Author - Jerry Paxton

New Mechwarrior Online Dev Interview

2012/01/12

Over at the official site for the upcoming Mechwarrior Online, they have posted up a new interview with three of the game’s developers.

MWO: How is MechWarrior different from other things you’ve worked on?

[DAVID] The biggest difference is that it’s a lot more complex than most games. Usually there’s a single player character and a handful of weapons. The BattleTech universe has hundreds of ’Mechs that could potentially make it into the game along with dozens of weapons. And not only do we have to focus on what we’re launching with, but we have to constantly be thinking about the future as new ’Mechs, weapons, and other equipment are always just on the horizon.

New King Arthur II Dev Post Talks Magic

2012/01/11

Jerry Paxton

News

In this latest developer blog post, we learn just how magic and locations will play a part in battles and strategy. King Arthur II: The Role-playing Wargame is due out on January 27, 2012.

There are several Strategic Locations on the battlemaps that will help you with that. If you capture these spots, they’ll grant you different bonuses you can use on the entire battlemap as long as you control the location (unlike the first game where you took advantage of these bonuses only in a certain area around the location). They can increase your Magic Shield, grant you powerful spells, increase your spells’ penetration level and much more.

But let’s get to the point: MAGIC The heroes of Britannia are no ordinary warriors. Chroniclers praise their legendary deeds- how they fight with incredible vigour and smite down their enemies with terrible blows. Some heroes perform heavenly miracles or have learned the ways of ancient wizardry. They possess abilities that affect everyone in their vicinity or even the whole army.

LINK: Full Dev Blog Post

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and Mass Effect 3 Demo Crossover Announcement

2012/01/11

Jerry Paxton

News

Electronic Arts, 38 Studios, and BioWare have announced that the demo for the upcoming Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning will be released on January 17, 2012. In addition, the dev houses have teamed up in the creation of a Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning / Mass Effect 3 crossover program. In this program, gamers who play both the Reckoning and Mass Effect 3 demos will be able to unlock special game content such as a Mass Effect inspired, Omni-blade daggers in Reckoning and special Reckoning-themed armor and assault rifle in Mass Effect 3 designed by award-winning artist Todd McFarlane.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to deliver this massive one-two punch with Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and Mass Effect 3. We wanted to provide fans of the Mass Effect franchise with a unique set of rewards for diving into the expansive universe of Reckoning,” said Curt Schilling, Chairman and Founder of 38 Studios.

“We are excited to be collaborating with 38 Studios to bring pieces inspired by the Mass Effect universe into the world of Reckoning and to have items designed by Todd McFarlane in Mass Effect 3,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, General Manager of EA’s BioWare Label and Co-Founder of BioWare. “This is an awesome way to reward our fans with unique content that not only looks cool, but also delivers some great in-game benefits.”

New Images

BenQ Unveils Two New Gaming Displays

2012/01/10

Jerry Paxton

CES, News, Tech News

BenQ has lifted the curtain off of their latest gaming monitors, the XL2420T and XL2420TX. The monitors feature a ton of gaming-related features, including multiple presets for various game types, and more. Checkout the full press release below for all the details.

BenQ Full Press Release

IRVINE, Calif. — Jan. 10, 2012 — BenQ America Corp. today announced the North American launch of the XL2420T and XL2420TX, the company’s latest gaming monitors for professional and competitive FPS (first-person shooter) games. Engineered in conjunction with ZOWIE GEAR — a manufacturer of high-end professional gaming gear and R&D partner to BenQ — the new XL Series models reflect BenQ’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge pro gaming monitors equipped with innovative features to help gamers take their performance to the next level.

“The new XL Series models prove that ‘gaming is in the details,’ building on the technology of our popular XL2410T monitors, which were featured at huge gaming events such as DreamHack Summer 2011, Global Starcraft II League, and GamesCon 2011, ESEA,” said Lars Yoder, President of BenQ America Corp. “Offering a 120-Hz refresh rate, 2-ms GTG response time, and 12M:1 dynamic contrast ratio, the XL2420T and XL2420TX not only provide the fundamentals essential to mastering FPS gaming, but also possess exclusive features meticulously constructed to provide FPS gamers with the ultimate sense of ease and control.”

