Halo 3 Multiplayer action rages on with download content on Xbox Live

"Halo 3" Multiplayer Action Rages On With Downloadable

The award-winning multiplayer experience evolves with three new maps and expanded Forge options now available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace

After launching in September 2007, millions of fans the world over still log onto Xbox LIVE every day to experience the award-winning action of “Halo 3” multiplayer. That experience expanded first in December with the release of the Heroic Map Pack, and today Microsoft Game Studios and Bungie release the next evolution with the Legendary Map Pack.

Available for 800 Microsoft Points exclusively on Xbox LIVE Marketplace, this second major downloadable content offering includes three new multiplayer maps, as well as a load of new Forge options.

Avalanche and Blackout revive two fan-favourite maps from previous “Halo” games, while Ghost Town welcomes desolate jungle combat to the experience. And now, using new options in the Forge, players can create more detailed challenges and map variants than ever, while also utilising a variety of visual effects to create new, unique screenshots and saved films.

Avalanche is a throwback all the way to “Halo: Combat Evolved.” This snowy battlefield was inspired by the original Sidewinder, but the massive, vehicle-oriented objective map adds a twist to its classic predecessor with all new interiors, dramatically reshaped exteriors and brand new vehicle variants. Admire the view from above, as Avalanche also marks the arrival of the Hornet to “Halo 3” multiplayer.

In keeping with the theme of “fan-favourites,” Blackout will fill the void left by fans of “Halo 2’s” Lockout. Although fully re-visualised, this map adheres very faithfully to the tightly wound perfection of the original, but eschews Forerunner architecture in favour of industrial human design. Blackout is perfect for fans of small battleground Slayer matches.

The Legendary Map Pack also packs a brand new punch, in addition to the two classics, with Ghost Town – a battle-scarred maze of narrow passages and dangerous ruins. Collapsed ceilings and shell-battered buildings provide both valuable cover and deadly traps, as catwalks and stairways take the fight from claustrophobic ground combat to dizzying rooftop battles. Ghost Town is a mid-sized map ideal for Team Slayer games and smaller, objective types.

As an added bonus, for a limited time only, gamers who purchase the Legendary Map Pack will receive a four month subscription to "Bungie PRO" via Xbox LIVE. Bungie PRO greatly expands the Halo 3 experience by increasing the maximum number of file share storage slots from six to twenty-four while also increasing the total file storage size to 250MB. This will allow players to upload and share more films, maps, screenshots and game-types than ever before.

The maps of the Legendary Map Pack are available in matchmaking today to those who have purchased the download. Additionally, fans that have yet to purchase the Heroic Map Pack, which released in December, can now download it for free on Xbox LIVE Marketplace.

Scotland's schoolchildren to be taught games design in school

Scotland Spearheads Curriculum for Excellence Games Design Initiative

Scottish school children afforded opportunity to develop and design their own games thanks to new Curriculum for Excellence initiative.

New moves in Scotland to encourage a greater understanding and harnessing of the digital age – including teaching pupils to make computer games in class – have been welcome by the UK’s games trade body ELSPA.

Scottish schoolchildren are to be taught how to design and develop their own electronic games as part of the Scottish Government's new approach to learning, Curriculum for Excellence.

Pupils will use software to create their games in a move which it is hoped will create dynamic young programmers of the future who will ensure the continued success of Scotland's games industry, which employs more than 500 and generates £20million annually.

Pupils will also be taught how to use computer software to create animations and feature films.

Some children across Scotland are already experiencing computer design and animation in class but this is the first time guidelines on what skills children should be equipped with have been presented.

Paul Jackson, ELSPA Director General, said: “We applaud the move to teach a better understanding of the digital age. The Leitch Review, a report instigated by the Treasury, concluded that the UK was falling behind other leading countries when it came to developer skills – a vital resource for the UK gamers industry.

