Archive - 2015

Total Annihilation is Now Available on Steam

2015/12/18
boothby
Geek News, News, Screenshots / Photos, Windows PC News

December 18, 2015 — Wargaming has announced Total Annihilation, the groundbreaking sci-fi real-time strategy game, has gone live on Steam for just $4.99.

Initially published in 1997, under the guidance of lead designer Chris Taylor, Total Annihilation was the first game to feature 3D units and terrain over an engaging and challenging mission-packed solo campaign. If you never had the chance to experience this classic, which has racked up more than 50 awards around the world, now is the chance to put your wits to the test in true RTS fashion.

Total Annihilation’s solo campaign plunges the player into a familiar yet futuristic galaxy ruled by a central body of humans and AI called the Core. The Core’s technological and economic triumphs have allowed humanity to colonize most of the Milky Way and enjoy peace and prosperity. However, the balance has been upset by a technological breakthrough allowing human consciousness to be transferred to machine, granting immortality via a process called “patterning.” Following a mandate imposed on humanity by the Core, requiring everyone to undergo patterning as a public health measure, a rebel band rises from the far corners of the galaxy, ready to fight a shadowy present for a brighter future.

Begin your battle today, via Steam:

Players can also buy the Total Annihilation: Commander Pack from GoG. Included in this version are Total Annihilation and both its expansion packs—The Core Contingency and Battle Tactics—a 65-page manual, soundtrack, and map editor.

COLECO is Back

2015/12/17
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, Hardware News, News

Trabuco Canyon, CA  – December 17, 2015 – Video-game industry pioneer COLECO re-enters the market, partnering with Retro Video Game Systems, Inc., to introduce a new video-game system called the COLECO Chameleon.

COLECO Chameleon is a versatile video-game system that serves as a modern day take on the classic game console and will accurately play compilations of favorite games from the past.  The COLECO Chameleon also has the ability play brand-new games in the 8-, 16- and 32-bit styles, a growing and popular genre in today’s gaming landscape.

Chris Cardillo, a partner in COLECO said, “Mark [Thomann] and I are excited to work hand-in-hand with Retro Video Game Systems, Inc. in the launch of the COLECO Chameleon.  It’s ironic that a new ‘retro’ video-game system would actually revolutionize and revitalize the COLECO brand.”

And, for the first time in nearly 20 years, the COLECO Chameleon will once again play brand new games on long-lasting, durable cartridges that can be played, traded, and collected for a lifetime.  And all game cartridges will include high quality, plastic clamshell cases with illustrated instruction manuals and game developer liner notes.

Retro Video Game Systems, Inc. President Mike Kennedy adds, “The COLECO Chameleon is a love-letter to all the classic cartridge based gaming systems that came before it and we love the fact it will succeed COLECO’s successful Telstar and Colecovision product lines. It will take gamers and their families back to a simpler time where games were all about great gameplay and fun factor.”

The COLECO Chameleon will launch in 2016 and will also be demonstrated at Toy Fair New York 2016, February 13-16.

Wargaming America Announces Two New Executive Hires

2015/12/17
Jerry Paxton
Industry News, News

December 17, 2015 — Wargaming America, the exclusive North and South America publisher for Wargaming.net, today announced recent additions to the company’s executive team to further develop and strengthen their growing workforce and portfolio of products. Thaine Lyman was appointed head of global publishing production and Paul Barnett has joined the team as director of community.

“We are thrilled to welcome both Thaine and Paul on board during this exciting time of growth for the company,” says Wargaming America general manager Jay Cohen. “Their respective experience developing high-performance products and innovative, culture-driven teams will help support Wargaming’s efforts as we continue to expand our audience throughout the Americas on new platforms with community focused features and content.”

Leading the global publishing production team with over 17 years of experience, Lyman is responsible for the execution of the overall production strategy within Wargaming publishing, working with internal and external talent to further expand the company’s positioning within the video game industry. Most recently, he was the vice president of production at Activision, where he was responsible for the franchise development and long term strategy of global AAA computer and console software titles, including “Call of Duty” and “Destiny”.

