Composer finds his niche in music for video games

Eight years ago, Chris Rickwood got a chance to put his musical skills and his love of video games together. A software engineer at the time, but also a classically trained composer, the Atlantan was asked to write five tracks for a horror game published by THQ Inc.

Today, Rickwood, 34, is one of the nation's pre-eminent composers of video game soundtracks. He's producing all the music and sound effects for the upcoming Sony Xbox game Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom. And he's working on two major games produced by Atlanta companies The Cartoon Network and High-Rez Studios Inc. Over the past eight years, he's composed music for 40-plus titles.

While video games have been popular for decades, they are increasingly becoming more sophisticated as gamers demand more cinema-like experiences.

Mike Tinney, president of CCP North America, says sound is a critical part of the atmosphere of any game. Iceland-based CCP, which has its North American headquarters in Atlanta, produces the popular space game EVE Online and is working on an Internet game based on the gothic World of Darkness comic book series.

Special vest lets players feel video game blows

A US surgeon working on a "tele-health" breakthrough has devised a way for video game warriors to feel shots, stabs, slams, and hits dealt to their on-screen characters.

A vest designed by doctor Mark Ombrellaro uses air pressure and feedback from computer games to deliver pneumatic thumps to the spots on players' torsos where they would have been struck were they actually on the battlefields.

The "3rd Space" vest will make its US debut in November at a price of 189 dollars. It will be launched with the first-person shooter game "Call of Duty" and a custom-made title.

"It was originally designed as a medical device," Ombrellaro told AFP while letting gamers try the vest at the E for All video game exposition in Los Angeles.

"To give medical exams via the Internet to prisoners, the elderly, those in rural communities and other isolated people."

The medical version of the vest is more sophisticated, enabling doctors sitting at their computers to prod, poke and press patients' bodies from afar and get feedback on what they are virtually feeling, according to Ombrellaro.

That model is pending approval by the US Food and Drug Administration, which wants to be assured that diagnosis made using the vests are reliable.

"You can teleconference with patients but you are missing the hands-on," the vascular surgeon said. "Being able to do that is the last step to tele-health."

A 3rd Space vest that mimics the feeling of G-forces and turning pressures for flight and car games is to be launched early next year, after Ombrellaro's company TN Games finds exciting titles to match it with.

TN Games is based in technology giant Microsoft's home town of Redmond, Washington.

"We've had some Microsoft people check it out," Ombrellaro said.

"Orange Box" emerges as video game sleeper hit

What do you get when you throw together a 3-year-old video game, two sequels, a multiplayer variant a decade in the making and a quirky concept game involving a gun that shoots teleportation holes?

If you're Valve Corp, one of the best-regarded independent video game studios, you get "The Orange Box", which is winning rave reviews and emerging as a sleeper hit.

The main game is "Half-Life 2", a shooter set in an Orwellian future where aliens walk freely among us. The game came out in 2004 but is going strong thanks to two expansion packs, 2006's "Episode One" and now "Episode Two".

"We wanted to provide a mix of gameplay mechanics and environments," Valve marketing director Doug Lombardi said of the latest installment.

"We try to give you more of an epic scale than we've done before."

As Valve was putting the finishing touches on "Episode Two", it was also wrapping up "Team Fortress 2", an online multiplayer combat game. The original "Team Fortress" came out in 1996 as a popular free modification for the game "Quake".

"'Team Fortress 2' and 'Episode Two' were kind of on a collision course release-wise," Lombardi said of the decision to sell the games together.

"We said do we want them competing or complementing each other?"

More from Reuters

Activision Brings ''Dancing with the Stars'' Game to the Wii

Get Off the Couch and Dance Like Your Favorite Celebs!

Activision, announced today that they have teamed up with Disney- ABC Television Group’s ABC Entertainment and BBC Worldwide America to create the first ever “Dancing with the Stars” video game for the Wii home video game system. The “Dancing with the Stars” video game gives fans of the show and players of rhythm games exactly what they want – hours and hours of active family fun!

