Tag Archives: Game Development

Train2Game News Twin Town SpecialEffect Challenge Success

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SpecialEffectOne hundred cars costing less than £500, laps around Silverstone and Abbeville circuits, a street party in Le Touquet plus lots of fun and games over the May bank holiday weekend, helped the Twin Town Challenge 2016 to raise over £250,000 for SpecialEffect.

The cars left Blenheim Palace on Friday 27th May and headed for Silverstone before crossing to France and on to Le Touquet, Witney’s twin town. During the weekend they undertook a series of fun challenges like blind driving, car boxing and car booty as well as a treasure hunt. There were also bonus points for the best-dressed car and team, which provided some amazing decorations and outfits from pink suited men, Christmas trees, Mexican bandits, golfers and shell fish.

On the Sunday night, French and English gathered together for a street party in Le Touquet with a live 10-piece band called The Village Idiots who had travelled from Stonesfield in Oxfordshire to play for Twin Town 16.

The welcome home party on Monday 31st May was hosted at Abbott Diabetes who provided a British bake off style tea with cakes made by the staff. Over half the cars were donated for auction at West Oxfordshire Motor Auctions in aid of the charity.

Twin Town is the brainchild of SpecialEffect Vice President Brendon Cross and is organised by a team of volunteers, over 50 of whom acted as marshals, fundraisers, minibus drivers, mechanics, scorers and generally managed the 500 people taking part in the event, both in the UK and in France.

Fundraising also included an online auction of money can’t buy prizes, bucket shakes in Le Touquet and donations from the teams, many of whom also held their own TTC16 events. Brendon said, “When we were planning Twin Town 16, we thought a target of £250,000 was quite ambitious, but with the amazing support of the Twin Town community, the teams and everyone involved with the event, we have not only reached this figure, but are likely to completely smash it.”

The money will be used by Charlbury based SpecialEffect to help more young people with disabilities to play computer games. Dr Mick Donegan, founder and CEO of SpecialEffect, commented, “The success of the amazing Twin Town Challenge 2016 has left the SpecialEffect team both stunned and humbled, not only by the remarkable funds raised but also from the feel-good factor generated by volunteers, sponsors and participants during a weekend that none of us will ever forget. We cannot thank Brendon and every single person involved enough for what they have done to help those who benefit from our life-changing work.”

Event sponsors included Playground Games, King.com, Sumo Digital, SEGA, Ghost Games and Turn 10. Teams from the games industry taking part included GAME, Gamer Network, Sumo Digital, Atomhawk, Green Man Gaming, Insight Studios, Playground Games, Hutch Games and Red Kite Games.

Train2Game News Legendary Pokemon in Sun and Moon

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Pok_mon_Sun_Pok_mon_Moon_logo_combined_EN_1200px_150ppi_rgbThe Pokémon Company International and Nintendo today introduced the Legendary Pokémon Solgaleo and Lunala that can be found in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon.

The latest generation of Pokémon video games will launch in Europe on November 23, exclusively on the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. In addition to the details about these powerful Pokémon, new characters in the game and new features were also revealed.

The two legendary Pokémon that appear on the packaging of Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon play a crucial role in the story. Solgaleo and Lunala hold the key to the adventure that can be found in these highly anticipated games.

Name: Solgaleo
Category: Sunne Pokémon
Height: 11′02″
Weight: 507.1 lbs.
Type: Psychic/Steel
Ability: Full Metal Body

Honoured as an emissary of the sun since ancient times, Solgaleo is referred to with reverence as “the beast that devours the sun.” Solgaleo’s body holds a vast amount of energy, and it shines with light when it is active. It has a flowing mane with a remarkable resemblance to the sun. Its signature move is Sunsteel Strike, an attack that charges at an opponent with the force of a meteor, disregarding the target’s Ability. Solgaleo’s Ability is Full Metal Body, a new Ability that no previous Pokémon has had. With the Full Metal Body Ability, a Pokémon’s stats will not be lowered by the effects of an opponent’s moves or Ability.

