the prerecord…Next time I'll probably do the same."

Of course, despite the backlash, Beyoncé still sang the song—as fan Piers Morgan was quick to note—even if it was in the studio.

So far, no word whether she'll perform her halftime Super Bowl set live.

A look at some of our favorite celeb-filled photos from the 2013 inauguration

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Sustainable Style! Jennifer Lawrence and Nicole Richie Rock Down-to-Earth Red Carpet Looks

 Terry Rice/Getty Images

Despite the proclivities of red-carpet strutters like Jennifer Lopez, glamour doesn't always have to go hand-in-gorgeous-hand with tottering stilettos and fur. Stars step out in looks that show their earthy predispositions and total stylishness all at once.

At the Golden Globes, Sienna Miller stunned in a playful floral dress, wearing minimal makeup.

The ultimate boho-chic fashionista, Nicole Richie exemplified the style in a flowing maxi dress and embellished headband. In flowing Balenciaga, Kristen Wiig looked every bit the glammed-up earth mama on the Emmys red carpet. And the fearless Jennifer Lawrence took to the red carpet at the Toronto International Film Fest in a gown with an overall bold tie-dye effect—ever so slightly more glammed up than the version you remember from summer camp.

So who would you like to see rocking sustainability-chic looks at this weekend's SAG Awards?

Check out who else skated the line between crunchy and glam—and nailed it!

View the original article here

Beauty and the Beast Sneak Peek: Watch Catherine and Vincent's Post-Accident Hospital Confession!

 The CW

Beauty and the Beast finally returns tonight, and so does Vincent (Jay Ryan) and Catherine's (Kristin Kreuk) electric chemistry!

In the CW hit drama's midseason finale, viewers last saw a beasted-out Vincent rescuing Catherine from a car crash after her father's wedding. Well, spoiler alert: Catherine is OK!

How do we know this? We've got an exclusive sneak peek at tonight's episode, which features Vincent visiting Catherine in the hospital...

Fox has pulled Ben and Kate from its schedule

"Playing doctor is kind of in my wheelhouse," Vincent says of sneaking into the hospital to see Catherine while dressed in scrubs and a surgical mask.

"I needed to see you," Vincent tells Catherine, who can barely contain her smile, though she worries about someone seeing him.

Alas, it's not all cute proclamations and swooning as Vincent tells her he's not the one who pulled off "the amazing roadside save" after her accident; it was Evan (Max Brown). "I wanted to stay and help, but I couldn't get back to being me and Evan pulled up so I had to make a choice," Vincent admits, "And he was your best option."

Beauty and the Beast airs tonight at 9 p.m. on the CW.

Check out TV's latest watercooler moments

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Kelly Osbourne Engaged? Fashionista Tweets Denial in Wake of Rampant Reports

 SWAP / Splash News

Kelly Osbourne has been in the business long enough to know how the game works. But she's not playing.

After a surge of reports claiming that the Fashion Police star had gotten secretly engaged to boyfriend Matthew Mosshart just before Christmas, the red carpet regular took to Twitter to indirectly deny the rumors.

Check out Kelly's gorgeous and gilded awards season manicure

Though the sartorially inclined E! star didn't specifically note what she was referring to in her denial, well, it seems pretty clear to us.

"#DontBelieveEverythingYouRead," she wrote simply.

But while there's no engagement news to be had, the 28-year-old Osbourne and 29-year-old Mosshart are still as adorably lovey-dovey as ever.

Still, Twitter message received! Give 'em Kell, Kell.

Check out some real celeb weddings we can't wait for!

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Kendall Jenner: Jonathan Taylor Thomas Who? Only "Old People" Know '90s Teen Heartthrob

 Twitter, Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images

Kendall Jenner is darling, but…homegirl needs a lesson in '90s teen idols stat.

Kim, Khloé and Kourtney Kardashian's 16-year-old kid sis does not—gasp—know who Jonathan Taylor Thomas is.

A friend of the brunette beauty tweeted that she was "Browsing Tiger Beat w/ @KendallJenner &she doesnt  know who JTT is! JTT FOREVER!"

Check out Kendall and Kylie's retro mag cover

Said gal-pal even posted a glorious shot of the teen heartthrob (complete with a spray tan and frosted tips). But Kendall, clearly not impressed, retweeted her friend adding, "only old ppl know who he is."

