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Thursday, February 26, 2009

Atari admit problems with RACE Pro online game - some quick fixes...

Race ProFollowing the worldwide launch last week and subsequent sales success of Atari and Simbin’s RACE Pro, some players are experiencing problems when playing online.

UPDATE: Check the official Atari forum here for latest information...

Some problems are created by the sheer number of people who are trying to play online at the same time, a situation which is unfortunately impossible to appropriately simulate in pre-launch testing.

Other difficulties are arising because of the specific way the multiplayer gameplay mode is designed. To help players quickly get to grips with how to get the most out of the online mode until changes can be implemented in game, we have produced a Guide which is now publicly available.

We apologise to players for any inconvenience or poor experience caused by these unforeseen issues, and we would like to reassure the community that we have been focused on solving all the known problems since the game’s North American launch on 17 February. To this end, a Title Update is planned to be available to all players connected via Xbox Live as soon as humanly possible.

In the meantime, we would like to thank all the players who are already having a great time with RACE Pro on and offline, and we promise full continued support to the rapidly expanding community of players.

If you have feedback you would like to share with Simbin and Atari, please make your voice heard at the game’s official forum: http://forums.eu.atari.com/forumdisplay.php?f=654

Guide to Online Play in Race Pro Xbox 360:

* There are 3 steps in any online race in Race Pro:
-Open Practice session – where you wait for new drivers to join
-Qualification session – to determine the position on the starting grid
-Race – to race against other drivers

* The Qualification step is optional. You can bypass it by selecting “No” for Qualification in the Host Setting screen.
* It is important to note that the host leads and “times” everything. It can sometimes take time for him to start a session or go from one step to another, so please bear this in mind and be patient.
How to set up a Player Match session in Race Pro Xbox 360:
1- Go to Xbox Live
2- Select Player Match, then Create Match
3- Choose the race settings such as track, car class, length, player slots…(we advise setting fewer player slots, selecting “Yes” to AI opponents and selecting “No” to Qualification).
4- Choose your car
5- Choose your car settings (default settings are normally adequate)
6- Press A button to pass to the loading screen
7- Press A button when loading is completed
8- Select Drive and you’re now in the Open Practice session where you wait for other drivers to join in.
9- Once enough drivers have joined, press Start and choose Next Session (when you see the warning message displayed, select ‘yes’)
10- On the Player/Timing screen, press A button
11- Select Next Session
12- Once the loading is complete, select Race, and you’ll then be on the starting grid.
13- Once the race is finished, on the Player/Timing screen press A button. Then you can select Done and then choose a new track to race with the same people and settings.

Useful Tips:
-Either as Host or as Client, it’s better choose 6 to 8 opponent slots / games to optimize the gaming experience.
-As Host, it is important not to wait too long for new players in the Open Practice session. It may discourage players who want to race quickly.
-It is strongly recommended that you join games via the Custom Match option (instead of Quick Match one). You’ll then be able to choose for yourself the game you want to play in.
-Using Private Sessions is also a good way to optimize the network and game performance.
-When you’re not the host, please wait for the host to start the qualifying session or the race. Wait on the driver/timings screen or on the Replay/Monitor/Quit screen (but don’t quit). Loading will start quickly, leading you to the next step.
-Use the Custom modes and check the created sessions. Choose the sessions marked as “Waiting for Players” or “Qualifying”.

Tom Clancy - H.A.W.X. FREE demo on PlayStation 3 tonight...

H.A.W.X. FREE demo on PlayStation 3
A playable demo download of Tom Clancy - H.A.W.X. video game will go live at 5pm (UK time) tonight 26th February 2009.

The download will feature two missions, three aircraft and full four player co-op support.

The aircraft include SU-35 Super Flanker, AV-8B Harrier II and F-16a Fighting Falcon. Ubisoft explain player can choose the control system - default mode or expert allowing full control of the aircraft.

The full H.A.W.X. will be relesed on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on Friday March 6th followed, a week later on March the 13th by the PC video game.

Lord of the Rings Conquest download No 2 will cost 800 MS points or $10 PS3

gothmog lotr downloadFollowing the Free download for Lord of the Rings - Conquest EA will charge 800 Microsoft Points on Xbox 360 download and $10 to PlayStation 3 owners.

The content adds three new characters, including Gothmog, two new areas and two new maps.

The game hasn't had very good reviews so it remains to be seen if users will rush to buy this new content...

Halo 3 - Orbital Drop Shock Trooper (ODST) name change explained

orbital drop storm troopers halo 3 ODSTBungie have explained to GamePro why they changed the Halo 3 - Recon game name to ODST...

They wanted to highlight the new stars in the game the 'Orbital Drop Shock Troopers' (ODST) - hence the name change.

So, out with Recon and in with ODST the abbreviation seem to defeat the object of the name change if you ask me!

Nintendo announce new Nintendo Wii Pro Controller - picture

new nintendo wii pro controllerNintendo are selling a new Nintendo Wii Classic Controller Pro on their Japanese websit.

Looking like a cross between the existing classic controller and the old PlayStation controller it has two extended handles and new shoulder buttons.

If you can read Japanese here's a link to the official page...

No Fallout 3 downloads for PlayStation 3 no Operation Anchorage or The Pitt...

fallout 3 dlc pittIf you were hoping that Bethesda would make Fallout 3 download content Operation Ancorage or The Pitt available on PlayStation 3 then forget it.

