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Latest updates from CVG
ZeniMax Media Acquires id Software
ZeniMax Media Inc., parent company of noted game publisher Bethesda Softworks, today announced it has completed the acquisition of legendary game studio, id Software, creators of world-renowned games such as DOOM, QUAKE, Wolfenstein, and its upcoming title, RAGE. The acquisition by ZeniMax Media joins together two of the finest, most respected videogame developers in the world, combining the first person shooter expertise of id Software with acclaimed role playing game developer Bethesda Game Studios – creators of the 2008 Game of the Year, Fallout 3, and the 2006 Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Bethesda Softworks will publish the titles of id Software other than upcoming releases previously committed to other publishers.
Founded in 1991, id Software established itself as an industry leader with some of the best-selling and most critically acclaimed video games of all time. id Software created the original first-person shooter, Wolfenstein 3D, and subsequently set new standards in the genre with the blockbuster releases of its DOOM and QUAKE titles. In addition, id Software developed cutting edge, proprietary technology with the id Tech engine which powers many notable FPS titles, and continues to make great advances in game technology under the direction of John Carmack, one of the country’s technology leaders and a member of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) Hall of Fame.
Todd Hollenshead, CEO of id Software, commented on the transaction: “This was a unique opportunity to team with a smart, sophisticated publisher like Bethesda Softworks where the interests of the studio and the publisher will be fully aligned in the development and marketing of our titles. In addition, we will now have financial and business resources to support the future growth of id Software, a huge advantage which will result in more and even better games for our fans.”
id Software will continue to operate as a studio under the direction of its founder, John Carmack. No changes will be made in the operations of id Software in the development of its games. All the principals at id Software have signed long-term employment contracts, assuring they will continue in their roles developing games at the studio.
“This puts id Software in a wonderful position going forward,” said John Carmack, who will continue to serve in his current role as Technical Director. “We will now be able to grow and extend all of our franchises under one roof, leveraging our capabilities across multiple teams while enabling forward looking research to be done in the service of all of them. We will be bigger and stronger, as we recruit the best talent to help us build the landmark games of the future. As trite as it may be for me to say that I am extremely pleased and excited about this deal, I am."
Robert Altman, the founder, Chairman & CEO of ZeniMax Media stated, “We, along with many others, consider id Software to be among the finest game studios in the world, with extraordinary design, artistic and technical capabilities. They have demonstrated, repeatedly, that rare ability to create franchise properties that are critical and commercial successes. Our intention is to make sure id Software will continue to do what they do best – make AAA games. Our role will be to provide publisher support through Bethesda Softworks and give id Software the resources it needs to grow and expand.”
ZeniMax Media Inc, which is privately held, was founded in 1999 to create quality interactive entertainment products to meet the growing worldwide demand. The Company is headquartered in Rockville, MD and maintains offices in Hunt Valley, MD, London and Tokyo. Among its wholly owned subsidiaries are Bethesda Softworks, a premier publisher of video games, Vir2L Studios which develops games for the casual market, and ZeniMax Online Studios, a studio dedicated to massively multi-player online games (MMOG).
Bethesda Game Studios, the development group at ZeniMax Media, is one of the top video game studios in the world. Its most recent release, Fallout 3, was the 2008 winner of more than 60 Game of the Year awards, including The Associated Press, Official Xbox Magazine, Yahoo, PC Gamer, IGN, Game Critics Awards, Game Developer Choice Awards, and Gamespy. Bethesda also created the 2006 PC and Xbox 360 Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and the 2002 PC and Xbox Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Bethesda Game Studios has created 2 of the 10 best games of all time, Fallout 3 and Oblivion, on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 platforms, as reported by the industry scoring system found at www.metacritic.com and www.gamerankings.com
Posted by Fuster Wednesday, June 24 2009 @ 19:00:45 UCT
ARMA II Full Details and Features
ARMA II Full Details and Features
Seven years since the release of the genre defining title Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis; with more than ten years of continual, painstaking work on engine advancement and improvements, ARMA II bears the fruit in this much anticipated return of the true legend. ARMA II, the ultimate military simulator, powered by the 3rd generation of the original Real Virtuality engine is the true sequel to the award winning and genre defining game which made the sandbox military conflict fantasies come true for millions of gamers.
