Tecmo Koei has unleashed a new, iPad version of their classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms game. For $15.99, gamers can download the RTK Touch Plus for iPad off the Apple App Store. The game features all new scenarios as well as the ability to edit officers and cities in-game.
Checkout some additional screenshots of the game, After the Break!
Square Enix has announced that they have released some free DLC for their actioner, Just Cause 2, in the way of the Tuk Tuk Boom Boom – a small tri-wheeled rickshaw equipped with a large cannon. You can find it available now, for free, on Windows PCs, the PlayStation Store, and the Xbox LIVE Marketplace.
Checkout an additional data screenshot on the Tuk Tuk Boom Boom, After the Break!
Capcom has released the debut trailer for Resident Evil/Biohazard: Revelations. We don’t know much about the game as of yet, but it is clear that it stars the characters of Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine. Also, we know it will be a Nintendo 3DS exclusive!
We got the chance to interview Matt Wagner, Producer of the upcoming DCS: A-10C combat flight simulator from The Fighter Collection and Eagle Dynamics. In our Q&A segment, we query Matt on a number of issues from random multiplayer missions to damage modeling to gun recoil and a whole lot more. Fair warning: This article will feature some technical terminology now and again so get your Google search bar warmed up! If you are a flight simulator or military aviation enthusiast, however, you should be right at home with it.
Additionally, Matt sent over some very pretty and exclusive screenshots of the upcoming sim for your viewing enjoyment.
Read our full Q&A with Matt Wagner as well as checkout the exclusive screens, After the Break!
GS) How many campaigns will be included in DCS: A-10C and will they be accessible in online co-op play?
MW) We currently plan on two phased campaigns. By phased campaign, I mean that each phase can have multiple missions that you can randomly play as you progress through the campaign. The campaigns are non-linear. In addition, each mission has many random factors.
One campaign will basically be a reverse of the Ka-50 campaign in DCS: Black Shark. You play as an A-10C pilot starting from the south of the combat theater and gradually advance north as you push enemy forces out of occupied Georgia. The second campaign will take place in the expanded terrain area to the east. This area includes Tbilisi, South Ossetia, several new Georgian airfields and new Russian airfields including Mozdok. These will be single-player campaigns.
GS) Will the Sniper XR targeting pod be available for use in the upcoming sim?
MW) For DCS: A-10C we have instead decided to model the Lightning II AT targeting pod in great detail. Doing the Sniper TGP would not have allowed us to include the level of detail we want.
GS) Will we see Wind-Corrected Munition Dispensers?
MW) You bet. Both CBU-103 and CBU-105. Using WCMD, players can designate a ground location (often with TGP) and then release a WCMD at the target point much like it would do a JDAM. However, whereas JDAM are GPS-guided, WCMD are INS-guided. They both though use the same CCRP delivery.
GS) How has the aircraft start-up procedure been altered for DCS: A-10C? How long will it take to perform all the checklists under ‘realistic’ difficulty settings?
MW) You can expect the same, if not more, level of detail for the A-10C start-up as you saw in DCS: Black Shark. Given the A-10C is a much ‘deeper’ aircraft, you can expect to see a lot more options, tests, and pre-flight preparations compared to the Ka-50 though. Your start-up procedure will be VERY close to the real jet.
Doing the start-up manually, you can do it in about five minutes. Like Black Shark though, we will have an even faster and easier one key press auto-start.
GS) How and where did you get your information on airframe capabilities/data?
MW) For the past four years we have been the developer behind the A-10C Desk Top Simulator (DTS) for the Air National Guard, Active units, and Reserve units. The DTS is now deployed world-wide with all A-10C squadrons. In fact, the DTS provides training elements that no other training solutions can currently match.
As part of the agreement with our customer, we secured the ability to create an ‘entertainment’ version of the DTS. This agreement took about two years! Although there were a couple of items we had to alter for security reasons, what you will see in DCS: A-10C is about 95% accurate to the real jet. In fact, DCS: A-10C is actually much more accurate in many areas. Because the DTS was just focused on the changes between the A and C models, many of the systems were brought over from the existing The Battle Simulator (TBS) engine. For DCS: A-10C, we had to create the engine, fuel, electrical, hydraulic, lighting, flight control system, emergency systems, radios, TACAN, ILS, and 6 DOF cockpit from scratch. As a whole, the DCS: A-10C is much more realistic and detailed than the military DTS version.
