First title under the Paradox Connect brand coming to PC
Paradox Interactive are proud to officially reveal that Dreamlords Resurrection, a Free-to-Play fantasy based Massively Multiplayer Online Real-Time Strategy game for the PC, is to be the first title released under the newly formed Paradox Connect brand.
Developed by Lockpick Entertainment and announced during the Paradox Interactive press conference at Gamescom 2010, Dreamlords Resurrection is a unique mix of two genres – the Real-Time Strategy (RTS) and the Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG) - where the player takes on the role of a Dreamlord. Through a combination of both long term strategic planning as well as intense real-time battles, the Dreamlord must inspire and unite a small group of followers into a battle-ready army ready to conquer land, defend the populace against the Nightmares that roam the world, and band together with other newly awakened Dreamlords.
The inclusion of Cooperative Player-vs-Environment (PvE) play, allows for even greater intensity as players team up with a friend to launch an assault on the nightmares that haunt your people or attempt to slay one of the world bosses.
David Rosen, Chairman and Founder of Lockpick, commented “we’re excited to sign with Paradox Interactive. They have a long track record of successfully publishing strategy game titles and we feel confident that we have found our home for Dreamlords Resurrection, the latest sequel in the Dreamlords series.”
"Publishing Dreamlords: Resurrection not only gives Paradox Interactive the opportunity to release an MMO title with a perfect fit for our audience, but also to work closely with an experienced team in online gaming”, said Tom Söderlund, Project Lead for Paradox Connect.
Features:
Free to play
Fast paced RTS action
Long term character progression and specialization
Advanced Empire management
Achievements and rewards
Clan based co-operation (Convergence)
Intense Player vs Player combat
Research new troops and technology
Pay Tribute to the gods in order to receive blessings and gifts from them
About Paradox Connect Paradox Connect is the umbrella brand for all Paradox Interactive’s online activities and aims to give every Paradox player a stronger online identity. Building on their large community, Paradox Connect will include Paradox Achievements, integrate social media, downloadable content in various formats and more. Paradox will also start publishing online games as part of the Paradox Connect initiative.
ShatteredCrystal.com is at it again ! They're giving away another EVE Online Ship Model.
This Eve Online Ship Model has been autographed by the entire Iceland Dev Team ! Get your free entry in by checking out through our system with this free item. (Choose FREE at the payment options).
TellTale Games are currently developing an episode based series of games in the world of Hill Valley! And today it was confirmed that christopher Lloyd has been brought in to do the voice for the character he immotalised on celluloid, Emmett 'Doc' Brown. Add screenwriter on the original movies Bob Gale into the mix and this series of games is looking very interesting indeed. TellTale games are well known for their Sam and Max series of games and have just completed it's third season. I think Back to the Future will fit their style well and can only imagine it will be just as succesfull.
Aeria Games, a leading publisher of interactive entertainment, has initiated the Closed Beta Test (CBT) for Legendary Champions, the latest title to join its free-to-play catalogue. Starting today, players will be able to take an early look at Aeria’s new MMORPG, and get hands-on experience with some of history’s greatest heroes and villains, from King Arthur to Dracula.
Legendary Champions is a fantasy MMORPG which draws from many sources of culture to create a vast world filled with epic characters. Players will ally themselves with one of two factions and collect an army of heroes to aid them in solo quests and PvP battlefields, including DotA-style challenges with the game’s larger-than-life heroes. With over 60 iconic champions to choose, Legendary Champions allows players to decide, once and for all, who would win in a fight – Beowulf, Mulan, Alexander the Great, or Sinbad?
Romance blossoms during September in a brand new free-to-play quest, coupled with some rather elite achievements for our most experienced of members. If you’re not busy planning for the Bonus XP Weekend, why not swat up on your legal drama, as we prepare for the latest batch of court cases?
Court Cases: Back in Session
It’s been busy recently at the Seers’ Village courthouse, with cases closed and wrongs righted by those of you skilled enough to argue, examine and accuse, all while wearing a stylish wig. The court case update will consist of 11 new cases ( as mentioned in the Back in Session Blog), each far more fiendish than those released earlier in the year. Interrogate witnesses in the field, use viewing orb magics to investigate crime scenes and discover incriminating fingerprints for yourself as you uncover the truth behind some of our most popular personalities.