Name: Lunala
Category: Moone Pokémon
Height: 13′01″
Weight: 264.6 lbs.
Type: Psychic/Ghost
Ability: Shadow Shield

Since ancient times, Lunala has been honoured as an emissary of the moon. Referred to with reverence as “the beast that calls the moon,” Lunala is constantly absorbing light and converting it into energy. With its wings spread to absorb the surrounding light and glittering like the crescent moon, it resembles a beautiful night sky. Lunala’s signature Moongeist Beam attack releases an ominous beam of light that disregards the target’s Ability.
Lunala’s Ability is Shadow Shield, a new Ability that no previous Pokémon has had. With the Shadow Shield Ability, a Pokémon will take less damage from an attack that lands when the Pokémon has full HP.

Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon take place in the Alola region, which centres around four tropical islands and one artificial island. Many Pokémon that have never been seen before inhabit the lush islands of the Alola region. The story begins right after the main character moves to the Alola region. After choosing to play as a hero or heroine, players can customize their character’s name and appearance. No sooner have they arrived than their adventures begin to unfold, and they meet many fascinating people as they travel through the region.

Professor Kukui is the Alola region’s Pokémon professor. The professor is passionate about his research into Pokémon moves and has sometimes taken direct hits from Pokémon if there was something to be learned from it. Sporting a white lab coat, Professor Kukui has his own unique style.

Lillie is a mysterious girl who assists the professor. This young girl is about the same age as the player’s character and is Professor Kukui’s assistant. She’s not fond of making Pokémon fight in battles, but she loves reading and has read a great number of books. Lillie will play an important role in the story of Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon.

Hau is a Pokémon-loving young boy with a big appetite. He is the same age as the player’s character. Hau becomes one of the main character’s first friends. He has a real weakness for malasadas, a famous treat in the Alola region, and is always in search of malasada shops. Hau is a big-hearted boy who really loves Pokémon.

The Pokédex is a convenient tool that records information about the Pokémon that players see and catch during their adventure. In Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, Professor Kukui provides a special Pokédex known as the Rotom Pokédex. It is inhabited by Rotom, a Pokémon with the power to reside in various electronic appliances. The Rotom Pokédex does much more than record Pokémon info—it has its own personality. Besides showing the player’s current location and their next destination, the Rotom Pokédex also provides advice on where to go next, based on the conversations players have with other characters.

In Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, a QR Scanner function allows players to see information about Pokémon when they scan QR Code patterns. By scanning in special QR Code patterns, fans can register Pokémon of the Alola region to their Pokédex and find out where they live. If they scan in the QR Code for a Pokémon that they haven’t yet caught, players can check its habitat and search it out.

A new trailer that showcases the Legendary Pokémon Solgaleo and Lunala and new gameplay in action can be found here:

For more information, please visit http://www.Pokemon.co.uk/SunMoon

Train2Game News BAME in Games Network

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Tanya_Laird_Kish_Hirani_Adam_CampbellThe United Kingdom games industry today launches an advocacy group to encourage more diverse talent to work in the games and wider entertainment industry.

The group will manage a professional network to encourage discussion and collaboration on diversity and make available speakers for conferences and events.

The network is free to join and open to everyone interested in the entertainment sector at https://www.linkedin.com/groups/BAME-in-Games-8459302/about .

Creative Skillset’s Employment Census 2015 for games and other Creative Media sectors published in March showed that the representation of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups remains disappointingly low at 4.0% down from 4.7% in 2012. The UK average for BAME employment across all industries is 30% in London and 10% nationally.

David Smith, Founder of Women in Games and now BAME in Games, explained “We would like to provide some focus on the talent that the games industry is failing to attract. Games and the wider entertainment industry should attract the very best from all backgrounds. We want to nurture more talent from minority groups. We can also do more to promote the benefits of a diverse workforce.”
The first Chair of the group is Kish Hirani who has worked at the BBC, THQ, Microsoft and most recently, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. He is supported by two vice chairs, Tanya Laird of Digital Jam and Adam Campbell of Hopster.

