PC News

Funcom releases 'Rise of the Godslayer' orchestral soundtrac

Sat, 12 Jun 2010 10:29:20 +0000

Soundtrack CD includes exclusive in-game item, game trial client and more

Funcom is proud to announce the release of the soundtrack from 'Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer', the first expansion to the critically acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing game 'Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures'. The soundtrack includes all music from the expansion, composed, orchestrated and produced by the award-winning composer Knut Avenstroup Haugen.

The delectable Far Eastern score, deemed "exceptional" by popular gaming website IGN in their recent review, features the renowned Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, a huge taiko-drum ensemble and world-class ethnic soloists renowned for their contributions on films such as 'Titanic', 'The Mission', 'Braveheart', 'Troy', 'The Mummy', 'Mulan' and many others classics.

"This soundtrack carries on Funcom's proud tradition of creating excellent and in-depth music for our games," says Craig Morrison, Executive Producer and Game Director at Funcom. "Music in games is becoming increasingly important, and our use of the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra underlines our dedication to continue to produce award-winning titles with the best music."

In addition to the soundtrack CD, the exclusive soundtrack package includes a DVD with the original 5.1 surround mix of the music – including bonus tracks – playable on home theatre- or other surround systems. Each track of the surround score is accompanied by a slideshow, featuring original concept art from Rise of the Godslayer. Most of this material has never been shown before.

Additionally, the package includes MP3 versions of all tracks, a unique Bone Flute virtual item for use in-game, selected videos and trial client installers for the 'Age of Conan' PC-game. This is only available in the physical soundtrack package, not when purchasing via digital download.

Find out where to purchase the soundtrack on www.grappa.no/ageofconan

To learn more about 'Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer' visit www.ageofconan.com

SAGA Online beta

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 23:19:41 +0000

Deep Silver, the games label of Koch Media, a leading producer and distributor of digital entertainment products, today announced that, starting immediately, the European Open Beta phase of SAGA Online will make additional free features available to players.

Besides the familiar main features, the free-to-play massively multiplayer online real-time strategy game from Silverlode Interactive now offers participants of the Open Beta phase even more contents at no cost.
- In the SAGA Online Beta, players now get to join up to form guilds, and participate in guild wars.
- They can also go up against others in multiplayer battles.
- Beta testers have unlimited access to the market where they can swap cards and resources.
- Hinterland territories are now available where players can build mana shard mines.
- Mana shards can be used, for instance, to pay the merchant, to enhance items through spells, or to hire mercenaries and send them out to raid the enemy's Hinterland.
- Resources or units can be sent to other players as attachments to in-game messages.

Naturally, players can always purchase SAGA credits in the Deep Silver shop in order to obtain booster packs and premium items.

The SAGA Online World is a traditional fantasy setting with characters like elves, orcs, dragons, dwarves and giants. In the free massively multiplayer online real-time strategy game, players create their own kingdom, battle or negotiate with each other and can cooperatively complete quests with friends in order to earn experience and loot. The free to play MMORTS SAGA Online offers, among other things, over 1000 quests as well as six fractions, each with its own unique units and individual playing style. SAGA Online features many of the success factors of massively multiplayer online games: thus there are guilds, raids, a live auction house for exchanging cards, equipment upgrades, collaborative team quests, looting of treasures and so on. This combines the game with real-time strategy features, like city planning, resource management and warfare. At the same time, SAGA Online, unlike many other real-time strategy games, is set in a persistent world that never rests – not even when the player logs off.

To register for the Open Beta, to download the game client, and to find more information please visit www.playsaga.eu.

FreeJack- parkour racing game

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:07:08 +0000

Game Bridger Entertainment, a global publisher and distributor of interactive online entertainment media, unveiled today the latest game to arrive on their free games platform, GamerKraft. FreeJack, developed by Korean developer WiseOn, is a parkour racing game with slick cartoon-style graphics and innovative new gameplay mechanics based on the underground sport of free running. In FreeJack, players race head-to-head as one of four hip characters, bustin’ stylish flips and tricks to increase their speed and come out on top! To register a free account on Game Bridger Entertainment’s new free-to-play games portal, GamerKraft, visit: www.gamerkraft.com.

