Imperium Romanum video game

"Imperium Romanum" set to conquer the UK

Take the future of an empire into your hands in "Imperium Romanum", the upcoming historical strategy title from Kalyspso Media and Haemimont Games. Due for release in February 2008 the game sees the player take the role of a governor of a Roman province and strive to build a well organised, prosperous and commanding settlement.

Set in the time-honoured Roman Empire players will marvel at the incredible attention to detail, as they construct fortifications, build towers, gates and bridges, and pay for them with the new currency which has been implemented into the game for a challenging, enjoyable, and authentic quest to rule the World.

"Imperium Romanum" boasts a variety of new features to enhance the game-play and complete the historical strategy gaming experience. These include a sophisticated graphics engine, a mass of authentic historical buildings such as the world famous Circus Maximus and Gladiator schools, an improved battle system where the player commands their armies and an interactive mission mode which allows the player to control the activation of goals.

"Imperium Romanum" Features

• History mode with timeline, where missions are based on real events and locations

• Interactive mission mode: the players activate the goals when they choose

• Improved battle system where players commands their own armies

• Player-constructable bridges, fortifications, walls, towers and gates

• Introduction of currency, crime, historically accurate buildings, natural disasters, and siege machines

• New interface design, and improved economy and overview dialogues

Last of the Patriots video game

Last of the patriots is an indie game prototype developed by games veteran Paul Davis whose C.V. includes GTA-San Andreas, GTA4, Manhunt, and Manhunt2. Last of the patriots is a new style of game, using a development process based on a movie script, rather than a traditional game design document, the team has used this approach to hopefully get a cinematic feel and theme to the game.

The game is a prototype for future games, that revolve around plot and character and less on action, as we are aiming for games with a message, and deeper underlying meaning. The main premise of the game is to show war in a realistic way never before seen in games.

The game is available for all to download at our website http://www.last-of-the-patriots.com. The game is a prototype, and we are very interested in a free-roaming 3d version possible for next-gen. The game is set in a dark future setting where a single corporation dominates the galaxies, enter Zeke Johnson, a broken down ex-war hero set on self-destruction, as he drinks his life away on colony LV-21. Through a strange twist of fate, Johnson is given a last chance to redeem himself as he rejoins the space corps for one final decisive mission into the pits of hell itself.

The unique features of this game are it's use of cinematics techniques such as flashbacks, moral dilemmas, where you are ordered to shoot innocent civilians, large scale battles, the game is set in a retro theme to basically work on any PC, we were aiming for a casual game that would require no setup headaches, the game only uses one button to perform all actions, again for casual gamer appeal.

For additional information or to sample the game, visit:

http://www.last-of-the-patriots.com

Minimum requirements:

550mhz,
Win98,
16 MB ram,
16 MB graphics card,
30MB hard-drive space,

Rome Economy and Technology system

The Economy system in EU: Rome is equipped with underlying nuances and complex strategic options, yet the game is developed so that it is easy to grasp.

There are three different types of income in Rome, the 3 T's.

TAX: the definition of basic income from the land. This value depends heavily on the amount of slaves in a province. Slaves are one of the three different types of population in the game. The other two are citizens and freemen, which provide advances and manpower. These three types determine the strength of a state, for instance while a long and bloody war may give a lot new slaves, the amount of freemen could drop too low as a result, making difficult to create strong armies for the future.

TRIBUTE: refers to the diplomatic income given from states for their own benefit, could be derived by force or through skilled diplomacy.

TRADE ROUTES: each trade route created will provide a certain amount of income to a country, in addition to the strategic benefits of upholding such a route.

Technology system

The technology system has 5 categories: land, construction, naval, civic and religion. Each category has a set amount of levels, somewhat similar to earlier releases Europa Universalis III and Victoria. However, one of the differences is that there are no immediate effects from aquiring new "level" of technology in EU:Rome.

For each type of technology, players can appoint a character to a position in the government, where his skill will affect the progress in this field. The other major factors affecting the progress is the Civilization Value of a province and the amount of Citizens present.

