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Steam Announces In-Home Streaming

Posted by Donster on: 2014-05-22 16:57:02 in category: Game News [ Print ]

In-Home Streaming, a new feature of Steam, is now released to all users. Players who have multiple computers at home can immediately take advantage of the new feature. When you log into Steam on two computers on the same network, they automatically connect, allowing you to remotely install, launch, and play games as though you were sitting at the remote PC.

Steam In-Home Streaming allows you to play your PC games on lower-end computers such as a laptop or home theater PC, or a computer running another operating system such as OS X, SteamOS, or Linux.

When you play a game using In-Home Streaming, video and audio are sent through your home network from your high-end gaming PC to another device in your home. From here, your keyboard, mouse, and controller input is sent back to the remote computer.

For more information, visit the Steam In-Home Streaming Webpage.

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July Conference on Games in the Military

Posted by Donster on: 2014-05-22 16:24:53 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Best Practices for Military Applications of Games, Simulations To Be Reviewed at 2014 Serious Play Conference


Military organizations were the first to identify the full potential of game-based learning. Nationally recognized leaders from multiple branches of the service will discuss both the successful and less effective use of simulations and games as well as the future of games for military training at the fourth annual Serious Play Conference at USC, Tuesday - Thursday, July 22 - 24 in Los Angeles.

Speakers will include:


  • Donna Barbisch, Fellow, George Mason Center, sharing insights on the success, failure and opportunities for the use of serious games across all branches of the military
  • Paulette Robinson, National Defense University, exploring how global trends in education will impact military training
  • Tami Griffith, U.S. Army, describing best practices when leveraging technology for training in government agencies
  • David A. Smith, Lockheed Martin, showing how an open source web framework allows for rapid development and deployment of interactive 3D environments
  • Jan Cannon-Bowers and Bill Rebarick, Cubic Advanced Learning, discussing the development of a game-based training simulation for the U.S. Navy Littoral Combat Ship

For more information, visit the Serious Play Conference Website.

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The Shrapnel Games' Annual Memorial Day Wargame Sale Event

Posted by Donster on: 2014-05-20 16:30:11 in category: Game News [ Print ]

In recognition of our solemn day of remembrance to fallen soldiers, Memorial Day, Shrapnel Games is running a special sale that has become an annual event. From today until May 27th, all wargame offerings from Shrapnel Games are heavily discounted.

Remember. The sale lasts thru May 27th. These are great prices, and with a long holiday weekend coming, there is no better time to get your wargame on! Visit the Gamers Front here for these special offers.

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Rising Storm - Game of the Year Edition Released

Posted by Donster on: 2014-04-22 18:44:48 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Today, Tripwire Interactive and Anti Matter Games are pleased to announce the release of the Rising Storm “Game of the Year Edition.” Already awarded “Multiplayer Game of the Year” by PC Gamer for 2013, the Game of the Year Edition is bursting with new content for both Rising Storm and Red Orchestra 2 (Red Orchestra 2 Multiplayer is included in Rising Storm). Transports for the German and Russian factions, a new Tripwire map (Maggot Hill), 3 community maps now official and the new Search & Destroy gameplay mode, with 10 maps configured for it. That is a full 17 maps either new or with additional gameplay! We’d like to give a special thanks to the vehicle mod team whose work inspired and helped us implement transports into the update.

The Rising Storm Game of the Year Edition is available NOW on Steam as well as many other digital outlets. Rising Storm will be on sale later this week on Steam, as well as available to play for free at the same time. Watch for the launch of this offer – and another special one – on Steam!

To celebrate the new Game of the Year Edition we’ve put together an action packed new trailer for the game so be sure to check that out as well and share it with your friends!

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GameSpy Multiplayer Shutting Down, Hundreds of Games at Risk

Posted by Donster on: 2014-04-04 16:11:25 in category: Game News [ Print ]

By Mitch Dyer, IGN

Hundreds of video games -- including those made by EA, Ubisoft, Gearbox, Nintendo, Konami, Capcom, 5th Cell, Koei, Firaxis, and more -- may be taken offline as Glu's GameSpy multiplayer servers shut down on May 31.

GameSpy was a third-party technology used by publishers and developers to host online services. It was acquired by Glu from IGN in 2012. At the time, Glu CEO Niccolo de Masi said, "We expect that the acquisition of GameSpy will be earnings neutral in the near term. However, GameSpy team and technology is expected to help us drive higher monetization and lifetime value in Glu's titles from 2013 on."

Notable titles included under GameSpy's multiplayer servers included, at one point, Red Dead Redemption, Civilization IV, Grand Theft Auto IV, SEGA & Sonic All-Stars Racing, and Borderlands.

