Author - Jerry Paxton

Six Flags Great Adventure Announces El Diablo Looping Coaster

2015/01/14

Jackson, NJ – January 14, 2015 – The devil is in the details for Six Flags Great Adventure’s new looping coaster, set to open this spring. Originally announced in the fall of 2014 as “Looping Dragon,” with an Asian-inspired moniker and location in the Golden Kingdom section, the park’s 13th coaster was re-imagined by park management who opted for a more “devilish” theme – El Diablo.

“The Jersey devil has deep roots in our state’s history, and inspired the new theme for our upcoming thrill ride,” said Park President John Fitzgerald.

The giant, fiery red El Diablo looping coaster will make its home next to the world’s top-rated wooden coaster, El Toro, in the Mexican-themed Plaza del Carnaval section. It features riders sitting in “face-off” seats rocketing forward and backward pendulum style until the train gains enough momentum to complete a full revolution seven stories in the air. The coaster then kicks into high gear, completing full revolutions until it stops momentarily with riders suspended upside down, and then reverses direction for even more thrills.

“El Diablo is the perfect addition to Plaza del Carnaval, as it appeals to both thrill seekers and familiesalike. Rides like El Toro and Tango attract a wide audience to this area, which also provides ample opportunities for dining, shopping and relaxation from the excitement of the world’s largest theme park,” Fitzgerald added.

El Diablo is set to open this spring, and will have a 48-inch height requirement to ride.

For more information on Six Flags Great Adventure and El Diablo, visit www.sixflags.com/greatadventure

Shadowrun: Hong Kong Kickstarter Campaign Begins

2015/01/14

Jerry Paxton

KIRKLAND, WA (January 13, 2015) – Today, indie video game developer Harebrained Schemes launched a new Kickstarter campaign to crowdfund it’s third full length stand-alone game set in the cyberpunk-meets-magic world of Shadowrun.

Unlike their smash success at crowdfunding the entire development of Shadowrun Returns, Harebrained Schemes is approaching this Kickstarter differently, asking backers to become co-funding partners so they can add more to Shadowrun: Hong Kong.

“We’ve already begun development of the Hong Kong game,” said Mitch Gitelman, co-founder of Harebrained Schemes and Executive Producer of Shadowrun. “We’re self-funding the first 12 hours of gameplay at the quality level of Shadowrun: Dragonfall – Director’s Cut. But we have plenty of ideas for features and runs that didn’t fit into our budget. We love Kickstarter and we think there’s no better co-funding partner than our fans to help us take our game to the next level.”

Set in the magically awakened city of Hong Kong in 2056, players will find themselves exploring the underworld of triads, tongs, wild magic, and bleeding edge cybertech with a crew of flawed, dangerous runners each with their own backstory and special abilities.

“We couldn’t be more excited to bring our fans an all new, full length standalone tactical cRPG set in Hong Kong,” said Jordan Weisman, co-founder of Harebrained Schemes and creator of the Shadowrun world. “Every time we release a new Shadowrun campaign, we set out to improve on the art, the gameplay and, especially, the storytelling.”

In 2012, Harebrained Schemes funded the development of Shadowrun Returns on Kickstarter and became the first video game company that raised over $1M and delivered the game to backers. More importantly, the game was critically acclaimed and appeared on many Best of 2013 lists and was awarded Game of the Year from Hardcore Gamer.

Their next title, Shadowrun: Dragonfall, was initially released as DLC and was given to Kickstarter backers for free. Last September, the studio released Shadowrun: Dragonfall – Director’s Cut, a standalone upgrade that was made available for free to all Dragonfall DLC owners. The Director’s Cut was one of the highest rated PC Games of the year, appeared on many Best of 2014 lists, and was awarded Game of the Year from RPG Gamer. A tablet version of the Director’s Cut was released for iOS and Android in December.

“We’re very excited to have Harebrained Schemes back on Kickstarter,” said Luke Crane, Community Manager for Games at Kickstarter. “They did a great job with their first Shadowrun project and have continued to release amazing work since. They’ve shown how Kickstarter creators can invite backers into the development process and build a loyal base of supporters. The new project looks like it’s going to continue their streak of excellence!”

Shadowrun: Hong Kong will be developed for Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems only, with DRM-free versions available through GOG and Humble. Harebrained Schemes expects to release the game mid-2015, at a price point similar to their previous games.

To learn more about Harebrained Schemes’ current Kickstarter campaign, now underway until February 17, 2015 at 10am PST, please visit the website here.

