Other : 2008

GC08 Dev Conference Sign Ups closing May 30

Zyuu — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:50:31 GMT

LEIPZIG, Germany - May 19, 2008

The GC Developers Conference (GCDC) today announced that the Call for Papers for this year’s conference will end on May 30th, at 11:59PM GMT. Prominent members of the games, information technology, and movie industries have the opportunity to submit speaking proposals for this year’s GC Developers Conference (August 18th-20th, 2008) until that time. GCDC is the leading international conference in Europe for game development and the business of games, and is expected to attract more than 1,000 professionals from the field this year.

The main topics of GCDC 2008 are online games, casual games, the latest server technologies, and new approaches to game design and development. The organizer, the Leipziger Messe, is accepting submissions for keynotes, presentations and workshops concerning development, business, mobile, research, and science in the games industry. Besides the focus on Europe and North America, Asia will be a larger focus this year as the show promotes global issues and solutions for the industry.

All proposals will be reviewed by the GCDC advisory board, which consists of internationally known experts and leaders from the games industry. The GCDC team will then notify speakers of their acceptance by the end of June.

Attendee Registration Now Online

Attendees can now register for the Games Convention Developers Conference online at: http://www.gcdc.eu.

GCDC 2007 Retrospective

In 2007 GCDC confirmed its status as Europe’s leading developer conference. 118 speakers gave insight on the latest trends in the video game industry, and the conference was attended by 940 visitors from more than 35 countries. Among the speakers were Bob Bates (USA, Legendary Game Designer and Writer), Julian Eggebrecht (USA, Factor 5), Tim Schafer (USA, Double Fine), Bruce Shelley (USA, Ensemble Studios), and Brian Sullivan (USA, Iron Lore Entertainment).

ION GC08 Empowers Online Game Developers

Zyuu — Mon, 19 May 2008 17:06:57 GMT

Over 500 global online game industry professionals connect at Seattle conference

SEATTLE, Washington, May 19, 2008 - Nearly a week of high-powered networking and knowledge exchange occurred at the online interactive entertainment-focused 2008 ION Game Conference in Seattle, starting from the early check-in reception on May 12th continuing through the closing keynote on May 15th.

2008 ION Game Conference Facts:

Over 500 attendees from around the world attended ION, an increase of about 50% from 2007.
Over 270 companies from game development, content delivery networks, middleware and other companies were in attendance.
19 countries were represented at the 2008 ION Game Conference
Nearly 70 lectures, mini-lectures, panels and roundtables
Over 110 speakers covering Community, Business/Legal, Programming/Technical, Research/Education, Design, Globalization topics.
ION in 2008 has been supported by 25 sponsors and 8 partners

ION keynote addresses were delivered by Won Il Sue, Vice President of Neowiz; John Smedley, President of Sony Online Entertainment; Yat Siu, Founder and CEO, Outblaze and Sanrio Digital and Alex St. John, CEO of Wild Tangent. Networking opportunities were numerous and well-attended, including an early check-in champagne reception, the official ION reception at the Seattle Aquarium, and speed dating-style breakfasts over all three days.

"This year's ION was a huge step forward for Evergreen Events and for the many returning and new attendees who participated," proclaimed Peter Freese, Director of the 2008 ION Game Conference. "We delivered three days filled with content, networking, amazing food. We're already anxious to start planning an amazing experience for 2009 ION attendees."

The ION Game Conference is an annual Seattle-based game industry event designed for an experienced international attendee audience or those who strive to network and learn about new online game development and business trends. Visit the official website at http://www.ionconference.com for the latest news and information about the 2008 ION Game Conference. For more information about the global and diversified advisory board supporting the ION Game Conference, visit http://www.ionconference.com/advisors.php....

To keep informed about the latest news about ION and the online game industry, sent straight to your e-mail Inbox, sign up for the free ION Connection newsletter at http://www.ionconference.com/signup.html. To network and share news with fellow members of the online game development community, join up with the ION Network here: http://ionnetwork.ning.com.

Games Convention 2008 Bigger Then Ever

Zyuu — Thu, 15 May 2008 19:00:07 GMT

Even More Registrations for Europe's Leading Games Fair Than Last Year
Spectactular Game Music Concert at the Start of the Fair
E-Sport Finals Bring the Best Gamers to Leipzig

Clear the stage for the biggest game show of the year: From 21 to 24 August 2008, the Leipzig Exhibition Centre hosts the seventh GC - Games Convention. With considerably more than 500 exhibitors (2007: 503 exhibitors), the fair organisers expect another record. Interest is particularly strong among international game publishers and developers. Around 115,000 square metres (gross) exhibition area is available in total for presentations at Europe's benchmark fair for interactive entertainment, edutainment, infotainment and hardware. "Registration figures for the GC 2008 are already considerably higher than last year. This and the large number of foreign exhibitors underline the importance attributed to Leipzig's GC - Games Convention as Europe's benchmark fair for the games industry", says Wolfgang Marzin, Leipziger Messe's CEO.