The gameplay in “Dancing with the Stars” for Wii is accessible for gamers of all ages and abilities. The Wii Remote and the Nunchuk is used to physically mimic elegant dance moves while at the same time allowing the player to add his or her own personal flair!

The game, studded with stars like Emmitt Smith and Stacy Keibler, is already quick-stepping into the marketplace with a nationwide promotional push. With this Activision, ABC and BBC Worldwide America partnership, get ready to let your inner dance star shine!

“Dancing with the Stars” for Wii will be available on October 30th, 2007 for $49.99 with a rating of “E 10+” for Ages 10 and up by the ESRB. It will also be available for PlayStation®2 and compatible with the PlayStation®2 Dance Pad on the same date for the price of $39.99. A limited-edition “Dancing with the Stars” dance pad bundled with the PlayStation®2 game will be available on November 13th, 2007 for $49.99.

About Dancing with the Stars

“Dancing with the Stars” airs Mondays at 8:00 p.m., ET and Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m., ET on ABC. Tom Bergeron (“America’s Funniest Home Videos”) hosts alongside special guest host and Season Two champion Drew Lachey, who is graciously filling in for Samantha Harris (“E! Entertainment”) while she is on maternity leave.

“Dancing with the Stars” is the U.S. version of the BBC smash hit series, “Strictly Come Dancing.” This version is produced in America by BBC Worldwide Productions. Conrad Green serves as executive producer and Rob Wade and Matilda Zoltowski are co-executive producers. Alex Rudzinski directs.

Microsoft announces HD-DVD deal

Five free film titles with purchases of an HD-DVD drive until February 2008

Microsoft is gearing up for the Christmas period with a new offer that's aimed at taking on Sony's PlayStation 3 Blu-ray component.

The company has announced that it will hand out five free HD-DVD titles from a selection of 13 films to customers buying an HD-DVD drive for their Xbox 360 between now and the end of January next year.

The titles available are: Serenity, The Chronicles of Riddick, Hulk, Children of Men, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Troy, Full Metal Jacket, Corpse Bride, The Prestige, Swordfish, Black Rain, Dreamgirls and Word Trade Centre

To receive the films customers will need to fill in a form and send it, along with the barcode from their HD-DVD drive purchase, to Microsoft - who will then send out the films within 28 working days.

The move comes shortly after Sony's PlayStation 3 price drop announcement and attempts to push its Blu-ray drive - one of the reasons why the PS3 retails at a higher price point than the Xbox 360.

1500 sign up for Game Career Fair

EA, NCsoft, LucasArts, Sega and more exhibiting at two day event

More than 1500 attendees have already signed up for next week's London Game Career Fair, due to take place October 23 and 24.

The event offers an opportunity for students, industry professionals and recruitment specialists to meet, share advice on breaking into, and furthering careers in the fast-moving games business.

Both days see a wealth of talent discuss methods of entry into the industry, with Rare, Sports Interactive and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe all due to speak on Tuesday, and Relentless, Ubisoft, Electronic Arts and Blitz addressing attendees on Wednesday.

Companies exhibiting at the event include publishers EA, NCsoft, LucasArts and Sega, developers such as Juice Games, Team 17 and RealTime Worlds, as well as recruitment specialists, universities and colleges.

There is also the opportunity to see a special photographic exhibition, called Faces of the Games Industry, featuring some of the key figures in the videogames business worldwide.

We Love Golf! Fact Sheet

We Love Golf! transforms the Wii Remote into a virtual set of golf clubs, creating the most immersive golfing experience available off the greens. This new title is being developed in partnership with Camelot Software Planning, best known for developing successful sports games for home systems, including Hot Shots Golf and the Mario Golf series.

We Love Golf! presents a realistic golfing experience with a fresh new spin incorporating the Wii Remote's unique motion-sensing functionality. Players will use the controller to choose clubs, line up shots, swing and even add a touch fade or draw with a flick of the wrist. Just as on a real course, gauging wind conditions, correct club selection and careful reading of the greens are all essential for victory. A variety of game modes, multiple characters, and unlockable content will provide endless hours of putting heaven.