“We are proud to announce FreeJack as the second title on the GamerKraft platform,” said Matthew Denomme, marketing manager for Game Bridger Entertainment, “it’s a game with a hip graphical style and unique gameplay mechanics unlike any other title currently in the free-to-play market. GamerKraft is gearing up for FreeJack to launch in North America and Europe in July 2010.”

FreeJack is a free-to-play parkour racing game for Windows PCs supporting Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7. Players race head-to-head across the urban metropolis of New Jack City as one of four hip characters, bustin’ stylish flips and tricks to increase their speed and gain access to hidden pathways and shortcuts. Players can personalize their character with fresh outfits and running gear and even customize their own unique in-game living space with cool furniture and accessories to show off to friends! FreeJack also supports online leaderboards, a club/clan system, in-game friends lists, and more! FreeJack is launching in June 2010 from GamerKraft. GamerKraft. Play Free.

FreeJack will be free to download and play. Visit the FreeJack homepage at: http://freejack.gamerkraft.com.

Avalon Heroes: "The Eldorado of DotA gamers", apparently.

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:34:37 +0000

Avalon Heroes is the Eldorado of DotA gamers! 44 heroes, a mission mode with eleven stages, a battle mode with seven maps, and adventure and scenario modes offer a world of fun. The new sales event holds several special offers in store for the community of the online RTS RPG: Six hot hero packages including one character each, 1,250 skill points, 20,000 Arons, and the items "Stone of Hero" and "Scroll of Reaffirmation" have become more affordable than ever. Moreover, the official website (www.avalonheroes.alaplaya.net) reveals further details about heroes Yohong, Bazraal, Kazure, Gandilva, Ellinese, and Adelia. The huge popularity of Avalon Heroes was impressively demonstrated by the "Avalon Heroes Action" contest on YouTube. burda:ic would like to thank the large number of fans who participated, and is giving away great heroes and useful items to all the winners.

For more information regarding Avalon Heroes, please visit the official website www.avalonheroes.alaplaya.net. The online RTS RPG can be found on the European ESL site at www.esl.eu/eu/avalonheroes.

Tales of Fantasy : Guilds' Showdown

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:33:13 +0000

With destiny’s call unveiling a plethora of new features in Tales of Fantasy in its latest patch “The Call of Destiny”, the much awaited city siege is finally here!

The mysterious ancient city of the Evdar has been uncovered; and buried deep within its inner chambers lies treasures of untold value and rarity. Guilds from both factions of Ashland and Bohren have begun preparations for battle to claim this city for their own – players will be seen to partake in intense, large-scale teamwork, as they give everything they’ve got in this one big gamble for riches and honor!

Background
During the strife of Bohren and Ashland instigated by the crafty Zan Korrel, the Evdar people begun to grow bold in their ambitions. Having convinced the ruthless vagabonds and convicts in the Northern Dungeon to lend them support, the Evdar begun to construct a castle city right over the Northern Dungeon, and named it Evdar City. This was meant to be the base of operations for the future plans of the Evdar to eventually claim the entire land of Elterra .

Alas, nothing of epic scale can ever be kept under wraps for long; with Evdar’s massive buyout of expensive materials on the market for storage in their new city, this hush-hush affair soon became known with the investigation of a well-known crafter guild – Ghost Valley.

Many attempts at stealing or robbing the city of its treasures have been made, whether in the dark, or as a direct challenge to the great city now overrun with Evdar troops and the ex-convicts of Northern Dungeon. But till today, no one who dared to venture have returned alive.

Threats of death have not deterred others to follow in the same footsteps of those who have failed and paid their life for it. In fact, this challenge has bolstered relations and teamwork between separate guilds, to combine their strength in a bid to claim Evdar City and its hidden treasures for their own.

Event Details
● Evdar City is situated inside of the Northern Dungeon map.
● Once the event starts, a Base Stone will appear in Evdar City. The guild to successfully conquer this Base Stone will gain control of Evdar City!
● War Chariots and Catapults, and the related status inflicting Bottles can all be purchased from the Guild Manager, and can only be used in the vicinity of Evdar City.

