New Story-driven Real-Time Strategy Game With Stellar Cast Announced

Paradox Interactive today revealed that Ancient Space, a new story-driven real-time strategy (RTS) game from developer CreativeForge Games, will be coming to Windows and Mac PCs in Fall 2014.

Ancient Space is a single-player, real-time strategy title that puts the player in command of a fleet conducting a scientific mission on the edge of the known universe, charting what lies beyond in ‘The Black Zone.’ A rich and compelling story will guide the player as they build and upgrade their fleets and then survive overwhelming odds in deadly strategic missions.

See what awaits beyond the fringes in the Ancient Space announcement trailer.

Ancient Space mixes an engrossing single-player campaign story with time-honored RTS gameplay for a suspenseful experience. Mission objectives are many, varying from exploration to stealth, from assault to defense and more.

Ancient Space is host to a cast of characters voiced by fan-favorite actors from sci-fi television series and films, including:

• John Billingsley (Star Trek: Enterprise, True Blood)
• Aaron Douglas (Battlestar Galactica)
• Ron Glass (Firefly)
• Richard Gunn (Dark Angel)
• Dina Meyer (Starship Troopers, Star Trek: Nemesis, Saw)
• Dwight Schultz (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager)

Ancient Space Features:

• New Frontiers, Classic Gameplay: Build, maintain, upgrade, and strategically command a multitude of ships in tactical battles and missions, facing aliens, pirates, and the unknown
• An Explosive Space Opera: A compelling story, performed by a stellar cast, follows the player as the fleet tackles questions of humanity and science in an epic single-player campaign
• Live with Your Choices: Each mission advances the plot, and introduces new challenges to be met by choosing the right crew and the right upgrades for the job

For more information on Ancient Space, visit the games official website.

We are very pleased to announce, along with The Lordz Games Studio, the release of the 1.52 update for the PC version of Commander: The Great War! This patch comes with loads of fixes and improvements for an enhanced gameplay experience.

This time the focus was set on the AI and technical issues reported by the community. With this new boost the AI is likely to provide an even tougher challenge, so good luck commanders!

Please find below the official changelog of the 1.52 update.

PC and Steam versions:

• Various AI crashes fixed including the AI crash caused by incorrect embarking and the long (to infinite) AI turn loops
• Fixed a problem with loading game when custom unit name has “,” (comma)
• Fixed Unmoved unit cycling with PageUp/PageDown keys
• Introduced double click to confirm action or move to reduce accidental actions/moves
• Rendering via Direct3D support
• Fixed a bug in the Steam installer causing game not always starting
• Fixed camera AI swinging bug by auto zoom-out on turn end
• Added link to gameplay support forum

Click here to download the 1.52 patch. Steam will download the update automatically.

Get more information on Commander: The Great War from its official game page.

Last week the Early Access program for Buzz Aldrin’s Space Program Manager closed its doors. The game is now on the launch pad and the countdown has started. The official launch is scheduled for October 31st and engineers from Polar Motion are working hard to offer a safe and exotic flight to the players.

Not only has the Early Access program helped the developers to fine-tune their game but also it contributed to exploring new possibilities. As a result the final version of Buzz Aldrin’s Space Program Manager will benefit from a more ambitious scope than initially planned. Among the features regularly requested from the early adopters was a multiplayer mode. From the very beginning the game was developed to provide only solo space odysseys, and integrating an engaging multiplayer mode seemed to be very challenging. But the idea immediately caught on around the development team and Polar Motion is really excited to announce that both solo and multiplayer modes will be available at release!

In the multiplayer mode – powered by our convenient and versatile PBEM++ technology -players will be able to relive the ruthless race for dominance in space between the US and the Soviet Union. They will have to choose their side and run a space agency with only one goal in mind: be the first to the Moon! Being notified when their competitor completes successfully their missions; they will feel the same pressure as Managing Directors did during the Cold War. Alternatively a Free Mode will be available to let the players make their own multiplayer space adventures.

Get more information on Buzz Aldrin’s Space Program Manager from its official product page.

By: Hilbert Hagedoorn @ GURU3D

In this review we will benchmark and test HIS Radeon R9-290X Hybrid ICEQ edition. The card uses liquid cooling for the GPU that runs towards a 120mm radiator. On the card itself there still is a small fan that blows air over the VRM area and other components. As a result this card will remain under 80 Degrees C at full load, and does so whilst being factory clocked to a nice 1100 MHz. Under SKU code H290XQH4GD the product will be released with 4 GB of graphics memory.

Read The Review Here

By Stuart Davidson @ Hardware Heaven

There are few, if any, names in PC peripherals bigger than Logitech. Over the years pretty much everyone who has used a PC will have used one of their devices, whether it is as an enthusiast who goes out and buys one or as an office worker whose work PC uses a rebranded Logitech keyboard or mouse as part of their system. Nowadays as well as the more generic parts Logitech also have a heavy focus on gaming through their G series. Today we have one of the latest G series mice from Logitech attached to our system for review. Read on to find out how the Logitech G402 Hyperion Fury does.

Read The Review Here

By Ian Cutress @ AnandTech

Next in our recent run of lower cost motherboards is the MSI Z97 Guard-Pro, a motherboard that MSI billed to me as one suited for the overclockable Pentium G3258 on a budget. At $110, we see if it differs much from the more expensive options on the market.