As director of community, Barnett will focus on conceptualizing, developing and facilitating the implementation of creative projects related to Wargaming’s commitment to community relations. He joins Wargaming with more than 22 years of groundbreaking and innovative online gaming experience. Previously, Barnett was the executive producer of channel programming at Electronic Arts, where he launched an on-demand television gaming service. He also served in various executive management and creative positions at EA Mythic as general manager and creative director, leading highly-effective teams to launch multiple titles worldwide, including “Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning” and the “Ultima” series.

To learn more about Wargaming, please visit: www.wargaming.com

Razer Leviathan Mini Speaker Announced

2015/12/17
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Tech News

IRVINE, Calif. – Razer™, a world leader in connected devices and software for gamers, today announced the Razer Leviathan Mini. The portable sound system provides uncompromised audio quality that music listeners can take anywhere.

Powerful dual speaker drivers in the Razer Leviathan Mini produce deep lows and crisp highs for up to 10 hours of playback time that other portable speakers cannot match. As an added feature, two Razer Leviathan Minis can be synced to produce a true wireless stereo sound stage via Combo Play.

The Razer Leviathan Mini seamlessly connects to smartphones, tablets and other Bluetooth devices up to 30 feet away via Bluetooth v4.0 with award-winning aptX® technology for CD-like audio quality. One-touch NFC™ pairing is also included for ultra-fast, fuss-free connecting.

A built-in microphone enhanced with Clear Voice Capture® technology is included for speakerphone functionality, while a carrying case allows for maximum portability.

“Portable speakers today present so many compromises when it comes to delivering sound on-the-go – whether it’s audio quality, battery life or connectivity – and that’s something we didn’t want to do with the Razer Leviathan Mini,” says Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder and CEO. “There isn’t a more balanced portable speaker solution out there.”

In addition to the Razer Leviathan Mini, Razer also offers a full-size Razer Leviathan sound bar. Featuring 5.1 virtual surround sound, the award-winning Razer Leviathan provides premium audio quality for a wide range of entertainment applications, from desktop gaming to console setups, making it ideal for gaming, movies and music.

Price: U.S. $179.99 / EU €199.99

AVAILABILITY:

Razerzone.com – Pre-order Now; Shipping in December

Worldwide – January 2016

Apreggio of Blue Steel – Ars Nova – Coming to World of Warships

2015/12/17
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

December 17, 2015 — The battle-torn oceans in World of Warships are getting new and unique in-game content inspired by the naval-themed sci-fi anime “ARPEGGIO OF BLUE STEEL –ARS NOVA-”. This new mode is set to arrive soon, bringing with it special missions, skins for vessels styled on the anime, and more.

These series of missions will offer players great rewards modelled on the hi-tech reincarnations of warships featured in “ARPEGGIO OF BLUE STEEL -ARS NOVA-”. Captains can take the helm of Kongo-class battleships from the series, as well as other vessels that will be added in the future.

If that’s not cool enough, these unique vessels feature Mental Models (humanoid AI avatars) from the show as their commander and will appear with their special, designated vessels. The actual voiceover actress of the main heroine “Iona” has been recruited to lend her talent, calling out battle actions. Finally, players will also be able to select a special “ARPEGGIO OF BLUE STEEL -ARS NOVA-”-themed port to dock their Blue Steel fleet.

To learn more about the new “ARPEGGIO OF BLUE STEEL -ARS NOVA-” game mode, visit the official World of Warships portal:

Screenshots

Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak Announced with Trailer

2015/12/17
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Screenshots / Photos, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

December 17, 2015 – Blackbird Interactive and Gearbox Software invite you to visit the deserts of Kharak in this new Homeworld story, where danger lurks behind every dune. Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak is set for release on January 20th on Windows PC.

The planet is dying, but deep in the southern sands of Kharak, an anomaly has been discovered. Could Kharak’s salvation lie in the desert? Led by chief science officer Rachel S’jet, the Coalition of the Northern Kiithid sends an expedition deep within enemy-controlled territory to investigate the finding, which could forever alter the fate of humanity.

“When we signed this project in front of the crowd at the 2013 PAX Dev, Randy [Pitchford] spoke about Gearbox’s commitment to quality entertainment and taking risks, and they have fully delivered on that message,” said Rob Cunningham, chief executive officer of Blackbird Interactive. “All of us at Blackbird are super proud of Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, and we owe it to the outstanding team at Gearbox. Words fail to describe how exciting it is to be releasing a new Homeworld game, deepening the story for both existing fans and a new audience alike.”

