| Firefall begins Battleframe Trailer Challenge Posted: 10 Feb 2012 03:51 PM PST Red 5 Studios has announced a new contest for Firefall fans: The Battleframe Trailer Challenge. The contest, which runs until March 16, challenges players to piece together raw gameplay footage and music (provided by the developer) into a trailer or commercial highlighting their favorite battleframe, similar to the Dreadnaught Introduction shown below. Upload these videos to YouTube, and Red 5 will judge submissions based in part by the likes and views of each submission. The grand prize will be an all-expenses paid trip for two to PAX East 2012 plus $500 spending money. Other prizes include an Alienware M14x laptop and an ASTRO Gaming A40 Audio System (Firefall branded). Firefall Dreadnaught Introduction: Source: RED 5 STUDIOS ANNOUNCES FIREFALL BATTLEFRAME TRAILER CHALLENGE
Chance to Win a Trip to PAX East 2012, an Alienware™ Laptop, or ASTRO A40 Audio System
Laguna Hills, CA – February 10, 2012 – Red 5 Studios™ announced today the launch of its Battleframe Trailer Challenge, a contest for creative gamers to show off their video-making ability, explore brand new Firefall footage, and compete for awesome prizes – including a trip to PAX East 2012. Red 5 is accepting entries now until March 16th, when the winners are announced. Contestants can submit their completed trailers via Youtube at the official contest page: http://bit.ly/firefallchallenge "At Red 5 we're very community-focused and this contest is a great way to get everyone involved in the game," said Red 5 CEO, Mark Kern. "Since we're always making action-packed Firefall trailers we thought it would be cool to see what our fans could come up with. Knowing them, they'll put together some amazing videos that are more than worthy of the prizes we're giving away." Participants will be given previously-unreleased raw gameplay footage along with a handful of music tracks. They'll have until March 16th to craft a flashy trailer/commercial that highlights their favorite battleframe and submit the Youtube link for entry. Red 5 encourages contestants to enter and promote their trailers as early as possible, as the winners will be decided using a special Red 5 algorithm that incorporates the "likes" and "views" of each Youtube submission. Red 5 has partnered up with cosponsors, Alienware™ and ASTRO Gaming, to ensure that the Battleframe Trailer Challenge offers gamers top-notch prizes. The first, second and third place entries will receive the following: - · First Place: An all-expenses-paid* trip for two to PAX East 2012 in Boston, along with $500 spending money.
*Red 5 will cover up to $1,500 per round-trip ticket ($3,000 maximum). - · Second Place: An Alienware M14x laptop containing an Intel Core™ i7 processor, 4GB DDR3 Memory, and GeForce 555M 3GB Graphics Card.
- · Third Place: An ASTRO Gaming A40 Audio System featuring a Firefall branded A40 Headset and MixAmp™ Pro.
Participants can visit http://bit.ly/firefallchallenge to download the official "asset package" and find additional contest details and rules.
