Special IRC Chat event featuring Aaron Hall and Adam West
by VGLN Staff

Thursday, October 16, 2003

Creator of Space Empires series answers gamers questions about new title.

RPGCodex (http://www.rpgcodex.com) will be hosting an IRC event on Tuesday, October 21st, featuring Shrapnel Games' CRPG developers Aaron Hall (Malfador Machinations) and Adam West (Crosscut Games). The chat will begin at 8 PM EST (5 PM PST) and can be found at irc.gamesnet.net:6667 #RPGCodex. Aaron will be participating from the start, with Adam joining in around 9 PM EST. To participate in
the chat you'll need an IRC chat client, such as mIRC (http://www.mirc.com).

Malfador Machinations, best known for their turn-based epic 4X strategy series Space Empires, has recently released their first action RPG, Space Empires: Starfury (http://www.shrapnelgames.com/malfador/Starfury/1.htm). Unlike most CRPGs in Starfury players don't assume the role of a noble knight or enigmatic wizard, but rather act as a starship commander. +1 longswords and plate mail suits are replaced by anti-matter torpedoes and transdermic plating, and instead of a fantasy kingdom to explore the player has the known universe to adventure within. Malfador Machinations has also given the world a more traditional CRPG, Dungeon Odyssey (http://www.shrapnelgames.com/malfador/do/1.htm), a retro RPG that will please any fan of Nethack or Angband.

Crosscut Games is the developer of the Runesword series, a fascinating thinkin man's CRPG heavily influenced by the wonders of pen and paper role-playing games. The latest in the series, Runesword II (http://www.shrapnelgames.com/Crosscut/rsii/1.htm),
was published last year by Shrapnel Games. In Runesword II players can either play through the massive pre-made campaign or create their own worlds with the included construction set. Practically everything in the game can be modified, allowing users to make the game they want to play, whether it be fantasy, science-fiction, horror, or something else. Currently Crosscut Games is working on Runesword III, which unlike its predecessors, will have a science-fiction theme.

Once again, the chat will be held at 8 PM EST, October 21st, on irc.gamesnet.net:6667, channel #RPGCodex. Be sure to drop by and say hello to your favorite independent CRPG developers.

--- Kit