Frigg's day 10 June, 2005 - AirBuccaneers 1.6 released!!
AirBuccaneers 1.6 has been released and is available for download!
Go to the downloads page to get it.
Some screenshots below and the changelist can be seen here.
Thor's day 9 June, 2005 - Ludocraft & Air Buccaneers on TV!
LudoCraft made an appearance on the Finnish national television (channel 4's "Play") when they showed footage from a local game expo. While not being interviewed, we managed to sneak ourselves in some of the camera shots as you can see below :)
Moon's day 6 June, 2005 - AirBuccaneers 1.6 release this week!
AirBuccaneers 1.6 will be released later this week so you'd better start digging out your eyepatch, cannonballs and pegleg from the closet. This release contains two new battleship-only duel maps which have been designed especially for LAN-games, enabling battles between 4 battleships with full crews. Also some essential bugfixes and balance tweaks have been done.
Tiw's day 25 January, 2005 - THE RECKONING
It seems that the utterly Grand Final of the Make Something Unreal Contest turned out Utterly Grand! Third place for this extravagant piece of modification, indeed, the sootiest mod in the business - the veritable Air Buccaneers! Spiffy! Huzzah! Exalted, even! Time to frolic like it's 1678!
Needless to mention, the gnomish team of LudoCraft is sizably joyous about this happenstance, busily braiding their "I went to THE RECKONING and all I got was 30,000 dollars in unmarked suitcases" t-shirts, which they'll proudly wear whilst pompously strolling around the campus area! Yes - earthly glory, external goods and vain pride - what could be better.
Once we stop being extremely puffed with pride and get back to our everyday, humble contours, we will take time to feel grateful each and everyone of you who has helped us, in one way or another. The community of players, first and foremost: Everyday you bring a little life to this game; without you, it would just be a dead piece of code, sitting comatose on some hard drive. We may not always have the time to show it, but we want you to know that you are much appreciated - this is also your victory.
Thanks to Epic and Nvidia for showing some guts and giving a medal position for a mod that did not aim for the populist angle. Thanks also to University of Oulu - hopefully they'll thank us back. And naturally we cannot forget our gratitude to waste baskets, mutagen kiwi-fruits, clown face-paints, the brave meteorologists of Titan... and all fish of modest size - thanks everyone.
Oh, and some of you might be happy about this little, ragged snippet of honest-to-Ukko information: The next version of Air Buccaneers is coming... Hark, it is already close-by! Hear how it stumbles around in the forest! Witness its incoherent manner of behaviour, that bewildered gait that is already familiar to you from its previous appearances, like your chronicly drunken uncle that is the bright spark of your family get-togethers; even the smell is there - that genuine odour from the stock of true Buccaneers!
So get ready, warm up the cauldrons - the skies will boom anew!
And thanks!
Moon's day 15 November, 2004 - Air Buccaneers 1.5 - RELEASED !
It's here! Air Buccaneers 1.5 has been released. Get it now from our downloads page.
I suppose some of you might wonder how did we manage the amazing feat of publishing this Major Gaming Culture Product whilst missing our heads (see newsitem below). Here's what happened:
The executioner was a punctilious man, riding to LudoCraft's lair on sunday evening, with a horse-cart full of rusty axes. A moment before his arrival, however, we had come to the surprising conclusion that we actually would prefer the state where our heads stay connected to our bodies (and unanimous decision, no less). So, we installed a cannon in the entree of our lair, placing a turnip-pie inside the cannonbarrel (typical food for coders and executioners in Finland). That turnip-pie aroused an immediate interest in the executioner, instigating him to squirm into the barrel. Soon the familiar turnip-pie eating sounds infiltrated the lair, echoing in that strange, cannonbarrelly way.
Ok, so maybe we did shoot the poor executioner sky-high while he was attending his delicious luncheon. And maybe we obtained his cart in the process, in a way that some may deem nefarious and skullduggerish. But... Look, is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it an executioner flying sky-high pretending to be Superman in an uncooperative manner? No, it's Air Buccaneers 1.5!!! So stop the ninny-nanny handwringing and go play!
Thors's day 3 November, 2004 - 1.5 (or Grisly Doom)!