Read more...

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Shrapnel Games March Madness Sale Event

Posted by Donster on: 2014-03-18 14:59:27 in category: Game News [ Print ]

It's March and the annual NCAA Basketball Tournament is upon us. It is named March Madness and we at Shrapnel Games are celebrating the insanity with a sale event so large, that we may also be deemed a little crazy. From now thru Monday, March 31st, every computer game available at Shrapnel Games is being discounted in a frenzy of insane savings:

Air Assault Task Force $33.95 Air Command 3.0 $29.95 ATF: Armored Task Force $23.95 Battle Group Commander: Episode One $12.95 BCT Commander $15.95 Bronze $24.95 The Falklands War: 1982 $34.95 Raging Tiger: The Second Korean War $34.95 Salvo! $34.95 Scallywag: In the Lair of the Medusa $19.95 Space HoRSE $24.95 The Star and the Crescent $34.95 Total Eclipse: The Standard Manual $3.95 Total Eclipse: The Adventurer's Forge $5.95 Total Eclipse: The Virdean Gazetteer $5.95 War Plan Pacific $33.95 winSPWW2 $34.95 winSPMBT $34.95 World Supremacy $24.95.

That’s right, everything from simulation to beer and pretzel, from Windows to Mac, has been reduced in price for the time being. This is a perfect opportunity to snag some great gaming that will make you barking mad.

Stop by www.shrapnelgames.com to check out the complete catalog of discounted titles. There you can read up on the individual games and download demos before making your choices for purchase.

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Russia to Pay for 'Patriotic' Games

Posted by Donster on: 2013-10-10 16:30:34 in category: Game News [ Print ]

By Chris Scullion, Games Editor for CVG UK

The Russian government will start offering grants to developers who produce games depicting the Russian army in a "patriotic" manner.

In an interview with Russia newspaper Izvestiya, Arseny Mironov, an aide to the Russian culture minister, explained that too many historical war games paint the Russian army in an unflattering and "unrealistic" manner.

Mironov believes these portrayals are giving young Russian gamers an unfair inaccurate history of events.

"The main thing that we expect from game makers is that they reflect events realistically and with the maximum historical authenticity, avoiding the creation of a negative image of a Russian soldier," Mironov told the newspaper.

"The game should not only be entertaining, but also improve cognitive functions and promote patriotic education."

To solve this, a new video game project has been set up by the culture minister. Headed by the Russian Military Historical Society, the project will initially focus on the development of one game, due for release in 2014, which will be based on Russian military aviation during the First World War.

This game will be the pilot for a series of games that give a "historically accurate" portrayal of the Russian military's role in history. The government will give grants to any domestic developer who wishes to publish such a game, as long as it meets a list of criteria set out by the Ministry of Culture. The main criteria will be "historical truth" and the promotion of "a positive image of national culture".

Read more...

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The Steam Summer Sale is on Now!

Posted by Donster on: 2013-07-11 16:20:07 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Source: Steam News

Pack your bags and grab your sandals, folks. The "Steam Summer Getaway Sale" is here! For the next eleven days, take advantage of huge saving of up to 75% off on over 2000 PC, Mac and Linux titles. Check back often to take advantage of our eight-hour Flash Sales. You can even help select what goes on sale with our Community's Choice Voting Sales.

And let's not forget one of the Summer Sale's most popular features: our Daily Deals. We're launching a hundred Daily Deals throughout the sale, so there's plenty of opportunity to save big on some truly great titles.

The "Steam Summer Getaway Sale" will run from now until 10AM PST, July 22nd. Complete information on Daily Deals, Flash Sales, Community Choice Voting and more can be found at http://www.steampowered.com.

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Paradox Interactive Expands Publishing Business with Paradox Books

Posted by Donster on: 2013-03-29 14:28:24 in category: Game News [ Print ]

New E-book Initiative Will Publish “A Year with Mojang: Behind the Scenes of Minecraft” and Other Books Later This Year

Paradox Interactive, the global PC strategy games publisher behind critically acclaimed games Crusader Kings II, War of the Roses and Magicka, today announced they are branching out to book publishing with a new e-book initiative called “Paradox Books”.

“We’ve spent more than a decade creating and telling compelling stories through our computer games, stories that have engaged and captivated people from all parts of the globe, and books are just another medium to get those stories out there and engage with our audience,” said Fredrik Wester, CEO of Paradox Interactive. “Add to that the fact that our company was founded on pen and paper role-playing games and books, and that we have several published authors amongst our ranks here at Paradox, so this felt like a very natural progression for us.”

