Category Archives: www.train2game-news.co.uk

Train2Game News Update CoD to Next Gen

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Call of Duty Advanced WarfighterAs fans around the world prepare for a new era of Call of Duty this November with the release of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Activision Publishing, Inc., just delivered a smooth transition for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system fans interested in playing Sledgehammer Games’ new title on next gen.

Through Activision’s program to ease the transition between console generations, gamers who purchase a copy of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare digitally for the Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft by 31st March can download the version for Xbox One, all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft for free. The same goes for PlayStation fans, those who purchase the game digitally on “PS3,” can also download the PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system version for free.

This offer for full-game free upgrade within console family is limited to purchases of Xbox 360 and PS3 digital versions made by 31st March, 2015, and does not apply to physical game copies. Additionally, all multiplayer stats transfer. Plus, all DLC purchased for in-game use, including Season Pass transfers too for free, as long as players’ Xbox Gamertag or PSN ID, remains the same.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare launches worldwide 4th November. Anyone who purchases a physical or digital Day Zero version of the game, for the first time ever, can start playing as much as a day early, on Day Zero, Monday, 3rd November. Beyond the special early access to the game, the Day Zero Edition also comes with two custom weapons: the AK-12G Assault Rifle and Crossbow-B2, as well as Double XP on 3rd November. Additional offers may be available at retailer partners worldwide. Check with local retail outlets for further information.

Xbox One digital copies will be available for pre-order starting soon, and PlayStation digital copies are available for pre-order now. Additionally the Season Pass is available for purchase on all platforms.

For further information on the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Free Upgrade to Next Gen Plan, Season Pass, Pre-Download, Day Zero Edition and more please visit http://www.callofduty.com

Train2Game News GreenShoots Funding

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CE_Primary_RGB_OBCreative England and Microsoft have announced that our highly popular Greenshoots programme is set to run for a second year and it’s bigger and better than ever before.

Speaking at EGX Creative England’s Head of Games & Digital Jaspal Sohal announced that the next round of the programme is now open, which offers £250k (up to £25k each) to 10 indie studios across England.

In a change to the first iteration of Greenshoots, investors and publishers are now involved from day one which means the supported studios have the potential to receive additional investment from the start of their project. Applicants can now also apply to develop for Xbox One with the programme no longer limited to tablet and mobile development.

The games from Greenshoots Round 1 ranged from underwater shoot ‘em ups and robot-infested puzzle games, to futuristic galaxy battles and crazy golf. All of the games, now released2, were showcased back in July to a crowd of industry experts and investors.

Jaspal Sohal, Head of Games & Digital at Creative England, said:

“Round 1 of Greenshoots proved to be a phenomenal success, helping 9 new indie studios to launch some amazing titles.

“This year the programme is an even better opportunity for burgeoning games studios; we have potential investors involved from the very start and Microsoft have extended the programme to include PC and Xbox One titles. Greenshoots Round 2 is a fantastic opportunity for any indie studio looking to develop their first IP.”

Andrew Webber, UK Microsoft Marketing Lead, said:

“At Microsoft we believe that a game developer’s success is our success. With the brilliant results from last year’s Greenshoots and the impact it has made on the participating studios, we are delighted to partner, once again, with Creative England. What’s particularly exciting this year is that Greenshoots has evolved to put the participants in front of more investors and publishers than ever before from day one.”

Paul Norris, of Greenshoots Round 1 support studio Mad Fellows, said:

“Applying to Greenshoots has been the single most important and productive decision we’ve made since founding Mad Fellows. Creative England and Microsoft have raised our profile as developers, given us access to funding and follow-on funding, introduced us to invaluable contacts, provided master classes and offered numerous opportunities to speak and present our game at high profile events.

“The Greenshoots programme has been pivotal in ensuring we made it through our first year as a company and has set us on a path for continued success in the future.”

