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Civilization VI Interview with Sarah Darney

Mateja Simovic
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Civilization VI Interview with Sarah Darney

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The Civilization series is a long lived and much loved strategy game series with its newest installment, Civilization VI, being developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K. At a recent preview event at the 2K offices in Sydney, Tom Alderton and I were able to sit down and have a chat with associate producer on the game: Sarah Darney.

Mateja: A bunch of new features have been revealed for this new installment in the Civilization series but what, in your opinion, has been the biggest change to the game design and how have you guys balanced it with the rest of the gameplay?

I would say unstacking the cities was definitely our big new feature for Civilization 6. Just taking what used to live in the city centre and spreading it out in the districts on the map. It really makes the map way more important with the adjacency bonuses and requirements for the districts as well. Every decision really means so much and it really makes you think. In terms of balancing that we’re playing the game a lot in the studio… we’re all big Civ fans and we’ve got a great QA department. Just playing it a lot and making sure everything feels right.

Mateja: Last game, you guys unstacked units from each other which forced players to think more tactically in terms of unit positioning on the map as well as preventing players from simply piling entire armies onto one square. How has unstacking the cities this installment affected other aspects of the gameplay?

It’s very cool when you’re engaged in a battle with someone because you can see that, for example, this is a very ‘science-heavy’ city and I’m gonna destroy that. You can pillage districts and the buildings in them as well. So it’s a huge impact on how, even if you can’t necessarily take someone’s city, then you can slow them down which can be pretty useful.

In a game like Civilisation, there are so many systems which work together and there’s a lot of interconnecting tendrils. Unstacking the cities really spreads out to everything.

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Tom: In Civ 5 you’d try to make your cities as specialised as possible with each city producing as much of one resource as possible. In Civilization VI, has the city decentralisation helped to increase or decrease the need for city specialisation? Is specialisation still the goal or can cities be more generalised?

You can definitely play both ways. It’s cool as you’re exploring the map with your scouts you’ll see this great mountain range next to some woods and you’ll think “That is where my holy site is going”. You can see all the jungles and mountains and think “okay, campus” and build a science producing city.

As I’m playing, I think of the map as this other character.

Mateja: Speaking of characters, it looks like the diplomacy gameplay has undergone a huge revamp. Could you tell us a bit more about that?

Well, every leader has an agenda. You saw in your game that Cleopatra did not care for you because your army was too small. So when we were looking at the leaders that we wanted to use Civilisation 6, we were looking for these big dynamic characters that we could really use for the gameplay. In addition to that we also have the hidden agendas which really mix things up a little. So it won’t be the same every time you play but there is that familiarity with the characters.

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Mateja: So each of these personas will have a public agenda which is open from the start, which is based on the historical persona themselves.

Yes, the historic agenda.

Mateja: And then they’ll also have a second one which is hidden unless you work to figure it out. Can you tell us a bit more about the hidden agendas?

Sure, the hidden agendas really make building the relationships with the other Civs important. Like the gossip system, which lets you learn little tidbits of information, where if you become allied with someone you learn much more than through espionage.

Mateja: International politics is starting to sound scarily like high school. Could you tell us more about the gossip system?

Sure. So with trade routes, for example, you might see a pop-up saying that your trader “Bob” has learned that Cleopatra has gone to war with someone else. It creates these little tidbits of relationships where even small things like trade and delegations let you uncover things about the world through the gossip system.

Tom: I noticed during my playthrough that those pop-ups don’t seem to be so strongly tied to the use of spies as much.

You can get more information through spies, yes, but there’s more ways to learn than just espionage to learn about your neighbours.

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Tom: Have there been any other improvements to the AI in terms of its difficulty? I noticed in the harder difficulties on Civ 5 that they just get bonuses and cheat but they’re not actually better. Has that been reworked this time around?

