Author - Jerry Paxton

Knott’s Scary Farm 2020 Canceled

2020/08/04

Knott’s Berry Farm has been canceled for 2020. This, according to an offical park blog update by Jon Storbeck, Knott’s Vice President & General Manager.

Regrettably, due to continued operating restrictions related to the pandemic, we have had to make the very difficult decision to cancel our highly anticipated 2020 Knott’s Scary Farm event. The unique features of Scary Farm will not allow us to operate within the constraints recommended by the CDC and public health experts. We know that this news is disappointing, but we look forward with great enthusiasm to making 2021 Knott’s Scary Farm our best year ever.

Combat Mission Shock Force 2 Coming to Steam

2020/08/04

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Windows PC News

Slitherine is proud to announce that they’ve partnered with Battlefront to bring Combat Mission Shock Force 2 to third-party digital stores. The game, along with all its DLCs, will be available from August 25th on Matrix Games, Steam and other digital stores.

“We are genuinely proud and excited to bring Combat Mission Shock Force 2 to a brand-new audience,” says Marco A. Minoli, Marketing Director at Slitherine. “Battlefront’s unrivalled modern era 3D wargame will now be available to a much broader player base. Our community at Matrix Games forms the backbone of online wargaming. Marketing and distributing a modern classic like Combat Mission is a sign of how relevant our presence in the market has become.”

What is Combat Mission Shock Force 2? Shock Force 2 allows players to take command of a NATO force in a hypothetical modern-day Syrian conflict. The game’s 3D graphics engine takes advantage of Battlefront’s vast experience in 3D wargames, giving an unprecedented level of realism and detail – so much that the game is used in several professional military environments for training and analysis purposes. Players can assign orders to their units, either in real time or with the innovative turn-based WeGo system. Shock Force 2 focuses on tactical platoon-level action, and features both a single-player campaign and multiplayer (Hotseat or PBEM).

“For 20 years Battlefront has created the most accurate and engaging 3D wargames available to the public. For the last few years we’ve been working with Slitherine on bringing that professionalism to military customers. The time spent together allowed us to discover how much we complement each other and how in-synch we are philosophically. Broadening our partnership was a no-brainer and we very much look forward to our journey ahead.” – Stephen Grammont, Co-Founder of Battlefront and Combat Mission.

All Combat Mission Shock Force 2 DLCs will also be available on August 25th: Marines, British Forces and NATO (including German, Canadian and Dutch forces).

GDC Summer Begins Today

2020/08/04

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News

Informa Tech, the organizers of the Game Developers Conference (GDC), the world’s largest and longest-running event for professionals dedicated to the art and science of making games, have kicked off GDC Summer, the first completely virtual GDC, consisting of three days of multidisciplinary educational and inspirational talks, running today through Thursday, August 6.

GDC Summer was built from the ground up as a virtual conference and capitalizes on the unique benefits of going fully online with a tailored platform to present all-new types of sessions and community activities alongside the top-notch content on which GDC has built its industry-leading reputation.

The virtual conference brings the top-quality content of a GDC conference, with sessions hosted by top video game professional across the tracks of Design, Programming, Business & Marketing, Production & Team Management, Visual Arts, Audio, Career & Studio Development, Advocacy, as well as a Student Program and sponsored content from top tech companies. Sessions will cover current and notable issues in the games industry, including talks addressing the effects of COVID-19 on the industry, diversity in the industry, accessibility, funding, the topic of unionization and much more. The event’s program will also include popular GDC sessions including the Experimental Gameplay Workshop for its 18th annual edition. This showcase of upcoming games is known as the platform where games that went on to become legendary debuted, including games like Katamari Damacy, flOw, Braid, Portal and Storyteller.

Unique to GDC Summer will be a series of Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions with industry veterans, an Interactive Skill Building Series designed to give hands-on instruction on how to use tools and techniques, plus several virtual community events, including live music, yoga instruction and an online art gallery.

“Our goal with GDC Summer is to bring the same expert content, networking opportunities, and chance to come together as a community that attendees have come to expect from a GDC event,” said GDC General Manager Katie Stern. “We’re very pleased to be able to capitalize on the virtual nature of the conference with new ways to connect with each other and unique sessions such as AMAs and skill building sessions, but at the end of the day, we’re most happy to be able to offer an authentic GDC experience.”

