Monthly Archives: September 2015

Train2Game News World of Tanks on PS4

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World of Tanks continues its dominance as Wargaming today announced that their wildly popular World of Tanks will make its way to Sony’s PlayStation®4, including platform specific features and exclusive bonuses only for PlayStation gamers.

With over 150 million registered players across PC, console and mobile around the globe, the next target for World of Tanks is PlayStation®4, bringing a slew of new features to the battle. Complete DUALSHOCK®4 functionality means players will feel, hear and touch the battle like never before by incorporating light bar and controller speaker capabilities, as well as touchpad support.

World of Tanks on PlayStation®4 will also support other key platform features, including Share Play and PlayStation®Vita Remote Play, as well as revamped controls designed to optimize the handheld experience. Exclusive to the PlayStation®4, for a limited time only, are two new maps.

Most excitingly, World of Tanks on PlayStation®4 is free to all PlayStation® account holders with no PlayStation®Plus membership needed in order to play. Gamers who have PS Plus membership, however, will gain access to a number of exclusive benefits and items, including a free premium tank with exclusive camouflage, three days of Premium Account time and special discounts on other purchases.

For more information about World of Tanks on PlayStation®4, visit: PS4.WorldofTanks.com

Train2Game News VR Mobile Store

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A new online store specifically for mobile VR titles has been announced at the Tokyo Game Show.

Nvia Group, the technological group, will present throughout this whole week its bet on the thriving virtual reality market for mobile phones: a virtual reality headset for mobile phones and its most exclusive feature: an app store, developed exclusively by the company with a series of games developed externally and in-house for mobile phones or smartphones which use Android technology.

Store MVR (www.storemvr.com ) will introduce more content and games during the upcoming months, from joint developers who want to take advantage of this distribution channel as well as in-house games developed by the studio’s development group which are being tested at the moment.

The store also introduces a section for developers to upload their games and other virtual reality contents on their own to be distributed in more than one hundred countries thanks to the localization of the store in 14 languages.

The website where the characteristics of the headset can be found is www.vxmask.com , and also includes in the price 2 free contents from the Store MVR.

The Store MVR is available in 14 different languages with Technical Support for the users in all these languages.

Victor Lamas, CEO of NVIA Group says “After two years working on this project, we’re very pleased to officially announce its launch, and what better place to do so than in Japan, the most predisposed market to adopt new technologies in the world”

Train2Game News Celebrate retro gaming

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Help Celebrate 30 Years of Super Mario at the Centre for Computing History.

Whilst Xbox One’s and Playstation 4’s strive ahead with high definition graphics, immersive online gameplay, and seductive surround sound scores, there are some people that see through the gloss and yearn for the simple 8-bit tunes and addictive 16-colour graphics of their childhoods.

With Mario turning 30 years old (yes really!) and the Sony Playstation turning 20 the Centre for Computing History is holding a special Retro Gaming Night on September 25th that celebrates all that is wonderful about those simple video games of yesteryear.

Adrian Page-Mitchell, volunteer at the museum said “Our retro gaming nights have been attracting more and more people with each event. They’re a really great mix of people – both young and old(er) – who have a shared experience of gaming and enjoy the opportunity to talk about, and re-play, the games that once rocked their world!”

It’s not just for guys – a recent poll showed that 52% of gamers are women. With the rise of gaming on social media platforms and mobile devices video games are now played in stolen moments on the train, waiting for a meeting, or making the most of a lunch break.

The games created specifically for these platforms need to be non-gender specific and just as playable in 5 or 30 minutes, or even more. Game developers turn back to the classic games of the 80s for inspiration and you can see elements of those games in the some of the most popular online games today.

Simplicity is king. Games like Flappy Bird are ingeniously simple yet insanely addictive and rooted in the easy to understand (but hard to master) gameplay of games you may have played on your Sinclair ZX Spectrum back in ‘82. In fact Flappy Bird is such a simple game that a version has recently been written for the Sinclair ZX81 and is on display at the museum!

Flappy Bird is even used to show a new generation of potential game designers how to create a game in a modern programming system called Scratch. Children at school use Scratch to learn the fundamentals of programming and can create a simple game in a single lesson.

