Category Archives: Developer

Train2Game News Dinosaur survival

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Independent developer Studio Wildcard has pulled back the curtains on its Jurassic creation today with the announcement of ARK: Survival Evolved, an open-world dinosaur survival game where players fight for every breath amongst the most ferocious creatures to ever walk the earth.

In development for PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Windows PC, Mac, and Linux, ARK: Survival Evolved will launch on Steam’s Early Access program June 2, 2015, for survivors to begin exploring the vast, formidable environment and its many secrets.

Watch the trailer on YouTube HERE: www.youtube.com/c/survivetheark

Powered by Unreal Engine 4, ARK: Survival Evolved takes on the survival genre with a unique blend of emergent multiplayer cooperation and competition. Players awake naked and starving on the beach of a mysterious island among a herd of other confused humans. On ARK, they must then hunt, harvest, craft, research technology, and build shelters to protect against scorching days, freezing nights, volatile weather systems, dangerous wildlife, and potential enemies.

Use cunning strategy and tactics to tame and ride the many dinosaurs and other primeval creatures roaming the dynamic, persistent ecosystems across land, sea, air, and even underground. Build your character’s strengths and gain items, skills, and pet creatures using in-depth role-playing systems. Start a tribe with hundreds of other players to survive and dominate competing tribes…and ultimately discover the ARK’s true purpose.

“ARK taps into the scale, size, and wildly unpredictable nature of the dinosaur eras like no other game before it, then pairs it with the wonders of exploration and technological discovery,” said Jesse Rapczak, co-founder and co-creative director, Studio Wildcard. “We’re particularly excited to bring ARK to consoles, as open-world survival gameplay is typically found solely in PC games.”

Tame one of 60 amazing dinosaurs and other prehistoric beasts, including gargantuan creatures on a scale never before seen in video games! Fly a Pterodactyl squadron over the snow-capped mountains, race through the deep jungle with your pack of trained Raptors, tromp through a fortified enemy base along a convoy of gigantic Brontosaurus, or chase down prey on the back of a raging T-Rex.

Players will quickly learn that dinosaurs aren’t the only dangerous creatures on the island. Other players are organizing rebel tribes to accumulate resources, experience, re-spawn points, and to construct sprawling villages and cities, with technology spanning the primitive stone-age to the modern electric-powered era and beyond. And they will fight to destroy anything they see as a threat.

ARK: Survival Evolved will launch in early 2016 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One via the ID@Xbox program and Steam, including Oculus Rift VR support and a thorough integration of Steam community features such as Steam Economy and Steam Workshop for custom maps and mods. The world of ARK is designed to be player-oriented and ever-expanding!

Train2Game News FunPlus Group PublishingPlus

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PublishingPlusThe FunPlus Group, a worldwide mobile social gaming company, today announced the creation of PublishingPlus, a revolutionary new mobile game publishing program that will provide game developers with a simple, transparent alternative to “traditional” publishing. PublishingPlus is now open for all free-to-play developers to apply, regardless of team size or location.

Before joining FunPlus as Head of Business Development, Greg Essig managed the games section of the App Store at Apple, where he liaised with numerous game publishers and developers. Prior to Apple, Essig helped create the gaming division for Creative Artists Agency (CAA) where he led numerous development and publishing arrangements. These roles helped shape his understanding of the mobile games marketplace and how PublishingPlus can make it better for developers.

Drawing from FunPlus’ expertise as a global leader in the free-to-play mobile industry, and strong local presence in major marketplaces worldwide, PublishingPlus will provide independent development partners with a wide range of financial and operational support in addition to expert guidance throughout all stages of their games’ lifecycles. Through a structured tier-based system, the program will give developers clearly defined, pre-negotiated milestones and deliverables to ensure concrete expectations for both parties with significantly mitigated risk.

The PublishingPlus program is based on four differentiating tenets:

100% upfront financial support from concept to launch
A 50/50 net revenue split between FunPlus and developers
Global marketing and operations support on iOS and Android
Developers’ continued ownership of their IP

“PublishingPlus is a major step into the future of mobile game publishing,” said FunPlus Co-founder and CEO Andy Zhong. “The current market has let too many great games fall by the wayside due to uncertainty. By eliminating that confusion and offering FunPlus’ wealth of experience and resources, we hope to change this trend so that talented developers have a chance to shine.”

The PublishingPlus website is live and officially accepting applications as of today, May 11. In its transparency, FunPlus includes an easily accessible term sheet for interested developers.

“PublishingPus is a mobile publishing design for the modern mobile market,” said Essig, “With our structured program, developers can focus on making great games, without the headaches that come with negotiating for the resources needed to get there.”

