Street Fighter IV video game PC Specs!

With the release of Street Fighter IV on the PC, many will be eagerly anticipating the next installment of the biggest fighting game series in video game history!

For those planning on buying the title, we have the hardware specifications required to set you in good stead for one of this year's hottest titles!

Visualise your dream home with Grand Designs 3D at Grand Designs Live!

The Grand Designs 3D team will be at the Grand Designs Live show demonstrating their new state of the art home design software on stand B3. The Grand Designs Live show will be at Excel London from the 25th April to the 4th May. Both the public & press will have the opportunity to meet and discuss the software with the design team.

The Grand Designs 3D software range was released in October at the Birmingham NEC Grand Designs Live show. Since being released the software has consistently received high review scores from the press, with PC Advisor awarding Grand Designs 3D Renovation & Interiors their prestigious Gold Award.

Grand Designs 3D software is for anyone inspired by Grand Designs and who wishes to communicate their own design ideas. Grand Designs 3D allows users to bring their ideas to life before seeking professional advice, whether making changes to existing homes or contemplating a self build project. The software range consists of three products: Grand Designs 3D Kitchen & Bathroom (£24.46), Renovation & Interior (£48.92) and Self Build & Development (£195.73).

The user can complete their design step by step, planning with 2D drawing tools before breathing life into their project by visualising their ideas in 3D. A database of fixtures and fittings allows each project to be furnished and decorated with rendered images demonstrating the effects of texturing, lighting and even shadows. Finally, a 3D walk through feature allows each project to be examined in close-up detail and provides a genuine impression of moving in to the finished home or room.

The software includes some content from the Grand Designs TV programme, such as 2D interior and exterior plans from TV projects and 3D models. You can even base your ideas on your favourite Grand Design from the show. The larger programs will also allow users to export industry standard drawings, in formats used by professional architects and planning authorities.

To complement the software there is a support site www.3Darchitect.co.uk, which will enable users to download additional content .

The Grand Designs 3D home designer software range will run on Windows XP/Vista.

Gems Quest PC game - Sixty levels of gem-matching puzzling fun

Enjoy the Spirit of Adventure with Gems Quest!

Sulus Games announces the immediate availability of Gems Quest, a perfect mix of an enjoyable arcade game and exciting adventure. It provides players with an ultimate opportunity to enjoy 60 levels with compelling tasks to complete.

The game includes an innovative match 3 arcade mechanics. Gems Quest defines itself as a well-developed game with high-quality graphics and eye-pleasing special effects. The rules of the game are totally easy to learn, so you do not need to be a skilled match 3 player to get accustomed to the game mechanics. High-quality 3D episodes telling the story of the main hero are presented in a comic strip manner.

Since the very launch of the game the fleeting spirit of adventure will capture your thoughts and take you to a faraway country deep into the jungle. You will learn the story of young girl Sasha. In the book of legends she finds out that there is a cure of all illnesses: a very rare red flower. She needs it very much. So, gathering all her braveness she decides to take a trip to deep jungle forests, the only place on earth where the rare flower is said to grow. We are meeting Sasha the moment her doggy, finds a marking on the ground that signifies an ancient temple. She quickly throws all reasons aside and ventures off to investigate.

Gems Quest has 60 professionally designed arcade levels. The objective is to move blocks with arrows by clicking on them to make matches. You can match three or more blocks. The gold you receive with a match fills the plate in totem's hands. When the plate is full, the level is complete. Gems are moved indirectly by moving adjacent arrows. The direction of an arrow changes upon collision with the wall. The game also includes a new kind of Power Ups, helping you to collect more gold or break up obstacles.

Pricing and Availability

Gems Quest runs under 98\Me\2000\XP\Vista and costs $19.99 (USD) for a single-user license. Licensed customers are entitled to enjoy the game without any time limitations. Additional information on Gems Quest with its download version limited to 60 minutes of game play is available from www.sulusgames.com.

Snood Deluxe new and improved version of Snood! puzzle game for Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Mac OS X

Snood Deluxe To Be Published by Tri Synergy!

Save the Snoods! Tri Synergy will be bringing Snood fans everywhere a new and improved version of Snood!

Sharon, MA, March 3rd, 2008 – Tri Synergy, Inc. (www.trisynergy.com) and Word of Mouse Games (www.womgames.com) are thrilled to announce that they will be bringing veteran Snood savers and puzzle game fans everywhere Snood Deluxe, the latest and greatest version of the famous Snood game system with tons of new features, improvements, and customization options.

Snood Deluxe is an addicting puzzle game where the player must use their wits and good aim to save the Snoods. By attaching Snoods of the same type into groups of three or more you can set the Snoods free and accumulate points, prizes, awards, and more!

Snood Deluxe is infinitely replayable with nearly endless puzzles and a wide variety of game modes. You can even team up with a friend in Spider mode and work together on the same keyboard to save the Snoods, get high scores, and achieve Snood fame! Snood Deluxe also features an online leader board so other Snood savers like yourself can publish their greatest accomplishments and show off their tip-top skills. If that wasn’t enough, Snood Deluxe also includes plenty of features for the creative Snood savers among us. Snood artists can craft custom Snood pictures, create brand new puzzles and upload them to other users, and much more!

There’s no time to delay, save the Snoods!

Features of Snood Deluxe include:

• Set your own pace! There is no time limit in Snood Deluxe, so you can play as quickly or as patiently as you wish.
  
• Simple controls! You only need the mouse to play. Move it left and right to aim your launcher, and click to launch your Snood.
  
• Multiple difficulty settings! Pick the level that suits your skill, from Child to Evil, or try the Puzzle or Journey levels.
  