For more information please visit the official site at http://tof.igg.com

Men of War: Vietnam

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:07:58 +0000

Title: Men of War: Vietnam
Release date: 2010
Developer: 1C Company
Publisher: 1C Company
Platform: PC
Genre: Real-Time Strategy

Leading Eastern and Central European publisher, 1C Company, announced today the development of Men of War: Vietnam, a new title in the world-known Men of War real-time tactics game series. The new, story-driven campaign lets you taste the explosive mix of the jungle, Hueys and rock-n-roll in 1968.

During this conflict the US troops were using not only new weapons, but new tactics as well. The war in Vietnam became the first military conflict where helicopters played a significant role, and this is one of the major features of this game.

The campaign is 10 missions and focuses on a team of elite special ops soldiers, and each one of them has a personality. The unit includes Sergeant John Merrill, machinegunner Jim Walsh, sniper Sonny Armstrong, grenade launcher operator Carl Dillan and combat engineer Bill Kirby. In some missions they can count only on themselves, while in the others they act together with regular US and South-Vietnamese troops.
Missions in Men of War: Vietnam range from special operations (rescuing a shot-down pilot, escorting a reporter, etc.) to full scale battles.

Key features

The new campaign tells the story of the US special ops team in the Vietnam War
Breathtaking missions including an ambush on the Ho Chi Minh trail, a game of cat and mouse in the Mekong Delta, raids into Cambodia and Laos, bridge defense during the Tet offensive and more
New weapons and units: M-16, T-54, M-113, Patton III, M-60, AK-47, M-14, RPG-2,M-72 LAW, RPK and many more.

More information about the game can be found at www.menowargame.com

Heroes of GraxiaTM announce Card Game

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:04:58 +0000

Today Petroglyph announced immediate pre-order availability for both Heroes of GraxiaTM and Guardians of GraxiaTM fantasy-based strategy games to be released this summer. Heroes of Graxia is a two-to-six player deck-building card game, while Guardians of Graxia will be offered as both a board game and direct-download PC title. Both board games contain Guardian miniatures.

"With the success of Panzer General: Allied Assault board game, we look forward to releasing another top-quality, independently developed and distributed game,” said Chuck Kroegel, General Manager of Petroglyph. “Heroes of Graxia features a unique player vs. player combat component that most current deck building games lack."

The game accommodates two-to-six players and will contain more than 240 unique cards, as well as plastic miniatures. Starting with a small deck of 12 cards, players build their empire by acquiring the best cards to prepare them to out-smart and out-maneuver other players to obtain trophies and prestige. Powerful weapons, armor, spells, armies, henchmen, and mercenary cards are available.

“Heroes of Graxia is easy to learn and quick to setup," said Daniel Kroegel, Game Designer for Heroes of Graxia. "We are excited to announce immediate pre-order availability for all our Graxia board and card games to anyone who shares our passion for unique, strategic fantasy games.”

About the World of Graxia

Graxia is a planet with mystical energies allowing for entire continents to drift high in the sky. These floating landmasses are filled with the cities and dens of many magical races. Guardians create enchanted portals which are the only means to cross from one drifting continent to another. The portals are used by Guardians to transport armies to conquer the land found on the other side. In time, Guardians have become Heroes of Graxia through conquering their neighbors and saving the lands from tyranny.

Heroes of Graxia and Guardians of Graxia will be available in top game and hobby stores this summer. Guardians of Graxia will also be available as a downloadable PC title. To learn more, please visit http://www.petroglyphgames.com/boardgames

Heroes of Graxia Stock Number: PTG20003 - MSRP: $34.99
Guardians of Graxia Stock Number: PTG20002 - MSRP: $60.00

Nexon Brings Future of Free to E3

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 11:59:05 +0000

Nexon America showing off next-generation of free-to-play games; booth to feature hands-on play of Vindictus, Dungeon Fighter Online and Dragon Nest.

Nexon America’s first appearance at the E3 Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center will include playable demonstrations of three next-generation free-to-play games - Vindictus, Dragon Nest and Dungeon Fighter Online. The Nexon booth, No. 635 in the South Hall, will also host actress and former Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, Michelle Lombardo, hot new game videos, fun giveaways and an opportunity for attendees to learn about the new games from Nexon staff.