Kish Hirani, Chair of BAME in Games commented “Diversity brings so many advantages. It makes creative sense. It makes business sense. And games creators can truly represent the diversity of those who play games. Help us build a network that makes the games industry a place that attracts talented people from all walks of life. We want everyone in games to join us in any capacity they feel comfortable, starting with simply joining our professional network on LinkedIn.”

Train2Game News eSports vet joins Operation Supply Drop

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Operation Supply DropToday Operation Supply Drop (OSD) announced that Stephen “Snoopeh” Ellis, former professional esports player and Co-Founder of the Esports Player Resource Center, joined their advisory team.

OSD is the world’s most generationally relevant support organization for veterans and active duty military. Ellis joins OSD with a focus on reaching more veterans and allies within the esports and gaming communities.

Formerly a professional gamer, Ellis held positions in the industry as team Captain, Player and Manager. Ellis has lived in and competed at the highest level of League of Legends in Asia, Europe and North America. He has additionally served as an advisor to Vibby, Repable and fantasy esports platform Unikrn, where he also served as the VP of Global Business Development. Ellis is a Strategic Partnership Manager at Facebook.

As a member of the OSD advisory team, Ellis will leverage his experience within the esports and gaming communities to advocate for OSD’s multiple veteran support programs, including the Respawn initiative – the promotion of video games as a key component of medical rehabilitation and occupational therapy. As competitive gaming has become a significant source of catharsis for troops, Ellis will facilitate ongoing developments between OSD, key partners and Military facilities to bring esports directly to active-duty personnel.

“My time with veterans and those in active duty has shown me firsthand how gaming can bring people together and keep them connected,” said Ellis. “Operation Supply Drop is a powerful tool for veterans and I’m proud to be a part of this important effort.”

“It’s an honor to add Stephen to the OSD Leadership Team,” said Glenn D. Banton, Sr., CEO of Operation Supply Drop. “I’ve admired his work in the esports world for years as he continues to advocate for further legitimization in the mainstream, and I could not be more excited to have him bring the same drive to veteran support advocation. Stephen will play a key role in the growth of our on-post support, including the development of esports on bases around the globe.”

Train2Game News WWE 2k17 Pre Order Bonus

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WWE2k172K today announced that legendary WCW® and WWE® star Bill Goldberg will make his virtual return in WWE® 2K17, the forthcoming release in the flagship WWE video game franchise.

Best known for his unprecedented 173-0 singles competition win streak in WCW from 1997 to 1998, Goldberg will appear in WWE 2K17 through two playable characters representing his WCW and WWE personas. The playable characters, along with two playable arenas – WCW Monday Nitro and Halloween Havoc – will be available on launch day for those who pre-order the game at participating retailers for the PlayStation ® 4 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systems, as well as Xbox One and Xbox 360. WWE 2K17 is currently scheduled for worldwide release in October 2016.

“After 12 years away from the business, I’m incredibly honoured to work with WWE and 2K while following in the footsteps of such greats as Ultimate Warrior, Sting and Arnold Schwarzenegger,” said Goldberg. “My son was a big part of this coming together, and I can’t wait for him to see his dad kicking ass in a WWE ring through the magic of video games. I encountered the likes of The Rock, Triple H, Brock Lesnar and Ric Flair during my WWE career, and now through WWE 2K17, I’ll be taking on the biggest and baddest Superstars of today – showing them once and for all that I am still ‘Da Man!’”

