World of Warcraft -New features to Feast of Winter Veil 2007

- The Preserved Holly that players can get from completing special holiday quests can now be used on flying mounts. This will temporarily turn their flying mount into a flying reindeer that trails sparkles as it flies through the air

- Handful of Snowflakes – this is a new item you can obtain by /kiss –ing a Winter Reveler NPC. It will create a light snowfall above any targeted player.

- Burning Crusade Holiday Bosses – as in past years, certain bosses will be dressed in a festive fashion and will drop seasonal hats when defeated. The holiday versions of the bosses will begin on Dec. 25 and end on Jan. 2. These bosses include:

• Grand Warlock Netherkurse (Shattered Halls)



• Grandmaster Vorpil (Shadow Labyrinth)



• Exarch Maladaar (Auchenai Crypts)



• Captain Skarloc (Durnholde Keep)



• Nethermancer Sepethrea (Mechanar)



• High Botanists Freywinn (Botanica)

- Mechanotoy – This is a new gift that can be obtained from under the Winter Veil tree in Ironforge and Orgrimmar. It lets you summon a Mechanotoy non-combat pet to follow you around.

The rest of the event remains as in the past, which is described on the event page:

http://www.wow-europe.com/en/info/basics/events/winterveil/

Escape from Paradise City Arrives on Direct2Drive

Escape from Paradise City, the hybrid RTS and RPG game for the PC, is now available for purchase and download on IGN’s Direct2Drive service. In Escape from Paradise City, gamers play as three unique characters -- an ex-con, a streetwise hand-to-hand expert and a corrupt FBI agent – who find themselves forced to help the government infiltrate the criminal underworld of the most corrupt city in America. Players must use each character’s unique skills and traits in their quest to defeat local gang leaders and make their way to the final showdown with the city's mysterious crime bosses to get to the root of their stranglehold on power. The game is available for immediate purchase and download at http://www.direct2drive.com/5474/product/Buy-Escape-From-Paradise-City-Download. More information about Escape from Paradise City is available at http://paradisecity.cdvus.com.

“Escape from Paradise City offers an innovative blend of role-playing and strategy gaming mechanics within a dark, modern setting where the anti-hero rules the day,” said Mario Kroll, cdv Software Entertainment USA’s Director of Marketing and PR. “We are delighted to be able to expand our purchase options to our customers and are delighted that Direct2Drive’s partnership offers a great, customer-friendly way to purchase and instantly play our titles.”

Escape from Paradise City drops players into a dystopian world that combines a dark underworld and elements of the supernatural. In the game, the player is required to infiltrate the gangs of Paradise City on behalf of a powerful government agency that, despite its influence, has been unable to introduce even a glimmer of law and order to this horribly corrupt city. In an intertwining chapter-driven story, the player takes turns controlling one of three gritty characters that, for their own reasons, have “volunteered” to get to the bottom of the mystery behind the controlling crime syndicate’s power.

Third Official "Grand Theft Auto IV" Trailer available on Xbox.com and Xbox LIVE

Today “Grand Theft Auto” fans will get their next look at the eagerly anticipated “Grand Theft Auto IV” with the release of the third official trailer, "Move up, ladies" on Xbox.com and Xbox LIVE Marketplace.

At 20.00, gamers can get another glimpse at Grand Theft Auto's colorful world in HD on Xbox.com and Xbox LIVE Marketplace. While online you can also check out the first two trailers, screen shots, and a preview of the “Grand Theft Auto IV” Marketplace theme.

“Grand Theft Auto IV” is the next chapter of the award winning “Grand Theft Auto” franchise from Rockstar Games and will be coming to the Xbox 360 on day one. In addition to online multiplayer, a first for the series, gamers will experience hours of additional gameplay with two downloadable episodes exclusively available on Xbox LIVE following the release of the game. Focused on the story of Eastern European immigrant Niko Bellic, “Grand Theft Auto IV” takes players back to Liberty City and promises a cinematic story told like only Rockstar can, an extremely vast and detailed world to explore and gameplay like the series has never seen before.

For all things Xbox 360 and Grand Theft Auto IV visit:

www.xbox.com

Elf Online Client Download Released

Happymmo is pleased to announce the download address for its first mmorpg Elf Online. Players could download Elf Online at http://download.elf.happymmo.com/elf_online.exe now.

Also, Elf Online will start it close beta soon. Players could enter the game by using the beta key after installed the game. For those players who haven’t gotten a beta key. You may click here to apply for one.

For more informations on Elf Online close beta please visit www.happymmo.com

New Frag Dolls UK website launches

Website...

To celebrate the end of their second year online, the UK Frag Dolls have launched a brand new version of their community website.

