Category Archives: games

Train2Game News: Fable Legends announced

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Fable LegendsAt Gamescom this week, Lionhead Studios have announced Fable Legends as an exclusive for the Xbox One.

Fable Legends unites the classic gameplay that players have come to love from the series with all of the next-generation capabilities of Xbox One. For the first time, grab your friends and go on adventures – up to four Heroes can cooperatively discover the quests and stories of Albion. Or, play the villain where you can mastermind the game in real time. “Fable Legends” takes advantage of the graphical processing power of Xbox One, and when coupled with Unreal Engine 4, delivers a rich and beautiful world.

You can play the game single player, with a party of three heroic AI companions that follow your lead through stories and adventures. Or you can play cooperatively with up to three friends and discover the game’s quests and content together.

Play whatever style you want, when you want. After all, you’re the Hero. And just what kind of Hero you choose to play is up to you. “Fable Legends” takes you back to a time when Albion is teeming with Heroes, so there’s bound to be one for you. Fearless warriors. Cunning tricksters. Masters of Will. Paragons of virtue. Heartless mercenaries. Intoxicated brawlers. Chicken chasers. They’re all here, and many more besides. You’ll be able to customize your abilities, alter your appearance, and advance your Hero by earning experience and finding new armour, weapons, and treasures.

Fable has always presented opportunities for mischief and villainy, and in “Fable Legends” Lionhead are going to offer a way to play the bad guy as never before.

The Villain player takes control of the many creatures, minions, traps, and environmental hazards that Heroes must overcome. Villain play combines elements of strategic decision making and tactical control. When those pitiful Heroes enter an area, you’ll choose which minions are sent into battle and where to place these creatures to maximize their effectiveness. Once the fight begins, you issue the orders for your creatures to execute: telling them where to go, which Hero to attack, and what abilities to use to ensure your evil plans come to fruition.

The game sounds like a fun different take on the Fable universe and it is the first confirmed game to be using Unreal 4.

Train2Game News: Xbox One Self Publishing

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Xbox OneMicrosoft have finally clarified their self publishing plans for the Xbox One, allowing developers to create, sell and market games through the new home console.

All developers accepted for the scheme will receive two Xbox One development kits free of charge, as well as access to the full range of services on offer to games development teams – cloud services, Kinect and the Xbox One toolset, which includes Smartglass, multiplayer, Achievements and Gamerscores.

Applications for the self-publishing service, named ID@Xbox, are being accepted from today, with Microsoft stating that priority will be given to developers with a proven track record in shipping games on console, mobile, PC or tablets and there are no application fees for certification or for title updates.

In order to help with the discoverability issues that trouble all self-publishing stores, Microsoft is promising that all games will feature in the regular Xbox One store and be supported by voice search.

On top of that the store will also feature trending games reflecting what the community and friends are playing, recommendations based on a consumer’s playing habits, spotlighted games and the ability for developers to set community challenges, as well as support the Xbox One’s Game DVR and Upload services.

Phil Harrison, corporate vice president at Microsoft Europe’s interactive entertainment business, revealed that Microsoft will set the price of self-published games after developers have established their wholesale price and that developers are likely to receive an industry standard 70/30 split in their favour.

“The developer can set their own wholesale price and we act as the retailer. So Xbox Live acts as a reseller, and Xbox Live Store will be setting the ultimate retail price to the consumer. That’s the way in which our store has always been structured,” he said.

Independent developers who have already given their support to Microsoft’s new initiative include Chris Hecker, The Behemoth’s John Baez, Paul Wedgewood from Splash Damage, Other Ocean’s Mike Mika, Team 17’s Debbie Bestwick, The Odd Gentlemen’s Matt Korab, Ripstone’s Phil Gaskel and Dlala Studios.

Microsoft has said that eventually it hopes that every Xbox One will become a development kit for self-publishing purposes.

If you are interested in signing up for this you can do so by visiting http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/developers/id

Train2Game News: Icey Monty featured in Newmarket News

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Icey MontyThe success of Train2Game student studio, Icey Monty, has been noticed by studio founder Nick Walker’s local paper, Newmarket News.

The article in the paper talks about the success the young studio have been having lately and their recent partnership with Strongbow.

You can read the article in the link below.

Train2Game Student News Icey Monty Newmarket

Well done guys! Keep up the good work.

Train2Game News: A Cloud Gaming success story

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Remnant KnightsKalydo, a leading International Cloud Gaming Platform is proud to publish the first numbers backed proof of Cloud gaming success.

Working in partnership with GameSamba, an exclusive publisher of online free to play games located in the US, Kalydo transformed their flagship title Remnant Knights from an old-model download, install and patch title into a seamless and engaging Kalydo Cloud powered MMORPG.

