Someone call The Rock… err, wait. No, don’t do that.

Series creator id Software is currently looking for some help to get the project moving forward. Joystiq presumes, logically so, that the game will run off the company’s Tech 5 engine. While the Unreal engine dominates the gaming space, every time id comes up with something new, it’s shock and awe. Can anyone forget the first time they saw screens for Doom 3?

The important stuff, like platforms, release dates, or general information? It’s obviously too early for any of that, but we can all hope this doesn’t turn into Duke Nukem Forever. Ah, who are we kidding. That’s not even possible. Nothing can top that.

Straight from the Multiplayer Games Forum - a 4 minute police chase from GTA:IV

Cheap? Poor? Just didn’t feel like spending $10 on three maps?

Bungie has an answer. The Heroic Map Pack is officially a free download. The maps included the Foundry, and open level which let creative people show off their skills in the Forge. It’s also a decent team doubles/slayer map as well. The others are rarely seen outside of Big Team Battles, including the vehicle loaded Rats Nest included. These are not required downloads, but at some point (like with Halo 2), they will be needed to play certain game types. Might as well get it out of the way now.

Now, to further pull money from people, the Legendary map pack is due soon in April, bringing three more maps for the same price. Likewise, these will also become free down the road.

By now, Halo 3 videos are a dime a dozen. We’ve all seen ‘em before, and most are admittedly pretty lame. However, I spotted this one on Kotaku and couldn’t resist posting it here. So, check out the glory that is the mystery Warthog betrayal.

Let us hope that every multiplayer game from now till the end of time includes the playback feature.

Xbox 360 owners will be enjoying a new $10 map pack for the superb Call of Duty 4 on April 3rd. PlayStation 3 owners? Not so much.

The four new maps won’t be available until the end of the month on April 24th. Nothing specific was mentioned as a reason for this delay on Fourzerotwo’s blog, a community manager for Infinity Ward. If you think that’s bad, just imagine being a PC user waiting for the maps. They’re getting them, well, no seems to know. They’re working out the “logistics” of that download.

Seriously, it’s PC content. It doesn’t need certification from another company. Shouldn’t that be the easiest of the three to get out into the public?

Fans eagerly waiting for Battlefield: Bad Company have some small relief coming their way. A beta is soon to come, at least if you own a 360. PS3 owners get the short end of the stick.

If you’re an IGN member or your pre-ordered your copy because for some reason you’ll think they’ll be in short supply, you’re entered. If you’re part of the latter group, you had to be one of the first 5,000 pre-orders. If you’re an IGN member, you already have a spot if you register at this link.

The test run will last for 30 days, from March 25th to April 25th. Two maps and a single mode of play will make up this beta period. That’s not a bad time span of play for $5. Even if you’re not interested in buying it, pre-ordering to get the key and then retuning the pre-order would always work, not that we condone that type of thing.

With the weekend off due to the holiday weekend, players with equal time off looking to indulge in some deathmatch action on their PS3 with Rainbow Six Vegas 2 ran into a slight problem. Riddled with connection issues or unplayable lag, PS3 players found themselves outside of rooms and unable to get in.

UbiSoft was quick to respond on the official forums, but no fix was available at this time. Their advice was to help out by pointing out issues in this thread to get the fixin’ process moving.

The wonders of a mod-based community never cease to amaze. Unreal Tournament 3 on the PS3 has gained a following with the open community, a rarity for any console shooter. This is a market typically for PC oriented gamers.

Thankfully, someone has used this available feature to create some killer character models. Master Chief? Check. Cloud Strife? Check. Marcus Fenix? Check. Not only are the models in the game, they’re basically indistinguishable from their actual counter parts on the competing hardware. In all actuality, Master Chief looks even better. Since the Gears of War characters rely on the same graphics engine, it’s not too surprising how accurate they are, but there’s still an immense level of skill involved there.

For the one person still unaware, Jack Thompson is a Miami lawyer who has fought for years to prevent the sale of various video games. Some he doesn’t want sold to minors, some he wanted pulled from shelves in their entirety. He has appeared on TV too many times to mention, claiming Counter Strike, Halo, and other popular shooters were the cause of various tragedies around the country (even when the evidence to suggest a link doesn’t exist). Due to his crude, crass, and never particularly polite nature, he ended up on trial with the Florida Bar Association looking to revoke his license.

What Gamepolitics has done is taken the transcripts from nine days of his testimony, taken out the parts of interest, and posted them online. The nine part series is incredibly interesting to read, and posters particularly love the part about the fax machine. It’s worth reading them all if you’re a gamer to see how far one man can go to destroy your pastime.

Even after Microsoft confirmed that the financial side of things didn’t pan out, the updated Goldeneye for the Live Arcade won’t leave gamers alone. The N64 classic remains one of the most beloved first-person shooters of all time (even though it barely holds up today), and the remixed graphics and online multi-player had many players frothing at the mouth.

Adding fuel to the rumors is the UK magazine Xbox World who claims to have the exclusive story about the game and its release date. However, Microsoft stands firm that they never contacted (or were contacted) by the magazine about the story, and repeat their initial stance on the issue that it’s not happening.

Undoubtedly, the game would be a huge seller, so either Microsoft or Nintendo needs to budge on this one and get a release. A ton of work has apparently been done, as the screen shots and video show nicely rendered graphics that represent a huge leap over the N64 original. With dual analog controls, it could even be brought up to today’s standards.

Formerly called Quake Zero, the freebie version of id’s Quake announced some time ago has more details. The entire game, which is set to be played completely in-browser, will be sponsored by IGA Worldwide. They’re specialists in getting advertisements into games, and if they have the ability to make a game free, more power to them.

Quake Live will be surprisingly robust, with friends lists and matchmaking features. A Live Arcade edition of Quake Arena is also in the works, though that has no release date yet either since its announcement back in August of ‘07. Keep watching www.quakelive.com for the eventual release, or sign up for the beta which is currently the only thing on the site.

Ever tried to smack someone in the face with a SMG and get the short end of the exchange? That opposing player was probably hosting. It’s been a problem since Halo 2, and no one at Bungie apparently thought it was worth addressing until now.

With the latest auto update, melee kills are now equal ground. It should be immediately apparent with your first match. If both players are injured enough, the dual melee with kill both players flat. The overall feel is different, and while it’s hard to describe, the B button enabled attack now feels smoother. The timing is also radically different, requiring an earlier start if you want to come out ahead.

Various other tweaks are part of the patch, and are detailed by Bungie. Also, if you ever wondered how the game manages to figure out who lives and dies, they offer a well rounded FAQ on damage assessment in that same post towards the bottom. If you’re nerdy enough, know that an assault rifle bullet does 7.5 points of damage to an enemy. Pull that one out next time you’re being taunted and see how cool you look.