The UK Frag Dolls are a group of passionate girl gamers brought together by Ubisoft in 2005. They are advocates for the idea that gaming should be enjoyable and fun for people of any age, gender or skill.

Coming in fashionable grey and blue, the new website boasts improved access to the girls’ video and audio features, photos and blogs. The site is home to plenty of great content, including interviews with gaming luminaries and industry legends including Charles Cecil, Michel Ancel, Dr. Dave Doak, Jade Raymond, Paulina Bozek, Randy Pitchford, Tommy Tallarico, Iain Lee and many more.

Content added for the launch of the new look website includes a video interview with Dr. Tanya Byron, in which she talks about the Byron Review into the affect of games and the internet, and the 10th episode of the popular Afternoon Tea podcast, in which the ladies discuss the latest gaming developments over a nice cuppa.

The Frag Dolls attend and cover gaming events online and all over Europe, including the Edinburgh Interactive Festival, Leipzig Games Convention, Women in Gaming, Nottingham GameCity and the London Games Festival. The new look site features a extensive video and photo archive where images and videos from these events can be found.

Since their formation the group have appeared in mainstream and specialist press, on radio, on television, and even tackled new areas such as HD video on Xbox Live Marketplace.

Between them, the three girls have over 50 years experience as gamers – and outside this have racked up time as a television producer, a videogames journalist, a pathology graduate, a teacher and a researcher.

“Two years on, I feel the new site showcases our work brilliantly,” said Frag Doll Kitt, “though if they don’t change that ugly grey background I’m quitting.”

The Frag Dolls originally launched in the US in 2004 and are now one of the most recognised gaming groups in the world.

Stranglehold Downloadable Map Pack Coming Soon

Midway today announced a downloadable map pack for the acclaimed 3rd person action adventure title, Stranglehold, for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game systems. The map pack features 10 additional multiplayer maps ranging from the Kowloon Market to Wong’s Estate Grounds to the Rooftops of Chicago, as well as 21 all-new multiplayer character skins. The Xbox 360 version will include 10 new achievements worth 250 points. Rated “M” for mature by the ESRB, the Stranglehold downloadable map pack will be available soon in North America via the PlayStation Network and Xbox LIVE.

About Stranglehold™

A collaboration with world renowned action film director John Woo’s Tiger Hill Entertainment, Stranglehold allows players to experience the excitement of true next-gen action as you take on the role of Inspector Tequila created by John Woo for his influential action film, Hard Boiled starring Chow Yun-Fat. Ensnared by a crime boss with a gripping secret, Inspector Tequila is forced to cross the line from sworn duty to renegade cop. Engage your enemies with intense cinematic gun battles and cause massive environmental damage in real-time or revolutionary slow-motion Tequila Time. More information about Stranglehold can be found online at www.strangleholdgame.com

Brain Changes When Viewing Violent Games

"Scientists at Columbia University have used Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to show that a brain network responsible for suppressing inappropriate or unwarranted aggressive behaviors became less active after study subjects watched several short clips from popular movies depicting acts of violence.

These changes could render people less able to control their own aggressive behavior. Although research has shown some correlation between exposure to media violence and real-life violent behavior, there has been little direct neuroscientific support for this theory until now.

'Depictions of violent acts have become very common in the popular media,' said researcher Christopher Kelly. 'Our findings demonstrate for the first time that watching media depictions of violence does influence processing in parts of the brain that control behaviors like aggression.' The full research paper is published on the The Public Library of Science, a peer-reviewed, open-access, online publication, that publishes all its articles under a Creative Commons Attribution License."

Source: Slashdot

Teachers create Video Game Design programs

There are major trends and shifts in enrollment in the programming/computer science field. They have little to do with what is offered in schools. A majority of students do not seem to want to take courses in programming and computer science. As a result programming courses in high schools are at risk. High Point has developed a plan to turn kids on to the computer science industry without developing multi-year vocational programs of study. “After surveying students we discovered they wanted to work with hardware and design video games more than sit behind a computer and learn a programming language,” says Mark Wallace, supervisor of the Technological and Business Studies departments at the school. Wallace along with Marx Reynoso a computer programming teacher, developed a plan that would provide offerings that many students indicated they would be interested in taking. The plan is to bring them into an area they are interested in and then show them a reason for programming and computer science. The knowledge and skills gained in the programs are transferable and will hopefully drive many students into the computer science field. These programs will help excite students to look at robotics, “smart” transportation, software development and unknown explorations, the teacher said.

Mike Fasano, a freshman at High Point, feels the video game design unit in the already popular Communication Technology course taught by Wallace, where students are also learning about communication systems, electronics, fiber optics and GPS/GIS technology is “fun, entertaining, and helps you learn a lot about game development.”

More here...

