Gamer Camp Seeks the Next Generation of Video Game Developers

Would-be game makers in the West Midlands are being offered the tantalising chance to develop and produce games for Apple’s phenomenally popular iPhone, as part of a four-week training course by Birmingham City University and Screen WM supported through Advantage West Midlands.

Gamer Camp, a Birmingham-based training course for aspiring games artists and programmers from both within and outside the ever-expanding industry, runs for five days a week between 16 November and 11 December 2009.

“Successful applicants will be given one week of professional training in either game programming or interface designing, followed by three weeks of mentoring in which they’ll work with other participants to produce their very own game for the iPhone,” says Rebecca Ashby, Commercial Project Manager at Birmingham City University’s Screen Media Lab.

iPhone games produced as a result of Gamer Camp will then be free for anyone in the world to download via the massively-popular iPhone store (publication subject to approval by Apple). Teams of budding game-makers also get to present their game to a panel of industry experts – including a representative from 4iP (a fund for interactive media projects with potential public good), at the culmination of the four weeks.

“Guy Wilday, who has many years experience in the games industry as a former Studio Director at SEGA Racing Studio and Head of Studio at Codemasters – responsible for the influential Colin McRae Rally series, will lead the training process,” adds Rebecca. “This will include separate workshops for coders and games artists, along with three evening masterclasses also open to people outside the course.”

Areas covered by the course include game design principles for mobile devices, an introduction to and advanced tuition in the iPhone software development kit, and cool tricks and optimisation techniques.

To be eligible for Gamer Camp, applicants must be based within the West Midlands region, and fit either the following programmer or games artist criteria.

Programming applicants should have, and be able to demonstrate:
• C programming skills
• Experience working with Windows, Mac OS or Linux API’s
• Must be able to present a game demo or design document for a game that demonstrates interest in sector

Games artists will cover interface design, focusing on user-experience, and should have, and be able to demonstrate:
• An ability to draw (e.g. character design, environment design, concept boards)
• 2D design skills
• Animation skills
• Must be able to present a game demo, folio, design document or application that demonstrates interest in sector

Places on this course are limited, so to apply, please:
Make a booking enquiry on the Gamer Camp course page found on www.ntibirmingham.co.uk/training

An application form will then be sent to you. Complete and return this form along with a CV and visual examples of previous work to rebecca.ashby@bcu.ac.uk by the deadline of 11th
September 2009

Shortlisted applicants will then be interviewed on one of the following dates; Tuesday 22, Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 September 2009.

'Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao' Video Game unleashed onto XBox LIVE Arcade and PlayStation Network

Retro-style arcade beat ‘em up Invincible Tiger The Legend of Han Tao is now out on XBox LIVE Arcade for 1200 MS points/$15. Published by Namco Bandai Games, Invincible Tiger was developed by Blitz Arcade, a division of Blitz Games Studios, one of Europe’s largest independent video games developers. The ‘70s Kung-Fu movie-style side-scroller will be available on PlayStation Network in the US from tomorrow (27 August 2009).

An ace 2D experience in its own right, Invincible Tiger is also the first console game to provide players with the option of stereoscopic Digital 3D. Crisp and clear 3D depth of field can be viewed without sacrificing colour or clarity through most high-end 3D Ready TVs. The game also includes anaglyph 3D which is compatible with any TV and a pair of standard anaglyph glasses.

An original concept by Blitz Arcade Project Director Ollie Clarke, the game follows the eponymous hero as he battles across ancient China to reclaim the Star of Destiny from the Evil Overlord. Along the way he fights the Overlord’s wicked hoards, which range from henchmen to the undead. Luckily, he’s well equipped with intense combos, slick counter-moves, the ability to wield deadly weapons and mystical Zen attacks.

Players can fill Han Tao’s Zen Meter with punishing combos and well-timed dodges to unlock the full potential of his power and annihilate his enemies. Sliding down ropes, going through doors, climbing up poles or jumping on roofs, Han Tao is also able to use his environment to quickly escape danger or catch enemies off guard.