Yeah, we’re very focused on giving players the best experience possible so giving the AI more intelligent behaviours will help with that. I think you had a moment, in your playthrough, where Teddy Roosevelt was retreating his wounded units. So things like that are good to see the computer do that because it makes it tougher but more fun. The barbarian AI is very fun too so I’m not sure how much you played with that before you were attacked by all your neighbours.

Tom: I noticed that the barbarians weren’t as aggressive with the pillaging as they used to be but were a lot more aggressive with attacking my units.

Mateja: Maybe it’s because they’ve accepted the word of our lord and saviour, Sid Meier, into their hearts?

Tom: Too busy playing Civ to pillage my districts?

Mateja: Exactly.

Tom: Speaking of which, I’ve noticed that religion makes an appearance into this installment as well, but is there also a holdover from the ‘tourism’ mechanic of last game?

Yup, so cultural victories are still a thing and tourism is still a very important element and which great people play a big part in it… but that’s all I’ll say.

Mateja: Tourists… the barbarians of the modern age.

Tom: There was one civilization that was missing in Civ 5 that got added in by modders, which was awesome, but… is Australia gonna make it in to Civ 6.

(Laughs) Unfortunately I can only talk about the civilizations we’ve revealed so far… but I can confirm that we’ll be supporting modding. Unfortunately I can’t get too much into that either.

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Mateja: That’s good to hear and we’ll look forward to hearing more about that too. Finally, is there anything in particular that you’re proud of or would like to highlight in the new installment?

This is the 25th anniversary of the Civilization series and it has so many fans and so it’s super exciting being a part of that. I love this game and I love the way the way the systems are coming together and I think the fans will too. I think we’re living up to the legacy.

Mateja: I hope you do and we look forward to seeing more of the game in the coming months.

Civilization 6 will have a full release on October 21st of this year (you can pre-order here) and you can read our thoughts on the preview build here.

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI Hands-on Preview

Tom Alderton
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Sid Meier’s Civilization VI Hands-on Preview

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Last month my colleague and I were invited to 2K Games’ offices in Sydney for a hands-on preview of their upcoming 4X strategy title, Civilization VI. They say time is a flat circle (hexagon in this case) – what has come before will come back again, and this is certainly the case with Civilization VI. Building off of the success of Civilization V, and learning from the mistakes of Beyond Earth, Civilization VI is an entry to stand the test of time.

Our game time was unfortunately limited, so I was unable to get past the Medieval Era, and there’s a bunch of stuff I can’t talk about, but the few hours and 150 turns left us with plenty to discuss, and an exciting look into the future of Civilization.

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The most immediately obvious difference from Civilization V is the new graphics. Keeping the hex based design, the new art style lends itself to even brighter colours than its predecessor, with a much more cartoonish feel. Graphics and art styles are not my favorite thing to talk about, since they’re so subjective and someone will always take issue, especially when stark changes have occurred since the incredibly popular 7-million-plus-copies-sold forerunner title, but these ones I enjoyed. The colour palette is instantly familiar – bright green grasslands, yellow-green plains and yellow deserts. The mountains and hills, rivers and seas are all still easily distinguishable on the map. The new models for forests and jungles are hard to tell apart at first glance, and marshes require a practiced eye to spot before your Spearman gets stuck in one and killed (grumble). Luxuries and strategic resources are easily visible, and have been redesigned to suit the new aesthetic.

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One of my favourite changes is to the fog of war. No longer must we be oppressed by towering walls of cloud, and darkened hexes to indicate where we’ve explored but don’t have current vision. Now the unexplored regions take on the look of blank parchment, and the explored but hidden areas look like an Inkarnate map, with stylized terrain inked onto the paper. For those familiar, it’s a graphical style very similar to that used by (the relatively ancient) Age of Wonders 3. Despite lacking the fantasy title’s zooming levels of abstraction, the effect still works and looks wonderful, lending the feel of an adventure/treasure map. So for players arriving fresh from Civilization V, the game presents no difficulties being understood. The real changes however, come in the form of the unstacked cities, which you can refresh your memory on here.

