Month: March 2015

vietnam-65-logoBy Richard Talbot @ The Wargamer

As a wise man once said, “And now for something completely different!”. Well perhaps not completely different, but Vietnam ’65 is not just another wargame, this is an attempt to create a game about counter-insurgency warfare (COIN) rather than conventional warfare so it isn’t about lining up your troops to face off against the enemy, it’s more difficult than that – you have to find the buggers first, and then they run away to hit you from a different direction. You’ll find yourself shouting “will you just stand still and die” at the computer on more than one occasion when playing Vietnam ’65 if my experience is anything to go on.

Read on…

gary-grigsbys-war-in-the-west-logo“The enemy must be annihilated before he reaches our main battlefield. We must stop him in the water, destroying all his equipment while it is still afloat!” (1944 – Erwin Rommel)

The definitive wargame of the Western Front is updated to version 1.00.21! New contents and features are now fully integrated to give the game a more detailed perspective. For instance Italian reinforcements are now allowed prior to July 43 (in the past they were not allowed until after Italy had surrendered) and with this version it’s more difficult to reach very high interdiction values.

The list is very long, so be sure to check the full changelog here.

The patch can be downloaded here.

But this time the good news is not finished, because alongside the update we are very happy to announce that an expansion of the base game focused on the attempts of the Allies to open a second front in Europe prior to Overlord is now ready to enter the beta phase! And we ask players to help us test it by enlisting for the beta here.

Operation Torch includes 10 diverse scenarios for an extensive coverage of the African and Western European theaters between late 1942 and 1945 including both historical and what-if operations.

Operation Torch includes 10 diverse scenarios for an extensive coverage of the African and Western European theaters between late 1942 and 1945 including both historical and what-if operations.

A lot of astounding news! What are you waiting for?

Get more information about the game from its official product page.

To provide a more in-depth perspective on development, Bohemia Interactive today released the first of a two-part series of developer diaries about the upcoming Arma 3 Marksmen DLC.

Exploring the new weapons and supporting platform features, in the video. Arma 3′s Creative Director Jay Crowe, Project Lead Joris-Jan van ’t Land, and Encoding Lead Petr Kolar discuss the vision behind the Marksmen DLC, its development process, and the contribution it makes to the Arma 3 sandbox.

In the next developer diary, members of the Arma 3 development team will discuss the new End Game multiplayer mode, showcase scenarios, firing drills, training courses, as well as the Virtual Garage feature, which will all be shipped alongside the Marksmen DLC.

The Arma 3 Marksmen DLC consists of seven new weapons, two scopes, remote designators, ghillie suits, firing drills, and the Marksmen showcase scenario. The DLC will be accompanied by a major platform update, which will be free for all people who own Arma 3. The supporting update will introduce weapon resting and deployment, improved recoil simulation, improved AI suppression, various sound enhancements, a new multiplayer mode and showcase scenario, suppressor and bipod weapon attachments, heavy and grenadier vests, nine additional face paints, and Virtual Garage. The Marksmen DLC, and the supporting platform update, will be released on April 8th 2015.

More information on the Marksmen DLC, and supporting platform update, can be found here. A more in-depth explanation of Bohemia Interactive’s approach to DLC for Arma 3, and how it prevents a split in the game’s multiplayer community between those who own DLC and those who do not, is available in a previously released dev blog.

Arma 3 First-Person Shooters | Donster | |

pillars-of-eternity-logoObsidian Entertainment and Paradox Interactive today released the second part of “Road to Eternity,” a behind-the-scenes documentary that follows the creation of Pillars of Eternity, the fan-funded role-playing game (RPG) for Windows, Mac, and Linux PCs. Pillars of Eternity, which releases worldwide this Thursday, March 26, 2015, was funded over two years ago by more than 70 thousand backers, a process that is shown in this new chapter of the documentary.

Watch Part 1 of “Road to Eternity” HERE.

Watch Part 2 of “Road to Eternity” HERE.

Pillars of Eternity is an RPG inspired by classic titles such as Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale, and Planescape: Torment, which features an original world and game system that evokes and improves upon the traditional computer RPG experience. Funded via Kickstarter in late 2012, raising $4.5 million through both backer pledges on Kickstarter and Obsidian’s own website, Pillars of Eternity has been a project of passion both for the development team and for the loyal fans who have made it possible.