Those that are interested in experiencing GDC Summer can still register to attend now from home, throughout the end of the conference at the official GDC website.

For more details on the GDC Summer, please visit the GDC’s official website, or subscribe to regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS. Official photos are available via the Official GDC Flickr account: www.flickr.com/photos/officialgdc/.

The Great Dalmuti: Dungeons & Dragons Card Game Announced

2020/08/03

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News

You can fall from the top of the heap to ruthless beholder-spawn in an instant – and that’s part of the fun in The Great Dalmuti: Dungeons & Dragons! To commemorate the 25th anniversary of The Great Dalmuti, Wizards of the Coast is releasing a new Dungeons & Dragons-inspired version of the classic card game. Baronesses with their highfalutin hats were turned to stone by snarky medusas, goofy jesters were chased into the castle moat by giggling gnolls, and the super snooty archbishops have all undergone the long process of ceremorphosis to become evil mind flayers. Building on the success of the award-winning card game designed by Richard Garfield, The Great Dalmuti: Dungeons & Dragons will test players’ fates and status in a fun, easy-to-learn, and fast-paced card game. The deck includes 13 cards, including the iconic Great Dalmuti, and new D&D-flavored card names accompanied by beautiful and evocative illustrations by artist Harry Conway.

In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, the dice may control your fate, but in The Great Dalmuti, it’s about how cleverly you play the cards you’re dealt. One round you’re polishing your royal crown, and the next you’re whacking rats in a filthy alley. Perfect for ages 8 and up and up to 8 players – it’s a gloat-filled, winner-take-all contest.

The Great Dalmuti: Dungeons & Dragons will be available everywhere in November – just in time for the holidays – and will retail for $14.99. For more information about The Great Dalmuti: Dungeons & Dragons, visit dungeonsanddragons.com.

Leisure Suit Larry – Wet Dreams Dry Twice Announced

2020/08/03

Jerry Paxton

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

Publisher Assemble Entertainment and developer Crazybunch today unveiled the second installment in the acclaimed (and maybe a little infamous) Leisure Suit Larry – Wet Dreams series. Set for release on Windows PC and Mac via Steam and GoG on October 15, 2020, Leisure Suit Larry – Wet Dreams Dry Twice invites players to slip back into the leather pants of self-titled heartthrob and try-hard ladies man Larry Laffer as he sets out to find his true love, the divinely delightful Faith. Now that Larry has become acquainted with the modern age and all of its contemporary gadgets, he must use his smarts — and ignore his desires — as he sets out to settle down — once and for all.

“Bringing Larry Laffer back to his adoring fans has been a labor of love and something that we’ve not taken lightly,” said Assemble Entertainment CEO Stefan Marcinek. “Crazybunch did an excellent job repositioning Larry in the modern age while retaining the mostly-SFW humor that’s loved and expected in the series. We can’t wait to see what fans think of Larry’s new soaking wet adventure!”

Watch the Leisure Suit Larry – Wet Dreams Dry Twice teaser trailer:

Like its predecessor, Leisure Suit Larry – Wet Dreams Dry Twice features easy-to-learn point-and-click controls, making getting Larry where he needs to be smoother than ever! Players will guide Larry in his self-made boat through various islands, each featuring their own sensual surprises, ultimately leading him to his one true love – the lovely and intelligent Faith! Although Larry can sweet-talk his way through just about any situation, he’ll still run into plenty of perplexing puzzles, eccentric characters, and need to collect a number of useful items — some phallic-shaped, some not.

Transformers Comes to World of Warships

2020/08/03

Jerry Paxton

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

Wargaming and Hasbro, Inc. have announced today that Transformers will be coming to popular naval combat games World of Warships on PC and World of Warships: Legends on consoles for a limited time thanks to this exciting new collaboration. Autobots and Decepticons will be introduced as themed ship skins and commanders in a much-anticipated update planned for this September.

Four iconic Transformers characters will be released initially as unique ship skins and commanders with recognizable phrases and voiceovers. Optimus Prime and Bumblebee will set the stage for the Autobots, with Megatron and Rumble to be available as their eternal foes – the Decepticons.