The addition of districts being used to move particular buildings outside the city presents interesting consequences mechanically but visually they’re delightful. The districts (and wonders!) are just as brightly colored as everything else, and as a city and environs grow, the sprawl of tents, buildings, paths and flags makes everything look exciting and lived in. Cities are no longer confined to a single tile, needing to push out and impose their structure on surrounding hexes, out to the workable distance (still 3 hexes away, although my cities never got large enough to thoroughly check). The resulting effect is to make your empire feel like an empire, with industry and commerce marking the world, instead of a loose collection of city states, confined within stone walls.

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The mechanical implications of this however are simply genius. Military districts are required in order to build advanced military units, and when you do build these units, they appear inside the district. Have a war with a nearby neighbor? Build your military districts on the borders, and get reinforcements to the front a turn or two faster. Can’t manage to get that perfect river/hill/mountain/coast placement for a city? Not to worry! As long as your science districts are adjacent to a mountain, you can build observatories. Useless tundra tile you don’t know what to do with? Put an entertainment district on it to keep the unwashed masses happy. This increased flexibility in decision making does cut both ways: moving the city outside of the city makes it more vulnerable to raiding, since now your opponents don’t need to invest in a lengthy siege to cripple you: a couple of units of cavalry, striking at an undefended spot can cripple a city’s production capacity until you can secure and repair the districts.

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Districts can also benefit from adjacency bonuses, at least if you’re Japan – chaining districts together makes them more powerful. Since they are a part of the city, districts are built using the city’s production menu, meaning they can be rushed with reckless deforestation of the surrounds. The possibility for different builds and strategies is a long way beyond what I had the time to look at and cover, but the new districts definitely feel powerful enough to make up for their vulnerability.

My favorite changes however, come in the form of the AI. I know Civilization has never been known for the efficacy of its artificial intelligence, but for once it managed to impress. In battle the computer actually (tried) to cycle units out of the front lines to heal up. Their ranged units tried to skirmish, withdrawing after each shot if pressed. Barbarians were incredibly aggressive when it came to attacking my units, pursuing when they had the upper hand, and fleeing when they did not. Unfortunately sieges were the same as they always have been, making it easy to exploit the AI’s unwillingness to bring many melee units and their fervor when it came to throwing them into my storm of arrows. The exception to this was that now cities need walls to be constructed before they can return fire – a fact that took me by surprise, and allowed barbarians to have free reign for a worryingly long time. As a fortunate counter to this, it seemed the barbarians were more unwilling than usual to raid and pillage tile improvements.

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However the improvements are not solely restricted to the battlefield. When it came to diplomacy the AI wasn’t as brutally opportunistic as it can be in other recent grand strategy titles, but it was a hell of a lot more consistent than in Civilization V. This is helped along by the new leaders and the intrigue system. The agenda system for each leader is the driving force behind their behaviour, with one public historical agenda and another that must be puzzled out through intrigue. Leaders also possess personalities that lead them to respect or denounce you based on your actions. For example the end result of these changes was that Egypt denounced me (Japan) for not having a large enough army (Cleopatra respects strong civilisations). This was shortly followed by a declaration of war from Roosevelt who complained my army was too large, and I was in danger of spoiling the continent through war. After fending him off I finally completed the Hanging Gardens of Babylon – prompting China to take advantage of my war-wearied military to declare war on me for having too many wonders (one, precisely). The war was short and bloody, but China sued for peace earlier than I expected: once the odds became about even my opponent began to retreat and defend. I followed up and unexpectedly managed to capture China’s third city, a move which rendered my army ineffective – so China counterattacked, a move I barely held off. To cut a long story short, I managed to eventually capture China’s capital, a feat of production that left my science lagging. This led to a denouncement from the Aztecs, unimpressed by my resource diversity or technical advances. A forward settle on Egypt meant that by game’s end I was at war with two civilisations, denounced by two more, with Brazil hanging in the wings to growl at me menacingly and only England putting up with my behaviour: a move that had more to do with my overly large army hanging out by her front door.

