Archive - 2015

60th Anniversary Mickey Mouse Club Reunion at D23 Expo

2015/06/30

BURBANK, Calif. – June 30, 2015 – Members of the original Mickey Mouse Club will join the fun at D23 EXPO 2015 during a special presentation to commemorate the show’s 60th anniversary.Celebrating Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club — 60 Magical yEARS, hosted by author Lorraine Santoli (The Official Mickey Mouse Club Book), will take place Sunday, August 16 at 5 p.m. in Stage 23. The panel, featuring original Mouseketeers Sherry Alberoni, Sharon Baird, Bobby Burgess, Tommy Cole, Darlene Gillespie, Cubby O’Brien, and Doreen Tracey, along with actors Tim Considine (Spin Evans) and David Stollery (Marty Markham), will include a one-of-a-kind performance filled with memories, music, and magic. D23 EXPO 2015, presented by D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, will take place August 14–16 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

In addition to the panel, the Disney Dream Store will offer a small collection of 60th anniversary Mickey Mouse Club items to mark the occasion. Also, several of the Mouseketeers will be available for a signing opportunity at D23 Autograph Central on the EXPO show floor on Sunday from 2:30–3:30 p.m. Plus, guests will be able to see Mouseketeer Annette Funicello’s original Disney Legend handprints on display for the first time outside the Walt Disney Studios lot. The handprints, taken on October 21, 1992, when Funicello was inducted as a Disney Legend, will be presented in one of the show floor’s “photo spots.” There will also be a collection of props and costumes from Mickey Mouse Club Circus in Walt Disney Archives Presents—Disneyland: The Exhibit.

D23 will also present several other engaging presentations for guests throughout the weekend including:

Charles Phoenix: Big Retro Disneyland Slide Show!

Friday, August 14, 10 a.m., Stage 28

Be prepared for your Disneyland-loving spirit to soar when the Ambassador of Americana takes you to the granddaddy of all theme parks when it opened. With his spectacular collection of “found” mid-century-era Kodachrome images, unbridled enthusiasm, and keen eye for detail, Charles shares the early days of Main Street, U.S.A., Adventureland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, and Tomorrowland. See long-gone attractions, including the Phantom Boats, Flying Saucers, the Indian Village, PeopleMover, House of the Future, Carousel of Progress, and the original Tomorrowland—promoted as “The World of 1986”—and the all-new Tomorrowland in 1967. Your imagination will be inspired!

Disneyland Home Movies

Friday, August 14, 4:30 p.m., Stage 28

While Disneyland is one of the most photographed places on earth, this collection of one-of-a-kind footage and photography offers a unique viewpoint from another time. From the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, Randy Haberkamp, Managing Director of Preservation and Foundation Programs; Lynne Kirste, Special Collections Curator; and surprise special guests will take guests on a journey from Walt’s inspirations for Disneyland to the park’s opening and evolution, as captured on film. Suzanne Lloyd joins the presentation to showcase her grandfather Harold Lloyd’s stunning photography of Disneyland taken the week before the opening and on opening day.

A Goofy Movie 20th Anniversary Reunion!

Friday, August 14, 6 p.m., Stage 28

Fans of A Goofy Movie won’t want to miss this special commemoration of the beloved Disney animated feature, which turns 20 in 2015. Film producer Don Hahn hosts a panel of A Goofy Movietalent––including Disney Legend Bill Farmer (Goofy), Jason Marsden (Max), Jim Cummings (Pete), Rob Paulsen (P.J.), and writer Jymn Magon––who will share behind-the-scenes stories and surprising anecdotes from the fan-favorite musical.

The Making of American Experience: Walt Disney

Saturday, August 15, 4:30 p.m., Stage 28

This fall, PBS will premiere a new two-part, four-hour film exploring the life and legacy of Walt Disney as part of the American Experience series. Go behind-the-scenes with the team who brought the project together for a special sneak peek of the film: moderator Don Hahn (film producer, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King), Sarah Colt (director/producer, American Experience: Walt Disney), Neal Gabler (biographer, Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination), and Becky Cline, the Director of the Walt Disney Archives.