For the first time, the layout concept of the GC - Games Convention sets up key focus areas, making it easier for visitors to find their way around. Software entertainment is offered to them in Halls 2, 3 and 5. Alongside console providers, this is where leading game publishers from Germany and abroad introduce the latest video and computer games. The organiser say that more than 250 World, European and German premieres can be tried out this year. Meanwhile, in Hall 4, it is all about hardware and accessories. "The division of the exhibition halls enables exhibiting companies to make even more individual appeals to visitors", explains Peggy Schönbeck, project director, GC - Games Convention. The outdoor area will also be a play area, offering a variety of fun sport activities at the GC Beach-Club and featuring attractive exhibitor stands.

GC Business Center with New "Marketplace" Package Deal

The trade visitor area comes up with new features as well. As a direct response to the increased exhibitor demand the GC Business Center is much bigger this year and covers now a total area of 40,000 square metres (2007: 30,000 square metres). The Congress Center Leipzig (CCL), the entire Hall 1 and parts of Hall 2 are available to companies for their use in reaching agreement with their national and international business and trading partners and ordering for the important Christmas business.

Hall 2 is home to the Developers Village, where aspiring developer companies can present their innovative product ideas and set up initial contacts with games publishers. There are many international joint stands in the Developers Village, including from Australia, Finland, France, Germany, Korea, the Netherlands, Singapore, Sweden, Taiwan and the UK.

Limitless service is offered by the new "Marketplace" option. The modular joint stand in Hall 1 is fully fitted out and features a modern design. Beside a shared info counter with competent staffers and an attractive meeting lounge area plus café bar, exhibitors are also offered a range of services such as catering, cleaning and security. "With the new all in 'make-it-easy' package, we cut down on administrative effort for our exhibitors, so that they can concentrate entirely on taking care of their business contacts", says Peggy Schönbeck.

GC family with a New Look

Child-appropriate games and the facilitation of media literacy - these are the key focuses for the GC family 2008. The exhibition area in Hall 2 is a first port of call for beginners, parents, teachers and educationalists in search of information on age-appropriate media and their use. The new concept involves a division into three different areas. According to their specific positioning, exhibitors will be together in the sections "Children's Software/Edutainment", "Media World/Youth Protection" and "Application Software/Internet Security".

The GC family programme links these three sections with plenty of information, fun and entertainment. Headlined "Level 1 - Learning to Play", visitors can compete against one another interactively in the game arena. This involves edutainment and children's software titles as well as the use of actual console games. A professional live commentary on the contest and the "Genre Show" provide useful information relating to each game. Five theme-based game zones are available to those who prefer peace and quiet to test out recommendable software for children and family, or standard learning games. Experienced media experts explain the various options and are ready to answer questions if needed.

The "Media Meeting Place" is new. In a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, representatives of media and youth protection are here to talk about their work. Visitors can glimpse behind the scenes of Germany's youth protection system and put their questions on the issue of child-appropriate facilitation of media literacy.

Chilling Out in the Heart of Town: GC Freestyle

This year's GC Freestyle has room for more than 5,000 tents. Just a few minutes on foot from the city centre, the open-air event on the festival ground at the main stadium has everything all gamers could wish for after a day at the show: the chance to chill out to relaxing DJ music, sweat out in the fun sports area or rock away in the city's clubs. The fair is easily reached in 20 minutes by tram.

The all-in-one package costs 130 euros and includes a four-day ticket for the GC, four overnights at the GC Freestyle campsite, the use of the sanitation facilities at the campsite and free use of local public transport. Visitors coming to Leipzig for just a day can have a one-day ticket to the fair and one overnight stay at the campsite for 38 euros.

Classical plus Happening: Kicking off with a Musical Premiere

Time to listen and watch at the GC - Games Convention's traditional game music concert on Wednesday, 20 August. Visitors can look forward to a very special premiere. After huge successes in the USA and the UK, the Video Games Live concert programme comes to Germany for the first time. The classic event transforms the Arena Leipzig into a multimedia concert hall and as it does so, it proclaims the start of the GC 2008 in Leipzig. Spectacular light effects, interactive game interludes and a top-class symphony orchestra with star pianist Martin Leung guarantee a fitting lead-in for the fair.

