Archive - 2016

System Shock 3 Now in Development by OtherSide’s Austin Team

2016/08/30

Austin, TX, August 30, 2016 – OtherSide Entertainment is proud to announce the formation of its Austin development studio and that studio’s first project, System Shock 3, the latest in the series of classic, award-winning System Shock games.

Since its official inception in July, the studio has assembled its core team, made up of industry veterans under the guidance of Creative Director and Studio Manager, Warren Spector.

Warren Spector (Creative Director, Studio Manager)
The System Shock 3 team is being led by 33-year industry legend, Warren Spector, winner of several game of the year awards and honored with four lifetime achievement awards for his contributions to gaming. Warren played a key role in bringing the original Underworld and System Shock games to life and was also behind the seminal Deus Ex series, as well as Disney Epic Mickey and Disney Epic Mickey: The Power of Two.

Sheldon Pacotti – Design Director
In his 22-year career in the game industry, Sheldon has proven himself to be a multidisciplinary developer whose past experience includes stints as lead writer on Deus Ex and Deus Ex: Invisible War, on which he played a critical role. He also has credits as lead programmer and lead designer on many other projects. Among the games he has worked on are Auto Assault and America’s Army. He comes to OtherSide with an unparalleled academic background, with degrees in mathematics and literature from MIT and Harvard.

Arturo Pulecio – Art Director
Arturo brings to the project more than 14 years of hands-on experience in every aspect of video game art. Among the titles he has worked on are Lord of the Rings Online, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Dark Age of Camelot, Warhammer Online, Wizard 101, and both Disney Epic Mickey games.

Jason Hughes – Tech Director
Jason Hughes is a 21-year veteran industry technologist and generalist with deep knowledge of game systems. In a career that includes Wing Commander, Star Wars, and Disney Epic Mickey, Jason has everything from AI to graphics under his belt and has built multiple indie studios from scratch, operating both as founder and core technical leader.

All of these team leaders have worked with Spector before on games including Deus Ex, Deus Ex: Invisible War, Disney Epic Mickey, and Disney Epic Mickey: The Power of Two.

In addition, the team is consulting with members of the original System Shock teams within OtherSide Entertainment, including creative director Paul Neurath (System Shock, System Shock 2), lead designer Tim Stellmach (System Shock, Thief: The Dark Project) and art director Nate Wells (System Shock 2, BioShock).

Finally, OtherSide Austin will engage the talents of Terri Brosius, the voice behind the System Shock series’ malevolent AI, SHODAN, and concept artist Robb Waters (System Shock, BioShock). Outside creative consultants include Doug Church, game director on the original System Shock game.

To receive future updates on System Shock 3 as they become available, please register for our newsletter here. Download SS3 development team pictures here. And stay tuned for an upcoming announcement regarding the game engine that Otherside Entertainment will be using to create the world of System Shock 3 and other titles.

Nutri Ninja Blending System with Auto-iQ Review

2016/08/30

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Misc Review, News, Reviews, Tech News

The folks at Nutri Ninja are definitely putting out some products that will appeal to the tech-savvy as well as food-loving people out there. Last time, we got to check out their Ninja Coffee Bar. Providing much-needed caffeine for long gaming sessions, we loved the product for its smart Auto-iQ technology. Now, we get the chance to check out the Nutri Ninja Ninja Blender System With Auto-iQ. The Nutri Ninja Blender System with Auto-iQ will, hopefully, provide gamers with nutritionally-strong, yet great-tasting smoothies and a lot more.

The Nutri Ninja Blender System with Auto-iQ is actually made up of several products, all bundled into one super pack of blending goodness. Headlining the system is the blender itself which packs a whopping 1500 watt motor base pushing 2 horsepower. In case you are wondering how that stacks up – most 800+ watt blenders easily cost over $300 dollars and they don’t come with all the extras the Nutri Ninja Blender System package does. I blended up smoothies with all kinds of fruit – fruit which, usually, gets stuck in the carafe and never gets blended up until I turn the unit off, push it down, and restart. With the Nutri Ninja Blender System, you get a central column with ridges that pull food down into the blades. This kind of feature is usually only seen on professional-grade smoothie blenders at places like Jamba Juice. Having it on a home blender makes an absolute world of difference, and is one of my favorite things about this blender.