Lombardo appeared in two Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues and performed in several acting roles. She acted in the Adam Sandler movie Click, cable series Californication and Entourage and will be seen in the upcoming movies, Girltrash: All Night Long and Roadkill. Lombardo will be at the Nexon booth to meet and greet attendees as well as show off the Red Wolf Hood, representing the monstrous Gnoll Chieftain from Vindictus. The Red Wolf Hoods are provided by Spirit Hoods, Inc., (www.spirithoods.com) exclusively for Nexon at E3 and will be given away regularly to visitors to Nexon’s booth.

“Nexon’s first visit to E3 will definitely be a memorable one,” said Min Kim, Nexon America’s vice president of marketing. “Vindictus, Dragon Nest and Dungeon Fighter Online will set the new standard for free-to-play games and should be a revelation to E3 attendees. We are excited to take our message of great free-to-play gaming to the E3 crowds as well as provide great loot, special guests and a few surprises that will make coming to our booth a great experience.”

Celebrities and booth giveaways aside, Nexon’s games will be taking center stage. Dubbed “The Future of Free,” the three games represent a new style, featuring more action and higher quality level than previously offered in the free-to-play space.

Vindictus is the first physics-based multiplayer online action role-playing game that combines stunning visuals with high-speed combat. Vindictus uses a modified Source EngineTM to enable actions like throwing, shattering, binding with chains, piercing with spears, and more.

Dragon Nest is an online, action role-playing game. Actual gameplay involves adrenaline-pumping, high-speed combat with visually stunning attack combos. At the same time, it also incorporates an epic storyline and role-playing elements of both classic RPGs and MMORPGs alike.

Set for launch on June 9, Dungeon Fighter Online boasts more than 200 million players worldwide. Dungeon Fighter Online merges arcade-style action with an immersive, role-playing experience in one free-to-play, multiplayer online game. Expanding upon the immense popularity of fast-paced, side-scrolling games of the past, this ground-breaking title infused the classic fighting format with the kind of communal vitality that has already made people flock by the millions.

Nexon America currently publishes Combat Arms, MapleStory, Mabinogi, and PopTag! and is building a new online platform for its titles. This platform, called BlockParty.com, will help gamers maintain friendships in and out of Nexon Games.

Dungeon Fighter Online

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 11:54:04 +0000

Dungeon Fighter Online Prepares Three More Subclass Awakenings For Official Launch

Players can get a glimpse at the next three Awakenings for high-level characters in Dungeon Fighter Online before they join the fight when the game launches on June 9. Nexon America released a video featuring these new Awakenings – Soul Reaper, Hellcat and Machinist – in action. Each Awakening offers new powerful skills.

To become Awakened, players first choose a subclass after reaching level 18. When they reach level 48, most subclasses can “Awaken.” The subclass Soul Bender awakens as a Soul Reapers. Brawlers awaken as Hellcats, and Mechanics awaken as Machinists.

Our beta testing will bleed right into the Dungeon Fighter Online official launch, allowing current players to retain their characters, and for new players to get started before the June 9th opening.

Dungeon Fighter Online has over 200 million registered players worldwide since its release by Nexon development studio Neople in 2005. Nexon America will present Dungeon Fighter Online as one of three games, including Vindictus and Dragon Nest, at its first e3expo booth at the Los Angeles Convention Center on June 15-17.

Win 2010 Fifa World Cup in Free-to-play for PC

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:38:46 +0000

FIFA Online Available to all Football Fans World Wide

EA SPORTSTM FIFA Online , the first downloadable FIFA football game designed for PC ^, is available to football fans everywhere around the world to play for free*.

Register at http://fifa-online.easports.com and compete in the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa tournament mode and score the goal that lifts your nation to FIFA World Cup glory. Compete by yourself or online with friends in an authentic re-creation or a fantasy version of the 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament.

“Football fans have helped drive the game’s evolution and development through our testing period and now we are ready to share the game with a much larger audience,” said Kaz Makita, Executive Producer of the EA SPORTS FIFA franchise. “The FIFA World Cup attracts casual football fans all over the world and we are inviting them to try a free football game they can play at work or home and win the FIFA World Cup virtually.”