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There are dozens more changes, both small and large. Movement around the map is more restricted, with units only able to enter terrain if they have enough movement to pay the complete movement cost – no more moving into a hill with 1/8th of a movement point left. Military units are able to create formations with civilian units or support units such as battering rams or siege towers. Ranged units have no zone of control. Foot units now counter spear units which still counter cavalry which still counters foot – and ranged units still counter everyone. Social policies now come in a form of tech tree similar to the actual tech tree, broadening your options, and adding a ton of flexibility into how your culture evolves and organises. Culture income now ‘researches’ the social policy tree, unlocking more social cards for your deck. Your government type then determines what spaces you have in your tableau to place cards from this deck. Happiness has been reworked to be less punishing of a mechanic, hobbling your cities similar to Beyond Earth instead of the mass rioting and rebellion brought on by the destruction of a single vineyard. City states can no longer be bought en-masse, instead requiring a constant consistent diplomatic effort through research and social policies. Ranged units have less of an early dominance now that they have no zone of command, and now that the starting slingers are only range adjacent. Strategic resources are now no longer ‘consumed’ by building a unit that needs them, instead if you have improved iron you can build as many swordsmen as you like.

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My hands-on time was short, but Civilization VI is shaping up to be another excellent time sink. The changes I saw have helped create a tighter, more tactical experience on the battlefield, with a (slightly) more solid diplomacy system – I found myself flipping off the computer more than once (the leaders can be so damned smug). The art style is a positive change, and the UI is a huge improvement over Civilization V’s. The changes to social policies and happiness give more depth and flexibility in long term decision making when building your empire, and I found the whole experience to have just as much, if not more, depth and complexity than Civilization V. I enjoyed the game: it does a lot of things better than Civilization V, a lot of things the same, but so far, nothing worse.

Watch What It Takes to Master the Tech in Motorsport Manager

Philip Federico
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Watch What It Takes to Master the Tech in Motorsport Manager

Playsports Games has released a second video in their “Master the Tech” series featuring Mike Fryatt, Community Manager for their upcoming sports management sim, Motorsport Manager.

Just like in a top-tier race team, your car is in a constant state of evolution – you can’t coast though a season with the same car setup, nor can you ignore moving resources into the development of next year’s car. In our second video in the series, we show you that it’s down to you to master the technology, to give your team the best possible chance to win.

To check out the new feature video for Motorsport Manager, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t6souFR8Eo

If you would like to download the video, it is available here.

For more information about Motorsport Manager™, log on to http://www.motorsportmanager.com.

Follow us on social media for game updates and general motorsport chat at http://www.twitter.com/playmotorsport and http://www.facebook.com/playmotorsport

Evolve News | A Month of Shear Madness: New Mode, Characters, Maps and More

Philip Federico
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Evolve News | A Month of Shear Madness: New Mode, Characters, Maps and More

2K and Turtle Rock Studios today announced the start of a month-long “Shear Madness”event in Evolve Stage 2, bringing exciting new content updates throughout the weeks ahead. Starting today, players can expect five new updates over five weeks that will include three more Character Adaptations, three new Map Variants that shake-up the traditional Evolve experience, a brand new Co-op game mode, as well as community requested features and quality of life improvements. Today, the Shear Madness event kicks off with The Quantum Surge Update.

The Quantum Surge will include the newest Medic to the Hunter team’s roster,Quantum Caira. Her unique area control style healing combined with new abilities are detailed below and the update will also feature:

·         An all new “Try Before you Buy” option, where all hunters, monsters, skins and perks that you’d normally earn using Silver Keys are now unlocked in the game’s Training Mode.
·         Balance changes;
·         A brand new series of Advanced Hunter tutorials
·         Some first steps towards improving widespread community issues on matchmaking and leavers;

Quantum Caira keeps the team alive through sustained healing and careful positioning. Her Regeneration Fields create healing zones while her Neutron Barrier blocks damage for the whole team, as long as she’s in the right place. Unlike other medics she has no healing burst so a well-positioned Regeneration Field combined with a well-timed Proton Field are the keys to success with Quantum Caira.