Aside from the central spinning column, this blender is equipped with Auto-iQ, the same tech I loved so much from their Ninja Coffee Bar. With that system, the Auto-iQ changed the levels of water and intensity depending on the type of drink you were looking to brew. I didn’t know how they would adapt the tech for the blender until I dove into using it.

Auto-iQ on the blender system comes in the form of 5 preset programs. These programs are listed as: Blend, Ultra Blend, Frozen Drinks Smoothies, and Food Puree – each doing kind of what you would expect them to. There are also manual controls on the blender in case you want to tweak the finish product to your liking.

This is where I went out of my comfort zone. You see, if the Nutri Ninja Blender System were JUST a blender, I would be fine making smoothies for post-workout recovery and that would be fine. I would even rate it highly at $249 dollars for just the blender unit – it is that good at making smoothies. This system does so much more, though, thanks to all its added accessories.

For instance, the blender system comes with a food processing bowl attachment, crushing blades, extractor blades, two different size blender cups, a pitcher pour lid, and even a dough-making blade set for use in the food processor bowl. This is all way beyond my pay-grade as someone who usually doesn’t do much cooking.

Overall, the Nutri Ninja Blender System with Auto-iQ is a great way to prepare healthy smoothies for any occasion – whether you need a post-workout recovery shake or just a weight loss promoting meal replacement drink. If you cook, however, you will LOVE the added functionality of the food processor and dough making bladeset. The blender system retails for $249 but is on sale at many online vendors now.

Nutri Ninja Blender System with Auto-iQ Review Score

[mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#dd3333″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#dd3333″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#dd3333″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#dd3333″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#dd3333″ type=”fa”] (5 out of 5 stars)

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Master of Orion Review (2016)

2016/08/29

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

In 1993, MicroProse and Simtex shoved the turn-based strategy genre on its ear with the release of Master of Orion. Putting players in control of a massive galactic empire, the game had an extremely high replayability factor and fun gameplay. As a testament to this, the original Master of Orion is still enjoyed by many gamers to this day thanks to DOS emulators. In 1996, MicroProse and Simtex released Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares, once again raising the bar for strategy games. While Master of Orion III met with a controversial release, the Master of Orion IP looked to be forgotten by MicroProse (and all the issues that company had) until it was purchased by Wargaming.net. Wargaming, known for their online multiplayer tank game, World of Tanks, seemed an odd choice for this IP. Then I saw the game in a very early stage several Electronic Entertainment Expos (E3) ago and knew it was in good hands. Today, a new chapter in the Master of Orion saga has been released and once again it is time to eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate!

Master of Orion 2016 begins by allowing players several options in setting up their game. Options taken from recent strategy titles as well as the original Master of Orion. You can select available victory types, galaxy and race options, and a whole lot more. Whatever kind of strategy gamer you are – whether you prefer slow and plodding games that span thousands of turns or quick skirmish style races to power, Master of Orion 2016 will have some options that work for you.

Playing Master of Orion 2016 features a user interface that is super easy to navigate and, if you have played ANY space strategy games like this since the original Master of Orion in 1993, you will figure it out even without the help of instructions or tutorials. For those of you who cannot figure the UI out for some reason, there are in-game tutorials available for the newbie Emperors out there.

Designing your warships has been streamlined in a very intuitive manner. Each race starts with a basic set of ships and, based on your research choices, you will gain access to others. When a new technology is discovered, windows will pop up allowing you to auto-upgrade your existing ship blueprints as well as upgrade any ships around your colonies (for a price). The AI is fairly good at integrating this new tech into the existing designs and, in the early game, I relied on the basic ship upgrade system a lot. It helps the flow of the game greatly. Once I gained some technological power, I began my hobby of building custom ship types. The ship designer is very similar to the ones found in Master of Orion and Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares. Again, Wargaming has done a lot to help both veterans and newbies to the series figure things out and they deserve much praise for this. A lot of this praise could be directed to the developer Wargaming put in-charge of development: NGD Studios, which employed some of the series’ initial development team from 1993!

Diplomacy is back and, once again, a big path to glory for those more diplomatic races out there. Just be warned, if negotiations turn sour, you could end up talking your empire into war! The shadowy side of the diplomacy coin is also back: Spying! While the Darloks are the games best race at performing espionage, most species can engage in it in some for or another. At the very least, you should assign your agents to counter-espionage duties! This time around, you assign one agent per colony world (friendly or other). Once that agent has arrived, you can assign them a mission to perform. Such missions range from the previously-mentioned counter-espionage all the way to inciting a revolution on an enemy world!