The talent behind the design of the XL2420T and XL2420TX includes prominent Counter-Strike legends such as Emil “HeatoN” Christensen, Abdisamad “SpawN” Mohamed, Tommy “Potti” Ingemarsson, Christer “fisker” Eriksson, and Michael “ahl” Korduner, as well as Xanver from UMX-Gaming. This collaboration yielded specific technical refinements critical to FPS gamers: a super-fast response rate, razor-sharp clarity, and tailored control.

The XL2420T and XL2420TX’s unique color-engine technology allows gamers to brighten the image display without over-exposing white levels, while the monitors’ Black eQualizer reveals critical combat details with improved visibility in darkened areas. This enables gamers to screen critical combat details quickly and with added game play comfort, while BenQ’s S Switch remote control allows them to switch swiftly between customized display settings for gaming and entertainment. The stylish controller offers a scroll button that facilitates fast navigation and adjustment of the OSD setting.

To accommodate individual viewing preferences and requirements, the XL2420T and XL2420TX feature a Display Mode that allows gamers to switch among several monitor screen sizes — 17″(4:3), 19″(4:3), 19″ widescreen (16:10), 21.5″ widescreen (16:9), 22″ widescreen (16:10), 23″ widescreen(16:9), and 24″ widescreen (16:9). The monitors’ Smart Scaling feature gives the freedom to scale the screen manually to any custom size.

The XL2420T and XL2420TX offer two variations to the preset FPS Mode. Tailored by HeatoN and SpawN, the FPS1 mode configures and optimizes the display for Counter-Strike 1.6, and the FPS2 mode does likewise for Counter-Strike Source, as recommended by BenQ. With these specialized preset modes offering optimal brightness, contrast, sharpness, and color tint, gamers gain the advantage of being able to spot and track their opponents’ every move, even in indistinct situations.

The BenQ Game Mode Loader online platform complements the XL2420T and XL2420TX, storing the gaming presets used by pro gamers and gaming legends HeatoN and SpawN. Users can install these exclusive presets and save them onto the S Switch for quick access. More presets, fine-tuned by Potti, fisker, ahl, and the acclaimed StarTale StarCraft II pro team, will soon be released on Gaming.BenQ.com to keep users on top of their game.

The XL2420T is also a great choice for extreme entertainment. It is certified as NVIDIA® 3D Vision™ 2 ready, providing gamers with full HD 3D gaming and entertainment experiences like never before. For more vivid viewing, it also comes with the NVIDIA 3D LightBoost™ technology for up to twice the original screen brightness. The XL2420TX is embedded with a 3D IR emitter and comes with an NVIDIA® 3D Vision™ 2 Glasses Kit for a truly immersive 3D experience with no hassles.

The BenQ XL2420T and XL2420TX are available now at MSRPs of $549 and $649, respectively, and will be on display at the 2012 International CES at the BenQ Hilton Suite 28-105. More information about the XL Series is available at http://www.benq.com/product/monitor/xl2420t.

Information on the full line of BenQ products is available at http://www.BenQ.com.

Razer Unveils Project Fiona Tablet Gaming PC Prototype

2012/01/10

Jerry Paxton

News

Razer has unveiled their next prototype gaming device, the Project Fiona Tablet PC Gaming device while at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Featuring full touch screen as well as dual gaming controller handles and a third-generation Intel i7 CPU, the Fiona will be released in the fourth quarter of 2012 and retail for around $1000 dollars. Checkout the full press release below for all the information!

Project Fiona Full Press Release

Consumer Electronics Show, Las Vegas, Nevada, – Jan 10^th, 2012 – Razer™, the world leader in high performance gaming hardware, is proud to announce their newest gaming concept design – the Project Fiona PC Gaming Tablet. Unlike other tablets designed for general use and casual gaming, Project Fiona is a tablet concept designed to play the most popular PC games of today with an intuitive control setup for a phenomenal on-the-go gaming experience.

