It was Christmas in Spring for hundreds of families this past Saturday at the M.E.N.D. Facility in Pacoima where, once again, they hosted Universal Studios’ Christmas in Spring charity event. Christmas in Spring was created by Universal Studios in order to help out impoverished families living in Southern California. The event, now in its 27th year, has helped over 16,000 people since its inception. This year, the event allowed these families to enjoy an afternoon of custom-prepared food and interactive festivities, from carnival games and face painters to a live DJ. The best part about Christmas in Spring, aside from those it helps of course, is that it is manned by volunteer Universal Studios employees!
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May 31, 2018 – 10 Chambers Collective, an independent Swedish development team led by the game designer behind the PAYDAY franchise, Ulf Andersson, announced today that GTFO (www.gtfothegame.com) will be playable for the first time, by appointment at E3 2018 (Concourse Booth #8804). GTFO is a 4-player co-op horror First Person Shooter made with Unity that will test the mettle of the most hardcore players.
Since its announcement trailer debuted at The Game Awards in December 2017, GTFO has been selected by several outlets as one of the most anticipated games of 2018. At E3 2018 10 Chambers Collective is offering the first hands-on for journalists and a small number of selected hardcore fans – who have been picked from their ‘Ambassador Programme’. The playtests will take place behind closed doors and will run on computers from Alienware, powered by NVIDIA GPUs.
“We were blown away when we saw the debut trailer for GTFO during The Game Awards and our excitement was validated after we had the chance to play the game earlier this month,” said Isabelle Riva, Head of Made with Unity, Unity Technologies. “We are so impressed at what the small team of nine people at 10 Chambers Collective has been able to accomplish; it’s a testament to how Unity has the power to unlock the world’s creative potential.”
Together with this announcement, 10 Chambers Collective reveals new in-game screenshots from GTFO. The screenshots reveal a new enemy that uses long, jellyfish-like feelers to detect the players, and can be downloaded here.
Members of 10 Chambers Collective will be attending E3 and release more in-game screenshots and gameplay footage, which will be available to all media at www.gtfothegame.com.
“We‘ve been overwhelmed by the support we got during and after The Game Awards. Getting that kind of exposure when you’re a small self-financed team like us really changed the playing field. Now, with the support of Unity, we’re reaching a higher level once again and GTFO can really become the game we started to fantasize about three years ago”, says Ulf Andersson, founder of 10 Chambers Collective.
GTFO will be released in 2018 and can already be found on Steam. Interact with 10 Chambers Collective on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, and join the ambassador program to get development info ahead of the public.
May 29, 2018 – Spintires: MudRunner is the ultimate off-road experience, taking players on hostile roads and harsh environments. Available on PC and consoles, Spintires: MudRunner is releasing the Ridge DLC today, a free content update that includes a new map, new vehicles, and new add-ons to explore and experiment with. The Ridge is a coastal map split in half by a mountain ridge. Players will need to take a lot of care if they’re looking to cut time by travelling across the center.
In addition to a brand new map, two new vehicles are being introduced, the D-538, a heavy duty tractor, and the B-6A, a lightweight tractor. These two vehicles can be used on any map, provided you have enough progression points unlocked. Completing The Ridge requires players to utilize a new type of delivery gameplay called Scavenging. Logs are now scattered across the map, and players will have to find them at various locations in the wild to complete deliveries and earn unlock points.
Spintires: MudRunner offers incredible content and unique experiences – it’s a genre of its own, reinventing the rules and offering new challenges for players looking for emergent encounters and true-to-life off-roading situations. Dedicated players and driving enthusiasts will appreciate the hyper-realistic driving sensations thanks to an advanced physics engine, a differential transmission system, soft-tire simulation, as well as realistic interactions between vegetation, mud, water, and your vehicle.
Spintires: MudRunner’s next free content DLC, The Ridge, is available today on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Steam.
May 4, 2018 – The official Tour de France 2018 video games will release June 28th this year on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC in retail stores and for download. Today, we are happy to unveil new images of Pro Cycling Manager 2018 (PC) and Tour de France 2018 (consoles) that will bring you on the route of Le Tour 2018.