The one aspect of the game I wish could be different was the tactical combat. In Master of Orion and Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares, the combat was played out in turn-based fashion. Each ship had an initiative rating which would determine the order it got to act. This turn-based gameplay lent itself to some seriously-cool tactical possibilities. In Master of Orion 2016, the combat takes place in real-time with the option to pause and assign orders. This streamlining of the combat system doesn’t give the player as much micromanaging potential to command his or her fleets into the fray. It is still fun and the pretty visuals give you some nice stuff to look at, but that core turn-based mechanic is missing and I am feeling that loss.

The thing that I missed second-most in Master of Orion 2016 was the lack of a galactic senate. That gameplay mechanic was something that Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares had and it could be expanded to add a lot to the universe at large. Maybe if Wargaming creates a sequel, that mechanic will be added to the mix?

Overall, Master of Orion 2016 is a really fun 4X strategy game worthy of the Master of Orion name. While it does suffer some issues from time to time, at the end of your term as Emperor you will not feel letdown at all. Personally, I am enjoying playing game sessions ad nauseam, trying out the various galaxy and race options. Wargaming and NGD Studios have done a great job!

[easyreview title=”Master of Orion 2016 Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]

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New Ash vs Evil Dead Season 2 Video

2016/08/29

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Halloween, Movie News, News, Trailers / Videos

Beverly Hills, Calif. – August 29, 2016 – Today, the STARZ Original Series “Ash vs Evil Dead” released the official key art and welcomes viewers to Elk Grove, Michigan with a sneak peek into the Second Season premiering October 2^nd at 8:00pm ET/PT. Since Season One, Ash has been living it up in Jacksonville with his loyal sidekick Pablo and revenge-filled Kelly. Season Two kicks off with a double-deadite battle royale interrupting the party, Ash is forced to return back to his hometown of Elk Grove, Michigan…and as always, Evil follows him.

The cast is led by Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead, “Burn Notice”) in the role of Ash Williams; Lucy Lawless (“Salem,” “Spartacus”) as Ruby, who now possesses the powerful Necronomicon; Ray Santiago (“Touch,” Meet the Fockers) as Pablo Simon Bolivar, Ash’s loyal sidekick dealing with the trauma he suffered in the cabin; and Dana DeLorenzo (A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas) as Kelly Maxwell, who, grief-stricken after the death of her parents, plots revenge against The Evil Dead. Lee Majors (The Six Million Dollar Man), Ted Raimi (“Xena: Warrior Princess,” Spider-Man) and Michelle Hurd (“Law & Order: SVU”) join the cast this year as Brock Williams, Ash’s father, Chet Kaminski, Ash’s childhood best friend, and Linda, Ash’s high school love respectively.

Sam Raimi serves as Executive Producer with Rob Tapert (Evil Dead, “Spartacus,” Xena: Warrior Princess”), Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead, “Burn Notice”) and Ivan Raimi (Drag Me To Hell, Spider-Man 3) along with Craig DiGregorio (“Workaholics,” “Chuck”) who serves as Executive Producer/Showrunner. Aaron Lam (“Spartacus”) and Moira Grant (“Spartacus”) serve as Producers.

Follow “Ash vs Evil Dead” Online:

Twitter: @AshvsEvilDead

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashvsevildead

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashvsevildead/

Join the conversation with: #AshvsEvilDead

First Footage from SiREN Released

2016/08/29

boothby

Geek News, Halloween, Movie News, News, Trailers / Videos

On behalf of Chiller Films, we are pleased to share the first clip from SIREN which premiered on Fridayon Crave Online.

Based on the V/H/S short by David Bruckner, the film stars Chase Williamson (The Guest, John Dies at the End), Justin Welborn (The Final Destination), Michael Aaron Milligan (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri), Hayes Mercure (Mascots), Randy McDowell (Elvis), Hannah Fierman (V/H/S) and directed by Gregg Bishop (V/H/S Viral).

Watch Dogs 2 Gameplay Walkthrough Trailer

2016/08/29

Jerry Paxton

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

Watch the first-ever open world, free-roam gameplay walkthrough for Watch Dogs 2. In this new demonstration, a small slice of the expansive San Francisco Bay Area is explored, as Marcus wanders through such world-famous landmarks as Coit Tower and Fisherman’s Wharf. Enhanced hacking and driving mechanics, use of drones, deeper customization options and world activities are on display in this extensive look into the gameplay experience.