The company have made it clear they will only be available on Xbox 360 and PC.
That's another slap for Playstation 3 owners after Grand Theft Auto IV exclusive download content only on Xbox 360 earlier.

Valkyrie Profile - Covenant of the Plume New content download on Nintendo DS

Valkyrie Profile - Covenant of the PlumeDestiny by sinner sought, Tragedy by power wrought. The origins of a cult classic are revealed in Valkyrie Profile - Covenant of the Plume.

New Content and downloads are available now on the website!

Development studio tri-Ace returns to craft a gameplay experience that boasts a captivating storyline with an enhanced battle system.

Combat Arms Europe launch of its free-to-play online first person shooter

Combat Arms EuropeNEXON Europe announces today the commercial launch of its free-to-play, online first person shooter Combat Arms Europe. With the opening of the highly anticipated in-game cash item shop “Black Market”, players can now choose from additional mercenaries including the first female character and a vast array of customizable items, gears and weapons.

With the launch of the “Black Market”, Combat Arms Europe now offers further ways to personalize the game and character’s individual look on the battlefield.
Kamara, the first female character and Zadan have joined the arms race and can be hired as an added character for 30 days, each equipped with 30,000 Gear Points to start off with.
Clans can now further characterize their troops by creating their very own Clan Emblem, which will be steadily displayed in-game as well as on the website.

New powerful machineries such as M4A1 Desert Warrior, Dragunov Black, P90TR and many more are now out on the market, and gears and camouflage to spice up the look and capacity are also available for purchase with NEXON Cash.
“We had a great beta run and have continuously received huge feedbacks after the official launch,” said Sung-Jin Kim, Manager of Europe Business Team at Nexon. “Players really love the fast-paced game play along with the socialization features of Combat Arms Europe. The opening of the Black Market will bring another dimension to the customization attributes of the game, and offer players at all levels to opt for further play options to enhance their game play without harming the fairness of play.”
The extensive update on February 26th also unveils a new battlefield to be conquered.
The new “Waverider” map sets scene to the resort city of Rupheria cascade down the hillside, mirroring the waves in the sea below, and was originally designed and developed to reflect the flair of a European coastal resort scenery.

More striking varieties will be added to the shelves of the Black Market in the future, along with regular updates bringing new maps, combat modes, weaponry and other free contents to the gamers of Combat Arms Europe.
To sign up and to download the game for free, visit http://combatarms.nexoneu.com.

About Combat Arms:

Combat Arms is a fast-paced, multiplayer shooter, designed for non-stop action on the grounds of various battlefields where players are recruited to get engaged with their enemies in multiple game modes. While integrating the traditional attributes of the FPS genre, Combat Arms advances further by evolving striking features such as character customization as well as weapon modification system, enabling the players to adjust their weapons with attachments such as scopes, silencers and extended magazines. Additional eye-catching feature is the unique backpack system, which allows players to combine a set of multiple weapons from the extensive armory for a more sophisticated combat experience on the battlefield.

Combat Arms is easy to adapt for newcomers with handy control while providing deep gameplay mechanics to veteran gamers. In-game currencies and experience points are rewarded based on the number of victories and kills made, and when accumulated, it will help the players to rank up and to mount with new weapons and equipments, while having access to their actual performance stat anytime during the gameplay. Moreover, the extensive community features within the game actively support the clan system, where players can easily recruit, manage, and communicate with their clan members.

Barf and Beer video game on Xbox 360 - demo download - 3mb

beer and barf gameDrinking game lets you chug beer, belch, and puke your guts out with friends. - lovely!

Highbrow Games, is proud to announce the release of Barf and Beer for the Xbox 360 Community Games platform. Barf and Beer’s race to finish a beer without vomiting up several lungs will keep wannabe partygoers refilling their mugs of veritable gaming goodness again and again! The ability to belch and punch your opponents to impede the downing of their respective brewskis adds a chunky element of strategy to the game.
“All that research was sure worth it!” says developer Daniel Haffner, adding that “today is a great day for beer. Actually what day ISN’T a great day for beer?”
Reactions have been mixed, ranging from “Please ritually slaughter the makers” to “This game is the best game I have ever seen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” (seriously, check out Gametrailers.com for a good laugh)

Barf and Beer lets you play with up to three friends or computer players.

Barf And Beer can be queued for download to your Xbox 360 by going to the following link
or by perusing the Xbox 360 Dashboard’s Community Games section.

Highbrow Games was founded in January 2009 to provide fun games to fun people!

EverQuest and EverQuest II Players Contribute $20,000+ to child's charity

Sony Online joined forces with players of its popular online video games to support the Child’s Play 2009 Winter Charity Drive. The fundraising efforts culminated this week with a donation of more than $20,000 to the Child’s Play charity.

The month-long fundraising campaign supported Child’s Play; an organization that’s purpose is to improve the lives of hospitalized children across the nation. SOE donated $10 each time an EverQuest or EverQuest II player bought a specific Child’s Play virtual item on the Marketplace with Station Cash, SOE’s recently introduced in-game currency. The in-game items purchased by players are theirs to keep within the online virtual worlds.
“The ability of our players to make a donation of this magnitude in these tough economic times is beyond anything we could have hoped for,” said John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment. “As we continue to diversify with programs like Station Cash we will be able to offer unique items that benefit not only our players, but other partnerships and organizations such as Child’s Play in this case.”
Founded in 2003, Child’s Play is a game industry charity that is dedicated to providing children with toys and age-appropriate games at more than 40 hospitals worldwide.