“The initiative in Scotland is clearly a step in the right direction and the Scottish government is setting a good example. We hope similar schemes will be considered for the rest of the country. Programming and developing games is one of the areas in which we have traditionally done well in the UK – but ensuring we stay among the top countries for development in the years ahead is no easy task. Introducing the mechanics of making and designing games in schools is one way to ensure we stand a chance of staying ahead of the curve.”

PlayStation 3 to join Nintendo Wii with BBC iPlayer support

Following last week's news of BBC iPlayer compatibility with the Wii, the PS3 is now set to join the party as well...

The BBC is looking at the best way to bring its iPlayer service to the PS3, adding that it will be officially implemented on the platform "in due course". This follows last week's announcement that the broadcaster's on demand service will come to Nintendo's Wii.

The news comes from the BBC's own Internet Blog, where Anthony Rose commented, "We're investigating the optimal video profile and browser proposition to enable us to officially make iPlayer available on PS3 in due course."

Rose also had a few choice words for the anonymous internet coder(s) who managed to make the iPlayer for Wii available on the PS3. "By the way, if the person who created the ps3iplayer port is looking for a job at the BBC, (s)he's welcome to contact me."

By typing ps3iplayer.com into your PS3 browser you can currently get an unofficial version of the BBC iPlayer for Sony's next-gen system. The coder(s) responsible for this translation provide their mission statement on the ps3iplayer site:

"It's mainly a demonstration of how easily the BBC could support the PS3 with their Wii version. This does nothing more than mask your PS3's user-agent string and makes half a dozen changes to make the JavaScript and CSS function correctly on the PS3. It only took a day to produce, so come on BBC - how about implementing this properly?"

Well, it would appear that their wish will be granted in the not too distant future.

Flight Simulator X real airfield scenery - Download today

Title Real Scenery – Denham Airfield
Label Just Flight
Developer Just Flight
Genre Flight Simulation
Format PC – ESD download
UK Release Out Now
Price £6.99 / €10.95 / $13.99



REAL AIRFIELD SCENERY FROM JUST FLIGHT!

DOWNLOAD DENHAM TODAY! (40MB)

The first in our new series of British airfield sceneries for Flight Simulator X. Real Scenery Airfields – Denham faithfully re-creates the well-known airfield situated to the north-west of London.

Following their success with the VFR Real Scenery series, our development team has been hard at work putting together this highly accurate model of Denham for Flight Simulator X. Designed using the latest high resolution aerial images and on-site research, the scenery includes all the distinctive buildings – from the Biggles restaurant, to the Air Cadets hut, the Denham of today is instantly recognisable

Among the many unique features of this scenery is snow on the ground during December and January – a first for FSX add-on airports! As well as the authentically-modelled buildings, custom night textures and high resolution mesh, Denham boasts static and AI aircraft, people and objects - there are even animated tractors in the nearby fields and flocks of birds. Denham is designed to blend seamlessly with the default FSX landscape or Just Flight's VFR Real Scenery.

Available to download exclusively from Just Flight, and at just £6.99 / €10.95 / $13.99, Real Scenery – Denham Airfield is fantastic value and a must-have for flight simulator enthusiasts who need a touch of realism in their airfields.

About Denham Airfield
Denham is one of Britain's most famous airfields and it has a rich and varied history that begin with its early days as a Royal Flying Corps base in WW1, licensing by the CAA in 1938, further war service from 1939 and its post war reinstatement and new lease of life as the home of Denham Aero Club. Today it boasts a tarmac runway and is popular as, among other things, a base for helicopter operations thanks to its close proximity to London.

Download page here...

New Screenshots for take anywhere - Guitar Hero - On Tour for Nintendo DS

New Game Introduces Revolutionary Guitar Hero Guitar Grip Peripheral for Anytime, Anywhere Guitar Hero Gameplay

New screenshots have been released to celebrate the impending release of Guitar Hero - On Tour for the Nintendo DS.