Remnant Knights was initially a 1.2 GB client, taking over 1 hour to download (requiring additional time to patch), and needing a total of 12 user clicks before a consumer could begin playing. Thanks to the tight integration of the Cloud Technology, GameSamba has re-launched Remnant Knights as a full Cloud Game, requiring only 5 minutes to download the Launcher and reducing total user clicks to just 6.

Most importantly: Conversion rates (User Registration to Play) shot from 40% to 88.5%!

“With Kalydo our gamers have more options to play and can get into the game much faster. We no longer service a large downloadable client. Gamers can choose to play from the desktop and the browser, all using Kalydo´s Cloud streaming technology.” Mike Suh – International Development VP GameSamba

The results have not only delighted GameSamba and Kalydo, but just as importantly their players as well. When asked about their general impressions about Cloud gaming, over 65% responded positively. 41% felt the performance of Remnant Knights compared to other Cloud based games was better, while over 50% of the respondents stated it takes less than 2 minutes now to start playing again after a new patch release.

Kalydo believes gamers deserve frictionless experiences, not barriers to play: They deserve more than what they’re getting right now- no matter what or where they play.

Train2Game News: UK Top 20 Games – 19.08.13

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PayDay2It’s the start of another week so it is time again to reveal the top twenty games. This week sees a new number one, Payday 2, knock Minecraft: Xbox360 edition down to number two. Besides the new number one the only change is the reintroduction of BioShock Infinite thanks to the upcoming DLC and Red Dead Redemption: Game Of The Year Edition which come in at numbers nineteen and twenty respectively.

All formats

Week ending 17 August 2013

POS.  TITLE  PUBLISHER  LAST 
 WEEK 
1    PAYDAY 2 505 GAMES –
2    MINECRAFT: XBOX 360 EDITION MICROSOFT 1
3    CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS II ACTIVISION 7
4    FIFA 13 EA SPORTS 2
5  –  ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW LEAF NINTENDO 5
6  –  THE LAST OF US SONY COMPUTER ENT. 6
7    THE SMURFS 2 UBISOFT 3
8  –  LEGO BATMAN 2: DC SUPER HEROES WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 8
9  –  TOMB RAIDER SQUARE ENIX 9
10    GRAND THEFT AUTO IV XBOX 360 CLASSICS 13
11    ASSASSIN’S CREED III XBOX 360 CLASSICS 10
12    THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM – LEGENDARY BETHESDA SOFTWORKS 16
13    NEED FOR SPEED MOST WANTED EA GAMES 12
14  –  LEGO THE LORD OF THE RINGS WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 14
15    FAR CRY 3 UBISOFT 11
16    MAX PAYNE 3 ROCKSTAR 15
17    GRAND THEFT AUTO EPISODES – LIBERTY CITY ROCKSTAR 18
18    BATTLEFIELD 3 EA GAMES 19
19    BIOSHOCK INFINITE 2K GAMES –
20    RED DEAD REDEMPTION: GOTY ROCKSTAR –
< previous week  
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.

Train2Game News: Mad Munchkin Reviews

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Mad Munchkin ReviewsTrain2Game student, Amy Methven from Elgin Scotland, has created her own YouTube channel talking about all sorts of different art and animation.

Amy’s Mad Munchkin Reviews have covered media such as games, movies and TV Shows. She has spoken about the Batman Arkham games, My Little Pony and she has discussed subjects such as CGI compared to 2D animation.

It’s a fascinating view on all the different aspects of animation.

I asked Amy why she decided to create her YouTube channel and she said “I started the Mad Munchkin reviews for lots of different reasons really. The first one being that I love Art and love talking about it, like most people on the Art and Animation Course with Train2Game.

The second reason is that I wanted to find other creative ways to expose my Art work outside of the video game industry. In a practical sense, it allowed me to develop my video editing skills as well as analytical skills when it comes to my writing. I wanted to teach myself how to construct my critiques so I can successfully back up my opinions on what I review.

The show primarily focuses on Animated Movies, tv shows and video games, looking at the creative process behind creating these pieces of Art from the perspective of theory rather than the practical technicalities of the process. As much as I love the practical side of creativity, it is the theory and reason behind it that I like talking about more. Asking why something looks a certain why is more interesting to me than finding out how it was constructed.”

If you would like to check out Amy’s YouTube channel you can here: http://www.youtube.com/user/Amymethven/videos?shelf_index=0&view=0&sort=dd

Or you can view her Deviant art page at: http://amymethvenart.deviantart.com/

Train2Game News: Games Industry news – 15.08.13

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Jason HoltmanIt’s the end of the week which means it is time for the industry news round up!

