Author - Jerry Paxton

D23 Expo Keynote Details and Additional Presentations

2013/07/16

Burbank, Calif. – July 16, 2013 – D23 Expo 2013 will celebrate its grand opening with a welcome from Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger followed by the first of two arena presentations hosted by The Walt Disney Studios at the Anaheim Convention Center. On Friday, August 9, The Walt Disney Studios will surprise and delight fans with sneak peeks of the incredible slate of upcoming animated films from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, and Disneytoon Studios, hosted by Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter. Then, on Saturday, August 10, Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn will host The Walt Disney Studios live action arena presentation which will pull back the curtain on upcoming releases from Disney Live Action and Marvel Studios. Both presentations will feature exclusive clips and behind-the-scenes footage, filmmaker discussions, and surprise celebrity appearances.

The 4,000-seat arena, the largest venue at The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, will for the first time feature a 2,000-seat overflow theater where guests will be able to watch these once-in-a-lifetime happenings though a live feed.

Art and Imagination: Animation at The Walt Disney Studios (Friday, August 9, 10:00 a.m.): Disney and Pixar Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter, filmmakers and star talent will take guests on a journey through The Walt Disney Studios’ slate of upcoming animated features, including Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Frozen and Pixar Animation Studios’ The Good Dinosaur. Plus, catch the U.S. debut of the new Mickey Mouse short Get A Horse!, major movie announcements, and a not-to-be-missed live musical performance.

Let the Adventures Begin: Live Action at The Walt Disney Studios (Saturday, August 10, 10:30 a.m.): The Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn will showcase the Studios’ exciting live-action release slate, including Disney’s Saving Mr. Banks and Tomorrowland, Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World, and much more.

Tickets for the D23 Expo are $57 for a one-day adult admission and $47 for children 3–12. Tickets for members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club are $50 for a one-day adult admission and $42 for children. Multi-day money-saving tickets are also available for both D23 Members and the general public, and D23 Members can save as much as $84 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 members and general admission, visit D23Expo.com.

New WWE 2K14 Screenshots Featuring Cover Athlete The Rock

2013/07/16

Jerry Paxton

News, PlayStation 3 News, Screenshots / Photos, Xbox 360 News

2K Games and WWE Games have released some new screenshots featuring the cover athlete for WWE 2K13, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. WWE 2K14 is due out this October on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms.

Screenshots

Evil Dead Maze Announced for Halloween Horror Nights

2013/07/16

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Halloween, News

Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Orlando have announced that the new Evil Dead film will be brought to life at their Halloween Horror Nights event in the form of a haunted maze! Stay-tuned as we learn the rest of the Halloween Horror Nights haunted maze line up and our October-themed coverage ramps up! Looks like our favorite holiday is really right around the gruesome corner.

“Watching ‘Evil Dead’s unrelenting horror unfold in movie theatres was undoubtedly an unnerving experience, but with Halloween Horror Nights, we’re taking it one step further,” said John Murdy, Creative Director for Universal Studios Hollywood. “Fans of ‘Evil Dead’ will feel like they’ve left the safety of the theatre and stepped through the screen into a living horror movie where the film’s demonic characters are coming for them. Our incredibly immersive and highly disturbing maze experience will come to life with the same attention to detail and production value of the film and will be the ultimate thrill for horror movie fans.”

HHN Creative Director, John Murdy, will also be revealing a running chronicle of exclusive information so follow HHN on their social pages for updates.

Facebook: “Halloween Horror Nights – Hollywood,”

Instagram: @HorrorNights

Twitter: @HorrorNights

Hashtag: #UniversalHHN

Smith Optics Outside the Wire Goggles with Bungie Quick Strap Review (Airsoft)

2013/07/15

Jerry Paxton

Action Sports, Airsoft News, Airsoft Reviews, Articles, News, Reviews

When looking around for a good set of goggles for use in your airsoft loadout, several things come to mind: Comfort, fog factor, field of view, price, protection, and user friendliness. Smith Optics Outside the Wire (OTW) goggle series promises clarity and comfort along with a wide variety of color patterns and fits. We got to look at the OTW Tan 499 series goggle in the non-Asian fit. Looking fairly standard for a protective goggle meant for field use, the OTW goggles meet US standard MIL-DTL-43511D, ANSI Z87.1-2003 and EN166 safety standards. This durability is easily apparent in the removable lens which is very rigid, unlike some replica military goggles out there. The stock strap features a dust cover and adjustment buckles that make sizing the goggles simple.