Lovers of classics are not the only ones to enjoy a treat. Scenes of the respective games are shown on a giant screen accompanied by the music. From crazy Pacman chases, clever Tetris twists and turns, or dangerous Myst voyages of discovery - Video Games Live takes the audience on a multimedia journey through time and the world of gaming. Tickets for the game music concert are available at all known advance sales outlets, from the ticket hotline + 49 (0) 1805-57 00 81 or from www.deag.de.

The Best of the Best: Prize Presentations at the GC

Visitors can experience a real glut of prizes at this year's GC - Games Convention. It starts on the Thursday with presentation of the "Best of GC" awards. Games journalists make up an independent panel choosing the best GC new productions in different categories. Innovative remodelling of computers are in the spotlight for the fifth GC CasemodMasters (GCCM). On the Sunday at the fair, the most creative ideas will win awards in the categories "Casemods" (remodelled series production PC cases) and "Casecons" (completely self-produced casings).

Things hot up at the GC for fans of e-sport too. For the first time ever, the German final of the World Cyber Games is being held in Leipzig. Altogether 200 of the best German gamers compete for the national title and for a place in Germany's selection. Another highlight is the final of the ESL European Nations Championship. Four national teams each compete for the European championship title in the disciplines Counter-Strike, Warcraft 3, FIFA 2008 and Counter-Strike:Source.

To Leipzig by Coach, by Rail or by Air

With six additional charter flights on offer, the GC - Games Convention is more accessible than ever before. Flights set off for Leipzig on 19 and 20 August from the key European airports Amsterdam, Helsinki, London/Luton, Munich, Paris/Le Bourget and Vienna. Return flights are available for either 21 or 22 August. Further information is available from Leipziger Messe Customer Services (Ms Sehr, +49 (0) 341 678 8954).

Deutsche Bahn AG is also ready for keen gamers. With its GC travel special, exhibitors and trade visitors can get to Leipzig quickly and easily from any DB railway station in Germany. And at a one-off special price: a return ticket to Leipzig costs only 99 euros 2nd class and 159 euros for 1st class travel. Tickets can be booked with Deutsche Bahn by phone on + 49 (0) 1805-31 3353, reference "Games Convention".

Deutsche Bahn is again providing special trains for GC day trippers. On 21 August, GC fans can take a train from Munich to Leipzig, and on 23 August, a special train from Cologne helps long-distance travellers on their way to Leipzig. Trains arrive in Leipzig at about 11.00 a.m., returning at 7.00 p.m. Tickets including GC admission cost 79 euros from Munich and 69 euros from Cologne.

For the first time and together with "Connect GC", the Leipziger Messe is also organising a blanket coverage coach service. In more than 30 German cities, coaches will be ready to travel to Leipzig on the Friday and Saturday of the fair. With no detours or stops on the way, they head straight for the games mecca, arriving by 10.00 a.m. at the latest. Whether or not coaches operate is up to the gamers: at least 50 bookings are needed for each journey. The price of the coach trip depends on the distance.

Detailed information on the various travel options is available on the website http://www.gc-germany.com.

London Games Festival is Back

Zyuu — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:55:02 GMT

15th May 2008: Following its huge success last year, the London Games Festival is back for its third year promising more events and mind-blowing entertainment then ever. The cultural celebration of everything gaming takes place across the capital from October 25.

The festival promises something for everyone: from casual gamers and parents seeking advice on safe gaming for their children to hard-core fans wanting glimpses of the hottest titles in development or those hoping to make a career for themselves in the UK’s games industry.

Last year’s festival drew 100,000+ attendees to the city-wide celebration. More than 50 events were staged including Video Games Live, which saw the Royal Philharmonia Orchestra bring London’s Festival Hall alive with the sound of Mario (plus Halo, Space Ace, Metal Gear Solid and Bioshock!). Trafalgar Square was packed for publisher Electronic Arts’ marathon celebrity-packed two-day Be The One event. Even the Science Museum got in on the act last year with a special experiment focusing on eye movements during gameplay.

Keith Ramsdale, Chairman of LGF comments:

“Last year’s London Games Festival was a huge success and we were thrilled with the feedback from many of those who attended and the publishers who took part. The Trafalgar Square event looked fantastic and it was great to see so many families come down and enjoy it. We’ve got plenty in store for 2008 and a whole host of major partners lined up with full support from the industry. We’re really looking forward to bringing the gaming industry to life in the capital again.”

Check out http://www.londongamesfestival.comfor the latest news and information on all of the events taking place this year.

