Tag Archives: games

Train2Game News BBC Three showing eSports in Wembley

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For the first time, BBC Three will be offering live coverage of the League of Legends World Championships live from Wembley. Beginning on Thursday 15 October, action from all four days of the quarter finals will be available online.

Coverage will be hosted by Radio 1 DJ and avid gamer Dev Griffin. Julia Hardy will be interviewing players and fans in the arena with gaming casters Leigh ‘Deman’ Smith and James ‘Stress’ O’Leary offering their expert commentary.

BBC Three and BBC Sport are teaming up to deliver all the action using the platform previously used for live sporting events and Glastonbury coverage, where live video, pre-recorded video, text, audio and social commentary can sit side by side.

Damian Kavanagh, Controller of BBC Three, says: “We jumped at the chance to collaborate with BBC Sport and bring this massive UK event to a wider audience. BBC Three will always experiment with new ways to deliver content that young people want, in ways they want. I think this is an exciting way to cover something millions of young Brits love, in a BBC Three way.”

Leigh ‘Deman’ Smith, commentator, says: “I’m delighted to be part of the BBC’s coverage at Wembley Arena. Worlds has been amazing so far and it’s great to see the BBC getting involved and raising awareness of esports in the UK.”

League Of Legends has over 27 million gamers playing the game every day, with over 70 million hours of last year’s championships watched by fans across the globe.

Train2Game News First look at vTime

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Starship, the UK-based innovation studio, today unveil a first glimpse of mobile social VR network, vTime, with the release of a new video and screenshots. Set for launch in November, vTime offers friends and family a compelling new way to spend quality time together in virtual reality.

Using just a smartphone and a VR headset, cross-platform network vTime allows users to meet-up and interact with people around the globe. Combining breath-taking virtual locations with intuitive and hands-free controls, vTime users can chat, enjoy music, and share images, videos, and spherical media in rich virtual environments. Running on 3G and 4G cellular networks as well as Wi-Fi, vTime transforms the smartphone into a passport to the metaverse.

vTime users are able to personalise their experience by customising the appearance of their avatar, hosting virtual meet-ups and creating friends lists. Newcomers can quickly expand their social circle and immerse themselves in engaging conversations through vTime Search, which focuses on matching users based on interests and trending topics.

Friends without a headset can still be a part of the conversation by using vTime Mono – a 2D window into the vTime metaverse through which they can interact and chat with other participants using a tablet. Users are also able to view live public exchanges happening within vTime through Spectate Mode, accessible through tablet, phone and PC.

“vTime brings social VR to virtually everyone, from virtually anywhere on virtually any device,” explains Starship CEO Martin Kenwright. “We’ve taken complex technology and made it simple, beautiful and accessible. Just download the vTime app, put on your headset, and you’re vTiming.”

The free and platform agnostic network will launch its open alpha to Android users in November. Compatible with multiple mobile headsets including Gear VR and Google Cardboard, Starship has opened a mailing list for those interested in being the first to experience the network.

View the trailer for vTime at http://www.youtube.com/?#/watch?v=k8BSftnVMRA

Train2Game News Best Games at EGX voted by the public

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The results are in: visitors to EGX 2015 have overwhelmingly chosen Star Wars Battlefront as their Game of the Show.
 
Star Wars Battlefront enjoyed a huge presence on the show floor. EA’s booth featured a 20 v. 20 battle arena in which the Rebel Alliance faced-off against the might of the Galactic Empire at the famous Battle of Hoth. The game was also playable on the PlayStation booth where the co-op Survival Mode entertained gamers. EA stole the social media show with the inclusion of a full scale TIE Fighter – the ship and pilot were photographed throughout EGX.
 
EGX 2015 provided a brilliant platform to launch new hardware – Virtual Reality exploded onto the UK at the event with HTC Vive, PlayStation VR and Oculus Rift all playable ahead of their upcoming retail debuts. HTC Vive, powered by Steam VR, proved particularly popular, wowing the crowds with its fully-immersive 3D world and netting a very impressive second place. Elsewhere, Ubisoft had a particularly successful show in the eyes of gamers with three of its games in the top 10. Square Enix was also notable with two titles including the 6th placed Just Cause 3. 
 