In terms of comfort, the thin foam lining that surrounds the inner edges of the goggles do not have a lot of padding, but their firmness means they are not going to “go flat” at any point soon. Also, the firm foam is flame-resistant as well as anti-microbial, both very important things! Unfortunately, the Tapered Lens Technology (TLT) which helps the goggles to provide a distortion-free view of the world inversely-affects their comfort. The progressively-tapered lens gives the goggles an unnatural curve which doesn’t quite fit one’s face they way you hope they would. To their benefit, this technology does indeed provide a distortion-free view, but you may sacrifice a full seal over a lower half face mask in the process of wearing them. Against my skin, the goggles did provide a full seal, despite their sharp curvature.

The biggest problem I encountered with the goggles was the fogging. These goggles seemed to fog up a lot easier than other airsoft goggles I have used. Even with some anti-fog rubbed on the lens, moisture still appeared after a while. Now, it has been rather humid down here in Southern California for the last couple of weeks, so I would wager that this would ease up a bit in drier climates or shorter games (I played in several hour-long games). Another factor in their fogging was the wearing of a lower half mask with them. Because of their curve and being unnaturally-seated against the half mask, it was easier for breath to travel up into the lens area. I found one fix for this is to poke holes into the foam-covered vent slots at the top and bottom sides of the mask. However, you MUST be careful in doing so as you may make the mask unsafe for airsoft use in the process.

Something that I get asked a lot is how a person attaches their goggles to a MICH or FAST helmet. Thankfully, Smith Optics has a solution for this with their OTW Bungee Quick Strap. Retailing for $30 dollars, these straps replace the stock straps on the Outside the Wire (OTW) goggles and each features two bungee chords connected to a Velcro piece. Removing and attaching straps to the OTW goggles is a simple matter of pulling them off each end in a twisting motion. Once installed, it is recommended that you attach the included rail mounts to your helmet’s side rails. Then, it’s a simple matter of hooking your goggle straps to each mount and wearing them at will. The system will even work on helmets with COMTAC style headsets mounted to its side rails. The bungee is easily maneuvered through obstruction for a nice, snug attachment point. Playing a large number of games with the OTW goggles attached to my FAST helmet, I found it very easy to take them on and off, and not having to worry about putting them in a carrying case when not in use was simply aces.

On their own, I give the Smith Optics Outside the Wire (OTW) goggles a 3 out of 5 rating for airsoft use. However, when coupled with the OTW Bungee Quick Strap, I elevate the rating to a 4 out of 5. The ease of attaching these goggles to a helmet and the user friendliness that such a setup provides is of great value to an airsofter out looking to have some fun games. Now, these goggles are meant for field use and, for that purpose where you would not be trying to seat them against a half mask, their protective qualities are very apparent – this review was looking at their usage in an airsoft environment.

[easyreview title=”Smith Optics Outside the Wire Goggles and Bungee Strap Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]
[button target=”_blank” style=”” class=”btn_blue” link=”http://gamingshogun.com/gamingshogun-rating-system/”]Learn About Our Rating System[/button]

Outside the Wire (OTW) goggles product link

Six Flags Great Adventure Fright Fest Zombie Auditions

2013/07/15

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Halloween, News

Looks like the good people at Six Flags Great Adventure will be gearing up for their 2013 Fright Fest event with auditions for their street monsters on August 3 and August 4, 2013. Checkout the audition notice below for further details!