GS) Will recoil play a role in firing the GAU-8 cannon?
MW) Yes, assuming you did not enable the Precision Attitude Control (PAC). PAC uses the pitch and roll channels of the Stability Augmentation Systems (SAS) to keep the gun pipper on the target and minimize recoil effects.
GS) Has the in-game map been expanded at all and, if so, how – by size or by content?
MW) Yes, the map has been extended to the east to include many of the focus areas of the Russian – Georgian conflict. To the north, the Russian terrain has also been expanded to include the large Russian military airfield at Mozdok.
DCS: A-10C also for the first time provides a ‘map switcher’ that allows users to load different maps… not just the Black Sea map. For DCS: A-10C, we are working on a Nevada map that will include Nellis Air Force Base and the primary A-10C training ranges to the west.
GS) Has the airframe damage modeling system been changed at all for DCS A-10C?
MW) As with DCS: Black Shark, a full and accurate damage model is included. This not only includes detailed physical damage representation on the new A-10C model (textures and geometry) but most sub-systems can be damaged with realistic, resulting effects. When damaged, the full range of emergency procedures is available including the fire extinguisher system, isolating pitch and roll control surfaces, Manual Reversion Flight Control System, and the complete set of BIT and other avionics tests.
GS) Could you tell us how the random mission generator works and if these randomly-generated missions work in multiplayer?
MW) An unlimited number of side spawn locations, called Nodes, can be created to determine front lines. We plan to include 100 such Node pairs. In addition to Nodes, force layout Templates can be created. As with the Nodes, a broad range of Templates will be provided. When a mission is generated, it randomly selects a Node set, Template set, weather, time of day and skills levels. This is an open system and users can also create their own Nodes and Templates.
GS) Are there any plans for a true dynamic campaign in the future?
MW) Yes, at some point. In fact, the Mission Generator is a key first step in making this happen. This is in addition to now being able to hear all radio communications from allied flights… assuming you are on the correct radio frequency.
GS) What kinds of enhancements have been made, if any, to non-player aircraft AI?
MW) The biggest is the radio communication system for AI flights. Each flight group can now be assigned a broadcast frequency and the player must have one of their three radios tuned to that frequency to hear them or send them orders. You now hear them take off, navigate through their route, spot targets, engage targets, take damage, etc.
AI flights can also now be assigned to Orbit waypoints and they can be radio ordered to push from holding points to engage targets by the player.
We think it very important that the player now be able to not only hear what is going on around them, but be able to interact more with non-flight groups. This is also true for ground forces and JTAC units.
GS) Are there any plans to visiting earlier times in aviation with upcoming titles?
MW) Most of our work is based on simulator the modern battlefield. As such, we currently have no plans to model aircraft no longer in service. However, the right contract could change that.
Q) When deciding what aircraft to do focus on in the next DCS game, what are the criteria you consider?
MW) It truly does vary, but the most common reasons are:
1- Existing contract.
2- Access to very detailed documentation and subject matter experts (pilots of the aircraft).
3- How well it fits into our long-term TBS and DCS program plans.
4- How well we think the broad market will accept the product (not just our online forums).
GS) With the void of civil aviation sims growing even larger with Microsoft’s departure, are there any rumblings or thoughts to venture into that territory?
MW) While we have discussed internally, we currently have no plans for such projects. However, with the right contract, that could all change.
We would like to thank Matt Wagner, The Fighter Collection, and Eagle Dynamics for their hospitality and patience in answering our questions about their upcoming DCS: A-10C, which should be due out on Windows PCs early next year *See NOTE Below. We hope to see you all on the flight line and be sure to check their official website for more details!
*NOTE: It has come to our attention that the plan is for DCS: A-10C to be released in downloadable form by the end of the year. Sorry for the confusion!
This Electronic Entertainment Expo trailer for Sony Online Entertainment’s upcoming spy-MMO, The Agency, shows off quite a bit of gunplay. The Agency pits two rival organizations against each other as players using all manner of weaponry and spy gear. The Agency is due out later this year on the PlayStation 3 and PC platforms.
CCP Games has released a new trailer touting the final weekend (June 19th and 20th) of their 8th annual EVE Online Alliance Tournament. For those of you who don’t know, EVE Online a sci-fi, space-based MMO where players engage in spaceship combat while also interacting in a very complex political and economic system.