Ollie Clarke said: “We’re really pleased with Invincible Tiger; it’s been quite a journey getting to this stage and it’s brilliant to see such a quality game at the end of it. We aimed to first make a great retro-Arcade game that’s easy to play but difficult to master first and then included a great Digital 3D experience second. Please turn up the volume and enjoy the splintering Kung Fu soundtrack as well. We really hope people enjoy playing the game as much as we have had while making it.”

Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao offers a variety of multiplayer modes for both online and local play:

• Team up with a partner and take on the Evil Overlord’s diabolical army through Story Mode Co-op.
• Battle through each level, dealing with increasing difficulty and a shared Zen-meter.
• Learn combat techniques in the single player game and use them beat your enemies into the dust.
• Experience Endurance Mode where you’ll face an endless stream of enemies under a time limit.
• Post your scores online for bragging rights.

Mass Effect download content leaked and new update patch released

The Swiss Xbox 360 website has posted information on a new, unannounced chunk of Download Content for Mass Effect, while developer BioWare has released a new patch for the PC version of the game.

'Pinnacle Station' wil apparently take place on a top-secret space station, offering players 13 battle scenarios and two to three hours extra gameplay. The 237MB file will cost 400 Microsoft Points, but a mooted release date was absent. With BioWare and EA ready to reignite interest in the franchise ahead of the release of Mass Effect 2 on Xbox 360 and PC early next year, we'll be surprised if an offical announcement isn't forthcoming.

BioWare has also launched a new patch for the PC version of the game – 1.02 – which solves a host of technical issues, and can be downloaded direct from the developer. It's been over a year since the game was released on PC, and the update could suggest that 'Pinnacle Station' is also headed for the PC.

source: NowGamer

Download update: New Multiplayer Modes and Maps coming to read Faction Guerrilla video game on September 17th

Following last week’s successful launch of the Red Faction: Guerrilla Demons of the Badland DLC pack, THQ Inc. today announced details for a second downloadable content pack that will deliver destructive new multiplayer modes and maps. The Multi player Pack will feature two new modes, Bagman and Team Bagman, along with eight new maps, playable across all multi player modes.

The Red Faction Guerrilla Multiplayer Pack will be available on September 17th on Xbox LIVE for 560 Microsoft points and PlayStation Network for $6.99.

Along with Demons of the Badlands (available now) and the Multiplayer Pack, THQ has also announced a third DLC pack that will be available in October.

Further details on the third pack will be revealed soon.

The Amazing Brain Train video game coming to WiiWare

Indie video game developer NinjaBee is proud to announce it has partnered with fellow indie developer Grubby Games to bring the 2008 PAX 10 Award-winning game - The Amazing Brain Train - to Nintendo WiiWare, the Nintendo Wii system’s downloadable service, this fall.

“The Amazing Brain Train is a great example of some things that make indie games great – it’s highly creative, visually distinctive, and fundamentally fun to play,” said NinjaBee President and co-founder Steve Taylor.

More than a year of work has been put into fine-tuning The Amazing Brain Train and adapting it for the Wii. The result is a fun, ultra-challenging and addictive brain training game that is unlike any other in the WiiWare library.

“This is no ordinary brain game,” said Ryan Clark, co-founder of Grubby Games. “The Amazing Brain Train contains features never before seen in the genre. It’s a departure from the minimalist brain games we’ve seen in the past. You can forget about goal-less gameplay: The Amazing Brain Train is packed with quests, trophies and high scores that add an aspect of gameplay that other brain games just don’t have.”

Hosted by the diminutive genius Professor Fizzwizzle, the game takes the player on a brain-boosting adventure around the Professor’s cartoon world, stopping to solve challenges and help his friends along the way. Fueled only by mental energy, The Amazing Brain Train guides the player through 15 different mini-games in three addictive game play modes—quest, test and practice.

The ability to save personal, friends’ and family members’ high scores on the same console allows the player to come back time and again to challenge best scores and prove just how smart he or she is.

“Ryan showed me a copy of the game before it came out and after seeing it just once we said ‘This would be perfect for Wii,’” Taylor said. “That’s how this whole project got started. One of the cool things about working with small studios is having the flexibility to do something like this without a big negotiation or interference from a big publisher.”

The Amazing Brain Train was originally released for PC, Mac and Linux in May of 2008 and in July of that year, the game was selected out of hundreds of entries as one of 10 games to be featured at the Penny Arcade Expo.