For the first time, handheld gamers will have the freedom to unleash their inner rock star anywhere, anytime with Activision, Inc.'s (Nasdaq: ATVI) upcoming Guitar Hero - On Tour for Nintendo DS. The game will deliver a unique Guitar Hero experience by challenging handheld gamers to rock out and prove their shredding skills on the most diverse set list of master tracks ever offered in a Guitar Hero game, including classic rock, alternative and pop favorites such as Nirvana, OK Go and No Doubt.

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The game will be packaged with a revolutionary Guitar Hero Guitar Grip peripheral that fits snugly into the DS and a unique Guitar Hero pick-stylus that brings a new dimension to handheld gaming and the core gameplay that defines Guitar Hero. Guitar Hero: On Tour has been designed specifically for the DS platform and will offer the DS audience an all-new compelling music experience.

Guitar Hero - On Tour 2008 Activision Publishing, Inc. Guitar Hero, Activision and RedOctane are registered trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc.

Konami Reveals More On Metal Gear Online Beta News

Further details for the beta include an in-depth character creation component and the Sons of the Patriots system...

Konami has revealed some more nuggets of information about the Metal Gear Online beta that will be launched on April 17th in Europe alongside the incoming PlayStation Store update. It is set to run from April 21st through until May 6th.

The new info comes from PlayStation.Blog, where Konami's Brandon Laurino detailed the character creation and Sons of the Patriot systems.

Laurino compared the character customisation depth to that of an MMO, boasting a wide variety of skills to master (of which you can select four to specialise in). These include demolition, sniper mastery, close quarter combat, alertness, heavy weapon mastery, quickness, and knife fighting.

The Sons of the Patriots (SOP) system, on the other hand, provides gamers with real-time data on what all their squad mates are doing. This includes their status, where they are, and who they are fighting. Additionally, by scanning the opposing team's link you can intercept their SOP data and share it with your squad.

This is all achieved with the use of nanomachines that have been injected into soldiers so that they can be controlled on the battlefield by private military companies. It'll be another future imperfect in MGS4 then.

Other new information included a list of the weapons and items that will be available in the beta...

Items
Standard issue, with character:
- CBOX
- BINO
- S.PLUG.S
In the map:
- ENVG
- DRUM

Weapons
Primary, main weapons at base:
- vz83
- P90( +Suppressor)
- MP5, AK (+Grenade Launcher)
- M4 (Suppressor, Scope, Datsight, Grenade Launcher, Grip)
- M17 (Datsight, Scope, Grip)
- SVD
- MOSIN
- M14EBR
- DSR1
- M870
- SHIELD
- RPG
- SOP DESTAB

Secondary (Sub Weapon):
- GSR
- Mk.2 PISTOL
- OPERATOR (Suppressor)
- G18C
- D.E.

Support (Others):
- GRENADE
- WP GRENADE
- STUN GRENADE
- CHAFF GRENADE
- SMOKE GRENADE
- ENEMY LOCATOR
- CLAYMORE
- SLEEP CLAYMORE
- C4
- MAGAZINE

As has previously been revealed, the beta will offer four game modes: Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture Mission, and Base Mission. Capture Missions exhibit the standard capture the flag setup, whereas Base missions utilise a traditional base capturing format.

There will also be two maps for the beta. Blood Bath has both over and underground areas, while Groznyj Grad is a weapons factory that housed MGS3's Shagohod.

Last, but by no means least, is the catapult, which will propel players across the map and right into the action. Set to offer something similar to the Man Cannons of Halo 3, MGO's catapult will doubtless offer some rollicking good gameplay for beta players to enjoy.

Source: Total Video Games

Mario Kart Wii even better online say IGN

We Go Online with Mario Kart Wii

Mario Kart Yoshi
Believe it or not, Wii's Kart offering is better online than off.

To say that we've been playing more than our fair share of Mario Kart Wii over the last month or so would be an understatement. We've medaled in each "cc" more times than we can count, unlocked every level and character in the game, and are now moving from the unfinished English "preview" build to the retail Japanese build, and then soon again to the finished English build. We put it lightly when we say we've been playing a lot of Kart.