You can tune in LIVE to the Alliance Tournament starting at 1500 GMT/UTC here.
At this year’s E3, I had the chance to spend some time playing DCUO. I walked in with hesitations, I’m not going to lie. I had many concerns before getting some hands on time. I was unsure about making a game in this universe, it seemed too limiting. So many giant boots are already filled up – I would say to capacity. I suppose Metropolis and Gotham are large enough that the big boys can’t be everywhere at once. I also had issues with the combat, especially when I heard it was going to the PS3. Is it going to become a button smasher? What about the end-game?
Find out about this and more, After the Break!
(cont.) I started my E3 journey, this year, with a demonstration of a hero smashing his way through a story to get to Harley Quinn. She seems to have kidnapped Robin, my first reaction was to let her keep him… but Batman asked for your help, can’t really say no to him. The hero was a gadget-based, sword-wielding, bad ass with a cape. He was thrown instantly into action jumping right into a group of thugs. The entire level was designed like a demented toyland with giant presents everywhere. The hero’s movement specialty was acrobatics, you can use this as a weapon, but the only thing I witnessed was jumping down on a group of guys to knock them down.
Some of the things that impressed me with this demonstration was the pace of the action, and the fluidity of the combat. You can quickly move from target to target and unleash a ton of special abilities that refresh before you know it. They have a, I believe, proprietary physics engine that is quite impressive for not being GPU-based and they take full advantage of it. One of the weapons this hero had was a freeze-like ray that turned the bad guys into a giant ball of ice. They would roll down stairs and you can even pick them up to throw them or slam them down on some poor sap nearby. One small thing was the way gear works when looted. If you come across something with great stats, but it doesn’t go with your outfit, you can ‘hide it’ leaving your previous piece of armor keeping the stats of the new loot.
SOE reps claim to be ready for the end-game. Players can get into PVP battles to help build up their notoriety and fame once they are at the max level. I played PVP on the PS3 and I had some fun once I got used to it. There will be plenty of raid-like encounters for those that enjoy PVE gaming. I will be curious to see more about this game, especially the stuff revolving around the story of your hero. I left the presentation wanting to see more, so I suppose this is a good thing. That said, my hesitations really haven’t gone away. I hope they can pull it off, this one has potential.
I had a chance to talk to the folks at Sony Online Entertainment about Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures, an upcoming free-to-play MMO set in the Clone Wars time period of the Star Wars universe. Sony has learned a thing or two about free-to-play, micro-transaction based MMOs and it looks like they are gaining steam with this one.
Checkout my full impressions of this upcoming title, After the Break!
(cont.) The game is aimed at the same audience as the Star Wars: Clone Wars TV show – boys of around 10 to 12 years of age. It’s made up of various mini-games, ranging from full screen 3D arcade games to even 2D casual games. There is a port you start in where you can customize your avatar by purchasing some cool outfits or pets. You can either explore to find each mini-game, or you can just skip right to whichever one you want. This make it easy for anyone to hop into the game and play for a few minutes to a few hours trying to beat that last score.
During the demonstration, I was shown the space battle from the beginning of Episode III. It reminded me of the original Star Wars arcade game (only with full 3D graphics). Imagine the art direction of the Clone Wars TV show, and you can imagine the graphics. I was also shown one of many 2D games that were based on popular games we all know and love. They even have a tower defense game that looked really cool. One of the main game goals of that mini-game was to collect power-ups like thermal grenades, or even orbital bombardment.
Each of the games takes place in some situation seen in the movies or TV show and was really polished for being a free-to-play title. Parents, don’t worry, SOE has plenty of parental controls to make sure your kid doesn’t go nuts with your credit card or play the game at all hours of the day or night. I look forward to sharing this game with my nephews to see what they think of it, maybe we can have them write up a review – put those little whippersnappers to work!
Square Enix is releasing a benchmark tool to test your system making sure you will be ready for their new MMO Final Fantasy XIV. The Final Fantasy XIV Official Benchmark uses actual scenes and characters from the game.
The download is available now on the official website
When Thrustmaster asked if we would like to attend the Electronic Entertainment Expo preview event for their upcoming HOTAS Warthog flight control system, we gladly accepted. They sent a limo over to pick us up from the convention center which then took us all to the California Science Center in Los Angeles in Los Angeles. We were greeted by the Thrustmaster press team at the bottom of the stairs in the theater. When entering the presentation area, we were treated to three different simulator setups on a small stage – one was standard PC/monitor desk setup. The other two were actual simulator cockpits from Scsimulations.com.