While Jonathan, now 31 years old, has kept a low profile in recent years, his work in Home Improvement and The Lion King gives him teen heartthrob tenure for at least another decade.

So, Kendall, still LYLAS, but we recommend a JTT movie marathon ASAP.

Kendall's kute klose-ups!

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Lance Armstrong Sued by Readers of His Books in Wake of Doping Confession

 Bryn Lennon/Getty Images

Lance Armstrong has at least a couple of angry readers on his hands.

A class action lawsuit against the disgraced cyclist has been filed by two men who had purchased and read Armstrong's two books, It's Not About the Bike and Every Second Counts.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the suit states that they and others "would not have purchased the books had they known the true facts concerning Armstrong's misconduct and his admitted involvement in a sports doping scandal."

Bradley Cooper wants to play Lance Armstrong

The suit accuses Armstrong and several publishers of fraud and false advertising. After all, in the books, Armstrong denied ever using banned substances.

The complaint comes just days after Oprah Winfrey's interview with Armstrong aired, during which he finally did confess to using performance-enhancing drugs during his Tour de France victories. He blamed his "ruthless desire to win at all costs" for leading him to cheat and attempt to cover up his lies for so many years.

Lance Armstrong's famous friends

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Sarah Jessica Parker's Pale Skinny Jeans Are Having a Moment

 Tom Meinelt, Doug Meszler/Splash News

Though we definitely miss the days of Sarah Jessica Parker playing the always fashionable Carrie Bradshaw, we're more than happy to get our style fix from the equally chic actress, who spends just as much time gallivanting about town in flawless ensembles as her fabulous fictional counterpart.  

And while we love Bradshaw's bold style, we've got to admit Parker's outfits are a little more accessible for the everyday woman. Case in point: We've spotted the busy mother of three all over the Big Apple in her comfortable yet chic pair of Level 99 Janice Ultra Skinny jeans. 

Check out Sarah Jessica Parker's stylish custom mouse ears by L'Wren Scott

With their body-hugging shape and faux front pockets, the skinnies give the illusion of a fave pair of classic jeans, while offering a forgiving stretch. We can't say we blame Parker for donning her stretchy skinnies while running around the streets of New York with two toddlers in tow. We love that she embraced a casual look, pairing her pants with an oh-so-classic combo of a simple white tee, tough leather jacket and timeless Converse All Stars one day and a cozy oversize sweater and sweet ballet flats on another.

But Parker also proves you don't have to sacrifice style for comfort by dressing up her jeans in a colorful pair of olive heels and a timeless camel coat. Of course, her jeans' metallic finish add a little edge to both her casual and dressy looks. 

What do you think of SJP's skinnies? 

Check out more celebrity street style 

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Star Wraith IV Version 2 Launched

The official Star Wraith IV site has news that version 2 of this popular indie space sim has been released. Here's a clip:

The next phase of Star Wraith IV, version 2, has been launched! This update is a major revision to the game. The graphics engine has been overhauled to provide Evochron level detail and effects. A few bug fixes are also included along with some new textures and cockpit details. This update is free for all current registered players and the installer will also work as a patch to update any older 1.X version of the game up to the 2.X system.

This new version has several bug fixes, tweaks, and revisions, so head over to the official site to download the 11.2 MB trial version. It's a fun game, so any space sim fan should enjoy it.

View the original article here

Starships Unlimited 3 Launched

In a recently released press release, Matrix Games has announced the release of Starships Unlimted 3, the latest in the popular sci-fi 4X game series from Ape Zone. Here's a clip from the release:

Unlike many other games of galactic exploration, conquest, economics and diplomacy, Starships Unlimited v3 focuses on a small number of unique starships, each with different crew mixes and different technologies. These ships and their crews are the heroes of this science fiction epic, boldly exploring the unknown, dealing with alien races and helping your people expand to new worlds.

You can find out more at Matrix Game's official Starships Unlimted 3 web site.

View the original article here

Tie Fighter: Total Conversion Released

The Tie Fighter: Total Conversion mod for X-Wing Alliance has been released. This mod converts content from Tie Fighter to the X-Wing Alliance engine. To play the mod you need X-wing Alliance with both CD-ROMS and the TIE Fighter Collectors Edition CDROM or X-Wing Collectors Series Disk 2 CDROM. If you have both of these items, head over to the TFTC downloads page to download the 112 MB mod. I know I'll be downloading it soon myself.