Indie gaming proved incredibly popular with the Indie MEGABOOTH, Rezzed Zone and Leftfield Collection packed with gamers enjoying stacks of unique game experiences on offer. The wonderful Rezzed Sessions made their debut at EGX this year, rounding off a hugely successful indie area. With over 350 screens of indie gaming on offer this year it’s especially impressive that Gang Beasts landed Indie Game of the Show by a strong margin. Warhammer: End Times – Vermintide and Aaero rounded off the top three.
 
“Gamers from across the UK and beyond descended on the NEC, Birmingham to welcome EGX to its new home”, said David Lilley, Managing Director of Gamer Events. “With the ever-growing EGX community scoring both the venue and the accessibility of the location more highly than 2014, we know EGX is ideally situated as the premier gaming event in the UK. The incredible size and popularity of the indie gaming area means we’re extremely excited for our upcoming London event, EGX Rezzed. Featuring both indie and AAA games, we can’t wait to return in April to Tobacco Dock”.

EGX 2015 at the NEC was a huge success. Here are just a few of the highlights:

●        Over 75,000 attendees arrived to play this and next year’s best games
●        40% were attending an EGX event for the first time
●        Upwards of 45% of visitors travelled 100 or more miles to attend
●        62 exhibitors, from AAA publishers and indie developers to YouTubers, streamers, eSports, retailers, universities, trade bodies and beyond
●        1800+ mainstream and specialist press generated over 400 pieces of coverage
●        More than 250 playable games across PC, console, browser and mobile
●        Over 350 screens of indie gaming
●        Playable Virtual Reality from HTC Vive (powered by Steam VR), PlayStation VR and Oculus Rift
●        Over £100,000 worth of eSports prizes awarded
●        1.1 million minutes across 40+ unique show floor and Developer Session live streams were viewed on http://www.youtube.com/EGX throughout the course of the show
●        37 Ukie Video Games Ambassadors and guest speakers across 16 Ukie Careers Bar sessions advised the next generation of games industry professionals on how to land a career in games
●        More than 6000 school, college and university students attended – 20% increase over EGX 2014
●        30+ exclusive announcements and game development presentations, panels and Q&As across the Developer Sessions and Rezzed Sessions
●        91% of visitors reported they use EGX to decide which products to buy
●        90% of visitors intend to visit EGX again and will recommend the event to their friends

Here’s the full top 10 EGX 2015 Games of the Show:

1.       Star Wars Battlefront
2.       HTC Vive / Steam VR
3.       Tom Clancy’s The Division
4.       Rise of the Tomb Raider
5.       Halo 5: Guardians
6.       Just Cause 3
7.       Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
8.       Total War: Warhammer
9.       Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
10.   Elite: Dangerous

The full top 10 EGX 2015 Indie Games of the Show are:

1.       Gang Beasts
2.       Warhammer: End Times – Vermintide
3.       Aaero
4.       Black and White Bushido
5.       Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty
6.       Move or Die
7.       The Escapists The Walking Dead
8.       Worms WMD
9.       Eitr
10.   Thumper

The London-based EGX Rezzed is taking place at Tobacco Dock from 7th to 9th April, 2016. Tickets will go on sale at http://www.egx.net/rezzed on Friday 16th October.

Train2Game News OnePlay netflix of gaming

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OnePlay brings downloadable video games to public libraries

Several online services have in the past been touted the Netflix of gaming, but one player seems to finally deliver on the claim: OnePlay.

OnePlay is set to become one of the biggest forces in digital gaming offering users the chance to play more than a 1.000 titles for PC and Android devices for a small monthly fee or for free at your local library.

So how can you play games for free at your local library?
OnePlay deliver games based on the same principle libraries already use for books. Libraries pay OnePlay to be able to offer the service for free for their users. Users can then easily signup for OnePlay to borrow/play any game they want and even buy games at a favorable price, should they want to.

OnePlay already has several libraries signed up for the service, in USA, Europe and Australia

Lasse Jensen, CEO OnePlay, states:  “It has been great experiencing our successful beta launch in USA, now we look forward to rolling out the service in USA, Europe, Latin America and Australia & New Zealand.”