EA SPORTS has also partnered with FIFA.com to give their Club members exclusive content. Any gamers and football fans who register at FIFA.com will receive an exclusive unlimited match pass to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South AfricaTM mode. Register now on www.FIFA.com/club.

Since February 3, more than 20,000 football fans across Europe have participated in the Closed Beta development and testing of FIFA Online and that number is expected to grow to hundreds of thousands of fans. Additional content will be designed for the game based on feedback by fans.

FIFA Online features 28 licensed leagues, 500 clubs and more than 15,000 players in a League Mode that enables fans to manage and compete as their favorite football club, and the ability to play online in challenge or cooperative matches. FIFA Online will enable football fans to build their favorite club into their fantasy team by developing or acquiring players, upgrading skills, and getting unique apparel by earning in-game currency to acquire items or through micro-transactions.

EA SPORTS FIFA Online will be released around the world in stages. The UK English language Beta version is available now with plans over the next 12 to 24 months for FIFA Online to launch in other languages across Europe and then in North America.

EA SPORTS FIFA Online is developed by EA Canada and EA Singapore. The game is rated PEGI 3.

Screenshots can be downloaded at www.easports.co.uk/press.

EA SPORTSTM is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, global videogame competitions and breakthrough digital experiences. EA SPORTS delivers personal access to the emotion of sports through industry-leading sports simulation videogames, including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA® Football and NCAA Basketball, Fight Night boxing, EA SPORTS MMA and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® golf, and EA SPORTS ActiveTM.

For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums and game apps, please visit www.easports.co.uk to connect, share and compete.

* Internet connection required. See website for details

^ A broadband internet connection and an average spec laptop computer or desk-top personal computer required

The Lord of the Rings to become Free-to-Play

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 13:22:57 +0000

Turbine’s Award-Winning Online Game Will Be Free-to-Play Worldwide This Fall

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced today that Turbine, Inc. will unveil a major update this fall, making The Lord of the Rings OnlineTM (LOTRO) free-to-play for everyone. Extending its award-winning story, LOTRO delivers the ultimate adventure featuring a massive world with state-of-the-art graphics and gameplay, and a rich set of features that until now could only be found in premium subscription-based online games.

Launching this fall across North America and Europe, with Codemasters operating the game free-to-play in Europe, LOTRO will introduce Turbine’s innovative new pricing model that allows players to download the game and play for free, purchase expansions, quest packs, items, and account services a la carte from the new LOTRO Store, or join the VIP program to get unlimited access to all of the game’s content for one low price. Players interested in getting a sneak peek of the new LOTRO can sign up for a chance to participate in the Beta program which begins June 16, 2010 at http://www.lotro.com.

“Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is bringing quality games based on The Lord of the Rings to multiple platforms, and the franchise’s expansive adventure story lends itself perfectly for LOTRO free-to-play, giving a wide range of players the opportunity to experience the game,” said Jeff Junge, Senior Vice President Online Games and Digital Games Platforms, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “We are focused on expanding our game franchises onto new digital platforms to maximize quality experiences for gamers worldwide and LOTRO’s new model is a great leading example of this.”

“Turbine’s Dungeons and Dragons Online®: Eberron UnlimitedTM was the world’s first truly premium free-to-play online game that ushered in a new era of choice for online gamers seeking quality entertainment,” said Jim Crowley, President and CEO of Turbine. “The popularity of DDO validated the extraordinary demand by gamers for quality entertainment they can experience at their own pace and within their budget. Extending free-to-play to LOTRO will offer another premium game to a broad spectrum of fans.”

“Having successfully taken two titles free-to-play in the past we are very pleased to be doing the same with The Lord of the Rings Online in Europe,” said David Solari, Vice President and General Manager of Codemasters Online. “It’s a fantastic, award-winning game with a wonderfully realized world and this step will only broaden its appeal and increase its player base.”

LOTRO will offer players unlimited choice!