Powered by Intel® Core™ i7

Razer worked closely with Intel to harness the power of its third generation Intel® Core™ i7 processor in Project Fiona. As a result, Razer’s tablet is more akin to a fully functioning PC; and yet in a form factor and platform highly familiar to everybody.

Instead of relying on developers to work on a suite of brand new applications for Project Fiona, many PC games today run natively on the tablet concept without the need to be ported, optimized, or developed from scratch.

Moreover, Project Fiona will feature one of the most powerful processors integrated in a tablet form factor. Instead of the casual and mobile-only games that run on under-powered tablets, Project Fiona will run full-fledged PC games that have never run on a tablet form factor before until today.

“Project Fiona’s combination of high performance Intel-based gaming hardware and innovative tablet design is specifically focused for PC gamers. It will unleash the PC gamer to play their existing and future high-end games in one of the most exciting new form factors – a tablet,” said Brad Graff, Director of Partner Marketing, Netbook & Tablet Group, Intel.

PC Gaming User Interface Designed For a Tablet Form Factor

Razer’s multi-award winning user interface and ergonomics team have developed an all-new hybrid user interface scheme for Project Fiona. Featuring integrated dual game controllers with ultra-precise analog sticks, Project Fiona runs gamepad-enabled PC games right out of the box.

Along with the game controllers, Project Fiona is also designed with ultra-precise accelerometers and a highly sensitive multi-touch screen. This provides game developers with new game experiential opportunities to develop around the hybrid game control experience offered by Project Fiona. It also ensures current-generation PC games run on the tablet concept, as well as any existing games optimized for the touchscreen interface of a tablet.

Future games developed for Fiona are expected to take advantage of not just the integrated gamepad controls but also integrate core game functionality controls for the touchscreen and accelerometer-based controls.

“While multi-touch screens have become the de facto user interface for tablets, they are not the right interface for serious PC gaming,” said Min-Liang Tan, CEO, Razer. “The user interface we have designed for Project Fiona allows all existing PC games to be played right out of the box and also provides game developers new opportunities as they develop next-gen games on a highly-intuitive platform. Both developers and gamers are going to love the new user interface that combines the best of a gamepad, multi-touch screen and accelerometers for an all-new gaming experience on-the-go.”

The Most Immersive Gaming Experience on a Tablet

To further intensify the gaming experience with Project Fiona, Razer’s integrated dual controllers deliver full force feedback, so every explosion or gun recoil can be felt in the gamer’s hands.
THX® Ltd., which works with many of the world’s most innovative audio and video home entertainment manufacturers, agrees that the tablet adds tremendous flexibility to a gamer’s lifestyle. “Video games, music and entertainment that previously were mainly enjoyed within the home can now be enjoyed anywhere through tablets such as the Razer Concept PC Gaming Tablet,” said Chris Golson, Senior Director, Business Development, THX.

Developer units of the Project Fiona Concept PC Gaming Tablet will be made available soon. Interested parties should email developer@razerzone.com for more information. Project Fiona will be on display at Razer’s booth in South Hall 3, #31473.

About the Project Fiona Concept PC Gaming Tablet

Project Fiona is the only tablet in the world designed for PC gaming.

Price: Estimated below USD $1,000

Availability: Actual product shipping Q4 2012

For more information about the Project Fiona Concept PC Gaming Tablet, please visit www.razerzone.com/projectfiona

Razer Announces NAGA Hex MOBA-Oriented Gaming Mouse

2012/01/10

Jerry Paxton

News

Razer has had a great day today at the Consumer Electronics Show. First of their announcements is that they have developed a MOBA-oriented version of their NAGA MMO gaming mouse called the NAGA HEX. Due out on January 18th for $79.99, the NAGA HEX features six hex-shaped thumb buttons on its left side as well as a braided cable and 5600 dpi Razer Precision 3.5G sensor.