Know hereby that the honorable team of ruffians known as LudoCraft has contracted an executioner specializing in rusty axes. Unless we present him with an install package of Air Buccaneers 1.5 in its full, resplendent gloria mundi during the next week, he will rather be installing specially selected axes to our frontal lobes.
That's it - next week: Air Buccaneer 1.5, or a grisly series of axe-based executions. Peruse the following scroll for more intricate enunci
ations.
Know also hereby that our high-minded mod has deservedly met the lustrious standards of academic excellence, as judged by those of Supreme Unrealish Standards. Peruse this secondary scroll for superfluous confirmation of this and jubilatory detritus consequent.
Frigg's day 22 October, 2004 - Dead Fairies everywhere; forum reconquered!
After an exceedingly long war of attrition, in which the guerilla team of LudoCraft was reduced to a mere spectator role, we finally have some reason to cheer, and cheer anew: The ailing forum has returned! To keyboards, mates!
Tiw's day 12 October, 2004 - Sparkle Fairies attack; forum sieged!
Sparkle Fairies are on the loose spreading wanton mayhem! Due to the attack, the poor Gamespy's databases have already fallen, and our forum has fallen with them to a comatose state. But fear not, those Fairies will be snuffed eventually...
Tiw's day 21 September, 2004 - Thronebout of
Tuhnuvuori!
The first official AirBuccaneers battle named "Thronebout of Tuhnuvuori" was played on Sunday 19th of September 2004. In this battle the developers (LudoCraft) challenged the ABU All Stars team which was recruited from the ranks of the AirBuccaneers community.
From a humiliating defeat in the first map, the All Stars soared, clamping their bloodspattered hands on LudoCraft's throat. The struggle was evenhanded, bloody and fierce: lost hands, eyes, grown men crying over torn off limbs. In the end though, the All Stars held on, LudoCraft croaked its last breath, leading the All Stars to celebrate a 4-1 victory, and the ruinous fall of the tyrannic and decadent creators.
Frigg's Day 10 September, 2004 - ONE! Hark The Grimmest
Knell of Iron...
The hour is at hand! In the North, the Ragged Bell rises from the depths
of the dark earth, shedding soil and vermin in its wake. Witness the marks of unspeakable toils testified on its surface; hear its enunciating Boom: ONE!
It is here! The masses scatter with nary a hope in sight, their lives
pre-ordained: "Must... play... Air Buccaneers... ABUUUU!" For they know that
their secure, safe lives have come to an end; their cursed hands are already clasping on that game that spells their
coming downfall: That most Exalted, Harebrained Demagogue of UT2004 Mods, Air Buccaneers 1.0!
Thor's Day 9 September, 2004 - There's rustle among the mushrooms...
From the spores under the earth rises the death-like pallor of
mushrooms, those servants of long-buried gods, colouring once again the
darkened forests. The decrepit shamans shiver in their squalid pits, for they
know what this portents: The ominous signs point to an imminent release!
Air Buccaneers 1.0!! Yes - yes indeed, this Frigg's Day the earth will
shake and the crust will crumble to reveal this Veritable Cornucopia of
MOD excellence in all its glory. Gnaw your nails, my brothers, sisters,
sharpen them to better clasp this coming trove of riches - for the
night is long, and your vigil exasperating. But mark our words;
it will be here.
Moon's Day 21 June, 2004 - Huzzah, 4.1!! A crushing entrance of a semi-monumental bugfix release!!
Flee, flee my people towards the safety of the download section!! Air Buccaneers Beta 4.1 makes an earth-shaking entrance! Only the hardened, the quick-witted, and the utterly moronic
can face its dirt-caked splendor! Test yourselves, my good people - can you survive this, the uncrowned Robber Baron of UT2004 mods: Air Buccaneers 4.1!!
(Batteries or brains not included; see the description for the list of changes.)
Thor's Day 3 June, 2004 - A glorious release rumbles forth!!
Haste yerself to the download section!! Air Buccaneers Beta 4 is here! With this release, the rowdy and semi-coherent crew of Air Buccaneers crashes into the UT2004, leaving
sootmarks on its clinically futuristic surfaces. It's dirty, smelly, and nearly magnificent: Air Buccaneers Beta 4!
Sally forth to the Sunday's supersession; we want a throng of balloons!
