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Asteroids - The Movie Coming Soon From Universal!

DoranM — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:25:27 GMT

The movie industry has once again pulled through for gamers to give us a blast from the past! It looks like Asteroids is going to be made into a full-featured production!

Here's the update about Asteriods - The Movie:

Asteroids, the arcade game from the 1970s, is officially in development as a movie. Yup, you read that right.

Once again, news has arrived from the land of Hollywood that another major video game franchise is being adapted for the silver screen. Last week, it was announced that Uncharted would get a celluloid makeover; this week, it's a much older franchise that's being adapted. It turns out that Asteroids, the Atari game from 1979 (thus making it older than many in the current generation of gamers) will be coming to theaters sometime in the future.

Astonishingly, not only is Asteroids being made into a movie, but there was an actual bidding war between four major studios for the rights. Universal Studios has emerged the winner.

Buy In-Game Mana Potions and Get Real Ones At Home With New MMORPG

DoranM — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:39:03 GMT

Ijji.com has announced a recent collaberation with Harcos to bring Mana Energy Drinks to people both in game, and real life. Players can now purchase bottle of Mana Energy in Lunia from Harcos and have a box show up at their house shortly afterwards, blurring the line between real mana potions, and in game mana potions. Lunia is a new arcade style MMORPG and is one of the flagship titles for Ijji! They're also working on Huxley and several other exciting titles!

Here's the news release about Mana Energy Potions In game and on your doorstep:

ijji.com, Mana Energy Potion Blur the line between Virtual, Real Worlds

Leading Online Hardcore Gaming Portal and Unique Energy Drink Partner to Boost Player Stamina On- and Off-line

IRVINE, Calif. and SANTA MONICA, Calif. – June 30, 2009 – Cheers to gamers and characters, alike. ijji.com, the premier 8 million members-strong online destination for hardcore gamers, has partnered with Harcos to bring Mana Energy Potion, the energy shot created for gamers by gamers, to players in both real life and online. Players in ijji.com’s anime-influenced massively multi-player online role-playing game (MMORPG), Lunia, can now purchase virtual bottles of Mana Energy Potion to boost their stamina in the game. After imbibing the digital versions of the energy elixir, an actual case of Mana Energy Potion will be delivered – free of charge – to players, further eliminating the line between virtual and actual worlds.

“We long admired Harcos for its creative twist on energy drinks for gamers, and are thrilled to partner with them in such a unique way,” said Philip Yun, CEO, NHN USA, host of ijji.com. “This could very well be the first time a product found in game can be purchased and consumed in the real world. Lunia, with the addition of Mana Energy Potions, will change the way online games are played, allowing users to connect with their virtual persona like never before.”

With its mystical forests and fearsome monsters, Lunia provides an appropriately mystical setting for the magic-inspired, fast-acting energy liquid. Mana Energy Potion delivers up to eight hours of enemy-crippling power and comes in a whimsically-shaped 1.69 fl oz spherical potion bottle, and will appear exactly the same in the game. Vitamin-packed and sugar free, it doesn’t come with the cruel crash often associated with sugary energy drinks. In-game and in real life, Mana Energy Potion helps gamers and their characters alike stay alert as they battle relentlessly through marathon gaming sessions.

“As a unique product on the gaming market we are excited to align ourselves with ijji.com, the largest hardcore gaming portal in the world,” said Aaron Rasmussen, co-founder and vice president of marketing, Harcos. “Mana Energy Potion speaks to all the real gamers out there who ever wondered what it would be like to emulate their characters in real life.”

This unique pairing will be the first such collaboration for both companies. Players can purchase virtual Mana Energy Potion in-game at Lunia’s premium item shop for 29 G coins, ijji.com’s in-game currency, per 10 units and 128 G coins per 50 units. Once players purchase 100 units of Mana Energy Potion in-game, they are entitled to a four-pack of the real life Mana Energy Potion – completely free of shipping and handling charges.

Players can also buy Mana Energy Potions through various retailers, which will be bundled with ePins, redeemable for in-game currency, for access to product in Lunia, such as Mana Energy Potions. Players will be drinking Mana Potion right alongside their virtual counterparts in the forests of Lunia.

To purchase your first virtual bottle, and for additional information about Lunia, please check out the following site: http://lunia.ijji.com.

68% of U.S. Households Play Computer or Video Games

Kody — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:28:58 GMT

The ESA has released findings based on a recent survey where they polled households across America, and found that 68% play video games on at least one platform. 42% of American homes have a video game console, the average gamer is 35, and 43% of online gamers are female.

There are more results, but the findings without a doubt back up the belief that video games are currently the entertainment medium for this century, surpassing the movie industry and no doubt continuing on.

You can read the full press release published by the Electronic Software Association on the matter below.