So have the retro games had their day now multi-million pound block busters like Call of Duty rule current gen consoles? It would seem not. There is just as much love for Pacman and Mario as there ever was, in fact with a new generation discovering the classics there is now even more!

If you’re missing your old Sega Megadrive, Nintendo SNES, or Sony Playstation the forthcoming retro gaming night at the Centre for Computing History could just be the answer. With possibly the most complete collection of game consoles and over 8000 games in the archive, you’ll have the chance to play not only on the consoles you remember but also the ones you lusted after!

The event on the 25th September opens at 7pm and is open to anyone above the age of 18.

Booking is essential. Visit www.ComputingHistory.org.uk to book online.

Train2Game News Student in local paper

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Warhammer app Developer interviewed by local newspaper

The Train2Game blog recently posted an article about Derp Studios releasing a fully licensed accompany App for the incredibly popular Warhammer 40,000 table top game.

Since we highlighted this incredible feat, the story has been placed in the popular regional newspaper The Gloucestershire Echo.
Chris Ledger who heads up Derp has been working with the Train2Game Communications team on the launch of the App.

The Train2Game team bought the story to the attention of The Gloucestershire Echo as part of Train2Game’s ongoing commitment to supporting students and their development as professionals in the video games and related industries.

If you would like to hear more about Derp creating the ultimate fully licensed Games Workshop App, make sure to keep an eye on the Train2Game blog.

Read the full interview on the Gloucestershire Echo here. 

Train2Game, bringing City & Guilds to the Games Industry

Train2Game is a proud supporter of www.plasisgamesportal.com

Train2Game News UK Top 20 Games – 14.09.15

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Metal gear solid phantom painNintendo’s Super Mario Maker couldn’t take Phantom Pain from the number one spot this week and lands in second as the only new game in the charts.

All formats
Week ending 12 September 2015

POS.  TITLE  PUBLISHER  LAST
WEEK 
1 – METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN KONAMI 1
2 SUPER MARIO MAKER NINTENDO –
3 MAD MAX WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 2
4 DISNEY INFINITY 3.0 DISNEY INFINITY 5
5 UNTIL DAWN SONY COMPUTER ENT. 4
6 GEARS OF WAR: ULTIMATE EDITION MICROSOFT 3
7 GRAND THEFT AUTO V ROCKSTAR 6
8 LEGO JURASSIC WORLD WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 7
9 – MINECRAFT: XBOX EDITION MICROSOFT 9
10 MINECRAFT: PLAYSTATION EDITION SONY COMPUTER ENT. 8
11 THE ELDER SCROLLS ONLINE BETHESDA SOFTWORKS 9
12 DYING LIGHT WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 13
13 BATMAN: ARKHAM KNIGHT WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 10
14 MADDEN NFL 16 EA SPORTS 11
15 DESTINY ACTIVISION 20
16 BATTLEFIELD HARDLINE EA GAMES 12
17 FIFA 15 EA SPORTS 15
18 SKYLANDERS TRAP TEAM SKYLANDERS –
19 CALL OF DUTY: ADVANCED WARFARE ACTIVISION 16
20 F1 2015 CODEMASTERS 19
< previous week

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (C)2015 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.

Train2Game News Assassin’s Creed Council

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Today, Ubisoft® announced the launch of Assassin’s Creed® Council, a new platform for fans to discover more about the Assassin’s Creed universe, be rewarded with exclusive content, and to meet and communicate directly with the development team and other members of the community.

The Council is the number one destination for fans of the Assassin’s Creed universe, and provides direct access to the people creating the game for an exclusive ‘behind the scenes’ take on the series.

Members will always be kept up to date via direct live information from the Producers, ensuring they are the first to have all the latest information.

Members will also be able to decide the look and fate of the Council by posting their own content, up/down voting other contributor’s content, as well as electing members to form an exclusive ‘Council Chamber’, who will win a trip to the studio, meet the development team, and participate in special events.

Membership to the Council is free. To take a tour of the Assassin’s Creed Council, visit https://council.assassinscreed.com

Train2Game News Indie MEGABOOTH at EGX

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EGX, the UK’s biggest games event, and Indie MEGABOOTH, the showcase for independent game developers are today thrilled to announce the 29 playable games that are coming to this month’s EGX as part of the Indie MEGABOOTH.
 