Free means Free! – Players will download LOTRO by visiting www.lotro.com and join with millions of other adventurers as they explore the most complete and authentic recreation of Middle-earth ever created and participate in LOTRO’s award-winning epic story up to level 50 for free.
Visit the new LOTRO Store! -- The LOTRO Store is loaded with thousands of convenience items as well as expansion packs, premium content, additional character slots, potions, character customization and more! The LOTRO Store is seamlessly integrated into the game and lets the player identify new and exciting ways to enhance and customize their experience using points which can be purchased in the store or earned through gameplay.
Be a LOTRO VIP! – Players who elect to become a LOTRO VIP will have unlimited access to all premium content, receive priority server access, 5 character slots, a shared bank slot, and a monthly allotment of points to spend in the new LOTRO Store.

The Lord of the Rings Online is the ultimate adventure. This award-winning massively multiplayer online role-playing game delivers an interactive experience brimming with life and filled with the familiar people, places and monsters from the most famous fantasy of all time. From the picturesque surroundings of the Shire to Moria, the most fearsome underground realm ever imagined, players will soon experience the world of Middle-earth for free! For more information, visit www.lotro.com.

Starman immortalised as a Sim

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 12:41:56 +0000

Pineapple Dance Studios phenomenon and face of Starman, Andrew Stone, has been immortalised as a Sim and will be available to download globally via The Sims 3 Exchange.

Seen as the embodiment of ambition and determination, the creators of The Sims have decided to catapult Andrew to global stardom ahead of the release of The Sims 3 Ambitions on June 4th 2010. The Sims is the world’s biggest PC franchise and has sold over 125 million games since its launch in 2000. For ambitious Andrew this marks another milestone on his meteoric rise to success and will open him up to a fan base of millions across the world.

Simified music videos, songs in Simlish and a new global fanbase will be just some of the next steps in his career; ultimately turning a life-long dream into reality. With a new album, iphone apps, countless TV performances and the Pineapple series about to hit the US, there seems to be no stopping Starman’s global domination as he follows in the footsteps of previously Simified singing sensation, Pixie Lott.

“I am so excited about this new project. I mean, Pixie Lott is a huge star so it’s a great achievement for me to be Simified like she has. I know how tough this business is and I am just so grateful that people like my music, like me and want to see more of what I have to offer.” – said Andrew
There will be an exclusive webisode created with behind the scenes footage of Andrew seeing his Sim for the first time and recording his track “I don’t Wanna Dance” in Simlish.

The Sims has fulfilled Andrew’s ambitions, now you fulfil yours:
The Sims 3 Ambitions is the latest expansion pack to the best-selling PC game of 2009, The Sims 3. The game allows players to pursue a variety of exciting careers in their Sims’ lives that in turn affect their overall gameplay experience and neighborhood. Careers include a Stylist, Inventor, Fire Fighter, Doctor, Architectural Designer, , Private Investigator and Ghost Hunter. For the first time, players will be in charge of how their Sims’ career progresses and decide if they will work for good or evil, pursue creative endeavors or technical affairs, change the town for the better or wreak havoc on everyone’s homes.

APB Online Multiplayer releases more Screenshots

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 13:02:25 +0000

APB (All Points Bulletin) is the highly anticipated persistent Online Multiplayer game coming to PC in early 2010 (July 2nd). For more information you can visit: http://www.apb.com/

EA Today released a bunch of new screenshots;

Shattered Horizon™ free to play this weekend!

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 21:28:40 +0000

Futuremark® Games Studio today announced that Shattered Horizon™, their PC exclusive multiplayer first-person shooter, will be free to play and 50 percent off to buy on Steam this weekend. Shattered Horizon’s innovative zero gravity gameplay has recently been enhanced with the Firepower weapons pack which added eight new weapons and three new grenades encouraging different styles of play and providing the opportunity for new team tactics. Shattered Horizon Firepower trailer:

"Shattered Horizon continues to evolve as we add new features requested by the community," said Jaakko Haapasalo, head of Futuremark Games Studio. "This weekend PC gamers can play the complete game for free and experience the new Firepower weapons. And those who wish to continue playing can buy Shattered Horizon for just $9.99 / €9.99."