SIXTY-EIGHT PERCENT OF U.S. HOUSEHOLDS PLAY COMPUTER OR VIDEO GAMES
Three Percent Increase in Gamer Households Illustrates the Growing Use of Entertainment Software Across All Demographics

June 2, 2009 – Los Angeles – Sixty-eight percent of American households play computer or video games, according to new research from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), which represents U.S. computer and video game publishers. The number of households playing games increased three percent over 2008, illustrating the expanding use of entertainment software across all demographics. The ESA released these findings as part of its Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry 2009 report during the E3 Expo, the computer and video game industry’s annual trade show.

“This is the new golden age of entertainment software. Our products are now being enjoyed by over two-thirds of Americans,” said Michael D. Gallagher, CEO of the ESA. “As the findings of the 2009 Essential Facts illustrate, more and more Americans across all demographics are now embracing the interactive entertainment experience that computer and video games provide.”

Other findings of the survey include:

Forty-two percent of American homes have a video game console;
Adult gamers have been playing for 12 years on average, a decrease from 2008, an indication that more Americans are picking up video game controllers for the first time;
The average game player is 35 years old;
Seventy-seven percent of parents believe that the parental controls available in all recent video game consoles are useful;
Almost half of all games sold (45 percent) are rated ‘E’ for Everyone by the Entertainment Software Rating Board; and,
Forty-three percent of online game players are female.

In addition, the report includes statistics about the high level of parental involvement in video game play. Sixty-three percent of parents who have children under 18 with a gaming console in the home believe games are a positive part of their children’s lives. Those parents are present when games are purchased or rented 92 percent of the time and report always or sometimes monitoring the games their children play 91 percent of the time.

The research for Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry 2009 was conducted by Ipsos MediaCT and is the most in-depth and targeted survey of its kind, gathering data from almost 1,200 nationally representative households that have been identified as owning either or both a video game console or a personal computer used to run entertainment software.

The Entertainment Software Association is the U.S. association dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of companies publishing interactive games for video game consoles, handheld devices, personal computers, and the Internet. The ESA offers services to interactive entertainment software publishers including a global anti-piracy program, owning the E3 Expo, business and consumer research, federal and state government relations, First Amendment and intellectual property protection efforts. For more information, please visit www.theESA.com.

Left 4 Dead 2 Announced: Exclusive Video Trailer and Release Date!

DoranM — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 19:16:54 GMT

Valve Announces Left 4 Dead 2

As a teaser to the big E3 announcements coming this week Valve just sent us some new information on Left 4 Dead 2. The title adds melee combat to the award-winning L4D style of play, with items such as a chainsaw, frying pan, axe, baseball bat, and more. Also making an appearance are new Survivors, boss zombies, weapons, and items, Left 4 Dead 2 offers a much larger game than the original with more co-operative campaigns, more Versus campaigns, maps for Survival mode at launch, and more.

The game will be released November 17th 2009 and has several enhancements to the blockbuster co-operative multiplayer thriller! It will be made available on XBOX and PC.

Official Trailer

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Setting

Left 4 Dead 2 is set at roughly the same time as the original – just after the outbreak that turned most of the population into various zombie mutants. Players assume the role of 4 new “Survivors,” each with their own personality and new dialog. The game leads these “Survivors” through the southeastern region of the US - from Savannah, Georgia thru the bayou country, and climaxing in New Orleans’ French Quarter.

Features

- Next generation co-op action gaming from the makers of Half-Life, Portal, Team Fortress and Counter-Strike.

- AI Director 2.0: Advanced technology dubbed “The AI Director” drove L4D’s unique gameplay – customizing enemy population, effects, and music, based upon the players’ performance. L4D 2 features “The AI Director 2.0” which expands the Director’s ability to customize level layout, world objects, weather, and lighting to reflect different times of day.

- New melee weapons – axe, chainsaw, frying pan, baseball bat – allow you to get up close with the zombies

- Four different survivors. New Story. New dialogue.

- More game. On day one, L4D 2 features more co-operative campaigns, more campaigns and maps for the Versus game modes than L4D 1, plus support for Survival mode out of the box.

- Stats, rankings, and awards system drives collaborative play

Official News

Here's the official notice from Valve about Left 4 Dead 2:

June 1, 2009 - Valve, creators of best-selling game franchises (such as Half-Life and Counter-Strike) and leading technologies (such as Steam and Source), today announced Left 4 Dead 2 (L4D2), the sequel to the best-selling and critically-acclaimed co-operative multiplayer thriller.

Coming exclusively to Xbox 360 and PC, L4D2 promises to set a new benchmark for co-operative action games and become one of 2009's marquee titles.

"A large part of how Left 4 Dead became 2008's top-selling new IP on Xbox 360 and the PC was the custom-tailored gameplay made possible by the AI Director," said Gabe Newell, president and co-founder of Valve. "With the knowledge gained from creating the original, new technology, and a passionate team, L4D2 will set a new benchmark for cooperative action games."