Three books will be available under Paradox Books initially, and several more have been signed and will be distributed later in the year. The books will broach everything from biographical behind the scenes books to game strategy guides to fiction and novels. The inaugural round of books to be made available will include:


  • “The Communist Campaign in Karelia - A Hearts of Iron III Strategy Guide” - Narrative Strategy Guide
  • “A Year with Mojang: Behind the Scenes of Minecraft” - Behind the scenes, Biography
  • “Coriolis” - Hard-boiled Crime Noir

For more information please visit the Books by Paradox Webpage.

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Rogue System - Ship Startup Video

Posted by Donster on: 2013-02-25 16:49:35 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Digits Crossed Interactive (DCI), a newly-formed independent game development studio, has released a new video for Rogue System a new Space Combat Simulator that blends the classic space combat gameplay of the 90’s with the detail and fidelity of a modern “hardcore” flight simulator. The is is the first in a series of 3 videos demonstrating a manual ship start, and an overview of systems.

Rogue System’s blend of the flight and space combat genres creates a unique experience by allowing players to take control of their ship at a system by system level. Players will need to know their ship inside and out to get the most out of it at all times, especially when systems start failing due to damage.

WATCH VIDEO IN HD (Hosted by YouTube - 09:33)

News Source: Email

Digits Crossed Interactive, LLC Introduces Rogue System; goes to Kickstarter

Posted by Donster on: 2013-02-15 13:49:22 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Digits Crossed Interactive (DCI), a newly-formed independent game development studio, is pleased to introduce Rogue System--a new Space Combat Simulator that blends the classic space combat gameplay of the 90’s with the detail and fidelity of a modern “hardcore” flight simulator.

“The past few months have been a whirlwind,” said Michael Juliano, owner and founder of DCI. “Between forming DCI and handling all that it entails, getting the media together for Rogue System’s formal unveiling, and trying to get the word out about its Kickstarter campaign, I’ve barely been able to keep up.”

Rogue System’s blend of the flight and space combat genres creates a unique experience by allowing players to take control of their ship at a system by system level. Players will need to know their ship inside and out to get the most out of it at all times, especially when systems start failing due to damage.

Digits Crossed Interactive has created a Kickstarter “campaign” in an effort to obtain the necessary funding to build an efficient development team to take Rogue System into the next stage of production. The campaign began today and will run for the next 35 days.

Digits Crossed Interactive, LLC was formed on January 2, 2013. Its founder, Michael Juliano, has 14 years’ experience in the game development industry. To learn more about it and Rogue System, please visit www.RogueSystemSim.com. To learn more about DCI’s Kickstarter campaign, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZOwZNvOhP4. Kickstarter, Inc was launched in 2009 to help many types of creative projects find financial support via “crowd funding”.

For more information, please visit www.kickstarter.com.

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Warbirdsim & Flight Replicas Announce P-51K & Bf 109K "Dogfight Series" for FSX

Posted by Donster on: 2012-09-27 15:43:23 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Warbirdsim and Flight Replicas have joined forces to bring back together the European Combatants in the shape of The North American P-51, in one of the last of the D model aircraft and using the later Aeroproducts propeller to give it the K designation and from our friend at Flight Replicas, the final production version of the Bf 109, also the K series (Kurfürst), powered by the DB 605D engine with 1,973 HP this was introduced in the autumn of 1944. Externally very similar to the later models of the Bf 109G series, a large number of internal changes and aerodynamic improvements were made to improve its effectiveness and to correct existing issues. This meant it was a good match for the latest Allied and Soviet fighters. The Bf 109's outstanding rate of climb was superior to all Allied counterparts including the P-51D Mustang, Spitfire XIV and Tempest V.

These aircraft are modeled in stunning high detail and accuracy and give the user an appreciation of these top-of-the-line fighters that were very closely matched in many aspects of performance, and were regarded as the equal of one another when flown by pilots of equal skill. So sharpen those skills, you'll need them.

For more information and screenshots, please visit Warbirdsim.com.

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Take On Helicopters and Arma 2 Join Forces in a New Update

Posted by Donster on: 2012-09-13 16:41:34 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Armacopters - With the release of update 1.06 (codenamed Downtown), Bohemia Interactive has rearmed its latest game Take On Helicopters. Aside a large number of fixes, improvements and optimizations to the core engine, the new Downtown update also implements a major new free DLC called Take On Helicopters: Rearmed. This DLC offers a convenient way for people owning titles suchs as Arma 2, Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead, Arma 2: Combined Operations to get that content into Take On Helicopters.

