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Train2Game News Adventure Time Magic Man’s Head Games music

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Award-winning composer Erik Desiderio is thrilled to share his uplifting soundtrack for Cartoon Network and Turbo Button’s virtual reality take on the Adventure Time universe with a music video reveal that features game footage alongside several musicians who perform the main theme live by combining banjo, harmonica, melodica, accordion and even whistling:

Adventure Time: Magic Man’s Head Games Main Theme Music Video

Adventure Time: Magic Man’s Head Games is developed by Turbo Button and follows Cartoon Network’s Finn and Jake on new adventures in full virtual reality for the first time. Drawing inspiration from classic platformers like  Banjo-Kazooie, players control Finn, while Jake sits in his backpack. Finn can attack enemies with his sword, or use Jake to smack creatures with his his inflated hand. Voice actors from the recent Emmy Award-winning show provide the voices in the game, which is available now.

“I was a huge fan of the show before being contacted about this project,” notes composer Erik Desiderio. “I especially enjoyed the first episode with Magic Man, who acts as the primary antagonist for this game. The playful nature of the  Adventure Time universe afforded me the opportunity to work with some of my frequent collaborators and incorporate lots of fun instruments. Somehow, though, despite their various talents, everyone insisted that they be able to whistle on the soundtrack. I had no choice but to comply and join in myself!”

Desiderio-known best for his work in film and on the SMS Racing and This Means War! videogames-was given the freedom to take the Adventure Time franchise into new waters with this soundtrack by including live performances to bring the already quirky and upbeat world of  Adventure Time to life. The featured whistler has sung on other projects and created sound effects with his mouth for the mobile game Stick to It, while the woodwind player recorded flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor sax, bari sax and also whistled on the soundtrack. The trumpet player performed trumpet and coronet. Finally, Desiderio himself played banjo, fretless electric bass, harmonica, triangle, melodica, accordion, shaker and can also be heard whistling throughout the score.

Learn more about Adventure Time: Magic Man’s Head Games:

Adventure Time: Magic Man’s Head Games on Fortune

Train2Game News Ubisoft Soundtracks

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Sumthing Else Music Works, the premier record label dedicated to releasing video game soundtracks, today announced that it has entered into a multiple-title licensing agreement with Ubisoft, to release physical editions of the original soundtracks from blockbuster video game franchises  Assassin’s Creed®,  Far Cry®,  Prince of Persia®,  Rayman®  and  Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell®.

“We’re excited to be working with Ubisoft in bringing their physical product and lineup of artists and titles to the worldwide marketplace,” said Andy Uterano, President of Sumthing Else Music Works.

Under terms of the agreement Sumthing Else will issue Ubisoft’s music catalog on CD and select titles on vinyl, commencing with the original soundtracks from its historical action-adventure series  Assassin’s Creed®  on September 25. Featuring the music of BAFTA award-winning, Billboard and MTV Video Music Awards nominated composer Jesper Kyd and Grammy award-winning, Emmy and BAFTA nominated composer Lorne Balfe, the first physical soundtracks to be released include:

   *Assassin’s Creed Original Game Soundtrack – Music by Jesper Kyd

BAFTA winning composer Jesper Kyd’s immersive soundtrack evokes the medieval Middle-Eastern setting. Set in 1191 AD, when the Third Crusade was tearing the Holy Land apart,  Assassin’s Creed  enables players to become truly immersed into the mindset of Altaïr, the game’s main character, and the rich environments of the game through Jesper Kyd’s thematic original score. The combination of cinematic compositions with Middle-Eastern acoustic instruments and vocal performances, featuring full choir and soloists, delivers a deeply meditative and spiritual aesthetic.

   *Assassin’s Creed II Original Game Soundtrack (2-CD) – Music by Jesper Kyd

Assassin’s Creed II  features a new hero, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, a young Italian noble, and a new era, the Renaissance. To reflect the change in character, story and setting for  Assassin’s Creed II, Jesper Kyd took the music in an adventurous and dramatic new direction, crafting a melodic, acoustic and progressive musical palette. The music propels the action, captures the allure and mystery of the story and immerses players in the breathtakingly detailed settings. Kyd’s multi-award winning Renaissance-inspired score features the series’ iconic theme, “Ezio’s Family”.