Set for release on November 17, the title adds melee combat to enable deeper co-operative gameplay, with items such as a chainsaw, frying pan, axe, baseball bat, and more.

Introducing the AI Director 2.0, L4D's dynamic gameplay is taken to the next level by giving the Director the ability to procedurally change weather effects, world objects, and pathways in addition to tailoring the enemy population, effects, and sounds to match the players' performance. The result is a unique game session custom fitted to provide a satisfying and uniquely challenging experience each time the game is played.

Featuring new Survivors, boss zombies, weapons, and items, Left 4 Dead 2 offers a much larger game than the original with more co-operative campaigns, more Versus campaigns, and maps for Survival mode available at launch.

Supported by a $10+ million marketing campaign, Left 4 Dead has sold over 2.5 million retail copies since it was released in November of 2008. Left 4 Dead 2 is targeted for release on Xbox 360 and the PC on November 17, 2009, and will be launched worldwide with a multi-million dollar marketing campaign across TV, Outdoor, and Online.

"Left 4 Dead was backed by our most aggressive advertising campaign to date, and resulted in a top 5 showing on two platforms during holiday 2008," said Doug Lombardi, VP of marketing at Valve. "Left 4 Dead 2 is a larger game and will be supported with even more consumer and retail advertising programs than the original."

Left 4 Dead 2 will be featured as the cover story on PC Gamer and Official Xbox Magazines this month. For more information, please visit www.l4d.com

Rawrcast Interviews Curse Rep & Addon Developer Ckknight!

DoranM — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:26:30 GMT

This past weekend Ckknight, creator of Cartographer, Pitbull, and many others spent some time with RawrCast to talk about some of the recent changes dealing with Curse Premium, the Addon Rewards Program, his experiences as a developer at Curse, and much more! You can listen to the cast by clicking play on the top right of the RawrCast Curse Episode page.

Here's the official intro from RawrCast about the Curse Episode from Saturday:

Ckknight -- creator of Cartographer, Pitbull, etc. and Curse developer -- recently took part in Rawrcast, a weekly podcast organized by Stompalina. He sheds some light on the processes behind CurseForge and WoWAce, a bit about AddOn development, and more. Note: There were audio issues for the first couple minutes, so you won't hear anything for a bit.

This week we welcome ckknight from Curse Network, as we tackle the negative consumer feedback regarding the WoW Matrix controversy, and the lack of information surrounding the new Curse Premium Client. Ck shares how the Curse Premium Subscription helps to aid and support the add-on development community, and how you can get involved in creating your own add-on and become a part of this group of players who are responsible for enhancing your in-game experience.

Duke Nukem Pre-Order Customer From 2001 Still Gameless!

DoranM — Sat, 09 May 2009 16:30:27 GMT

Patience might not always be a virtue.

This story was originally posted on Yahoo.com. This poor chap pre-ordered Duke Nukem-Forever in 2001 (Notice the old yellowed paper - maybe he's a smoker I don't know), and never received the game...mainly because they just never made it! Luckily Game Stop is still in business after all these years, but it won't be easy to get a refund for an 8 year old purchase. Here's the original Yahoo.com story:

Will this gamer ever be collecting the pre-order he placed in 2001?

Answer: probably not. His $10 deposit was placed on Duke Nukem Forever, a first-person shooter that, after being in continuous development for an unprecedented 12 years, was suddenly canceled yesterday.

Duke Nukem, a once-iconic blond-haired all-American action hero, with a fondness for catchphrases like "It's time to kick *** and chew bubblegum, and I'm all out of gum," was the star of a hit string of games in the 1990s. His creators, 3D Realms, used him to help pioneer the first-person shooter genre, paving the way for modern hits like Halo and Call of Duty.

Ten years ago, Duke Nukem Forever was expected to become just as big a hit as those did. But constant delays -- the game's release date was originally intended to be in 1998 -- caused it to become something of a running joke, topping Wired magazine's annual Vaporware Awards list for seven years out of eight.

Almost unbelievably, the 3D Realms team apparently continued constant work on the game, releasing occasional teaser-style screenshots and trailers, until the company abruptly ran out of money and folded yesterday with what we imagine to be the loss of numerous jobs.

As Guardian games writer Steve Boxer told the BBC, "It would have been nice to see another Duke Nukem game, but given they had more than 12 years it's just incompetence of the highest order...Sadly, Duke Nukem Forever was the most aptly named title in the history of games. Now, it's just Duke Nukem Never."

Duke Nukem Forever's publishing rights remain with Take-Two, but it's not yet clear if the publisher will allocate it to a new team. Given that it's already been 12 years, they could be forgiven for wanting to forget the whole sorry saga. We wish "Slash000" the best of luck in getting a refund.

