BETTER BROWSING OPTIMISE YOUR ONLINE SKILLS aN PC GAMES AND TECHNOLOGY 100% AUSTRALIAN SU ay | WORLD EXCLUSIVE! | eh) T HE ULT an E ee ) Pt. he inarere ( oon Se) ET Speed, tricks, sound, online and more! re DIABLC Essential gear to get the most from your PC! 4m nq PHABLO It \ playguide unveiled inside! GRAND PRIX 3 Burn rubber with the best racing game ever! RED STORM We interrogate the makers _ of Rainbow Six about their plans for the future... AC AUD + T a Coup) Bue a ill, Hs64002 | = || : E c A ) Ri NO CDs? re LeoniaCREATIVE Pe oor Grertainment a Starts Here. Digital Audio — ee yY fa (oti Fade ae er Re eee cL a een ee Ay i Gace ram a MP3 tunes, but also other audio forma S Cece a eer ST aoe ia) +P Saar For the latest updates on NOMAD products, chi "k 7 Va ee eee ee ra en Ted Dla CRU gerne ur a se Te ee Ret eens Cg ae oe eee SOR Rt Lo eee Ee TD CRE = (S, Caen tae rete ATIVE eae ees ace en CoenenSFYC (TT ak a : on erences ca HE Had ry VAMP - es © cD Ua ee em carton eon ae oe eesFor readers of PC Powerplay Magazine. Bring in this ad and receive a copy of Dark Reign 2 for just cnet uu etry full-scale war. You can run acacia ccs te ear) mage! Set ea eee Etienne ere i Ope Re eee Seg ec eee tases yt eect ner ater ee ert Peete ore lela tisha dleiopapalha tore eniiororey Cena elaOCTOBER 2000 ISSUE 53 ee eheuker ism) Era cy? Riders of the yp US OL a Vital tj fees The Ultimate PC What do you need to build the ultimate Peet eS en Pena ed Sr us EX © |, Cee Your connection to the internet 22 Server News 26 Online Shopping Telatestnternet ews 30 World War I! Online 24 Freeloader 32 NGNPoll ‘The netemulatstelevsion Have your sayin ouremal poll The shape of games to come 34 Empire Earth 42 In Cold Blood (schoo empire-bling Advent guming reinvent self 38 Arcanum 44° The Conquerors ‘Where magie meets technology Another Ageot Kings The most authoritative reviews around 52 Baldur's Gate i Thefist was the bes ling game of 1999 Australia Bu does the sequel Ive up ourhigh expectations? 56 Earth 2150 60 Grand Prix3 64 Diablo 68 Wartora 10 Dino crisis 2 Metal Fatigue 74 Klingon Academy 16 The Score List TB Retroversion- Deus Ex The silicon state of the art ‘The Uitimate PC 102 Setup céhensivelookatthebestPC__fyourPCisaling, Or Dan will putt patsmoneyean buy.Jonusaswe allright EES 20] BES 84 20 Inbox 84 Subscribe and wint 106 cD Powerplay Save upto 46 off your Favour 113° Diversions ‘magazine! And win an Etronics 114 Next Month Boutique pie pack while yue tit PcPP 5 |bance tT TRY SOMETHING NEW aw wiLo6o0se ‘An emniptent wizard upen whose whim the universe 'sfinely balanced wna rm Pav Grand Prix elcome tothe new edition f PC PowerPlay. Lifts are on the lf, while souvenirs - the PCP boxer shorts are 3 particular Favourite - can be purchased in the lobby on the right. The concierge will tke ‘are of your luggage. Uhope you Find your stay a most pleasant one. Nose anything deen? expect many eaders already have licked through theisue before returning here confused? excited? -foran ‘explanation, Fr those who havent as yet. lought tomention we've completely redesigned the ‘magazine bringing ity to date ina seckand sexy ‘modern vy takes perfect sercethat magazine evotd to cting edge technology should reflect ‘hatatitue in is design aesthetic as wal ‘verthe page you wil find our new Fst Look pages, a section intended to start each ‘month wth aban, This is where you wil see all the big, newly anounced gems unvele for thefisttime Spotlights next wih ts eval incve examination ofthe ‘month's nev stories, nd is now Followed by theletters page, Inbox. palais to anyone whe ued tthe Contant ag to read the editorial, only to dscver whats fn p30 oF cur internet