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Football Manager 2011 Revealed!

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Football Manager 2011Sports Interactive have announced that Football Manager 2011 will be released before Christmas this year.

Football Manager 2011 will feature more new features than ever before, including real-time contract negotiation, a revamped training system, match engine improvements and a ‘dynamic league reputation’ system.

For the first time ever, Football Manager 2011 players will be able to negotiate contracts with players in real time. Sports Interactive have been working real-life football agents, to gain an  insight as to how these negotiations can be made as realistic as possible in Football Manager 2011. Different agents will have different personalities, and therefore players will need to work differently with each one to succeed with Football Manager 2011.

The training system has also been revamped for Football Manager 2011 with athere is a new “match preparation” area of training so that managers can give their team specific areas to focus on in the lead up to a match. There are also more basic training schedules for players, and 14 different individual skill areas that you can focus your players on.  So no more having to spend hours tweaking schedules in Football Manager 2011 eh? Sports Interactive Studio Director Miles Jacobson says the training system hasn’t been changed before, because they couldn’t think of a way to improve it!

“At Sports Interactive, we always strive to give the end-user the best experience possible, the training system for example has always been the best we thought it could be, until now. We’ve found a way to make it even better!”

Interaction with players, staff and the board have also been improved for Football Manager 2011.

The 3D Match Engine of Football Manager 2011 has also been tweaked, with over 100 new animations added, as well as more player emotions, new player models, new stadiums, pitch textures, improved lighting, floodlit night matches, more goal celebrations and lots of other extras which improve the latest episode in the successful Football Manager series.

The other new features in Football Manager 2011 announced by Sports Interactive include a revamped media module, which will keep the managers better up to date with events going on in their football world.

The much requested dynamic league reputation will provide Football Manager 2011 with an even more realistic model of the footballing world.

Anyhow, enough with the text, for more information about the new Features in Football Manager 2011, Miles Jacobson explains them in the video below (While also showing off his collection of t-shirts)

So Train2Game, are you a Football Manager fan? Will you be rushing out to test your skills with Football Manager 2011? And does anyone have any horrific tales of addiction? (Like I was when I was at university!)

You can leave your thoughts on Football Manager 2011 here or on the Train2Game forum.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Multiplayer Trailer Released

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Treyarch have released a trailer that appears to have sent the internet gaming community mad. A Black Ops multiplayer trailer has gone live on the official Call of Duty Youtube channel, and gives a sneak peak into what we can expect come November.

Set in what appears to be a snow covered silo – appropriate given Black Ops Cold War setting –  the Black Ops multiplayer certainly looks impressive and reveals some new Multiplayer weapons. These include a crossbow with exploding arrows and a little remote controlled car bomb which could become the all new rage inducing bane of the Black Ops multiplayer aficionado.

Other Black Ops multiplayer reveals include new achievements including back stabbing… which is awarded for killing your fellow Call of Duty players from behind. Who says chivalry is dead ay? The trailer also hints at killcam play back and editing, which would allow you to record and relive your greatest Black Ops multiplayer moments.

Anyway, enough with the words, you can watch the full Call of Duty Black Ops multiplayer below.

Just in case you somehow haven’t heard of Black Ops before, it’s the next game in the Call of Duty franchise and is set to be released November 9th on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.  But before then, the trailer reveals that we’ll be getting a full Black Ops multiplayer reveal on September 1st.

So Train2Game, who’s excited about Black Ops?  Does anything in the trailer catch your eye in particular? Or are you suffering from a little Call of Duty fatigue?

As usual, leave your thoughts here or on the Train2Game forum.

A useful developer diary for Train2Game students: The technology of Mafia II

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2K Games have released a developer diary that provides an insight into their upcoming title Mafia II. It should hopefully be of interest to all Train2Game students be they a Games Designer, Games Developer or Games Artist & Animator.