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| Hedone launches 2.4 update Posted: 10 Feb 2012 03:10 PM PST Hedone’s closed beta has just launched a new patch, version 2.4, with a host of new updates to enjoy. New in the update are three locations – Cactus, Wreck, and Studio – and one new game mode, Search & Destroy. Two new weapons, the MK3A1 and Black DE.50 Muzzle Brake, also make their debut. All weapons have also been recalibrated and rebalanced for range, damage, and accuracy. The update also improves some network performance issues, and resets the game for the new phase of testing. Hedone is published by Acony.  Hedone Gameplay Screenshot Source: Hello fellow Hedone fans! Today is an exciting day as the pilot of Hedone.TV is going into its next evaluation period. Our teams have been working hard to deliver improvements to the show and you’ll be the first to experience them! New Arenas & Game Mode The Location team has been travelling the world seeking out new arenas for Hedone.TV. Three fantastic new locations have passed our evaluation, have been given the Hedone treatment, and will appear in this phase of the show. These are: Cactus Our location scouts have found a superb bit of real estate for the contestants to fight over. From above it looks like a wasteland with not much to hide behind but you'll find out quickly that there are intriguing secrets hidden below the sands. This arena really showcases long-ranged combat skills while still keeping contestants on their toes. Wreck When we stumbled across this unique setting, it was an opportunity that we simply couldn't miss. We bought the island, relocated the villagers and turned their homes, built from the bones of a wrecked cargo ship, into an amazing arena. Hedone is all about getting to the top. The same is true for this arena, where getting high up is key. Studio Who doesn't love the movies? Popcorn, bright lights and expensive soda! Now, we bring the magic of the movies to Hedone.TV with this fantastic arena. We purchased this abandoned movie studio off of a former competitor. Now, our contestants can battle among alien spacecrafts and tentacle monstrosities! In addition to this the Arena team had another look at the Carpark location and improved it. It will be re-added to the show roster in this pre-season. Now that we have even more incredible arenas to use, it’s the perfect time to unveil our new show format. Our lawyers have signed off the ruleset for Search & Destroy for you to participate in as part of the pre-season. Search & Destroy Search & Destroy is a well-known show format. It has been given the special Lazar twist to create an exciting objective based match that rewards teamwork above all else. LazarTech Updates The Tech team has been staying late in the labs to improve the armory and has engineered the following changes and additions: New Weapons / Mods - MK3A1 – Fully automatic shotgun complete with a full suite of modifications ready to go
- Black DE.50 Muzzle Brake – custom-made exclusive muzzle brake for the Black version of the DE .50.
Weapons and Combat Adjustments The big news for our contestants is that all weapons have been recalibrated and now perform more reliably over different ranges. As a result all weapon damage has been rebalanced. Further, the following changes have been made to particular items: - G17 – improved accuracy
- MP5 and MP7 – reduced headshot damage
- Sniper Scopes – Zoom levels changed to 3x for small scopes, 6x for big scopes and 3x/6x for multi-scopes
- Endorphex – reduced damage slightly, lowered energy recharges rate, and increased energy costs
General Network Performance The following changes have been made to streamline the show experience for our contestants: - Team Switch – contestants can switch teams faster
- Server Browser – it’s easier to find show formats that contestants want to participate in
- Launcher – the launcher was reworked, providing contestants information on the latest updates to the show in a more convenient to use fashion
- Reward Screen – the look of the reward screen has been improved, in particular it is now easier for contestants to access unlocked rewards in the green room
Other Updates - Language – Hedone.TV is now available in German, the language can be switched via the launcher
- All accounts will be reset for this new phase of the Hedone.TV pilot
We are looking forward to contestants trying out these new locations, weapons and updates. As always we value your feedback and encourage all contestants to let us know their thoughts on the new features on the Hedone.TV forum. Let’s put on a show!