Frigg's Day 28 May, 2004 - Mumblings from the development
Update: We are still honing down the gameplay; this has been a rather time-consuming slog, but we are fairly close now, the finish-line is in sight. We'll hit it next week (whilst mid-air, naturally). Meanwhile, we urge you to leech our almost magnificent
trailer (which double-times as the new game intro for the upcoming Beta4) from the download section. Sink in, and seeth a week still, lubbers.
Thor's Day 13 May, 2004 - Development situation: update
Here's a quick infofeed to let you know where things stand: Since the UT2004 patch is still taking its time, there is no point for us to unfurl a big release, horns blaring, "Hello Dolly" etc. We need to check that AB is sitting pretty with the patched up
UT2004, so that we are not forced to push an immediate patch ourselves, if problems arise. Hence, contrary to the LudoCraft's "pick a deadline and stick to it" standard method, this time we'll be a bit more vague: one to two weeks, and Big Papa will come
a'knockin.
And Mama's better be ready, because it will be a big release: Bots in the skies, collisions and swerves, hijacks, smoke, tarred wood, death and daring-do. The major elements are already working, but there are still bugs to be squashed, and gameplay to be
honed. Meanwhile, I put some AB wallpapers in the download section. Oh, and check the forums for development screenshots.
Tue 11 May, 2004 - AirBuccaneers won 3rd place in MSUC Phase 2!
AirBuccaneers (Beta 2.1) came third in the "Best Non-FPS Mod" category of Make Something Unreal Contest (2nd Phase). Further nominations include 5th place in
"Best Vehicle" category and 10th place in "Best Voice Pack or Audio Modification" category. While the battle among best of the bests continues during Phases 3 and 4, LudoCraft gets ready to release Beta 4 version of AirBuccaneers for UT2004.
LudoCraft team members express their heartfelt thanks to all the fans and beta testers of various AirBuccaneers versions. Also, gun powdery congratulations to all the other winners - keep the mods coming!
Sun 9 May, 2004 - AirBuccaneers Beta 4 Preview in E3
AirBuccaneers Beta 4 Preview version will be shown in the NVIDIA booth at E3. Playable demo is available on Wed 12th and Thu 13th around 4pm. Furthermore, there will be a video demonstration of ABu and other excellent mods for UT2k4.
Wed 7 April, 2004 - AirBuccaneers in MSUC final
We are happy to announce that AirBuccaneers has been selected among the
finalists in the non-FPS mods category of Make Something
Unreal Contest. The development goes on and the team will release UT2004 version soon.
Congratulations and best of luck for all the competitors! Keep Buccaneering...
Thu 11 Mar, 2004 - AirBuccaneers Beta 3 Released Today!
Yet another improved version of AirBuccaneers
(Beta 3) UT2003 mod is available for download. Some of the new features of Beta 3 include (for example):
New maps (5 maps included)
New gametypes (Moving Domination Target and Treasure Hunt)
Turbulence affects the steering (altimeter and weather vane included)
New manouevres for balloons (sideways strafe boosts added)
Tutorial level (for learning the basics)
Gameplay has been balanced by modifying attributes of balloons, items, objectives, etc.
Flamethrower cannon shot (load cannon with gunpowder pouches)
New visual effects
Balloon tally indicated on weather vane (number of drops)
Battleship model tweaked
Server code optimised for better game performance
... and numerous bugfixes and other bucca-style features!
Remember to UNINSTALL all the previous AirBuccaneers files before installing Beta 3
Official LudoCraft server is there for you 24/7 (130.231.27.40:8888).
Read also the ReadMe file (or Description section) before playing. Critical info available!!!
Wed 11 Feb, 2004 - 1st Fixed and Weekly AirBuccaneers session set.
LudoCraft server hosts weekly game sessions every Sunday starting at 19.00 GMT.
The Sunday slot is fixed, so drop in around that time every week. There will be another fixed slot
as well, but the weekday and time is still open. Send your proposals on ABu forum!
Many of the development team members will participate in these sessions, so there's a chance for latest gossip. Timezone conversions listed below:
21.00 EET (Eastern European Time, i.e., Finland)
20.00 CET
19.00 GMT
14.00 US / Eastern
11.00 US / Pacific
Mon 9 Feb, 2004 - World Record!!! AirBuccaneers MegaSession with 24 players!