About Harebrained Schemes
Harebrained Schemes is a small team of passionate game developers led by Jordan Weisman, the creator of Shadowrun, Crimson Skies, BattleTech, MechWarrior, and many other acclaimed game worlds. Weisman was also the founder of WizKids, best known for its collectible miniatures games such as HeroClix and Mage Knight. Founded in 2011, the Seattle-based studio is centered on deep collaboration between seasoned veterans and fresh talent. Titles include Crimson: Steam Pirates (iOS, Chrome, 2011), Strikefleet Omega (iOS, Android, 2012), Shadowrun Returns (Steam and mobile, 2013), Shadowrun: Dragonfall (Steam, 2014); Golem Arcana (Retail, 2014) and Shadowrun Dragonfall – Directors Cut (Steam and mobile, 2014). For more information visit http://harebrained-schemes.com/.

2015 DICE Award Nominees Announced

2015/01/14

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Industry News, News

LOS ANGELES – Jan. 14, 2015 – The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences is proud to honor the year’s finest achievements in video games with nominations for the 18^th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards (#DICEAwards), the video game industry’s premier peer-based awards show. Academy members begin voting today at Noon PST; the winners will be revealed at the Awards ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 5, at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas at the conclusion of the 2015 D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit (#DICE2015). The Academy also confirmed comedian, podcaster, voice actor and cartoonist Pete Holmes will serve as host.

Fifty-six games received a D.I.C.E. nomination, representing a range of different platforms from teams of developers both large and small. Leading the charge is Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor with nine nominations, including Game of the Year. Rounding out the Game of the Year nominations are: Destiny,Dragon Age: Inquisition, Far Cry 4, and Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft. Several games received multiple nods, including: Far Cry 4 with seven; Destiny and Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft with six;Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and Monument Valley with five each; and inFAMOUS Second Son, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, and Valiant Hearts: The Great War with four each.

“The Academy is thrilled to have Pete Holmes as our Awards host this year – we are big fans of his work, and look forward to infusing our show with his special brand of humor, wit and whimsy,” said Martin Rae, president, Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. “Each year there are so many great games to celebrate, and 2014 was no different – with rich and enveloping experiences to satisfy any demographic and across all platforms. Congratulations to all of our nominees, whose integral work has made a deep impression on our peer panelists – we look forward to unveiling the winners with you all on Feb. 5^th!”

The D.I.C.E. Awards ceremony will live stream in its entirety beginning at 7pm PT/10pm ET via Twitch at www.twitch.tv/dice. Also being honored this year as the Pioneer Award recipients are Ralph Baer, the inventor of the Magnavox Odyssey, and Al Alcorn, the creator of PONG.

New Award Category:
To reflect the evolving landscape of the games industry, the Academy also introduced a new award category for this year’s D.I.C.E. Awards: the D.I.C.E. Sprite Award. The D.I.C.E. Sprite Award will be awarded to a game having disproportionate resources for development and exposure (as compared to AAA titles), represent a higher degree of risk tolerance, and advances our industry with innovative gameplay and experiences. Those nominees are The Banner Saga, Hohokum, Monument Valley,Threes!, and Transistor.

The D.I.C.E. Award Nominees:
The following is a partial list of nominees; the complete list of Awards categories, finalists, and game maker credits is available at: http://www.interactive.org/images/pdfs/18th-Annual-DICE-Finalists.pdf

Game of the Year
Destiny
•   Publisher: Activision Publishing, Inc.
•   Developer: Bungie
Dragon Age: Inquisition
•   Publisher: Electronic Arts
•   Developer: BioWare
Far Cry 4
•   Publisher: Ubisoft
•   Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
•   Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
•   Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
•   Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
•   Developer: Monolith Productions

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction
Lumino City
•   Publisher: State of Play Games
•   Developer: State of Play Games
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
•   Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
•   Developer: Monolith Productions
Monument Valley
•   Publisher: ustwo
•   Developer: ustwo
Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna)
•   Publisher: E-Line Media
•   Developer: Upper One Games
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
•   Publisher: The Astronauts
•   Developer: The Astronauts

Adventure Game of the Year
inFAMOUS Second Son
•   Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC
•   Developer: Sucker Punch
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
•   Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
•   Developer: Monolith Productions
Valiant Hearts: The Great War
•   Publisher: Ubisoft
•   Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
•   Publisher: The Astronauts
•   Developer: The Astronauts
The Wolf Among Us
•   Publisher: Telltale Games
•   Developer: Telltale Games