FunPlus gives developers unparalleled support in the mobile free-to-play games space. This includes project financing, art guidance, engineering and tech assistance, design, analytics, localization, monetization, marketing and live operations services.

“As a developer, choosing a publisher is critical to the success of our project, and of our company, and it can be downright scary,” said Octact Co-founder and COO Paul Chieffo. “FunPlus made it easy. Their team has given us the resources to succeed and stands behind us every step of the way. PublishingPlus will make the marketplace more approachable for indie developers everywhere.”

Game developers interested in applying are free to submit their ideas for consideration at any stage of development. PublishingPlus will consider applications as early as paper documents or as far along as geo-beta. Financing begins immediately and support continues for each successful tier and milestone met.

For more information about PublishingPlus, please visit: http://publishingplus.funplus.com

Train2Game News UK Top 20 Games – 11.05.15

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Project-CarsIn the first time in 2 years a racing game is at the top of the charts with Project Cars taking the number one spot. The rest of the charts are practically the same just with a slight shuffle around with Watch Dogs creeping back in to the top twenty.

All formats

Week ending 9 May 2015

POS.  TITLE  PUBLISHER  LAST
WEEK 
1 PROJECT CARS BANDAI NAMCO ENTERTAINMENT –
2 – GRAND THEFT AUTO V ROCKSTAR 2
3 MORTAL KOMBAT X WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 1
4 – FIFA 15 EA SPORTS 4
5 DYING LIGHT WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 6
6 CALL OF DUTY: ADVANCED WARFARE ACTIVISION 8
7 BATTLEFIELD HARDLINE EA GAMES 3
8 MINECRAFT: XBOX EDITION MICROSOFT 7
9 – HALO: THE MASTER CHIEF COLLECTION MICROSOFT 9
10 DESTINY ACTIVISION 16
11 MINECRAFT: PLAYSTATION EDITION SONY COMPUTER ENT. 5
12 FORZA HORIZON 2 MICROSOFT 17
13 SKYLANDERS TRAP TEAM SKYLANDERS 19
14 WWE 2K15 2K SPORTS 10
15 TERRARIA XBOX 360 CLASSICS 12
16 DISNEY INFINITY 2.0 DISNEY INFINITY 11
17 ASSASSIN’S CREED: UNITY UBISOFT 20
18 FAR CRY 4 UBISOFT 13
19 LEGO MARVEL SUPER HEROES WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 15
20 WATCH DOGS UBISOFT –
< 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 Tony Hawks Pro Skater 5 at GAME

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Hot on the (w)heels of the news of the Autumn launch of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5, GAME is delighted to announce a format exclusive – available to pre-order now.

Available on both PS3 and Xbox 360 – only from GAME-  the highly anticipated release offers skaters a fresh take on combo-driven skateboarding and a state-of-the-art skate park build.

Featuring  classic Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater gameplay, extended trick combinations and endless shred sessions, the new game can be pre-ordered in store or online at www.game.co.uk.

For those with PS4 and Xbox One consoles, the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 also comes with the most advanced online multiplayer experience, offering online skate sessions and the ability to challenge other players from around the world.

Charlotte Knight, UK Retail Managing Director at GAME, says, “We’re just as excited as fans at the announcement of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5. It’s a game that will appeal to skateboarders and gamers of all ages – we know that many of our customers have grown up perfecting their tricks and this new release will put their skills to the test. With our exclusive format, there is a game for everyone.”

Train2Game News Batman Arkham Knight Cast Announced

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Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment confirmed the voice talent behind some of the most notable characters in Batman: Arkham Knight, the epic finale to the award winning Batman: Arkham trilogy from Rocksteady Studios. 

Jonathan Banks (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) joins the cast as James Gordon, Ashley Greene (The Twilight Saga) as Barbara Gordon, John Noble (Sleepy Hollow, Fringe) as Scarecrow and Scott Porter (Friday Night Lights, Hart of Dixie) as Nightwing.

Banks, Greene, Noble and Porter join an ensemble cast that includes fan-favourites Kevin Conroy, who returns as Batman; Tara Strong as Harley Quinn; Troy Baker as Two-Face and Nolan North as Penguin.

Batman: Arkham Knight is based on DC Comics’ core Batman license and will be available on June 23rd, 2015 exclusively for the PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and PC.

Batman: Arkham Knight brings the award-winning Batman: Arkham trilogy from Rocksteady Studios to its epic conclusion. Developed exclusively for the new generation of consoles and PCs, Batman: Arkham Knight introduces Rocksteady’s uniquely designed version of the Batmobile. The highly anticipated addition of this legendary vehicle, combined with the acclaimed gameplay of the Batman: Arkham series, offers gamers the ultimate and complete Batman experience as they tear through the streets and soar across the skyline of the entirety of Gotham City.