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| Perfect World Games celebrate Valentine’s Posted: 10 Feb 2012 02:15 PM PST Perfect World Entertainment is celebrating Valentine’s across its games with various items, events, and more, as listed below: * Perfect World International: GMs will be roaming the servers in hopes of finding friendly chit-chat and hugs, while welcoming any photo-op requests. Best event themed screenshot will win his or her choice of a rare mount. * Jade Dynasty: Collective wedding event, a free Tiger Mask for players who get married, and a set of free gifts including a 7-day Aeon Lion mount for every player who logs in on February 14. * Rusty Hearts: Show your love for Rusty Hearts by entering the art contest to win Roselle Vegerius, the latest premium character in-game. * Forsaken World: Players can choose to receive a Valentine's Day card and a random item from four different NPCs. Players can get the random item once per day during the event period. (Event runs from February 14-21.) * War of the Immortals: Get your chocolate fix in Atlantis by collecting them off the ground and hand them in to an NPC for more experience points. (Event runs from February 14-21.) * Ether Saga Odyssey: Join the masses in getting married, bid for a rare pet, send a custom broadcast message, and enter the screenshot contest for a chance to gain EXP and other special items.  Perfect World International Gameplay Screenshot
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| Brawl Busters busts out Valentine’s Update Posted: 10 Feb 2012 01:45 PM PST Rock Hippo Productions has released its Valentine’s update for Brawl Busters players. Players can find new Evil Cutie Costumes to decorate their characters (like the one shown below) and stat-altering accessories, while brawling in their usual style. The game has also added new servers and improved network stability. Rock Hippo also publishes MicroVolts.  Brawl Busters Gameplay Screenshot
Source: LOVE AND CARNAGE COLLIDE IN BRAWL BUSTERS Rock Hippo Cuddles with Valentine’s Day Outfits Alongside New Game Servers Markham, Canada – February 10, 2012 – Rock Hippo Productions announced today its Valentine Day’s plans for the popular free-to-play online multiplayer action game, Brawl Busters. Starting today players can don amorous outfits to lovingly beat up their opponents, and they will find a smoother gaming experience, when they do, with the all-new game servers! To check out this full, downloadable game, players should visit www.BrawlBusters.com/splash and join in the mayhem. February 14th is a day to show your love, and what better way to do so than to Brawl with your significant other? Do it up in style with new Evil Cutie Costumes as well as never-seen-before stat-altering Accessories. “Brawl Busters redefines how to celebrate Valentine’s Day for both, the singles out there and the numerous couples who play BB together,” said Howard He, President and CEO of Rock Hippo Productions. “The new Costumes alongside improved network stability means you can Brawl in ways you’ve only dreamed of!” Brawl Busters was also recently nominated for the 2011 MMOSITE Reader’s Choice Awards and won in several categories. Brawl Busters took first place in both, ‘Best Graphics’ and ‘Best Music’ categories. The game also placed second in ‘Favorite Action and Casual MMO’ and ‘Best New MMO’ categories. More than 4 million votes were cast for the Awards.
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| Web Fiesta launches today Posted: 10 Feb 2012 12:32 PM PST Fiesta Online has launched its browser-based, 3D version of Fiesta Online, Web Fiesta, today. Web Fiesta offers the same gameplay and features as regular Fiesta Online, allowing players to continue to experience the game in a 3D client without the need to download. Several celebrations are going on in the community for the launch, including several in-game event. Players can join the Great Leveling Race, the Fiesta Comic Event, Fun With Fiesta, or even Date-A-GM. Players can also redeem a limited edition goldfish mini-pet with the code GOLDIMONWANTSFIESTA (expires February 14). Fiesta Online is published by Outspark, which also publishes Luvinia Online.  Fiesta Online Gameplay Screenshot
Source: Web Fiesta Revolutionizes Browser Gaming with Full 3D
Outspark Proving to Be A Genre-Defining Force for Free-To-Play MMORPGs
SAN FRANCISCO – February 9, 2012 – Starting today, millions of Fiesta fans will be able to pick up their game wherever there's a PC without ever leaving the party, as Outspark launches Web Fiesta , the new browser version of Fiesta Online, a wildly popular free-to-play MMORPG. Now on a beach, in a café, on a train, epic battles and romance are just a few clicks away, and in full 3D. That's not something that's been done before. “This is a huge moment for the free-to-play industry as we bring true 3D to the browser. With Web Fiesta, players can pan 360 degrees around objects, an experience previously limited to the download client. This frees the player to take deep, immersive adventures on the road, and friends they meet along the way can join the fun in just a matter of clicks!" cheered Philip Yun, CEO, Outspark. "It's been truly fantastic working with our developer OnsOn Soft and partner SpawnApps delivering this seamless play experience to our community. It's the same game on the same servers, but now players have the choice to play on their download client or log into the web." To celebrate the launch of Web Fiesta, Fiesta's Game Masters are hosting several exciting in-game events for valuable prizes. The Great Leveling Race is a race to the top for glory and SparkCash, the Fiesta Comic Event is a showcase of community's clever comic tales, and Fun With Fiesta rewards players for simply exploring the game. In addition, Date-A-GM makes its return as a Valentine's dating game where players face-off in a test-your-wits challenge to win dream in-game experiences with a Game Master. For details on these events and more, check out fiesta.outspark.com, join our rapidly growing fanbase on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter. Play Web Fiesta for free and receive a special gift, a goldfish mini-pet, which will give your base stats a nice boost. Redeem your free mini-pet here and enter code GOLDIMONWANTSFIESTA, expires 2.14.12.