World Cyber Games TV Reality Series Final Showdown! Amazing Footage!

DoranM — Thu, 07 May 2009 19:45:44 GMT

World Cyber Games (WCG) Recently ran a reality series for the WCG Ultimate Gamer. The final episode was a showdown between Robert and Mark in a three game competition with an absolutely nail-bitting final few moments. If you missed the original episodes this video is still easy to hop into and will leave you eagerly awaiting next season. The Winner of the event wins $100,000 and a contract to represent WCG at events around the world. The show still runs Tuesdays at 10 EST on SciFi.

The final two competitors face off in Soul Caliber IV, Gears of War 2, and Sean White's Snowboarding. They're neck and neck until the final game (Soul Caliber IV) to watch the final episode check out this video:

(Please visit the site to view this media)

There's also an earlier episode put out by WCG that introduces the contenders and will give you a good taste for what the series has to offer for next season:

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Pillage Online Exclusive First-Look From Curse.com

DoranM — Tue, 05 May 2009 17:02:04 GMT

Pillage Online

We've recently been made aware of a new MMO in production by Joel Payne, who has worked on several title in the past (list below) and is currently working on developing Pillage Online. The game is in the very early stages of development but we were able to sit down this week with Joel and hammer out a list of features and unique things that will be available in Pillage Online.We've also got some exlcusive artwork to show you and as the game will have some card-game features built into it we have a few early card designs aswell.

Here's a look at artwork:

Here's more information on Pillage Online including a Features List:

Joel Payne of Heroes of Might and Magic, Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance and Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monk’s fame is developing a dark comedy MMO strategy game aiming to rival the current market leaders. About the team.

What we can share:

All races are neither bad guy nor good guy rather Spy vs. Spy action
A massive Tribal war with the prime objective of pillaging each others artifacts and then using them on your opponent.
Free to play with micro transaction integration
Designed to enable massive scalability, dynamic content evolution and cross platform development, to create an epic gaming experience
Current tribes revealed: Cannibal vs. Voodoo Witch Doctors
Cannibals--- all about the bludgeoning devices
Voodoo Witch Doctors--- all about the Magic
Real-time travel across two continents.
Rapid action Turn Based combat (but this is not your average Turn based game)
The environment fights back
PVP and Multi Player action
Collector cards (wacky pack influenced) new take on card battles that gives players more control over the outcome.
You are your own Party, play five players at once! (no need to hunt down a healer and tank, It’s YOU)
It has everything you want from the market leaders without the FAT.
Players level and at certain levels dramatically changes body type. You’re no longer stuck with the same guy. Level from Grunt to Warrior to Epic-Chief Status (unique models accompany the rank)
Live improv’d comedy screenplay written by Emmy Award Winning Brooks Wachtel and Joel Payne reveal more about the game at http://twitter.com/pillageonline as the game is in development

Freesky Online Closed Beta Starts Thursday! Get A Key Now!

DoranM — Mon, 04 May 2009 15:26:33 GMT

The Freesky Online Closed beta is starting May 7th, this is a free to play game and we will be hosting it in our F2P section. It looks like during closed beta anything you do will be saved and there won't be a character wipe at the end of beta! They've listed several ways you can get an activation key for the game - enjoy!

Here's the official beta notice from Freesky:

Freesky Online: Closed Beta Quickly Coming

The Freesky Online (http://fo.igg.com) closed beta test will be released at 9:00pm on May 7^th, 2009(GMT-4). For all you potential beta testers out there don’t worry, your hard earned information and character data will be retained. The majestic castles, vast fleets, and miraculous miracles will be ready to greet players shortly. In addition, the activation page for Freesky Online will be released on May 4^rd(GMT-4), and players can visit the page to use their activation codes to activate accounts.

Freesky Online has prepared a lot of events for players to win registration codes. Check out these events and get your CB code now!

1. Alliance Recruitment - The Alliance leader will be given plenty of activation codes, and the Alliance can apply to create a special group in the forum with the Alliance name.

2. Post for activation codes - Post a thread containing content relating to Freesky Online in other forums. Each player can earn only 3 activation codes at most.

3. Blog Event - Players can link Freesky’s pictures to their blogs, share wonderful moments with their friends and get activation codes.

Note: All character info, including character data will be retained.

For more information, please sat tuned to the official site http://fo.igg.com.

Top 123 Games With Untapped Franchise Potential

DoranM — Sat, 02 May 2009 13:44:50 GMT

Gamesradar has posted a list of 123 games with untapped franchise potential. The list includes several favorites, and kicking it of is Primal Rage from the mid-90's. (Boy do I miss eating cave people for a quick health up) We've taken the top 3 games and displayed them here, for the full list visit the Gamesradar Top 123 untapped franchise potential list.