Jason Holtman, who spearheaded Valve’s Steam business for eight years before leaving the company in February, has a new job at Microsoft with a focus on PC gaming and entertainment strategy. At Valve, Holtman was the primary point of contact for developers that distributed games on Steam – and, to many in the gaming world, was the service’s driving force. While he certainly wasn’t the sole reason for its success, he was its biggest cheerleader and an even bigger proponent of digital distribution. What this means for Microsoft is yet to be seen.

The Call of Duty: Ghosts multiplayer trailer was revealed yesterday and the franchise has finally introduced female characters to play as! You can enjoy the trailer on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2lJcbeBerQ

Dishonored: The Brigmore Witches, the final add-on pack for Arkane Studios’ critically-acclaimed first-person action game, is now available worldwide via Xbox LIVE (800 Microsoft Points), Steam (£7.99 / €9.99 / AU$14.45) and on PlayStation Store. Additionally, a new gameplay trailer for the add-on was released which you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLEfvTkYHeE

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced it has released Zatanna, the latest downloadable content (DLC) character to be added to the DC Comics fighting game Injustice: Gods Among Us. Based on NetherRealm Studios’ interpretation of the famed DC Comics character, Zatanna is available now on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 400 Microsoft Points and will be available on the PlayStation Network at a price of £3.99 soon. A second generation magician and a master of trickery known for her clever escapes and summons executed by speaking backwards, Zatanna is certainly a force to be reckoned with in the futuristic world of Injustice: Gods Among Us. If my geek memory serves me well I believe her and her father helped teach a young Bruce Wayne that art of escape in one of the Batman story lines.

Finally Little Orbit, a worldwide video game publisher, today announced a partnership with TNT to bring the epic alien-invasion television series Falling Skies to multiple video game consoles. Depicting a world gone mad after an alien invasion, the Falling Skies video games will grab a foothold in the gaming world with a mobile game due out this holiday and multiple consoles launching in 2014. Falling Skies is based on the popular TNT show of the same name and will tie directly into the television series, with a scenario that will weave itself into the existing universe and feature voice work by the show’s actors. This has worked incredibly well for The Walking Dead but time will tell how this one will do!

Train2Game News: More Xbox One Changes

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Xbox OneAs has been common lately, Microsoft has changed some more of the policies on the Xbox One.

The Xbox One now will not need Kinect to function. The system still comes with the Kinect but it means that if anything happens to your Kinect sensor then it will not cripple your console. However some of the features such as face recognition and voice commands won’t work without it. There is also the ability to turn the Kinect sensor off in the settings of the console if you so desire.

It has also come to light that you will require an Xbox Live gold membership for some of the features on the Xbox One such asthe DVR and the Skype calling. Only Gold members will get access to the new OneGuide system, which curates TV and other entertainment based on viewing patterns. Existing functionality, such as Netflix support, web browsing, and other features familiar from the Xbox 360 will still demand Xbox Gold membership as well.

Finally the more recent update to come to light is Xbox One launch has been delayed until 2014 in eight countries. These include: Russia, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark. Xbox One will launch first in the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Ireland and Austria in November 2013. Microsoft has said they will give a free game to those who are affected by the delay who have already pre ordered the console.

With just over three months to go before the console is released in most places, what other aspects could Microsoft change?

Train2Game News: Call of Duty Infographic

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Call of Duty GhostsAhead of the Call of Duty: Ghosts Multiplayer Reveal Activision have released an infographic containing some stats on the Call of Duty franchise.

The reveal will be streamed live from LA at 10:30 am today.

You can view the infographic in the link below

Call of Duty Franchise Infographic

Train2Game News: Video game news radio show

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XfmGlobal Radio has joined forces with video game media and events business Gamer Network, to produce regular gaming content for XFM’s on air and online platforms.

Jo Good’s weekday 1-4pm XFM show will feature fortnightly appearances from the Gamer Network’s Mike Channell, who will deliver gaming news on air. Regular video content for the XFM website will also be produced, and will include exciting news on new game releases relevant to the target ‘pre order’ audience.

Alison Page, Director of Client and Category Development, said: “XFM listeners are keen gamers so we have long thought it appropriate to have dedicated game content to signpost upcoming releases. We struck lucky with Jo Good, XFM’s afternoon presenter – she’s a game fan herself and came up with the idea of a regular review feature. With the lovely guys at Gamer Network providing the industry know-how, XFM’s Favourite Games was born!”

Simon Maxwell, Group Publishing Director of Gamer Network, commented: “XFM is a fantastic brand to be working with as their listeners have a strong interest in gaming and the demographic fits well with our portfolio offering. They have a great team and a very passionate audience, so I look forward to seeing this partnership flourish over the coming months with further content and commercial opportunities for our gaming clients and the XFM audience.”

You can listen to the show and find out more about the station at http://www.xfm.co.uk/onair