During his WCW and WWE career, Goldberg held several notable championships, including the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, WWE World Heavyweight Championship, WCW United States Heavyweight Championship and the WCW World Tag Team Championship alongside WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart. In 1998, as a result of his in-ring success and growing popularity, WCW began counting Goldberg’s consecutive wins on television. In addition, his popular catchphrase, “Who’s Next?” quickly caught on with fans and in part defined his career.
Following his WWE retirement in 2004, Goldberg appeared in a number of films, including The Longest Yard and Universal Soldier: The Return. He also remained a national television fixture, joining the ninth season cast of the popular NBC reality series, The Celebrity Apprentice, and serving as host of Garage Mahal for two seasons on DIY Network. In addition to his film and television endeavors, Goldberg served as a colour commentator for several mixed martial arts promotions and developed his own podcast, Who’s Next with Goldberg, via PodcastOne. Goldberg was inducted into the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.

“Goldberg’s return to WWE action through two WWE 2K17 playable characters, along with the WCW Monday Nitro and Halloween Havoc arenas, collectively delivers a unique opportunity to experience one of WWE’s true living legends,” said Chris Snyder, Vice President of Marketing at 2K. “Fans can now relive many of their favorite Goldberg moments, as well as create brand new ones, as they decide ‘Who’s Next?’ in the virtual ring.”

Developed collaboratively by Yuke’s and Visual Concepts, a 2K studio, WWE 2K17 is not yet rated by PEGI. WWE 2K17 is currently scheduled for worldwide release on the PS4™ and PS3™ systems, Xbox One and Xbox 360 in October 2016.

Train2Game News New Women in Games CEO

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Marie-Claire_Isaaman_WIGJ_CEOWomen in Games, the not for profit, games industry diversity organisation, is pleased to announce the appointment of Marie Claire Isaaman as its new Chief Executive.

A long standing member of the WIGJ executive team, Marie Claire is an Artist, as well as Researcher and Education Consultant of eight years at Norwich University of the Arts, serving as Course Leader on the BA (Hons) Games Art and Design course and Subject Leader on the MA Games course. As Course Leader Marie-Claire grew the course to 40% female, both in student cohort and teaching staff, and last September was the first educator to be inducted into the EA sponsored European Women in Games Hall of Fame.

David Smith, Founder of Women in Games said, “We welcome Marie-Claire to this busy role as the demands for more diversity in the games industry grow. We thank Jenny Richards-Stewart for all her hard work and congratulate her for her fantastic achievements over the last 18 months.”

Marie-Claire Isaaman commented, “I am delighted to be named as the new CEO of Women in Games, an inspirational and increasingly influential organization. I recognise the many achievements of my predecessors in the role and am fully committed to realising the organization’s vision of doubling the percentage of women working in the UK game industries by 2025. Ultimately, I want the UK to be a global exemplar for gender equality in making games.”

Train2Game News New Zelda at event in US

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the-legend-of-zelda-wii-u.jpgFrom June 14 through June 19, 500 Nintendo fans will be among the first people in the world to play The Legend of Zelda for the Wii U console at the Nintendo NY store.

The 500 fans will be selected during a Super-Fan Signup Day, which will be held on Saturday, June 11. Only the first 500 eligible people in line when Nintendo NY opens at 9 a.m. ET will receive a wristband that they can exchange for a ticket, which guarantees them a spot to play the game during selected times June 14-19. (Fans can start lining up at 7 a.m. ET on June 11. Photo ID is required, and minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.)

The six-day free event will begin at noon ET on June 14, when fans will be invited to watch gameplay of The Legend of Zelda live-streamed from Nintendo’s booth at this year’s E3 video game trade show in Los Angeles to the 15-foot gaming screen inside Nintendo NY. This will be the world’s first in-depth look at the game. Then at 3 p.m. ET, the first of 500 fans will begin sampling the game for the first time.

From June 15 to June 19, Nintendo experts will also be giving guided game-play demonstrations on the big screen for everyone to watch and enjoy. Several fans may even get the chance to participate in guided demonstrations. There will also be The Legend of Zelda trivia for a chance for fans to win fun prizes.

The Legend of Zelda for Wii U is scheduled for release in 2017.