Additionally, a number of fixes and improvements to the core technology, which had recently been applied to other Bohemia Interactive games via the Operation Arrowhead beta patch program, have been ported across to Take On Helicopters - resulting in a significant performance boost when flying over densely populated areas such as Seattle Downtown, plus increased stability in the multiplayer code.

PRESS RELEASE/DOWNLOAD INSTALLER

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Paradox Interactive Releases Ship Simulator Extremes Customs Vessel Free DLC

Posted by Donster on: 2012-09-07 15:59:37 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Customs Vessel available now

Ahoy Mateys! It’s Ship Simulator Extremes 2nd anniversary and to celebrate Paradox Interactive and developer VSTEP are offering players the brand new DLC Customs Vessel for free!

Customs Vessel tasks players with the role of a maritime customs officer, responsible for upholding the law and ensuring nothing fishy gets smuggled into the harbor. Piloting a brand new customs ship named Zilvermeeuw players will embark on two exciting missions which include searching vessels for contraband as well as high speed sea chases to apprehend ships evading inspection.

VSTEP developed Customs Vessel with guidance from The Port of Rotterdam Customs Authority and the Customs & Tax Museum in Rotterdam to ensure the most realistic gaming experience.

Customs Vessel is now available to download for free from www.shipsim.com and selected digital distribution sites including the Steam Store.

News Source: Email

Microsoft Flight Grounded

Posted by Donster on: 2012-07-26 16:52:40 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Source: Blue's News

Microsoft has cancelled development of Microsoft Flight, as well as Project Columbia, described as "a Kinect interactive TV project designed for children" by Kotaku. The site originally reported that the entire Vancouver studio responsible for these games was being shut down, but an update from MS clarifies that these projects are at an end, but not the studio itself. Here's the official statement:

Microsoft Studios is always evaluating its portfolio of products to determine what is best for gamers, families and the company, and this decision was the result of the natural ebb and flow of our portfolio management. Many factors were considered in the difficult decision to stop development on "Microsoft Flight" and "Project Columbia," but we feel it will help us better align with our long-term goals and development plans. For "Microsoft Flight," we will continue to support the community that has embraced the title and the game will still be available to download for free at http://www.microsoft.com/games/flight/.

News Source: Email

Ship Simulator Extremes Collection Released - Screens & Trailer

Posted by Donster on: 2012-06-19 16:21:05 in category: Game News [ Print ]

(Champagne for launching ceremony unfortunately not included)

Paradox Interactive and developer VSTEP have today released the most complete Ship Simulator gaming experience to date in Ship Simulator Extremes Collection, available via retail and all major digital distribution platforms with a recommended retail price of €29.99/$29.99.

Featuring Ship Simulator Extremes, ALL previously released add-on and DLC content, Ship Simulator Extremes Collection is the ultimate gaming experience for every aspiring mariner. This comprehensive collection features hundreds of hours of maritime seafaring realism as you captain an extensive range of accurately recreated sea craft of all sizes.

The collection gives you maximum access to everything ever released for this best-selling ship simulator, making this a must for every simulation fan! And to commemorate the release, Paradox Interactive and VSTEP have released a salty wave of brand new screenshots!

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Call of Duty Trial Settlement Reached

Posted by Donster on: 2012-05-31 17:58:26 in category: Game News [ Print ]

All claims dismissed as lawyers reach an undisclosed agreement

By Mike Jackson for CVG UK

The legal fight between Activision and former Infinity Ward bosses Jason West and Vince Zampella has ended.

A settlement has been reached, putting an end to over two years of fierce litigation between the publisher, the former Modern Warfare co-creators and the 40 former Infinity Ward employees that joined them in the dispute. West and Zampella's attorney confirmed the settlement, the terms of which went undisclosed, in court today.

"All parties have reached a settlement in the dispute, the terms of which are strictly confidential," is the official response, according to the Twitter feed of LA Times' Ben Fritz.

Read more...

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EA-DICE Frostbite Titles in 2013 Will Require 64-bit Windows

Posted by Donster on: 2012-05-25 16:13:47 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Source: techPowerUp!

While content-creation and media transcoding applications have transitioned to native x86-64 applications that can take advantage of large amounts of system and video memory, a similar transition by game developers has been rather slow. Very few PC games ship with 64-bit executables, as most games are ported from game consoles anyway, which have slim system requirements.

EA-DICE has been behind developing games that take advantage of the latest PC technologies (such as DirectX 11), and according to a lead developer and rendering architect with the studio, Johan Andersson, games that are driven by Frostbite engine, which are slated for 2013, will require 64-bit operating systems, these games will not run on 32-bit Windows, or in 32-bit mode, on 64-bit Windows, but with full-fledged 64-bit executables. The 64-bit address-space would allow games to take advantage of system memory over 4 GB, and more importantly, high amounts of video memory, as 2 GB and 3 GB become standard with performance-segment graphics cards.

