Some lucky Xbox One users may have the chance to beta test future updates. This would be incredibly helpful for Train2Game students on the QA Course.
The Xbox NewsWire states “Beginning today, Xbox is inviting select Xbox Live members to preview new features coming to Xbox One in a March system update and future system updates as they become available, asking them to provide valuable feedback before the updates are implemented worldwide. Selected participants will receive an Xbox Live message with a token to register. The next system update will begin rolling out next week to those who will preview the new features.
Once registered, participants will be able to test the early features included in the update and provide feedback on a private forum and can opt out of future waves.””
The next Xbox one update will improve multiplayer and party features ready for the release of the highly anticipated Titanfall.
So if you own an Xbox One keep an eye on your Xbox Live messages as you might just be lucky enough to be a part of the Xbox One’s future!
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment today announced Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate – Deluxe Edition will be available in April
Developed by Armature Studio, the same team behind Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate for handheld, the game delivers the same dynamic story and gameplay, now in high-definition. Fans will be able to purchase the game from 2nd April on the PlayStation Network, Xbox LIVE Marketplace, Nintendo eShop and Steam for £15.99.
Previously available only for PlayStation Vita handheld entertainment system and Nintendo 3DS handheld system, Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate – Deluxe Edition brings the content of Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate to console and PC with enhanced high-definition 2.5-D graphics, a new map & hint system for improved navigation and objective tracking, 5.1 surround sound, a fully voiced narrative and a captivating storyline. In addition to all previous released suits, players will be able to unlock the exclusive Zero Year Batsuit skin by registering for or signing into a Warner Bros. ID (WBID) account.
After gang-fueled uprisings occur within the walls of Blackgate Prison, Batman is called in to restore order and put an end to the rebellion before the chaos implodes. As the story progresses, players will explore deep inside the bowels of this remote island penitentiary and discover what happened after the events of Batman: Arkham Origins and learn more details of the Dark Knight’s past.
Jagex Games Studio, makers of the multi-award winning fantasy MMORPG, RuneScape, is to host a 24-hour long marathon in support of the games charity SpecialEffect’s inaugural GameBlast weekend.
The challenge, to be held at Jagex’s Cambridge headquarters, will take place from 1pm GMT on Friday 21st February and will see staff and selected members of the RuneScape community play RuneScape and Ace of Spades throughout the 24-hour period. The event will also be live-streamed throughout via the official RuneScape and Ace of Spades twitch.tv channels, which will also include interviews with the RuneScape development team.
In addition to holding the marathon, Jagex will be running in-game events within RuneScape. Following a recent player vote, there will be Double XP for players during the GameBlast weekend. The Well of Goodwill, which saw players raise tens of thousands of pounds for a number of charities at the end of 2013, will re-open for a short time only. Players will also be able to purchase a virtual GameBlast tunic for their avatars, with all proceeds donated to SpecialEffect. During the GameBlast weekend, 50 percent of all profits from sales of Ace of Spades will be donated to SpecialEffect.
“Jagex has long supported numerous charities close to our heart, and we are thrilled to be able to continue our strong relationship with SpecialEffect by taking part in the inaugural GameBlast,” said Neil McClarty, Brand Director for RuneScape. “Our community truly are fantastic, and their generosity during our most recent charity campaign saw hundreds of billions of gold pieces and Bonds converted into real-world cash for good causes, including SpecialEffect. The weekend is shaping up to be big with lots planned including live streams and players recently voted to celebrate with double XP available all weekend, this is one not miss.”
“SpecialEffect does fantastic work to level the playing field between abled and disabled gamers, and Jagex is excited to continue supporting the organisation’s efforts by participating in GameBlast,” said Rob Kinder, Brand Director for Ace of Spades. “Getting the Ace of Spades community together for a 24-hour marathon gaming session while raising money for charity at the same time is the perfect way to start the weekend, and we can’t wait for the event to kick off!”
“We’re absolutely delighted that Jagex are going to play a huge part in GameBlast. We’re already indebted to them for the wonderful support they gave us in 2013 through their Well of Goodwill, and to have their involvement in this weekend of gaming is fantastic,” said Dr Mick Donegan, Founder and Director of SpecialEffect. “There are thousands of people in the world that want to share our passion for video games, but their disabilities stop them playing any of the titles we love. The sponsorship that the Jagex players and staff raise through their marathon will help us to bring magic moments and opportunities for inclusion into many, many more lives.”
Ukie, who bring games industry expertise and Nesta, who have years of experience of running successful creative industry mentoring schemes, have partnered to develop a mentoring scheme designed specifically for UK games businesses.
Building on the success of Nesta’s wider creative Business Mentor Network, the Video Game Mentoring Network has been set up by Ukie and Nesta to advise and nurture games businesses with an appetite for growth.