Here's a snippet from the original article from Gamesradar:

Store shelves are littered with sequels to crappy games and franchises that have no right to exist. Hello, Dynasty Warriors! What Faustian covenant keeps you alive?? Meanwhile, videogame history is teeming with amazing, innovative titles that were mercilessly trampled underfoot when the balance sheet didn’t add up. This is our ode to games with unrealized franchise potential.

Some of the games on this list are no-brainers, others are diamonds in the rough. Yet others may have had sequels only in Japan, or have been out of circulation since the 16-bit era. Whatever their backstory, we’re picking them up and dusting them off in hopes that whoever owns the rights will heed our call and get cracking on follow-ups.

1. Primal Rage

Arcade, PSone, 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, Sega 32X, Atari Jaguar CD, Sega Saturn, Amiga, Mega Drive/Genesis, SNES, Sega Game Gear, Game Boy and PC CD-ROM (Atari, 1994)

This gore-drenched 2D fighter featured a cast of ferocious postapocalyptic monsters divided into two camps, Virtuous and Destructive. Work on Primal Rage 2, which was to feature a ginormous dragon-skeleton beastie named Necrosan, was cancelled by Atari in 1995. However, the plot was kept alive in the form of the novel Primal Rage: The Avatars. Books are great and all, but what we really want is a proper videogame sequel brimming with high-definition dino-gods and ape-beasts ripping the shit out of each other for the fate of mankind.

2. Base Wars

NES (Ultra Games/Konami, 1991)

This falls in the same territory as Primal Rage – why did it take game devs decades to come up with this super-basic, supremely awesome concept, and why the hell isn’t it an annual fixture? We already see seven or eight thousand sports games a year, most of which only appeal to a very specific audience. Killer Robot Baseball, on the other hand, is an idea any red-blooded American can get behind. Want to steal second? Hover on over there and beat the bolts out of that stupid tank-treaded baseman and take it by force. Don’t like your pitcher? Shred him down and buy a new one. Add in season play, a build-a-bot warehouse for drafting and a couple of new player designs and we’d be the first to step back up to the plate.

3. Jade Empire

PC, Xbox (Microsoft Game Studios/BioWare, 2005)

Since 2005, BioWare has been talking about the possibility of a Jade Empire sequel. And back in January of 2008, a shadowy rumor leaked onto the interwebs that code for Jade Empire 2 “exists.” The original game had all the trappings of franchise material with engrossing characters, magnificent settings, and a unique take on martial arts-fueled RPG combat. But until hard evidence of a sequel’s existence materializes, we’ll continue yearning for BioWare’s one-off hit to attain franchise status.

To see the list in its' entirety check out the Top 123 untapped franchise potential list!

Cities XL Enters Beta - A Special Offer For Curse Users!

DoranM — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:10:53 GMT

CitiesXL has announced the beginning of their beta period! CitiesXL is a city builder game with an online twist; in online mode you're able to trade resources, services, and even people, to fill the needs of YOUR city, with your online neighbors. Blueprints for unique city structures are also available in game and tradable with neighbors. Some of the unique blueprints include the Eiffel tower and the Empire State Building!

Monte Cristo is happy to give the Curse.com readers a special promo code that will give you more chances to be drawn for the Beta access! Use the code CUR541 when signing up for preferential treatment in the beta signup process!

Here's an exclusive first look video for CitiesXL:

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Paris, France – 16 April 2009. Monte Cristo, developer and publisher of CITIES XL(tm), is pleased to announce that registration for the game’s closed beta will begin at 11 TBC a.m. UTC/GMT on 16 April 2009. Gamers interested in testing the game and offering input into the development of Monte Cristo’s next-generation city builder/MMO should sign up at http://jointhebeta.citiesxl.com. Monte Cristo is happy to give the Curse.com readers a special promo code that will give you more chances to be drawn for the Beta access! Use the code CUR541 when signing up for preferential treatment in the beta signup process!

Be sure to visit http://www.citiesxl.com for more information about the game, and to learn more about the upcoming beta.

CITIES XL™ allows gamers to develop cities on realistic 3D maps using an incredible collection of unique structures and monuments based on American, Asian and European-influenced architectural styles. The maps feature a variety of environments: mountains, hills, canyons, beaches and islands, all set in different climates from tropical to desert, Mediterranean to temperate. Players must create the right combinations of social services, leisure activities, special events and other job opportunities within their cities in order to feed, clothe, employ and entertain their citizens. Be it planning and building a new zoo, public park, residential neighborhood or transit system - there's always a fresh and exciting challenge for would-be city managers and mayors in CITIES XL™.

“We’re excited to be at the point where we feel we’ve laid very solid foundations for this unique game,” said Jerome Gastaldi, CEO of Monte Cristo, “Now we need to test the architecture to see how players respond to it, and to improve the integration of the online-gameplay and social networking features,. In the next weeks, we’ll let more residents into our closed betas and keep stress-testing the edifice correctly.”