Read The Review Here

Check out these latest hardware announcements for today from around the web. Also included are some hardware news bits, and on some days, a few rumors tossed in for good measure. Click on the links below to read the official press release, visit the products web page, or to an independent news source.

• All-New Counter Logic Gaming Razer BlackWidow Keyboard Released
• X2 Introduces the Mirage Gaming Keyboard
• ID-Cooling Announces T60-SFX Mini Gaming Case
• SilentiumPC Readies the Brutus S20 PC Chassis
• Velocity Micro Announces the Availability of the MX3 mATX Chassis
• Tesoro Releases Excalibur LED Backlit Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
• BitFenix Releases New Prodigy M Colors
• Sharkoon CA-I and CA-M Start Shipping
• Intel Core i7-5820K Features Fewer PCI-Express Lanes After All
• Spire Introduces the PowerCube 501 and 502 PC Cases
• Raidmax Releases the Seiran II Midi-Tower PC Case
• Gaming DDR4 from G.Skill, Ripjaws 4, Pictured and Priced
• Acer XB270HAbprz 27-inch G-Sync Monitor Detailed
• I-O Data Outs HDJA-UTW External HDD with WD Red Drives
• Corsair Releases Link Commander Mini
• SanDisk Releases Ultra II SSD: Bringing More TLC NAND to the Market
• WD My Passport Line Turns 10 Years Old – 10th Anniversary Edition Drive Unveiled
• AMD Teams With Toshiba’s OCZ for Radeon R7 SSD Line
• ECS Unveils the Z97-PK Motherboard
• Spire Introduces the DustGuard Series Dust Filters
• ASUS Announces RT-AC87U AC2400 Dual-Band Gigabit Wireless Router
• LG to Unveil World’s First 21:9 Curved IPS Monitor at IFA 2014

The Japanese Battleship Fleet in WWII

By John Dudek @ The Wargamer

At the start of Japan’s Pacific War against the Anglo-American Allies, their Imperial Fleet’s ten, later twelve, battleships were placed in multiple divisions of capital ships. Battleship Division 1 (BatDiv 1) initially consisted of the sister ships Nagato and Mutsu. This was later greatly augmented with the addition of the super battleships Yamato and Musashi after they joined the fleet in early 1942. Bat Div 2 were the battleships Ise, Hyuga, Fuso and Yamashiro. BatDiv 3 consisted of the fast battleships (upgraded former battle cruisers) Kongo, Kirishima, Haruna and Hiei. All of Japan’s battleships were comparable to their British and American counterparts in terms of armament, although in some cases many were greatly superior in speed, with four of these being the much faster aforementioned former battle cruisers, Kongo, Kirishima, Haruna and Hiei. Their top speed of 30 knots meant they could easily operate in a support role along with Japan’s aircraft carriers. American and British WWI era battleships of the day had a maximum speed in the low 20 knot range. It would take the arrival of the modern generation of new and much faster Allied battleships before their aircraft carriers could enjoy that same degree of protection and support from big gun warships the Japanese possessed. In terms of main gun armament too, the Japanese battleships were very much comparable to their Allied counterparts with most carrying 14″ guns. Two of their battleships (Nagato and Mutsu) carried 16″ guns and when the super battleships Yamato and Musashi joined the fleet in 1942, the twin sisters mounted 18″ guns, the largest and most destructive main gun armament ever placed aboard a battleship.

Read on…

Rome 2 players will find their game updated via Steam today with a new, free content pack. The August Warriors Update adds unique units such as the Hex-Bearers, Amazonian Riders and Scythian Noblewomen to several playable factions, and includes a significant upgrade to the Suebi roster.

Also available for purchase today, the Daughters of Mars Unit Pack brings fearsome new warriors to Rome 2. Whether in defence of their homelands or called upon to fulfil their part in glorious conquest, female combatants featured throughout the ancient world. Adding a swift and deadly mix of fighting styles and abilities to the fray, generals will wisely place value on those who aspire to be the avatars of the war gods themselves!

Daughters of Mars expands the faction rosters of Rome, the Lusitani, the Suebi and Sparta. These new units can also be hired as mercenaries from specific provinces, whichever faction you play as.

Find out more at the official Total War: Rome 2 website.

Hunker down in Sniper Elite 3’s free Plantation multiplayer map

Independent developer Rebellion today released two pieces of new DLC for Sniper Elite 3 on Steam for PC, with the same content due to come to Playstation 4, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 in the near future.

FREE Plantation Multiplayer Map

The third of four FREE multiplayer maps for Sniper Elite 3 players on all platforms, Plantation sees Rebellion’s Runcorn studio play with the typical conventions of the series’ multiplayer design.

Once again highlighting the lush variety offered by the game’s North African setting, Plantation is flanked by a traversable swamp while a water wheel irrigates the surrounding areas via a network of shallow trenches, offering opportunities for stealthy movement and quick escapes.

Eschewing the traditional battles for a handful of commanding views, Plantation offers an open and rewardingly complex environment encouraging snipers to think creatively about their location and movement.

Eastern Front Weapons Pack

Imported from the bitter climes of Eastern Europe, some of World War Two’s most iconic weapons are now available to play in Sniper Elite 3 via the Eastern Front weapons pack. Available for use across all game modes the pack includes the Blyskawica submachine gun, the Tokarev TT-33 pistol and the Mosin-Nagant rifle.