The Greenshoots programme helps developers to kick-start development of new intellectual property (IP) and reach a global audience, plus they’ll receive support, mentorship and expertise from Microsoft and industry partners. While developing their title, Greenshoots encourages developers to push their game out across all platforms. The programme is designed to inject the business with funds for development and marketing and studios only pay back the investment when they’re making money from the game.

Applications close 9am on October 20th, 2014. To download a full set of guidelines click here and to apply Click Here.

Train2Game News Soho Social

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SpaceApeLondon based games studio, Space Ape Games, are holding their second Soho Social event and this time they are sending out a challenge to other companies to come with their game face.

The event is being held at the Space Ape studios in Soho Square on Thursday 30th October from 6pm. If you come in fancy dress then you and your colleagues might be in the running for the “best dressed” crown, but you’ll have to beat the Space Ape team first! If dressing up isn’t your thing then just come and enjoy great food, great foosball and even better company @Soho_Social.

The previous Soho Social saw over 100 attendees with the likes of Apple, Google, King, Natural Motion and many more join together in a relaxed evening of World Cup football, food, drink and foosball. With an ever growing industry, Space Ape decided to create an event to bring like-minded local companies closer together in a laid back environment. Their aim is to grow the event to become a regular “go to” gathering for people in the tech and gaming industry.

Places are limited so get your name on the list now and enjoy Halloween early with a little help from those friendly fellows at Space Ape Games. For more information about Space Ape Games, as well as career opportunities at the studio, check out www.spaceapegames.com

Train2Game News Project Spark available now

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Project SparkAfter months of beta, Project Spark is now available for free on Xbox One for all to play and create.

Microsoft and Team Dakota’s fairytale-flavoured game editor, Project Spark, is finally ready for official release – the complete version can be downloaded now on Xbox One or Windows 8 PCs, free of charge, or bought in a box with some additional content and perks.

The game was announced when the Xbox One was at E3 and was one of the more innovative titles that was displayed. Project Spark is a complex yet user-friendly editing tool, which allows you to sculpt out terrain, choose behaviours for characters, fiddle with a world’s lighting or climate, set victory objectives and much more.

The game works on a free to play method where everything is playable and unlockable but to speed along your process you can use real word currency.

If you pay for the game then you will receive the following:

– Champions Quest: Void Storm Adventure
– Sir Haakon the Knight playable champion
– First Contact Sci-Fi theme pack
– Yeti’s Rage content pack
– Arctic Glaciers winter landscape
– Massive World Builder Pack expansion
– 1 Month of Project Spark Premium membership (earn credits twice as fast)

If you don’t fancy creating in the game then you can play one of the seventy thousand levels, which over a million creators spent four million hours creating.

Train2Game News GameMaker: Player

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GameMaker StudioYoYo Games reveals a new service for GameMaker: Studio developers, GameMaker: Player.

GameMaker: Player is an application and a service that gives GameMaker: Studio developers a place to share their games not only with more than a Million monthly visitors to YoYo Games, but also with other gamers worldwide.

GameMaker: Player is an application dedicated to GameMaker: Studio that aims to serve a comprehensive range of game developer’s needs, from sharing concepts and early access builds to distributing finished games for free or paid on multiple devices and platforms.

“For as long as YoYo Games has been developing GameMaker, we have focused on providing everyone – from beginner to professional – with a simple and accessible solution that makes it easier for all to make, share and play their games” says Sandy Duncan, CEO of YoYo Games. “We are now taking a huge leap forward with the introduction of GameMaker: Player we’ve added brand new service that is extremely easy to use”.

All GameMaker: Studio developers, including those using the free version will be able to make their games available for the Windows version of GameMaker: Player. In order to make it available as a paid game or for other platforms, then a “Pro” license and additional “Export” license(s) will be required.

For developers keen to get involved, GameMaker: Player requires GameMaker: Studio 1.4 and will initially be released as part of the 1.4 beta program in the second half of October.