EA MOBILE BUILDS ON LEGO BRAND WITH PUZZLE GAME

Electronic Arts today announced that action-puzzle game, LEGO Escape for mobile will become available to download from operators across Europe from 1st December 2007. LEGO fans and casual puzzlers will enjoy the game’s added action as they race against the clock to help the LEGO worker escape the factory where he’s trapped.

True to the LEGO brand and offering a twist on the falling block genre, players must build, rather than break, a tower of LEGO bricks as they fall from the sky. Whilst battling with flying robots that move bricks and fire electrical charges, players must ensure their structure is solid enough to prevent it from collapsing. Having to rebuild will waste valuable time.

‘The game’s vibrant design, challenging nature and action element give it universal appeal,’ commented EA Mobile Producer, James Dillon. ‘Players will find it completely compelling as they go back to the roots of what LEGO play is all about and build to their heart’s content.’

LEGO Escape offers four differently themed and colourful environments and ‘power-ups’ such as jumping boots that can be collected to help the LEGO worker on his quest. For more information visit www.eamobile.com.

Lunar Domination video game launch for Mac OS X

Valen Games is pleased to announce that the financial strategy game Lunar Domination is now available for Mac OS X. In addition to Mac OS X support, the new version of Lunar Domination also includes online multiplayer support for two players.

Lunar Domination is a turn-based strategy game where players fight for domination over the lunar ore market. Unlike in war strategy games, players cannot attack each other directly. Instead they must skillfully manage their finances and base expansion, and compete with their opponent for orders from clients. This focus on financial strategy creates a different player experience compared to traditional war strategy games. The only weapon that is available in Lunar Domination is your mind.

To win the game you must fill the ore quotas of three clients faster than your opponent. This involves mining the ore, and then competing with your opponent for the client orders. Each completed order brings you closer to victory. Competition for orders takes place using an auction system, where the player with the lowest bid wins the order.

The ore that your clients request is scattered around a map, and can be mined using specialized buildings. The map itself is split into sectors which can be bought by you or your opponent, and contain the ore that you can mine. Sectors are also home to your buildings, which allow you to mine, store, refine, and sell ore to your clients.

Neighboring sectors form sector groups, where member sectors share resources that buildings in them provide. However, larger sector groups result in higher income taxes. This makes smaller sector groups more profitable, and one of the challenges in the game is to keep your sector groups as small as possible to make the most money from your ore.

Lunar Domination comes with six scenarios which include small, medium, and large maps. Each scenario can be played at three difficulty levels against a computer opponent, or against another person in online multiplayer mode. An interactive tutorial is included to help you quickly learn the basics without having to spend a lot of time learning how to play.

Lunar Domination is available for Windows 2000/XP/Vista, Mac OS X 10.4 or higher, and Linux. It costs $19.99 (USD) and can be purchased at the Valen Games web site: http://www.valengames.com.

Gamer TV's HAZE Special Airs On Bravo This Weekend

A special edition of GAMER TV dedicated to forthcoming PlayStation 3 exclusive HAZE airs on UK satellite and cable channel BRAVO this weekend.

The half-hour show features exclusive demos of 4 player co-op, new levels and weapons including the flamethrower and a look at the technology driving the game. It also reveals a brand new twist in the HAZE storyline.

GAMER TV’s HAZE special is hosted by key Free Radical design team members Dave “Big Cheese” Doak, Derek “Big Brain” Littlewood and screenwriter Rob “Big Mouth” Yescombe.

Producer Jason Kilshaw commented, “This is everything you need to know about Haze then some! ”

The programme airs in the UK at the following times.

Saturday 1st December 10.00 am BRAVO 2
Sunday 2nd December 11.30 am BRAVO
Monday 3rd December 4.30 pm BRAVO

Viewers in the US will be able to see it the following week on leading premium movie channel STARZ.