“After more than a decade-long hiatus for Homeworld, it is an immense honor in the last year to launch two new entries in the Homeworld franchise: an incredible, critically acclaimed remastering of the original Homeworld games and now the all-new, ground-based, real-time-strategy game called Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak,” said Randy Pitchford, president of Gearbox Software. “This revival of Homeworld is possible not merely because of commitment within my studio at Gearbox Software, but is due to Rob and his crew at Blackbird, along with other key members of the original Homeworld team, who have come together to deliver a modern spin on the ground-based roots of the strategy genre with an epic story that takes us back to where the Homeworld saga began.”

Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak features:

  • EXPERIENCE AN ORIGIN STORY
    Join Rachel S’jet as she leads an expedition to find salvation across an exciting campaign in this prequel from some of the original creators of Homeworld and Homeworld 2.
  • HEAVY-DUTY HARDWARE
    Take control of fleets occupying both land and air – from nimble light attack vehicles to massive heavyweight cruisers — and harness the abilities of your forces to conquer the desert.
  • MASSIVE ENVIRONMENTS
    Fight your way across dune seas, deep craters, and the vast, hostile canyons of Kharak. In order to succeed, your style of play will have to adapt and change to meet new environments and new challenges.
  • TACTICAL COMBAT
    Position your fleet to take advantage of the high ground or create ambushes across dune lines in terrestrial combat. Attack your enemies’ resource operations or assault their military head-on.
  • STRATEGIC DECISIONS
    Meaningful choices in resource management, fleet composition, and technology research will directly impact your chances of survival.
  • ONLINE MULTIPLAYER
    Compete solo or with friends to achieve a variety of win conditions. Rise through the ranks to become the most powerful Fleet Captain on Kharak in competitive play.

For more information about Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, visit www.desertsofkharak.com.

Gallery

The Banner Saga Console Launch Date Revealed

2015/12/17
boothby
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Xbox One News

tbs-01

AUSTIN, TX – December 16, 2015 – Stoic, an independent game development company and Versus Evil, one of the leading independent video game publishers, today announced that the epic Viking RPG strategy game The Banner Saga is coming to the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and to the Xbox One via the ID@Xbox self-publishing program on Tuesday, January 12th, 2016.

The Banner Saga, which launched to much critical acclaim on both PC and mobile devices has received several awards and nominations, including winner of the 2014 Geekie Awards for “Best Video Game”, winner of 2014 Game Developers Choice: “Best Debut” award, finalist placement for “Excellence in Visual Arts” category at theIndependent Game Festival, 3 BAFTA Award Nominations, and winner of Pocket Gamer’s 2015 Best Adventure/RPG Game and Best Android Game of the Year.

“We have been working on porting Banner Saga to consoles for some time” said John Watson, founder and technical director at Stoic. “Porting the game certainly presented technical challenges that we needed to overcome, and gave us an opportunity to redesign the user experience for console controllers. We have managed to merge the story and gameplay from Banner Saga with a refined controller interface to make it a very enjoyable console gaming experience.”

The Banner Saga is a single player driven Viking saga, where a player’s choice in travel, conversation and combat determines the outcome of their own personal story as well as the survival of an entire civilization. The game also features stunning 2D animation and art, a unique tactical combat system and a cast of unforgettable characters, all of which drive this epic journey forward. Players will enjoy a beautiful and haunting original score by Grammy nominated, two-time BAFTA winning composer Austin Wintory conducting The Dallas Winds orchestra, as well as a powerhouse trio of acclaimed YouTube sensations: Peter Hollens, Malukah and Taylor Davis.

“Launching the Banner Saga on next gen consoles is a huge step forward for Stoic and the brand” said Steve Escalante, general manager of Versus Evil. “With this latest achievement, the Stoic team is able to work on more platforms and reach more customers with its games and technology.  This is not a small thing to consider for such a small team.  Looking ahead at what this could mean for Banner Saga 2 gets really exciting.”