Time Gentlemen, Please! bundled with Ben There, Dan That! Pc games available fro Steam

‘Time Gentlemen, Please!’, Zombie Cow Studios’ outrageous sequel to the award-winning ‘Ben There, Dan That!’, has seen unprecedented positive reviews from the media, and is now set to find a new audience through Steam.

Following a glowing 9/10 review from Eurogamer, and a 90% Classic Award from PCZone, ‘Time Gentlemen, Please!’ has gone on to receive enough praise to garner a hugely impressive score of 87 on Metacritic.

With its outlandish humour, skittish good looks, superb design and laugh-out-loud script, ‘Time Gentlemen, Please!’ is a love letter to the classic point-and-click genre we all remember so fondly, brought bang up-to-date with cuttingly-sophisticated satire and a veritable plethora of naughty swearwords.

‘Time Gentlemen, Please!’ is the successor to ‘Ben There, Dan That!’ which was voted Best Freeware Adventure Game of 2008 by both the critics and readers of JayIsGames.com. The plot follows haphazard geeks Dan and Ben as they saunter through time trying to put a stop to an alternate-universe Hitler and his band of heavily-armed cloned Nazi dinosaurs.

Both games have now been bundled together and released through Steam, bringing you two classic full-length adventures for just $4.99.

"It’s been an amazing summer for us." said Dan Marshall, owner of Zombie Cow Studios. “Getting the games up on Steam now feels like a huge badge of honour. For such a tiny studio, it’s massively exciting to be bringing the games to a whole new audience.”

"...excellent scripting, consistent, cartoony design and delight in overtly, overly referential absurdity...even the Telltale titles are clunky and formulaic compared to the anarchistic invention of games like this...

9/10” Eurogamer.net

“It's one of the most outrageous games I've ever played and for that alone I love it. 90%, Classic Award” PCZone

“Funnier than any game in years, and delightfully rude. Point-and-click adventuring done right for a change.
87%
” PCGamer

“… this is the point-and-click re-imagined for the faintly jaded generation. By all means, check out Ben There, Dan That for a taster of what to expect but - especially given its miniscule asking price – this should be right at the top of your list.”– IGN.com’s ‘
Best of 2009 So Far’.

‘Time Gentlemen, Please!’ is available for purchase at the preposterously low price of £2.99/ $4.99ish through Steam. It comes bundled with its predecessor ‘Ben There, Dan That!’.

Exclusive Cross-Game Promotion between the Aion and Guild Wars

In anticipation of the launch of this year’s biggest massively multiplayer online (MMO) release, Aion, NCsoft announced an exclusive cross promotion today giving players the ability to call upon the Aion wings emote within the Guild Wars family of games.

Designed as an added value and a way to say thanks to our biggest fans of the Guild Wars and Aion franchises, players that purchase an Aion Collector’s Edition or a first run Aion Steelbook Edition will be rewarded with a Guild Wars emote that displays the wings that have become synonymous with Aion.

While the Aion wings emote will stay active in a players account forever, the promotion has a limited run. In order to guarantee a Guild Wars Aion wings emote code, players are encouraged to pre-order Aion at several participating retailers, including GameStop, Amazon, Best Buy, Fry’s Electronics and EB Games.

For more information on the Guild Wars Aion Wings promotion, please visit www.guildwars.com/aion.


About Aion

The MMO genre spreads its wings and takes flight in Aion, the latest title from publisher and developer NCsoft and the most anticipated new MMO of 2009. Aion is a visually stunning massively multiplayer online RPG where you fight in an epic celestial war between twin races of winged beings. Wielding devastating powers and the capability of genuine flight, you must restore the balance to a beautiful world shattered by cataclysm. Customize your online experience like never before, including character, weapons and item customization, in preparation for story-driven quests and innovative combat on land and in the air. Choose your side, spread your wings, and claim your rightful place among the immortals.