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Activision & Electronic Arts Settle Modern Warfare War

Posted by Donster on: 2012-05-17 17:22:53 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Source: Blue's News

Activision and Electronic Arts have reached an out-of-court settlement in their portion of the legal battle over EA's hiring of Jason West and Vince Zampella, reports Bloomberg. The case involving the two former bosses at Call of Duty developer Infinity Ward is still scheduled to be heard in court, though the attorney for the pair suggests today's settlement reflects on that case.

"Activision dragged EA into the case hoping to distract from Activision’s wretched conduct towards West and Zampella," Robert Schwartz, a lawyer for the two developers, said in an e- mailed statement. "In dismissing EA today, Activision admits that it was never going to convince anyone that EA conspired with West and Zampella to breach their contracts or did anything else improper."

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Zampella, West Now Want Over $1 Billion in Damages from Activision

Posted by Donster on: 2012-05-17 17:22:26 in category: Game News [ Print ]

By Fred Dutton @ Eurogamer

The damages pay-out sought by sacked Infinity Ward bosses Jason West and Vince Zampella has swollen to over $1 billion, according to the pair's former employees Activision.

The figure popped up in a recent SEC financial filing from the publisher, as spotted by Develop.

It notes that the sum originally sought was just $36 million, but doesn't specify why the number has risen so dramatically since.

Here's the text in full:

"After concluding an internal human resources inquiry into breaches of contract and insubordination by two senior employees at Infinity Ward, the Company terminated its employment of Jason West and Vince Zampella on March 1, 2010."

"On March 3, 2010, West and Zampella filed a complaint against the Company in Los Angeles Superior Court for breach of contract and wrongful termination, among other claims. In their complaint, West and Zampella alleged damages, including punitive damages, in excess of $36 million, an amount they have since significantly increased during discovery to over $1 billion, as well as declaratory relief."

"On April 9, 2010, the Company filed a cross complaint against West and Zampella, asserting claims for breach of contract and fiduciary duty, among other claims. The Company is seeking damages and declaratory relief."

The case is due to go in front of a Los Angeles judge on 29th May.

In related news, a report early today accused Activision of attempting to hack into Zampella and West's email around a year before they were eventually dismissed.

The two Modern Warfare creators signed a development a deal with EA soon after their departure from Activision. EA was subsequently dragged into the legal scuffle but has since settled out of court.

News Source: Email

Take On Helicopters: Take On Noisecontrollers DLC Released and Screens/Trailer

Posted by Donster on: 2012-05-11 16:48:36 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Hardstyle & Helicopters - After a unique co-operation with the world famous DJ and producer duo Noisecontrollers, Bohemia Interactive has landed a brand new and completely free downloadable content package for Take On Helicopters. Dropping in loud, the Take On Noisecontrollers FreeLC features 14 new Time Trials, 4 unique helicopter skins, the DJs as virtual characters, and an exclusively mixed 30-minute music set by the popular Dutch hardstyle duo.

The fusion between two seemingly disconnected worlds began many months ago, after initial contact was made by the, also Dutch, Take On Helicopters Project Lead. Both parties agreed it would be a nice idea to produce something fun, on the side, and for free. Although it may seem odd at first glance, the connection between a helicopter game and hardstyle music is stronger than one might think. Electronic music festivals often offer visual and audio spectacles similar to games, while also being filmed by helicopter crews from the air.

Read the full press release, view the new screenshots, watch the video and download the Take On Noisecontrollers FreeLC HERE via the Take On Helicopters official website.

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Just Announced Game/Software News for 24 April 2012

Posted by Donster on: 2012-04-24 18:28:03 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Here are the latest gaming and software announcements for today from around the web. Click on the links below to read the official press release, visit the products web page, or to an independent news source.

News Source: Email

CryEngine 3 Video Shows Off 3.4 Update Features

Posted by Donster on: 2012-04-13 16:10:07 in category: Game News [ Print ]

A look at the stunning visuals Crytek's engine can create

Source: CVG

Crytek has today released a significant update for its CryEngine 3, giving developers more tools to make pretty pictures.

The CryEngine 3 SDK update version 3.4 adds "brand new tools to tap into, including revamped DirectX 11 tessellation, advanced character rendering options, improved AI system and much more," according to the developer.

If you're not a dev yourself this may all be over your head, but at very least just check out the video and drool over the pretty pictures that all this techie jargon translates into at the hands of some talented artists.

