UPDATE: Blizzard posted in the realm status forum the following message:

“We have resolved the issues that came up during maintenance. We are in the process of making all realms playable and we expect this to be complete within the next hour.”

I’m away from my WoW computer at the moment, but if you’ve successfully logged in, please post in the comments, and let us know!

This patch, dubbed the “Fall of the Lich King” will be the final major patch before WoW’s next expansion “Cataclysm” hits next year.

Notable additions to the MMO experience, with the 750MB patch are three brand new five-man dungeons as well as an IceCrown Citadel raid, a new and improved Looking For Group system, and a vastly improved World Map and Quest-tracking game mechanic.

This new Quest-tracking system looks a lot like the highly popular QuestHelper add-on millions have downloaded and enjoyed, which speaks to Blizzard’s manner of taking popular third-party UI add-ons and building them into the actual UI.

Blizzard, you done good with this patch. I’m downloading it as we speak and can’t wait to bask in the new features.

Check out the very, very detailed Patch Notes list here and, fire up WoW and start your download now, as it is a big one.

Patch 3.3 Notes via Kotaku

Bethesda Softworks announced Tuesday that an update is available for Fallout 3 for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.

It will be up today on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network and the PC patch can be found on the official Web site, and will also be up on Games for Windows Live as well.

You also can download the patch FREE from Blast.

The patch is required to play the downloadable content coming to Xbox 360 and Games for Windows. The first DLC for Fallout 3, Operation: Anchorage, is scheduled to be released January 27 via Xbox Live and Games for Windows Live for 800 points.

A full list of patch fixes is on page 2.

Lighthouse Interactive and Vertex 4 released update 1.08 for SunAge, their sci-fi real-time strategy game for PC. The new update adds several new enhancements, an auto-updater, bug fixes and above all, new multiplayer features.

Features in update 1.08:

• Re-balancing of several in-game units, an added enhancement given community feedback
• Multiplayer game lobby with chat functionalities
• Master server and improved online functionalities
• Improved firewall support and “punch through”
• Auto-updater functionality (future patches or fixes will be downloaded automatically upon startup of the game).
• Heavily reduced network traffic; rework of the network protocol, now UDP

Download the SunAge 1.08 patch free from Blast Magazine

About the game:

Earth is a desolate wasteland destroyed by the radiation and heat of the sun. Humankind, known as the Dome Confederacy, have been forced to retreat into shielded cities enduring constant attacks by the Raak-zun cult; a sect of religious outcasts who live outside the dome. An age long war has ensued as both races battle for the limited resources of the dying planet. Amidst the havoc, the gateway to a bold new planet is unlocked. Hope is on the horizon, but this Mecca is teeming with lethal Sentinel drones who will not hesitate to annihilate any life form that gets in their way.

Game features:

• 3 Distinct Races – Human, Raak-zun and Sentinel – each with their own units, buildings, technological advantages and disadvantages.
• Unique Upgrades – Alternate modes can be researched for all units, unlocking dual functionality for greater tactical depth.
• Graphics – Stunning sci-fi environments from vast industrial cities and devastated wastelands, to a lush alien planet. While displaying rich graphical environments and visual effects, SunAge is very playable on lower spec PC’s and laptops.
• Tactical Landscape – All units and their alternate modes are crucial to the overall strategy. Exploit weaknesses in the enemy’s network while strengthening your own connection lines.
• Formations – Squad concept combined with long distance camera views allows a large number of units to be fighting onscreen with a clear overview of the battleground. Singleplayer – 25 campaign maps with compelling plots for each race.
• Multiplayer – LAN and Online – Classic multiplayer with focus on gathering4 different kinds of resources and outsmarting the opponent in battle. 10 maps created uniquely for multiplayer mode.
• Command Queuing – Command your units to prone, build or attack where you want them and when you want them to do so.
• Indirect Intelligent Targeting (IIT) – Order your units to focus on pre-selected targets.

For more information about SunAge visit the game’s official website.

See also: Blast Magazine puts out the first preview for SunAge.

Electronic Arts has released a large patch for the critically-acclaimed Crysis.

The patch contains performance compatibility tweaks plus changes to weapons balancing in multiplayer and several bug fixes.

Fixes

• Fixed: Potential crash in D3D10
• Fixed: Orange boxes apearing when hispec savegame loaded into lowspec game.
• Fixed: Inconsistent damage dealt to vehicles when shot by LAW.
• Fixed: Reflection resolution on D3D10, MultiGPU reflection update fix
• Fixed: Memory leak with FSAA modes
• Fixed: Infinite ammo hacks.
• Fixed: Memory leak in D3D10 when switching screen modes
• Fixed: Muti optimizations
• Fixed: When player melees during gun raise animation, their gun will be in a permanently raised position.
• Fixed: Crash when loading savegame with level exported recently by editor
• Fixed: Virtual keyboard does not function properly when a game pad is connected
• Fixed: Users can lose the ability to look around with the Right Stick
• Fixed: Setting screen resolution to “default” stops user from selecting last resolution
• Fixed: Bug when changing resolution in D3D10
• Fixed: Issues with Depth of field and water droplets in D3D10
• Fixed: Crash on NaN warning

Updates

• Added: Motion Blur UI and V.SYNC UI options
• Optimized: Motion blur
• Optimized: FSAA (Full Scene Anti-Aliasing)
• Optimized sound id implementation
• Enabled VSync functionality in D3D10
• New benchmarking files for ice CPU benchmark.
• http/xmlrpc password protected remote control session
• Marked debug cvars as cheat
• F12 (screenshot) now works in restricted mode as well

Tweaks

• Reduced LAW splash damage vs. infantry in PowerStruggle mode
• Slowed Rocket projectile speed down in MP slightly
• Disabled automatic turret bounding boxes on vehicles to prevent issues with LAW hit detection
• Reduced grenade explosion radius in multiplayer
• Clamped water tesselation to avoid cheating in MP
• MultiGPU improvements with depth map updates

Download the Crysis 1.1 patch FREE from Blast Magazine.

Lighthouse Interactive released a second patch for Born of Blood, the official expansion pack to the Windows space strategy game Sword of the Stars.

The update adds several enhancements to the English version of the game, including:

• New trade summary screen
• Improved ship manoeuvres, including rolling and off-the-plane pursuit mode
• New fleet management features
• New option to toggle area-effect weapons to automatic fire
• Improved AI combat maneuvering
• A mysterious new encounter!

“These new enhancements will make the game even more enjoyable,” said Lighthouse Interactive CEO, Erik Schreuder. “Born of Blood really is a must-play game for strategy fans.”

Update 1.4.1 (file size: 31 MB) upgrades both versions 1.3.6 and 1.4

Download FREE from Blast!