The game’s online features and services will allow players to create interconnected cities on virtual and persistent planets. Mayors can share and trade with one another, specialize their economy and team up with befriended cities to create sprawling metropolises. Life on the planet will be punctuated by events and competitions - a concert held in one town may, for example, be attended by visitors from other areas who can also enjoy a walk around the city to admire the urban creations of multiple players. By combining a fantastic single-player game with the social and multiplayer aspects of an MMO, CITIES XL™ will shape the future of the genre by offering more variety, bigger cities and multiple gameplay layers.

For more information about CITIES XL™, which will ship in 2009, please visit www.citiesxl.com

About Monte Cristo Games

Created in 1995 Monte Cristo is a leading game production company with over a decade of experience, having successfully published 30 games worldwide. Backed by leading international venture capitalists, we are currently focusing a team of over 80 people on the development of CITIES XL™ which merges video gaming with social networking and virtual worlds.

GameZombie Wins 2nd Straight Webby Honoree Award!

DoranM — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:52:20 GMT

We received an update this morning from GameZombie about a recent web award they have received and some of the other happenings going on at Zombie HQ! They've also got an update for us on their new "Ultimate Challenge", and of course their popular weekly series!
Here's the original notice from GameZombie:

Greetings GameZombie Fans!

Boy, do we have big news to break to all of you! Cries of joy can be heard echoing around the GameZombie.tv studios by the hour these days. Hold on to your seat and then give everyone around you silent high fives. Here we go!!

GZ’s 2nd Webby Award!

GameZombie is proud to accept a Webby Honoree Award for the second year in a row. It’s an honor to be placed among the Internet’s top web series, and it truly pays testament to how far we’ve come in such a short time. Thanks to all who’ve helped us get this far, and look forward to more stellar GameZombie content coming your way!

http://www.youtube.com/gamezombieutube

Ultimate Challenge has Liftoff!
If you think you’re a hardcore gamer, then Ultimate Challenge will play out your wildest dream: to be sucked into a video game world and have to battle your way out, meeting classic gaming characters along the way. Shot in a $1 million HDTV dollar studio and utilizing top of the line green screen and motion graphics fx, Ultimate Challenge will make you wish your neighborhood was Hyrule.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=6857685&;ref=profile

Surely There’s More

Oh, there is, and don’t call me Shirley. GameZombie--armed with the strongest post-production team in game media--cuts, splices, and compresses two original videos per week. From our exclusive interview series, “GZ on the Scene,” to our hit gaming variety show, “ButtonMashers,” there’s something for everyone.

http://twitter.com/gamezombie

Dragon Age: Origins Preview From GDC! Lots of Exclusive Screenshots & Gameplay!

DoranM — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:04:02 GMT

Introduction

Dragon Age: Origins is the spiritual successor of BioWare's popular Baldur's Gate series. They've added some amazing things into the game including several conversational and decision processes that result in drastically different outcomes in the storyline, recently seen in games like Mass Effect. In Dragon Age you are able to choose your "Origin" which is the background and lore of your own character. Based upon the origin of your character you might find the world a very different place. If, for example, you were born as a noble, dealing with other nobles is much easier and they take you much more seriously. You also might find there are some people in the world who are jealous of your nobility and want to take what you have. Conversely, if you're born into a life of crime and poverty, nobles might not want much to do with you and your shady ways. There is of course a main storyline and the game is a bit more structured than say an Oblivion, but by doing it in a more linear fashion the decisions you make are also much more meaningful. At one point we were told the number of possible unique endings numbered in the dozens.

GDC Dragon Age: Origins Features

During the Game Developers Conference this past week in San Francisco we had a sit down with the lead writer David Gaider, and the lead designer Mike Laidlaw and were shown a demo of the new game. They also highlighted some of the amazing features they've built into the game.

One of the more appealing features of the game is the highly advanced combat system that not only allows you to swap different members in and out of your party, but also to set a virtually ENDLESS amount of tactical preferences. For example, if you're exploring with a healer, a mage, a warrior and a rogue, and you want to take charge of the warrior; you can actually set the tactics for the healer and mage to back you up; and give the rogue orders to defend or attack the enemy also. That's the quick version, there's some really in-depth options and a very high level of customization in the combat process. One of the most appealing things in the tactical combat options is setting "if statements" for how your party members should react to certain situations. For example, lets say you want your healer to heal any party member once they hit 30% of their health, just set that rule in the tactics menu and the AI will make it happen. You're able to make tactical decisions in pause mode, which gives you, the player, a great opportunity to really plan out your defenses and attacks without feeling rushed or doomed if you take too long to come up with a suitable plan.