Players will find themselves thrown into the very heart of modern conflict, facing the ultimate realistic gaming experience directly from the best: Bohemia Interactive, creators of the famous and award winning Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis and ArmA: Combat Operations. Below is a look at the full details of ARMA II as they gear up for its launch this summer.
Storyline:
The 27th U.S. Marine Expeditionary Unit has been deployed to the former soviet republic of Chernarus: a small country chained to the threat of an upcoming civil war. Force Reconnaissance Team "Razor" is among the first to fight. This elite five-man team is about to fall down the rabbit hole, trapped in a war not only for control of the country, but also the hearts and minds of its people. With the might of the USMC offshore and Russia anxiously watching from the north, the stakes couldn't be higher. The fate of Chernarus is balanced on a razor's edge...
Key features:
• Player-driven story: Players will have the opportunity to command members of Force Recon Team Razor through a branching campaign full of twists and surprises. ARMA II integrates a combination of preset conversations with dynamic queries about the game environment: the revolutionary "dynamic conversation system" which brings to the player a unique gaming experience in a movie-like style. Players can talk to soldiers in the field and civilians caught up during fights to gather the Intel they need to further advance in the game. As a pure military simulator, there are linguistic difficulties while speaking to native citizens if you don't know their native tongue. Chernarussian's NPC's speak Czech, US NPC's speak English and Russian NPC's speak Russian, etc.
• Reality check: Bohemia Interactive's standard 225 square kilometers of highly detailed sandbox landscape, modeled with stunning detail and precision and using real-world geographical data, covered by 235 megapixel of accurate aerial map (15.3602 pixels) and more than 1 million objects. This game is a true environment master piece, never seen before in first person shooter type games with 81 weapons and 136 vehicle models created to an exacting real-world schematics with extreme precision, including 350 kilometers of roads, 50 cities and villages full of life.
• Authentic military simulation: ARMA II simulates various aspects of combat and environment effects form bullet ballistics and deflection to material penetration, tracers, varying ammunition types and stopping power, to supersonic bullet crack and weather conditions.
ARMA II benefits from the 3rd generation Real Virtuality engine featuring advanced and semi-autonomous AI. Players will compete with the ultimate next-gen AI: no scripts, no predefined pathways, and no repetitive gameplay. All units react to actual game situations and use the open environment to their advantage. Soldiers shout and use hand gestures based on real world military doctrine, actively seeking and using cover and also taking advantage of suppressive fire techniques.
The ARMA II system is so complex and effective that the same simulation technology is used to train real soldiers in numerous countries around the world.
• Live war: the campaign missions can be experienced in cooperative mode, or players can join for duty in the massive multiplayer battles with up to 50 players. Among standard MP modes is Warfare, introduced in ArmA: Armed Assault, a unique combination of RTS and tactical FPS which allows players to choose whether to control the combat with detailed base management or instead to operate guerilla hit-and-run tactics focusing on attack rather than defense.
• Unlimited Creativity: An intuitive and easy-to-use built in mission editor, together with powerful modding tools, infinitely extends the gameplay of ARMA II and moves it far above the standard gaming experience. More than 200 character models, 81 weapons, 136 vehicles are ready to be used in an enormous 225 square kilometers sandbox map.
Players can use default models or create completely new models and mods can be shared with other players all around the world.
Screenshots, click to enlarge:
For more information on ARMA II visit www.arma2.com
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Posted by Fuster Tuesday, June 09 2009 @ 13:15:40 UCT
Scaleform GFx-Unreal Engine 3 integration
Scaleform Corporation, in coordination with Epic Games, has shipped the newest Scaleform GFx-Unreal Engine 3 integration kit in tandem with the latest QA-approved build of Unreal Engine 3 for all mutual licensees. The deep integration between the two products, along with Scaleform’s commitment to synchronise releases of its kit with recurring Unreal Engine 3 commercial code drops, marks a new achievement in middleware support and sets the example for Epic Games’ premier Integrated Partners Program.
Scaleform GFx, the industry-leading user interface (UI) production tool for hardware-accelerated Adobe Flash-based scalable vector graphics and video, is fully integrated into the UE3 hardware-independent graphical rendering system, enabling artists to create scalable data-driven Flash UI elements for videos, menuing systems, overlays, HUDs and animated textures directly on 3D objects. The Scaleform GFx deep level of integration with Unreal Engine 3 includes ties with the Unreal Editor, UnrealScript, Unreal Kismet, packaging, threading, and most impressively, the Unreal Gemini renderer.