View the original article here

Weird Worlds Patch Available

There's a new patch available for Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space that has a veritable cargo hold full of fixes and new features, including: enemies flee if no guns
can try to ram a fighter
formation leader dodges followers
And more! Head over to the Weird Worlds download page to get the 294KB patch.

View the original article here

New X3: Reunion Designer Diary Entry at GameSpot

There's a fantastic developer diary entry over at GameSpot detailing the day in a life of a pilot in the X3 universe. Here's a clip:

With him at my mercy, I ask him to surrender. To my surprise, he refuses and then I realize why. I had not checked my immediate surroundings carefully, and two local police ships are speeding to his aid. The supplier was not attached to any station or factory. He was an independent trader and still they came to his aid! Cursing, I swiftly dispatch the freighter and he disappears in a cloud of dust, his scream cut short. Even in this short span of time, the police ships are onto me--one standard Boron M4 fighter and one Vanguard M4. I curse again. Although the M4s are lighter than my ship, they are faster and more agile, and the Vanguard is faster and more heavily armed than most ships.

Be sure to check out the rest of the diary entry over at GameSpot, and enjoy.

View the original article here

Homeworld 2: Dustwars Mod Timeline Available

Thanks to Mike Barton for letting me know that there's a new and extremely detailed timeline regarding the Homeworld 2: Dustwars mod for Homeworld 2 (natually). The timeline is huge and very detailed, so I hope you all enjoy it.

View the original article here

Flatspace II Released

Last week, the latest version of Flatspace -- a top-down elite/roguelike space game -- has been released. Flatspace II, according to its product description page, has new artifacts, better balancing and more. Here's a clip from the page about the game:

Another big change in Flatspace II compared to the first game is the game balancing. Unlike the first game there are no unfair or random events that can instantly kill the player and the game is less punishing to beginners. A new difficulty system limits damage to your ship, upgrades are more affordable, and a massive amount of play testing ensures that the different player activites are much more evenly balanced than before.

You can head over to the Flatspace downloads page to get the 12.5 MB demo version and try it out for yourself. The first game was a lot of fun, so I look forward to trying out this new version.

View the original article here

Epic: Middle States Becomes Torn Stars

I got a nice email from Jon of the Epic mod team stating that the mod is now called Torn Stars. Here's a description from the new web site:

Torn Stars (formerly Epic: Middle States) is a new and epic space simulation set in the war torn and ravaged Middle States star cluster. Live a second life traveling and plying the space lanes with a fleet of transports, preying on fat and rich merchant transports as a pirate, exploring l-points and undiscovered star systems, or even laying claims and searching out mineral-rich asteroids.

You can read more about this new mod for Independence War 2, and download the 98MB file, at the official Torn Stars website.

View the original article here

For the People, By The People: Sunday

Has it really been a couple of months since I did one of these? Indeed it has my friends, and I apologize. Real life can sure as hell suck any free time you have away from ya, which is exactly what's happened recently. Anyway, enough of my whining, here's some recent fun news-y tidbits for you to chew on. Enjoy!

Babylon 5:

FirstOnes has released a trailer of their mod for Nexus. You can download the 16 MB trailer by clicking here.

Freespace 2:

The Freespace 2 community has been as active as ever. Just in the last few days, the Hard Light Productions website has moved to a new domain (http://www.hard-light.net/), updated their Freespace Wiki, and released their MediaVP model and texture pack for FS2. There's so much going on over on the Hard Light Forums since my last update that I'd run out of space posting it all.

Hardwar:

Over on Captain Zedo's, there's a PDF map of Downtown Titan to download as well as a new Hardw[a]r Enhanced Economy Mod DLL 20051112 to download too.

Homeworld 2:

Over on the Star Wars: Warlords website, they seem to be approaching their 0.5 milestone release. On the Freespace: A New Age forum, they've posted an update on how the mod is coming along.

Star Trek: Armada Series:

Since it's been a long time since the last update, I'm just going to keep all of the ST game updates simple and quick. Armada 2 Files has seen a ton of updates, such as the Derelict Map Pack, a new version of the Whale Probe as well as the Earth Alliance Omega Class Destroyer.