Still, the build we were playing on was missing the most crucial element to Nintendo's Kart plans this time around, and that's the 12 player online race and battle modes. We didn't have details on the mode, reviews for the game thus far have neglected online to a large extent, and we couldn't play it for ourselves, so we had no idea whether it would be the triumphant march towards internet gaming that Nintendo (more specifically, Kart) fans have been waiting for, or just a disappointment in the end.

We've had some serious time with online, and are back to report.

More here...

Sound the sirens, it's Emergency Mayhem - now shipping for NintendoWii

Sound the sirens, it's Emergency Mayhem - now shipping for Wii.

Chaotic arcade driving and frantic mini-games in Codemasters' Wii exclusive.

Emergency Mayhem is now shipping to U.S. retail nationwide and will hit U.K. and European stores this Friday, 18th April, Codemasters announced today. Coming exclusively to Wii™, Emergency Mayhem puts players at the helm of three emergency services in a frantic race against time to hold together Crisis City, a mad metropolis that's falling apart at the seams.

Combining chaotic arcade driving with a huge range of mini-game challenges, players must race against the clock in one of three emergency vehicles – a fire-truck, ambulance or police patrol car to reach different incident scenes.

Typically, in Crisis City, incidents requiring attention are of a decidedly slapstick nature and Emergency Mayhem takes advantage of the Wii Remote in a huge variety of mini games that come into play once players reach an emergency scene. Pump the Wii Remote to practice CPR, point it to direct water from a powerful hose, mimic a wrench to bring bursting water-hydrants under control, or position a trampoline to save people leaping from burning buildings.

With an entire city to explore, three branches of the emergency services to control and over 30 types of emergency to deal with, players have a huge challenge to complete. Players can also share the mayhem with a fantastic multiplayer mode featuring mini-game challenges for up to four players. Compete in a tournament or battle against the clock in Survival mode as friends and family compete to be the best.

Get ready to bring some order to Crisis City with Emergency Mayhem now shipping, exclusively on Wii

UK Video Games Chart sees Mario Kart race past Mario and Sonic at the Olympics to No 1 slot. No torch trouble here...

CHARTTRACK WEEKLY CHARTS

All formats

(Full price) Week ending 12 April 2008

1 MARIO KART WII NINTENDO
2 MARIO & SONIC AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES SEGA
3 PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 2008 KONAMI
4 TOM CLANCY'S RAINBOW SIX: VEGAS 2 UBISOFT
5 CONDEMNED 2 SEGA
6 GUITAR HERO III: LEGENDS OF ROCK ACTIVISION
7 CALL OF DUTY 4: MODERN WARFARE ACTIVISION
8 SEGA SUPERSTARS TENNIS SEGA
9 DARK SECTOR D3P
10 ASSASSIN'S CREED UBISOFT
11 VIKING: BATTLE FOR ASGARD SEGA
12 COOKING MAMA 2 505 GAMES
13 FIFA 08 ELECTRONIC ARTS
14 ARMY OF TWO ELECTRONIC ARTS
15 NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. NINTENDO
16 FOOTBALL MANAGER 2008 SEGA
17 THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD 2 & 3 RETURN SEGA
18 WWE SMACKDOWN VS RAW 2008 THQ
19 MARIO KART DS NINTENDO
20 LEGO STAR WARS: THE COMPLETE SAGA LUCASARTS

World Of Warcraft (WOW) hits 1 million concurrent users in China

Blizzard's World of Warcraft has recorded its largest amount of concurrent users since the role-playing game's launch in the region during 2005, with up to 1 million players in China playing simultaneously last month.

The9, operating the game in China on behalf of Blizzard Entertainment, has accredited the surge in users to World of Warcraft's expansion, The Burning Crusade, which saw its release in China last September.

In a statement, The9 explained: "After the launch of the expansion pack, many existing players returned to the game and numerous new players have also been attracted to participate in the experience."

Source: Games Industry