WATCH VIDEO IN HD (Hosted by GameTrailers - 02:43)

News Source: Email

Take On Helicopters: Hinds Strikes Stores

Posted by Donster on: 2012-03-16 17:43:28 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Lock on target - Bohemia Interactive has launched Take On Helicopters: Hinds - the first official DLC for Take On Helicopters. Bringing in a variety of helicopter gun-and-gameplay, Take On Helicopters: Hinds enlists players to become the pilot of the most iconic helicopter gunship ever: the Hind.

Take On Helicopters: Hinds is now available for 12.99 EUR/16.99 USD/10.99 GBP at Store.bistudio.com, Steam, Desura, Gamersgate, Aerosoft, Wilco Publishing and Impulse Driven. There is also a bundle pack available, consisting of the vanilla game and Take On Helicopters: Hinds.

Have a look at the freshly released Take On Helicopters: Hinds Launch Trailer! (Hosted by YouTube - 01:32)

For all the latest information, please visit the official Take On Helicopters Website.

News Source: Email

Warbirdsim Announces P-51D Mustang - 'Cripes A Mighty'

Posted by Donster on: 2012-03-16 17:24:15 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Warbirdsim.com has released the first P51-D to their new 'Then and Now' series for FSX. For more information and to view screens of Major George E. Preddy Jr.'s P-51D 'Cripes A Mighty', visit the official Warbirdsim Website.

News Source: Email

Take On Helicopters v1.04 "Cougar" Patch

Posted by Donster on: 2012-03-08 16:48:46 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Source: Blue's News

The Take On Helicopters Website now offers the new version 1.04 "Cougar" patch for Bohemia Interactive's flight simulator. The patch can be applied to any version of the game except those distributed through Steam.

MORE PATCH INFO

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Paradox Interactive Announces Three New Games!

Posted by Donster on: 2012-03-05 16:02:07 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Does Size Matter? Small Development Teams Think Big, New Project From Magicka Dev Team Unveiled

Paradox Interactive today announced the details of its three previously teased games from small and fresh-thinking game studios for the 2012 Game Developers Conference, upholding that size doesn´t matter when it comes to big gameplay experiences from small development team.

Despite some pre-show jitters and a touch of stage fright, all three games, entitled The Showdown Effect, Dungeonland and RED Frontier, are being showcased at the convention. The trio of intriguing and innovative games will be available to view and to play at Paradox’s Interactive’s gaming lounge at GDC.

Action-packed and loaded with adventure, all three of these games will fulfill a unique need in gamers’ lives, whether it is their thirst for blood, fame and glory for their teams, or helpful theme-park-survival skills.

Check out the Press Release for more game information and the announcement trailers for all three new titles!

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Microsoft Flight Takes Off

Posted by Donster on: 2012-02-29 16:27:26 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Source: Blue's News

The Microsoft Flight Website now offers Microsoft Flight, the free-to-play follow up to the Microsoft Flight Simulator series of flying games. With the series entering a new era with a name change and a different business model, MCV sits down with Microsoft's Joshua Howard about these topics. Here are his thoughts on the free thing:

"Free-to-play was a really easy choice. The idea that we’re going to give away an experience that can introduce, for no cost, millions and millions of people to the magic that is flying just seemed like a no brainer. We believe people will get in, experience the free thing, realise that flying is magical, it is doable, it is achievable. And then they’ll become fans. And if they become fans then they’ll want to stick around. And a free-to-play model with downloadable content seemed to be a great fit for that."

News Source: Email

Serious Games Association Forming

Posted by Donster on: 2012-02-24 16:07:24 in category: Game News [ Print ]

The Serious Games Association (SGA), designed to support all professionals in the serious games community with educational conferences, special interest groups, tools and training, is open for membership at www.seriousgamesassociation.com.

Programs and services for all market segments – education, healthcare/medical, corporate, government/military and games for good are in-the-works.

The Serious Play Conference, in its second year, is being brought under the Serious Games Association. A Serious Games Directory, listing titles from all publishers; developers; technology and tool providers; industry analysts; consultants; and academic institutions with serious game courses as well as a data base of textbooks and other resources is in development.

The Serious Games Association (SGA) will also publish research on the serious games market, organize special interest groups (SIGS) and support a blog as well as media site that will carry industry news and new product announcements.

“Serious Games” refers to games or simulations developed for a “serious” purpose such as training or learning, as opposed to games created purely to be entertaining.

Individual membership in the Serious Games Association is $35 annually, which will entitle members to discounts on association events, access to profiles of games and sims in the Serious Games Directory and other benefits. Corporate and Sustaining Memberships are also available.

Information on the Serious Games Association can be found at www.seriousgamesassociation.com.