Action Game of the Year
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
•   Publisher: Activision Publishing, Inc.
•   Developer: Sledgehammer Games
Destiny
•   Publisher: Activision Publishing, Inc.
•   Developer: Bungie
Far Cry 4
•   Publisher: Ubisoft
•   Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Titanfall
•   Publisher: Electronic Arts
•   Developer: Respawn Entertainment
Wolfenstein: The New Order
•   Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
•   Developer: MachineGames

Mobile Game of the Year
80 Days
•   Publisher: Inkle
•   Developer: Inkle
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
•   Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
•   Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Kingdom Rush Origins
•   Publisher: Armor Games
•   Developer: Ironhide Game Studio
Monument Valley
•   Publisher: ustwo
•   Develoepr: ustwo
Threes!
•   Publisher: Sirvo LLC
•   Developer: Sirvo/Aeiowu/ BigGiantCircles

D.I.C.E. Sprite Award
The Banner Saga
•   Publisher: Versus Evil LLC
•   Developer: Stoic LLC
Hohokum
•   Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC
•   Developer: Honeyslug
Monument Valley
•   Publisher: ustwo
•   Developer: ustwo
Threes!
•   Publisher: Sirvo LLC
•   Developer: Sirvo/Aeiowu/ BigGiantCircles
Transistor
•   Publisher: Supergiant Games
•   Developer: Supergiant Games

The Academy’s 22,000+ members, comprised of the interactive publishing and development communities, recognize excellence in 23 different interactive game categories in one of the highest forms of recognition in the industry. Titles were played and evaluated by members of the Academy’s Peer Panels to determine final nominees. These panels, one for each award category, are comprised of the game industry’s most experienced and talented men and women who are experts in their chosen fields. Winners are determined as part of a secure voting process and will be revealed on the evening of the show. Included in the Academy’s voting body is the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) – members are invited to vote on the craft categories.

Pete Holmes is a comedian. Maybe you know him from his podcast You Made It Weird. Or The Pete Holmes Show! Or his videos with FrontPage Films. Maybe you saw his hour special Nice Try, The Devil, or his half-hour Comedy Central Presents. Or on Conan. Or Jimmy Fallon. Or maybe you saw him on VH1. Or heard him as the e*trade baby or on Comedy Central’s Ugly Americans. Pete also draws cartoons for The New Yorker, wrote for NBC’s Outsourced and FOX’s I Hate My Teenage Daughter.

To attend the 18^th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards or the 2015 D.I.C.E. Summit, please visitwww.dicesummit.org to purchase tickets.

Heroes of the Storm Enters Closed Beta Testing

2015/01/14

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News

January 13, 2015 — Let the brawl begin! We’re excited to announce that closed beta testing has officially begun in the Americas region for Heroes of the Storm™, our free-to-play, online team brawler featuring iconic heroes from more than 20 years of Blizzard gaming history.

Today’s launch brings a new Battleground, a new Hero, Ranked Play, and much, much more. The closed beta test is expected to launch in all other regions on January 14. Players can opt-in for a chance to join the beta test at www.HeroesoftheStorm.com or through the Beta Profile Settings page in Battle.net^®account management.

The latest features introduced to Heroes of the Storm include:

New Battleground—Sky Temple, a new desert-themed Battleground, challenges players to fight for control of ancient Temples. Once captured, these Temples fire devastating beams of energy toward enemy structures.
New Hero—Thrall, Warchief of the Horde, is the newest melee assassin to join the Nexus, bringing fearsome abilities, including Chain Lightning, Windfury, and Earthquake.
Hero League—This new Ranked Play mode enables players (who are level 30 and own at least 10 Heroes) to queue up alone or in a party of up to five for ranked, competitive matches against other players of similar skill and party size.
Draft Mode—Utilize this mode to build a competitive team composition, counter your opponent’s picks, and dominate the Battleground objectives.

A complete list of our latest game updates can be found in this week’s patch notes, as well as in our new Closed Beta Walkthrough Video.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare – Havoc DLC Pack Preview

2015/01/14

Jerry Paxton

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

Santa Monica, CA – January 13, 2015 – The first DLC pack for Call of Duty®: Advanced Warfare, Havoc, is on the way. The epic DLC pack from Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI), and Sledgehammer Games will be available first, exclusively on Xbox LIVE® for the Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft beginning onJanuary 27, with other platforms to follow.