The US transmission times are:

Saturday 8th December 11.00 am (ET) STARZ EDGE
Wednesday 12th December 8.30 pm (ET) STARZ EDGE

The Ultimate 'Hand Made' Fantasy With Odin Sphere

Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of Square Enix® interactive entertainment products in Europe and other PAL territories, today announces the release of Odin Sphere™ in early 2008, across all PAL territories and exclusively on the PlayStation® 2 computer entertainment system.

Be inspired by the renaissance of the lost art of hand-drawn in-game artwork. Odin Sphere brings a lavishly illustrated world to a home console, experienced through an intuitive, high quality control system. Odin Sphere’s fantasy world interlaces five individual tales to tell an epic story of amazing power, inevitable loss and irresistible love to enchant users.

Fully optimized for Europe, Odin Sphere delivers unique action-combat gameplay that rewards speed and style, revamping the action RPG genre. An alchemy system that lets you combine the spoils of combat for added bonuses and rare items adds further depth to this epic experience.

John Yamamoto, president and chief executive officer of Square Enix Ltd. comments, “Odin Sphere embodies the commitment of Square Enix in bringing new experiences to European gamers. This is especially reflected in our partnership with Atlus, allowing Square Enix Ltd. to publish the first non Square Enix title in PAL territories. The wonderfully crafted Odin Sphere is the best possible start to an exciting new period for the company.”

Xbox Targets We7 For Christmas Campaign

Xbox signs deal with We7 to reach key online audiences for Christmas

Microsoft has teamed up with new ad-funded free music download service, We7, to increase awareness of Xbox 360 and promote key titles in the run up to Christmas. The deal will see Xbox utilise We7’s unique ad grafting technology to get directly into the ears of consumers downloading tracks and albums from www.we7.com, targeting their ads by the genre of music as well as by location, age and gender.

The We7 campaign is part of a wider Christmas strategy from Xbox which includes TV advertising, and will run from 26th November until Christmas day. As well as raising brand awareness for Xbox 360, the campaign on We7 will use the power of music to demonstrate Xbox 360’s strong portfolio of games to appeal to a wide range of audiences, from the latest blockbuster games for the key 16-25 male audience to ‘Fun for Everyone’ – a range of family games suitable for everyone 3 years+.

Stephen McGill, Head of Gaming and Entertainment, Microsoft UK says of the deal: “There’s a natural affinity between music and gaming which We7 allows us to explore in a unique and effective way using a mix of traditional display ads alongside the new audio grafting techniques. We’ll primarily use this campaign to target our key demographic – 16-25 year old males – but as We7 has a varied user base we plan to broaden our focus to a wider family audience too.”

The We7 innovation allows advertisers to digitally reach an audience using the traditional formats of MPU’s and Skyscrapers but the audio segment uniquely goes with the consumers onto their iPods or other MP3 players reinforcing the message in an intimate and highly acceptable manner.

The range of audio ads has been created by Music4 and the 20 second ads use the same memorable backing track that appears on the TV campaign.

Steve Purdham, CEO, We7 adds: “We7 offers a platform to entertain and engage, benefiting both the consumer and the advertiser. We are thrilled to be working with such a leading consumer brand as Xbox as it feels like the perfect fit for our site.

“Since signing our first deal in October, we’ve seen significant interest from the Advertising community to our new innovative model and we expect to make more announcements of We7 adoption in the run up to Christmas as well as in 2008.”

Unreal Engine 3 Licensed by Korea's AcroGames

AcroGames, Inc. announced today that it has licensed Unreal Engine 3 from Epic Games, Inc. for an unannounced project. AcroGames’ seasoned game developers have helped create best-selling titles in Korea such as NCsoft’s “Lineage II” and Softmax's “Magna Carta” series.

“We are very satisfied to be working with Unreal Engine 3,” said HyunTae Jeong, chief executive officer and game director of AcroGames. “We have had positive experiences making games with previous releases of Epic’s engine and are finding that Unreal Engine 3 is extremely flexible and quite capable of meeting our development needs.”

“AcroGames is a promising team comprised of top talent and we look forward to working with them,” said Jay Wilbur, vice president of Epic. “We are committed to supporting the Asian game market with best of breed development tools, and our agreement with AcroGames marks a significant achievement in this effort.”