Best of Destination D

Sunday, August 16, 4:30 p.m., Stage 28

Since 2010, D23 Destination D events have offered D23 Members the chance to celebrate their favorite Disney subjects with unique and in-depth presentations from Disney Legends, Imagineers, animators, and others who have made magic on film, at Disney theme parks, and beyond. At D23 EXPO 2015, D23 is bringing two popular presentations from prior Destination D events together for a celebration of Walt Disney World^® Resort—including a look back to its construction, early development, and favorite attractions of the past with Disney Legend and Walt Disney Archives founder Dave Smith. Then, Imagineer Jason Grandt will provide a modern look at Disney Parks and offer a designer’s point of view of details and “Easter Eggs” found throughout different attractions.

Tickets for D23 EXPO 2015 are $74 for a one-day adult admission and $54 for children 3–12. Tickets for members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club are $65 for a one-day adult admission and $48 for children. Multi-day money-saving tickets are also available. D23 Members can save as much as $112 off the price of admission, based on the purchase of four three-day tickets at the D23 Member rate. For more information on tickets and the ticket pricing structure for D23 Members and general admission, visit D23EXPO.com.

Game of Thrones Experience The Realm Announced For San Diego Comic-Con

2015/06/30

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, SDCC

Game of Thrones Experience the Realm at San Diego Comic-Con

New York, NY, June 30, 2015 – The ultimate fan event is returning to San Diego Comic-Con with Game of Thrones Experience The Realm. Located at the Omni Hotel in the heart of the Gas Lamp District, this years’ experience features even more interactive activations designed to give fans a chance to step into the world of Westeros. Open from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. PT, Thursday, July 9th through Saturday, July 11th and 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PT on Sunday, July 12th, HBO NOW subscribers will have a chance to win early VIP access.

Paying homage to beloved character Arya Stark’s early days of sword training, the experience will feature an installation that is part sword-handling skill and part artistic process, to create a beautiful, graphic Game of Thrones-style self-portrait. Upon arrival, fans will have their portrait taken and step in front of a 10-foot projection screen on stage. There, they will use a replica of Arya’s wooden training sword to strike targets as they appear on screen. Upon completion fans will receive an artistic portrait made entirely of their sword strikes that is immediately shareable on their social networks as well as at #ExperienceTheRealm.

Fans can also create sharable animated GIFs including being incinerated into ash by Danaerys’ iconic dragons and turned into a WhiteWalker. Additionally there will be photo opportunities with the iconic Iron Throne and the giant sword used by The Mountain. Select costume displays from Game of Thrones will be featured along with a gallery of select work from the Game of Thrones Compendium Book, featuring original creations from the talented fan-base ranging from art, fashion, food and fans can pick up a limited-edition T-Shirt designed by Beautiful Death artist Robert Ball.

Starting today through July 3^rd at noon EST, HBO NOW will offer a select number of current and former subscribers attending 2015 Comic-Con an exclusive chance toExperience the Realm early by skipping the lines with a special daily HBO NOW VIP preview Thursday–Sunday. For more details and to enter for a chance to win, eligible fans can visit ExperienceTheRealmSweeps.com.

HBO NOW is HBO’s new stand-alone premium streaming service that provides instant access to the best of HBO’s Award-winning series, exclusive hit movies, films, groundbreaking documentaries, sports, comedy and music specials. To subscribe to the streaming service, HBO NOW, consumers only need the internet. With HBO NOW, consumers can stream HBO programming on their iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and computer. HBO NOW is currently available through Apple or Cablevision for $14.99 per month and coming soon on Android.

**Game of Thrones Experience the Realm is open on a first-come-first-serve basis to members of the public with a valid 2015 San Diego Comic-Con badge.

King’s Quest: A Knight to Remember Release Date Announced

2015/06/30

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, PlayStation 3 News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox 360 News, Xbox One News

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – June 30, 2015 – Today Sierra™ revealed that the first chapter of the new King’s Quest™ – titled King’s Quest: A Knight to Remember – will launch as a digital download in North America on July 28 for $9.99 on the PlayStation^®4 and PlayStation^®3 computer entertainment systems, as well as Windows PC. It will arrive on July 29 for the same price on Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and the Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft. It is rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and Up) by the ESRB.