In Shattered Horizon, a catastrophic explosion on the Moon has filled near-Earth space with billions of tons of rocky debris. Teams of players fight in zero gravity to control the limited supplies that mean the difference between survival and death in the cold of space.

Firepower Free Weekend on Steam:
Starts 23:00 GMT Thursday 4 June (other time zones: http://bit.ly/coByIJ)
Ends 20:00 GMT Sunday 6 June (other time zones: http://bit.ly/bo9MSM)
Players can start pre-loading Shattered Horizon from Wednesday evening.

Weekend Sale on Steam:
Shattered Horizon will be 50 percent off to buy at $9.99 / €9.99 for the duration of the weekend.

System requirements:
Shattered Horizon requires DirectX 10, a DirectX 10 compatible video card, and Windows Vista or Windows 7. There is no support for Windows XP or DirectX 9. Minimum and recommended hardware requirements: http://www.shatteredhorizon.com/support/hardwarerequirements/

Dedicated Servers:
Players and game hosting companies who would like to put up their own servers during the free weekend can get the dedicated server files now from the Shattered Horizon website or from the Tools tab within Steam.

Shattered Horizon is available from Steam and the official website: http://www.shatteredhorizon.com/buynow/

3DMark 11 is a YouTube Favourite

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 21:25:27 +0000

The 3DMark 11 "Deep Sea" trailer Futuremark Game Studios released just last week has already achieved more than 350,000 views on YouTube making it one of the week's most popular new videos in the gaming category.

To celebrate, Futuremark have released a new HD version of the trailer.

3DMark 11 is the latest version of the world's most popular benchmark for gaming PCs. 3DMark 11 uses a native DirectX 11 engine which makes extensive use of all the new features in DirectX 11 including tessellation, compute shaders and multi-threading.

Deep Sea is a demonstration of DirectX 11 technologies created using an early development build of the 3DMark 11 engine. 3DMark 11 will be released in the third quarter of 2010. There will be a free edition that allows unlimited runs available at launch.

Desktop Power Supply Help!!!

Mon, 31 May 2010 10:03:25 +0000

Hi i need to know if this power suppy unit will work on my inspiron 530 without it blowing up my PC its 500W Arctic Power heres the link.

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/124922

BT/OnLive deal

Thu, 13 May 2010 16:07:13 +0000

BT has entered into a commercial partnership with OnLive Inc., a Silicon Valley based, cloud computing video gaming business, which gives BT exclusive rights to bundle the OnLive® Game Service with broadband in the UK. In conjunction with the commercial partnership, BT has taken a 2.6 per cent shareholding in OnLive Inc.

The revolutionary OnLive® Game Service is a new way to purchase and play video games, which are streamed over the internet, using video compression technology, so the customer can just connect and play. There is no need to wait for games to be downloaded, they run instantly.
It delivers the latest games from many of the world’s leading publishers direct to a customer’s TV, PC or Mac. OnLive works over a wired broadband connection and customers do not need high specification computers to use the service as the complex processing work is done at remote data centres.

OnLive unveiled their service in March 2009 after seven years in development and it officially launches in the US this summer following a successful beta trial. BT will announce further details about its launch plans later this year.

The move by BT into cloud gaming enhances what the company already offers in the entertainment area with BT Vision its on-demand digital TV service.

Gavin Patterson, CEO of BT Retail, said: “Entertainment is going to be at the heart of what we offer customers in the future. The partnership with OnLive complements our existing BT Vision service. It’s great for our customers - they’ll have access to a huge catalogue of games, available instantly on their TV or PC without expensive hardware. And it’s great for BT - it will enhance our premium broadband position and we’ll be entering into a market that’s worth more than £2billion.”