On Sunday, 8th of February, 2004 around 10pm CET the AirBuccaneers community set a new world record with the highest number of players on a single ABu server. 24 brave and adventurous Peas and Buccas were there to have fun
(scoreboard screenshot).
The going was hectic and the battle was fierce. The struggle for air supremecy continues. See you all next time!
Wed 4 Feb, 2004 - AirBuccaneers Beta 3 out 11th of March, 2004!
AirBuccaneers (Beta 3) is due on 11th of March, 2004. LudoCraft members have been busy making some interesting modifications and additions to the game.
Some of the new features of Beta 3 include (for example):
Turbulence and air currents
Possibility to mix cannon ammunition
Bounty hunter game mode
New maps that support different tactics
+ other cool features which are still under internal testing ... ;)
Mon 3 Nov, 2003 - Updated Player Guide for Beta 2.1
Nice update by Rob to his already comprehensive player guide. This gets a hearty recommendation; get reading, folks.
Air Buccaneers Beta 2.1 Player's Guide
Version 2.0 by -]RONO[-Bahamut A.K.A Rob is available in our
Download section.
Thu 30 Oct, 2003 - AirBuccaneers Beta 2.1 Released Today!
Yet another improved version of AirBuccaneers
(Beta 2.1) UT2003 mod is available for download. Loads of fine-tuning and tweaking has been going on for the
past two weeks and now it's time to let you enjoy the results.
Remember to UNINSTALL all the previous AirBuccaneers files before installing Beta 2.1
Official LudoCraft server is there for you 24/7 (130.231.27.40:8888).
Read also the ReadMe file (or Description section) before playing. Critical info available!!!
Fri 24 Oct, 2003 - New Player Guide for Beta 2
AirBuccaneers' long term beta tester Rob has generously provided us with his detailed
and comprehensive player guide for ABu Beta 2.
Air Buccaneers Beta 2 Player's Guide
Version 1.5 by -]RONO[-Bahamut A.K.A Rob is now available in our
Download section.
Wed 15 Oct, 2003 - AirBuccaneers Beta 2 Released!!!
The latest version of AirBuccaneers (Beta 2) UT2003 mod is available for download.
Please enjoy the game and send us all the feedback we need! Official LudoCraft server serves you 24/7 (130.231.27.40:8888).
Remember to read the ReadMe file (or Description section) before playing. Critical info available!!!
Thank you world! LudoCraft team leaves the building... but just for a while...
Tue 14 Oct, 2003 - AirBuccaneers on irc: #airbuccaneers on QuakeNet
Just a reminder, the official #airbuccaneers channel on QuakeNet irc offers a comfy place for ABu related discussion.
LudoCraft team members have been seen hanging around there every now and then. Beta 2 development is reaching the final stages...
Tue 14 Oct, 2003 - AirBuccaneers Beta 2 sneak preview screenshots online
Check the Screenshots section for images.
Mon 13 Oct, 2003 - AirBuccaneers on irc: #airbuccaneers on QuakeNet
Just a reminder, the official #airbuccaneers channel on QuakeNet irc offers a comfy place for ABu related discussion.
LudoCraft team members have been seen hanging around there every now and then. Beta 2 development is reaching the final stages...
Wed 17 Sept, 2003 - AirBuccaneers Beta 2 release under heavy development!
There is about one month to the official release date (15th of Oct). The development team has been testing the preliminary set of features. Some of the confirmed new features for Beta 2 include (for example):
Rocket-propelled air mines
Trophy room for buccaneer style aftermath
Evasive manoeuvres for balloons
Improved flyability and control for balloons
Limited bot support
Command mechanism
Telescope and other useful items
Fri 22 August, 2003 - AirBuccaneers in MSU final
AirBuccaneers has been eventually selected among the finalists in the mod category of Make Something Unreal Contest.
Tue 15 July, 2003 - AirBuccaneers Beta 1 released!
AirBuccaneers is a modification for UnrealTournament2003. It contains a new multiplayer game type with hot air balloons and cannons. The game is a compelling combination of graceful air ballet, fierce pirate-like action and 3D tactical manouevring.
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