Posted by Fuster Tuesday, June 09 2009 @ 12:25:34 UCT
Next Gen Discs
Futuristic discs with a storage capacity 2,000 times that of current DVDs could be just around the corner, thanks to new research from Swinburne University of Technology in Australia.
For the first time researchers from the university’s Centre for Micro-Photonics have demonstrated how nanotechnology can enable the creation of ‘five dimensional’ discs with huge storage capacities.
The research, carried out by Mr Peter Zijlstra, Dr James Chon and Professor Min Gu was published today in the scientific journal Nature.
The Nature article describes how the researchers were able to use nanoscopic particles to exponentially increase the amount of information contained on a single disc.
“We were able to show how nanostructured material can be incorporated onto a disc in order to increase data capacity, without increasing the physical size of the disc,” Gu said.
Discs currently have three spatial dimensions, but using nanoparticles the Swinburne researchers were able to introduce a spectral – or colour – dimension as well as a polarisation dimension.
“These extra dimensions are the key to creating ultra-high capacity discs,” Gu said.
To create the ‘colour dimension’ the researchers inserted gold nanorods onto a disc’s surface. Because nanoparticles react to light according to their shape, this allowed the researchers to record information in a range of different colour wavelengths on the same physical disc location.
This is a major improvement on current DVDs that are recorded in a single colour wavelength using a laser.
The researchers were also able to introduce an extra dimension onto the disc using polarisation. When they projected light waves onto the disc, the direction of the electric field contained within them aligned with the gold nanorods. This allowed the researchers to record different layers of information at different angles.
“The polarisation can be rotated 360 degrees,” Chon said. “So for example, we were able to record at zero degree polarisation. Then on top of that, we were able to record another layer of information at 90 degrees polarisation, without them interfering with each other.”
Some issues, such as the speed at which the discs can be written on, are yet to be resolved. However the researchers – who have already signed an agreement with Samsung – are confident the discs will be commercially available within 5 – 10 years.
The discs are likely to have immediate applications in a range of fields. They would be valuable for storing extremely large medical files such as MRIs and could also provide a boon in the financial, military and security arenas.
Posted by Fuster Thursday, May 21 2009 @ 00:13:54 UCT
Empire: Time of Troubles
Leading Eastern and Central European publisher 1C Company and Lesta Studio have announced the development of Empire: Time of Troubles.
Empire is a turn-based, historical strategy game which covers the events of 1350-1650 taking place in Russia, Poland and the Great Lithuanian Princedom. Players will find themselves in a large-scale campaign commanding one of 26 warring factions. By controlling a hero character, and improving their skills in battle, the player can win wars and rule their state any way they wish.
Empire: Time of Troubles allows players to have a well thought-out and historically accurate system of building and assigning labor forces in cities, a large selection of scenario based and random missions, an expansive and realistic technology tree, more than 150 types of military units and beautiful graphics and animations which bring the war to life.
Empire: Time of Troubles is scheduled for release on PC in September 2009.
Posted by Fuster Sunday, May 17 2009 @ 15:08:27 UCT
ACE Online
ACE Online is a 3D space shooter that combines action and MMORPG elements. The game thrusts players into the role of fighter pilots and behind the controls of ships known as "Gears". As the player battles in this intergalactic world at war, they will complete missions and engage other players in intense aerial dogfights.
ACE Online injects action and shooting elements into the traditional MMORPG formula. Players have complete control over their gear and must engage enemies directly in combat - relying on quick shooting and skilful manoeuvring in order to survive. As players progress through the game, they acquire credits which can be used in the game's item shop to purchase hundreds of customisable weapons and add-ons for their "gear". Players can then fly their "gear" into immense online space battles as part of ACE Online's "Nation Wars" PvP system. These RPG elements add a layer of personal customisation and multiplayer strategy to ACE Online's already action-packed gameplay. Through the blend of these two gameplay genres, ACE Online offers a fully unique and unrivalled MMO experience.