    *Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood Original Game Soundtrack – Music by Jesper Kyd

The third iteration in the critically acclaimed series, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood was inspired by historical events during the occupation of Rome by The Borgias in 1503. “Researching the history of the Borgia Family it became clear early on that Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood would require a very dark score in order to match the Borgias’ aspirations to become the rulers of Italy. The music follows the compelling story of Ezio as a Master Assassin going up against The Borgias.” – Jesper Kyd

    *Assassin’s Creed Revelations The Complete Recordings (3-CD) – Music by Jesper Kyd and Lorne Balfe

In Assassin’s Creed Revelations, Master Assassin Ezio Auditore walks in the footsteps of the legendary mentor Altaïr, on a journey of discovery and revelation. Introducing the “Assassin’s Creed Theme”, cut-scenes and multiplayer music by Grammy winning composer/producer Lorne Balfe, recorded with a full live orchestra, and featuring a rich, evocative hybrid in-game music score by Jesper Kyd drawing on Greek, Renaissance and Middle-Eastern instrumentation, combining his emotional melodic writing and acoustic/electronic styles associated with the series.

    *Assassin’s Creed III Original Soundtrack – Music by Lorne Balfe

Assassin’s Creed III invited players to experience the untold story of the American Revolution through the eyes of a new Assassin, Connor. Designed from the ground up, Assassin’s Creed III takes one of gaming’s most beloved franchises to new heights with Lorne Balfe returning to helm the original score. “I wanted to create an epic feeling that would complement the grandeur of the visuals. This was the beginning of America as we know it today – filled with cultures from across the world. With such diversity available, I was able to bring Celtic and other musical influences into the game to further accentuate the complexities of the game itself.” – Lorne Balfe

The remaining Assassin’s Creed original soundtracks will be released on CD in October and select titles on vinyl in 2016:

    *Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag Original Game Soundtrack – Music by Brian Tyler
    *Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag Game Soundtrack Sea Shanty Edition – Various Artists
    *Assassin’s Creed Unity Original Game Soundtrack Volumes 1 & 2 – Music by Chris Tilton and Sarah Schachner

The licensing deal announced today also includes physical releases for the Far Cry®, Prince of Persia®, Rayman® and Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell® soundtracks – release dates to be announced.

For more information on Sumthing Else Music Works and its complete catalog of video game soundtracks, visit www.sumthing.com

Train2Game News Game Audio salary increase

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Salaried employees in game audio and sound design earn an average of $10,000 more annually than was reported in 2014.

Freelancers earn an average of $1,000 less per project while the average number of projects for freelancers has risen from 4.6 in 2014 to 5.2 in 2015, according to the Game Audio Industry Survey by GameSoundCon with 591 respondents.

The percentage of salaried workers in game sound design increased from 37% in 2014 to 46% in 2015.  Freelance designers now make up 46% of the game audio industry versus 60% in 2014, demonstrating a previously unseen even split between salaried employees and freelance composers and designers.

Other changes include:

●     80% of game composers reported they also provide sound effects, in comparison to 65% of composers who reported providing sound effects in 2014

●     23% of indie game projects now offer soundtrack clauses allowing composers to profit from soundtrack sales, rising from 18% in 2014.  The percentage of AAA games offering payment for soundtracks remained constant at 5%

●     While game audio and sound design remains a primarily male industry, the percentage of respondents identifying as female doubled from 3.5% in 2014 to 7% today

The Game Audio Industry Survey, conducted by GameSoundCon, tracks compensation, working conditions, contract terms and production information for the game music and sound industry.

GameSoundCon, taking place Nov. 3 – 4 at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, offers attendees hands-on training sessions and networking events with audio industry luminaries.

“The changes we observed in game sound design compensation over just one year demonstrate the value of collecting this information,” said Brian Schmidt, executive director, GameSoundCon.  “Our inaugural 2014 survey was meant to illuminate aspects of the game audio industry that Gamasutra’s annual salary survey didn’t focus on.  I’m very pleased to see our efforts continue to bring new findings to light about this group of talented professionals.”

More information about GameSoundCon is available at www.GameSoundCon.com

Train2Game News 5K resolution virtual reality headset

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Starbreeze AB, an independent creator, publisher and distributor of high quality entertainment products, today announced a collaboration with Tobii, the leader in eye-tracking, to integrate Tobii’s eye tracking technology into Starbreeze unique 210-degree field of view, 5K resolution virtual reality-headset StarVR.