“Generations were raised with the Transformers franchise. Starting from the 1980’s animated series all the way to the latest movies, we instantly fell in love with the robot characters that captivated our imagination. Having the chance to feature them in World of Warships was a dream come true for many of us” said Philip Molodkovets, World of Warships’ Executive Producer. “Our love for big, epic metal warriors is mutual! Therefore we paid special attention to bring Transformers characters to life in details and true scale, side by side with legendary warships.”

“We’re thrilled to bring the Transformers brand to life in World of Warships through this unique collaboration” said Mark Blecher, SVP Corporate Strategy and Business Affairs at Hasbro. “Combining the might of warships and Transformers adds a whole new dimension to combat for fans of both franchises”.

The coming Transformers collaboration with World of Warships will also bring a host of other new content, including special Transformers containers, dedicated in-game tasks and combat missions, expendable camouflages, commemorative flags and patches, and more.

Battletoads Release Date Trailer

2020/07/31

Jerry Paxton

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

This morning on Xbox Wire, Rare announced “Battletoads” will be releasing August 20 with Xbox Game Pass and on Xbox One, Windows 10 PC and Steam. Developed by Dlala Studios in partnership with Rare, “Battletoads” marks the titular trio’s first featured appearance in 26 years.

“Battletoads” sees up to three players take control of Zitz, Rash and Pimple for a fast-paced action brawler where the toads can morph parts of their bodies for extra destruction. The game also has an irreverent sence of humor inspired by the stylish, self-aware cartoons of the late 90s – complete with a hand-drawn art style and a wild story featuring fully animated cutscenes and professional voice talent. For more information please reference Xbox Wire.

Rare will have more to share on “Battletoads” in the weeks leading up to launch. Until then, stay tuned to Xbox Wire, check out Xbox.com.

Battlefield Earth Getting 20th Anniversary Blu-ray Release

2020/07/30

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Movie News, News, Trailers / Videos

Mill Creek Entertainment is excited to announce the inclusion of newly produced bonus features for the upcoming Blu-ray release of BATTLEFIELD EARTH. Celebrating the 20-year anniversary of its theatrical launch, this high-definition debut includes over 70 minutes of interviews with the crew associated with the film. Fans can get behind-the-scenes insights, never-before-seen photographs and fascinating stories about the development of the script, visual effects, musical score and more! This special edition Blu-ray will release will be available on September 15 for $19.99 MSRP.

Based on L. Ron Hubbard’s bestselling science fiction book, the story takes place in the year 3000 where Earth is ruled by a vicious alien race known as the Psychlos that have stripped the planet of its resources and eradicated most the human population. One of the few surviving humans, Jonnie Goodboy Tyler (Barry Pepper) is in pursuit of a better place to live, but is soon captured by a Psychlo slavemaster to join fellow “man-animals” in mining efforts. Jonnie eventually gains the attention of the evil Psychlo security officer Terl (John Travolta) and his assistant Ker (Forest Whitaker) who have discovered a vein of gold which they are unable to recover without the assistance of humans. While Terl attempts to makes Jonnie his personal slave, Jonnie uses his position to rally the other humans and unite in a plot to destroy the aliens and restore the human race to its former glory.

Featuring over 70 minutes of new bonus interviews and featurettes including:

“LEVERAGE: WRITING THE FIRST DRAFT” – A new interview with screenwriter J.D. Shapiro

WATCH A PREVIEW OF THIS FEATURETTE HERE:

“SAGA IN THE YEAR 2000: DIRECTING BATTLEFIELD EARTH” – A new interview with director Roger Christian

“ENDANGERED SPECIES: SCORING BATTLEFIELD EARTH” – A new interview with composer Elia Cmiral

“DOMES AND DRONES: CREATING THE MINIATURES” – A new interview with model maker E. James Small

“PSYCHLO CIRCUS: DESIGNING BATTLEFIELD EARTH” – New select scene commentary with production designer Patrick Tatopoulos

Daniel Griffith of Ballyhoo Motion Pictures serves as producer of these new Blu-ray bonus features. He has produced, directed, and edited over 100 documentary shorts and features, specializing in creative content for home media releases.