For end users, GameMaker: Player will also be available to download free of charge at the same time from www.yoyogames.com. At launch, the beta will support Windows, OSX and Linux.

Train2Game News EGX 2014

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EGX 2014It has been just over a week since EGX, formerly known as Eurogamer Expo, at Earl’s Court has finished and for those of you who weren’t there I will share my experience.

This is my fourth year at the event and each and every year I am over whelmed with a sense of happiness as I enter the venue and see EGX in front of me. This year was no different from the moment I enter the moment I leave I have a smile plastered on my face.

The first game to catch my eye was Batman Arkham Knight. As I walked towards the area, I noticed a very short line and thought my luck had come in. As I entered the building I realised it wasn’t the game to play but a short video showing off the next game about the caped crusader. I would have rather played the game but the video was still incredible to see. The game has evolved to a new level to make you feel like you are wearing the cowl more than ever before. This is one of my most anticipated games for next year.

The first game I got to play my self was The Evil Within. The horror story from the original creators of the Resident Evil series and you could certainly see the essence of Resident Evil shine through. From the chapter I played through I was stuck in a huge mansion with puzzles and grotesque monsters to battle through. If you are a fan of the original Resident Evil game this should certainly be on your radar.

Speaking of Radars, I then played Alien: Isolation. This was the biggest hit of EGX for me this year. I had heard all the hype for the game which always makes me wary of how a game is. I can happily say though this game delivers on the hype that it has been getting. The atmosphere, the call backs to the original film, the graphics; they all add up to an incredible game which had me jumping more than any game has before. I’m hoping to get my hands on this game as soon as I can.

The Train2Game stand this year was the best it has been in the years I have been attending the event. Following last year where it was difficult to locate, this year it was hard to miss. Once you got to the top of the escalator you were greeted by an enormous booth filled with students working hard on their projects. With the growth in size of the Train2Game area it is a nice reminder that we are constantly growing.

I finished off my day by watching a Killer Instinct competition at the Xbox stand. I got the pleasure of seeing an incredible player, who was picked randomly from the crowd, remain undefeated and achieve a one hundred and ten hit combo. It was an incredible site to behold and you can definitely see why competitive gaming is on the rise. The presenter at the Xbox stand was one of the most charismatic performers I have ever seen.

The final year at Earl’s Court was a good one and hopefully when the event moves to the NEC in Birmingham next year it will be even better. See you all there next year!

Train2Game News UK Top 20 Games – 06.10.14

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Fifa 15Three big new games came out this week and none of them were enough to topple Fifa 15 from the number one spot. Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor came in at number two, Forza Horizon came in at number three and Nintendo’s hit franchise Super Smash Bros. came in at number four.

All formats

Week ending 4 October 2014

POS.  TITLE  PUBLISHER  LAST
WEEK 
1 – FIFA 15 EA SPORTS 1
2 MIDDLE EARTH: SHADOW OF MORDOR WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE –
3 FORZA HORIZON 2 MICROSOFT –
4 SUPER SMASH BROS. NINTENDO –
5 DESTINY ACTIVISION 2
6 MINECRAFT: PLAYSTATION EDITION SONY COMPUTER ENT. 9
7 DISNEY INFINITY 2.0 DISNEY INFINITY 3
8 MINECRAFT: XBOX EDITION MICROSOFT 4
9 CALL OF DUTY: GHOSTS ACTIVISION 5
10 THE SIMS 4 EA GAMES 7
11 WATCH DOGS UBISOFT 6
12 – THE LEGO MOVIE VIDEOGAME WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 12
13 PLANTS VS ZOMBIES: GARDEN WARFARE EA GAMES 10
14 – GRAND THEFT AUTO V ROCKSTAR 14
15 THE LAST OF US: REMASTERED SONY COMPUTER ENT. 11
16 – TOMODACHI LIFE NINTENDO 16
17 LEGO MARVEL SUPER HEROES WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 15
18 TERRARIA XBOX 360 CLASSICS 17
19 FANTASY LIFE NINTENDO 8
20 FROZEN: OLAF’S QUEST GSP/AVANQUEST 19
< previous week
Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (C)2014 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 Jagex support GameBlast 15

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SpecialEffectJagex Games Studio, makers of the multi-award winning fantasy MMORPG RuneScape and upcoming Transformers Universe, today announced its continuing corporate support of GameBlast, the annual charity games marathon weekend in aid of gamers’ charity SpecialEffect.