Audition Notice

August 3 and 4 at 1 pm, 16 at 6 pm, 17 at 1 pm

Six Flags is casting for its largest collection of zombies in its longest Fright Fest in history. 200 scare-actors are needed to fill a variety of positions from the undead who roam the midways, to terror trail performers and technicians weekends from Sept. 13 to Oct. 27. No prior acting or scare experience is necessary. Six Flags seeks individuals with a passion for Halloween and scaring. Auditions include several fun acting exercises in a group setting. If interested, please complete the pre-employment application prior to attending an audition date at www.sixflagsjobs.com. Additional information and audition dates, times and locations are available at www.sixflags.com/greatadventure on the “jobs” and “auditions” tabs. (Dance auditions for Dead Man’s Party are July 19 at 7 p.m. and 20 at 1 p.m. in the Showcase Theater.)

Twitch to Broadcast Video Games Live Concert During Comic-Con

2013/07/15

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, SDCC

SAN FRANCISCO- July 15, 2013 – Twitch, the world’s leading video platform and community for gamers, today announced it will be partnering with Video Games Live™, the world’s first and most successful video game touring concert series, to live stream their multimedia concert and pre-show on July 20^th, 2013, beginning at 6:00pm PDT. The free concert – which is being presented by Amazon Video Games and sponsored by Assassin’s Creed® IV Black Flag – will be held during the week of San Diego Comic-Con at the San Diego Civic Theatre. The spectacle includes music performed by orchestras and choirs set to synchronized video clips spanning the most popular video games of all time to the most anticipated games on the horizon. To watch the concert online via Twitch or to embed the player on another site, visit: www.Twitch.tv/Twitch.

Among the 20 song set list, Video Games Live will feature several world premieres, including the music from Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag, Destiny^™ and Dota^™2, with Dota 2 featuring previously unseen gameplay and cinematic footage. This concert will also include new world premiere arrangements of music from Diablo^®III and the Monkey Island series. In addition, there will be music performed from iconic games and franchises, such as Final Fantasy^®, Street Fighter II, Castlevania, Shadow of the Colossus, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim^®, Journey^™, Chrono Trigger^®, Chrono Cross™ and many more.

“At Bungie we are all storytellers. We’ve composed Music of the Spheres to enable the listener to experience a part of Destiny’s story as a purely musical journey. For that reason we are releasing this suite as a prequel to the game itself,” said Marty O’Donnell, Audio Director at Bungie. “Video Games Live’s global vision is appealing, and their charter matches the emotional connection through music we’ve always tried to achieve from Halo to Destiny.”

Preceding the live broadcast of the concert, interviews will be conducted during a two-hour pre-show with many of the musicians involved in the show and other industry luminaries. Twitch viewers will also be able to pose questions to guests using the following hashtag: #playtheclassics.

Video Games Live Schedule:

6:00pm: Gerard Marino, Composer God of War [guest musician]
6:10pm: Tim Larkin, Composer Dota 2 (Valve) [guest conductor]
6:20pm: Austin Wintory, Grammy nominated composer of Journey [guest conductor]
6:30pm: Emmanuel Fratianni, Video game/film/TV composer & principle conductor of Video Games Live
6:40pm: Jillian Aversa: Vocalist (Halo, God of War, Civilization, Soul Calibur) [vocal soloist]
6:50pm: Clint Bajakian & Peter McConnell, original LucasArts composers [guest musicians]
7:00pm: Eimear Noone, Conductor of Diablo III and Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses [guest conductor]
7:10pm: Russell Brower, Audio Director, Composer – Blizzard Entertainment [guest conductor]
7:20pm: Brian Tyler: Film composer & composer of Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag [guest conductor]
7:30pm: Marty O’Donnell & Mike Salvatori, Halo & Destiny [guest conductors]
7:40pm: David Hayter, voice of the original Solid Snake from Metal Gear Solid 1 – 4
7:50pm: Costume Contest
8:00pm – 9:00pm: Video Games Live – Act I
9:00pm – 9:15: Tommy Tallarico, Video game composer & Creator/Producer/Host of Video Games Live
9:20pm – 10:30pm: Video Games Live – Act II

“Out of the hundreds of shows we’ve done around the world for the past ten years, this one is turning out to be one of our biggest ever thanks to the Amazon Video Games Store and the worldwide reach that Twitch brings,” said Video game composer and Video Games Live creator/producer Tommy Tallarico. “Knowing this, we are pulling out all the stops to ensure the best show for the millions of people who will be watching.”