Cases once again navigate through a wide range of issues and characters from Barbarians vs. Mages (looking at RuneScape history from two conflicting perspectives), round Evil Dave, past Professor Oddenstein vs. Ernest, and taking a sharp left turn at the Sandwich Lady. Rewards still focus around Attack and Defence XP, but also include a barrister’s top, and a judge’s gavel that comes with an appropriately themed emote to let you conduct your own brand of justice.
Bonus XP Weekend
As you know from the newspost last week, we’re planning a second Bonus XP Weekend to take place from 3-6th September. We’re taking a slightly different approach this time, though, so do read the newspost or the Second Helping FAQ blog to learn more about this update. It’s a great time to train up those skills you’ve been neglecting, as well as work on your main attributes, with plenty of time to mix and match between all sorts of content.
Elite Achievement Diaries
The Elite Achievement Diaries update is one we have been discussing in our blogs as early as November last year and, finally, we can talk about the release. We are adding some epically high-level diary tasks to all of the Achievement Diaries, and some new hard tasks to the Lumbridge diary. Requirements include stats as high as 95 Prayer, 96 Fishing, 93 Slayer and 92 Firemaking with an inferno adze.
With new challenges come new rewards, of course, and the elite clothing comes with some useful perks. The highlights are access to a new mining area where there’s an NPC who exchanges ores for certs, more Slayer points from Lapalok, High Alch spells for the explorer’s ring and log chests for the beacon network. Not only that, but there are also improvements to the existing diary rewards AND some huge XP lamps? FTW!
Z-buffering
Improvements to our engine will bring a major graphical improvement to the game in the form of z-buffering. This means you will experience less 'clipping' issues (objects/scenery cutting other objects in half or sticking through each other) and find that scenery 'layers' on top of each other in a more predictable way. This will see improvements to high-paced game content like PKing and allow players to better see the threats around them.
Upon release, the end result will be fewer graphical glitches in software mode and we get faster OpenGL! This also bodes well for the future, as we can now design even more impressive areas and characters, particularly for OpenGL. It also allows us to improve the interaction between players in the future, such as multi-player emotes.
Gunnar’s Ground
Love is in the air in this month’s planned quest: Gunnar’s Ground. What can happen when a dwarf poet is rendered speechless by his love for a Fremennik chieftain’s daughter? You’ll face RuneScape’s first poetry composition puzzle and learn about the history of how the Barbarian Village came to be.
This is a brand new quest for the free-to-play game and will be replacing the old Romeo and Juliet quest. As we have often said in the past, we’re always trying to improve our existing content, but some elements just doesn’t age well and is often best removed entirely from the game; we feel that’s the case with Romeo and Juliet. Don’t worry, though: nobody will lose out on Quest Points or rewards.
In other news...
We also plan to speed up the Shantay Pass, give compost bins the ability to tell you how full they are, increase the clickable area of rope swings and allow you to define the colour of your Clan Chat.
Have fun! Mod Mark RuneScape Lead Designer
For more information about RuneScape please visit www.RuneScape.com today to begin your adventure.
Blizzard Entertainment’s sci-fi real-time strategy game continues record sales pace
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. today announced that StarCraft® II: Wings of Liberty has sold over 3 million copies worldwide in the first month of its release, building on the game’s momentum as the bestselling PC game of 2010 and the fastest-selling real-time strategy game of all time.*
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty was released simultaneously in North America, Europe, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau on July 27. With day-one sales topping 1 million copies, StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty became the bestselling PC game of 2010 within its first 24 hours of availability. The game went on to sell more than 1.5 million copies in its first 48 hours, setting the record for fastest-selling strategy game of all time, and has won numerous critical accolades, including multiple editor’s choice awards from major gaming publications.
"We appreciate all the enthusiasm that players around the world have shown for StarCraft II," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "It was important to us to deliver an overall gameplay experience that was accessible, balanced, and fun, and it’s been gratifying to see how strongly the global community has already embraced the game."