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Take On Helicopters Review

Posted by Donster on: 2012-02-23 07:27:23 in category: Game News [ Print ]

COMBATSIM.COM's own Shawn "Gunny" Thrift checks out Bohemia Interactive's Take On Helicopters simulation. Join Gunny as he reviews the three different classes of helicopters, the realism of the terrain and cities, the authenticity of the cockpit and flight procedures, the flight models, and the story line.

Read The Review Here

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Activision Posts Annual Profit of $1.1 Billion

Posted by Donster on: 2012-02-10 15:15:32 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Earnings more than doubled in 2011

By Tom Ivan @ CVG

Activision Blizzard has reported a significant rise in sales and earnings for calendar year 2011.

The publisher's net profit more than doubled year-over-year to $1.09 billion (£688.3m), while revenues grew seven percent to a record $4.76 billion (£3b), with digital sales representing 34 percent of the total.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was the top-selling title in dollars during 2011 and Call of Duty: Black Ops was the fifth best-selling, while CoD: Elite now has seven million registered users and 1.5 million subscribers.

Read more...

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Take On Helicopters: Hinds DLC Announced - Screens

Posted by Donster on: 2012-02-09 16:31:07 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Russians, guns and rotor blades - Bohemia Interactive announces the first official DLC for Take On Helicopters - Take On Helicopters: Hinds. Shifting focus to a more combat-oriented experience, Take On Helicopters: Hinds puts players in the seat of the most iconic and revolutionary military gunship ever: the Hind.

Take On Helicopters: Hinds includes the Mil Mi-24 V, Mi-24 P and Mi-35 Super Hind helicopter gunships (with over 25 different liveries), a brand new set of singleplayer challenges, 5 time trials and new competitive multiplayer scenario. The release date is set on Thursday 15 March 2012, when it will be available for download at Store.bistudio.com, Steam, Desura and several other online stores.

PRESS RELEASE/SCREENSHOTS

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Paradox Interactive Releases First Hot Details of GDC 2012 Line-up

Posted by Donster on: 2012-02-08 15:31:02 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Independent Publisher to announce three new indie games & showcase them in their gaming lounge

Touting this year as the era of the indie developer, Paradox Interactive today announced a few of the tricks up their sleeve for this year’s Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. Three new games will be announced, all based on brand new IP:s, including the new project from the Magicka team!

The Paradox Interactive gaming lounge at GDC will showcase four titles, three of which have yet to be announced. Paradox Interactive want to show you that their new collaboration with talented small game studios will rock your world. Or at least shake it a little bit.

To check out the announced titles to be shown at GDC, please read the complete Press Release.

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Take On Helicopters Sample Model & Livery Templates Available

Posted by Donster on: 2012-01-27 16:11:11 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Custom community copters - Bohemia Interactive has released a helicopter sample model and livery templates for all 3 helicopter classes to support the customization of helicopters in their latest game Take On Helicopters. The sample model can be used in Oxygen 2, Bohemia Interactive's free modeling tool, to create custom helicopter models. The livery templates are available as PSD files and can be used to 'skin' either the light, medium or heavy class helicopters.

For more information on the helicopter sample model and livery templates, Click Here.

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Take On Helicopters Language Pack now Available

Posted by Donster on: 2012-01-19 17:01:38 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Boarding call for gamers worldwide - Bohemia Interactive has released a free multi-language pack which adds German, French, Italian and Spanish localization to its brand new Take On Helicopters. The game was already available in English and in Czech, but with the addition of these new languages it widens its doors to flight game enthusiasts all over the world.

Take On Project Lead Joris-Jan van 't Land explains: "Our aim has always been to make helicopter flying accessible to a wide audience. Providing support for the world's most widely spoken languages is part of this."

On future plans for Take On Helicopters he adds: "We are currently working on Patch 3 - codenamed 'Cougar'. This will be a major update and includes substantial changes to the flight model as well as an upgrade to our scripting technology. Also, we've got something special in the pipeline for Take On Helicopters and we're planning to announce more about this soon."

To implement the free language pack, players can download the installer here: takeonthegame.com/game-updates/. The Steam version of Take On Helicopters will be updated automatically.

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Valve Reports Record Year for Steam

Posted by Donster on: 2012-01-06 16:13:00 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Game sales increased by more than 100 percent for the seventh straight year

By Tom Ivan @ CVG

Fresh from announcing that Steam has surpassed the five million concurrent users mark, Valve has reported another record year for the digital download platform.

Steam now offers over 1,800 games to more than 40 million account holders, with year-over-year unit sales up by more than 100 percent for the seventh straight year in 2011. Over 14.5 mil copies of Steamworks games were registered during the year, representing a 67 percent increase over 2010, while Steam doubled the amount of content delivered year-over-year, serving over 780 Petabytes of data to gamers around the world.