section, From the arty ays of geky young men relaying scentfc and academic research across cyberspaceto the present stuation oF geeky young men relying structive and quite messy rockets across cyberspace, the inemet has becomean essental facta ures Hence, webring you Server (92) "Your coonnection tothelnterme’ as we modesty pu. This month's cover story-TheUkimate PC heralds the tart of 9 major refocus for our Tech section Tasked with the coordination of hiss Hugh Norton-Smith, whois promoted to Tech Editor ar we bd farewell to Former Deputy Editor March tepnit Off to spread hs nomish ‘wisdom aca ral publishing house March wil nonetheless stil contribute reviews on a regular basis, The fst of which sthe sting Bolus Gatell- checkout ou Woid Exclusive revew on pS2 ‘nti next nth david@next.comau THE PC POWERPLAY CREW In keeping with the RPG theme, which character class suits us best? s] 7e a BRETT ROBINSON GINO MAREN STEP HARRY WARAGOS CHANTAL BARLE ASHLEY MLLOTE Bari omelyrecemaneng. ely aDrod but Pome Acer Wy? Hes ponedone Gin Sapper so wencheslevea wooseFwthainvalty baby Ura mya arolstatng ean blw stop Bormonevoe... “zatacktenis sive ndings gave? WARY PLATRG WHAT PLAYING WHTFM PLAYING WHAM PLATG WHAT PLAYING WHAT PLATING Des be Dea be BaldsGatel ASS Paycho Gres BatAroowe MAME goes " P ) is M g Mme WREDE ——NJDESMEWCHELAS CHRESTAN READ. EDWARD FOX YAN HOVINON 2010 DEMHURST AnGrelstewith Idovtarewht lamcasiesand Paldn-Ihold Atnight aman Anehenasssin theoporesadand_ anjeniselng beyendyourhenarhighest—anma-Freons_ tren ioe downtcsien ” ImDugconNaser dtiins amongal tues Iwortgotmo fe. Sspets ing vena PayiMe Devs x WHAT rm PLAYING WHAT PH PLAYING Furopein lames Fath 2150 mar ro PLAYING Grand Prix (WHAT Fw PLAYING WHAT FPLAYING Vornpie Hale Lite Op Foce LEVEL 6, 4182 ELIZABETH ST SURRY HILLS NSW 2010 AUSTRALIA PHONE 02.9659 0223 EDITORIAL Sav apo oitenecomas ag etSmih tstsmentcorie ley Milt caenay oer Step, Muay Pir Me Win, jan toni Gere Soaps Scot ton ADVERTISING Calne Lai alenedrentcm ae etona ueses ects coms sicwics “in dnd coman> Chel eroensretcae SUBSCRIPTIONS ENQUIRIES Aap ese [eo PPPNO DEMONS, NO GUNS. 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For now and credit approved customers only and while stock lst Offer ends 30/0800 unless withdrawn earlier Limit | phone per customer ‘Unused cal redts {expire each month and cannot be redeemed for cash Some exclusions apply eg eas to 1900 numbers and international roaming. SPC PowerPlay worth $70, Rolling Stone worth $39, Hyper worth $43 and internetau worth 529 oseFIRST LOOK! ‘OENRE: eae tatoy MucriPLaveR reac, Ee 4 Dol Castile Is a veteran of clementso prealentin the genre According the games industry and the ta Del Cail, Ele "whatyou uevally lay strategy genre in particular. He is when you thnk yu playing an RS. Tink perhaps best known forhis work on the about t-how many games have you played ‘orignal Command & Conquer although wherethe cambat ws lately he has previously and since worked on important an the game was won based ‘a whole host of well-known now quickly you bult units, acten how strategy and non-strategy games. ll you used de? The formula UUnhoppy with wherethe RTS genre mindless: grab your uns, throw them tthe was headed, and tired of cautious iteration enemy, go back to yourbas, build mare sfrercautiousteraton of thesame formula. uns and repeat_Thecntyimperantthing helped define those many years ago, Del's producing the every” Cast formed Loud Entertainment and So Battle Realms is being designed os ssembied 3 wllng team toattemptto mate an RTSharbouring a strong combat and seriousinroadsintheeveluton ofthe TS, strategy fous, with RTE elements Forming ‘One