In addition, Sierra today announced that a bundle* of all five chapters, including a future bonus playable story epilogue, of the new King’s Quest – named King’s Quest: The Complete Collection* – is now available to pre-order on the PlayStation®Network and Steam for $39.99. Xbox One pre-orders on the Xbox Games Store will begin on July 7 for the same price.

Developed by The Odd Gentlemen, King’s Quest rekindles the classic feelings of exploration, wit and wonder that have always defined this family-friendly series since its introduction over 30 years ago. The first entry in a planned five-chapter arc, King’s Quest: A Knight to Remember sets the stage for an unforgettable journey to come with original places, puzzles and personalities to discover. As an aging King Graham reflects on a life of adventure with his granddaughter, Gwendolyn, King’s Quest transports players back to the untold tales of Graham’s youth to experience a story that bridges generations.

For the latest news on King’s Quest and more, please visit www.sierra.com, and follow Sierra on Facebook and Twitter.

*Chapters and epilogue can be downloaded in-game upon individual release throughout 2015 and 2016.

Civilization: Beyond Earth – Rising Tide E3 Gameplay Walkthrough

2015/06/30

boothby

E3, Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

2K and Firaxis Games today revealed the E3 behind-closed-doors gameplay demonstration of Rising Tide, the exciting expansion to Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth. As the first gameplay footage to be shown, the video highlights the new oceanic gameplay, sponsors, alien life forms, units and more.

Video

William Shatner to Make a Special Guest Appearance at San Diego Comic-Con 2015

2015/06/29

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, SDCC

June 29, 2015 — Entertainment Earth and CBS Consumer Products are excited to announce William Shatner (“Star Trek: The Original Series”) will make a special guest appearance at San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday, July 9, 2015.

Mr. Shatner will start by reading excerpts from The Autobiography of James T. Kirk, as James T. Kirk himself in Ballroom 20 from 10:45am to 11:45am. Immediately following, William Shatner will participate in a limited signing at the Entertainment Earth booth #2343. All signings at the Entertainment Earth booth are free, but require a ticket. Details on how to obtain a randomly distributed ticket will be available at the Entertainment Earth booth the first day of the show.

Entertainment Earth is also selling two limited edition and individually numbered Star Trek convention exclusives, a Star Trek Captains Monitor Mate Bobble Heads Set of 5 and a Star Trek IV: Whales with Spock Bobble Head made by Bif Bang Pow!.

Convention Exclusives are available for the first time on July 8, 2015 at the Entertainment Earth booth #2343 at San Diego Comic-Con. Fans will have the first opportunity to grab our individually numbered and limited edition exclusives while supplies last!

Not attending San Diego Comic-Con 2015? *PRE-ORDER at Entertainment Earth now!

(*NOTE: Pre-orders made before San Diego Comic-Con 2015 are not guaranteed to be fulfilled based on limited supplies. Available units will ship after Comic-Con 2015 while supplies last.)

Visit Entertainment Earth and all of our social media networks for the latest Entertainment Earth and San Diego Comic-Con news.

See more of our Star Trek products here!

Codemasters Releases New Tarmac Terrors Update for DiRT Rally

2015/06/29

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

UK – Monday June 29, 2015– Codemasters today announced that the Tarmac Terrors free update has been added to DiRT Rally on Steam Early Access. From today, players will have access to the game’s first all-Tarmac rally at Baumholder, Germany, along with five classic rally-ready cars.

This free update offers DiRT Rally players a completely different style of racing to test their skills to the limit and is the second in a series of free updates that will be regularly added during DiRT Rally’s Steam Early Access phase.

As a full Tarmac rally, Germany feels completely different to the other stages currently available in DiRT Rally and requires a different mindset to Greece, Wales or Monte Carlo. Stages are wider but conquering them is about fast sprints and picking braking point into junctions, with tight turns and chicanes through bails testing players’ concentration and skill.

In addition, the Tarmac Terrors update introduces a selection of cars that were famous for their prowess on Tarmac. The Lancia 037 Evo 2 was the last rear wheel drive car to win an event at World Championship level and the F2 Kit Cars were some of the most iconic cars in the late ‘90s that were especially quick on Tarmac, often giving their four wheel drive counterparts a run for their money. Codemasters has also added a new setup for all cars so players can maximize the available grip.

