Monthly Archives: June 2014

Rising Generals to be demo’d at E3

Today InnoGames released additional information on its upcoming strategy game Rising Generals. During E3 2014, the German publisher will demo cross-platform gameplay across iOS-, Android- and browser-based devices. The PvP-heavy MMO has been developed as a native cross-platform game with Adobe Air. To create Rising Generals, InnoGames was supported by game design legend Bruce Shelley, known for his work on Civilization and the Age of Empires series. He will also attend InnoGames’ E3 presence and talk about his involvement in the game. Shelley worked several months with the team during development and spent time at InnoGames’ Hamburg offices. On www.risinggenerals.com, players can pre-register for the upcoming beta, which is scheduled for summer 2014.

Development with Adobe Air allowed the team to build the game for iOS, Android and browsers simultaneously and focus on optimizing multiplayer for up to 40.000 players on one map. To boost performance and support the use of native hardware on all devices, other Adobe tools like action script and Stage 3D were used as well.

“We made sure that it is possible to zoom onto the game map seamlessly, enjoy a visually appealing management of your secret underground base and watch your troops crushing enemies in combat,” explains Christoph Schmidt, Producer of Rising Generals. “Also, we built one user interface that works on all devices – we started to optimize for mobile first and went on from there”, he adds. Key to the game’s performance on all devices was the flexibility to add native sources to the mix, even while developing on all platforms simultaneously: “The 3D graphics and effects, especially on mobile devices, would not have been possible without GPU utilization at all”, says Hans-Christian Kientopf, graphic programmer of the team.

For more info, visit https://en.risinggenerals.com/

“Magicka: Wizard Wars” Welcomes Half a Million Robe Warriors

Magicka

Paradox Interactive and Paradox North today announced that Magicka: Wizard Wars, the online spellcasting action player-vs-player (PvP) game where Wizards compare each other’s flammability, has been downloaded over 500,000 times. Since the game began its Open Beta phase last week, Magicka: Wizard Wars has expanded its community to over half a million players and together they’ve cast 97,704,758 spells during the first week. Positive reception from players and media alike has prompted Paradox to add more servers and keep the pool of available magical talent growing.

“If we could personally shake hands with each player and give them our thanks, we would, but there’s too many; it’d probably mean a hiatus from actually working on the game,” said John Hargelid, Studio Manager for Paradox North. “We’re delighted that everybody likes the game so far, but this is just the beginning for Magicka: Wizard Wars. We’ve quadrupled server capacity since last week and we’re adding more servers, ironing the creases out of the robes, making sure the Wizard entrails are the right consistency – everything it takes to make sure the game stays a strong entry in the legacy of Magicka.”

Albion Online Overhauls Destiny Board

Albion Online

Sandbox Interactive today unveils a brand new kind of Destiny Board for their upcoming cross-platform Sandbox MMO, Albion Online. A sandbox MMO where the player’s choices shape the world, with player feedback the Sandbox team has created a much broader number of character customization and build options! Grab all the latest game info and sign up for the upcoming closed beta test at http://albiononline.com/

The Destiny Board is Albion Online’s answer to the traditional system of level grinding in MMOs. It has had a complete makeover since the last test, and now allows for a greater level of readability and specialization for players. In addition to influencing combat strategies and tactics, players can now specialize their character in one specific craft or trade, incurring significant benefits to motivate them in that direction, or diversify to create a more rounded character.

“Specialization occurs as a result of the layout of the Destiny Board, which separates the different possible paths early on, and through the introduction of Master Levels,” ”said Szymon Wilkosz, Community Manager of Sandbox Interactive. “Master Levels will allow a player to truly become the master of their trade by providing permanent bonuses to a player who develops their character in a particular field or trade, motivating those interested to specialize.”

In the previous version of the Destiny Board, players would complete a task and receive a reward in the form of an unlockable or buff which would lead them on to a different task. This layout was linear, and often players were finished with a task and onto the next one before they really got a feel for the activity they were doing.

Now, instead of each task leading to the next, players can stick with one task for which there will be a number of different unlock levels. Players have the option to do as before, by unlocking a higher-tier item and beginning to unlock the next, but they now have the option of putting more effort into one task to truly master it! This means players who want to take the time to really hone a particular skill will be able to, making specialization even more rewarding.

Albion Online’s Destiny Board has also had an overhaul in terms of layout, to make it easier than ever for players to develop and mold their character into their ideal fighter. The Board now has clear divides between the different paths a player can take with their character, easily seen from the overview of the Board as well as up close. These paths also have sub-paths and sections which will lead the player to specify even further. With a universal center, allows for different progression routes to be split in a logical way, and branch off into easy-to-follow paths so that players can quickly and accurately track their progress.

The Destiny Board’s task list has been streamlined to now include truly meaningful tasks, to better motivate players; to facilitate this, tasks will be less pedantic. For instance, where once a player might have had to kill a number of just one tier of a mob faction, players can now kill any member of that faction above a set tier and be assured that this will contribute to their next unlock or level.

For more info, visit http://albiononline.com/

Celtic Heroes: “Shadows over Beltane” Update Now Available

Celtic

Today, One Thumb Mobile have announced the latest free update expansion for Celtic Heroes. The “Shadow’s over Beltane” is available from June 3rd on iOS and 4th on Android 2014. Shadows over Beltane updates the current Android and iOS Celtic Heroes to include brand new summer season content, whilst Android users will also be able to explore two new zones.