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty is the sequel to Blizzard Entertainment’s 1998 hit StarCraft, which has been hailed by players and critics worldwide as one of the top real-time strategy games of all time. Sporting a vibrant 3D-graphics engine, StarCraft II once again centres on the clash between the protoss, terrans, and zerg, with each side deploying legions of veteran, upgraded, and new unit types. Unparalleled online play for StarCraft II is available through a new version of Battle.net®, Blizzard Entertainment's world-renowned gaming service. Battle.net has been redesigned from the ground up to be the premier online gaming destination for Blizzard gamers, with several enhancements and new features, such as voice communication, cloud file storage, leagues and ladders, achievements, stat-tracking, and more.
The solo campaign for StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty continues the epic saga where it left off in StarCraft: Brood War®. The story line chronicles the exploits of marshal-turned-rebel-leader Jim Raynor and features both familiar faces and new heroes. Players are able to tailor the experience, choosing their own mission path and selecting technology and research upgrades to suit their playing style throughout the 29-mission campaign. Several challenge-mode mini-games are also included, with focused goals designed to ease players into the basics of multiplayer strategies.
For more information on StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, visit the official website at eu.blizzard.com/games/sc2/.
Colonists urged to work together to combat this threat
First Planet Company, developer and publisher of the largest real money Massively Multiplayer Online Game, announced today the newest version is available for download. This update extends the current robot invasion event until September 6th. It also adds in two new menacing robot threats. Additionally players will find 18 new missions and an improved teleporter to help get them accustomed to Calypso.
It's been a year since the dreaded Robot War Titan called "Typhon" made its way through Calypso's defenses and crashed into the middle of the Calypso capital Hadesheim, leaving it nothing but a large crater. Afterwards, Planet Calypso was reborn. From snow and ashes, new and breathtaking CryEngine2 scenery emerged. On the anniversary date, the colonists intercepted several robot messages that after having been decoded, hinted at more massive robot attacks against Calypso. In a painful reminder of last year's failed defense, colonists from newcomers to veterans have gathered up to battle the robots once again. This time, the robots have arrived with new technology, an ever-evolving monster they have chosen to call the "Hydra".
NEW FEATURES
Let there be light.There are three new lamps to be found.
Old and New Missions
A lot of the available missions have been updated to utilize the new features of the mission system. In addition to that, the name tags of all the Iron Challenge Mission Brokers have been updated to contain the name of the contact. On top of that, there are 18 new missions available.
New teleporter official
The teleporter at the Calypso Gateway has been improved to be clearer. Also, to instruct new players on how to use the teleporter, there is a Teleporter Operator standing next to it.
Next Stop Fort Troy
There is a new mission chain linking Swamp Camp to Fort Troy, introducing some interesting locations while travelling. There are also some hidden secrets to unlock. Seek out the Swamp Camp Mission Broker to start this epic trek.
New Challenges
There is a new Daikiba Iron Challenge in Twin Peaks and a Feffoid Bronze Challenge in Fort Fury.
FIXED ISSUES
Mission issues
Fixed position issues with some mission NPCs
Fixed issue with a private message from Mr Lyndon
Typos fixed in Fujiko Takida's mission "Clear the area"
Gateway issues
Gateway teleporter made more eye-catching
Set missing planet icon above the head of the Hunting Official
Fixed issue with the crafting dialogue making it impossible to complete the crafting quest if you left the dialogue open while crafting
Miscellaneous issues
Fixed issue with Memorial Island TP not in the teleporter list
First Planet Company is the developer and publisher of Planet Calypso, the largest real economy Massively Multiplayer Online Game in the world. Players have the ability to participate in a unique virtual world where they have no monthly costs. Its innovative real money economy uses a virtual currency which has a fixed exchange rate with the US dollar. This allows players to deposit and withdraw real funds for their adventures on Calypso or in the real world. It is also the first MMORPG to use CryTek's stunning CryENGINE 2 for amazing graphics and physics. Planet Calypso is the oldest planet in the Entropia Universe and is free to download.
Planet Calypso is a free download available at the game's website, www.planetcalypso.com.
We would like to take this opportunity to provide an update regarding FINAL FANTASY XIV Open Beta Test, which was announced to be postponed on Aug. 31, 2010.