Another feature that immediately caught our attention was the ability for the player to make choices that ACTUALLY DO change the world. The demo played through a scenario where the player is on his way to a castle to ask the Duke of the castle for help fighting off some undead who were attacking the town on a nightly basis. It was made quite clear to us that at this point the player could either A) Help the people, or B) Leave them to their fate, and each of the decisions would have changed the lives of the villagers and the world around the player. An added bonus to this feature is the fact that every character in your party has opinions about the matter, and will actually tell you how they feel about the decision you do or don't make. Make too many decisions they don't agree with (and from the demo you can tell every character has his/her OWN opinions) and they'll leave your party! Here's a video of what ensues when we decide to help the villagers:

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Battle Scenes/Combat

The demo picks up where the choice making lets off! The decision is made to help the lowly villagers and fight off the undead that swarm into the city every night. In the demo the undead are rushing the town from a few narrow corridors, which allows our mage and "Sten" (Our horrifically huge and ill-tempered warrior) to really do some damage.

Tactical decisions were made for the defense of the town and unfolded as follows:

Sten activates an ability that prevents him from being knocked down
Mage sets an earthquake to occur at the base of the mountain where undead funnel in
Mage sets fire field in the quaked area
Sten drinks potion of "Warm" allowing him to be fire resistant (You see where this is going right?)
Rogue set to ranged combat
Warrior set to side of fire in a defensive position between Sten and the mage/rogue

So effectively what was done is Sten was made resistant to fire and the earthquake effect, then an area at the base of the mountain where the undead rush in was set to quake and covered in fire to burn them as they roll around. Those that were stuck in the middle had their skulls crushed by the relentless smashing of one Mr. Sten (Seen below).

End of Battle and Dragon Age: Origins Screenshots

Halfway through the battle some warriors run up asking for help saying a portion of the town has been overrun, you leave a few of the warriors that were assisting you to go and help out the townsfolk. The fight in town is total mayhem as enemies are approaching from every direction. More tactical decisions are made as the rogue and mage are moved to the city steps and the warriors take to the town square. Here's some of the screenshots we obtained from this exclusive demo event; some of them are of the town and the battle, and others are taken of the events leading up to the full scale attack:

Release Date

There isn't a solid release date yet but we were told fall of 2009 for this title. For more information visit the official Dragon Age: Origin website!

Fasaria World: New Free 2 Play MMORPG Coming March 27th!

DoranM — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:37:05 GMT

Fasaria World is a new free to play MMORPG that will officially launch March 27th. The game offers lots of cool features, one of my favorites being:

Owning your own property is an interesting aspect of Fasaria World. You can earn your first plot of farming land at level 5. At level 25 you can earn your castle and build your land with soldiers/citizens and then collect taxes from them. You can do a lot on your property such as farm/mine, trade in medals for rare items, build your custom shop, clear your land of fairy dusters, store your items in a secure chest, hire a mercenary to aid you in battle and more.

Oh yea..Look out people of Fasaria! We've included the official video trailer, details on the release for your reading pleasure, and followed those up with a features list!

Here's the Fasaria World trailer, release info, and features list:

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Fasaria World: Official Launch March 27th, 2009 Out of the cluster of so many mmorpgs, it’s sometimes hard to sort out what type of mmo is right for your particular taste. One of the biggest concerns we often face is spending hours on a game that eventually becomes a direct replica of the game you just left a month ago. Fasaria World doesn’t just attempt to revolutionize your typical online game format, we worked hard to improve your game experience to ensure that it isn’t just “different”, but that it’s actually “fun” as well.

Fasaria World is a PVE oriented online RPG for players who are looking for depth, direction and a sense of fulfillment in their game play. Being both quest and story based, Fasaria World draws upon many practical elements often overlooked in many online games. By removing a lot of the draw backs and exhausting elements that often frustrate players, Fasaria World focuses on character building and great rewards, bringing back mmos to the fundamental principles that makes a game fun while stripping away the excess that gets in the way of a great game experience.

Your skills become more powerful with use but your character also levels up as well.
Items are almost limitless in their stacking ability and all items are important to every character. No need to occupy your precious bag slots with useless items.
Traveling between towns and locations are as simple as pulling up your compass menu, no long or exhausting rides to your destinations.
Combat is more action and real time fighting but still has the RPG style players are used to. No need to pick up drops! All items are automatically placed in your inventory and since they all stack, no need to worry about overflow. This greatly removes the “grind” feel associated with many mmos as everything in combat moves at a progressive pace.
No queue times, you get in the game and play. No long wait times for patches or updates. Everything updates fast and servers are always very responsive.