Star Trek: Bridge Commander:

Bridge Commander Files also has a slew of updates such as the USS-Mantis, ZZ's Miranda Pack and the new SNS Akira Pack, among others.

Star Trek: Klingon Academy:

KlingonAcademy.com has announced a new download system. Over on the KlingonAcademy.com forums there have been a lot of new mod releases, including a D4 Class Bird of Prey, a NX Class Cruiser Pack, a Daedalus Class Cruiser Pack and a slew of releases from the Next Generation Academy.

Star Trek: Starfleet Command Series:

Starfleet Command 3 Files, like the other sites, has a ton of updates. You can find the USS Anubis, the Alternate Universe: Swift Wars pack, and the Typhon Class Dreadnaught, for example. Starfleet Universe has word that Elite-Kaos has released the beta version of his SFC3 multiplayer mod called EXPANSIONv0-01.

Space Empires Series:

Not only has Strategy First signed the rights to publish the latest Space Empires games, but they've recently released Space Empires IV Deluxe as a digital download for about $30, which is cheaper than previously offered.

Wing Commander Series:

The Wing Commander CIC has been busy, as usual. They have word that some Wing Commander Mods for Space Empires IV are now available, Privateer Gemini Gold is getting a 1.01 patch, Flight Commander 1.3 will have advanced scripting, there's some new art from Origin artist Sean Murphy, and finally a new way to play Wing Commander: Armada online (which I have to try).

X Series

Even though X3 was released recently, Egosoft has already relesed a 1.2 patch that includes a bunch of minor and major fixes. You can find out more in their X3 patches section.

X-Wing/Tie Fighter Series:

The X-Wing Alliance Upgrade has been updated with a new Escape Pod and a new Xiytiar Transport.

View the original article here

For the People, By The People: Sunday

Has it really been a couple of months since I did one of these? Indeed it has my friends, and I apologize. Real life can sure as hell suck any free time you have away from ya, which is exactly what's happened recently. Anyway, enough of my whining, here's some recent fun news-y tidbits for you to chew on. Enjoy!

Babylon 5:

FirstOnes has released a trailer of their mod for Nexus. You can download the 16 MB trailer by clicking here.

Freespace 2:

The Freespace 2 community has been as active as ever. Just in the last few days, the Hard Light Productions website has moved to a new domain (http://www.hard-light.net/), updated their Freespace Wiki, and released their MediaVP model and texture pack for FS2. There's so much going on over on the Hard Light Forums since my last update that I'd run out of space posting it all.

Hardwar:

Over on Captain Zedo's, there's a PDF map of Downtown Titan to download as well as a new Hardw[a]r Enhanced Economy Mod DLL 20051112 to download too.

Homeworld 2:

Over on the Star Wars: Warlords website, they seem to be approaching their 0.5 milestone release. On the Freespace: A New Age forum, they've posted an update on how the mod is coming along.

Star Trek: Armada Series:

Since it's been a long time since the last update, I'm just going to keep all of the ST game updates simple and quick. Armada 2 Files has seen a ton of updates, such as the Derelict Map Pack, a new version of the Whale Probe as well as the Earth Alliance Omega Class Destroyer.

Star Trek: Bridge Commander:

Bridge Commander Files also has a slew of updates such as the USS-Mantis, ZZ's Miranda Pack and the new SNS Akira Pack, among others.

Star Trek: Klingon Academy:

KlingonAcademy.com has announced a new download system. Over on the KlingonAcademy.com forums there have been a lot of new mod releases, including a D4 Class Bird of Prey, a NX Class Cruiser Pack, a Daedalus Class Cruiser Pack and a slew of releases from the Next Generation Academy.

Star Trek: Starfleet Command Series:

Starfleet Command 3 Files, like the other sites, has a ton of updates. You can find the USS Anubis, the Alternate Universe: Swift Wars pack, and the Typhon Class Dreadnaught, for example. Starfleet Universe has word that Elite-Kaos has released the beta version of his SFC3 multiplayer mod called EXPANSIONv0-01.

Space Empires Series:

Not only has Strategy First signed the rights to publish the latest Space Empires games, but they've recently released Space Empires IV Deluxe as a digital download for about $30, which is cheaper than previously offered.