Already available on iOS and now available to Android players, the world beneath Lir’s Reach, includes the twisted tunnels of “Fingal’s Cave” and the subterranean waterways of “Dunskeig Sewers”.

In addition to the Android expansion, the Shadows over Beltane event kicks into action – available on both iOS and Android devices. Entirely free to download, the summer event brings “The Green Man” along with new quests with unique rewards, new armour fashion and weapon traders. Heroes can also now pit their might against the mighty “Warlocks of Tor Caith”.

Phil Harris, Game Content Developer at One Thumb Mobile speaking about the Shadows of Beltane event explains: “We’re excited to release the next expansions to Android and this year’s summer event on both iOS and Android. This is a great time to become Celtic Heroes. Players can join our Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game and engage in our Beltane summer event, teaming up with other players and battling against the forces of evil.

The malevolent Warlock’s of Tor Caith have arrived in the lands of Dal Riata; their aim to suck the very life from the world. Together with their evil minions they aim to bring the end to summer.

Players must now stand against them and help The Green Man rally the forces of good to combat this threat and bring the spirit of nature back to the Celtic Lands.”

Finally, in celebration of the Shadows over Beltane and the Android update, there will also be a Double Platinum sale from Friday 6th June until Sunday 8th June where heroes will be able to receive double the usual amount of in-game currency on each purchase.

For further information please visit www.celtic-heroes.com

Tango Fiesta Explodes onto Steam Early Access

Tango Fiesta

In a world where the innocent call out for a true hero, Spilt Milk Studios and Mastertronic call upon you to save the day, as Tango Fiesta explodes onto Steam Early Access, bringing all the best 80’s action mayhem with it!

Tango Fiesta is a top-down co-operative twin-stick shooter for up to 4 players. Set in a world where the events from every single 80’s action film ever made actually happened, you and up to three friends get to blast, shoot, knife, smash, dodge and rescue your way through the ultimate story of a one (or two, or three, or four) man army prevailing against every evil the world has ever known, in this endlessly entertaining arcade action rogue-lite!

You ain’t got time to bleed, so choose your favourite hero, splash your cash in the gun shop and load up on the most explosive firepower this side of Arnie’s biceps. Charge through a shower of bullets, crushing nameless henchmen as you learn the truth behind all those classic flicks… And once the dust settles, do it all again as enemies, bosses and procedurally-generated levels keep the challenge fresh and exciting on every play-through.

With the Early Access version, players are invited to supply feedback to the developers and help direct the focus of future updates, ranging from new heroes, weapons and worlds to vehicles and bosses.

Andrew J Smith, founder of Spilt Milk Studios, says, “I’m indescribably happy, and absolutely terrified all at the same time. This game means a lot to everyone working on it – more than perhaps you’d normally associate with an over the top arcade action shooter like this – but I mean it when I say it has been and remains a labour of love. I can’t wait to see what people think of the game, to hear what the fans want from us over the coming months, and to make Tango Fiesta the game we all know it can be. It’s a dream come true for the whole team.”

Andy Payne, CEO of Mastertronic, adds “I am so happy that we have been able to help the Spilt Milk Team bring Tango Fiesta to the world. Everyone has worked so hard and with 100% focus to get the Rezzed 2013 Game Jam build into something really special. It’s been a pleasure and an honour to work with Andrew JS, Gavin, Andrew and Ewan.”

Tango Fiesta is available today on Steam Early Access and Get Games for PC and Mac.

For more info, visit http://store.steampowered.com/app/276730/

“Jagged Alliance: Flashback” Releases a Linux Version on Steam Early Access

Jagged Alliance

Full Control announced today that the next installment in the classic turn-based strategy franchise, Jagged Alliance: Flashback, is now available for Linux users on Steam Early Access. Additionally, Full Control has added a Modding Guide to Jagged Alliance: Flashback on Early Access to help guide players through the editor to make mods and new sectors for the game. The game is fully integrated with Steam Workshop, allowing users to share and discuss their creations.

“We have strived to make Jagged Alliance: Flashback mod-friendly and even now in Early Access, players can design new missions with the editor running in the free version of Unity, which is the engine we use to power the game”, said Thomas Hentschel Lund, CEO of Full Control. “Linux users usually know a thing or two about programming, so we are excited to announce the game for Linux at the same time that we are working to really beef up the modding system. We can’t wait to see what our players will create”.

Etherium: New screenshots revealed before E3

Etherium

Etherium, the new futuristic real-time strategy game developed exclusively for PC by Tindalos Interactive, can now reveal a series of exclusive images! Etherium will be presented at E3 Los Angeles on June 10-12, on Focus Home Interactive’s booth (West Hall Booth 5512).

Etherium

After a trip to the frozen world of Arctis in the previous game teaser video, it’s now the turn of the dead planet, Desta Fatalis, and the paradise world of Renaissance to suffer the assaults of the three factions locked in the war for etherium: the humans represented by the Consortium, the Vectides, and the Intari. The battle is still raging on the desert planet, Serenade, but none of the three sides is gaining the upper hand.

Etherium

For more info, visit http://etherium-thegame.com/