Jagex held its own 24-hour games marathon as part of the previous GameBlast weekend in February 2014, which was live-streamed online to 90,000 unique viewers over the course of the event. Both staff and selected members of the RuneScape community played RuneScape and Jagex’s Ace of Spades: Battle Builder throughout the 24 hour period, raising over £48,000 as a result.

Riaan Hodgson, chief operations officer at Jagex, was vocal about the company’s continued support of GameBlast: “It’s great to see our staff get behind such a worthy cause once again, especially one so suited to our core company principles. At Jagex, games are a way of life and if we can have fun while welcoming others into this medium, then that’s definitely a good use of our time and resources.”

GameBlast is the UK’s biggest charity gaming marathon event, and is next scheduled for the weekend of 20-22 February 2015. Hoping to improve on last year’s total of £70,000, SpecialEffect is targeting a figure of £100,000 and is calling upon other games companies to join in and help people with disabilities benefit from the fun, friendship and inclusion of video games. The charity is hoping that other studios recognise the huge internal and external corporate social responsibility benefits from taking part, as well as the ability to directly benefit gamers in the best way possible.

“Jagex’s support was a major part of the success of GameBlast14,” said Dr Mick Donegan, founder and director of SpecialEffect. “We’re incredibly grateful for the generosity of its staff and communities, and we’re delighted that they’ll be participating again in 2015. The money they raise will enable even more people, whatever their age or physical disability, to enjoy video games and leisure technology.”

Donegan continued: “We know we can achieve so much more if the rest of the UK games industry follows Jagex’s lead and pledges their support for GameBlast15. There’s a warm welcome awaiting any developers, publishers or gaming communities who want to get involved, whether that’s at a small scale stream or at industry partner level.”

More information about next year’s GameBlast can be found at http://www.specialeffect.org.uk/gameblast

Train2Game News EGX in 2015

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Eurogamer ExpoEGX – the UK’s biggest games event – has struck a multi-year deal to move to Birmingham’s NEC. Next year’s event will be the biggest EGX ever and takes place at the NEC from September 24th-27th 2015.

This announcement comes hot on the heels of the most successful event in EGX’s seven-year history that saw a record 75,000 attendees visit the show over its four days. The show featured over 100 unreleased videogames, presentations from some of the world’s most prestigious game developers and lots more.

EGX is also pleased to confirm that tickets for 2015 will remain frozen at this year’s prices and that it is already working with travel companies to deliver discounted train and coach packages for visitors to the show.

Furthermore, attendees will be able to take advantage of the host of new facilities and attractions currently being built on-site. Opening in spring 2015 and part of the NEC campus, Resorts World Birmingham will be the UK’s first integrated destination leisure and entertainment complex, comprising of a four star hotel, restaurants and bars, multi-screen cinema and casino.

“EGX has experienced amazing growth during our four years at Earl’s Court,” commented co-founder and CEO of Gamer Network, Rupert Loman. “And while we are sad to leave, we see the move to the NEC not only as a real opportunity to continue its success, but also to evolve and improve the experience we offer both attendees and exhibitors.”

Gamer Network’s growth plans for EGX events have already begun with the recent announcement of a partnership between the acclaimed indie, PC and developer-focused show, EGX Rezzed and the prestigious BAFTA Games Awards. EGX Rezzed will take place from March 12th-14th, 2015 at London’s Tobacco Dock, with the BAFTA Games Awards will be held at the venue on the first evening. Tickets for EGX Rezzed go on sale tomorrow morning.