“I love RPG and MOBA games. And I believe that having the right abilities available is the difference between slaying enemies and winning, or dying a miserable death and having your character wiped in hardcore mode,” said Robert ‘RazerGuy’ Krakoff, President, Razer USA. “That’s why we designed the Razer Naga Hex – we believe that the six mechanical thumb buttons are going to help gamers stay ahead of the competition with the best ergonomic control.”

Product features:

6 MOBA/action-RPG optimized mechanical thumb buttons
11 total programmable buttons
Special switches in buttons for up to 250 clicks per minute
10 million click life cycle
Ergonomic curved design
Razer Synapse 2.0
5600dpi Razer Precision 3.5G Laser Sensor
1000Hz Ultrapolling/1ms response time
Approximate Size : 116mm/4.57” (Length) x 78mm/3.07” (Width) x 42mm/1.65” (Height)
Approximate Weight: 134g/0.30lbs

Mad Catz Unveils Cyborg F.R.E.Q.5 PC Gaming Headset

2012/01/10

Jerry Paxton

News

Today at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Mad Catz unveiled their F.R.E.Q.5 Cyborg PC gaming headset. Due out this Spring, the headset features twin 50mm neodymium drivers as well as durable, metal construction.

“The new Cyborg F.R.E.Q.5 gaming headset makes a great addition the awarding winning Cyborg product range and is part of our broader strategy to grow our PC and audio market share.” said Darren Richardson, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. “The F.R.E.Q. is part of our on going commitment to create new and innovative products for passionate consumers.”

Tiger Woods PGA 13: The Masters Feature Announcement

2012/01/10

Jerry Paxton

News

EA Sports has released a huge press announcement detailing some of the features to be found in their upcoming Tiger Woods PGA 13 and Tiger Woods PGA 13: The Masters Collector’s Edition. The games are due out on March 27, 2012 in North America and three days later in the rest of the world. Checkout the full press release below for all the information!

The Full Press Release

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – January 10, 2012 – Electronic Arts Inc., (NASDAQ: EA) announced today that the world’s number one selling golf video game franchise will return with an array of exciting new features, including Kinect for Xbox 360 integration, an opportunity to experience Tiger’s golf legacy, online and social features, as well as a Collector’s Edition providing even greater access to the Masters Tournament and Augusta National Golf Club. Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13® and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 13: The Masters Collector’s Edition, marks the 22^nd season for the EA SPORTS golf simulation video game franchise and will go on sale in North America on March 27 and worldwide on March 30, and be made available on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.

With the most comprehensive swing mechanic revamp in over a decade, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 will provide fans unprecedented control over their swing tempo, ball position and stance, allowing players to replicate countless swing combinations used by real-world PGA TOUR players. Coupled with complete integration with Kinect for Xbox 360, including voice-enabled controls, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 lessens the gap between the real world and virtual golf course experience.

“Our fans asked us to deliver a new level of fidelity and authenticity to Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 and our team delivered with the ability to literally choose millions of shot combinations through our new swing mechanic,” said Mike Taramykin, vice president and general manager of Tiger Woods PGA TOUR. “Fans will now be able to experience unparalleled control on the virtual golf course.”

“As the first of the EA SPORTS titles to feature Kinect for Xbox 360 integration in 2012, the controller-free and voice-enabled Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 experience will bring a whole new level of fun to fans worldwide,” said George Peckham, general manager, Global Publishing Group at Microsoft. “We look forward to continuing to work closely with EA SPORTS to deliver the most immersive and engaging sports gaming experiences, only on Xbox 360.”

In addition to Kinect for Xbox 360 integration, EA SPORTS is providing fans with a fully immersive golf experience through all-new features such as Online Country Clubs, the chance to relive Tiger Woods’ memorable golf career accomplishments and the return of the pre-eminent tournament in all of golf – the Masters.