Along with the completion on investigation and correction of the critical issue, we have decided to begin FINAL FANTASY XIV Open Beta Test on Sep. 2, 2010 at 02:00 (GMT).
Starting on Sep. 2, 2010 at 02:00 (GMT), acquisition of registration code required for FINAL FANTASY XIV Open Beta Test will become available on "FINAL FANTASY XIV Open Beta Test Application Site." For more details, please refer to "FINAL FANTASY XIV Open Beta Test Application Site."
The Battle For Olympus Begins! Players Who Want To Be One Of The Chosen Few To Get A Closed Beta Key Should Act Fast By Visiting http://LegendofEdda.gamescampus.com
Leading online game publisher, GamesCampus, revealed today the closed beta testing dates for its upcoming free-to-play, massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG), Legend of Edda.
The game will enter into closed beta testing on September 30, 2010 and continue through October 11, 2010. Players can visit the game's official website at http://LegendofEdda.gamescampus.com to register to get into the closed beta. Based on the Greek mythological conflict between the Gods of the Olympus and the Titans, Legend of Edda takes players on a journey through a dynamic storyline divided into five unique chapters based on the conflict of two opposing factions. Players will pledge their allegiance to Olympus or Titan from the beginning - prior to character creation - which will play a large role in upcoming PVP and RVR battles.
"Our thriving forum community is already wrestling for a chance to get their hands on this unique and exciting game," said Uyen Uyen Ton Nu, head of marketing for GamesCampus. "With an enchanting world of myth and lore to explore, hardcore PVP, endless customization, an art style all its own and much more, it is truly a game that should be on every MMORPG players' wish list."
Fast-paced PVP battles are the cornerstone of the game and will include intense personal battles, guild battles and player-killing (PK) where opposing factions can attack each other at any time. Additionally, Secret Treasure Wars take place in an RvR environment with the two factions where the winning team is rewarded with powerful skills by their gods. There are also numerous Demi-God quests that encompass obtaining Demi-God points, which later can be redeemed for powerful skills.
Legend of Edda will also offer a deep class system including six options: Warrior, Swordsman, Assassin, Archer, Cleric and Wizard. Players will be able to choose their character's first class during initial character creation and upgrade to subclasses by completing promotion quests and eventually upgrading to different classes while obtaining greater and more powerful skills. A unique portal system will make transporting among maps and areas seamless and keeps the gameplay flow intense. Players can also look forward to instanced dungeons, seemingly undefeatable monsters, a special pet system, and four varieties of quests!
KEY FEATURES OF LEGEND OF EDDA
4 Main Quests Types- including Standard, Main Story/Scenario, Class Specific and PVP and Faction
An array of options for PVP- Including Personal duels, Guild battles, Free world player killing, Sacred Treasure Battle, 1v1 or Party vs. Party battles
6 base classes-Each with up to 7 possible upgrades
Sacred Treasure Battle- Death-match PVP between 2 factions. Bonuses for winning faction, from items to buffs.
Instanced Dungeons-Players can allow for personalized runs for their party with numerous difficulty settings, puzzles, traps for items and exp rewards
Comprehensive Pet System-Pets offer assistive skills.
Teleportation System-Easy world roaming to maintain a steady flow of gameplay
Unique Monsters - Five ranks of monsters each with unique abilities and drops
5 grades of weapons-Each grade offers large amounts of customization through strengthening and enchanting
God power skill system-skills of the gods as rewards from Faction vs. Faction battles (stronger than character skills)
Hero Classes-Players have the ability to change their character into a hero. Upgraded appearance, weapons, skills, and abilities
Players interested in learning more about this MMO Developed by EYA Soft can go to the game's official site to follow the latest updates and sign up for a closed beta key. http://LegendofEdda.gamescampus.com
Wargaming.net Announces Phase #2 of World of Tanks Closed Beta
Wargaming.net® is glad to announce the start of the Phase #2 for the closed beta of the much-anticipated World of Tanks panzer MMO game.