• Two player mode where you can team up with a friend on the same computer to save the Snoods! One player launches Snoods while the other controls the Spider which can move Snoods around.
  
• Design your own custom difficulty settings, snoods, and puzzles. The sky is the limit with the creativity and customization you can put into Snood Deluxe.
  
• Show off your Snood skills with an in-game high score list and an online leader board. Let the world know how good at Snood you really are!
  

Snood Deluxe will be available for Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Mac OS 10.4 and above. Get more information on Snood Deluxe from Tri Synergy’s webpage.

New Sci-fi RTS Game SUNAGE - trailer

Leading publisher Lighthouse Interactive and developer Vertex 4 today released the much anticipated teaser for SunAge. Scheduled to release across Europe this month, this energetic RTS game offers a unique experience bringing modern innovation to the isometric style of real-time strategy. This PC CD-ROM game is Windows® Vista™ compatible.

Globally known music producer, Angina P, created the music for the teaser. She is a production force whose unique sound transforms raw elements of breakbeat, new age and ambience, into unique and rare gems. Beside the music for the teaser, she created and produced the complete SunAge soundtrack.

GAME SUMMARY

SunAge is the modern day answer for RTS fans who want the best possible overview on their troops, while trying to outsmart opponents in frantic battles where strategies and tactics are more important than ever. If you are a core real-time strategy gamer, SunAge is for you!

Earth is a desolate wasteland destroyed by the radiation and heat of the sun. Humankind, known as the Dome Confederacy, have been forced to retreat into shielded cities enduring constant attacks by the Raak-zun cult; a sect of religious outcasts who live outside the dome. An age long war has ensued as both races battle for the limited resources of the dying planet. Amidst the havoc, the gateway to a bold new planet is unlocked. Hope is on the horizon, but this mecca is teeming with lethal Sentinel drones who will not hesitate to annihilate any life form that gets in their way.

FEATURES

• 3 Distinct Races - Human, Raak-zun and Sentinel - each with their own units, buildings, technological advantages and disadvantages.
• Unique Upgrades - Alternate modes can be researched for all units, unlocking dual functionality for greater tactical depth.
• Graphics - Stunning sci-fi environments from vast industrial cities and devastated
wastelands, to a lush alien planet. While displaying rich graphical environments and visual effects, SunAge is very playable on lower spec PC’s and laptops.
• Tactical Landscape - All units and their alternate modes are crucial to the overall
strategy. Exploit weaknesses in the enemy’s network while strengthening your own connection lines.
• Formations - Squad concept combined with long distance camera views allows
a large number of units to be fighting onscreen with a clear overview of the battle
ground.
• Singleplayer - 25 campaign maps with compelling plots for each race.
• Multiplayer - LAN and Online – Classic multiplayer with focus on gathering4 different kinds of resources and outsmarting the opponent in battle. 10 maps created uniquely for multiplayer mode.
• Command Queuing - Command your units to prone, build or attack where you want them and when you want them to do so.
• Indirect Intelligent Targeting (IIT) - Order your units to focus on pre-selected targets.

MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

OS: Windows ME / 2000 / XP / Vista
CPU: 1,2 GHz Intel Pentium III or equivalent AMD Athlon processor
RAM: 512 MB (1 GB Recommended for Windows Vista)
Video Card: 128 MB 3D accelerated video card
PC CD-ROM: 4x (or PC DVD-ROM drive)
Sound: DirectSound compatible (Sound Blaster X-Fi series sound card recommended)
Available Hard Disk Space: 1 GB
DirectX: 9.0c compatible
Other: Mouse, Keyboard and Speakers
Multiplayer: LAN or 56K (or faster) Internet Connection

To download the new teaser, visit: www.lighthouse-interactive.com

Microsoft profits surge on Halo 3

Above: Master Chief, Halo 3, Wallpaper
Microsoft shares soared to a six-year high in New York last night, after the software giant lifted its profits for the full-year, off the back of record quarterly revenue growth.

The group reported a 27pc rise in revenue to $13.76bn (£6.71bn) for the three months to the end of September – the fastest growth of any first quarter since 1999, driven by strong demand for video game Halo 3, and Windows Vista.

Master Chief, one of the game's key characters
Halo 3 has enjoyed phenomenal success, becoming the fastest-selling video game in history earlier this month, after notching up $300m worth of sales in its first week.

Meanwhile, the development of Vista has been a torturous five-year project, costing Microsoft $6bn and arriving a year late.

However, Kevin Johnson, president of the platform and services division at Microsoft, said yesterday: "Customer demand for Windows Vista this quarter continued to build with double-digit growth in multi-year agreements by businesses and with the vast majority of consumers purchasing premium editions."

Microsoft's business division, and its server and tool arm saw combined revenue climb 20pc, thanks to robust demand for the 2007 Microsoft Office system, Windows Server and SQL Server – as well as Vista.

Overall, first-quarter sales beat market expectations by more than $1bn. Chris Liddell, chief financial officer, said: "The fiscal year is off to an outstanding start with the fastest revenue growth of any first quarter since 1999. Operating income growth of over 30pc also reflects our ability to translate revenue into profits while making strategic investments for the future."

Looking ahead, the group said it expects profits of $1.78 to $1.81 a share for the full-year, on sales of $58.8bn to $59.7bn.

The group's shares jumped as much as 13pc to $36.02 yesterday – a price last seen in July 2001.

Earlier this week, Microsoft saw off competition from rival Google to secure a stake in Facebook, in a deal which values the social networking site at $15bn.

Source: The Telegraph