Electronic Arts has released some new multiplayer screenshots for its upcoming Medal of Honor Warfighter – enjoy!
Screens
Author - Jerry Paxton
AUSTIN, Texas, October 10, 2012 — Chris Roberts, who helped define the space sim genre in computer games during the 1990s with his Wing Commander® and Privateer® franchises, is back in the cockpit again with a new title he says will change the way people perceive games for the PC and will breathe new life into space combat games. The new game, Star Citizen™, was officially announced today at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) Online taking place at the Austin Convention Center. The game is being developed by Roberts’ Cloud Imperium™ Games studio, located in Los Angeles.
Roberts’ re-entry into gaming comes after he spent more than a decade as a director and producer in the Hollywood film industry. In 1990, he introduced Wing Commander to the world of PC gaming and the franchise went on to sell millions of units and spawned multiple sequels, a feature film and another highly successful game franchise, Privateer.
Star Citizen, already 12 months into production, will be launched on the PC and will include all the Chris Roberts hallmarks that fans of his games have come to expect over the years: high quality cutting-edge visuals and technology, a virtual world that is immersive and detailed, a sophisticated storyline that is wide in scope and visceral, heart-pounding space combat.
“In recent years, game designers have stopped innovating and pushing the boundaries of what you can do in this genre,” says Roberts. “I plan on bringing that kind of development mentality back into PC gaming and space sims in particular.
“There is a lot of noise out there regarding social and mobile games right now, and I think PC gamers are feeling a little left out of the mix. But the PC is still incredibly capable of presenting an experience that doesn’t take a back seat to any other platform out there, including consoles. With my game, I want PC gamers to stand up, be counted and get excited again about all the great experiences their computer can deliver.”
At GDC Online Roberts also announced a program to bring his devotees and other interested parties much closer to the development process. A crowd funding site has been posted at www.robertsspaceindustries.com to help raise the necessary funds for completing development of the project. “Our purpose today,” said Roberts, “is to allow our fans to join us in this process early. It will likely be another two years before the full product is ready for release, but early backers will be able to play a version of the game a year from now.
“We are taking this approach to fund-raising for several reasons,” said Roberts. “For one, this route takes the traditional game publisher out of the mix and enables us to take the millions of dollars normally used by publishers for a triple-A title and plow them right back into developing the game. Secondly, using our own crowd funding mechanism allows us to reach out to our international fans, who have been devoted followers of my games in the past. Thirdly, going direct gets us much closer to our fans and allows us to focus more on the community side, create more updates for our fans and directly interact with them as we are making the game.”
Star Citizen, still in early development stages, will not require a subscription, but will not be free-to-play either. Roberts says the game will be available for a one-time purchase. And while players will be able to play in the Star Citizen universe for free, there will also be virtual items available for purchase with in-game credits so players can customize their ships and other items.
The game is being developed for PC only. More information about Star Citizen can be found at www.robertsspaceindustries.com.
Screenshots/Images/Assets
MONTREAL – October 10, 2012 – Infinite Game Publishing (IGP) and Piranha Games announced today that MechWarrior Online will go Open Beta on October 16. MechWarrior Online, one of 2012’s most anticipated titles, has been lauded by fans and the games media as the return of true Mech combat. Its successful Founder’s Program will officially end at midnight on October 14. Founder’s members are able to choose tiers of membership and get a head start here: http://mwomercs.com/founders.
“We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to all of the fans over the course of our closed beta period,” said Russ Bullock, president of Piranha Games. “The amazing fans and the high quality feedback given to our team have helped us craft MechWarrior Online into a true MechWarrior gameplay experience. We’re more than excited to open up the game and look forward to continuing to expand the InnerSphere with our loyal fans.”
Set in the year 3049 during the early stages of a massive interstellar war, MechWarrior Online puts you in command of the most powerful war machine to ever walk the field of battle, the mighty BattleMech™. Command your Mech and customize it to suit your battlefield role; upgrade systems, replace weapons, and tweak armor with endless options.