• Fully immersive golf game turns Wii RemoteTM controller into a virtual set of clubs
• Engage in single player or up to four-player head-to-head competitions to see who is the ultimate fairway champion
• True-to-life golf physics – pick the right club, line up shots, factor in wind speed and direction
• Dramatic, telecast style presentation brings players into the game as they watch their shots fly through the air or sink into the hole
• Multiple game modes ranging from tournament, character matches, stroke play, closest to the pin competitions, special mini-games and more
• Unlock new playable characters, courses and more by playing through the various game modes
• Multiple courses, each with their own unique obstacles provide a variety of settings and challenges
• Several different playable characters, each with their own look, personality and play style
• Dozens of selectable costumes to customize the look of the game

Award-Winning KAMI game for Wii

A Stroke of Genius Brings the Incredible Action/Adventure Game To Life Using the Wii Remote

It’s finally time to experience the magic of kami as it was always meant to be played. Capcom’s award winning game -- hailed as “Game of the Year” for 2006 by multiple magazines and websites including Associated Press, PSM, Village Voice, IGN.com, Game Revolution and more -- is set for release on the Wii home video game system in Spring 2008. Featuring a re-imagined control scheme built around the intuitive Wii Remote, kami offers players an unparalleled level of control and an opportunity to rediscover a critically-acclaimed and beautifully crafted adventure.

kami tells the story of a mythical sun god who sets out to restore a dismal world, decimating the forces of evil who stand in the way by commanding the elements and mythical abilities the deity possesses. Mixing Japanese folklore and a stunning traditional Japanese art style, players must utilize an inventive control scheme to overcome the challenges and evil that await. By enhancing the unique gameplay, visual style and story line of TMkami with the control of the Wii Remote, it is sure to be the ultimate version of the game.

Originally designed for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and released in 2006, TMkami now comes alive in an entirely new way on the Wii with its visually stunning art style and beautiful scenic 3D levels that have the appearance and texture of paper scrolls brushed with watercolor-like calligraphy art. Throughout the vibrant and distinctive surroundings, players must use the Wii remote to interact with a dynamic world and cast of characters. The blend of stylized graphics, movements and unique gameplay will result in a rich and dynamic experience never seen before.

kami includes the following features:

• Innovative gameplay and control scheme optimized for the Wii - Defeating monsters requires both motion-controlled physical attacks, but also use of the Wii Remote as Amaterasu’s ‘Celestial Brush’ to paint the desired powers for decimating enemies and solving puzzles.
• Create and destroy at will - Play as a god to re-establish order and beauty to a world laid barren by evil.
• Intense action-packed battles – Rooted in Japanese folklore, fight against a diverse line-up of demons and monsters.
• Utilize various gameplay styles – In addition to the Celestial Brush, Amaterasu can wield three types of offensive weaponry, each with their own unique abilities and effects. Depending on how a weapon is equipped, it can be used as the main or sub weapon:
• Reflectors – These well-balanced weapons are suited for close range combat
• Rosaries– Sacred magatama beads are great for quick long range attacks
• Glaives – These can be charged up to unleash powerful close range attacks
• Intriguing main character – Assume the role of the sun god, Amaterasu, who descends upon the earth in the form of a wolf. The Japanese translation of the word wolf is “TMkami”.
• Original visuals and revolutionary design– Vibrant and inspiring graphics, reminiscent of traditional Japanese art created on paper scrolls, produce a large variety of stages with a watercolor-esque appearance.
• Interact with a unique and dynamic cast of characters.

Mega Man ZX Advent Fact Sheet

Developed as a title for Mega Man’s 20th anniversary, Mega Man ZX Advent is a fast-paced action game that follows two heroes, Grey and Ashe, on two separate but intertwining adventures as they search for answers amidst a chaotic war between humans and robots. As a flagship franchise for Capcom, the Mega Man series has garnered sales in excess of 27 millions units worldwide and has generated more than 100 titles, the most of any Capcom series.