Marcus also encounters various online multiplayer scenarios, where he gets caught in Bounty situations – both as the hunter and the hunted – and joins a friend for co-op missions.

Watch Dogs 2 will be available November 15, 2016 for the Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC.

For more information on Watch Dogs 2, please visit: http://watchdogs.ubisoft.com/

Corsair Unveils LUX Mechanical Keyboards

2016/08/26

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Peripherals News

FREMONT, CA – August 26^th 2016 – CORSAIR^®, a leader in high-performance gaming hardware, today announced the immediate and worldwide availability of its new LUX range of mechanical keyboards. Building on the phenomenal success of the CORSAIR K70, K70 RGB and K65, the new LUX range adds a host of new features and improvements. With enhanced lighting, USB pass-through and a back-lit optimized key cap font, CORSAIR LUX keyboards retain the core-design, premium materials and commitment to quality that has earned the CORSAIR K-series over 300 global media awards, making them the benchmark for high-performance keyboards.

Alongside the signature CORSAIR aluminum construction and 100% German-made Cherry MX keyswitches, the LUX range adds an enhanced internal lighting controller, allowing for finer color adjustment and even more vibrant patterns and effects. Paired with CUE (CORSAIR Utility Engine) software, stunning lighting effects are just a few clicks away.

Adding to the light show is the LUX family’s new larger, modern key cap font. Designed to maximize the keyboard’s ultra-bright LED backlighting, the new precision laser-etched key caps have the durability to last through years of key presses while looking their best.

The full LUX range also adds a long requested feature to the CORSAIR family of RGB keyboards – USB pass-through. Now standard on all CORSAIR LUX keyboards, USB pass-through allows users to conveniently connect a mouse, headset or other USB device directly to the keyboard for uninterrupted gameplay and easy access.

The sleek aircraft grade aluminum frame grants both a premium feel and superior durability. Every CORSAIR LUX keyboard also boasts a range of essential extras for gamers, including built-in volume controls, dedicated media keys, a detachable soft-touch wrist rest and 100% anti-ghosting / full key rollover circuitry offering the complete package of quality, features and performance.

With a choice of six different Cherry MX keyswitch types, two different sizes and three different back lighting options, whichever way you play, there’s a CORSAIR LUX keyboard to suite your style and gameplay.

Specifications

100% Anti-ghosting and full key rollover over USB circuitry: No matter how fast you go your key presses will always register.
Aircraft-grade anodized brushed aluminum frame: Light-weight and rugged durability you need for a keyboard that’s going to see a lot of action.
100% Cherry MX keyswitches: Your choice of 100% German made Cherry MX Blue, Brown or Red switches, with either Red LED, Blue LED or stunning RGB backlighting.
Advanced lighting control and large font keycaps: Experience dynamic, vibrant multi-color backlighting.
The power of CUE: Sophisticated macro programming and fast, fluid dynamic illumination for an enlightened gaming experience.
Detachable soft-touch wrist rest: The comfort you need for marathon gaming sessions.
Dedicated multimedia controls: The control you need to adjust your audio without interrupting your game.
USB 2.0 Pass-through port: Positioned for uninterrupted game play and ready for your mouse or headset.
FPS and MOBA keycap sets: Textured and contoured keycaps provide maximum grip and enhanced feel.
MSRP: K70 LUX RGB – $159.99, K65 LUX RGB – $129.99, K70 LUX – $119.99

Availability

The full CORSAIR LUX range of mechanical keyboards is available immediately from the CORSAIR worldwide network of approved retailers and distributors.

Web Pages:

For more information on the LUX range of mechanical gaming keyboards, visit

www.corsair.com/lux

World of Tanks: Roll Out! Comic Book Issue 1 Release Date

2016/08/26

Jerry Paxton

Comics News, Geek News, News, Windows PC News

August 26, 2016 — Wargaming and Dark Horse Comics announced today that the highly anticipated first issue of the World of Tanks: Roll Out comic series will hit comic book stores and digital distribution on August 31. The first ever comic book inspired by Wargaming’s massively multiplayer online game World of Tanks brings all the thrills, tension and armored conflict World of Tanks players demand. This hard-hitting story, written by Garth Ennis (Preacher, War Stories, The Punisher), is a historically-based war tale, skillfully illustrated by the renowned Carlos Ezquerra (Judge Dredd, Strontium Dog, War Stories Vol. 2). Each issue is wrapped in the epic cover art of Isaac Hannaford (Halo: Reach, The Punisher) and bursts with the explosive action found in the panels of World of Tanks: Roll Out.