The full update content is as follows:

12 new rally stages set in Baumholder in Germany
5 new rally cars featuring new Group B RWD & Kit Car Classes
Opel Kadett GT/E 16v
Opel Manta 400
Lancia 037 Evo 2
Seat Ibiza Kitcar
Peugeot 306 Maxi
Owners Club Online Events – A second DiRT Daily Event where players compete in their own car
A second online Weekly Event

DiRT Rally is available to purchase here for $37.99. Players can get ahead of the pack and plan their pace notes by checking out the new trailer here:

Warner Bros. Unveils 2015 San Diego Comic-Con Bags

2015/06/29

boothby

Geek News, News, SDCC

BURBANK, Calif. (June 29, 2015) — Plan your Con-attire accordingly! For the sixth year in a row, there will be multiple options (13 to be exact) to stash and store your Comic-Con International swag in one convenient, wearable accessory. Warner Bros. Entertainment and Comic-Con have teamed up to produce and distribute the official bag of Comic-Con, which will be distributed to fans when checking in at the show. The highly coveted bag can also be worn conveniently as a backpack, and even made into a dress!

· More than 130,000 bags have been produced and will be provided to Comic-Con attendees throughout the convention.

· The all-new 2015 edition again features backpack styling and features 13 different designs.

· Designed by Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Marketing, each bag features double-sided artwork, with the all-new Comic-Con 2015 official design on one side and the other side highlighting titles from the Studio’s TV series.

· Current Warner Bros. Television and Warner Bros. Animation series featured on the SDCC bags are The 100, Arrow, The Flash, Gotham, Lucifer, The Originals,Supergirl, Supernatural, Teen Titans Go! and The Vampire Diaries, as well as Blue Ribbon Content’s new digital series Vixen.

· Gotham will receive two bags: one featuring Gotham City’s Heroes; the other features its Villains.

· One bag will feature Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Own on Digital HD on August 4 and Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack and DVD on August 18.

For continuing info on the Studio’s plans at Comic-Con International, please visit comiccon.thewb.com and follow @warnerbrostv on Twitter (hashtag #WBSDCC). For official information about Comic-Con 2015, visit www.comic-con.org and follow Comic-Con on Twitter at @Comic_Con (hashtag #SDCC).

The Bags

Darksiders 2 Deathinitive Edition Comparison Screenshots

2015/06/29

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Screenshots / Photos

June 29, 2015 — Comparison Screenshots Between “Then” and “Soon” for Darksiders II Deathinitive Edition

Here is what John Pearl, Design Director at Gunfire Games has to say about it:

“When we thought about what we wanted to do for the “Deathinitive” edition of Darksiders II, obviously we wanted to run in native 1080p and increase the resolution of the textures. Additionally, we decided to rewrite the renderer to be physically based like a lot of other current generation game engines. What this means visually is metal, leather, stone and skin look and respond to light as you would expect them to in the real world. This new rendering method meant we revisited every texture and surface in the game, reworking and re-authoring them for the new renderer. To take full advantage of these texture changes, we’ve also gone back and relit the entire game.”

Deathinitive Edition Features:

Darksiders 2 with All DLCs* included and integrated into the game, offering a total playtime of more than 30 hours
*(Maker Armor Set, The Abyssal Forge, The Demon Lord Belial, Death Rides, Angel of Death, Deadly Despair, Shadow of Death, Mortis Pack, Rusanov’s Axe, Van Der Schmash Hammer, Fletcher’s Crow Hammer, Mace Maximus, Argul’s Tomb).
Improved Graphic Render Engine for higher visual quality especially in terms of lighting and shadows.
Improved and reworked level, character and environment graphics.
Running in native 1080p resolution.
Reworked and tuned game balancing and loot distribution.

What starts with War, ends in Death.