Get your pilot name and more information at www.mwomercs.com.
Electronic Arts and Visceral Games have released some new screenshots from their upcoming Dead Space 3. Dead Space 3 will be available on February 5, 2013 in North America and February 8, 2013 in Europe for the PlayStation, Xbox 360 and the PC.
Screenshots
Recently, I got the chance to check out 2K Sports’ NBA 2K13, the latest in their long line of basketball titles. I am a late bloomer when it comes to basketball games, beginning with 2K Sports NBA 2K10. Even in such a short amount of time between then and now – there have been so many improvements to be thankful for in the genre. This newest entry from 2K Sports doesn’t disappoint but, then again, does it satisfy?
The overall gameplay experience is very similar to NBA 2k12 – with the exception of an update to the game’s control scheme. Now, the game makes heavy use of the right analog stick for dribbling, passing, making shots, etc than ever before. The result is a much more fluid gameplay experience, with gestures being the order of the day to spin, shoot, etc. While hardcore gamers of the genre might find it takes some getting used to, I think they will come to love it. The overall game feels more like watching the game in person as opposed to fumbling about in a basketball simulation. Good news is that you still get some of that sim experience so don’t lose heart. As a hardcore flight simulation gamer, I know this feeling all too well…. Microsoft…Talkin’ to you….
NBA 2K13 was produced in part by rapper Jay-Z. This is mostly reflected in the soundtrack, which features hits not only from Jay-Z but also artists such as Kanye West, Daft Punk, and U2 (heck, even Coldplay gets a track). The overall soundtrack is excellent and offers up hard hitting beats to play alongside.
The “My Player” game mode is back in NBA 2K13 as “My Career” – expanding on the liked game mode with in-game currency as well as several other tweaks and polishes. For instance, post-game press conferences are back in the mode but, this time, you can talk up (or down) your General Manager. Additionally, there are now pre-game actions or rituals which will help distinguish your player even more. Not to mention that you can also purchase clothing to enter the arena in! This is the best career mode ever seen in a basketball title (again – also kind of the only one). You can even earn virtual currency for your athlete while not in-game by playing the NBA 2K: My Life app on Facebook or even the new NBA 2K13 game on iOS or the MyNBA2K app for iOS, Android and Kindle Fire tablets. 2K Games is really covering the bases as the virtual currency is that important to the game mode.
Overall, 2K Sports newest basketball title, NBA 2K13, gives just enough to be considered more than a small update of last season’s NBA 2K12. Unfortunately, die-hard sports gamers might feel slighted that there are not more new features to play around with. That being said, gamers should have a lot of fun with the updated control system as well as My Career game mode. It may feel a bit “phoned-in” in terms of updates, but that is not to say it isn’t the best basketball title on the market (it is) – however, it is also the only basketball game on the market. Where is the competition, folks?
“NBA 2K13” is rated “E” for everyone by the ESRB and is available for PlayStation 3, PC, Xbox 360, Wii and PSP.Screenshots
Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor haunted event has returned for 2012. This year’s Dark Harbor sees one new maze featuring zombies from the deep, new main story characters, and as an optional “R.I.P.” experience for an up-charge. Last year, the Dark Harbor was taken over by an alluring demoness known as Bundarra. This year, the ghosts of the R.M.S. Queen Mary have returned to take it back. The main characters can be found in both the mazes as well as walking about. All are actors and able to interact with the crowd. They do a very good job of staying in character and thinking quickly on their feet when asked off-the-wall things by guests.
Most of the mazes at the event have not changed much since last year. However, the park has a new maze called “Deadrise” which features a burnt out ship hull and a crew of ghoulish sailors. The maze was interesting, with lots jagged metal set pieces. The ship hull is also very impressive from the maze entrance, with fire rushing up from its smokestack. The only feedback I would give its monsters is that they are a little too reliant on banging pipes against the metal objects. Upon exiting the maze, our ears were actually ringing. “The Cage” also returns much to my dismay – the maze always gives me a bad taste in my mouth as we pushed our way through other guests, all lost in which way to go. I hope that the Dark Harbor event changes out this one for next year’s event.