No credit card or cash needed, nothing but a membership at the local library. By using this extremely consumer friendly setting, OnePlay opens up to a market with more than 200.000 libraries and 250+ million library users in USA, Latin America, Australia and Europe. Library users simply download games and play them offline on PCs, Android tablets and smartphones.
 
OnePlay aims to grow the number of publishers, offering games in the subscription service,substantially in the near future. For publishers they have the same friendly approach as they have with consumers. Publishers just need to deliver a DRM free version of their game(s), and OnePlay makes sure to add protection and take care of selling and/or lending the games.
 
OnePlay has a broad range of indie titles, kids’ games and blockbusters available for subscribers to download and play. OnePlay is always looking for more great games!

Train2Game News 18th Century Search Engine

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Introducing the number one search engine for your 19th century needs.

With the launch of Assassin’s Creed Syndicate just around the corner, we wanted to help players delve into the Victorian era and uncover the most important information about the period.

To accomplish this, Ubisoft has created The 19th Century Search Engine – a rich historical research tool designed to look just like the search engines our great-great-great-grandparents used in 1868.

www.searchengine.assassinscreed.com

The search engine is filled with hundreds of pieces of original content – painstakingly researched and catalogued – which will allow fans to discover the forgotten facts of this celebrated era.

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate will be available worldwide for PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Xbox One on October 23, and will be available for Windows PC on November 19.

Train2Game News RPG Maker MV Preorder

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Degica and Kadokawa Corporation are excited to announce that the latest version of RPG Maker is now available for pre-order on their website and Steam for 10% off.

RPG Maker MV is the successor to RPG Maker VX Ace (one of the highest selling software titles on Steam). It provides many new enhancements and features including:

    -Mac Support: You can now create RPGs on the Macintosh!

    -Multiple Device Deployment: You can now release your RPG Maker Games on the following platforms:
        Windows (EXE)
        MacOSX (APP)
        Android (APK)
        iOS (IPA)
        HTML5 for Web Browsers

    -Battle Modes: You can now choose to use either the classic Front View, or the heavily requested and more modern Side View battle system.

    -Mouse & Touch Input support: Tired of playing your game with a keyboard? You can now play your RPG via touchscreen or mouse.

    -LARGER Database : Support for twice as many items as VX Ace for a grand total of 2,000

    -THREE Layers for drawing complex maps, with an intuitive interface that automatically selects the correct layer for you.

    -Higher Screen Resolution: With all assets being made 1.5 times larger, the default resolution is increased to 816×624, allowing for more detailed games.

    -Complete English Support, community and forums!

The pre-order starts September 30th and will run until the game launches on October 23rd.

In addition to a 10% discount, people who preorder will also receive 2 brand new resource packs free:

The Cover Art Characters Pack
For the first time in RPG Maker history, an official set of resources featuring RPG Maker MV cover art characters is available! Featuring a brand new main party and brimming with bonus material, this pack includes the essentials to build the perfect character party.

The Essentials Add-On
From expertly-composed original music to clever tileset add-ons and emotion-packed character facesets, this pack includes material that enhances the standard RPG Maker MV resources and really lets your projects shine.

RPG Maker MV Preorder Page: http://preorder.rpgmakerweb.com/rpg-maker-mv

Steam Preorder Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/363890

Train2Game News GameAid raises huge funding

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UK games industry charity GamesAid has smashed its funding record for the eighth year in a row.

£564,000 has been raised by the UK games business over the last 12 months, an increase of 29 per cent over previous years. This money will be split between eight charities – more than ever before.

Accuro, Action for Kids, The Clock Tower Sanctuary, Lifelites, MAPS, Safe @ Last, SpecialEffect and Jigsaw 4 U have all received £70,500 each.

“2015 has been another incredible year for GamesAid” commented GamesAid Chair Emily Britt. “Once again we’ve raised more money, supported more charities and distributed bigger individual cheques than ever before.