Quantum Caira’s abilities include:

·         Proton Field- Deploys a zone that damages enemies over time. Multiple fields stack.
·         Regeneration Field – Deploys a Generyst™ zone that heals each nearby Hunter over time. Multiple Regeneration Fields stack.
·         Neutron Barrier- Applies a short damage-resistance buff to all nearby Hunters.
·         Generyst II™ Field: Heals hunters and damages monsters in the area for the duration of the effect.

For complete details on the  Shear Madness event, visit the  Evolve blog at: https://evolvegame.com/news/en-shear-madness-is-upon-us-quantum-caira-hunter-adaptation-now-available

Assets to accompany this announcement can be found using the links below.

  • View and embed an  Quantum Caira trailer that showcases the new Hunter’s abilities and personality here

 

Pokémon Animated Teaser Trailer Launches with New Trading Card Game Expansion

Philip Federico
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Pokémon Animated Teaser Trailer Launches with New Trading Card Game Expansion

The Mythical Steam Pokémon Volcanion makes a triumphant debut today, both in the new Pokémon Trading Card Game expansion, XY—Steam Siege, and in the very first look at the latest Pokémon animated film, Pokémon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel, which debuts later this year in some North American and European markets.

Launching today at major retailers across the country, Pokémon TCG: XY—Steam Siege features Shiny Mega Gardevoir-EX laying siege to the mighty Gear Palace, while the Mythical Steam Pokémon Volcanion must wield the dual powers of fire and water to stop it. The brand-new expansion introduces more than 110 new cards to collect and play, including Pokémon with the powerful BREAK Evolution mechanic. Xerneas BREAK and Yveltal BREAK make their debut, along with Yanmega BREAK, Talonflame BREAK, Pyroar BREAK, Clawitzer BREAK, and Hydreigon BREAK.

Volcanion also stars in Pokémon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel. Ash meets the Mythical Pokémon when it crashes down from the sky, creating a cloud of dust—and a mysterious force binds the two of them together! Volcanion despises humans and tries to get away, but it’s forced to drag Ash along as it continues its rescue mission.

They arrive in a city of cogs and gears, where a corrupt minister has stolen the ultimate invention: the Artificial Pokémon Magearna, created 500 years ago. He plans to use its mysterious power to take control of this mechanical kingdom! Can Ash and Volcanion work together to rescue Magearna? One of the greatest battles in Pokémon history is about to unfold!

Discover Volcanion in Pokémon TCG: XY—Steam Siege today, and see the Mythical Steam Pokémon in action later this year when Pokémon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel arrives!

ACTION RPG HAPPY DUNGEONS AVAILABLE NOW FOR XBOX ONE THROUGH EXCLUSIVE GAME PREVIEW PROGRAM

Philip Federico
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ACTION RPG HAPPY DUNGEONS AVAILABLE NOW FOR XBOX ONE THROUGH EXCLUSIVE GAME PREVIEW PROGRAM

Wild, Wacky Dungeon Crawler from Makers of Best-Selling “Happy Wars” Expands the Happy Universe with New Multiplayer Play

Xbox One Game Preview Program Offers Gamers Opportunity to Preview and Play Exciting New Games Prior to Final Release
TOKYO– August 3, 2016 – Toylogic Inc., a prominent game developer based in Tokyo, has today announced the release of the second title, in its imaginative series of “Happy” games, with Happy Dungeons for Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft.  Sibling to the incredibly popular Xbox 360 and Xbox One hit Happy Wars, the first ever free-to-play game released on Xbox 360 in 2012, Happy Dungeons is a whimsical, vibrant, and wacky dungeon crawler, also free-to-play that offers plenty of action, adventure and loot, but never takes itself too seriously.  Happy Dungeons is now available exclusively for Xbox One.