Starting in 2011 as a way to introduce indie games to both conference goers and the gaming community as a whole, the Indie MEGABOOTH found enormous success through a mixture of highly original and engaging games content, delighting North American fans along the way. Through a special partnership with EGX the Indie MEGABOOTH is making the transatlantic voyage for the first time, bringing unique and wonderful games to impress visitors. As the Indie MEGABOOTH puts it, “there’s no way you will leave without finding your new favourite game”.
 
Games selected for the EGX Indie MEGABOOTH include ‘first-person exploration game’ Pollen, ‘isometric action RPG’ Eitr and Move or Die, the 4 player game in which stopping means your character explodes. The full list is as follows:
 
AEROBAT, BOID, Cerulean Moon, Dropsy, Eitr, Enter the Gungeon, Four Sided Fantasy, Future Unfolding, Gunsport, Herald, Induction, Just Shapes & Beats, Kingdom, Knee Deep, Mayan Death Robots, MindFork, Monsters & Monocles, Move or Die, Pollen, Redshift Blueshift, Sea of Solitude, Star Command Galaxies, Galactic Hero Agency, Stikbold!, The Flock, The Masterplan, The Red Solstice, Twin Souls: The Path of Shadows and VIDEOBALL.
 
“This has been a really big year for us and we’re really excited to cap 2015 with our first-ever showcase in the UK”, said Kelly Wallick, founder of Indie MEGABOOTH. “The UK is already a great hub for indie development and this is an amazing opportunity to bring together talented devs to showcase their games as well as extend our support of the indie dev community to the UK”.
 
“Having been recognised as a bastion of quality by our American cousins for several years, we’re immensely proud to welcome the Indie MEGABOOTH to UK shores for the first time”, said David Lilley, Managing Director of Gamer Events. “Indie gaming is a core part of the EGX experience, and with the support of Indie MEGABOOTH visitors to EGX will be treated to the largest collection of indie games anywhere in the country”.
 
In addition to the Indie MEGABOOTH, this year’s EGX also features the Rezzed Zone and Leftfield Collection, showcasing over 300 screens of fantastic indie games. Whether a hardcore indie gamer or new to the scene, the indie presence at EGX will deliver countless fantastic gaming experiences.

EGX runs at the NEC, Birmingham, from 24th to 27th September. For all the information about the event, including the playable games and features announced so far, plus to buy a ticket to this year’s show, please visit www.egx.net/egx.

Train2Game News Pokémon GO

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The Pokémon Company, Niantic, Inc., and Nintendo Co., Ltd. today announced their collaboration on a new project for mobile devices called Pokémon GO.

This ground breaking mobile game will encourage fans to search far and wide in the real world to discover Pokémon. Pokémon GO will be available for download at no charge on the App Store and Google Play in 2016.

In the past, the Pokémon video game series has used real world locations like the Hokkaido and Kanto regions of Japan, as well as New York and Paris, as inspiration for its fantasy settings. In Pokémon GO, players will be able to catch, trade, and battle in the real world by utilizing location information.

Pokémon GO’s gameplay experience goes beyond what appears on screen as players explore their neighborhoods, communities and the world they live in to discover Pokémon alongside friends and other players. Junichi Masuda, game director of the Pokémon video game series at GAME FREAK inc. will be contributing to the project. His involvement will ensure that the fun of Pokémon makes its way into Pokémon GO, while developing new types of gameplay and thinking of ways to connect this project with the main series of Pokémon video games. In-app purchases will be available in Pokémon GO.

Here’s a link to the announcement video: http://youtu.be/2sj2iQyBTQs

Watch the press conference here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUlX77BKLyY

“Our challenge was to develop a great game for smart phone devices that expressed the core values of Pokémon,” said Tsunekazu Ishihara, president and CEO of The Pokémon Company. “Pokémon GO is the answer to that challenge.”

“Pokémon GO is a wonderful combination of Niantic’s real world gaming platform and one of the most beloved franchises in popular culture,” said John Hanke, founder and CEO of Niantic, Inc. “Our partnership with The Pokémon Company and Nintendo is an exciting step forward in real-world gaming and using technology to help players discover the world and people around them.”