The start of the second phase will be followed by the fresh patch offering several new features that will enhance the gameplay and provide more tense cooperation between team-mates:
Squad fights. Call your friends, join action-packed battles as a single fighting unit of two or three people, and crush enemy defenses by well-coordinated actions.
Additional modules. Increase your firing rate by installing rammers, improve your tank’s tonnage with suspension stiffeners, put on a camouflage net and decrease your visibility, choose between dozens of upgrades that will improve your vehicle.
Crew kits. Equip you tank crew with fire extinguishers, repair kits, first-aid sets and other elements providing extra help in battles.
Brand-new maps. The game maps feature various kinds of terrain and areas to provide great re-playability.
As a part of the closed beta testing, the game will be moved to the American servers, which will help the developers team gather all necessary data on the game’s performance in the region.
“We’ve been impressed by the statistics gained at the end of Phase 1,” says Victor Kislyi, producer of World of Tanks. “It shows that the game has already attracted huge interest among gamers from all over the world, and we believe that the new features we have to offer in the upcoming patch will make World of Tanks even more fun and exciting to play”.
Want in the beta? ShatteredCrystal has beta keys so that you can try the game for free. Marcus is currently playing as "Markee Dragon" and he claims to have some awesome tanks. Go give him a good fight :P
Downloadable pack confirmed for September 7 and features more than 30 quests in the underworld of Empire Bay
2K Games announced today the September 7, 2010 release date for Jimmy’s Vendetta*, the second action-infused downloadable game add-on for the epic crime game, Mafia® II. In Jimmy’s Vendetta, players will experience arcade-style gameplay with more than 30 new quests and leaderboard ranking. Jimmy’s Vendetta will be available for players worldwide from the PlayStation®Store for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC for $9.99/800 Microsoft Points.
Jimmy’s Vendetta takes players into an alternate perspective of the mob through the eyes of Jimmy, the guy the other guys call when they need to finish the job. Players will get their hands dirty helping Jimmy clean up other people’s messes as they deal with the Italian and Irish mobsters that reside in Empire Bay. As players progress, a slew of new quests are unlocked, including assassination and timed vehicle pursuits ending in dramatic shootouts and explosive car chases. Execute with deadly head shots or charged explosives, and rack up points for precision-timed vehicular power slides, lofty jumps, and supercharged velocity. Multipliers and combos add bonus points to overall scores that will be immediately posted to thenew online leaderboard system, providing extensive re-playability as players work to rise to the top of the ranks.
Through a compelling narrative,Mafia II transports gamers into the dark and unforgiving world of the Mafia. The fiction is embellished by a sophisticated, era-evoking atmosphere that meticulously replicatesthe clothing, cars, music and advertising of 1940s and 1950s Americana. Players will easily become immersed in the game's cinematic Hollywood-style experience with strong, believable characters in a living, breathing metropolis. By fusing action-packed gameplay with white-knuckle driving and an epic gangster story, Mafia II is the industry's most compelling Mafia title to-date.
Mafia II is developed by 2K Czech, the same creative team behind the award-winning, genre-defining Mafia®, which captivated millions of gamers around the world. Mafia II is rated M for Mature by the ESRB is currently available worldwide.
Wargaming.net® announced today that the first phase of World of Tanks closed beta test has been completed.
Over the seven weeks of testing the game drew attention of more than 70 000 players around the globe with peak con-current users number exceeding 4 000 players. Beta-testers spent 3.2 hours per day at the average on exploring the in-game world what equals to 30 accomplished matches.
World of Tanks gameplay proved to be extremely addictive as during the stated period more than half a million battles were fought where 150 mln shots were made to destroy 15 mln vehicles.
The next phase of the closed beta test will be launched on the 1st of September.
“I would like to thank our beta-testers for their great work and all the invaluable feedback and data they helped us collect, “says Nick Katselapov, producer of World of Tanks.”We are going to use it to! further polish and enhance the game. We had a number of features held in reserve during the first phase of the closed beta and we’ll be more than happy to introduce some of them as soon as the servers go live again”.
For more information on World of Tanks, visit http://www.worldoftanks.com/.