Eye tracking is set to further revolutionize virtual reality application where the user’s eye movements and reactions can trigger different reactions and paths in the experience. Most importantly, the implementation of foveated rendering (Gaze Prioritized Graphics), or computational graphics, can occur when the device knows the specific area the user is currently looking. With foveated rendering, StarVR will not need to sacrifice any of its graphics quality or resolution in order to accommodate the large FOV found in VR HMDs, ensuring a consistent, top-quality experience for users.

“We’re still in early development of our StarVR HMD and are therefore looking for best in class solutions to the components that we believe make the best VR experiences there is” said Emmanuel Marquez, CTO of Starbreeze AB. He continued” Eye tracking technology in a VR HMD will let us customize the experiences and enable even further immersion.

“Starbreeze is known for creating killer, high-quality consumer experiences, which is what attracted us to this collaboration,” said Oscar Werner, president of Tobii Tech. “The ambition is to deliver the most immersive and realistic experiences with the highest graphical standards and eye tracking components for an unparalleled VR HMD.”

Examples of Eye Tracking Enhancements to Virtual Reality:

    Gaze-prioritized graphics (also known as foveated rendering) – VR graphics can be improved and optimized by, for instance, rendering graphics with higher resolution in the region where the user is looking.

     VR comfort – Comfort in the VR experience can be improved by more precise graphics rendering based on data about the position and direction of the eyes.

    Gaming  immersion – Harnessing natural eye movement, environments and characters can be made more realistic and interactive in games through:

        -Natural targeting – To pick up or throw an object, instead of pointing towards the object through head movement, users only need to look at the object to interact with it. This interaction is natural, intuitive and seamless because it so closely mimics real life.

        -Eye contact – This fundamental non-verbal communication is critical to our interaction with others. Bringing the same principle to character interaction in a film or game makes users even more deeply immersed. Characters can come to life, interact or ignore you based on eye contact.

        -Immersive graphics and sound – Scary or surprising reactions can be created by knowing what users are paying attention to. Sounds, for instance and characters may appear from where users are not currently looking.

Train2Game News UKIE 2015 Member Survey

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Ukie’s 2015 member survey results indicate UK games businesses are confident of future growth in a global market place.

Ahead of its AGM at EGX tomorrow, Ukie has revealed the results of its 2015 Member Survey. The results, collected from Ukie’s membership of developers, publishers, platform holders and games service providers, reveal a rise in the number of start-up games companies and confidence of further growth, fuelled by international deals and the introduction of the tax breaks last year.

The Ukie survey results show that 4 out of 5 UK games businesses are anticipating a period of growth for their company in the next 18 months. This statistic is an improvement on 2014, where 77% of respondents anticipated that their business would grow.

Significantly, this is particularly evident in UK developers, where 93% of respondents expect the next year and a half to bring growth for their company.

The Video Games Tax Relief, which came into effect in 2014, appears to have played a role in this expectation of growth, with 64% of developer respondents saying that they have been able to hire more staff as a direct result of a successful tax relief application. Nine out of 10 respondents plan to take advantage of the tax breaks for culturally relevant games in the future.

The survey also showed the huge growth in UK games businesses over the last few years, with nearly half the respondents to the survey (46%) being companies that have been in existence for 5 years or fewer. A majority of the businesses are also considered small or micro, with 61% employing 25 or fewer staff.

Despite the relative youth and small size of many games companies, the UK sector contributes £1.4bn GVA to the economy and the UK consumer market was estimated to be worth £3.6bn in 2014, ranking sixth worldwide.

The survey also revealed how active UK games businesses are in overseas markets. Over two thirds (68%) of Ukie members generated over 60% of their annual turnover from business outside of the UK, showing a huge export nature and international reputation of the products made in Britain. Ukie operates a global trade programme to help UK games businesses of all sizes to access international markets and forge overseas partnerships.

Ukie CEO, Dr Jo twist, commented on the results, saying, “It’s great to see such a confident outlook from UK games businesses as we continue to demonstrate that we are a hugely productive, growth sector of the future. Ukie lobbied hard for the Tax Relief to come into effect, and to see it having such an impact in actively growing our industry is amazing. Our survey also shows the importance of overseas markets to UK companies – our sector is competing against some major global competitors and our presence in the international markets is something of which we should all be proud. I look forward to seeing the further impact of the Tax Breaks, the introduction of more events in our global trade programme and the continued growth in the fantastic UK industry in the next 18 months.”