Thankfully, the mazes onboard the Queen Mary herself are still very effective and scary. In an interesting anecdote, we had to evacuate one of them as a fire alarm sounded. Some of the other guests thought it was just part of the experience but maze monsters and staff were very courteous and efficient at clearing everyone out. Thankfully, it turned out to be a false alarm. Overall, the shipboard mazes are still the scariest of the event. The sets are creepy as can be and the monsters are all good at staying in character. I would highly recommend that guests be sure not to miss them.
The “R.I.P.” program is an up-charge experience where guests can enjoy the R.I.P. Lounge during the night (with food and 4 drink tickets) as well as get fast-lane access to all the mazes. The lounge served us some tasty beef or chicken street tacos and the bar was adequately-stocked. I am not sure if I would recommend the $99 dollar experience unless you were planning to attend on a busier night like on a Friday or Saturday. On the night we attended – which, admittedly, was during the first weekend of their event, was very lowly-populated. Additionally, Dark Harbor still has a great bar and stage area set up and is definitely a focal point of the event. The band that played while we were in attendance were simply “rocking” and the bar area was a great place to hang out and chat with friends before entering the mazes.
Overall, the 2012 Queen Mary Dark Harbor haunted event is a fun, albeit spotty, haunted experience – especially for the 21 and over crowd looking to hang with friends, watch some live bands, drink, and go into some haunted mazes. For younger crowds or those looking for a more solid haunted event at the expense of the live music and alcohol, I would recommend they look elsewhere this year.
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Spacetime Studios has released the first cinematic trailer for their upcoming Arcane Legends – enjoy!
Trailer
NEWARK, Calif. —Oct. 9, 2012 — Today Logitech (SIX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) announced the newest addition to its G-Series line of high performance gaming products: the Logitech® G710+ Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. Designed to help you focus on the game, this keyboard is tested and tuned to deliver what gamers want: minimal distraction, rapid response, and complete control.
“The Logitech G710+ Mechanical Gaming Keyboard was created to meet the specific needs of gamers,” said Mark Starrett, senior global product manager for Logitech. “We road tested this keyboard with professional gamers, partners, publishers, and everyday gamers like you and me, to ensure we’ve created a mechanical gaming keyboard that exceeds expectations.”
The keyboard’s mechanical keys deliver gaming-grade responsiveness, featuring an actuation force of 45g and distance of 4 mm, and are optimized for rapid command entry. Additionally, the non-clicking key switches have a built-in dampening ring underneath each keycap to significantly reduce the distracting noise coming from your key presses without sacrificing responsiveness. The keyboard has undergone a torturous testing process to help ensure durability, with a cycle life of at least a 50 million keystrokes.
The entire keyboard is backlit in white LED light, adjustable to one of four brightness levels, and can be turned completely off. For better visibility of the WASD and arrow keys, their brightness can be adjusted independently of the rest of the keyboard.
Using the newly updated Logitech Gaming Software, you can assign complex macros or intricate Lua gaming scripts to the keyboard’s G-keys – both on the fly and in advance – for up to 18 individual functions per game. Plus, all 110 keys feature anti-ghosting and 26-key rollover to help ensure you can execute complex key-commands with flawless precision. The Logitech G710+ Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is compatible with Microsoft Windows® 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista®.
“The first major event that I used the Logitech keyboard was at MLG Summer Arena,” said NYJacky from Team Curse. “I looked at my creep score after the tournament and it was higher than normal. Most of the time you need to get used to a keyboard – this one you just slip into quickly. I would never, ever think of using anything else.”
Pricing and Availability
The Logitech G710+ Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe beginning in October and December 2012, respectively, for a suggested retail price of $149.99. For more information please visit www.logitech.com or our blog.
DUXFORD, UK, October 7th, 2012 – The Fighter Collection and Belsimtek are proud to announce the upcoming release of DCS: UH-1H Huey – the next aircraft in the Digital Combat Simulator (DCS) series of PC combat simulations. The Huey is one of the most iconic and well-known helicopters in the world. Having seen extensive service as a transport and armed combat support helicopter during the Vietnam War, the Huey continues to serve in both military and civilian roles in many countries around the globe today.