“Happy Wars was played by millions of people and remains popular even today proving that even hardcore game genres can be appealing to all manner of players with the right blend of excitement, fun and accessibility,” said Yoichi Take, President and Executive Director, Toylogic.  “We’ve spent the last three years improving on that formula with Happy Dungeons. Our single priority is to challenge ourselves as creators technically and in the pure spirit of fun.  We hope players will see that reflected in Happy Dungeons.”

As an Xbox One Game Preview title, Happy Dungeons offers players the opportunity to play, test and provide feedback directly to Toylogic during the early stages of development.   Game Preview players will have a direct influence on the design of Happy Dungeons as they work with the development team to deliver a truly accessible game that is both exciting and fun.  Toylogic’s ongoing commitment to this level of community collaboration will be evidenced through the monthly releases of exciting new game modes, dungeons, customizable items and even powerful new bosses and monster classes.  In addition, players who participate during the Xbox One Game Preview period will be rewarded with exclusive items, including unique weapons only available during this program which will carry over to the final game, a special pack of Happy Cards that contains an epic item, bonus first aid kits as well as substitute souls.  Players will also be offered access to special discounts through a Founder’s Pack and other choice downloadable packs.

During this first preview stage for Happy Dungeons, players will already be treated to Toylogic’s robust gameplay vision with: 6 action-packed chapters, 30 challenging dungeons demanding to be “crawled,” three mighty character classes – the heavily armored Warrior, the mystical Mage and the medicinal Cleric;  various enemy races and types, including goblins, aliens and other comical humans; 45 different skills offering hundreds of customizable combinations and, more than 600 unique and powerful items that ensure hours of hacking and slashing fun.   Happy Dungeons also features multiplayer co-op gameplay with up to 4 players either online or on the couch locally with split screen play.

Happy Dungeons is available now as an Xbox One Game Preview title – the final game is targeted for release in late 2016.  For more information about Happy Dungeons visit https://www.happydungeons.net/.

About Toylogic
Toylogic was founded on two principles “Toy” and “Logic”.  The Company was born in the spirit of creating “Enjoyment, Surprise and Impression”. Inspired by the quest for technologies and passion for creation, the company offers a wide variety of entertainment across all genres through breathtaking spectacle images, heartwarming stories and exciting new games that can be played by families, friends and gamers of all ages and from all around the world.

‘MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY’ NOW AVAILABLE FOR MOBILE DEVICES

Philip Federico
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‘MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY’ NOW AVAILABLE FOR MOBILE DEVICES

LONDON (3rd August 2016) –  MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY™, the FINAL FANTASY® role-playing adventure game custom-tailored for mobile platforms, is available for iOS and Android today.

Having released to critical acclaim in Japan receiving the App Store’s “Best of 2015” Award, this new RPG adventure features in-depth character customization, ongoing live events, and HD graphics that push the boundaries of the mobile platform. The all-star development team includes producer Yoshinori Kitase and writer Kazushige Nojima – known for their work on the acclaimed  FINAL FANTASY VII  and upcoming  FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE.

As part of a special promotion running until 31st August, Square Enix is awarding players with special in-game items, including Tidus’s signature weapon from FINAL FANTASY X, Brotherhood; a Yuna character card; extra Ability Tickets; Summon Tickets; and much more. Daily login rewards, including extra Bronze Openers, Ability Tickets and Elixirs, will also be available until 12th August.

MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY is available to download for free from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

The new launch trailer can be viewed on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/bAWy3bnF_wI

Related Links:
Official Website: http://www.eu.square-enix.com/mobiusff/
Apple App Store https://itunes.apple.com/app/mobius-final-fantasy/id1091974564?l=ja&ls=1&mt=8
Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.square_enix.android_googleplay.mobiusff_ne
Official FINAL FANTASY Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/MobiusFinalFantasy
Official FINAL FANTASY Twitter: https://twitter.com/mobiusFF_NE

About MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY
MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY is a free-to-play app (with in-app purchases)