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 and The Masters Collector’s Edition include a number of features and enhancements that will make golfers feel as if they’re on the course, such as:

Total Swing Control – Taking its most significant leap forward in swing mechanics in over a decade, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 revolutionizes the virtual golf swing. Golfers will take full control over their swing with all-new tempo, swing plane and shot power controls along with an adjustable shot setup, allowing players to address the ball in a number of ways to create limitless shot types with just one club.

22 Licensed Professional Golfers – Fans can take to the course with any one of 22 PGA TOUR golfers in Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13, including Tiger Woods, 2011 US Open Champion Rory McIlroy, 2010 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year Rickie Fowler and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 US cover art finalist Bubba Watson. More details about the new golfers in Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 will be revealed during the week of January 16.

Kinect for Xbox 360 Integration –Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 will be the first-ever Kinect for Xbox 360 sports simulation title, tracking full body movements to create the most advanced and authentic swing to date on the virtual golf course. Controller-free and voice-enabled controls provides for a unique, never-before-seen sports gaming experience. More details will be revealed about Kinect for Xbox 360 integration the week of January 24.

PlayStation Move Integration – Improve your game with the true-to-life golf swing created for the PlayStation Move. Fans will once again be able to experience the authentic golf swing created by the PlayStation Move, allowing golfers to emulate their swing style as they drive the ball down the fairway or sink a 30-foot putt.

Experience Tiger’s Golf Legacy – Relive first-hand Tiger Woods’ most memorable golf accomplishments as he rises from a child prodigy to golfing legend. More details will be revealed about the Tiger golf legacy feature the week of February 6.

Online Country Clubs –In Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13, gamers will be able to invite friends to join their own exclusive country club and team up to gain quicker access to downloadable golf courses or compete against other club members for the coveted Club Championship. More details will be revealed about Online Country Clubs the week of February 20.

The Masters Collector’s Edition Exclusives –The Collector’s Edition provides fans with the ultimate Masters experience. Fans that purchase the Collector’s Edition will receive all of the features in the standard edition game, as well as exclusive access to Augusta National Golf Club’s Tournament practice facility, Augusta National’s famous Par 3 Course, an authentic Green Jacket Presentation and a chance to explore the hallowed grounds like never before.

The Collector’s Edition also comes packed with five additional championship courses in addition to the standard edition, allowing players to experience 21 of the world’s greatest golfing destinations.

More details will be revealed about features exclusive to The Masters Collector’s Edition during the week of March 6.

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 is developed in Orlando, Fla., by EA Tiburon and will retail for $59.99 and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13: The Masters Collector’s Edition will be available for $69.99 on Xbox 360® and PlayStation®3.

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13: The Masters Collector’s Edition will be participating in the EA SPORTS™ Season Ticket program. Season Ticket subscribers will be provided full digital access to Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13 and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13: The Masters Collector’s Edition three days before retail launch.

Six New Game of Thrones Screenshots

2012/01/10

Jerry Paxton

News

Focus Home Interactive has released six new screenshots from their upcoming RPG, Game of Thrones, which is due out on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows PC platforms come the second quarter of 2012.

Screenshots

Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition Announced

2012/01/10

Jerry Paxton

News

NetherRealm Studios and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment have announced Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition. The game is due out on February 28, 2012 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 platforms.

About Moral Kombat Komplete Edition

Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition delivers the critically acclaimed game, all previously released downloadable content (DLC), plus digital downloads of the 2011 release of Mortal Kombat: Songs Inspired by the Warriors album with a bonus track, and the 1995 Mortal Kombat film on the PlayStation®Store or Xbox Live Zune. The DLC includes fan-favorite warriors Skarlet, Kenshi and Rain, as well as the infamous dream stalker Freddy Krueger. The game also offers 15 Klassic Skins and three Klassic Fatalities (Scorpion, Sub-Zero and Reptile). Mortal Kombat: Songs Inspired by the Warriors is a collection of electronic music inspired by the game and is executive produced by JFK (of the DJ/ production duo MSTRKRFT and Death From Above 1979).

Developed by NetherRealm Studios and led by Mortal Kombat co-creator and creative director Ed Boon, the game will be available February 28 on PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.