“We’re looking forward to playing the new DLC content with fans. The response to Advanced Warfare has been amazing, and the creativity and gameplay variety of the content coming in Havoc is more exciting than ever,” said Michael Condrey, Co-Founder and Studio Head, Sledgehammer Games. “The entire team at Sledgehammer Games is really excited about the release of the Havoc and we are ready to kick-off a long DLC season filled with new maps, the new Exo Zombies mode and more,” said Glen Schofield, Co-Founder and Studio Head, Sledgehammer Games.

The definitive DLC offering, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Havoc includes four new, epic multiplayer maps, access to the versatile AE4 directed energy assault rifle, the AE4 Widowmaker custom variant, plus an exciting new Zombies cooperative mode called Exo Zombies, that features a story told through the eyes of four employees of the Atlas corporation, played by a celebrity cast consisting of John Malkovich (In the Line of Fire, RED, Burn After Reading), Bill Paxton (Aliens, Titanic, Edge of Tomorrow), Rose McGowan (Planet Terror, Scream), and Jon Bernthal (Fury, The Walking Dead). The actors provide their voice over and likeness in a dark and cinematic experience new to Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. Players enter a world where a DNA bioweapon unexpectedly spawns a bloodthirsty, ravenous mutant horde infecting an entire secret Atlas research facility and sending personnel running for their lives. Following a failed evacuation, four survivors, un-trained and underprepared, must face the most vicious mutations ever unleashed. The Exo Zombies co-op mode ushers in a new breed of Zombies and a truly unique experience, coming first to the Havoc DLC Pack.

Havoc delivers four new, exotic and diverse multiplayer maps set around the globe tailor-made for players to unleash their exoskeleton’s abilities, including:

Core: Deploy to the Gobi desert where the ravaged ruins of a nuclear fusion plant set the stage for a high-octane warzone. Take down enemies through the wreckage in long-range combat or get up-close and personal in the tunnels surrounding the central turbine. Activate decontamination drones using the map-based scorestreak to help clean out the competition.

Urban: Prepare yourself for brutal, high-speed combat in Dallas Ward 3, a future mega structure, funneling players into a close-quarters free-for-all. This modular compound’s verticality unleashes the exoskeleton’s capabilities. Stay focused during the timed event as blast doors alter the map’s flow and sightlines.

Sideshow: In the shadow of Devil’s Tower, Wyoming, this abandoned inn’s open layout amplifies its creep factor. Blast your way through the clown inn with close-quarters battles or use long-range site-lines from the mining facilities and natural terrain. Use the map-based scorestreak to activate the lights, music, and magic of the clown marquee and rain down a barrage of rainbow smoke-trailed cannonballs.

Drift: An idyllic ski resort high in the Rocky Mountains is transformed into a festive high-altitude playground, perfect for an all-out firefight. Make your way to the highly contested over watch in the glass observation deck or take a ride on the carousel to deliver 360 degrees of carnage. Players can use the map-altering timed event to their advantage as an avalanche of snow and debris disorients players, intensifying the battle.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Havoc will be available first, exclusively on Xbox LIVE for a suggested retail price of $15 on January 27. The Havoc DLC Pack is also included in the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare DLC Season Pass*, where fans can purchase all four epic DLC Packs planned for the year, as part of the discounted bundle offered at a suggested retail price of $49.99 – a discount of $10 off the individual purchase of all four DLC Map Packs**. Microsoft Season Pass holders also now have instant access to the Havoc DLC Pack bonus weapons. The AE4 directed energy assault rifle and its custom weapon variant, the AE4 Widowmaker, combine a versatile firing mechanism with all-around movement speed and handling.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is developed by Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software specifically for Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®4 and PC, and is available via direct digital download. A current gen version for Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system is developed by High Moon Studios. The title is rated M for Mature with Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence and Strong Language.

For the latest intel, check out: www.callofduty.com,www.facebook.com/callofduty, www.youtube.com/callofduty or follow @CallofDuty on Twitter and Instagram.

Trailer

Gaijin Releases War Thunder Soundtrack

2015/01/13

Jerry Paxton

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

January 13, 2015 — Gaijin Entertainment has released the full original War Thunder soundtrack to fans (http://warthunder.com/en/soundtrack). Split into two albums – Air Forces and Ground Forces – the soundtrack contains 50 inspiring orchestral tracks as featured in the epic, breath-taking battles in War Thunder. The soundtrack was created in collaboration with Strategic Music studio to produce an exquisite live-performed orchestral score, and can now be purchased from iTunes, Amazon and Google Play. For more information, visit: http://warthunder.com/en/soundtrack

See the ‘Making of’ the War Thunder soundtrack with the Baltic Symphonic Orchestra at the following links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxEeBH7CMVM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FavJaVxN1bc

Dying Light: Nightmare Row Game Prequel Novel

2015/01/13

Jerry Paxton

Book News, Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

January 12, 2015 – Warsaw, Poland/ Today Techland announced the final touches are being put on a tie-in novel based on the upcoming action survival game Dying Light. Titled Dying Light: Nightmare Row, the novel will be a prequel to the events depicted in the game, taking the reader to the days prior to the outbreak that decimated the city of Harran. Dying Light: Nightmare Row is written by Raymond Benson, the author of over thirty published titles, including the official follow-up James Bond novels commissioned by the Ian Fleming Estate.