About the FINAL FANTASY Portal App
The free-to-download “FINAL FANTASY Portal App” provides the latest and greatest on all things FINAL FANTASY, as well as exclusive promotional trailers and developer commentary. By logging-in with their Square Enix account, players can accumulate points that can be exchanged for various items. Also, the iconic Triple Triad card game from FINAL FANTASY VIIImakes its mobile debut and is playable in the app.
About Square Enix Ltd.
Square Enix Ltd. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX®, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content in Europe and other PAL territories as part of the Square Enix group of companies. Square Enix Ltd. also has a global network of leading development studios such as IO Interactive™, Crystal Dynamics®, and Eidos Montréal. The Square Enix group of companies boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 115 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 68 million units worldwide; TOMB RAIDER®, which has sold over 45 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix Ltd. is a London-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
More information on Square Enix Ltd. can be found at http://eu.square-enix.com/en

MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY © 2015, 2016 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY, the MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY logo, FINAL FANTASY, FINAL FANTASY PORTAL APP, CRYSTAL DYNAMICS, DRAGON QUEST, EIDOS, IO INTERACTIVE, SPACE INVADERS, SQUARE ENIX, the SQUARE ENIX logo, TAITO and TOMB RAIDER are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Square Enix group of companies.  All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.

VR Combat Racer, Bank Limit: Advanced Battle Racing, Launching August 16th for Oculus Rift, HTC Vive & Windows PC

Philip Federico
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VR Combat Racer, Bank Limit: Advanced Battle Racing, Launching August 16th for Oculus Rift, HTC Vive & Windows PC

Innovative Magnet Racer with Shooting, Flight & the Fastest Speeds of any Racing Game Arriving on Steam with Cross-platform Multiplayer

ANCHORAGE, AK, August 3, 2016 – Tastee Beverage Studios today announced that its forthcoming VR combat racing game, Bank Limit: Advanced Battle Racing, the multiplatform title that pushes the limits of fantasy racing, is now final and will launch on Steam for Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Windows PC on August 16th. Each copy of the game will unlock play for all three platforms so players can choose whichever hardware they prefer.

In development by a small team for over two years and built using Unity 5, the combat magnet racer features immersive VR graphics and blinding speed. Bank Limit ABR features intense pack racing at Mach 10 speeds, cross-platform multiplayer, 20 gravity-defying tracks, three battle arenas for deathmatches, hyperspeed race cars capable of short flights under control and deadly vehicular battles via head-controlled weaponry. Initially announced for Oculus Rift, the game has expanded onto Vive and Windows PC so Vive players can race and even non-VR gamers can join the fray with conventional PC graphics.

Bank Limit: ABR puts players in futuristic race cars that can hit ludicrous speeds while dealing punishment to rivals via head-aimed lasers and missiles. The ability to look in any direction via head tracking to aim weapons, navigate upcoming turns or check status via in-car gauges makes driving and flying the ABR vehicles especially intuitive on VR platforms, allowing players to focus on winning the race and destroying rivals. The game supports most controllers, including Vive controllers, Touch by Oculus (when available), the Steam Controller, Windows gamepads and keyboard/mouse, so racers can choose their preferred controller when playing on any platform.

Beyond the amazing VR immersion, Bank Limit: ABR is all about classic combat racing—with a twist. Players will mash the accelerator and blast away at rivals to reach the finish line first—even if it means they have to soar above the track to gain an advantage. Souped up with advanced tech, the ABR vehicles are capable of flight and players can blast into space for intervals of dogfighting. The game includes single player and multiplayer modes and 20 tracks set in three different worlds for racing combat with up to 25 cars on the track at once. Three battle arenas are also provided for vehicular FPS combat against up to three other human players and 100 AI drone ships. Up to four human players can join in cross-platform multiplayer racing, so Rift, Vive and even non-VR PC players will all be able to race and battle together.

Bank Limit: Advanced Battle Racing will be available on Steam for $49.99 at launch. For more information, visit http://www.banklimit.com/.