About Guild Wars

Guild Wars, Guild Wars Factions, Guild Wars Nightfall, and Guild Wars: Eye of the North, are global online role-playing games that allow gamers to play with anyone, anytime, and anywhere in the world. Within the games, players venture through multiple chapters of an award-winning storyline in which they face-off against magical creatures, forgotten races, vengeful spirits and even a god. Players can choose to play through the game solo, recruit henchmen that you control or join a party with other players. The Guild Wars franchise subscription-free business model has proven to be a big hit with gamers, bringing an enormous and diverse online community to the game.

Army of Two - The 40th Day video game PlayStation 3, PSP and Xbox 360

The Ultimate Two-Man Private Military Team is Back in Action Delivering New and Groundbreaking Cooperative Gamezplay.

EA Montreal announce ARMY OF TWO THE 40th DAY. The ultimate two-man private military team of Salem and Rios return in this epic sequel where they must survive and prevail in a city under siege.

The Saboteur PlayStation 3 video game Fact Sheet

Pandemic Studios invites you to experience the ultimate open-world action/adventure—as The Saboteur. Fight, climb, and race your way through a uniquely stylized version of Nazi-occupied France, and hunt down your sworn enemies who have taken everything from you. Enter the seedy underground world of a saboteur living in 1940s Paris, where the women are sexy, the missions are epic, and the revenge is satisfying.

Command & Conquer 4 video game Fact Sheet

Behold disciples of Nod, for the end is soon upon us. Electronic Arts’ award-winning and best-selling Tiberium saga is coming to a powerful conclusion with Command & Conquer 4, which will introduce a multitude of innovations to the classic fast and fluid Command & Conquer gameplay, while retaining the core compulsions that fans have come to love over the series’ history.

It is the year 2062 and humanity is at the brink of extinction. Tiberium, the mysterious, alien crystalline structure that has infested Earth for decades and served as the primary reason for years of relentless conflict between the Global Defense Initiative (GDI) and the Brotherhood of Nod, is close to rendering the planet uninhabitable. Mankind is on the verge of extinction when Kane, Nod’s prophetic leader, emerges from seclusion to deliver GDI the message that he has developed a system that could control Tiberium and harness its power. But he cannot build this “Tiberium Control Network” without GDI’s cooperation. Thus, the two opposing factions – GDI and Nod – inevitably find themselves in desperation for the same cause: to stop Tiberium from extinguishing mankind.

After 15 years, the network is nearly complete, Tiberium is under strict control and our revitalized, newly terraformed planet is on the cusp of a new age of prosperity and progress. It is then that the world’s citizens begin to seriously ponder why Kane chose to help, and what will he want in return. These questions and more lead to the dramatic final act of the Tiberium saga.

With a multitude of innovative new features to the fast and fluid C&C gameplay, Command & Conquer 4 offers players an entirely new way to play C&C. An all-in-one mobile base, persistent player progression across all game modes that is constantly updated in a real-time online profile, a 3-class system for each of the two factions, co-operative play, and a 5v5 objective-based multiplayer mode that promotes teamwork and social interaction, make Command & Conquer 4 unlike any other C&C experience.

Key Features

- The Epic Conclusion of the Saga – Command & Conquer 4 brings the 15-yearTiberium saga to a powerful and epic conclusion, told through grittier and darker live action cinematics, the return of Nod’s enigmatic leader Kane (Joe Kucan) and all the answers on the fate of Earth, GDI, Tiberium, Nod and most of all, Kane himself.

- First Class-based C&C – Play as Offense, Defense or Support classes from GDI and Nod. Each class is unique, offering players different play styles, giving you tons of strategic options and coming with its own set of units designed to support your chosen style.

- Mobile bases!– The Crawler is your giant, new, all-in-one mobile base that you control on the battlefield to produce new units, structures, powers and upgrades, each specific to the class and faction you chose to play with. Build units and store them in your hull as you move around the map and surprise your enemy with a sudden fury of units!

- Persistent Player Progression – Every unit you destroy awards you with experience points. Level up and spend your experience points on new units, powers and upgrades that give you more strategic options to choose from. Your progression is stored in your online profile that you can access from any PC with C&C 4 installed.

- 5v5 Multiplayer – With its objective-based 5v5 multiplayer, Command & Conquer 4 brings a new, social, real-time-strategy experience to your PC. Choose your individual classes and play together as a team to conquer your enemy. The all-new party system lets you move with your party of friends from one online battle to the next.