In Mega Man ZX Advent, the main characters discover the power of the mysterious “Biometal model A,” which on its own has several attacks, but also has a special Megamerge ability which allows the character to transform into one of eight “Pseudoroid” bosses that each have a unique set of abilities. Once a boss is defeated, players can emulate their powers to find hidden routes, discover rare items and aid their battles against more powerful enemies.

The title takes full advantage of the Nintendo DS features to enhance the action-packed gameplay and story line of the popular series. With a touch of the Nintendo DS screen, players can easily switch back and forth between the Biometal and Map navigation screens. Bosses can be fought in several different ways, testing players’ skills and rewarding them with nearly 24 different items depending on how they take on a boss. Further gameplay options are available as players explore and open up new areas of the map.

• Two playable characters – play as “Grey” or “Ashe”, each with unique abilities and individual, but linked storylines
• Two additional bonus characters – Vent and Aile from Mega Man®ZX are available and players can transform into their “Mega Man Model ZX” form
• Dynamic “Biometal” system allows players to transform into several forms – eight bosses, five Biometal forms and human
• Transformations use up the “Live metal gauge” so they must be used effectively
• “Area expansion” – explore and open up new areas with access to additional quests
• Condition Bonus – strategically beat bosses to obtain valuable rare items
• Touch screen allows players to instantly change forms and switch between subscreens
• Co-op and head-to-head two player wireless play (two cartridges required)
• Two-player downloadable mini-game (one cartridge required)
• Five unlockable mini-games in total
• Unlockable mode for the classic Mega Man (dot image) which even longstanding fans will be impressed with

1,000 new games to be added to MYGAME.COM

PARTNERSHIP TO ADD OVER 1,000 NEW GAMES TO MYGAME.COM AND OFFER DEVELOPERS MORE WAYS TO EARN MONEY

MyGame.com, the first social games site to bring together user-generated content, casual games, and revenue-sharing today announced that it will now add more than 1,000 new games through a partnership between its parent, King.com, the world’s largest skills game site, and Mochi Media’s MochiAds, the largest online games advertising network.

As a result of this partnership, MyGame.com visitors can access an abundance of high-quality games providing hours of entertainment, and developers on the MochiAds network receive a percentage of advertising revenue for each game play through around-game advertising. The advertisements are pre-game and inter-level, displaying to users during natural breaks in game play.

In addition to more games, MyGame.com has enhanced its homepage so that the most popular games can easily be identified and sorted by most played, and can be displayed showing the three latest uploaded games by genre. All of the games include a thumbnail, game description, category, key words and popularity index, so that developers can track how often their game is played.

“We want MyGame.com to be the place where novice and professional game developers can make the best per-play revenues and where users can discover and play the most entertaining online games,” said Toby Rowland, co-Founder and co-CEO of King.com. “Our partnership with MochiAds provides MyGame.com players with new games and game developers with the opportunity to increase their revenues by sharing in the proceeds of around-game advertising.”

Since the launch on June 27, 2007 novice players have created nearly 100,000 user-generated games, using the build-your-own-game feature. Visitors coming to the site have increased the popularity of games including: Bowmaster Prelude, Desktop Tower Defense, Word Pop, Blocky and Bloons, thus creating more revenue opportunities for the developers.

“Connecting developers with greater distribution channels and advertising revenue is a win-win for everyone. Consumers benefit from increased access to high-quality entertainment, and we’re also supporting the game developer community. That’s one of our goals with MochiAds,” said Jameson Hsu, CEO of Mochi Media.

Mygame.com and MochiAds are part of the vibrant and fast-growing casual games industry. According to the Casual Games Association, by 2008, the casual games industry is expected to reach $1.5 billion worldwide, with $690 million from North America. This growth gives developers and advertisers the chance to find new ways to generate even higher profits.