Pimp An Orc With Fantasy Wars

WIN THE LATEST PC GAMING PERIPHERALS FROM SAITEK AT www.PIMP-MY-ORC.com

Fantasy Wars is a turn based battle strategy game for PC from Ascaron Entertainment to be released in February 2008. To celebrate the launch we are offering you the chance to ‘pimp an Orc’ and win a copy of the Fantasy Wars game and the new CYBORG headset, CYBORG command unit and CYBORG mouse from Saitek, collectively worth nearly £200.

Simply go to www.pimp-my-orc.com, download the three Orc heads and get going! Start editing and uploading pictures of your friends and family, or have fun with some of your less favourite B list celebrities and pop stars.

Examples of Orcs already ‘pimped’ include an ‘Elvis Orc’ and a ‘Guns ‘n’ Roses Slash Orc’. Get in on the act and create Amy WineOrc, Pete DOrchety, Christiano RonaldOrc or anyone else you would like to give a mOrc-over.

Find everything you need to participate at www.pimp-my-orc.com.

Fantasy Wars

Fantasy Wars is a turn based battle strategy game for PC from Ascaron Entertainment

Take on campaigns or missions as either the Humans or Orcs, later unlocking the Elf and Dwarf armies. Complete set tasks to win your mission, defeating the opposing enemy. The faster you complete missions, the higher your score.

www.FantasyWars-thegame.com


Saitek Cyborg Range

The Saitek Cyborg range of PC gaming peripherals have been innovatively designed to suit the hardcore gamer’s needs. The headset has built in 5.1 surround sound, the command unit has over 144 programmable buttons and allows the user to easily switch between FPS, RPG and strategy games, while the Cyborg mouse is the ultimate in extreme gaming comfort as it expands or contracts to fit the palm of your hand.

www.Saitek.com

Fast facts:
Publisher: Ascaron Entertainment / Nobilis
Web: www.Ascaron.com
Developer: Ino’Co / 1C
Release date: February 2008
PEGI: 12+
Format: PC
Genre: Turn based Strategy

Alan Hansen's Sports Challenge video game for Nintendo Wii

Alan Hansen gives us his take on his own beautiful game

Northamptonshire, UK: Oxygen Games has been fortunate enough to get an interview with Mr Football himself, Alan Hansen, star of Alan Hansen’s Sports Challenge, for Playstation 2, PC and Wii.

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Oxygen Games: What made you decide to put your name and talents into a videogame?

Alan Hansen: I liked the concept and thought it would be quite a fun project to be involved with. And I was right!

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Oxygen Games: What has it been like working with Oxygen?

Alan Hansen: It’s been great – everyone is very professional but still retains a sense of fun. My involvement with this has been a lot easier than working on TV and radio; I was able to just go to the recording studio and do my stuff. Nobody yelling “Cut” every time I recorded a take! Shooting the promo ad was really fun too.

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Oxygen Games: What’s been the best/most fun aspect of making this game?

Alan Hansen: Several things really; working with Oxygen was great, as I mentioned earlier but also, being given a free hand in the voice-over.

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Oxygen Games: Would you consider doing more videogames in the future?

Alan Hansen: I might; really it would depend upon the project.

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Oxygen Games: How does voicing a game differ from television or radio work?

Alan Hansen: I can only speak from my own experience but I found it to be much less frenetic. Certainly there’s less pressure, and as I said before, there was no script. They let me do more or less what I liked.

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Oxygen Games: Which is your favourite part or feature of the game?

Alan Hansen: Being the kind of person that likes to exercise his brain, I’d have to say the questions. Although having said that, my caricature is pretty amusing!

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Oxygen Games: Would you recommend Alan Hansen’s Sports Challenge to your friends and family?

Alan Hansen: Of course! In fact, I may have to insist they play it this Christmas!

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Oxygen Games: Would you recommend it to strangers?! Why? What about it makes it so good?

Alan Hansen: Again, of course I would. What makes it good...apart from *my* involvement, you mean?! Let me see – well, I suppose the fact that you have to think on your feet, so to speak; you have to be quick off the mark if you want to win, and it’s really good fun. A bit like sport eh?

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Oxygen Games: Have you played Cheggers’ Party Quiz? If not, would you and do you think you’d be any good at it?

Alan Hansen: To be completely honest, I’m not really a games person, although obviously I *have* played this one. However, as I said before in another interview, it’s important to keep the mind as well as the body in shape – quiz games are great for this.

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Oxygen Games: Who’d do better – you playing Cheggers’ quiz or Cheggers playing yours?

Alan Hansen: I believe Keith Chegwin said that I’d fare much better playing his game than he would mine…I think it would be ungentlemanly of me to contradict him!

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Alan Hansen’s Sports Challenge (along with Cheggers' Party Quiz), for Playstation 2 & PC is in the shops now, with the Wii™ version released tomorrow, December 7th.