Steve Perlman, CEO of OnLive, said: “The UK market is extremely important to OnLive and our video game publishing partners as we expand into Europe. We view BT as the ideal UK partner. As gamers are moving increasingly to online game distribution, OnLive delivers video games as a pure form of online media, playable instantly on almost any video-capable device attached to the internet. The implications are nothing short of transformative to video games and in time, all interactive media. OnLive is delighted to be pioneering this revolutionary technology in the UK together with BT”.

system boot disc for xp

Wed, 12 May 2010 20:59:02 +0000

Hi I need to know how to make a startup floppy disc for win xp pro . I had to reinstall xp on a clean drive for my router to connect(some kind of firewall problem). I tried plugging my old drive into an old PC I have but it keeps asking for boot disc, even though I have the XP disc in the CD drive. when it asks to replace and enter it only boots from the floppy and wont go any farther. Can I now reconnect my other drive as a slave to my current setup to get my files from it or can i at least format the damn thing and get my other pc up and running. PLEASE
Derek

Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer - Launch Trailer

Wed, 05 May 2010 18:33:26 +0000

Funcom just released the launch trailer for ‘Rise of the Godslayer’, the first expansion for the highly acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing game ‘Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures’. The launch trailer gives a unique look into the many locations, characters and monsters that players will be able to meet and experience when the expansion launches online and as a part of an updated package in retail on May 11th.

“We are getting close to the launch date for ‘Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer’, and we are very excited to bring this expansion to life,” says Game Director and Executive Producer Craig Morrison. “This trailer gives but a tiny glimpse of all the amazing content and gameplay that we are offering in the expansion, as Khitai is a massive land filled with new experiences.”

The expansion, set in the eastern empire of Khitai, builds on an already extensive Conan universe. ‘Rise of the Godslayer’ expands on an already massive game world, and will also introduce entirely new and exciting gameplay mechanics. Launching on May 11th, the expansion will be available both through retail and as a digital download. In retail the expansion will come in an all-new packaging that includes both the expansion and the original game, allowing new players to quickly get up to speed with all the new content and gameplay.

Launching in May 2008 ‘Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures’ quickly became a smash hit in retail, shipping over 1.2 million copies around the world. In North America, the most prominent online gaming market in the west, ‘Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures’ became the third best-selling PC title of the year in 2008. In the weeks after launch ‘Age of Conan’ simultaneously topped the charts in 17 countries, and the game received critical acclaim from gaming press across the globe. ‘Age of Conan’ is now available in English, French, German, Spanish, Russian and Polish localized versions, and is being prepared for launch in Korea as well.

Go to www.ageofconan.com for more information such as a complete list of features.

Try 'Rise of the Godslayer' FREE!

Tue, 04 May 2010 18:22:38 +0000

Funcom invites thousands of gamers to try out ‘Rise of the Godslayer’ for free this week
*Experience a unique glimpse into the first ‘Age of Conan’ expansion this week*
*Players will be able to jump to any character level and experience any content*

Funcom is proud to announce an exclusive pre-launch sneak peek for ‘Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer’, the first expansion for the best-selling massively multiplayer online game ‘Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures’. In cooperation with IGN.com, Funcom is giving thousands of gamers the opportunity to jump into the final days of the ‘Rise of the Godslayer’ beta and experience much of the content and gameplay that will be made available when the long-awaited expansion launches online and as a part of an updated package in retail on May 11th.

Starting today IGN.com will be handing out exclusive keys that will allow anyone to jump onto a special 'Rise of the Godslayer' beta server and play from Thursday May 6th at 3:00am PDT / 12:00 CET to late Monday evening - the day before launch. Keys are limited and are only available to Fileplanet subscribers. Certain European websites, such as Buffed.de in Germany, will also be distributing a limited number of keys during the next few days. We encourage gamers to keep an eye on the official community sites for the latest news on where to get keys.

“We are very proud of what we have been able to accomplish with ‘Rise of the Godslayer’, and it feels great finally being able to open up the gates to Khitai and see the masses start exploring this whole new world,” says Game Director and Executive Producer Craig Morrison. “I hope that those giving it a try will enjoy their experience as much as we enjoyed creating it for them!”

Considering the countless hours of content introduced in ‘Rise of the Godslayer’ and the limited duration of this exclusive sneak peek beta experience, it would simply be impossible for players to experience everything on offer. As such, for this event only, players will be able to talk to a special character in game that will immediately bump the player up to any level they desire so that it will be easier to access more of the expansion content. This gives players a unique opportunity to see spectacular monsters and far-away locations all over Khitai!

Starting this afternoon, keys for this exclusive event can be claimed here on IGN.com.