DCS: UH-1H Huey will feature the same exacting level of modelling detail as the existing Ka-50 Black Shark, A-10C Warthog and P-51D Mustang DCS aircraft and it will be online compatible with them. Working in close partnership with U.S. based UH-1 operators and experts, The Fighter Collection and Belsimtek have leveraged their unique skills and experience to provide the most dynamic and true to life helicopter experience available on the PC.
The UH-1H will be the first helicopter of conventional design featured in the DCS series and further demonstrates the broad scope of the DCS simulation environment and its ability to introduce a wide variety of aircraft from all eras into a common simulation platform. The UH-1H will also be the first DCS aircraft to offer multiple player positions, including pilot, co-pilot, and door gunner. Like previous DCS products, the UH-1H will include a variety of difficulty options to cater to users with different levels of flight simulation experience, including “Simulation” and “Game” playing modes.
DCS: UH-1H Huey will be available for pre-purchase later this year for $39.99.
For more information, please visit: www.digitalcombatsimulator.com
Key Features of DCS: UH-1H Huey include:
- Unmatched flight physics providing the most realistic and dynamic helicopter experience on the PC.
- Multiple player positions, including pilot, co-pilot, and door gunner.
- Accurate and highly detailed 3D cockpit featuring six-degrees-of-freedom technology.
- Interactive cockpit controls that allow players to operate systems using the mouse.
- Accurate UH-1H external 3D model, liveries, and weapons.
- Detailed modelling of the UH-1H instruments, weapons, engine, radios, fuel, electrical, and hydraulic systems.
- Developed in close cooperation with real UH-1 operators.
- Missions that include transport and combat support operations.
- Training that includes interactive and video lessons.
- Multiplayer coop mode for crew members of the same helicopter under development for a later update.
Twain Harte, CA – October 8, 2012 – Prepare yourselves for a monstrous clash between man and prehistoric beasts, as Reverb Publishing and Lukewarm Media announced today that Primal Carnage, a team-based shooter pitting dinosaurs and humans in a vicious struggle, has now gone into open beta for all players who pre-order the game. So ready up and be amongst the first to experience the prehistoric action as Primal Carnage will be unleashed upon the masses very soon.
Primal Carnage can be pre-ordered now at the Primal Carnage website, Steam, GameStop, GamersGate, and Rain. When players pre-order they will have instant access to the beta as well as receiving an exclusive in-game feathered raptor skin to be made available when the game launches. More information on the beta can be found here.
Primal Carnage is the dinosaur title for which the world has been waiting. Dinosaurs take center stage in this class-based online multiplayer shooter featuring fast-paced between a team of humans brave enough to stand toe to toe with hordes of some of the most vicious animals ever to walk the face of the earth. Players can choose to take on both sides of the battle as either the human classes utilizing an arsenal of distinct and unique weaponry or inhabit the body of one of these menacing and powerful dinosaurs intent on leaving a trail of blood and destruction in their wake.
Primal Carnage key features include:
- Rendered in stunning beauty using the Unreal Engine, players will wage war between man and beast in five large, open and varied environments
- 10 playable classes, (five Human, five Dinosaur) each with unique skills and abilities
- Play from both first-person (Human) and third-person (Dinosaur) perspective providing a contrasting gameplay experience for both teams
- Multiple achievements and an extensive DLC roadmap
Primal Carnage is a part of Reverb Publishing’s growing roster of titles, which includes the massively-successful Dungeon Defenders, as well as the upcoming fall 2012 line-up of Ravaged, Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken, Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller, Edge of Space and much more. For more information on Reverb Publishing, please visit us atwww.reverbpublishing.com. For more information about Primal Carnage, please visit www.primalcarnage.com and be sure to “Like” us at www.facebook.com/primalcarnage and follow the game development on Twitter @PrimalCarnage.