The scheme will be officially launched in April but games businesses are being invited to express their interest in being mentored now by contacting mentoring@ukie.org.uk
Businesses joining the games mentoring network will receive:
One-to-one business mentoring in the form of 10 two-hour sessions over a 6-12 month period
An induction workshop at the start of the programme to get the most out of your mentoring sessions
Workshops and events designed to meet other members of the wider Network
Coaching support – in addition to mentoring
Ukie and Nesta want businesses of all sizes to apply to be mentored, from start-ups who have been established for less than two years, to established and high growth potential business who are looking to scale. They are also calling on potential mentors to express and interest in being part of the scheme. The minimum criteria for applying are simply that you must be a registered business that:
Has made or sold a game in the UK in the last 12 months or have a game ready to bring to market in the next six months.
Or you can also be a business that has launched a product or service in the UK that supports the creation and selling of games within the last 12 months.
Being a Ukie member automatically qualifies you to apply.
Ukie CEO, Dr Jo Twist said: “This partnership with Nesta gives games businesses an amazing opportunity to get first hand expert advice from people with proven track records in the games industry. Mentoring is invaluable both for mentees and for mentors. Our industry is especially good at collaborating and sharing stories and experiences so we encourage all businesses to apply and be part of the network.”
Mentors for the programme are being selected from successful leaders in the games industry, with experience of working in a variety of businesses from creating their own successful independent development studios and publishing companies, to working at senior levels for multinational games businesses. Individuals can express interest in becoming a mentor by contacting mentoring@ukie.org.uk.
Train2Game Student Studio Icey Monty has again expanded their online empire and have launched another new gaming site.
Joining their previous site www.shooter3dgames.com which is full of the best browser based shooter games they have now released www.gamonaut.com to house all styles of game and is a perfect house for their own games the studio releases.
Icey Monty has been going from strength to strength over the past year with getting work from Strongbow and releasing their gaming portals. They are a true inspiration for other Train2Game students and studios.
It seems nothing can stop this young studio from rising. Congratulations on the site launch guys.
Square Enix and Amazon.com Inc., in collaboration with a host of gaming partners including AMD and the team behind The Dark Mod, today announced the ultimate THIEF mod contest in celebration of the upcoming reboot to one of the most renowned stealth franchises in gaming history.
Beginning today, the THIEF and modding communities are challenged to put their imagination to the test. Whether it’s creating a new heist for Garrett or reworking a classic level from the series, Square Enix and Amazon are looking for fans to submit entries in one of two categories; either a short video playthrough of a mod they’ve created, or a pitch for a mod they would like to create.
Once submitted, all entries will be voted on by the community, members of the Thief development team, and members of The Dark Mod team.
One winner from each of the two categories will be chosen and will receive a host of prizes from key partners, including:
o A high-end gaming rig from AMD which includes an AMD Radeon R9 290X graphics card
o An all-expenses paid trip to E3 2014 with Square Enix
o Steam code for all Square Enix Games with the matching Prima Guide
o A bundle of game development books on Kindle
o An Amazon Kindle DX
In addition, every entrant to the competition will also receive a free digital version of Thief: Gold (1999) courtesy of Amazon.com.
For more information on how to enter and the full list of categories and prizes, visit www.amazon.com/thiefcontest
For information on how to create a mod, along with all the tools needed, visit TheDarkMod.com
As part of the PR team’s ongoing support of students creating games, we’re offering you the chance to win a month’s worth of free PR.
The initiative will search for the most promising titles and give them support by taking the game to UK press for reviews and features. Your game will feature in blogs and on websites, getting you the much needed publicity that will result in your title getting in the hands of gamers. We’ll also introduce you to our business connections to get you further support in releasing your game.
What you will win:
• Creation and distribution of press release to announce the title.
• Approach to press for reviews and features.
• Placement in magazines, on the radio and in blogs associated with theTrain2Game.
• Media training where applicable
• Advice and consultation
• Business connections, we can put you in touch with organisations that can help get your game out there.
The criteria:
• Your game needs to be completely finished and ready to take to market.
• Teams and individuals qualify for the opportunity. If you are in a team the majority of the group need to be Train2Game students.
• A playable version of the game will need to be submitted to the judging panel.
• The games will be judged by the PR team who have many years of experience working in the Games Industry.
When Daniel learned that one of his girlfriend’s favorite game developers produced a game in which you can create your own stories to play with friends, he hatched a brilliant plan to win her heart…
You can imagine that at Larian Studios they never expected to become a wedding agency when they started developing Divinity: Original Sin, but requests to use the game for marriage proposals began pouring in when the studio offered players a chance to create their own cooperative dialogs during the Kickstarter campaign.
Daniel, for instance, wanted to create a dialog of his own in which he’d ask his girlfriend, Dolores, to marry him. ‘Sure,’ was the studios reply, expecting to ship the game in plenty of time for those planning imminent proposals to enjoy.
With the delay of the game’s release, however, Daniel had to act: He contacted them directly, asking what arrangements could be made to facilitate an in-game proposal. This was a man utterly tired of being unengaged to his Dolores, it seemed, and the delay simply wouldn’t do.