Players will be able to enhance their Pokémon GO experience even when they are looking away from their smartphones by using a unique device called Pokémon GO Plus.  By pressing a button on Pokémon GO Plus, simple in-game actions like catching a Pokémon can be performed. Developed and manufactured by Nintendo Co., Ltd., Pokémon GO Plus will connect to smartphones via Bluetooth and by flashing and vibrating, will notify players about events like the appearance of a Pokémon nearby.

Pokémon GO is being developed by Niantic, Inc. Originally founded by Google Earth co-creator John Hanke as a start-up within Google, Niantic is known for creating Ingress, the augmented reality mobile game which utilizes GPS technology to fuel a sci-fi story encompassing the entire world. Ingress currently has 12 million downloads worldwide.

Train2Game News Game Art book

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Video games capture the imagination like no other art form, but when the game ends, what’s the best way to keep those experiences alive? Just open a stunning art book.

In Game Art ($39.95, 272 pp., September 2015), the latest art book from No Starch Press, readers can relive their favorite adventures and discover new ones through breathtaking art from 40 video games by indie and blockbuster studios. With every turn of the page, readers will find themselves immersed in scenes like:

·         A brave little girl’s journey through frigid Alaskan icescapes in Never Alone
·         An epic battle against a monstrous dragon in Dragon Age: Inquisition
·         A noir-inspired universe where characters literally become shadows in Contrast
·         Chocobos galloping through majestic valleys in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

Author Matt Sainsbury traveled the globe to snag exclusive interviews with the creators of these games. Matt says, “We’re living in a true Golden Age of video games at the moment—there’s never been more experimentation and beauty in games than there is today. My goal with Game Art was to showcase these incredible works of art and what inspires developers to create these masterpieces.”

“Game Art is sure to live on coffee tables of video game lovers for years to come,” says No Starch Press founder Bill Pollock. “You have to check this out. Anyone who reads this book won’t be asking, ‘Are video games art?’ It’s obvious.”

Game Art will be available in bookstores everywhere this September.

Train2Game News Castle Crashers Remastered

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Independent game developer and publisher The Behemoth is excited to announce Castle Crashers®  Remastered for Xbox One will release on September 9, 2015.

Castle Crashers Remastered will release in North America on launch day with other countries to follow as ratings are approved.

Hack, slash, and smash your way to victory in this Remastered edition of the popular 2D arcade adventure known as Castle Crashers! At 60 frames per second, Castle Crashers Remastered delivers hi-res visuals with updated textures 5x the size of the original. Up to four friends can play locally or online to save your princess, defend your kingdom, and crash some castles!

Featuring:

*A brand new mini-game Back Off Barbarian. Jump and hop across the level to avoid the enemies!
*Larger textures and twice the framerate of the original Castle Crashers for Xbox 360
*Unlock more than 25 characters and over 40 weapons!
*Intuitive combo and magic system: Unlock an arsenal of new attacks as your character progresses through the game.
*Level up your character and adjust Strength, Magic, Defense, and Agility.
*Adorable animal orbs are your companions. Each adds different abilities to aid you on your journey.
*Arena mode: Battle other players in free-for-all or team matches!
•Insane Mode: Test your skills in the ultimate campaign challenge

Dan Paladin, co-founder & art director of The Behemoth, explains: “Over a year ago we started thinking about the future. Castle Crashers would disappear along with lots of other games once the ‘Last Gen’ would wave goodbye. Millions of people have enjoyed the game and written to us with such amazing experiences, it seemed like it’d be a loss to just let it vanish for any new or returning console players.”

Castle Crashers Remastered will be available for $14.99. Xbox One owners who previously purchased Castle Crashers on Xbox 360 will get the game for free through September 20, 2015 with an active Xbox Live Gold membership. Starting September 21, 2015, Xbox Live Gold members who are previous owners of Castle Crashers on Xbox 360 will receive Castle Crashers Remastered for Xbox One for only $5.00!

In addition to Castle Crashers Remastered, the original XBLA version of Castle Crashers will be playable with Xbox One Backwards Compatibility but there is no release date yet.