Train2Game News Instant Indie Collection

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Curve Digital unveils the easy way to build your game collection on PlayStation and Xbox One: introducing ‘Instant Indie Collection’ Volume One.

The Instant Indie Collection is designed to offer Xbox and PlayStation owners the opportunity to build a collection of the very best indie games, for a fraction of their usual price.

Set to be released semi regularly from now on, the bundles will showcase celebrated indie games from across all genres.

Instant Indie Collection Volume One contains Stealth Inc 2, Thomas Was Alone and The Swapper – currently the highest rated Xbox One game in Metacritic – and is available from today on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita (cross buy) and Friday on Xbox One, priced £17.99 / $22.99 / €22.99, over a 33 per cent off the full SRP.

Stealth Inc 2 (current Metacritic rating 82 per cent on Xbox) takes the premise of tight, arcade-orientated stealth to a whole new level. Players embark on a remarkable platform adventure across a huge ‘Metroidvania’-style overworld in which clever gadgets, devious puzzles and a delicious sense of humour combine.

Thomas Was Alone (80 per cent Metacritic rating on PS3) is the game which introduced the world to Thomas, Chris, John, Claire and Laura – and, of course, Mike Bithell. The BAFTA winning game will delight and infuriate as players take a cast of quadrilaterals on a journey which will linger long after the game has concluded.

The Swapper, from Facepalm games, is an atmospheric puzzle platformer set in the furthest reaches of space. An experimental device allows players to clone versions of themselves in order to journey deeper into the game’s hand-crafted world in one of gaming’s most mature narrative adventures.

“The Instant Indie Collection is being designed to allow new console owners to easily discover games they may have missed on original release,” says Jason Perkins, managing director, Curve Digital. “Whilst Volume One is all about puzzle platformers, we intend to ensure that each collection keeps things fresh, aiming to cover multiple genres where we can. They will all have one thing in common, though – and that’s a ridiculously competitive price.”

Instant Indie Collection Volume One is out today on PlayStation 4, 3 and Vita (cross buy) and on Friday for Xbox One, priced £17.99 / $22.99 / €22.99.

Train2Game News London Video Game Market

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Buy and Sell Video Games, Board Games and Merchandise All in One Place Right in the Heart of London

Passionate about gaming? Looking to buy that D&D edition you’re still missing? Or trying to sell your rare, import, mint perfect NES power glove? The London Gaming Market has you covered.

Brought to you by Replay Events, Showmasters and Dark Cleo Productions, the London Gaming Market will see competitively priced stalls and vendors come together to delight and engage video gaming and table top gaming fans from all walks of life.

The market will be open every four months at the Royal National Hotel in Russell Square, London. The first date will be held on Sunday 15th November, just in time for some early and awesomely nerdy Christmas shopping.

The following dates will take place in March, July and November 2016 giving fans and traders alike plenty of time to get their collections together or catalogue that missing piece of merchandise.

Tickets will all be available on the door which opens at 11am. Early entry tickets cost £5, tickets after 12PM cost £2. Children under 14 can enter for free when accompanied by a paying adult.

Visit the website at http://www.londongamingmarket.com for the latest news, stall booking information for traders and directions to the event.

Train2Game News European games devs driving global digital economy

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The Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE) has presented a report by Deloitte that shows how European games companies are a driving force behind the global digital economy.

The report Mobile Games In Europe explores the emergence of the in-app purchase model in mobile video games. It shows how that model now supports 21,000 full-time employees in the European Union, many of them working in small enterprises that have been able to build sustainable businesses. The report highlights how mobile game developers now enjoy a lower barrier to entry and can start and build successful businesses anywhere in Europe. Regional industry hubs have attracted talent and capital and created new types of jobs and flexible, innovative business models.

ISFE expects to see double-digit growth in the mobile games industry until 2017, making it the fastest growing ‘content’ sector in Europe, with consumer spending estimated at more than €20 billion in 2015 alone.

The Deloitte report demonstrates that the in-app purchase model is popular with consumers, who show a high level of awareness of these games and enjoy more choice and variety. It also shows that only a small percentage of these gamers ever make in-app purchases. Consumers now download more free and in-app purchase mobile games than paid games. 