For more information on Pillars of Eternity, visit the games official website.

MMORPGs Pillars of Eternity | Donster | |

amd-freesync-logoBy: Hilbert Hagedoorn @ GURU3D

In this article we will test out AMDs all new hip feature, FreeSync and we do so with the new Acer FreeSync (27” 1440p 144Hz) screen. This puppy is WHQD and will not break an arm and a leg as it’s available for just just 499 EURO. For that money you receive a FreeSync compatible screen that has 1ms GTG speeds up-to 144 Hz. So yeah, following NVIDIAs GSYNC AMD took matters in their own hands and took a different approach, no more screen tearing and sync stuttering during game-play, if you create a gaming setup with the right circumstances. We will walk you through some available models, driver support and supported GPU’s after which we’ll put the aforementioned ACER screen to the test.

Read The Review Here

Hardware Monitors | Donster | |

nzxt-s340-midtower-caseAuthor: Steve Lynch @ HARDOCP

NZXT‘s very sexily named S340 mid-tower computer case is all about clean engineering, clean design, and clean function. There are no flashy panels; just a distinct presence with unblemished surfaces, tidy panel fitment, and crisp edges. For those of you that are fans of function over form, this could be your next chassis.

Read The Review Here

Cases Hardware | Donster | |
Hardware | Donster | |

Fire seven brand new weapons, supported by new content and features

Bohemia Interactive today announced the official release date for the upcoming Arma 3 downloadable content pack, Arma 3 Marksmen. Flexing its guns on April 8th, the Marksmen DLC looks to build upon Arma 3‘s infantry experience by adding new premium weapons, attachments, and gear. Alongside the new DLC, Bohemia Interactive will also release a major platform update, which implements a new multiplayer mode, training courses and showcase scenario, plus several much-anticipated platform features related to weapon handling (#bipods) and sound.

Serving as the backbone of the Marksmen DLC are the seven new weapons. Among these are five marksman rifles, namely the Cyrus 9.3 mm, MAR-10 .338, Mk-I EMR 7.62 mm, Mk14 7.62 mm, and ASP-1 Kir. The other two weapons are the SPMG .338 and Navid 9.3 mm medium machine guns. The weapons will be complemented by the AMS and Kahlia medium range scopes. There will also be new ghillie suits for the NATO, CSAT, and AAF factions to provide camouflage for various terrain types. Furthermore, the Marksmen DLC will add two Remote Designators, which can be used to spot and laser designate targets from afar. Those who want to hone their shooting skills can pay a visit to the shooting range for brand new firing drills, or go on a reconnaissance mission in the Marksmen showcase scenario.

Overall, the Marksmen DLC aims to redefine what it means to fire a weapon in Arma 3. This idea will be reinforced by a major upcoming platform update, that will be released alongside the Marksmen DLC, and will be free to everyone who owns Arma 3. Besides new playable content and major upgrades to weapon handling, this update will include suppressor and bipod weapon attachments, as well as nine new types of face paint, and three new heavy and grenadier vests designed specifically for improved explosive shielding and ballistic protection.

In terms of playable content, the aforementioned platform update will deliver a brand new multiplayer mode called End Game. Here, two teams compete to locate and secure valuable schematics. On top of this new multiplayer mode, the update will also include the Firing From Vehicles showcase scenario, as well as new VR training courses, objects for content creators, and a brand new set of Steam achievements.

With regards to platform features, the upcoming Arma 3 update will introduce weapon resting and weapon deployment – which have been on the list of most requested features by the Arma 3 community. Weapon resting means that players will benefit from an accuracy bonus whenever they are near a stable surface, while weapon deployment will enable players to use bipods for a more steady shot. Together with improvements made to the simulation of recoil, and improvements to enemy AI suppression, this should provide a more tactical, intuitive, and rich experience to the players of Arma 3. Finally, the new platform update will make significant upgrades to sound by adding more sound samples and new sound technology. These improvements should enhance the immersion and contribute to gameplay by providing players with a better situational awareness.