She added: “Before I step down after my three year tenure as a Trustee at Christmas, I am happy to say that GamesAid has never been more supported, stronger and positioned to make a massive difference to the lives of kids and young people throughout the UK.  We’re now support the work of eight diverse children’s charities. I’d like encourage anyone involved in the video games industry to become a member today and see what we can achieve next year!”

“GamesAid only exists thanks to the energy, passion and fundraising efforts of the UK video games industry. Thank you so much for your support. You are simply amazing.”

GamesAid has raised £1.7m in its eight-year history.

GamesAid charity initiatives this year have included the Stand Up For GamesAid comedy night, the GamesAid Golf day, the Brighton Poker Night and a variety of Humble Bundle initiatives. Games industry members are welcome to join the charity for free by signing up at gamesaid.org.

Train2Game News Merge VR Headset

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Walk with dinosaurs or fly into space all from the comfort of your own living room with the new Merge VR headset available to pre-order now, only at GAME.

Priced at only £49.99, the new portable headset is a great, affordable way for families to step inside a whole new world and experience the virtual reality phenomenon.

Compatible with both iOS and Android phones, the Merge VR headset allows customers to enjoy the extensive immersive content already on Google Play and in Apple’s App Store. Play games, explore an unknown world, or watch a concert in your own home just by downloading an app.

On 30th October, GAME customers can be among the first to take home the new Merge VR headset by pre-ordering online or in-store. From mid-October, customers will be able to get their hands on this innovative technology with demonstrations taking place in all GAME stores across the UK.

Charlotte Knight, UK Retail MD at GAME, comments: “Virtual Reality is the topic on everyone’s lips at the moment. With gamers eager to see what’s coming next, we’re incredibly excited to give our customers exclusive access to this new technology.

“At GAME we’re passionate about making the latest technology accessible for everyone. The Merge VR headset does exactly that, offering the Virtual Reality experience to gamers and families. For those thinking about Christmas gifting, the Merge VR headset is the perfect present for under £50.”

To make the new headset even more affordable, gamers can Trade-in their old software and hardware in exchange for cash or credit. Customers will also earn 2% back in Reward points on every purchase, which can go towards even more great games, tech and accessories from GAME.

To find out more about the Merge VR headset, head into your local GAME store or visit www.game.co.uk/MergeVR .

Train2Game News Dark Souls 3 at Play Expo

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Today Replay Events are thrilled to announce that Bandai Namco Entertainment UK will be bringing Dark Souls III, the latest game in the critically acclaimed Dark Souls series, to Play Expo this October 10th- 11th.

This will be the first opportunity for the public to play the already lauded action RPG title that sees the return of Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls director Hidetaka Miyazaki.

Dark Souls III brings the new Battle Arts system to combat which Miyazaki calls ‘an evolution’ as it builds on the series’ trademark sword and sorcery combat and adds a new layer to the combat system. The trademark online multiplayer functionality has also evolved to seamlessly integrate online interactions into the single player story.

Dark Souls III is a turning point for the series and will be released in April 2016.

So don’t miss out on the chance to be one of the first people to play Dark Souls III on PlayStation 4 and book your Play Expo tickets today!

Tickets are on sale at the website: http://www.playexpo.net/tickets/
With further information also available: http://www.playexpo.net/

Train2game News Hansoft Team Helper Updated

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Hansoft, award-winning tool for agile team collaboration and management, releases Hansoft Enterprise 9.0.

The latest release comes with a new UI which allows for even smoother team collaboration. Hansoft 9 makes it easier for both managers and team members to understand and participate in large and small projects thanks to better contextualization and clearer visuals.

“We have had some customers running their agile portfolio, program, and project management in Hansoft but who had their issue tickets in other tools. The improved capabilities now makes it easy for these teams to migrate also their defect tracking process to Hansoft to help them minimize technical debt,” said Patric Palm, Hansoft Chair and CEO.

In a blog post today, he also talked roadmap forward for the company.

“We have gathered a large amount of great feedback from our community of users for smaller improvements. One small improvement can mean a lot for the person who really wants it and all those small improvements together makes a big difference for everyone. We recognize the need to focus on putting all this input into action.”

In the blog post Patric Palm also announced that Hansoft will be moving into a new headquarters in Uppsala, Sweden, by the end of the year.