These are a few noted elements that set Fasaria World apart from many other online games. Some players are quickly losing interest to massive worlds with more content than their interest can hold. Fasaria World removes the cumbersome feeling attributed to many mmos and makes the gaming experience feel progressive and exciting. Some players may not pinpoint why they are losing interest in certain mega sized games. Fasaria World provides enough elements in every common task that is rewarding enough to make any player want to return and play again and again without feeling over burdened or obligated. We also focused on the “fun factor” that so many players are looking for in an online game such as collecting useful and rare items, crafting, mining, farming, building your kingdom, combat, questing and trade. These basic elements were not an after thought but our primary focus. Fasaria World is also fun and very rewarding. It doesn’t feel like a second job, it feels like a great game.

Owning Your Own Property:

Owning your own property is an interesting aspect of Fasaria World. You can earn your first plot of farming land at level 5. At level 25 you can earn your castle and build your land with soldiers/citizens and then collect taxes from them. You can do a lot on your property such as farm/mine, trade in medals for rare items, build your custom shop, clear your land of fairy dusters, store your items in a secure chest, hire a mercenary to aid you in battle and more.

Farming/Mining:

Farming and mining are some of the most addicting aspects of the game. Because the crafting aspects tie in with the game so well, players often spend lots of their playing time building up their farming and mining levels. You also have to earn turns through battle in order to complete mining and farming tasks. This keeps the game play balanced and very rewarding. It has proven to be an excellent trade off.

Combat Level:

As you defeat enemies, you earn combat experience which also eventually levels up your combat. At each level up, you gain rare medals that are used to trade in for rare items. You also gain attribute points used to spend on your character’s attributes and your combat skill increases.

Labor Level:

As you farm and mine, you earn labor points which eventually levels up your total labor. At each level up, you also gain the same rewards as you would with combat and your labor skill increases.

Karma Level:

You can collect positive or negative karma throughout the game. Positive karma can be used to give to other players or to a Fairy Queen. When you give away positive karma, you earn karma experience. When your karma levels up, you earn the same rewards as you would with leveling up Combat or Labor. Negative karma is used to take away player’s karma without their consent.

Platinum Medals:

You can collect rare medals in Fasaria World that can be exchanged for rare items, attribute points, mirel, rare skills, reputation points and more. You can trade Bronze Medals in for Silver, Silver for Gold and Gold for Platinum Medals. Platinum Medals are used to gain rare items and abilities.

This is just a brief overview of some basic features found in Fasaria World and still there is so much more to discover. If you are looking for a mmorpg that focuses on “fun factor”, a strong sense of community and a online game that requires NO monthly fees, Fasaria World would be a great game to join and will always feel good to return to.

Wizard101 Family Friendly MMORPG Hits 1 Million Users

DoranM — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:24:42 GMT

Wizard101 F2P

Wizard101 is a family friendly free to play MMORPG. They have recently announced they have hit the 1 Million registered player player mark! The game originally launched in September 2008 and specializes in offering a casual MMO experience for persons of all ages. Fighting and dueling are turn based, much like Final Fantasy. Here's some more information about the family friendly game:

Character Customization

Character customization in Wizard101 is highly advanced; we gave their Wizard Creator a whirl and came up with a Wizard that follows the school of fire, although there are MANY other paths/schools we could have taken, this was the result of the ten or so choices we made during the creation process.

To see what kind of Wizard you are try the Wizard Creator! As a Wizard you are able to summon a pet that will follow you throughout your journey.You will also be able to control the might elements based upon what school you belong to (We're fire for example). Wizards can also collect magic cards to aid them in turn-based battle against any number of the games boss creatures.

Dungeons

Several of the games most dangerous locations are, of course, Dungeons. Several of the dungeons require a subscription to enter, but there are enough free ones to entertain for quite some time. Players will encounter all kinds of terrible beasts in these dungeons, but don't worry! A suitable number of spells and creatures willing to fight and die for you makes the experience a little more manageable. Here's a look at one of the massive creatures you can summon:

Summoning a Helephant
(Please visit the site to view this media)

Once you have your creature summoned you're ready to do battle with some of the largest foes in the game. Check out this battle with Grummish:

The Battle of Grummish GreatAxe
(Please visit the site to view this media)

Here's some eye candy from the game:

Entering a Dungeon:

Entering Town:

Other

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Dragon Age: Origins Preview From GDC! Lots of Exclusive Screenshots & Gameplay!

Introduction

GDC Dragon Age: Origins Features

Battle Scenes/Combat

End of Battle and Dragon Age: Origins Screenshots

Release Date

Fasaria World: New Free 2 Play MMORPG Coming March 27th!

Owning Your Own Property:

Farming/Mining:

Combat Level:

Labor Level:

Karma Level:

Platinum Medals:

Wizard101 Family Friendly MMORPG Hits 1 Million Users

Wizard101 F2P

Character Customization

Dungeons

SIXTY-EIGHT PERCENT OF U.S. HOUSEHOLDS PLAY COMPUTER OR VIDEO GAMES
Three Percent Increase in Gamer Households Illustrates the Growing Use of Entertainment Software Across All Demographics