Posted by Fuster Sunday, May 17 2009 @ 13:39:26 UCT
Saitek Pro Flight
Mad Catz Interactive, a leading third-party interactive entertainment accessory provider, have announced the expansion of the Saitek Pro Flight range of accessories, with three exciting new products scheduled for release on PC.
The Pro Flight Instrument Panel, Pro Flight Radio Panel and Pro Flight Multi Panel each exhibit startling levels of authenticity and have been designed to greatly enhance game play of Microsoft Flight Simulator X or Flight Simulator 2004 as well as other flight simulation software. These panels simulate on-screen displays and dramatically reduce the user’s need for mouse and keyboard during play, thus greatly enhancing realism.
Eliminating the need for cumbersome in-game heads up display (HUD), the Pro Flight Instrument Panel utilizes a high resolution colour LCD screen which displays real-time game content when used with Flight Simulator X. Utilising the on-board controls, users can instantly switch between altimeter, vertical speed indicator, altitude indicator, airspeed, compass and turn & slip indicator. The Pro Flight Instrument Panel’s modular mounting system allows up to six Panels to be connected together, delivering the ultimate in cockpit realism. Users who own the Saitek Pro Flight Yoke (sold separately) can even mount the Panels directly to the Yoke itself for a simple and highly effective appearance.
The Pro Flight Radio Panel features a unique selection of LED’s and Switches used to control various aspects of communication and radio control featured in flight simulation software. When used with Flight Simulator X or Flight Simulator 2004, the Radio Panel once more eliminates the need for on-screen radio display. Including controls for the COM1/COM2/NAV1/NAV2 functions alongside the DME/ADF/XPDR functions, The Pro Flight Radio Panel features twin concentric Adjustment Dials which adjust frequency units incrementally for quicker selection and the system is also mountable to the Pro Flight Yoke (sold separately).
Allowing users to tweak multiple in game settings, the Pro Flight Multi Panel brings detailed levels of control and customisation to the fingertips of flight simulator enthusiasts. Featuring a full autopilot panel with associated setting controls for auto throttle, flaps and elevator trim wheel, the Panel once more reads real-time data directly from Flight Simulator X and Flight Simulator 2004, thus eliminating the need for on-screen auto-pilot controls and is also mountable to the Pro Flight Yoke (sold separately).
The Saitek Pro Flight Instrument Panel will be available from May 2009 and the Pro Flight Radio Panel and Pro Flight Multi Panel are each expected to be available from July in North America and selected European territories with an MSRP of $149.99 / £129.99 / €149.99 for each product.
Posted by Fuster Sunday, May 17 2009 @ 12:12:49 UCT
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat
GSC Game World have announced a new project in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series – S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat (working title) for PC.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat will become a third stand-alone game in the highly-acclaimed Survival FPS S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series.
The project is slanted for release in autumn 2009.
The events of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat unfold shortly after the end of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl. Having discovered about the open path to the Zone center, the government decides to hold a large-scale military "Fairway" operation aimed to take the CNPP under control.
According to the operation's plan, the first military group is to conduct an air scouting of the territory to map out the detailed layouts of anomalous fields location. Thereafter, making use of the maps, the main military forces are to be dispatched.
Despite thorough preparations, the operation fails. Most of the avant-garde helicopters crash. In order to collect information on reasons behind the operation failure, Ukraine's Security Service send their agent into the Zone center. From now on everything depends on the player.
Key game features:
• Photorealistic exclusion Zone – Pripyat town, Yanov railway station, Jupiter factory, Kopachi village and more, recreated by their true-to-life prototypes.
• New story, a number of unique characters.
• Extended system of side quests.
• New monsters: Chimera and Burer. New behaviour and abilities for all monsters.
• New A-Life system, created using the players' best-liked elements of the first two games in series.
• Emissions considerably influence the world of the Zone.
• Sleep function added into the game.
• New player's interface.
• Possibility to continue the game after completion in a freeplay mode.
• The game is developed on X-Ray engine v.1.6
Posted by Fuster Friday, May 15 2009 @ 13:03:39 UCT
SECTION 8 BETA
SouthPeak Interactive Corporation have announced that the 8th Armoured Infantry is launching its recruitment drive across Europe. Potential troopers can visit www.JoinSection8.com to register their interest and enlist for the Section 8 beta on PC, which is taking place over the summer.