The premier issue of armored combat debuts alongside the first in a series of in-game Premium tank bundles based on the iconic “hero” tanks from the comic book’s storyline. Now tank commanders can read the adventures of the valiant vehicles in the comic book and continue the campaign by playing the “hero” tanks on the Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PlayStation^®4 versions of World of Tanks.

Comic Artwork

Set during the epic tank battles of 1944, which proved to be pivotal on the outcome of the war, World of Tanks: Roll Out follows a crew of young British tankers as they push deeper into post-D-Day Normandy, toward a battalion of seasoned German armored units. Flanked and tracked by the Germans at almost every turn, the inexperienced British tankers traverse a battle-scarred France while the danger around them escalates and the outcome of the war hangs in the balance.

“As we explored the idea of a World of Tanks comic book, the first priority was ensuring that we told an authentic and historically based tale of combat that was in line with Warming’s commitment to military authenticity,” stated Erik Whiteford, Wargaming’s Director of Marketing. “Having the leading writer in the war comic genre, Garth Ennis, and legendary illustrator, Carlos Ezquerra, as the creative team behind World of Tanks: Roll Out guaranteed the execution of a story in true Wargaming fashion; gritty and packed with realistic and pulse-pounding tank combat.”

As a part of the release of World of Tanks: Roll Out, the World of Tanks Premium Shop for console will be offering limited-time bundles featuring the British Cromwell, known as “Snakebite”. Pulled directly from the pages of the comic, the signature Tier VI British Cromwell light tank comes with the Snakebite Crew Skill, which improves overall accuracy. Nimble and highly maneuverable, this tank darts across the map, trading armor for speed, while still packing a powerful punch. Three individual Snakebite-themed bundles will be available on August 31.

World of Tanks: Roll Out comic issue #1 will be available, in English, digitally at Dark Horse Digital and in comic book stores in North America, Australia, Western and Eastern Europe on August 31, followed by four more issues of intense tank combat.

http://www.darkhorse.com/Comics/29-843/World-of-Tanks-1

13 Minutes of BioShock Remastered

2016/08/26

boothby

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

You can now watch the first thirteen minutes of the fully remastered BioShock, from the upcoming BioShock: The Collection, coming to PS4, Xbox One and PC on September 13th. This new extended gameplay commentary video is available for download or embed via the links below. You can also watch additional gameplay videos showing the opening minutes of the remastered versions of BioShock 2 and BioShock Infinite on the 2K YouTube channel.

Vampyr 15 Minutes Pre-Alpha Gameplay Trailer

2016/08/26

boothby

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

August 26, 2016 – The past week’s Gamescom 2016 has been the perfect opportunity for journalists to discover Vampyr, the Action-RPG from DontNod, the creators of Life is Strange. The press had the chance to attend presentations made by the developers, and thus learn more about the game, its story and its gameplay mechanics.

We’re extending that invitation to those of you at home in the form of a 15 minute gameplay video of our pre-alpha version, showcasing some of the ideas that make Vampyr a unique gameplay experience, where the narrative is directly tied to the gameplay. Without any spoilers, our presentation begins a little after the beginning of the game. Now aware of being a vampire, our protagonist Dr Jonathan Reid must come to terms with what he has become, meeting some of the characters you will interact with along your journey – some of whom are aware of what you are, and also share the same affliction.

This video is taken from a pre-alpha version of the game, and while many aspects are still very early in their development process – notably the combat system – you’ll get to see many of the gameplay ideas currently being worked on.

Investigate the people of London, and peer through their bodies to see the quality of blood that flows through them. Perhaps you find a terrible person who you believe deserves to die, and decide to feed on him. But what if he suffers from poor quality blood? Perhaps a father – with no reason to lose his life – has the purest blood, and will therefore gain you greater experience points… your moral choices will directly affect the game world as you struggle to come to terms with your human/vampire duality.

Taking lives in London is not easy. Killing too many in a district may cause its infrastructure to collapse and turn into disarray. Every single life will also have a butterfly effect on the other NPCs surrounding them. Every life you take away will have consequences for the city and the people around them: Cursed be the choice!

Vampyr comes out on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC in 2017.