The Technology of Mafia II gives us a glimpse behind the scenes at 2K Czech and demonstrates the effort that’s been put into giving the sandbox action game an authentic 1940’s and 1950’s feel.

The developers tell us how they want the player to become fully immersed in the Goodfellas inspired rags to riches story. 2K Czech decided the best way to do this was to build their game engine – the Illusion Engine – from the ground up. It appears to have worked with Mafia II looking very impressive, with 2K Czech promising plenty of attention to detail.

We’re also told how the Game Developers and Game Designers want Mafia II players to feel like they’re playing a part in a classic gangster film, with the cut scenes designed to reinforce this impression.

The video gives an interesting insight into Game Development and could be very useful indeed to Train2Game students. Mafia II itself looks impressive and is released on August 27th. You can see gameplay footage and hear the developers’ insights by watching the video below.


So Train2Game, how would you feel about attempting to build a game engine from the ground up? What would you do to fully immerse players into your game world? And are you looking forward to Mafia II?

As usual, leave your thoughts here or on the Train2Game forum.

UK charts: Toy Story 3 reclaims Number 1

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Toy Story 3 has reclaimed top spot in the GFK Chart Track All formats chart in its forth week of release. It’s the second time the Disney title has been number one, dislodging last week’s top title Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty which drops down to forth following a very successful release.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 makes a surprising jump from eighth to second place to achieve its highest chart position since January. The FPS looks set to replace DS title ‘Dr Kawashima’ as the UK’s biggest seller and this could happen next week.

Ubisoft’s Dance on Broadway raises one place to third while Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption drops to fifth – its lowest ever position after 12 weeks in the all-formats chart.

Just Dance and Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels Starry Skies are both non-movers holding onto sixth and seventh spots respectively.

Meanwhile the magic of Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 seems to be wearing off with the Warner Brothers title dropping three places from fifth to eighth position. Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 round out the top ten in the same positions they occupied last week.

There were no new entries into the top ten this week with only two new releases – Art Academy and Hidden Mysteries: Titanic – entering the top 40 in 28th and 32nd. The full top 10 is below:

1. Toy Story 3 (Disney)
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Activision)
3. Dance on Broadway (Ubisoft)
4. Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty (Blizzard)
5. Red Dead Redemption (Take Two)
6. Just Dance (Ubisoft)
7. Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Sky (Square Enix)
8. LEGO Harry Potter: Years 104 (Warner Bros)
9. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Nintendo)
10. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (EA)

So Train2Game, what do you think about the latest charts? Why do you think Modern Warfare 2 still remains so popular? Will Starcraft II suffer a drop like Crackdown 2 (Now in 25th) has previously? Or do you think Red Dead Redemption will be the next to fall?

As usual, leave your thoughts here or on the Train2Game forum.

‘Operation Flashpoint: Red River’ reports for duty

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Operation Flashpoint: Red River has officially been announced by Codemasters and is set to be deployed during 2011.

The game is set in the near future and “depicts a fictional conflict with contemporary geopolitical themes, which will unfold over three distinct acts in both single player and drop-in-drop-out co-operative play for up to four players online.”

Codemasters say improvements over previous iterations in the series will include deeper narrative-led campaign, streamlined inventory and control system, a refined enemy and squad AI system, , close-quarters combat,  and new air support options.

Red River also looks set to push co-operative play as one of its biggest features with Codemasters stating ‘players will be able to team up with their friends to play through additional co-operative game modes.’

New player class roles mean that gamers can play the way they want, honing skills in their chosen fields as they rank up through the new XP reward system and customise their equipment with numerous upgrades.

Creative Director Sion Lenton keenly pushes the multiplayer elements of the upcoming title:

“Operation Flashpoint: Red River is being built around four player co-op online play, complete with a strong narrative, new enemies and combat scenarios to deliver gameplay that immerses players in the reality of war like never before.