Developed by TimeGate Studios, Section 8 is an intense first-person shooter that gives players unprecedented strategic control over the battlefield, employing tactical assets and on-demand vehicle deliveries to dynamically alter the flow of combat. Set in the distant future when humanity is facing a growing insurrection among its colonies, Earth dispatches the elite 8th Armoured Infantry to turn the tide.
Utilising advanced powered armour suits, these volunteers are the only ones crazy enough to smash through enemy defences and drop directly into the battlefield from 15,000 feet. Their bravery earned them the nickname “Section 8”, an old military regulation where soldiers were classed as unfit for duty due to mental instability.
Now volunteers in Europe can sign up for the Section 8 beta at www.JoinSection8.com. With only a limited number of places available, those drafted over the coming months will be loaded up and sent out to the frontline. JoinSection8.com also contains vital intel about the game and is the place to stay active within the Section 8 community.
Section 8 is due for release on PC and the Xbox 360 later this year.
Posted by Fuster Friday, May 15 2009 @ 12:56:47 UCT
Lineage II The Chaotic Throne: Gracia Final
NCSoft have announced a great reason for fans to celebrate the five year anniversary of Lineage II. Gracia Final, the upcoming free expansion to the legendary Lineage II franchise, will be bringing players a brand new continent, refined PvP combat and arenas, expanded clan features, territory wars, and more. This final part to the Gracia series offers an extensive amount of new content, including a renewed experience for both new and veteran players in the world of Lineage II.
Lineage II is a beautiful war torn land where trust is critical and betrayal is inevitable as players battle for glory and clans struggle for political supremacy. Choose your path and dominate mercilessly in this legendary MMO. Claim your fortune and rule the castles and lands that over 19 million of the world's gamers have explored.
The world is waiting for its leader; will you heed its call?
KEY FEATURES
Discover the continent of Gracia
Journey through the skies of the breathtaking and perilous lands of Gracia, using the aerial transformation skills Aurabird Falcon, Aurabird Owl and the Kamael’s special Final Flying Form. While whisking through the air, be on the lookout for the new aerial and land based hunting grounds, which will challenge all of Lineage II’s players.
Refined PvP combat and arenas
Gracia Final introduces multiple new ways for players to compete and experience the ultimate thrill of PvP. From expanding a time honored classic PvP tournament, the Olympiad, to include three vs. three competitions, and adding the new Aerial Cleft PvP arena where individuals can register and compete in random PvP matches, it has never been easier to get into the competitive side of Lineage II.
Expanded clan features
Level your clan up to 11 to earn additional benefits that expand clan abilities and membership. At level 11, clans will continue the struggle for economic and political dominance. However, additional Royal Guards and clan skills should provide an edge to those who prove themselves worthy.
Territory battles
Territory battles bring a new level of land control and provide a unique “capture the flag” style PvP experience that rewards dominating clans with castle-related skills and additional revenue. Unlike castle sieges, where battles are fought between clans, territory battles allow individual players and groups unassociated with clans to participate as anonymous mercenaries in these epic wars over the lands of Lineage II . All territory war participants can receive Territory which can be traded for new items through the Territory Manager.
To find out more information about each of the Gracia expansions, visit www.lineage2.com/gracia
ZeniMax Media Inc., parent company of noted game publisher Bethesda Softworks, today announced it has completed the acquisition of legendary game studio, id Software, creators of world-renowned games such as DOOM, QUAKE, Wolfenstein, and its upcoming title, RAGE. The acquisition by ZeniMax Media joins together two of the finest, most respected videogame developers in the world, combining the first person shooter expertise of id Software with acclaimed role playing game developer Bethesda Game Studios – creators of the 2008 Game of the Year, Fallout 3, and the 2006 Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Bethesda Softworks will publish the titles of id Software other than upcoming releases previously committed to other publishers. 
ARMA II Full Details and Features 
Futuristic discs with a storage capacity 2,000 times that of current DVDs could be just around the corner, thanks to new research from Swinburne University of Technology in Australia. 
ACE Online is a 3D space shooter that combines action and MMORPG elements. The game thrusts players into the role of fighter pilots and behind the controls of ships known as "Gears". As the player battles in this intergalactic world at war, they will complete missions and engage other players in intense aerial dogfights.