To round out the Marksmen DLC package and the supporting platform update, Bohemia Interactive will be expanding Arma 3’s existing Virtual Arsenal feature with Virtual Garage. This means players will not only be able to preview soldiers, weapons, and gear, and create custom loadouts for their characters, but also examine and customize the extensive collection of vehicles in Arma 3. In addition, the new update will open up Virtual Arsenal so that people will be able to try out all of Arma 3’s premium weapons, vehicles, and other DLC content, without restrictions – even if they do not own the DLC. A more in-depth explanation of Bohemia Interactive’s approach to DLC for Arma 3, and how it prevents a split in the game’s multiplayer community between those who own DLC and those who do not, can be found in the studio’s previously released blog.

The Arma 3 Marksmen DLC will be available from April 8th for 12.99 EUR/10.99 GBP/15.99 USD on Steam and Store.bistudio.com. People can already purchase the Arma 3 DLC Bundle, which includes the Arma 3 Karts, Arma 3 Helicopters, and the upcoming Marksmen DLC, for 19.99 EUR/16.99 GBP/24.99 USD – saving them more than 25% over buying the DLC packs separately.

For more information about Arma 3, please visit www.arma3.com.

Arma 3 First-Person Shooters | Donster | |

brother-against-brother-box“The time for war has not yet come, but it will come, and that soon; and when it does come, my advice is to draw the sword and throw away the scabbard.” (Stonewall Jackson, Confederate General)

Following up on the success of their last foray into the American Civil War, the development team behind the award-winning “Forge of Freedom” have returned to the period at the tactical level. Brother against Brother: The Drawing of the Sword, the latest new wargame from Western Civilization Software, is finally ready to march. Indeed, this epic military strategy game covering the first year of the American Civil War will be available on April 16th!

It is 1861. Nearly a million armed Americans face each other along a line stretching 1200 miles from Virginia to Missouri. Tensions in the country reach a climax when Confederate forces fire upon a key Union fort in South Carolina in April. This is the starting point of a bloody four year conflict between the North and the South that would leave an indelible mark on American history.

In Brother against Brother: The Drawing of the Sword, the focus is on the opening battles of the American Civil War. Players will be able to command both sides and relive the major encounters of 1861 and early 1862. Thanks to extensive historical and topographical research, including in-person examinations of each battlefield and consultations of materials previously unavailable to game-designers, the maps and orders of battle each have been recreated at an unprecedented scale and level of detail. Connoisseurs of the period will immediately notice that the behavior of the commanders and their soldiers perfectly matches the tactics of this era! However, Brother against Brother is much more than a rigorous simulation, it also offers several what-if scenarios for a very refreshing approach to famous battles such as 1st Manassas or Wilson’s Creek.

Erik Rutins, Director of Product Development at Matrix Games, said, “It’s always a pleasure to work with the team at Western Civilization Software, but I believe this release is truly special. For Civil War computer wargame fans, I believe that the incredible research and great gameplay included in Brother against Brother will make this game the definitive treatment of these battles for years to come.”

Get more information about the game from its official product page.

pillars-of-eternity-logoFinal Chance to Pre-order Obsidian’s Forthcoming Epic before March 26 Release

Obsidian Entertainment and Paradox Interactive today announced that Pillars of Eternity, the fan-funded modern take on a classic role-playing game (RPG) set in an original world created by some of the best minds in RPG development, has reached “Gold Master” (GM) status, and is now ready for its release on March 26, 2015. Pillars of Eternity, originally called “Project Eternity” the 10th most funded Kickstarter ever and second most funded video game , has been in development for two and a half years, and is now ready to complete its journey, arriving on Windows, Mac, and Linux PC next week. The game will release globally via digital distribution, with backers receiving their digital copies as well.

Pillars of Eternity is an RPG inspired by classic titles such as Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale, and Planescape: Torment, featuring an original world and unique game system, Pillars of Eternity ushers in a renaissance for a much beloved style of role playing game. Funded via Kickstarter in late 2012, raising over $4 million through both backer pledges on Kickstarter and PayPal. Pillars of Eternity has been a project of passion for both the development team and the loyal fans who made it possible.

Pillars of Eternity is scheduled to launch next week, on March 26, 2015, and the game can still be pre-ordered until that time. Pre-orders also include two special in-game items: a Giant Miniature Space Piglet companion who will accompany players through the world of Eora, and the Gaun’s Pledge ring, which provides powerful support to heroes in times of peril. Pillars of Eternity can be pre-ordered by visiting http://buy.pillarsofeternity.com.

For more information on Pillars of Eternity, visit the games official website.

MMORPGs Pillars of Eternity | Donster | |