In Tour de France 2018 on consoles, play as the greatest champions and hit the official track of Le Tour 2018! Dive into the intensity of this legendary race where you’ll need to attack, follow the best trajectories, and carry out the finest racing tactics to lead your team to victory and earn the mythical Yellow Jersey LCL!
This year, experience a brand new game mode: Pro Leader, where you create your own rider and bring him to the top of his career by completing objectives to improve and gain new responsibilities from season to season! The simulation aspect of the game goes even deeper thanks to your new team Progression System, an improved Fitness Peak System for your riders, and a more aggressive and realistic AI, making this year’s sprints and breakaways as competitive as ever.
Along with the new official route from Le Tour 2018, new races and Classics such as the mythical Paris-Roubaix are joining the long list of roads you will have to ride to prove you are the best cyclist!
In Pro Cycling Manager 2018 on PC, step into the shoes of a sports manager and lead your pro cycling team through a challenge-packed 2018 season where you’ll compete in more than 200 races and 500 stages around the world, including famous Tours such as La Vuelta and the iconic Tour de France. It’s up to you to make all decisions for your team: hiring the best cyclists and staff, contract negotiations, sponsoring, race scheduling, training… During the race, choose the finest tactics to lead your riders to victory. Play solo or online multiplayer in leagues or clans with up to 16 players and prove to everyone who is the best pro cycling manager!
Your Manager skills will be tested even more this year with advanced contract and new negotiation management in Career mode, thanks to new sponsors negotiations, in-depth transfer and new-added recruitment mechanics. A deeper progression system arrives this year in Pro Cyclist mode, with more possibilities than ever to personalize and build your cyclist, as your rider now get a double specialization from the beginning of his career – one main and one secondary! Experience enhanced in-race immersion with many improvements, including bigger breakaways and more realistic and aggressive AI during sprints.
Tour de France 2018 on PlayStation 4 & Xbox One and Pro Cycling Manager 2018 on PC will release in retail stores and for download on June 28th.
NAB, or the National Association of Broadcasters, has become an international affair with people coming from every corner of the globe to talk about everything from lighting and cinematography to sound design and cyber safety, all in beautiful Las Vegas.
I have been attending the NAB show for nearly two decades now and I have watched it go from hardcore lighting, broadcast switchers, and satellite gear to what it is today. Now it shows off anything involving recording and sharing the senses. Over the years, astronauts have transmitted to the show from space and, this year, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was heavily represented! I learned about the the sound and video techniques of filming Jessica Jones and Black Panther while on another day of the show it was all about cyber attacks and their repercussions. There was even a session that went behind the scenes on the Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
But it wasn’t all about the sessions – Google was on-hand trying to figure out how best to help their customers while giving out fidget spinners and there were whole countries getting space to represent their smaller, local companies at this gigantic show. In contrast to all the square footage that the likes of SONY took up, there were dozens of smaller startups present just trying to get their name out there.
If you have ever been curious about the technology that goes into television and film production, you should check out NAB sometime, it is free to attend and an interesting few days every year!
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April 18, 2018 – Dystopian Action RPG The Surge is preparing to unleash its latest free DLC for Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC players: the Cutting Edge Pack, and as good news always comes in pairs, the game and all of its DLCs are up to 75% off on Steam, PlayStation Europe and Xbox One.
The Cutting Edge Pack DLC will grant 3 new armor sets providing a variety of useful boons when worn in their entirety, 3 devastating weapons, as well as 3 brand new jumpsuits:
- The ANGEL was originally designed for operation in the harsh vacuum of space, some of the most inhospitable conditions known to man, and bestows faster attack speeds, better energy gain, harder impacts on CODENAME weapons.
- The ASCLEPIUS was meant to assist army veterans in gaining a new lease on life, but its regenerative powers will work well enough for you too.
- The NANO WARD gear uses bleeding edge technology to give your blocks some serious explosive power – if you can time them right.
On the more offensive side, CREO’s new weapons are the latest technology, prototypes for blue-sky projects that may never see the light of day – and certainly haven’t been safety-tested!
