Monthly Archives: June 2013

Train2Game News: Fable remake coming to Xbox 360

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Fable AnniversaryLionhead started off the day by teasing a HD remake of the original Fable for Xbox 360.

The British studio released a video, simply titled ‘Fable Teaser Trailer’, and also embedded it in a blog post titled ‘An Exciting Teaser to Start the Day’, which simply read, “Here’s a sneak peak at a little something we’ve been working on…”

Microsoft has confirmed that the new game from Lionhead Studios will be Fable Anniversary, a HD remake of the original Fable for Xbox 360 including The Lost Chapters, added Achievements, SmartGlass integration, leaderboards, new UI, and a full 1080p HD visual update.

Other new features confirmed for the release include a new lighting system that utilises Unreal 3 to render the lighting, a new facial animation system, new cutscene animations, plus updated textures, models, particle effects, save system and more.

Ted Timmins, the lead designer on the game, calls it “The game that Fable fans have been demanding for years.” He also explained that the new Achievements will try to do something a little different: “Fable has always been about choice and consequence, so we’re trying to put that into our Achievements.”

Interestingly, Timmins revealed Microsoft’s intent to support Xbox 360 into the next-gen following the release of the Xbox One, saying “Obviously the Xbox 360 isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It’s very important, to all of us, that we carry on delivering on it.”

Fable Anniversary is currently slated for a 2013 Holiday release on Xbox 360 only.

You can enjoy the teaser trailer that started the buzz, below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EhswZYju0s&feature=player_embedded

Train2Game News: MIT makes educational engine open source

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MITGameLabMIT Game Lab has released the source code for an engine it hopes will inspire developers to create educational games exploring special relativity.

The OpenRelativity toolset was used to create A Slower Speed of Light which MIT News reports was based around the question, “what would it be like if relativity was part of your everyday life?”.

Special relativity is a complex topic that lends itself to visual representation, and the tools allow developers to simulate the visual effects of travelling at near-light speeds.

“Education can be assisted through the use of games and other interactive media, especially for topics that frequently are hard to understand and visualise,” said MIT Game Lab’s Rik Eberhardt.

Educational gaming is a growing field and as more developers take an interest in using the medium as a teaching tool they need tools that support their efforts.

“The MIT Game Lab is built around this idea that play is extremely powerful, and one thing games are good at is giving people an intuitive grasp of complex scientific ideas,” said MIT Game lab creative director Philip Tan.

The effects of near-light speed travel is recreated by effectively slowing everything down to about walking speeds, allowing the events to be experienced at a scale closer to normal reality.

The source code for the OpenRelativity engine and toolset is available on Github and runs on Mac, Windows, and Linux.

A story such as this one is a perfect example of how the games industry influences and helps the rest of the world.

Train2Game News: Etoo coming to London

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EtooNot making it to E3 this year? Fear not: London will be getting its own indie gaming alternative, which will coincide with the major LA-based gaming convention.

Taking place at the Loading Bar in Soho from June 10 – 13, the brilliantly named, EToo will feature over 30 game developers showing off their latest projects on big screen TVs around the venue. The event is being sponsored by PlayStation, with GameStick, the forthcoming Android console from British tech company PlayJam, as a partner sponsor.

Developers set to show off new titles at the event include New Star Games (with an unseen new build of New Star Soccer!), Hello Games (Joe Danger), Mediatonic (showing forthcoming title, Foul Play), Nyamyam Games (Tengami), Big Robot (Sir You Are Being Hunted), Simon Roth (Maia), Tom Francis (Gunpoint), Tiniest Shark (Redshirt), Alistair Aitcheson (Slamjet Stadium), Curves Studios and Projector Games (Fortress Craft). Capcom will also be in attendance, running playable demos of Lost Planet 3 and the new HD version of classic platformer Duck Tales. More mainstream publishers are to be announced.