“The new setting of Tajikistan is a diverse and exciting backdrop for the wide range of military challenges the US Marines face around the world in real life. We’re excited to push the series in new directions while staying true to the core tactical combat that is the hallmark of Operation Flashpoint,”

Operation Flashpoint: Red River arrives in 2011 on the Xbox 360 , PlayStation 3 and PC.

So Train2Game, what do you think about this news? Does the prospect of proper co-operative play sound good? Is it a Modern Warfare 2 beater? Or are you just tired of the seemingly endless supply of war themed first person shooters?

As usual, leave your thoughts here or on the Train2Game forum.

PC gaming hardware sells double that of consoles

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Reports of PC gaming’s demise have been greatly exaggerated, and it is in fact stronger than every current console combined. That’s according to a report by the PC Gaming Alliance

Among the key findings of the Horizons Hardware research report, was that volumes for the PC Gaming hardware market in 2009 were over two times larger than the combined Wii, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 console units shipped in the same period.  Revenue from ‘PC’s capable of gaming’ totalled $54.6 billion during last year, and the alliance expected this to grow to $61.3 billion by 2014.

The report also estimates the worldwide number of consumers gaming  on their PCs – which includes both Desktop and Notebooks – to be 212.6 million for 2009 and expects this to grow to about 322 million by 2014.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s the Asia Pacific region which has the highest percentage of PC gamers with 33% using desktops or laptops.

PCGA Research Committee Chairman Matt Ployhar says gamers are moving away from bulky desktops and towards more mobile laptop systems.

“One of the biggest trends I’m seeing in the 2009 Horizon’s hardware report indicates a strong demand for more capable mobile based systems by PC Gamers.”

“PC Gamers are playing a central role in fuelling healthier margins, and driving innovation in this space worldwide”.

Meanwhile, research manager at IDC covering PCs Richard Shims says PC gamers are more willing to spend large amounts on their systems than console owners.

“PC gaming is the highest profile and most mature example of a new era of computing systems based on usage”

“These new usage-based systems are hardware configurations optimized for an improved user experience. Consumers are often willing to pay more for such an experience. In the case of gaming PCs, up to 25% more as compared to a mainstream system.”

Of course, saying PC gamers are more mature than other gamers won’t start a flame war at all. There’s also no mention in the report of gaming on Macs, with Valve in particular pushing more games onto the Apple system. Of course, if you’re unfamiliar with PC gaming, you can read how it could be the ideal platform for Train2Game students in this blog from the archives.

So Train2Game, are any of you PC gamers? Do you think the PC is a stronger system than consoles? Or do you think the PC Gaming Alliance might just be trying to push their vested interested in the system?

As usual, you can leave your thoughts here or on the Train2Game forum.

New LittleBigPlanet 2 trailer released…and it looks adorable.

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Sony has revealed a new LittleBigPlanet 2 trailer on the PlayStation Blog, and it looks very promising indeed.

The Adventure trailer – for that is its name – shows some of the new tools and abilities at Sackboy’s disposal which includes commanding Sackbots, flying a spaceship, throwing enemies and using bouncy jump pads. You’ll need to use them all as you play through 50 levels in order to save Craftworld from the evil Negativitron.

Of course, the customisation tools available meant, LittleBigPlanet was more than just a platformer, and Media Molecule’s sequel just gives players even more options in this area. Not only can you create your own levels, you can create your own games. It’s something that every PlayStation 3 owning Train2Game student – especially the Games Designers – really should be looking into.

LittleBigPlanet 2 is due for release in the USA on November 16th, with a European release date rumoured to be coming at the upcoming GamesCom.

Still not convinced by it? Then check out the LittleBigPlanet 2: Adventure Trailer here below. If you don’t feel all warm inside then you probably have a heart made of stone.

So Train2Game, what do you think of the video? Of course, you like what you see, but what is your favourite new feature? And do you have any ideas for LittleBigPlanet2 levels or games?

As usual, leave your thoughts here or on the Train2Game forum.