Since the 2011 launch of Twitch, the company has become the epicenter of live broadcasting in the video game community with more than 35 million unique visitors and 600,000 unique broadcasters per month. The result is a broad array of content provided by video game publishers and developers, eSports organizations and players, media outlets, conventions, and user generated content from shows to game play segments. Video Games Live exemplifies the diverse nature of programming on Twitch.

“The Video Games Live concert series is known for sell out shows since they have incredible access to top composers as well as exclusive footage from a lot of anticipated games,” said Emmett Shear, Twitch CEO. “Because of the event’s popularity, it’s great to be able to offer a live broadcast alternative on Twitch to those unable to get tickets or make the trek to San Diego.”

Europa Universalis IV Exploration Dev Diary

2013/07/15

Jerry Paxton

News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

Paradox Interactive has released a new video developer diary for their upcoming empire-building strategy game, Europa Universalis IV.

Video

Machinima Reveals Comic-Con Lounge and Panels

2013/07/15

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, SDCC

Los Angeles, CA – July 15, 2013 – Machinima, the dominant video entertainment network for young males around the world, has upped the ante this year with their presence at San Diego Comic Con. In addition to two highly anticipated panels and extensive coverage, there will be the first ever “Machinima Entertainment Lounge,” open to the public Thursday, July 18th through Saturday, July 20th.

Located at the world famous Fluxx Club in Downtown San Diego (500 4th Ave), the lounge will include a massive gaming station, sponsored by Ubisoft, where fans will have the exclusive opportunity to play the highly anticipated Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist. In addition to the gaming station, there will also be a cosplay photo booth, zombie make-up station, social media and charging stations, and so much more. The lounge will be open on Thursday from 11am – 6pm, Friday from 10am – 6pm, and Saturday from 10am – 5pm. Find a member of the Machinima street team in downtown San Diego and on the show floor to get a Machinima mask with additional info and directions.

Machinima will also host two exciting panels, both happening in the Indigo Ballroom at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. The first, taking place on Thursday from 6-7pm, is the much anticipated Mortal Kombat: Legacy Season 2 panel. Don’t miss Casper Van Dien (“Starship Troopers”), Brian Tee (“The Wolverine”), Ian Anthony Dale (“Mortal Kombat: Legacy”), Samantha Jo (“Mortal Kombat: Legacy”), and Ed Boon (creator of Mortal Kombat) join series creator and Director Kevin Tancharoen (“Mortal Kombat: Legacy”), Producer Lance Sloane (“Mortal Kombat: Legacy” / “Act of Valor”), and Machinima’s Executive Vice President of Network Programming Aaron DeBevoise for an in-depth discussion about the highly anticipated second season of Mortal Kombat: Legacy. Moderated by Matt Atchity, the editor-in-chief of RottenTomatoes.com, the panel will also include exclusive, never-before-seen action packed footage from the upcoming season.

The second panel, taking place on Saturday from 10-11am, is the Machinima: Redefining the “Fan Film” panel. Joining forces with some of the most creative upcoming talent around, including Sam Gorski and Niko Pueringer from Corridor Digital (YouTube.com/CorridorDigital), Kevin Tancharoen (Creator and Director of Mortal Kombat: Legacy), Adi Shanker (Producer of Dredd and The Punisher: Dirty Laundry) and J.C. Reifenberg (Director and Producer of Hughes the Force), Machinima will discuss fan films, and how online creators are setting the bar with a new breed of content development, creation and interaction. And of course, a bunch of exclusive, never-before-seen footage will be shown for the audience’s viewing pleasure.

The Indigo Ballroom is located at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront at 1 Park Boulevard near the San Diego Convention Center.