On Tuesday 15th of September, ISFE organised a high-level event at the Microsoft Executive Briefing Center in Brussels to present the findings of the report. The event featured a keynote speech by MEP Kaja Kallas (ALDE) and a panel discussion during which representatives from the games industry, the European Parliament and the European Commission discussed how the growth and leading position of the European games industry could be ensured while supporting the EU’s Digital Single Market initiative.

“Of the top 10 apps in the Apple iOS and Google Play app store in June 2015, six were made by game companies headquartered in Europe”, says Simon Little, Managing Director of ISFE. “We can be proud of our leading position, while keeping the focus on fostering a business environment where skills and talent keep our companies at the top.”

ISFE represents the European video games industry to the European Union and international organisations. ISFE spreads the word on its members’ positions regarding the main political and legal initiatives of European and international institutions in fields such as intellectual property, e-commerce, trade negotiations and the protection of minors.

Train2Game News UK Top 20 Games – 21.09.15

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destiny_the_taken_kingDestiny The Taken King has taken the number one spot in the charts this week beating out Forza 6 that has driven to second place. Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 managed to make its way to third.

All formats
Week ending 5 September 2015

POS.  TITLE  PUBLISHER  LAST
WEEK 
1 DESTINY: THE TAKEN KING ACTIVISION –
2 FORZA MOTORSPORT 6 MICROSOFT –
3 PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 2016 KONAMI –
4 METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN KONAMI 1
5 MAD MAX WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 3
6 SUPER MARIO MAKER NINTENDO 2
7 – GRAND THEFT AUTO V ROCKSTAR 7
8 DISNEY INFINITY 3.0 DISNEY INFINITY 4
9 RUGBY LEAGUE LIVE 3 ALTERNATIVE –
10 LEGO JURASSIC WORLD WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 8
11 GEARS OF WAR: ULTIMATE EDITION MICROSOFT 6
12 MINECRAFT: XBOX EDITION MICROSOFT 9
13 UNTIL DAWN SONY COMPUTER ENT. 5
14 CALL OF DUTY: GHOSTS ACTIVISION –
15 NHL 16 EA SPORTS –
16 MINECRAFT: PLAYSTATION EDITION SONY COMPUTER ENT. 10
17 DYING LIGHT WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 12
18 MADDEN NFL 16 EA SPORTS 14
19 DESTINY ACTIVISION 15
20 CALL OF DUTY: ADVANCED WARFARE ACTIVISION 19
< previous week
Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (C)2015 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 Sinclair ZX Spectrum VEGA available now

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FunstockRetro.co.uk – Europe’s Number One Retro Gaming Destination are proud to announce that the ‘Sinclair ZX Spectrum VEGA’ is officially out now and in-stock!

The ZX Vega is a brand new ‘plug and play’ console, packed with 1,000 built-in games and includes several ‘Perfect Ten’ (rated by Retro Gamer Magazine) classics such as ‘Knight’s Lore’ and ‘Back To Skool’ as well as hundreds upon hundreds of classics. See the full list here: ZX Spectrum VEGA game list. Any of your favourites missing? – the VEGA also supports SD cards, so you can easily add more games yourself.

About the Sinclair ZX Spectrum VEGA:

The Sinclair ZX Spectrum Vega is a new low cost games computer based on Sir Clive’s hugely successful Spectrum products of the early 1980s.

    -Over 1,000 built-in officially licensed ZX Spectrum games
    -Supported by Sir Clive Sinclair
    -Simple ‘Plug and Play’ system
    -Developed by former ZX Spectrum Developer, Chris Smith
    -Allows you to play almost any ZX Spectrum game via its micro SD Card slot. Well-known retro gaming sites carry tens of thousands of titles that you can legally download
    -Can play games you yourself have programmed
    -Improves on the original – no more waiting for a game to load via tape
    -Comes complete with ready-mapped buttons for all included games, as well as the option of using the in-built virtual keyboard
    -Connects to both your TV’s USB port (for power) and its video/audio inputs (for the signal) no other cables are needed
    -Includes a selection of games such as classics that will keep long-term fans happy and newly-written games that will introduce a whole new generation to the wonderful world of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum Vega
    -Is designed and manufactured in the UK – the home of the original ZX Spectrum revolution
    -Is rated by PEGI as suitable for all adults and children aged seven and upwards
    -SD card compatible, so if there’s a specific gaming missing from this list, you can easily add it using an SD card

The console is available now at:  www.funstockretro.co.uk