Localized in French, German, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Italian languages, The Banner Saga was one of the earlier funding successes on Kickstarter, which originally launched in partnership with independent games publisher Versus Evil.

To learn more about The Banner Saga visit: http://stoicstudio.com/

To learn more about Versus Evil visit: http://www.vsevil.net

Colt 1911 Rail Gun Stainless Airsoft Gas Blowback Pistol Review

2015/12/16
Jerry Paxton
Action Sports, Airsoft News, Airsoft Reviews, Articles, News, Reviews

Cybergun has been busy updating their series of Colt licensed airsoft gas blowback pistols and the result is the new Colt 1911 Rail Gun series. This set of airsoft pistols comes in four difference color combinations, and Cybergun was nice enough to send us the “Stainless” model to review for our airsoft column. When it first arrived, I opened up the box and discovered the pistol, a spartan instructions sheet, some BBs, and a wrench to remove the CO2 cartridge from the also-included single stack magazine.

From a design standpoint, the Colt 1911 Rail Gun Stainless edition is a thing of handgun beauty, with the Colt trades engraved into the slide and full metal construction. Holding it in one’s hand feels incredibly like holding a real steel Colt 1911, with the exception of this pistol feeling lighter. The Picatinny rail on the under side of the muzzle is perfect for mounting lights, laser sight, or even a camera, and the thumb safety mimics the operation of the real 1911 without issue.

The Colt 1911 Rail Gun Stainless edition’s performance, which I am assuming to be indicative of the four pistols in this series, is very good. A standard CO2 cartridge is loaded into the magazine and tightened down with the included wrench. When you hear the hissing sound, don’t panic, just tighten it a little more until the noise goes away. Loading the magazine with BBs is a breeze thanks to the magazine follower which locks back when pulled down far enough. I cannot stress how nice of a feature this is and I wish other gas blowback pistol makers would follow suit. The magazine holds 17 BBs in a single stack configuration. Playing with this airsoft gun is a complete blast – no pun intended. With a chronograph rating of about 345 FPS using .20g BBs, the pistol easily holds its own. Also, the hop up is adjustable, although the method of doing so makes it slightly difficult to do on the field. I would suggest setting your hop up unit before the games and dialing in the pistol to whatever range and arc you desire. Cybergun states that the effective range of this pistol with .20g BBs is 50 meters (or 164 feet). In my tests with the pistol, I was able to hit targets out around that distance while using .28g BBs – although the accuracy did suffer out that far, of course.

In closing, any of the Colt 1911 Rail Gun series of airsoft gas blowback pistols are a fine choice for whatever kind of airsoft game you play – speedsoft, milsim, etc. They make a great primary in indoor CQC games and a great secondary for outdoor play. In fact, I was able to use this gas blowback pistol at both TacCity North and SC Village – two very different environments. However, the pistol performed great in both of them.

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World of Tanks Update 9.13 Launched with Trailer

2015/12/16
boothby
Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

December 16, 2015 — Wargaming is proud to announce the new Czechoslovakian Tech Tree for World of Tanks is ready to carve out a name for itself in Update 9.13. This line rolls out to battle with light and medium vehicles, giving tankers new weapons in their ever-growing arsenal to outwit and outhit their opponents.

Sitting proud at the top end of the Tech Tree are the Tier 9 and 10 Škoda TVP tanks. Boasting excellent accuracy, when combined with their range and stabilization, these powerful vehicles create a perfect recipe for destruction.  Also joining the fight is the Tier 7 Konštrukta T-34/100, an upgraded version of the Soviet T-34 with an improved armament that will be very familiar to experienced players.

“With a rich and interesting tank-building history, World of Tanks could not pass up the opportunity to include these dynamic Czechoslovakian tanks into the game,” said Sergey Laptenok, Publishing Product Director, World of Tanks. “These vehicles, with a number of great features like maneuverability and autoloading guns, create an experience that players don’t want to miss out on.”

Also in Update 9.13 is the Czechoslovakian-inspired map “Pilsen”, which is set to be featured in Random and Rampage battles. This map was based on the actual Škoda tank factory in Pilsen that birthed a number of legendary vehicles. A first for World of Tanks, players will prowl around close-quarters environments within enclosed buildings.

For more information on Update 9.13 and World of Tanks, visit the official website: