FAN-FAVORITE SPACE SIM STARPOINT GEMINI 2 HITS BETA ON STEAM’S EARLY ACCESS
Little Green Men Games’ Massive Update Features Wormholes, T-drives, New Music and More!
Haarlem, The Netherlands – March 17, 2014 – Iceberg Interactive, the popular European publisher known for its armada of stellar space games, announced today the fan-favorite Starpoint Gemini 2 (PC) has entered in the Beta phase of development on Steam’s Early Access program. Created by Little Green Men Games, Starpoint Gemini 2’s Beta update offers fans the ability to chance traveling through the new, powerful and dangerous wormholes, mount T-drives to their custom ships for instant travel, hear new music tracks and special effects, experience local events and brutally heavy cannon blasts with a new shaky camera, amongst other additions.
Starpoint Gemini 2 Beta Features:
Wormholes – Free of charge, Wormholes are a one-way superfast travel method, but due to instability they are very dangerous and can result in damage or major catastrophe. Very popular way of travel among bandits and pirates.
Classy Choices – Players can now choose their player class at the start of a game.
Faster – By adding newer models, the game’s load times are much faster.
T- Drive – Personal device for instant travel that can be mounted to any ship.
New Music – New tracks and SFX have been added to create a wider variety of moods and atmosphere.
Events – Local events that will feed the live news reels were added.
Balancing – A first balancing run has been done on the ship systems and equipment pricing.
Starpoint Gemini 2 is an open-world 3D space simulation game that provides powerful RPG mechanics with the frenzy of space combat. The game takes place in Gemini, where various factions are still fighting for power. Players have control of one ship at a time during the game with direct movement and combat controls as they explore new worlds, trade for greater power, and execute a high level of ship customization.
Starpoint Gemini 2 Game Features:
RPG: RPG mechanics are rarely seen in the Space Sim genre, but in Starpoint Gemini 2, players are represented as the captain (not just the pilot), each with their own personal set of upgradeable skills, perks, and side quests.
Open Universe: The huge open universe is at the player’s fingertips: The continuous universe in Starpoint Gemini 2 sets it apart from other games in the genre since there are NO loading points in-between.
Customization: Detailed ship customization is available for every player through the purchase of new crafts, upgrading existing ones, and combining player’s particular set of skills to make even the smallest ships exceptionally powerful.
3D Space Sim:Starpoint Gemini 2 provides a unique open-world 3D space simulation experience that combines RPG mechanics and space combat.
Large Fleet of Spaceships: Players have their disposal LARGE and highly customizable spaceships capable of creating major mayhem.
Combat: Key elements in Starpoint Gemini 2 include the tactical combat of larger spaceships and exploration in the open universe, building and blending their RPG skills, and ship customization.
Starpoint Gemini 2 is currently in Beta on Steam’s Early Access program and is available for $24.99 HERE:steamcommunity.com/app/236150. Starpoint Gemini 2 is slated for full release on Steam this spring.
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ABOUT LITTLE GREEN MEN GAMES
LGM Games is a team of highly motivated and talented programmers, writers, 3D and 2D artists, and animators sharing the same passion for video games. LGM Games made their first appearance in the gaming industry in 2011 with their debut title Starpoint Gemini, a space-flavored RPG sim.
ABOUT ICEBERG INTERACTIVE Iceberg Interactive is an independent video game publisher founded in 2009 by an international group of games industry veterans. Iceberg operates in the vibrant European games market through retail publishing and worldwide via direct relationships with dozens of digital download portals. With a distinct focus on the genres of simulations, adventure, strategy and MMO/action games, Iceberg has successfully released digital hits in European retail, such as Killing Floor, Wings of Prey, APB Reloaded and Endless Space – but is also known to back indie developers in getting their games into both the retail and digital space. Play it cool!
FREE GAME ALERT — DUNGEON DEFENDERS IS NOW FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME ON XBOX LIVE
Dig Into One of the Most Popular Xbox Live Digital Games and Extend the Experience with Four Add-on Packs
Twain Harte, CA – March 17, 2014 – D3Publisher together with Reverb Publishing is proud to announce that the loot-raiding, spell-casting, level-crazy hit Dungeon Defenders is now available free on Xbox Live online entertainment network from Microsoft starting today, March 16, through Monday, March 31, as part of the Games with Gold program for Xbox 360. The downloadable title brims with hundreds of hours of 3D tower defense mayhem and offers even more depth, replay value, and action-RPG fun with its four, mega-size DLC packs.
Dungeon Defenders brings together all the best elements of tower defense and RPG progression in a fully 3D environment with 15 unique maps in which players take the role of one of four heroes defending the Eternity Crystal — an ancient artifact containing an old evil. Players can download the game for free from the Xbox Live Games Store and load up on the DLC now.
The four Dungeon Defenders DLC packs feature:
Quest for the Eternal Shards (Part 1: Mistymire Forest): A new campaign and challenge mission that puts players and their fellow heroes on a quest to recover the long-lost fairies from the fog-shrouded bogs of Mistymire. Rare and powerful items await those who can brave the hazards of the forest!
Quest for the Eternal Shards (Part 2, Morrago): Prepare to venture outside into the realms of Etheria in The Quest for the Lost Eternia Shards. Explore the desert city of Morrago and experience new missions, story cinematics, enemies, and more. This DLC pack contains:
“The Quest for the Lost Eternia Shards Part 2” Campaign Mission
Quest for the Eternal Shards (Part 3, Aquanos): Prepare to venture outside into the realms of Etheria in The Quest for the Lost Eternia Shards! Experience new missions, cinematics, enemies, and more: This DLC pack contains:
“The Quest for the Lost Eternia Shards Part 3” Campaign Mission
Quest for the Eternal Shards (Part 4, Sky City): Prepare to venture outside the realms of Etheria in The Quest for the Lost Eternia Shards! Journey above the clouds to Sky City and experience new missions, story cinematics, enemies, and more: This DLC pack contains:
“The Quest for the Lost Eternia Shards Part 4” Campaign Mission
Tower defense fans and RPG nuts alike will find themselves enthralled by the depth of the character progression. Each class has a slew of towers and skills in their arsenal with 90 levels worth of stat building with all four DLC packs. All this makes for a chaotic, fun romp of a time in expertly crafted dungeons full of monsters attacking from every angle.
Rated T for Teen, Dungeon Defenders is now available as a free download on Xbox Live. For more information, please visit www.dungeondefenders.com.
Delsin delivers for PlayStation® Australia and inFAMOUS: Second Son™
Next gen title inFAMOUS: Second Son to launch this week as more PS4™ stock hits Australia
Exclusive inFAMOUS: Second Son prize packs up for grabs
Sydney, 17 March, 2014: Developed by the critically acclaimed, Seattle-based, Sucker Punch Productions, inFAMOUS: Second Son will launch nationally on 21 March, 2014, exclusive to the PlayStation®4 (PS4™) system. In celebration, Sony Computer Entertainment Australia (SCE Aust.) has launched a new fan contest to mark the release of this highly anticipated next generation title.
In inFAMOUS: Second Son players will take the role of Delsin Rowe – a super-human possessing spectacular powers. Set against the backdrop of a stunning recreation of down-town Seattle, you’ll be able to choose how you wield Delsin’s powers in this unparalleled next-gen gaming experience.
To celebrate, SCE Aust. is giving three players the chance to win one of three inFAMOUS: Second Sonprize packs, including a shiny new PlayStation 4. Also up for grabs as part of the pack are a limited edition, custom-made Delsin Rowe jacket and beanie.
“Since its announcement, inFAMOUS: Second Son has been one of the most hotly anticipated titles for PS4 and it finally hits stores nationwide this week,” said Michael Ephraim, Managing Director of Sony Computer Entertainment Australia. “This next instalment of the inFAMOUS franchise delivers a truly next gen experience that won’t disappoint. We have worked hard to ensure that we have plenty of PS4 consoles available on shelves in time for the release of this title, so if you haven’t picked up your new console yet, now is the time!”
To enter the contest, players simply have to answer what inFAMOUS superpower they would like and why. All entries must use the #DelsinDelivers hashtag and can be made across the following platforms:
Facebook – Through the PlayStation Australia Facebook page app
Twitter – By tweeting on your own Twitter profile
Instagram – Posting an image and a caption of that superpower you want to your Instagram page
The three most creative responses will take home the big prize, and the competition runs until 23.59 AEST on Wednesday, 26 March 2014. For full terms and conditions visit this link: http://bit.ly/DelsinDelivers
Follow the conversation and get involved by using #DelsinDelivers or by visiting the PlayStation Australia Facebook and Twitter pages.
Overview
Anime and guns occasionally cross paths but when they do it is usually for a series that is action packed or dramatic. However recently there has been a rise of shows with girls with different kinds of military grade hardware. We have seen teams of girls controlling tanks, girls playing around with air soft guns, and now Upotte!! has taken it a step further by combining these two things into one. That will make more sense in a minute, but the question is, does it make sense to pick up Sentai Filmwork’s release of Upotte!!?
Story Seishou Academy is a very unique school with a strange enrollment requirement. Having a new teacher begin working at a school is pretty run of the mill, but at Seishou Academy nothing is quite that simple. Especially since this teacher happens to be human. You see, what makes Seishou so special is that everyone on the campus is a gun. No I don’t mean that they are simply named after firearms, though they are, I mean that every one of them, including the teachers, is an anthropomorphized firearm made flesh.
Being the only human teacher set to enter the campus and having no knowledge of this fact, the teacher Genkoku, is in for a world of trouble especially when he happens to meet a girl named Funko outside of class for the first time and happens to notice she is wearing a thong. Later when he arrives at the school and learns that the academy has posters up everywhere warning about cleaning up empty casings or firing guns in the hallway but that it also includes a firing range and bullet holes in most walls, he already gets off on a bad foot with these special girls by calling Funko the thong girl resulting in a hospital stay.
Now while the idea of a human having to integrate into a school where all of the girls are literally guns who carry around the guns they are named after and are willing to go full auto at the drop of a hat may make for an interesting story, Upotte!! really isn’t meant to be taken too seriously as the focus shifts away from the teacher and focuses on Funko and her friends. Now Funko just happens to be the girl’s nickname, as she is better known as FNC, and her friends are M16A4, L85A1, and SG 550, with nicknames of Ichiroku, Eru, and Shigu.
The majority of the series likes to focus on this group of four girl guns as they go through what would be a rather standard school life but nothing is standard in this show as almost everything is spiced up by the fact that these girls are guns. It also helps that they all have a very likable personality, especially Funko and Ichiroku, and their chemistry is perfect for the amount of comedy the show produces. It is worth noting that although the show is quite out there at times, there is a semblance of a story in Upotte!! as there are two story arcs contained in the original ten episodes.
One of which sees the attempted coup of the annual team battle held at the school by two hostile transfer students and the final being a battle between these girls and attacking AKs that have already sent three of their friends to a hospital. These segments contain quite a bit of action as well as some tactical information and bring about a believable serious tone that balances nicely with the amount of comedy and oddness this series features.
You see, since these girls are guns standard school activities include accuracy practice alongside learning history and that best sums up the way the slice of life episodes of Upotte!! play out. A school festival is made to thrive by driving a tank through the wall or setting up a café serving MREs. All of this is spiced up by the copious amounts of gun information that is provided to the viewer at every single turn and how it plays into the way the girls act.
Remember how the teacher ends up getting on Funco’s bad side by mentioning her thong? Well the reason she even has such a thing is because her rifle is using a skeleton stock as opposed to a solid stock. Ichiroku has bursts of energy only to tire out and need a brief break because the M16 is designed to shoot in three round bursts with no option for automatic. Eru is constantly getting sick or needing special treatment because the L85A1 is a very defective gun with numerous issues that result in pieces breaking or jamming.
The girls are almost literally presented as the guns they carry, with there being instances of a rifle’s stock being shot off only for her panties to come off or the pin holding their magazine in place warps causing it to fall out and said girl to vomit. This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Upotte!!’s gun trivia as every episode includes numerous tidbits of information and in some cases entire backstories about how a gun was created and modified for use today. While some of this info may be familiar to some, a lot of it is informative and presented in a fun way.
Now Upotte!! does have its faults though most of these fall under the fact that the series is limited to only ten episodes which means that there really doesn’t feel like anything is resolved. Tensions are introduced in the final few episodes but it feels like they were cut short simply because the series’ episode limitation needed it to end at that point and had to resolve everything as fast as possible.
Visuals The animation studio Xebec can produce some great looking series at times but they tend to have a certain visual style that is pretty evident in almost every aspect of Upotte!! and that is a very strange approach to character design that leaves most of their characters, generally the female cast, odd looking. This is the case with Upotte!! in almost every aspect as the girls all have unique looking faces and the amount of detail paid to the guns is great, but any time the girls are not shown close up they always feel off.
The backgrounds throughout Upotte!! do not help much either as there tends to be quite a few basic looking areas that are used quite often and only when the series focuses on action does the animation quality take a step up. It is worth noting that despite the numerous costumes and poses the girls end up in, or Funko’s fantasies about her firing hammer about to drop, there is actually no nudity in the main episodes and even the panty shots are kept to a minimum so despite appearing very fan service focused, the show actually rarely crosses that line. Though there is one scene with a certain elf-eared girl that does hint at something quite naughty happening while she is in battle.
Audio Now with Upotte!! Sentai Filmworks has provided both an English dub as well as the original Japanese voice work and while the English cast does a nice job with their roles, it feels like the only characters that, while a few characters such as FNC, M16A4, SAKO, and the teacher feel properly voiced, many of the side characters pale in comparison to their Japanese counterparts. It also is worth noting that during the OVA an English line is inserted into non-speaking mouth flaps resulting in not only a previously used line playing in slow motion during this moment but the voice actress not matching the speaking character.
Anyways, the background music for Upotte!! is standard and can be rather forgettable though it is nice to note that the sound effects are nicely handled and there is even a vocal insert song in the OVA. As for the opening theme we have “I.N.G.” by ARMS (the Japanese voice actresses for the main girls, which has a soft lead in and is rather enjoyable while the ending theme is “Himekure” by SG 550’s Japanese voice actress Kaori Sadohara.
Extras Now the extra features for Upotte!! are about as slim as they get if you don’t count the OVA as a bonus feature. Outside of the bikini cover art, the only other bonuses consist of a clean ending and opening theme, trailers for other Sentai Filmworks anime, and disc credits.
Now as for the OVA, Measure Up! Smile!, it continues to follow the main set of girls as they are camping during the summer break. The OVA contains some slightly modified animation and is heavy with bikinis and even some actual nudity as the girls appear topless for the only time in the series in this OVA. The OVA is mostly fun but helps show the connection these girls have as well as show what a few of the side-characters are doing on their break.
Overall Upotte!! fires off a round hoping to strike a small target but surprisingly they have done a great job at hitting this target off-center. This series is certainly not for everyone, but people who can enjoy some gun trivia and cute girls doing things with firearms are in for quite a time as this show has plenty of great humor and some nice drama at points. Unfortunately the length of the series and an ill-fitting English voice cast diminish the experience a bit. In the end, Upotte!! is an anime that many may not give a chance but those that do indulge in the series will find themselves in for a unique time.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Plants vs Zombies are everywhere at the moment, from their triumphant conquering of mobile devices with their tower defense gameplay to the recently successful outing into the world of third-person shooters. Well now Crazy Dave’s garden grown guardians have taken their fight with their eternal brain-eating enemies to a whole new battleground – a Pinball table. Pea Shooters, zombie hordes and a whole lot of fun have come to Pinball FX 2 and Zen Pinball 2 owners everywhere in this latest DLC. While Plants vs Zombies Pinball doesn’t bring too much to the world of digital pinball games, it is still a fun new table to play on filled with bright colours and those wacky characters you have come to know and love from PopCap’s Plants vs Zombies franchise.
Gameplay
Pinball as we know it has been around for centuries, but the developers of Pinball FX and Zen Pinball have managed to capture the sights, the sounds and the fun of hitting a ball with those two little bumpers and bring it across to the digital platform, as well as creating one or two new features that wouldn’t normally be possible on a normal table. Plants vs Zombies Pinball keeps this tradition alive and well, and its use of the license makes for some interesting and unique interactions.
When it all boils down to it, pinball is about keeping your ball on the table the longest and racking up the highest score. You do this by defending a small little opening with two paddles, which flick the ball back onto the table. In this brightly coloured iteration, you can increase your score multiplier by taking down the zombies and jumping into the back of Crazy Dave’s car as he drives you to safety.
Fulfilling certain requirements (like getting your ball to hit a certain point) unlocks the Zombie horde, who will slowly shamble towards you. It is your job to defeat them all with your trusty ball and paddles in order to unlock the score multiplier that they provide. The zombies act just as they do in the original tower defense game, with regular zombies going down quickly while coneheads and bucketheads take a few extra shots.
As much as the Plants vs Zombies feel is present here, this is still a pinball game and that means all the bells and whistles you would expect are here. Everything from Multiball, to secret paths to knock your ball into make their mark here in what would be a fun pinball experience even without the license.
Visuals & Audio
Plants vs Zombies pinball has managed to capture the look, feel and sound of the PvZ franchise perfectly. Everything from the characters to the look of the table and even the character voices and sound effects are taken directly from the original game. As good as it is to feel right at home when playing this game, it does sometimes come across as a bit cheap and lazy, especially since there are little to no sound effects present that DON’T come from other games. Would it have been too hard to have Crazy Dave yell out “MULTIBALLLLLL!!!!” Just once?
There is a strange feminine voice that alerts the player when various events take place; like when you lose your ball, or when you kill a zombie. I can’t say for certain who this voice is, but I am assuming it is the Sunflower (largely cause she is one of the only female characters from the franchise) but there is nothing to quite say who or what is actually speaking. It is unusual and were this a more intensive gaming experience it would break the immersion. Luckily, pinball is as casual and friendly as it gets so this is more of a random occurrence than a real distraction.
While the sound choice is a little off, the visuals are amazing. Considering this is just a pinball table, the extra little details that have gone into making it look like a real part of the Plants vs Zombies world. The ways that the zombies pop up pout of the ground and shamble along, just look really cool, and the fact that your ball is a green pea pod is a nice touch that fans of the franchise will recognise.
Overall
Plants vs Zombies Pinball is… well it is pinball, plain and simple. You flick the bumpers to launch your ball around the table to try and get the highest score possible. People have been playing it for years and this just slaps a fresh coat of paint and a lovable license onto the already popular game. Luckily, the Plants vs Zombies license feels right at home on a pinball table, and the developers have managed to bring across enough of the vibe and overall tone of the franchise to add a whole other layer to an already sound pinball experience.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
A while back we caught wind of a brand-new “Sengoku Basara” anime series in the works but, just yesterday, this addition to the already-brilliant franchise was confirmed and announced that it will be airing sometime within this year. The new series titled “Judge End” will follow on from the last series and will cover the Battle of Sekigahara, which was an actual battle that pitted East against West for the rule of the country.
This storyline was also detailed in the PlayStation 3/Wii game “Sengoku Basara 3/Samurai Heroes”. “Judge End” will be animated by a new studio, the previous series’ and movie were animated fantastically by “Production I.G.” but this time around it will be “Telecom Animation” who will be in charge of development.
Voice actors from the “Sengoku Basara” games will each reprise their respective roles in the “Judge End” anime which is great seeing as they did such a good job. So far no actually information has been released regarding whether or not this will be a one-shot episode or a new series but you can be sure that we’ll bring you that news as soon as it breaks.
Any good Australian fan of comedy should know the name Jim Jefferies, if you’ve never heard of him before than I hope this review of his latest stand up comedy home video release will open up your eyes to the incredibly crude but ultimately hilarious humour of this Sydney-born comic. Jim Jefferies (born as Geoff James Nugent) has been a popular stand-up comedian for many years at this point in time, with his countless specials, stand up gigs around the world and his new TV series “Legit” wherein which he plays himself as he recreates on-screen a great deal of the stories he tells in his routines, this man has never been more popular.
He’s a rising star in the comedy world that just continues to rise and thanks to the lovely people over at “Beyond Entertainment” I’ve been given the pleasure of reviewing his latest DVD release which features two of his comedy specials “I Swear To God” and “Contraband”. Follow me as I try my hand at an unbiased review of “Jim Jefferies: I Swear To God & Contraband”.
Jefferies is a man with no filter between his brain and his mouth and, for the most part, the things that come out of it are down right hilarious but his talks about religion and women can sometimes be taken negatively especially when they fall flat to such large audiences. I, for one, feel as though my sense of humour is quite broad so Jefferies’ misogynistic comments and hardcore atheist beliefs dont exactly get to me in way that I can imagine it gets to others.
I find this man hilarious but for the sake of an honest review I’m forced to look at him from many different angles. I do not mean to generalise in any way but I can’t exactly imagine female audiences to be fans of Jim, some of the comments he makes and some of his odd theories are quite offensive but going in with an open mind and an huge sense of humour will allow you to enjoy him to the fullest. Jefferies is full of “machismo”, he’s quite the man’s man and its his talks of alcoholism, drug use and sexual exploits that prove that but I feel as though he’s also the type of comic that is misinterpreted.