As headline sponsor, PlayStation will be in attendance, with Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us playable, as well as innovative platform adventure Rain and perhaps some surprise extras. David Wilson, Head of PR for PlayStation UK said, “PlayStation is pretty excited about EToo. As well as giving attendees the chance to witness our E3 conference live, there’ll be loads of time to get hands on with a range of awesome games from the blockbuster, The Last Of Us, to the small but beautifully formed Rain”

PlayJam will be showing off its innovative Android console, GameStick, set for launch in July. Sameer R. Baroova, head of games at PlayJam commented, “What better way to celebrate the most exciting week in gaming than to spend it playing awesome games, meeting developers and gamers, and discussing all things gaming. We are  excited to show off GameStick at EToo, and are very glad to be a part of it. Cheers to Keith and Georg for putting this together.”

“This started off with me sulking on Twitter about not being able to go to E3,” says co-organiser Keith Stuart, the games commissioning editor at The Guardian. “Game developer Georg Backer replied and said we should do our own event. It probably should have ended there, but somehow it didn’t. The next thing is, Jimmy Dance, the owner of Loading Bar in Soho, was offering to host it. It was sort of like one of those Hollywood musicals – ‘hey, let’s put a show on right here’. But with less dancing.

“We’re hugely grateful to Sony and PlayJam for covering the costs of this crazy endeavour so I don’t have to explain to my wife why I’ve spent most of our life savings on hiring video equipment.”

Developers will demo their latest games throughout the day, as well as taking part in mini-talks and maybe even workshops. During the evenings, the event will also be running a live-streamed TV show from one corner of the bar, presented by Keith Stuart, Georg Backer and co-hosts including Rock Paper Shotgun writer Cara Ellison. Streamed via a dedicated YouTube channel and set to be embedded on the Guardian site, the programme will include E3 news and trailers, as well as developer interviews. Several guest stars are set to appear, including famed GoldenEye designer Martin Hollis. Popular gaming radio show OneLifeLeft will also stage a takeover event and mini-disco. More details soon!

EToo takes place from June 10-13. The daily developer event is free to attend for the public, but anyone interested needs to pre-register. The evening livestream show, taking place between 7pm and midnight every night, will cost £6 to attend. This includes a free drink. Tickets and pre-registrations are available at http://etoolondon.eventbrite.com.

For more information and regular updates, head to the official website  www.etoolondon.com and follow us on twitter @etoolondon

Train2Game News: UK Top 20 Games – 03.06.13

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Grid 2Codemasters speed to the top of the Chart for the first time since ‘F1 2010’ back in 2010 thanks to Grid 2.  The sequel goes one better than its predecessor which could only manage number 2 five years ago. Apart from that, the top twenty is very quiet with no new entries this week.

All formats

Week ending 1 June 2013

POS.  TITLE  PUBLISHER  LAST
WEEK 
1 GRID 2 CODEMASTERS –
2 – FIFA 13 EA SPORTS 2
3 DEAD ISLAND: RIPTIDE DEEP SILVER 4
4 FAR CRY 3 UBISOFT 8
5 RESIDENT EVIL: REVELATIONS CAPCOM 1
6 – ASSASSIN’S CREED III XBOX 360 CLASSICS 6
7 METRO LAST LIGHT DEEP SILVER 3
8 DONKEY KONG COUNTRY RETURNS NINTENDO 5
9 LEGO BATMAN 2: DC SUPER HEROES WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 12
10 TOMB RAIDER SQUARE ENIX 7
11 BIOSHOCK INFINITE 2K GAMES 18
12 LUIGI’S MANSION 2 NINTENDO 9
13 NEED FOR SPEED MOST WANTED EA GAMES 15
14 CRYSIS 3 EA GAMES –
15 LEGO CITY UNDERCOVER: THE CHASE BEGINS NINTENDO 10
16 SKYLANDERS GIANTS SKYLANDERS 20
17 LEGO THE LORD OF THE RINGS WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE –
18 INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 11
19 GRAND THEFT AUTO IV XBOX 360 CLASSICS –
20 THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM XBOX 360 CLASSICS –
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Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (C)2013 UKIE Ltd

These charts cannot be reproduced either in print or online without obtaining permission from Ukie. If you wish to reproduce the charts in print or online, please contact david.smith@ukie.org.uk for the appropriate license.