Hellpoint Launch Trailer

2020/07/30

Jerry Paxton

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

Developer Cradle Games and publisher tinyBuild are excited to announce that the Kickstarter-backed Souls-like RPG Hellpoint is out today on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. Nintendo Switch version, as previously announced, will come later in 2020. Watch the launch trailer:

Hellpoint is an intense, dark sci-fi RPG set on a derelict space station orbiting an ominous supermassive black hole. Taking inspiration from games like Dark Souls and Dead Space and movies like Event Horizon and Hellraiser, Hellpoint is doubling down on co-op multiplayer (with both split-screen and online support) while immersing players in a twisted narrative involving Cosmic Gods, quantum physics, and extinct space civilizations.

The game is set in the aftermath of a massive quantum cataclysm called the Merge. You wake up on board the Irid Novo space station, a beacon of galactic cooperation and scientific exploration gone horribly wrong. What happens next will be solely determined by your choices.

Key Features:

Souls-like gameplay in a unique setting: Explore the derelict space station of Irid Novo and face bizarre enemies with a tight and unforgiving combat system.
Occult space story: Blending science and fantasy, the intensely atmospheric dark sci-fi setting will keep you searching for answers.
Dynamic World: The Quantic System acts as a dungeon master, slightly transforming the game world every time you die and triggering events as the station revolves around the black hole.
Jump-in co-op and PvP multiplayer: Ask a friend to press Start to join a couch co-op session or call for assistance online. Hellpoint offers a full, uninterrupted co-op story with shared loot drops.

Square Enix to Republish Heavensward and Stormblood Art Books

2020/07/30

Jerry Paxton

Book News, Geek News, News

SQUARE ENIX® today announced that four full-color art books celebrating the characters and world of FINAL FANTASY® XIV Online’s award winning expansions, Heavensward™ and Stormblood™, will be republished in new editions by the company’s Square Enix Manga & Books imprints.

FINAL FANTASY XIV Online has entertained over 20 million players with its critically acclaimed story and gameplay since its launch in 2013. With these art books made available again, new players and veterans alike will have the opportunity to own these rich collections of illustrations and concept art spanning each expansion and their patch update content. Each art book will include an exclusive bonus item code for an in-game minion.

Details on each art book are available below:

FINAL FANTASY XIV: Heavensward | The Art of Ishgard -Stone and Steel-
- Scheduled for release on March 23, 2021, this volume presents the concept art and planning images that became the foundation for the aesthetics of Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward. This art book includes full-color art and character sketches, as well as lore-related drawings of equipment, environments, as well as an exclusive bonus item code for an in-game Wind-up Relm minion.
FINAL FANTASY XIV: Heavensward | The Art of Ishgard -The Scars of War-
- Scheduled for release on March 23, 2021, this high-quality, large-format art book contains illustrations and concept artwork covering content through the end of the Heavensward expansion, along with art team commentary. The book includes an exclusive bonus item code for an in-game Wind-up Hraesvelgr minion.
FINAL FANTASY XIV: Stormblood | The Art of the Revolution – Western Memories
- Scheduled for release on July 20, 2021, this art book offers hundreds of pages of breathtaking artwork from FINAL FANTASY XIV: Stormblood, with special commentary from the art team on how costumes are created. This book also includes a bonus item code for a Wind-up Yotsuyu minion.
FINAL FANTASY XIV: Stormblood | The Art of the Revolution – Eastern Memories –
- Also scheduled to release on July 20, 2021, the second volume of this two-volume set of Stormblood official artbooks features almost one thousand pieces of concept art and illustrations, including character designs, dungeons, monsters, equipment, and more. Also includes an exclusive bonus item code for an in-game Dress-Up Tataru minion.

Additionally, two manga series will make their North American debut next year—the hilarious and heart-warming LGBTQIA+-friendly family comedy I Think Our Son Is Gay, Volume 1 releasing on May 11, 2021, and the sci-fi/fantasy yuri survival thriller Otherside Picnic, Volume 1 releasing on May 25, 2021.

For the latest information from Square Enix Manga & Books, visit: square-enix-books.com.