In both “I Swear To God” and “Contraband” Jim talks about his life, he tells real stories and obviously adds a comedic twist onto all of them, listening closely and opening yourself up to stories of his life really makes you think that this man isn’t as bad as he makes himself out to be. This is the power of an on-stage persona. His “tale” revolving around a physically disabled friend from childhood, even though overrun with crude humour and an even cruder ending, is filled with positive emotions and, somewhat, lessons that reveal a small part of his true persona BUT he’s a type of man that easily offends and has no problem doing so.
Each of his jokes, good or bad, are said with the utmost confidence in himself and his act, that’s something you can respect from a comedian and it is definitely something that helps even some of his more “blue” routines land without failure. He has quite a dark way of looking at the world and its inhabitants, its evident that his life wasn’t exactly the best and it shows within his routines. Any fan of comedy will know that most comics (not all of them) project what is deep within their heart when they’re on stage and sometimes this is done almost subconsciously, the thing about Jim Jefferies is that he has no qualms with opening up and embarrassing himself for the sake of winning the room, something many comedians do but fewer do with such success.
Despite the DVD being titled “Jim Jefferies: I Swear To God & Contraband” the main focus of the release IS “I Swear To God” with “Contraband” being grouped in among the extras alongside a great deal of short clips bunched under the title of “Jim Jefferies On…”. These extras basically have Jefferies pick a subject and riff small routines based off of what he thinks, things like “Religion”, “Politics”, “Parties”, etc. Once again, even these short clips can be somewhat insulting to those of you out there who don’t have as broad a sense of humour as others. Jefferies is a definitely not a comic for everybody, though he seems like a Neanderthal in the way he speaks and what he speaks about, he really is a fairly intelligent man and it does show. You just have to listen a little harder. Jim Jefferies, as I’ve said throughout this review, can be a hard comic to handle at times but for the most part I found him to be extremely funny and so does his audience.
During “Contraband” near the end of his set the audience actually started yelling his very own routine at him, finishing his “bits” and sentences, all the while proving their love for this man and his comedy. He does break into laughter at one point, he also looses his place several times due to the shock of an audience being able to recite his stand up routine verbatim. It’s actually quite incredible to witness even as someone that is just watching a recording of the show. Within “Contraband” he looks back at some of his older gigs, most notably the one where he was physically attack on stage by an angry audience member.
He shows footage and takes the audience through what exactly was happening both in his head and in the audience, all the while bringing audience members closer to him so as to finish off in a great way. Jefferies has mastered th art of reeling in audiences despite his seemingly hostile words, no audience member can back away from one of his routines for long, they’re almost instantly reeled back in with a silly face or a quick quip poking fun at someone or something, with most of the time it being himself.
I thought this release was absolutely brilliant. Fans of this man will enjoy this DVD through and through but the fact that there’s two stand up routines packed into one disc is something even greater, you’re basically two for one so as far as releases go this one is a real winner! I thoroughly enjoy his stand up but, as mentioned, I can absolutely see why people would not. He’s rude, he’s crude and I can imagine he offends a great deal of people that’s why I simply cannot give this release a perfect score.
Comedy is extremely hard to review seeing as it is one of the most pure forms of subjective media, moreso than TV shows, Anime series’, movies or comic books. People who will enjoy “Jim Jefferies: I Swear To God & Contraband” know who they are, I can imagine they haven’t even read up to this point because they made their decision somewhere up in the first or second paragraph but to everyone else, all I can say is to go into this one with an open mind. If you’re sensitive or easily offended maybe Jim Jefferies isn’t for you but if your skin is thick and you have a huge sense of humour; “Jim Jefferies: I Swear To God & Contraband” is the DVD for you.
Kingston Unveils System-Specific Memory’s New Package with a Taste of 100% Rich Compatibility
Sydney, Australia – March 17, 2014 – Want to upgrade your laptop but don’t know where to start? Kingston, the independent world leader in memory products, today unveiled a series of brand new packaging for its best-selling system-specific memory modules designed for ACER, APPLE, ASUS, DELL, HP, LENOVO, and TOSHIBA laptops. Solely available in APAC region, the new colorful design aims to help consumers to find the perfectly compatible memory for their laptops and to further perk up its overall performance!
Nowadays, one of the easiest ways to boost the speed of a laptop is simply by adding another RAM into the system. However, in the vast sea of memory modules, we couldn’t stop but wonder, what kind of memory does your system support? In what capacity and frequency does the memory best fit your laptop? All in all, how can you tell if you’re buying a compatible memory?