Batman: Arkham City coming Autumn 2011

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The much anticipated sequel to critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham Asylum will be called Batman: Arkham City. The bad news for excited fans of The Dark Knight is that it won’t be released until autumn 2011.

Players will enter Arkham City, the new maximum security home for all of Gotham City’s thugs, gangsters and insane criminal masterminds. It’ll introduce new characters from the DC Comics series into the Arkham universe, with Game Informer revealing on its latest cover that Catwoman will be one of these. Will she be an ally or an enemy?

It’s rumoured that Mr Freeze, Talia Al Ghul and Two Face will all feature, with a figure that looks an awful lot like the latter appearing on a poster behind Batman and Catwoman in this image. The previously released teaser trailer shows that The Joker and Harley Quinn will both be making a return.

Batman: Arkham City will be available on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC, with publishers Warner Brothers promising an array of new and enhanced gameplay features “to deliver the ultimate experience as the Dark Knight.”

The Batman: Arkham City website is now live.

So Train2Game, how many of you played the original Batman: Arkham Asylum and what did you think? How excited are you about Batman: Arkham City? What heroes and villains would you like to see make an appearance?

And from a Games Designer, Games Developer or Games Artist & Animator perspective, is there any particular franchise, be it comic book or not, that you’d like to work on in future?

As usual, leave your thoughts here or on the Train2Game forum.

DJ Hero 2 Multiplayer Developer Diary

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Here’s another little developer diary that Train2Game students may find interesting. This one is from Freestyle Games, and features Creative Director Jamie Jackson talking about their upcoming title DJ Hero 2.

During the two and a half minute video, he speaks about DJ Hero 2’s six new multiplayer modes. These include Party Play, which lets you and friends freestyle through continuously running mixes at will, and Streak, a battle game that also let’s a vocalist join in on the action.

The other modes are DJ battle, head to head, Accumulator and Checkpoint challenge which are all explained in a bit more detail in the developer diary.

Jamie Jackson says the main idea behind the multiplayer modes of DJ Hero 2 is to ‘inspire a party in your living room.’ He also adds that the bars gone up and claims the games multiplayer modes have something for everyone. Reckon he’s right, Train2Game? Why don’t you tell us after watching the Developer Diary from Freestyle Games below? (Careful now, it contains ‘Mild Suggestive Themes!’)

So, have you thought about designing multiplayer games? Do you think it’s more difficult than doing it for a single player game? And do you like what you’ve seen of DJ Hero 2?

The game is released this autumn.

As usual, leave your comments here or on the Train2Game forum.

Rare Golden Wrenches to be destroyed for charity

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The Golden Wrench is one of the rarest items in online gaming, with just 100 being randomly distributed to Team Fortress 2 players during the Engineer Update. Now the owner of Golden Wrench #31, a fellow who goes by the name of WiNG will be destroying his wrench, and all in the name of charity. He explains on the Golden Charity website:

“I’ve decided that perhaps Golden Wrench #31 is better served destroyed than remaining to exist. I also decided that, if I were to destroy it, why shouldn’t I try to make something good come of the situation? To create something positive of this utterly divisive, bitter issue? And for that reason, I’ve chosen to run a fundraiser to benefit the Child’s Play Charity, culminating in the destruction of the Golden Wrench. So far, this movement has gained the support of thousands, including 7 other Golden Wrench owners who have chosen to join me and delete their gold-plated play things for charity.”

The top 20 highest individual donators will be invited to watch the destruction ceremony take place on August 31st, and see some of gaming’s most sought after items reduced to nothingness in the name of charity. There’s still a lot of time before the August 23rd deadline for donations, but already the Golden Wrench campaign has raised over $6000, or almost £4000, to provide sick children with toys, books and games. If any Train2Game students wish to donate yourself, you can find out how on WiNG’s  Golden Charity page. Do you think more Golden Wrench owners will join in?

If you want to know a bit more about what’s going on, you can watch the video below. As usual, you can discuss this news on the Train2Game forum.