Train2Game News Additional Pokémon Go Details

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wpid-pokemon_go_logo_rgb_900px_150ppi.pngThe Pokémon Company and Niantic, Inc., today revealed new details about their upcoming mobile release, Pokémon GO.

Pokémon GO will allow players to find and catch more than a hundred different Pokémon as they explore their surroundings. As players move through the world around them, their phones will vibrate to let them know a Pokémon is nearby. Once they have encountered a Pokémon, they can attempt to catch it by using the phone’s touch screen to throw a Poké Ball. Poké Balls and other special items can be found at PokéStops, which are located at interesting places such as public art installations, historical markers, and monuments. During gameplay, Pokémon GO players will be encouraged to join one of three teams and engage in Gym battles with other teams. After joining a team, players will gain the ability to assign their Pokémon to Gyms. Like PokéStops, Gyms can be found at real locations in the world.

Battling is essential to any Pokémon game, and Pokémon GO is no different. Players can battle using the Pokémon they’ve caught to gain control of a Gym. By using their own Pokémon’s attacks and dodging incoming attacks by swiping left and right on the screen, Pokémon GO players can defeat the defending Pokémon to reduce the Gym’s Prestige. Once the Gym’s Prestige reaches zero, the defending team loses control of the Gym, and the victor’s Pokémon can be assigned to defend the Gym. When a team has control of a Gym, team members can increase its Prestige and level by training their Pokémon with other defending Pokémon. As the Gym gets to a higher level, the defending team gains the ability to assign more Pokémon to defend it. They can also team up with friends and battle together at a rival Gym to take down stronger Gyms faster.

In Pokémon GO, players will interact with the world through their in-game Trainer avatar. Fans can make their Trainer unique by customizing its appearance. They will be able to choose from a variety of different clothes and accessories to make their Trainer stand out from the rest. The customized Trainer image will appear on the map as the player moves around, as well as on the profile page. Trainer avatars will also appear in Gyms under their team’s control.

A portable device called the Pokémon GO Plus will enable Pokémon GO players to enjoy the game even while they’re not looking at their smartphones. The device connects to a smartphone via Bluetooth and notifies the player about events in the game—such as the appearance of a Pokémon nearby—using an LED and vibration. In addition, players can catch Pokémon or perform other simple actions by pressing the button on the device.

Pokémon GO will be free to download on the App Store and Google Play. In-app purchases will be available for fans who would like to enhance their Pokémon GO experience. Players can purchase PokéCoins, the in-game currency of Pokémon GO. PokéCoins can be exchanged on the App Store and Google Play for power-ups and extra items.

With real-life surroundings providing a backdrop for encounters with wild Pokémon, this unique Pokémon game represents the next generation of Niantic’s “Real World” gaming platform, which combines mobile location technology and Augmented Reality to create a gaming experience that motivates players to go outside and explore the world around them. Because Pokémon GO is still in active development, features, available languages, design, and overall appearance are not finalized. For more information, visit www.pokemon.com/uk/pokemon-video-games/pokemon-go/.

Train2Game News Man vs Snake Documentary

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ManVsSnakeMAN VS SNAKE: The Long and Twisted Tale of Nibbler, the acclaimed documentary chronicling one man’s journey to reclaim his video game legacy, has been picked up for distribution by leading independent film and documentary publisher FilmBuff.

MAN VS SNAKE, which took home ‘Best Documentary Film’ at Fantastic Fest 2015 and Calgary Underground Film Festival 2016, is a window into the hyper-insular subculture of competitive gaming: the ultimate tale of man vs technology – or, in this instance, man vs old-school arcade cabinet. The film will be released across all On Demand platforms, including iTunes, Steam, Google Play, XBox, Playstation, Amazon, and Vudu, as well as select theater showings across the United States.