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| Forge of Empires Pre-Closed Beta Preview Posted: 10 Feb 2012 11:41 AM PST InnoGames is an established publisher when it comes to browser-based strategy games, hosting both Tribal Wars and Grepolis. This year, Innogames is introducing another new strategy game to its line-up: Forge of Empires. MMOHut had the chance to join the Exclusive Preview period of Forge of Empires to get an early look at this new contender. Not Another Clone Let's get something out of the way first: Forge of Empires is not another cookie-cutter MMORTS. Naturally, there are some shared elements with other strategy games, including producing resources, building a city, and sending out armies to infiltrate and plunder. But if you're worried that it's going to be another grind where you build and upgrade lumber mills and quarries, mass recruit soldiers to go farm, or sit around staring at a static city map waiting to something to happen, you have reason to relax. In fact, the system for Forge of Empires more strongly mimics Facebook-style strategy games, which require more active participation and less micro-management.  City Building with Ragu You'll start out as many strategists do: as the leader of a budding little city in the most primitive state possible. The game offers a solid set of tutorials and tutorial quests with the helper of an NPC named Ragu Silvertongue. For a while, Ragu will be your sole guide; later on, other NPCs will chime in their advice and offer quests to complete in order to take your civilization further. City building in Forge of Empires is grid-based, but offers a great amount of freedom. You can choose to place buildings and decorations wherever they fit within your city, and even pick up and move these items whenever you need to adjust for efficiency. Many buildings do need to be connected to roads, which are also yours to place as you wish. In fact, as your city grows, you'll find it necessary to rearrange and rebuild parts of your city to maximize its efficiency. Buildings come in several types, from houses that offer population and regular money, to goods and services that offer regular production, to happiness-boosting decorations and public services, to military buildings designed to train units from your population. One key importance in managing a city is that all of these features require some level of time-watching to maximize their effectiveness: by collecting your money or supplies when they become available, you let nothing go to waste. There's almost always something to check in with on Forge of Empires.  Pillage, Plunder, and Negotiate Forge of Empires also offers a solid single-player campaign, promoted primarily through the quest system. Through this campaign, you can take your army into different provinces, each of which is divided into further sectors. Conquering each of these sectors (through attacking, negotiating, or infiltrating) grants a small reward, while conquering the entire province unlocks a greater reward. However you choose to conquer, gaining more territory offers bonuses to your home city and progresses you further along the storyline. While not developed fully yet, Forge of Empires also offers PvP. Players can easily challenge each other through the game's menus, and face off in AI-controlled duels. PvP towers also offer weekly tournaments.  On The Battlefield Battles in Forge of Empires are a nice harken back to classic strategy games. Battles take place on hex-based battlefields, populated with different types of terrain. Terrain offers different bonuses or penalties to defenders and attackers, and so plays a key role in each battle. Each unit (you can only take eight into battle) can be controlled individually through movement and attacks. You can also ask the game to control a unit for a single turn, or to control the entire battle in an auto-battle. Each unit has health that is lost as it battles, and if all its health is lost, the unit is lost as well. Damaged units can return to the city to heal, or be healed with cash currency.  A Promising Start Forge of Empires' twists of strategy game systems – from classic to casual – weave together to create something new for strategy fans to enjoy. For an early stage, the game shows a high amount of polish and depth, and it seems that InnoGames is carefully planning each step in the game's development to ensure that each new feature is implemented positively. If you've gotten tired of the common formula for strategy games, keep an eye on Forge of Empires and sign up for beta. |