“Kingston system-specific memory modules are born to solve these memory compatibility problems. For those who are not really an expert on computer DIY and do not have the time to do market research, we are proud to offer an easy way out when it comes to memory selection for upgrading laptops,” said Ann Bai, DRAM Sales Director, APAC region, Kingston. “These memory modules are designed, manufactured and tested to the specifications of each brand name system. With the unique, new packaging, consumers will be able to instantly locate the perfect match of their branded laptop and find the right memory that would complement your system.”
Kingston system-specific memory is available in 4GB at 1333MHz in 1.5V and is also available in 4GB and 8GB at 1600MHz, in both 1.5V and 1.35V. It’s guaranteed to be compatible so you can rest assured you’re getting the highest quality memory, tailored to your specific computer and backed by 100 per cent testing and legendary Kingston reliability. So what’s your flavour? Come and taste the power of 100% rich compatibility. Kingston memory modules are backed by a lifetime warranty and free technical support. For more information visit http://www.kingston.com/en/memory/system_specific
Crowd funding campaign for video game aims to bring fun to the lives of people with dementia
San Francisco, USA & Melbourne, Australia: Opaque Multimedia and Alzheimer’s Australia Vic today announced the launch of a Pozible crowd funding campaign to support the development of The Forest Project – a video game application designed to improve the quality of life of people living with dementia through the use of Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 4 technology.
The announcement was made internationally at the annual Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. The campaign aims to raise US$82,000 (AU$90,000).
“Unreal Engine 4 is a next-generation video game technology. This is the same technology behind some of the most visually impressive video games of recent years,” said Norman Wang, Opaque Multimedia director.
Mr Wang said that by supporting this initiative, backers will be helping to break new ground in the use of virtual sensory therapy for people with dementia.
“We are calling on the global gaming community to get behind The Forest Project to demonstrate that video games can add immeasurable value to healthcare.
“With the community’s support we can greatly increase the fidelity, the types of environment, experiences and will strengthen the emotional connection – ultimately making a difference to the lives of people living with dementia,” Mr Wang said.
The Forest Project also uses Microsoft’s Kinect 2 technology which, using smart TVs, aims to turn a living room or a lounge in a care centre into an enchanted space that both stimulates the senses and engages through interactivity. Currently in development, The Forest Project is targeted to be released on multiple platforms in early 2015.
The Forest Project will record a number of technological firsts:
• one of the first serious game titles to use Unreal Engine 4 for dementia care and the first application of its kind in Australia
• one of the first attempts to support the care of people with dementia using game technology as well as supporting sensory therapy applications
• and one of the first to be tailored specifically to the needs of people living with dementia and their carers
The virtual environment is being designed from the ground up specifically for people with dementia. The Forest Project will provide a beautiful, calming and highly interactive experience.
“Imagine being able to take a person with dementia out of their everyday experience and into a virtual environment through which they will experience awe, wonder, giggles, amazement and joy. Using video game technology we can do this,” said Maree McCabe, CEO, Alzheimer’s Australia Vic.
Ms McCabe said Alzheimer’s Australia Vic is constantly looking out for the game changers – the innovations that will make a difference to the quality of life for people living with dementia.
“This first interactive virtual experience we are creating is a forest. The, possibilities to create, others are boundless such as a beach or even a seasonal Christmas themed scenario.”
“Imagine if we could make this technology available for smart TVs in aged care and private homes across the globe, for everybody to enjoy.
Together we can, and in so doing, make a real difference and bring some fun back into the lives of people living with dementia,” said Ms McCabe.
Dementia is the third leading cause of death in Australia and there is no cure. In Australia alone there are more than 330,000 people living with dementia and this number will increase to around 900,000 by 2050. These figures are mirrored around the world, meaning that statistically everybody will be impacted in some way by dementia during their lifetime.
The first guest for this year’s SMASH! anime convention has been announced and it’s one of Japan’s top-ranking cosplayers, REIKA (麗華). Reika is set to be the first, famous cosplayer to appear at any Australian anime convention.
Reika is known for her super accurate portrayal of male characters such as Jinguji Ren (Uta no Prince-sama), Levi (Attack on Titan) and Hijikata Toshiro (Gintama). But even more impressive is that she managed to cosplay the whole Generation of Miracles’ from Kuroko no Basket all on her own.
Aussie fans will be able to meet Reika at the convention and purchase official merchandise. SMASH! 2014 will be held at Rosehill Gardens, Sydney, as a two-day event on August 9-10 this year. Check out the website for more info as well as Reika’s Facebook page.