Read more...

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San Francisco & New York to Become Two Newest Cities in Motion

Posted by Donster on: 2012-01-06 15:56:38 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Iconic American Metropolises Coming to Transport Sim in Expansion Pack

Paradox Interactive and Colossal Order are taking its innovative transportation-sim game, Cities in Motion, on a coast-to-coast tour of the United States. In Cities in Motion: U.S. Cities, an expansion pack coming out the 17th of January, two iconic American locations will join the mix, allowing players to challenge their civic planning skills in both San Francisco and New York.

Both cities will be available to play in campaign and sandbox mode, and will include new vehicles, new transportation types, and plenty of new American buildings, landmarks, and commuters.

View the Cites in Motion: U.S. Cities Announcement Trailer here HERE. (Hosted by YouTube - 01:00)

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Microsoft Flight for Free in Spring

Posted by Donster on: 2012-01-04 16:42:18 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Today, Microsoft Studios premiered Microsoft Flight, a PC game that lets players jump into the challenge, fun, and freedom of flight. Microsoft Flight will be available as a free download this spring, giving players the freedom to fly the skies over the beautiful Big Island of Hawaii, complete a variety of exciting missions, test their skills in flying challenges, or find hidden aerocaches on the island.

In Microsoft Flight, players view the world from above in a visually stunning and realistic representation of the earth, complete with region-specific weather patterns, foliage, terrain and landmarks. Players can choose to take the helm using highly rendered, accurate cockpits and authentic piloting procedures, or simply use their mouse and keyboard to control the plane in an exterior view. More experienced players can tailor the flight controls to match their skill level, making Microsoft Flight easy for beginners while still challenging for the most accomplished PC pilots.

Read more at the officail Microsoft Flight Website.

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EA/Activision Lawsuit Moves Forward

Posted by Donster on: 2011-12-23 16:48:11 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Motions Filed for Summary Judgment by Electronic Arts, Former Employees West and Zampella Denied

Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc., announced that the Los Angeles Superior Court has denied a motion brought by Electronic Arts, Inc. (EA) for summary judgment, thereby permitting Activision to proceed to trial on its $400 million contract-interference suit against EA. At a hearing held yesterday, December 21, 2012, Judge Elihu Berle denied EA's motion, finding that the evidence presented by Activision supplied a basis for a jury to potentially conclude both that EA had intentionally interfered with Activision's employment agreements with former Call of Duty game developers, Jason West and Vince Zampella, and that EA had aided and abetted West and Zampella's breach of fiduciary duties to Activision. A related summary judgment motion put forth by West and Zampella was also denied.

In the suit Activision alleges that West and Zampella breached their contracts and duty of loyalty to Activision by conduct that was insubordinate and otherwise improper and that West and Zampella's misconduct was caused, at least in part, by EA's unlawful tampering. A jury trial in the case is scheduled to begin on May 7, 2012.

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Take On Helicopters v1.03 Patch

Posted by Donster on: 2011-12-20 16:33:42 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Bohemia Interactive has issued version 1.03, “Bainbridge” patch for Take on Helicopters. Bainbridge introduces various miscellaneous fixes to all areas of the game, including some smaller FM tweaks.

Please note that updating your game to Bainbridge (v1.03) first requires that you have applied Alki (v1.02). 143 MB CHANGELIST

LINKS:

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Microsoft Flight Beta Begins Soon

Posted by Donster on: 2011-12-02 18:41:34 in category: Game News [ Print ]

Sign up to test the latest version of this long-running series.

By Charles Onyett, IGN

A beta test for the newest iteration of Microsoft's venerable flight simulator series, simply called Microsoft Flight, will be starting up in January 2012. Sign-ups to get into the test are now open on the game's official site.

According to Microsoft's news post, you can expect to hear back about whether or not you'll get access in January when the tests start up.

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War Crimes in Video Games Draw Red Cross Scrutiny

Posted by Donster on: 2011-12-02 18:23:03 in category: Game News [ Print ]

By Brian Crecente @ Kotaku

One of the world's largest and most respected humanitarian groups in the world is investigating whether the Geneva and Hague conventions should be applied to the fictional recreation of war in video games.

If they agree those standards should be applied, the International Committee of the Red Cross says they may ask developers to adhere to the rules themselves or "encourage" governments to adopt laws to regulate the video game industry.

Read more...

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Take On Helicopters Demo Lifts Off Today!

Posted by Donster on: 2011-11-30 18:23:44 in category: Game News [

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