In this explosive finale, Batman faces the ultimate threat against the city that he is sworn to protect, as Scarecrow returns to unite the super criminals of Gotham City and destroy the Batman forever.

Train2Game News Rift available next year

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Since the earliest days of the Oculus Kickstarter, the Rift has been shaped by gamers, backers, developers, and enthusiasts around the world. Today, Oculus are incredibly excited to announce that the Rift will be shipping to consumers in Q1 2016, with pre-orders later this year.

The Rift delivers on the dream of consumer VR with compelling content, a full ecosystem, and a fully-integrated hardware/software tech stack designed specifically for virtual reality. It’s a system designed by a team of extremely passionate gamers, developers, and engineers to reimagine what gaming can be.

The Oculus Rift builds on the presence, immersion, and comfort of the Crescent Bay prototype with an improved tracking system that supports both seated and standing experiences, as well as a highly refined industrial design, and updated ergonomics for a more natural fit.

In the weeks ahead, further details around hardware, software, input, and many of the other unannounced made-for-VR games and experiences coming to the Rift. Next week, more of the technical specifications will be released on the Oculus blog.

Virtual reality is going to transform gaming, film, entertainment, communication, and much more. If you’re interested in building a next-generation VR game or application, everything you need to start developing for the Rift is available at the Oculus Developer Center.

E3 is just around the corner — this is only the beginning.

Train2Game News Student developing game to aid Alzhemiers

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The emotional impact of Alzheimer’s disease has been explored by a student computer game project, which will be revealed to the public at the Abertay Digital Graduate Show this Friday (8 May).

Alexander Tarvet developed the idea during his Game Design & Production Management degree, looking at how a game can give a unique first-person experience of a debilitating and distressing medical condition.

He was keen to raise awareness both of the impact memory loss has for the individual patient as familiar objects and people become distant, but also for the immediate family.

There will be 850,000 people living with some form of dementia in the UK by the end of 2015 according to the Alzheimer’s Society, showing how widespread this condition has become.

Alexander said: “Computer games are one of the greatest ways to let people safely explore a situation they’ve never experienced, as you’re creating a whole new world to explore. Many games deal with fantasy and fiction, but I wanted to look at something much more serious.

“Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating condition for everyone affected and their loved ones, and through playing Forget-Me-Knot the player gets an immediate sense of the confusion the character feels.

“They’re in their living room, which should be a safe and comforting space, but it has become hostile and unsettling as they’ve lost memories of the personal objects all around the room.

“The player is in exactly the same position as the person with Alzheimer’s – both have to explore the room and try and piece together an understanding of photos and letters through clues left on shelves and in drawers.

“I hope the project will help anyone who plays the game to understand more about Alzheimer’s disease. Putting yourself into the shoes of the person with the disease gives a very immediate, visceral sense of how disorientating and terrifying it must be to live with long-term memory loss.”

Alexander is one of 170 students showing their final year projects in Abertay University’s main Kydd Building and the Hannah Maclure Centre art gallery, on the top floor of the Student Centre.

Train2Game News gameit making adverts fun

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gameit, the free mobile trivia app that rewards consumers with prizes and shopping deals for engaging with brands, today announced it has a successfully closed $1.6 million seed funding round from a number of private angel investors along with DAK Capital. 

The news comes on the heels of the app’s official launch as one of the only platforms to increase mobile ad engagement, and provide even more opportunities for consumers to win amazing prizes and shop for one-of-a-kind deals from top brands like Kate Spade, Lululemon, Nikon and Sephora. In its beta launch alone, gameit has already exceeded 380K games played and hundreds of prizes shipped. The funding will be used for customer acquisition, research and development, continued growth and additional brand relationships.

“72 percent of Americans ignore ads completely, yet companies continue to spend billions on advertising each year to try and reach them. By gamifying mobile advertising, gameit is changing this paradigm,” said Bryce Johnson, CEO of gameit. “gameit creates a true value exchange between advertisers and their audiences – incentivizing consumers to engage with brands, while driving a higher level of brand knowledge and retention. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.”

gameit makes advertising a part of the mobile gaming experience, rather than an interruption, by building trivia games around branded videos and giving consumers a chance to win the featured product. Players are provided with 5,000 free coins from gameit to start, which they can use to gain access to specific games and prizes. With every correct answer, users earn more in-app coins. The top scorer in each game wins the product for free, but everyone who plays gains access to a deal on the item – ranging from 10 to 65 percent off, depending on how well they do in the game. Players can also “steal” the top spot from their competitors, using their coins to play additional games and capture the win. Thanks to gameit’s new built-in m-commerce capabilities, consumers can make their purchase from directly within the app.