Wing Commander Series:

The Wing Commander CIC has been busy, as usual. They have word that some Wing Commander Mods for Space Empires IV are now available, Privateer Gemini Gold is getting a 1.01 patch, Flight Commander 1.3 will have advanced scripting, there's some new art from Origin artist Sean Murphy, and finally a new way to play Wing Commander: Armada online (which I have to try).

X Series

Even though X3 was released recently, Egosoft has already relesed a 1.2 patch that includes a bunch of minor and major fixes. You can find out more in their X3 patches section.

X-Wing/Tie Fighter Series:

The X-Wing Alliance Upgrade has been updated with a new Escape Pod and a new Xiytiar Transport.

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Galactic Civilizations II Has Gone Gold

The official Galactic Civilizations II website has word that the upcoming Sci-Fi 4X epic has gone golden and will be available n February 21st. I've been waiting for this one for a while, so I know I'm excited.

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Homeworld 2: Dustwars Mod Timeline Available

Thanks to Mike Barton for letting me know that there's a new and extremely detailed timeline regarding the Homeworld 2: Dustwars mod for Homeworld 2 (natually). The timeline is huge and very detailed, so I hope you all enjoy it.

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Keep The News Coming!

Hey there, folks, how are you? I don't think I've ever mentioned this before, but if you have news about a particular space sim, strategy game, or mod that you would like me to share, please feel free to send me an email at by clicking my name on the right hand side of the page and the clicking the email link (I thought about putting a direct email link here, but that might lead to spam), and I'll make sure your news gets posted as soon as I can get to it. Thanks, and I hope you're enjoying the site. Also, thanks to Beth for bringing me on board and allowing me to keep bringing you guys news about the space sims and strategy games we all love.

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Galactic Dream Announced & Demo Released

There's a new space strategy game out there for your enjoyment that I just found out about. It's called Galactic Dream and it looks pretty neat. There's also a demo for the game as well. According to the features page, some of the features include:
Lead one of 3 distinctive and amazing Species: terran, dakras or the wise sandkings. Three Different Sides, three unique playing styles, each coming with characteristic tech tree, units and combat tactics
Almost 40 different units; each possessing upgrading capability, each carrying terrifying space weapons
Each units have different abilities.
A majestic universe, entirely 3D, giving you multiple perspectives over the battlefieldYou can head over to the Galactic Dream download page to download the demo. Enjoy!

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More Star Trek: Legacy Info Released

Gamecloud has a small story which gives us some more information about the recently leaked game, Star Trek: Legacy, which will be created by Mad Doc and published by Bethesda. Here's a clip:

According to the article the game is an action-strategy hybrid title for both the PC and Xbox 360 and will actually span the entire Star Trek timeline, from Enterprise to the original series to the Next Gen-DS9-Voyager timeframes. The game is due for release in September 2006.

We'll bring you more information as it becomes available.

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Galactica Sim - Free 4X Game - Released

In a recent press release, Blue Gecko Entertainment announced the release of Galactica, a free "tick-based" 4X game. This looks to be an online strategy game that in this writer's mind looks reminiscient of the Master of Orion games, at least based on the screenshots. According to the press release, "The game challenges players to build an empire by colonising and conquering thousands of planets with hundreds of competing players." Features include research, diplomacy, and a lot more. It looks pretty neat, so head over to Blue Gecko Entertainment and check it out.

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New Space Game Found - Epoch Star

It isn't often that a space game flies under my radar, but somehow this one did. I was searching for images of Starflight on Google Images recently, and came across a game I'd never heard of called Epoch Star, which was released in the middle of 2005.

Apparently, Epoch Star is a space adventure game reminiscient of Starflight and Star Control II, and was created by Battleline Games. I played the game for an hour or so last night, and found it was very similar to those two games, but with its own tweaks like a WASD control scheme. I had a ton of fun with the game, so I'd suggest anyone who has even a passing interest in space adventures at least check it out, since it's a free download. I hope you enjoy it.

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New Sword of the Stars Screenshots on IGN

IGN has over twenty new screenshots of the upcoming Sci-Fi 4X game, Sword of the Stars. Here's a couple of 'em to feast your eyes upon:  
Head over to IGN for the rest.