way Del Castlahopes to achiethis the backbone in acknowledgment that is bystering gameplay away rom what resource managements an integral part hcalsthe"Realime Economy" (RTE)__ of the experience,[6 aa | sspeip pue ‘Absiens iheyd wo 29459 ops ouue ue gaat egos uo sno 16 40.9 y ‘lun Jepeds, Jo 25" Ane>H ¢@ Ue aneY ym DUIOHAID Ou. umes Asewue),a-6ung, TOURNTTERe Ee c pyomjeasenB ma>o\paie sea) fu An - Buse emaae aq soap 1 voionpoxd aa pass eyunj ue fou eqvauosmuaaxg pn Avo OU Aas aay spay ua UES aq0q ty “Anes pUOM,UBEq E4200 fep Ley Pru s26ewespe requ swuanok sienyarieg.oj exuew Dold ay nee) Sunb}ejneqiojuspauedaxtauo pjoys a) o1Bupos>y se06 uBsp 6unx@ ~ abeuew oj ainosa: uns Ue ARR Sspinbn Aue un pu Suey eB 001525104 ane58/€10)64650q'souey Jo SUN equIED=IA UD 0U5} NAM ®n yuna oy pos og ves sem "ay uo sng 24 ut spa s6ynanok9s uve an ous sraIH seyesnoyao a uoneieded safe ydueraau0 ‘aa seseapuriprjosouepunge ve sn Eujoqa6ues uigyn aus syauedeo ‘unesal pay Aewud as Up 990 up suodeam ajou ey Bupa nudes were quciB ain p2ede pain pe pabayo>eq Saxpie news ancyag ose Nou usuedha fos aunjes! us.meN SWeG.04 BLOM SURO AIEG i SHUN UE PANE aN UME Pu jgololueAmiqesge veaean aA UBB sapiporsjojnypleyat _AuaLa a hq BuUNoUrp 1 9}ge2uFI 9 ‘rabeuewfainy pasudins —esn7seq.} oy eppepareney siferd jun sialed pe ave ss.04} sinew UE 27 1u0p SUIESyamIeg ——(KSupuRGun ean arx-2inosa! en) (ay ap pue sf) vod ydesBos6 Guxpeaude si uiargg satpro. 16 Susebua ue 9% ‘apap in puna A454 U0 inp gMUOssedaxn SEUIeYpIvOWaBevEW=Dnesas GunsaIuL Gulag oj senuog EQUKD pue saBENOIPE ue unjedseanoapo> Jojmoye pmoys payauoydul Gueq ——YBsoauann akey ose WN spinon uang| us unas Bu 9 fp u020S word Sine Dee anymuaiow e —pectsnos oy a) Ay way uoMsed nek Auous os aprame aygsodsp a te60U 1wawaGeveur fee anB Ip SBIR JO 9POY IMIS —_pYROYs \>IY uN JOO Edy a AGE Uysagareu ew nok Sox no> RSE EYBNER| SHUN UAE pur sake aya hq pahoydula rou wsts Sueous se) umn Ms>UeNpe 0 99 01s6mes 204130) BuNOIe ‘sunosas ay) nok nous ‘sewensnakAoj Sho AuDLD pu sdysirys BUNALABUR en -YequD? fer5ueow pue wn ore>apnaid yuan) cuexs ul yor sun wep Jo aed aA UNOD sdasuonets Joj Jem sesEarens vosa\e UeaeY —_poMo £84 PIN] s99) si ANAND OLBale he LOPERthe award-winning Descent series, ts currently developing Red Faction for the PC (and, if anyone's stil intrested, the PlayStation 2) ln this gute erally ‘ground-breaking tie, they've achieved ‘what many designers regard as the holy ‘gral of estperson shooters: fully Interactive/destructabe environment Known 25 GecMod techneogy players wl ot only be able to obierae thie ‘opponents, but do damage to ther suroundings GeMad quite Fran, one ofthese techlogical advances that wil change games forever: Besides looking Fantastic the techoclogy wil have an ‘enormous impact pon gameplay maging, Forlnstanc, shooting wal out behind 2 camper vith n infra-red rocket launcher or Aestroying the support struts fa command tower toklthe sniper ring within, The yperrealsticphiyss engin even ableto made wind in ease, eoing sparks, smoke and other pacts wil be aYfeaed by the prevaing bree, Addional Features inde the aby to control vahidesineract vith advanced enemy td choose am avast array fence WHY RED FACTION DEMANDS A SECOND LOOK. The GeoMod technology sounds simply awesome Viton, the team responsible for olin the ture Fiion weaponry. rom wate witnessed at, ial Tooks very pressive Smash the state In ado, the single-player storyline In Red Faction lok sto rival Hale We cal clsregard or deh, the pot inobes the wal mih-mesh of monathicmege corporations, conspiracy theories, eters ‘he Utor Corporation has established 2 teraocming ation on Mars, te Red Prana. You take the oleof Parker, 2