The Ultimate Warrior Returning for WWE 2K14

2013/07/15

Jerry Paxton

News, PlayStation 3 News, Xbox 360 News

NEW YORK – July 15, 2013 – 2K today announced the emphatic return of Ultimate Warrior to the ring – virtually – in WWE® 2K14, the forthcoming installment in the flagship WWE video game franchise. Making his long-awaited arrival from Parts Unknown, the self-professed “Founding Father of Life Intensity” will be an exclusive playable character for those who pre-order the game at any participating retailer for the Xbox 360® games and entertainment system from Microsoft or PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.

“Immortality is inspiration, pure and simple. An example to others that they, too, can do things larger than the life they are actually living, and Ultimate Warrior was the pure embodiment of this belief, in what has proven to be a very attention-getting and inspiring way,” said Warrior. “It was my good fortune to be his creator and performer, and I am humbled by all those fans who’ve not only kept his legacy alive, but deepened it over time. In WWE 2K14, Ultimate Warrior’s creed, ‘Always Believe,’ lives on.”

Making his WWE debut in 1987, Ultimate Warrior garnered worldwide attention and became a pop-culture phenomenon for his iconic music and ring entrance, zealous personality, boundless energy and dominant in-ring prowess. Though he faced many rivals throughout his career, including Honky Tonk Man, “Ravishing” Rick Rude, Sgt. Slaughter, “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Undertaker, perhaps his most celebrated match was against Hulk Hogan in “The Ultimate Challenge” at WrestleMania® VI on April 1, 1990. Warrior defeated Hogan that day to unify the WWE Championship and Intercontinental Championship, becoming the first WWE Superstar ever to hold both titles simultaneously.

“There has never been another WWE Superstar quite like the Ultimate Warrior – his intensity and energy is unmatched, and his legacy is undeniable,” said Chris Snyder, Senior Director of Marketing at 2K. “Fans love him, opponents fear him and everyone can agree that he’s one of the most iconic Legends in WWE history. Pre-ordering WWE 2K14 is the only way we mere mortals will ever have a glimpse into the greatness that is Ultimate Warrior.”

Become Immortal – 2K’s lineup of premier sports simulation titles expands with the company’s upcoming release in the renowned WWE video game franchise, WWE 2K14. Developed by Yukes for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 system, WWE 2K14 is positioned to be the most electrifying, authentic and comprehensive WWE video game experience to date. WWE 2K14 is not yet rated by the ESRB. Players who pre-order WWE 2K14 will receive Ultimate Warrior at no extra cost on launch day on October 29, 2013 in North America and November 1, 2013 internationally.

For more information on WWE 2K14 and 2K, visit wwe.2k.com, facebook.com/WWEgames and @WWEgames on Twitter.

2K is a wholly owned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

Capcom Reveals Ultra Street Fighter IV

2013/07/15

Jerry Paxton

News, PlayStation 3 News, Screenshots / Photos, Windows PC News, Xbox 360 News

During EVO 2013 this past weekend, Capcom announced Ultra Street Fighter IV, which is due out early next year on the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 platforms. Checkout some details below as well as some screenshots:

Game Synopsis

In Ultra Street Fighter IV, Poison, Hugo, Elena, Rolento and a secret all-new playable character join the fight, complete with new animations and their own unique play styles, bringing the current roster count to a massive 44 characters. Six new battle environments (including Pitstop 109, Cosmic Elevator, Half Pipe and more) provide a thrilling and colorful backdrop to the action. Direct fan feedback was gathered on all of Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition’s original 39 characters and core system mechanics in order to achieve the most balanced Street Fighter ever. Further details on the exciting new modes and gameplay features will be announced in the coming months.

Owners of Super Street Fighter IV or Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition will be able to download the title as a $14.99/€14.99 digital upgrade. Users who purchase the retail or full download version of the game for $39.99/€39.99 will receive all previous costume DLC released for the series (a $40/€40 value), making this the definitive version of Street Fighter IV to check out!

Ultra Street Fighter IV is scheduled for release on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC in North America and across Europe in Early 2014.