About AcroGames
AcroGames is an up and coming game development studio in Seoul, Korea. Core team members have contributed to renowned titles including NCsoft’s “Lineage II,” which is powered by Epic’s Unreal Engine 2, and Softmax’s “Magna Carta” series.

About Unreal Engine 3
The award-winning Unreal Engine is known for cutting-edge graphics and a best-of-breed toolset. Unreal Engine 3 is expected to maintain those features while adding massive world support, multi-processor support, next-generation console optimizations, and one of the most mature tool pipelines in the industry. Unreal Engine 3's new toolset is designed specifically to accelerate developers' productivity for ultra-complex, next-generation content. Additional information on Unreal Engine can be obtained at www.unrealtechnology.com.

7-Eleven Brings Nexon America Game Cards To Teen, 'Tween Customers

Real Card Buys Kids Virtual Shopping Experience

While most big news in the videogame industry revolves around the midnight launch of a hot, new game or the latest, greatest console to hit store shelves, 7-Eleven, Inc. is promoting a new videogame initiative that is less about hardware and software than it is about going on a virtual shopping spree.

One of the biggest global gaming phenomenons is the “Massively Multiplayer Online Game” (MMOG), a computer game that is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously. The games are played on the Internet and feature at least one virtual world. MMOGs can enable players to cooperate and compete with each other, as well as interact meaningfully with people around the world. While many of these games are free to play, gamers can spend money to create the coolest avatar, a graphic or visual online identity.

7-Eleven® stores and their 24-hour operation make it more convenient for the millions of MMOG fans to personalize their play with certain online games by offering the Nexon Game Card at its U.S. stores.

7-Eleven has an agreement with Nexon America Inc., the U.S. division of Asia’s leading online games company, Nexon Group, to be the first convenience retailer in the United States to sell these cards. Gamers can use the prepaid cards to redeem virtual in-game items and accessories within the MapleStory, Audition and upcoming KartRider games produced by Nexon. The prepaid game cards available in 7-Eleven stores are sold in $10 and $25 denominations.

“We have a great assortment of prepaid cards and now we have one especially for ‘tweens and teens who are the biggest fans of these online games,” said Brad Haga, 7-Eleven senior product director for business development and services. “They’re perfect for young people on a budget and should appeal to the Slurpee®-beverage crowd.”

7-Eleven and Nexon worked with InComm, a technology firm that develops, markets and distributes stored-value gift and prepaid products, to add the Nexon gift cards to 7-Eleven’s extensive services category. An animated version of a 7-Eleven store and an employee will appear in the popular MapleStory MMOG. This type of integration is cutting-edge, according to Nexon. It brings relevant content to consumers and provides 7-Eleven with a new way to use virtual worlds to expand its marketing.

“Offering these exclusive game cards is an important first for a convenience chain and massively multiplayer online (MMO) publisher,” said John H. Chi, president and CEO of Nexon America Inc. “By partnering with 7-Eleven, we’re able to reach a much broader audience than ever before. Many of Nexon’s customers are teenagers without access to credit cards. Now they will have a more convenient option to getting the cards.”

The Nexon Game Card can be used within any of Nexon’s games, which are free to download at http://www.nexon.net. Players use an innovative cash shop system (called microtransactions), that provides the option to individualize Audition and MapleStory characters and create unique identities. These features are purely optional, and players can try out items in virtual dressing rooms before making a purchase. Items range from hip haircuts and stylish clothes in Audition to vibrant, colorful outfits and fire-breathing pets in MapleStory.

“7-Eleven is eager to offer more products and services for tweens and teens who have fun personalizing elements of these online games and interacting with other players around the world,” said Haga. “The Nexoncards are a perfect fit for our prepaid product selection.”

As the pioneer of the microtransaction, or Item-Selling business model, Nexon has sold millions of virtual items worldwide through MapleStory and other hit titles like KartRider and BnB: Crazy Arcade. In February 2007, Nexon America reported that North American players spent $1.6 million on 600,000 virtual products within MapleStory alone.