- The Experiment 44H, known as the Dark Star, never saw full production due to the madness of its creator leading to him sabotaging the whole project before more than one could be made. Its unique containment field will wreak havoc on enemies.
- The Engelhart is a boost tool that uses state-of-the-art technology to become searing hot anytime, anywhere. As potentially dangerous to the wielder as their enemies, it requires skill and practice to use effectively.
- The BioN J-1, codenamed Last Aid, is quite literally a surgical tool, originally designed for use in medical hospitals. After an unfortunate incident with a rogue doctor, it became known as a tool of carnage.
Once the DLC is installed you will find six fierce new enemies in Abandoned Production, Executive Forum, and Nucleus that must be defeated to acquire the new items.
The Cutting Edge Pack for The Surge is available today! Download it for free now on PlayStation 4,Xbox One and PC.
The Surge, its Complete Edition, as well as all of its DLCs is available for purchase right now with up to 75% off on Steam, PlayStation Europe and Xbox One.
Recently, we got the chance to checkout a preview of the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood’s new “Classics Made Here” tour which takes a look at some of the more classic films and TV shows to film on the Warner Bros. lot. This is just the latest in a series of great events hosted by the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood. Last year, they began a DC Universe exhibit which features numerous costumes from DC/Warner Bros. films such as Wonder Woman. During October, they hosted their “Horror Made Here” event, which allowed guests the chance to enjoy a haunted attraction based around the lot’s town square. A town square, I might add, that has been the filming location for TV shows like Gilmore Girls and Pretty Little Liars to movies like Monster Squad and Postcards from the Edge.
We arrived at the Warner Bros. lot in the early afternoon and got the chance to explore the previously-mentioned town square. It’s really amazing just how many things were shot here. Then we covered a short press conference from Danny Khan, the director of the studio tour, which also featured venerable film critic Leonard Maltin and classic film actress Carole Cook (The Incredible Mr Limpet, American Gigolo, Sixteen Candles)! This lasted for about twenty minutes and was really interesting as Cook had several funny anecdotes to regale the attendees with. After the press conference, we were treated to a slightly abbreviated version of the Classics Made Here tour, and it provided us a fascinating look into Hollywood’s past. Seeing locations where movies like Casablanca and Blade Runner were filmed was a real experience. I was also excited to find out that the lot’s town square area was used in the big outdoor numbers of 1962’s The Music Man!
One of the coolest things about taking the Warner Bros. Studio Tour is that you never know when you’ll have a celebrity sighting. It is a working lot and they are filming things all the time. On this trip around the lot we traveled right past Todd Stashwick (Supernatural, 12 Monkeys, The Riches) who was walking with an unknown individual from the studio commissary! So a big tip to you tour-takers: Always keep your eyes open and cameras ready while on the tour! Where is my photo of Todd Stashwick, you may wonder? Well, I didn’t listen to my own advise and had my camera down as we rode by…. Yeah.
But, I digress, as we continued on the tour and entered Stage 48: From Script to Screen, the end of the line for the tour that takes guests through the process of making a movie or TV show and, even more exciting, houses a VERY impressive array of screen-used memorabilia. Oh, it also houses the actual Central Perk set from this little-known TV show called FRIENDS…. So be sure to take your photo there! As part of the Classics Made Here tour, you’ll find some amazing pieces of clothing and various costumes from classic Warner Bros. films. For instance, you’ll see wardrobe worn by Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca! That 1942 picture is easily one of the most famous films of all time and, right there, 76 years later are their costumes looking fresh and new. Other things to take in while walking through Stage 48 are costumes worn by some of the female heavy-hitters of classic film like Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, and many more.
Of course, you’ll also see some amazing props like the actual airship model which flies over Los Angeles in the film Blade Runner and one of the actual Smith & Wesson Model 29-1 revolvers used by Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry. They even have a real Oscar for guests to hold – they are quite heavy! There are some fun green screen photo ops at the end of the Stage 48 experience but those are paid ops, so if you want them you will have to make some purchases.