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Weird Worlds Patch Available

There's a new patch available for Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space that has a veritable cargo hold full of fixes and new features, including: enemies flee if no guns
can try to ram a fighter
formation leader dodges followers
And more! Head over to the Weird Worlds download page to get the 294KB patch.

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New X3: Reunion Patch Available

There's a new 1.3 patch available on the X3: Reunion download page that brings the game up to version 1.3. There's no word on what the massive 119MB patch (or the 62MB patch if you're upgrading from version 1.2.01) does, but at that size, one would hope it does a lot. :)

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New Battlestar Galactica Model Screenshots Available for FS2

Thanks to Eliot Watts for sending me an email about this. Apparently there are some new screenshots of the Battlestar Galactica Model for the Beyond The Redline mod for Freespace 2 available on the Game Warden forums, and I must say they're very impressive. Here's shrunken versions of them that link to the forum itself:

Enjoy!

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New Star Trek Games Announced

The big news of the day is that Bethesda Softworks has announced their acquisition of the Star Trek license, as well as two new Star Trek games. Star Trek: Legacy is a tactical starship combat game coming for the Xbox 360 and PC, while Star Trek: Tactical Assault is on its way to the Sony PSP and Nintendo DS.

Mad Doc Software (the creators of Star Trek: Armada 2) is working on Star Trek: Legacy while Quicksilver Software (the creators of the Starfleet Command series) is working on Star Trek: Tactical Assault, which means they’re in experienced hands who’ve created well-regarded Star Trek games in the past. Here’s are some clips from the press release:

Star Trek: Legacy places you in the role of the Admiral of a task force of warships, which you control in small and large-scale battles. Test your strategic and tactical skills in real-time combat featuring authentic spaceships, full damage modeling, and spectacular visual effects. The storyline in Legacy spans the entire Star Trek Universe, including the Original Series, Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise eras. Star Trek: Legacy will be released on Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PC this September.

Star Trek®: Tactical Assault, in development for handheld gaming systems, features real-time spaceship combat from the universe of the original Star Trek series. With a wide array of authentic Star Trek races, ships, and weaponry, you can engage in single-player battle through either the Federation or Klingon campaigns or in head-to-head wireless multiplayer combat. Star Trek: Tactical Assault is being developed in the studios of Quicksilver Software, creators of the highly popular Star Trek: Starfleet Command.

We’ll bring you more info as we get it, but this is exciting news indeed.

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Space Rangers 2 Coming to North America

I noticed on Blue's that Cinemaware Marquee, a new indie label from eGames, will bring Space Rangers 2: Rise of the Dominators to North America in March. Here's a clip from the press release:

Cinemaware Marquee, an affiliated label of eGames, Inc., today announced that its first title, Space Rangers 2: Rise of the Dominators will be released in North America in March 2006. Space Rangers 2 is already one of the most critically acclaimed games of the year in Europe.

Developed by Russian studio 1C/Elemental Games, Space Rangers 2: Rise of the Dominators continues the trend of Russian developers blazing new trails in videogames. The game is a turn-based RPG encompassing various gameplay genres in a vast interstellar world that can be played in countless ways – explore the galaxy, fight off an evil robotic army, build a trading empire – it is completely up to player. This depth and scope of gameplay ensures that Space Rangers 2: Rise of the Dominators will be one of the most revolutionary titles of the year – the ultimate realization of a truly unique, bold vision to deliver a groundbreaking game on a new scale.

There are a lot of people who've been wanting this game, but have been having trouble getting it due to limited availability here in the states. This should solve that problem.

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Sword of the Stars Snags Publisher

In a new press release, Lighthouse Interactive has announced that they'll be publishing the upcoming Sci-Fi 4X game, Sword of the Stars. Here's a clip:

Erik Schreuder, Lighthouse CEO, said: “Sword of the Stars marks a major milestone in the growth of Lighthouse. We needed the right title to launch our push into North- America and Sword of the Stars is truly an incredible title with all the ingredients needed to be a genre leader.” Schreuder went on to say “The Kerberos team is world class and have been involved in many blockbuster titles, we are extremely happy to have partnered with them.”

There are also some new screenshots available on Lighthouse's official SOTS page. I'm personally looking forward to this one.

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