More info on both events can be found at www.egx.net

Train2Game News Windows 10

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MicrosoftMicrosoft Corp. on Tuesday unveiled its next Windows operating system, Windows 10, and gave a first look at an early technical preview for the PC available Oct. 1.

The announcement highlighted advancements designed for business, including an updated user experience and enhanced security and management capabilities. The company also introduced the Windows Insider Program, kicking off its largest-ever open collaborative development effort to change the way Windows is built and delivered to best meet the needs of customers. Program participants will receive the technical preview of Windows 10 and a steady stream of builds through the development cycle to use and give feedback on.

“Windows 10 represents the first step of a whole new generation of Windows, unlocking new experiences to give customers new ways to work, play and connect,” said Terry Myerson, executive vice president of the Operating Systems group at Microsoft. “This will be our most comprehensive operating system and the best release Microsoft has ever done for our business customers, and we look forward to working together with our broader Windows community to bring Windows 10 to life in the months ahead.”

Windows 10 adapts to the devices customers are using — from Xbox to PCs and phones to tablets and tiny gadgets — and what they’re doing with a consistent, familiar and compatible experience, enabling even greater productivity. Windows 10 will run across the broadest range of devices ever from the Internet of Things to enterprise datacenters worldwide. Microsoft is also delivering a converged application platform for developers on all devices with a unified app store. Developers will be able to write an application once and deploy it easily across multiple device types, making discovery, purchase and updating easier than ever for customers.

Windows 10 builds nearly everything that businesses need right into the core of the product — including enterprise-grade security, identity and information protection features — in ways that can reduce complexities and provide better experiences than other solutions. One area of advancement is in the work Microsoft has done with user identities to improve resistance to breach, theft or phishing. Windows 10 will also help advance data loss prevention by using containers and data separation at the application and file level, enabling protection that follows the data as it goes from a tablet or PC to a USB drive, email or the cloud.

Management and deployment have been simplified to help lower costs, including in-place upgrades from Windows 7 or Windows 8 that are focused on making device wipe-and-reload scenarios obsolete. Businesses will also have the flexibility to choose how quickly they adopt the latest innovations and influence continued improvements. In addition, organizations will be able to customize an app store specific to their needs and environment. The intent is an app store that will allow for volume app licensing, flexible distribution, and the ability for organizations to reclaim or reuse licenses when necessary.

The early technical preview of Windows 10 demonstrates new levels of flexibility, navigation and familiarity through the Windows experience. Features include these:

  • Expanded Start menu. The familiar Start menu is back, providing quick one-click access to the functions and files that people use most, and it includes a new space to personalize with favorite apps, programs, people and websites.
  • Apps that run in a window. Apps from the Windows Store now open in the same format that desktop programs do. They can be resized and moved around, and have title bars at the top allowing users to maximize, minimize and close with a click.
  • Snap enhancements. Working in multiple apps at once is easier and more intuitive with snap improvements. A new quadrant layout allows up to four apps to be snapped on the same screen. Windows will also show other apps and programs running for additional snapping, and it will even make smart suggestions on filling available screen space with other open apps.
  • New Task view button. The new Task view button on the task bar enables one view for all open apps and files, allowing for quick switching and one-touch access to any desktop created.
  • Multiple desktops. Instead of too many apps and files overlapping on a single desktop, it’s easy to create and switch between distinct desktops for different purposes and projects — whether for work or personal use.

The introduction of the Windows Insider Program demonstrates Microsoft’s continued commitment to working closely with customers to help shape the future of Windows. Windows Insiders will be able to give feedback on early builds of the product throughout the development cycle. The program will include various ways for Windows Insiders to engage in a two-way dialogue with Microsoft, including a Windows Feedback app for sharing suggestions and issues and a Windows Technical Preview Forum for interacting with Microsoft engineers and fellow Insiders. More information on the Windows Insider Program and the technical preview can be found at http://preview.windows.com.