Overall, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood continually impresses me with the tour options and events they put together. Classics Made Here is a terrific tour option for those of you film buffs who take a focus on the Hollywood classics of yesteryear. The Classics Made Here tour runs Fridays and Saturdays starting on May 4, 2018. You can find out about all of the studio tour options as well as ticket info and more at the official Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood website.
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Thursday, April 5th, 2018 — Targem Games and Gaijin Entertainment have introduced a new PvP game mode to the post-apocalyptic vehicle shooter Crossout, called ‘Battle Royale’. 32 players will fight against each other on the new map ‘Blood Rocks’, which they will search for weapons and equipment to improve their starting vehicle with. Only the last man standing will be able to leave this cruel tournament alive.
At the beginning of battle, all players are facing the same starting conditions. Driving only a light buggy without any weapons or equipment, they have to search the battlefield for useful items such as chainsaws, rocket launchers, cloaking devices and more. As soon as an item is picked up, it is attached to the own vehicle immediately, which can support up to two firearms, one melee weapon and one auxiliary module in total. Installed modules can be swapped at any time for the many other items that can be found through the battle.
The special buggies used in this ‘royal battle’ come with an extra sturdy frame, which means that players won’t be able to shoot of the wheels as in usual Crossout battles. To neutralize an opponent in this mode, the vehicle has to be destroyed entirely. Extra supplies can also be found around the map, which include additional ammunition for weapons, or repair kits to restore vehicle strength after a skirmish.
The new map, ‘Blood Rocks’, is the largest playable location in Crossout to date and is 16 times larger than the average PvP map available in game. It features networks of caves, large areas with ruined buildings and other constructions of the old world, offering an abundance of shelters to hide in – but only for a very short time. Creeping ever closer over the horizon is a massive sandstorm, which constantly decreases the playable area. Any vehicle caught in its ravenous maw will be turned into shreds in mere seconds, and its unpredictable movement means that you never know which area of the map will be affected last.
A huge new map, piles of weapons, plenty of ammunition but only one life – ‘Battle Royale’ is now available in Crossout! Read more here: http://www.crossout.net
Walt Disney Pictures and Marvel have released a slew of character posters for their upcoming Avengers: Infinity War, showing off the featured heroes of the film. Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters on April 27, 2018!
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WonderCon once again returned to the Anaheim Convention Center and we were fortunate enough to attend. The little brother to the San Diego Comic-Con, WonderCon sees tons of exhibitors, cosplayers, and fans turn out to shop and congregate. This year, there seemed to be a lot more attendees walking the show floor, perusing the exhibitor booths for things to purchase and ogle. Last year at WonderCon, I purchased an Ultra Saber and proudly wielded it around the floow while taking pictures. This year, I picked up a Soul of Chogokin Gypsy Danger being sold several days before its advertised street date!
The Anaheim Convention Center does have food for when you get hungry – although, I would highly recommend leaving the center for lunch and heading over to the Anaheim Hilton which is located smack dab against it. The Hilton there has a great restaurant that is not frequented by many con guests so you can usually get right in when all the other attendees slog it out in the food courts. The restaurant has great convention day burgers that I recommend. Outside the convention center, you could also find a long row of food trucks, all with their own style of cuisine. If you couldn’t find something you liked there, you were just lying to yourself.
Past the food trucks, one could find AMC’s The Terror Experience based on their new show, The Terror. The experience, like most experiences at conventions, was short, but a lot of fun and I hope it’s a harbinger of things to come for WonderCon. Small interactive installations are something that fans LOVE at San Diego Comic-Con and seeing someone do it at WonderCon was great. My only advice would have been to put the experience closer to the convention center instead of forcing guests to walk through food truck row – that place was super crowded and we almost couldn’t find the experience with as far down as it was.
Panels are a huge part of the San Diego Comic-Con, but WonderCon has steadily been gaining notice by the entertainment industry and this year saw some good panels – including one from Warner Bros. Pictures which featured the cast and crew of Ready Player One! Also fun were the Geek & Sundry panels – which also included a live taping of “Talks Machina”, the after show component of their popular web series, Critical Role.
Overall, this year’s WonderCon was the best yet, and a great warm up to what I hope to find at the San Diego Comic-Con in July.