If you ever played the game “Snake” on your early model Nokia cellphone, then you’re familiar with “Nibbler,” the original “snake” game. MAN VS SNAKE tells the story of Tim McVey who, in 1984, on a single quarter (and over 44 hours of non-stop play) was the first person in history to score one billion points on a video game. 25 years later, rumors of a higher score surface online, attributed to Italian kickboxing champion Enrico Zanetti. This calls into question everything Tim McVey has believed for decades and forces him to make a decision: either set a new world record, or risk losing his legacy forever. He’ll have to overcome psychological exhaustion and the limits of his physical condition – not to mention a challenge from one of the most notorious men in competitive gaming.

Featuring cameos from competitive arcade gamer and entrepreneur Billy Mitchell, and businessman, historian, and founder of Twin Galaxies, Walter Day, Jr., MAN VS SNAKE is a quirky, comical, and frequently inspiring emotional journey created by Battlestar Galactica editors and professional geeks, Andrew Seklir and Tim Kinzy. The project was originally revealed in August of 2013 on Kickstarter, where it raised a total of $61,440 USD from several hundred backers.

“MAN VS SNAKE seems like it should be unrelatable – I mean, I couldn’t play an arcade game for four hours, much less 44,” said Andrew Seklir, Producer, Director and Film Editor. “But McVey embodies so much of what I love about this story – a certain specificity of obsession; dogged determination to leave a legacy; ceaseless tenacity in the face of a seemingly insurmountable goal. It’s been a trip following him through his truly weird journey, and I’m thrilled to get to share his remarkable story with the world.”

“Andrew and Tim have done something special here,” said FilmBuff’s Jake Hanly. “Tim McVey is a person you can’t help but root for, and they turned his story into a movie you can’t help but root for.”

Train2Game News Resonate festival Glasgow

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ResonateScotland’s newest and largest gaming festival, Resonate Total Gaming, is set to power its way into Glasgow for the first time this summer.

From 29–31 July 2016, the highly anticipated festival of eSports and gaming will take over the SECC offering an exciting range of programming to satisfy all ages. From the casual player to diehard gamer, there will be something for everyone so prepare to poise those gaming thumbs.

With eSports giants Gfinity, Versus Scotland and Xtreme Gaming on board, visitors will enjoy participating in exciting gaming tournament action with games including Halo, TrackMania, Street Fighter V and FIFA.

The ‘Bring Your Own Computer’ (BYOC) LAN area provides an inclusive gaming-focused environment for gamers who just want to game! Visitors can plug in their own kit and play pre-set games or catch some of the live action on screens around the Festival. The Resonate Game Jam hosted by Glasgow Caledonian University will also be held alongside the Festival and will see students create brand new games following a pre-set theme in just 48 hours.

Children aged 12 and under can enjoy the dedicated Resonate Juniors area designed with 110% Gaming. As an interactive zone, it will let kids ‘live the games’ while they learn tactics, compete and win prizes. From Super Mario to Temple Run and Minecraft to Lego – it’s all to play for as the kids let loose and explore their favourite characters and challenges.

There will also be the chance to meet YouTubers from Yogscast and Hat Films hosting signings, live Q&As and promotions, alongside the bespoke, custom-made Razer GamerBus that has unique on-site gaming facilities.

To top it all off, visitors will be able to get their hands on the latest kit and check out the Indie specialist showcase before heading to the purpose built MEGAbytes Café to relax, relive and enjoy retro arcade games while indulging in some Festival food and drink.

Set in a high-tempo, exciting environment, festival-goers will explore new, retro and indie games while competing alongside their peers on Scotland’s biggest gaming stage! They’ll also meet their favourite YouTube & broadcast champions plus the developers responsible for creating some of the world’s leading games.

Families and friends can spend hours, or days, playing their favourite games and meeting their gaming heroes. With both day and weekend tickets available it’s going to be a three-day celebration of all things gaming that will mark Glasgow and Scotland as a global leader in the gaming industry.

For more information and ticket bookings please visit www.resonatetotalgaming.com .