Checkout the full rundown on the event and the HOTAS Warthog, After the Break!
(cont.) Laid out in the simulators was the incredibly realistic-looking HOTAS Warthog. In case you are wondering, HOTAS stands for Hands On Throttle And Stick – meaning that while flying your virtual aircraft, you should never have to removed your hands from the flight controls. The new HOTAS Warthog is due out in just a few months and promises to provide some serious realism to the home flight simulation experience. The stick was modeled after the genuine A-10C flight control stick. In fact, they had an actual stick from the real aircraft their for comparison purposes. This is in thanks to some really great news for the company – that the HOTAS Warthog has been officially-licensed by the United States Air Force! This means that Thrustmaster had access to the aforementioned real flight controls for data-gathering purposes. However, it should be known that certain accommodations had to be made for the HOTAS Warthog…
For instance, according to Gilles Raulet, the Development Director of Gaming Products at Guillemot (Thrustmaster’s parent company), the real A-10C stick’s trigger has a required squeeze pressure of 22 Newtons. This was apparently too strong for most gamers, so Raulet claimed that Thrustmaster has reduced the required pressure slightly. However, with its all-metal construction, the HOTAS Warthog flight stick still requires higher-than-average pressure to work the various buttons and switches. One of the most impressive things about the stick is new sensor. In the company’s previous HOTAS system, the Cougar, they utilized an older sensor system made up of potentiometers. In the new Warthog, this older system has been replaced by a H.E.A.R.T (HallEffect AccuRate Technology) sensor. This new sensor uses magnetic fields to detect accurate stick location. In fact, the new sensor is so accurate that it has a resolution of 65,536 x 65,536 different locations! It is also possible, though it would be costly, for Thrustmaster to create different flight stick handle designs which could be swapped for the default one on the HOTAS Warthog. For instance, the HOTAS Cougar stick is actually already able to be swapped with the default stick. This opens up the possibility of numerous upgrades without paying for another full HOTAS system. Want an F-15E stick instead? Maybe an F-14D? It is certainly possible – should the F-14D control systems ever move off the ‘classified’ list, that is…
The throttle quadrant features a split-design to accommodate the A-10C’s twin-engine design. Not only that, but several of the switches and rockers found in the real cockpit’s throttle quadrant can also be found on Thrustmaster’s quadrant! The only thing missing from the HOTAS Warthog is a set of rudder pedals – although I must mention that the throttle can be configured to provide yaw control instead. One of the throttle’s best features is the small (almost mobile device-sized) trackball which will change the in-game slew position of the radar cursor or map in game’s like Digital Combat Simulations’ upcoming A-10C simulator title. One new feature not seen on previous Thrustmaster throttle quadrants is a unique push and pull system that requires pilots to move their throttles across specially-raised detentes for idle and afterburner settings.
During the evening, we were not only treated to a presentation on the creation of the HOTAS Warthog, but also demonstrations of formation flying by the ‘Virtual Thunderbirds’ – an online flight sim team which replicates actual Thunderbirds’ stunt shows in DCS’ Lock On – Flaming Cliffs 2. According to several members of the virtual flight team, they primarily use the HOTAS Cougar flight system, although some had apparently already been testing out the HOTAS Warthog for Thrustmaster (lucky ducks!).
I got a chance to try out the HOTAS Warthog for a few minutes in an early build of Digital Combat Simulations upcoming Warthog simulation, DCS: A-10C Warthog. Game producer Matt Wagner was demoing the game for the attendees, showing off the interface between the sim and the HOTAS setup. The dual-throttle was very smooth, as opposed to the recently-released Saitek X-65F’s throttle quadrant, and engaging Thrustmaster’s new pull and push afterburner and idle detentes was easily done. Flying over the coast and then turning back onto the mainland for some nap-of-the-earth flying, the HOTAS Warthog’s flight-stick performed admirably. It has a weighty feeling to it without having the awful pull of potentiometers which can often lead to inaccuracy while laying out fire on-target. We only had a few minutes with the setup, but it left us craving more.
We are very excited at what could be one of the best flight sim peripherals ever devised.