Working together with the team’s writers and designers, Daniel made not one, but two stories: one to get an unsuspecting Dolores over to Larian Studios and one to set up a proposal in the game.
The first was an outright fib: Daniel and Dolores, as it went, had won a fan contest to come and test-play the game at Larian Studios. So they did, but as she explored the game world, Dolores soon found a mysterious ring on the beach near Cyseal, engraved with a message. ‘Bring me to the statue of the lady’, it said, ‘and her spirit will be revealed to you.’
Later on, as they explored the game world, they located a statue in a forgotten corner. The magic ring was employed, and lo and behold, a ghost rose from the ground, bathing the area in golden light. ‘I am the spirit of Love’, she spoke, ‘so say what has been in your heart for so long!’
‘Will you marry me, Dolores?’, Daniel asked. ‘I will!’ the shocked Dolores answered. The rest is history.
Soon, however, proposal arrangements will be out of Larian’s hands: Divinity: Original Sin will release this Spring with a game editor, and you may see what creative custom campaigns other hopeful lovers will make to impress their beloveds.
You can enjoy the video of Daniels in game proposal below:
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has today announced that tickets for Inside Games, a new public showcase of the latest games from the world’s biggest games companies, are on sale now.
The event will take place on the same day as the British Academy Games Awards, Wednesday 12 March, at the Tobacco Dock London.
Inside Games is BAFTA’s first-ever pre-Awards event celebrating gaming excellence. It will offer the public hands-on experience with a wide range of highly anticipated games. The event includes a series of BAFTA-curated talks with leading game developers and, with the ‘Inside Games Arcade’, a playable showcase of independent games. These will vary in scope, platform, style and development budget, showcasing the best the art form has to offer.
Also this year, for the very first time, BAFTA is selling public tickets to the British Academy Games Awards. The ceremony, hosted by comedian Dara O’Briain, will take place later that evening. Tickets for the Awards, which include entry to Inside Games, are on sale now.
Harvey Elliott, Chair of BAFTA’s Games Committee, said: “After a review of last year’s Awards activity, the committee believed it was time to broaden the ways in which BAFTA celebrates games and to enable the industry to engage more directly with gamers. Our Inside Games event has been curated by BAFTA to give gamers unprecedented access to the developers behind some of the best new titles of 2014. Also opening our Awards to the public for the first time is another way in which we are helping them have a better connection with the industry.”
Tickets to Inside Games are available for £12 in advance, with a limited number available on the day.
Tickets to the British Academy Games Awards, which include access to Inside Games, are available for £30.
Extreme Reality, the only company to bring full-body motion analysis and control via a device’s native or peripheral camera, today announced the call for submissions for the Extreme Motion Android Challenge 2014.
The contest, open to Android game developers, gives participants a chance to win prizes of up to $8,000, and a meeting with gaming pioneer and the founder of EA Trip Hawkins, for the most innovative uses of motion control in an existing or new Android game.
Games submitted by the deadline of May 20, 2014 will be evaluated by a panel of judges led by Trip Hawkins. The grand prize winner of the contest will receive $8,000 and a meeting with Trip Hawkins and three additional winners will receive $1,000 respectively.
With Extreme Reality integrated into an Android game, all a player needs to do is place their Android device on a table with the device’s camera facing them, take two steps back, and the motion of their body will be captured and analyzed in real-time, enabling their motion to control the game. Similarly, an Android device can be tethered to a larger screen, such as a TV, so a player can enjoy the same level of immersive motion control offered by console systems.
“No longer limited to gaming consoles or other hardware, motion control is adding an entirely new and exciting experience to games on any platform,” said Sarit Firon, CEO of Extreme Reality. “We look forward to seeing the innovations in motion gaming created by participants in the Extreme Android Challenge, from adventure to sports to fitness or dance games.”
Developers can sign up now by submitting their project proposals at http://www.xtr3d.com/android-challenge-2014/. After their concept has been approved, they will receive the Extreme Reality Android SDK that enables them to easily incorporate motion control into their game. The Android SDK will be sent by March 17 to start development until May 20when they will submit the game to Extreme Reality. Evaluation of the games by the judges will begin May 25, and winners will be announced on May 30.
The judges will review the following six aspects in their scoring:
Motionization – Best utilization of motion control to enhance the game experience
Graphics and Audio – The level of visuals and audio in the game
Gameplay – The storyline and mechanics that underpin the game. Is it fun to play?
Stickiness – Does it have lasting appeal? Is it addictive? Would you finish the game? Would you play it again?
Polish – Is the game ready for prime time?
Usability – Is it easy to use with minimal explanations? Is it intuitive?
This would be a good challenged for some Train2Game student studios and give you access to some powerful software. There is also the chance for some healthy prize money and to meet someone who could offer invaluable advice.
Some lucky Xbox One users may have the chance to beta test future updates. This would be incredibly helpful for Train2Game students on the QA Course.
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