Awakened by the End of Days, Death, the most feared of the legendary Four Horsemen, embarks upon a quest to restore mankind, and redeem his brother’s name. Along the way, the Horseman discovers that there are far worse things than an earthly Apocalypse, and that an ancient grudge may threaten all of Creation…

Play Death: Become the most feared of the legendary Four Horsemen, able to destroy entire worlds and battle forces beyond Heaven and Hell.
Epic Universe: Unlike anything the player has seen before, delivered in the unique style of Joe Mad.
Heaven/Hell: Explore startling gameworld environments reminiscent of heaven and hell.
Player Choice & Customization: Customize your experience with varied armor sets, weapons, and skill trees allowing players to create their own Death.
Replay-ability: Explore a vast open world, complete dozens of side quests and customize your Death with a full leveling system, skill trees and endless equipment combinations.
Traversal: Death is a nimble and agile character capable of incredible acrobatic feats allowing the player to explore the world like never before.

Screenshots

Chris Avellone Will Join The Bard’s Tale IV Team at 1.9 Million Kickstarter Goal

2015/06/29

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News

Newport Beach, CA – June 29, 2015 – inXile Entertainment is excited to announce industry veteran Chris Avellone (Planescape: Torment, Fallout: New Vegas) is set to join The Bard’s Tale IV team as a writer and designer if the ongoing Kickstarter reaches $1.9 million, designing an entirely new area called the Cairn of Horrors. This all new dungeon will contain the worst things that live in the imagination of Chris Avellone.

But inXile is putting more of the Planescape: Torment design team back together, as Colin McComb (Planescape: Torment, Torment: Tides of Numenera) will also be joining the team at $1.7 million, designing a new Realm of the Elves area.

Chris Avellone has worked with inXile before on both of their Kickstarted titles, Wasteland 2 and Torment: Tides of Numenera. Wasteland 2 was released to critical and popular acclaim last year.

Kicked off on June 2nd, the Kickstarter for The Bard’s Tale IV has funded its basic goal and already hit the first stretch goals, having passed the $1.35 million mark last Friday.

“I owe my career to seeing Bard’s Tale II on a Commodore 64 at a friend’s house,” says Chris Avellone. “When I saw the streets of Skara Brae up and running (gasp – in simulated 3D! And in color!), I suddenly realized I didn’t have to be the game master all the time in order to get my RPG fix, there was finally someone out there who had done the formidable job of creating a digital dungeon master for RPG aficionados with the same amount of lazy players as I had. So I have Brian Fargo to thank three times – first for the game itself (and all the Interplay RPGs I played to follow, including Bard’s Tale 1, Bard’s Tale 3, and Wasteland), second, for hiring me at Interplay, and third, for asking me to be a part of Bard’s Tale 4 – with your support, I hope we can make it happen!”

“I’m pleased that both Chris and Colin may come aboard Bard’s Tale 4 for extra design,” says Brian Fargo, CEO of inXile. “We are in the final weeks of the campaign and have assembled an all-star cast of writing, design, art and music. Now it’s a matter of how many more people join our campaign to build these glorious RPGs.”

Check out the Kickstarter now!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/inxile/the-bards-tale-iv

Warhammer 40,000: Regicide Update 1.2 Released

2015/06/29

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

Sydney, Australia – Monday June 29, 2015 – Warhammer 40,000: Regicide sees the largest update it’s had to Early Access, with the addition of new environments, two new factions, hotseat, and live Multiplayer features. A series of newly released imagery depicts a new battlefield – a ruined Imperial monument surrounded by trees, smoke and motes of ash at the heart of an ancient forest. The addition of the “Raven Guard” Space Marines and “Snakebites” Ork Clan provides a ‘black and white’ set of pieces for both races currently in the game, alongside the White Scars and Goffs available at launch.

Hot-Seat mode – local multiplayer on the same machine – has been implemented alongside many general UI updates. The heavy-hitting heroes of Warhammer 40,000: Regicide have seen updated animations for many sequence-effects with a wide range of sparks, blood and impacts now keyed to objective sources. Almost a hundred new or improved sound effects provide an additional crunch to the visual update. Warhammer 40,000: Regicide’s game servers have also been completely overhauled to facilitate live multiplayer matches. Asynchronous play options remain available for custom challenges against friends.

New multiplayer functionality allow players to:

choose their starting board side
easily challenge friends to quick battles, directly from their Friends list
claim victory when opponents leave (forfeit) Live matches