About Tastee Beverage Studios

Dedicated to creating new Virtual Reality (VR) game experiences, Tastee Beverage Studios is the brainchild of programmer Harley Benedict and artist Benjamin Deutscher. An intensely dedicated two-man team, Tastee Beverage Studios leverages Harley’s VR technology wizardry and Ben’s design skills to develop cutting-edge VR titles. The company will launch its first game, the VR combat racer, Bank Limit: ABR, August 16, 2016 for Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Windows PC. For more information, visit banklimit.com.

HEX: Shards of Fate – Herofall Set Announced

Philip Federico
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HEX: Shards of Fate – Herofall Set Announced

Expansion introduces over 270 new cards | New eSports tournament series in the “Cosmic Crown Showdown”

Karlsruhe, August 3rd 2016 – Gameforge and developers HEX Entertainment are revealing the first details on the upcoming fifth set, “Herofall”. The latest card set brings an additional 275 new cards to HEX: Shards of Fate, and is slated for release this fall. Alongside the new cards, we will see the first tournament based on the newly introduced ladder system in the “Cosmic Crown Showdown”.

Let the Games Begin!

In the Cosmic Crown Showdown, all those players who’ve reached the Cosmic tier play off against one another, with the top 64 players from both the “constructed” and “limited” ladders being eligible to participate. The qualifying rounds will revolve around the ongoing ladder system, where each season has a two-month run. By the end of August we’ll know who the finalists are, and the first Cosmic Crown Showdown can get rolling at the beginning of September.

Of Heroes and Mercenaries

Alongside new card designs, 18 legendary cards and 20 new champions, the update brings with it a selection of new sleeves and PvE cards. The conflict between HEX’s two factions—between the Ardent and the Underworld—will be in the spotlight for the new troops, actions and heroes.

New tactical possibilities also unfold as new keywords—specific card mechanics—make their way into the game. More details will be released on the HEX community website http://en.hex.gameforge.com/news.html soon.
About HEX: Shards of Fate

HEX: Shards of Fate combines the challenging and strategic planning of a trading card game (TCG) with the rich depth of a role-playing game (RPG), creating a whole new genre: the RPG-TCG. Thanks to the fully digital nature of HEX: Shards of Fate, entirely new game dynamics are made available to TCG fans, making the experience even more varied and strategic. In addition, HEX: Shards of Fate offers the unique elements of an RPG, such as PvE campaigns, guilds and customisable Champions. The game breaks genre-boundaries and ensures extensive and tactical entertainment.

About Gameforge
With more than 20 titles and over 450 million registered players, Gameforge is the leading provider of free-to-play massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) in the western hemisphere. Headquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany, the group offers its online games in more than 75 countries and employs 450 members of staff. The portfolio encompasses numerous well-known game industry brands, including client-based titles such as Orcs Must Die! Unchained, HEX: Shards of Fate, prized role-playing game AION Free-to-Play and TERA as well as Europe’s most successful MMO, Metin2. In future, competitive RTS Dropzone and action-laden Anime MMORPG SoulWorker will add to the collection. Popular browser-based games such as OGame and Ikariam as well as a growing portfolio of mobile games complete their offering. For more information please visit http://corporate.gameforge.com/.

Madman Is Releasing the Complete Series Box Set of ‘Transformers: Prime’ Today

K. Roberts
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Madman Is Releasing the Complete Series Box Set of ‘Transformers: Prime’ Today

Transformers-Prime-Complete-Series-Box-Set-Cover-Art-01

Madman Entertainment has released both a DVD and Blu-ray box set containing the complete series of Transformers: Prime in Australia today. The box set will be available in New Zealand on September 8, 2016.

The series ran for three seasons, with a total of 65 episodes being produced. It was originally broadcast in North America from November 2010 to July 2013 on Hub Network, now known as Discovery Family. The DVD box set contains all episodes across 14 discs, while the Blu-ray box set features them across 9 discs. The suggested retail prices for Australia are $109.95 AUD and $129.95 AUD respectively. The suggested retail prices for New Zealand are $109.99 and $129.99 NZD respectively.

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