About World of Tanks
World of Tanks is the first and only team-based massively multiplayer online action game dedicated to armored warfare. Throw yourself into the epic tank battles of World War II with other steel cowboys all over the world. Your arsenal includes more than 150 armored vehicles from America, Germany, and the Soviet Union, carefully detailed with historical accuracy.
A flexible system of authentic vehicle upgrade and development allows you to try any of the vehicles and weapons in the game. Whether you prefer to exhaust your foes with fast and maneuverable light tanks, make deep breaches in enemy lines with all-purpose medium tanks, use the force of giant tanks to eliminate opposing armored forces, or become a heavy sniper with long-range howitzers, each unit type has its own advantages and can be extremely effective when operated by a true tank ace.
But being a great tank commander alone isn't enough to win! In World of Tanks, it’s all about teamwork. Victory is achieved by combining your combat skills with those of the other members of your team, each playing their own role on the battlefield. Just add your favorite strategy to build your own iron empire and manifest the indisputable authority of the tank! Feel the TANK POWER!
Key Features:
Action-packed 15-vs-15 PvP Tank battles
Mixture of Action, Strategy, Simulation and MMORPG genres
Cyanide and Focus Home Interactive are pleased to present the Khemri, one of the 11 new races joining the existing 9 previous races in Blood Bowl: Legendary Edition, due out at the end of the year!
What we can say is that Khemri players are experimented ones. 8000 years ago those skeletons were already pacing up and down the pitch, and developing their taste for contact plays. Benefiting from their punchy players, such as Blitz-ra or Tomb Guardians, they are powerful yet fragile players, and despite their regeneration skill they will often find themselves in an inferior position. But after all, why should it matter? Since they can still practice their favorite tactic: destroying all!
About Blood Bowl: Legendary Edition
A brutal team sport unfolding in a fantasy world based on Warhammer and American football, Blood Bowl is an incredible, brutal game in which no holds are barred as you lead your team to the Blood Bowl final! Blood Bowl: Legendary Edition is the ultimate Blood Bowl edition! 11 new playable races join the 9 races already available in the 2009 edition: Undead, Amazon, Ogres and 9 other races enter Blood Bowl's tournaments. All 20 races have their personal style, tactics and unique skills which give each game a diversity rarely seen in a strategy game. New and more impressive stadiums welcome all these new teams: from the snowy Norse stadium to the creepy interior of a crypt, a change of scenery is guaranteed!
A new Story mode is also introduced, in which players will play as a freelance coach. They will have to lead several famous teams and take up many challenges through a story revealing the origins of Blood Bowl, the Old World and its many races that relentlessly compete with each other in merciless games. A newly scripted tutorial will teach all new comers everything they need to know about coaching a Blood Bowl team! In order to stay as close as possible to the official rules, many additions and updates have been made to better match the latest Blood Bowl Rulebook, used in all official board game official tournaments.
Blood Bowl: Legendary Edition is planned for release on PC Q4 2010.
2K Games announced today that Minerva’s Den*, the final installment of single-player focused downloadable game add-on for BioShock® 2 is now available for download from the Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft for 800 Microsoft Points and from the PlayStation®Network for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system for $9.99. Minerva’s Den is a self-contained narrative experience that introduces new characters, locations and mystery to the fiction-rich world of Rapture. The game add-on puts players in the role of an all-new character who has teamed up with Brigid Tenenbaum to unravel a megalomaniac’s stranglehold on a key district in the distinctive city under the sea.
Prepare to explore Rapture Central Computing, a never-before-seen location inthe undersea city, and uncover the dark secrets hidden in its founder's past. Wield new high-tech weaponry and a devastating new Plasmid to best the towering threats in Minerva's Den: more dangerous Splicers that command the power of the elements, upgraded Security Bots that throw rockets and lightning bolts, and even a never-before-seen type of Big Daddy. Developed by 2K Marin, Minerva's Den offers new twists on the story-driven experience that drew players into BioShock 2 when it launched earlier this year.
BioShock 2 is available now for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system and Games for Windows-LIVE and is rated M for Mature by the ESRB.For more information on BioShock 2 please visit www.bioshock2game.com, www.cultofrapture.com and www.somethinginthesea.com.
*Requires standalone BioShock 2 product in order to be played.