Future updates to the app will include new game formats with increased social engagement to encourage team play among friends, and enhanced tracking capabilities for brands to measure ROI through consumer engagement and retention.

gameit is available now on both iOS and Android for free. To learn more, visit www.gameit.us

Train2Game News UK Top 20 Games – 05.05.15

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Mortal Kombat xFollowing the bank holiday the new game charts are out with no new games what so ever and very little change in the order. Mortal Kombat X is still in the number one spot.

All formats

Week ending 2 May 2015

POS.  TITLE  PUBLISHER  LAST
WEEK 
1 – MORTAL KOMBAT X WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 1
2 – GRAND THEFT AUTO V ROCKSTAR 2
3 – BATTLEFIELD HARDLINE EA GAMES 3
4 FIFA 15 EA SPORTS 5
5 MINECRAFT: PLAYSTATION EDITION SONY COMPUTER ENT. 4
6 DYING LIGHT WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 8
7 MINECRAFT: XBOX EDITION MICROSOFT 6
8 CALL OF DUTY: ADVANCED WARFARE ACTIVISION 7
9 HALO: THE MASTER CHIEF COLLECTION MICROSOFT 14
10 – WWE 2K15 2K SPORTS 10
11 DISNEY INFINITY 2.0 DISNEY INFINITY 13
12 TERRARIA XBOX 360 CLASSICS 15
13 FAR CRY 4 UBISOFT 11
14 BORDERLANDS: THE HANDSOME COLLECTION 2K GAMES 9
15 LEGO MARVEL SUPER HEROES WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 16
16 DESTINY ACTIVISION 13
17 – FORZA HORIZON 2 MICROSOFT 17
18 MIDDLE EARTH: SHADOW OF MORDOR WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE –
19 SKYLANDERS TRAP TEAM SKYLANDERS –
20 ASSASSIN’S CREED: UNITY UBISOFT –
< 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 Prescription for Sleep: Game Music Lullabies Volume II

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Scarlet Moon Records is pleased to announce the availability of its highly-anticipated arrangement album, Prescription for Sleep: Game Music Lullabies Volume II.

This follow-up to 2014’s acclaimed first volume presents many of gaming’s greatest melodies arranged to sooth and relax, performed live by GENTLE LOVE featuring saxophonist Norihiko Hibino (known for his contributions to the Bayonetta and Metal Gear Solid series, including the iconic “Snake Eater” theme) and pianist AYAKI. The album is fully licensed and is now available via LOUDR and other digital retailers:
Prescription for Sleep: Game Music Lullabies Volume II on LOUDR

The themes featured on Prescription for Sleep: Game Music Lullabies Volume II include pieces from classic titles like Final Fantasy and DuckTales alongside newer favorites such as Shovel Knight and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. An original composition is also featured to highlight Norihiko Hibino’s recent endavor to bring healing music to the world through his work with Hibino Sound Therapy Lab. The full track list is as follows:

01. Kids Run Through The City Corner (Final Fantasy VI)
02. Troian Beauty (Final Fantasy IV)
03. The Streets of Whiterun (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)
04. The One Who Is Torn Apart (Xenogears)
05. Courage Under Fire (Shovel Knight)
06. The Moon (DuckTales)
07. Scattering Blossoms (Chrono Trigger)
08. Oath to Order (The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask)
09. Snake Eater (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater)
10. Close Up (Original Composition)

“I just had to create a second volume! There were just too many tracks I still wanted to hear from GENTLE LOVE,” reflects Scarlet Moon Records Producer Jayson Napolitano. “In my notes to Hibino-san, I described the peaceful town of elves from Final Fantasy IV, the heaviness and melancholy of the call of the giants from Majora’s Mask, and the majesty of outer space and the universal love people have for ‘The Moon’ from DuckTales. They were able to capture the essense of each track while still adhering to the goal of inducing relaxation and sleep. Given the curve balls I threw them, I couldn’t be more impressed with the result. I hope listeners are too.”

Norihiko Hibino and pianist AYAKI, known as GENTLE LOVE when performing together, have toured throughout Japan, bringing their unique therapeutic approach featuring live saxophone and piano to those in need after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. They’ve performed at a number of charity functions, and continue to explore the therapeutic applications of music as a part of the Hibino Sound Therapy Lab.

Visit the official Prescription for Sleep: Game Music Lullabies website for information on both albums and to see their launch trailers:
Prescription for Sleep: Game Music Lullabies Official Website