“Writing the origin story for DYING LIGHT was an exciting adventure for me,” says Benson. “I’d always wanted to try my hand at a zombie-genre tale and this gave me the perfect opportunity. The folks at Techland created a rich and intriguingly bleak setting for the game, so that gave me a wonderful and creepy world in which to play around. All fans of zombie fiction, gamers and readers alike, are in for a real treat.”

Dying Light: Nightmare Row tells the terrifying story of Mel Wyatt, an 18-year-old American athlete who participated in the Harran 2015 Global Athletic Games two weeks earlier. As one of many Americans stranded in Harran as a result of the outbreak, Mel has been surviving with her little brother, Paul, in an isolated hotel – their parents were killed on the first day of the Infected attacks on the stadium. Thus begins a tense and ticking time bomb thriller of survival.

More details about Dying Light: Nightmare Row, including price and release date, will be announced soon.

Dying Light (videogame) is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and the PC, and is scheduled for release in 2015 on January 27th in the Americas,January 28th in Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and January 30thin Europe.

Grand Theft Auto V PC Requirements and New Release Date

2015/01/13

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Windows PC News

Rockstar Games has revealed the minimum and recommended PC specifications to run their upcoming Grand Theft Auto V. Additionally, Rockstar Games has announced that the game is now due out on March 24, 2015 and will support 4K resolution!

Minimum specifications:

OS: Windows 8.1 64 Bit, Windows 8 64 Bit, Windows 7 64 Bit Service Pack 1, Windows Vista 64 Bit Service Pack 2* (*NVIDIA video card recommended if running Vista OS)
Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz (4 CPUs) / AMD Phenom 9850 Quad-Core Processor (4 CPUs) @ 2.5GHz
Memory: 4GB
Video Card: NVIDIA 9800 GT 1GB / AMD HD 4870 1GB (DX 10, 10.1, 11)
Sound Card: 100% DirectX 10 compatible
HDD Space: 65GB
DVD Drive

Recommended specifications:

OS: Windows 8.1 64 Bit, Windows 8 64 Bit, Windows 7 64 Bit Service Pack 1
Processor: Intel Core i5 3470 @ 3.2GHZ (4 CPUs) / AMD X8 FX-8350 @ 4GHZ (8 CPUs)
Memory: 8GB
Video Card: NVIDIA GTX 660 2GB / AMD HD7870 2GB
Sound Card: 100% DirectX 10 compatible
HDD Space: 65GB
DVD Drive

Gunner Demo Released for Gear VR

2015/01/13

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Mobile News, News, Trailers / Videos

January 13, 2015 – nDreams, a fast-growing UK virtual reality (VR) developer and publisher, announced this morning the launch of Gunner for Gear VR Innovator Edition, which is co-published by Oculus

Gunner Announcement Trailer

Cities: Skylines Video Talks Passion

2015/01/13

Jerry Paxton

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

STOCKHOLM — January 13, 2015 — Paradox Interactive and Colossal Order today released the first of three developer videos for Cities: Skylines, the upcoming city simulation game for PC, Mac, and Linux. In the video, Paradox Interactive’s Jakob Munthe and Colossal Order’s Mariina Hallikainen and Karoliina Korppoo share their visions for the game and love for old school city builders, as well as their charming obsession with traffic.

Watch the video:

Players of Cities: Skylines will have total control in endless sandbox city-building gameplay across massive maps, allowing them to design and manage the metropolis of their dreams. Vast backdrops and maps provide players with countless ways to improve and expand their cities, while extensive modding support allows players to design everything from in-game parks and buildings to new landscapes. Cities: Skylines is scheduled to release in early 2015.

A sign-up campaign is currently underway for Cities: Skylines, and players who “sign the petition” will receive an in-game Japanese Garden for their towns – a perfect place to sit and dream about perfect traffic management.

For more information on Cities: Skylines, visit www.citiesskylines.com.