ION Game Conference 2008 - Not just gaming on the menu

Zyuu — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:51:28 GMT

Gourmet Food and Outstanding Content on the Menu at the 2008 ION Game Conference

SEATTLE, Washington, May 5, 2008 - In just one week, the greatly anticipated 2008 ION Game Conference will be set in motion in Seattle, Washington on May 13. The quality of attendees, sessions, and networking opportunities were among the high points at last year's conference. One of the most frequently praised amenities from the 2007 event was the lunches and snacks offered to attendees. In 2008, continuing to elevate the standards for game industry conference experiences, ION dishes up haute cuisine selected to complement the quality of the event's superb and renowned content.

The ION experience begins Monday night, May 12, at the official Welcome Reception, where attendees are greeted with a glass of fine French champagne and invited to stay for live music and tasty comestibles, including oysters, sea scallops, Vietnamese spring rolls, baked brie, and crudite martinis.

Won Il Suh, Vice President of Neowiz, presents the Tuesday, May 13, keynote, "State of Online Games: Partnership and Investment Opportunities Around the World". Mr. Suh addresses the potential and pitfalls of investment opportunities and partnerships in the high stakes world of the online game business. Attendees will profit from his first-hand experience in guiding Neowiz to be an international investment force while dining on a premium lunch buffet including minestrone soup with pesto drizzle; roasted garlic aioli; prime rib French dip with au jus; and tiramisu.

On Wednesday, John Smedley, President of Sony Online Entertainment, takes on the heady question of what it takes to reinvent the tried-and-true massively multiplayer online game genre with his keynote, "Reinventing the MMO". During Mr. Smedley's talk, attendees can partake in Pacific clam chowder with Manila clams; Greek pasta salad with feta, tomatoes, red onion, and herbed vinaigrette; chicken kabobs with garlic, lemon, and rosemary; whole roasted salmon served on a cedar plank; and Washington apple tart with vanilla bean whipped cream.

Yat Siu, Founder and CEO of Outblaze, Typhoon Games, and Sanrio Digital, delivers his Thursday keynote lecture, "The Integration of Social Networks, Casual Gaming, and MMOGs". In his talk, Mr. Siu explores the powerful technological and social elements in online gaming, the proliferation of social networking, and the abundant population of untapped female gamers. As a complement to his keynote, lunch includes pho noodle soup; peanut noodle salad with toasted peanuts and green onions; California rolls with wasabi and ginger; and Mongolian beef with green onions, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil.

Indulgences for the palette are not limited to the conference keynote lunches. Snack breaks will feature Häagen-Dazs® ice cream bars, premium Odwalla® juices, chocolate-dipped fresh fruit, CLIF® BAR energy bars, and much more.

Convenient online registration for the 2008 ION Game Conference is available until the end of the day Pacific Standard Time, Friday, May 9. An attendee pass at the 2008 ION Game Conference permits access to all keynotes, nearly 70 sessions and panels led by 110 speakers, the expo area, delectable lunches and snacks, as well as official conference parties. Attendees from hundreds of companies are already attending the 2008 ION Game Conference, representing a diverse global audience of executives and decision-makers.

April Fools' 2008

Zyuu — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 07:49:15 GMT

Today is April the 1st, known as April Fools'. Below I've gathered a list of 2008 April Fools' across the world wide web. Some are very amusing, while some of the 'jokes' are pretty bland. Nevertheless, enjoy!

1UP: Hannah Montana joke
Assassin's Creed: Assassin's Solid

assassins solid

var FO_204 = { movie:"http://dev.curse-gaming.com/static/flash/flvplayer.swf", width:"500", height:"350", majorversion:"7", build:"0", bgcolor:"#FFFFFF", allowfullscreen:"true", flashvars:"file=http://videos.cursebeta.com/stream2/premium/1330.flv&autostart=true" }; $("#flvplayer_204").click(function(event) { UFO.create(FO_204, "flvplayer_204"); $(this).unbind('click'); });

BBC: documentary trailer on a breed of flying penguins who migrate to the rain forest

flying penguins

var FO_203 = { movie:"http://dev.curse-gaming.com/static/flash/flvplayer.swf", width:"500", height:"350", majorversion:"7", build:"0", bgcolor:"#FFFFFF", allowfullscreen:"true", flashvars:"file=http://videos.cursebeta.com/stream2/premium/1314.flv&autostart=true" }; $("#flvplayer_203").click(function(event) { UFO.create(FO_203, "flvplayer_203"); $(this).unbind('click'); });

CollegeHumor: Myspace Crystal startup page
Curse: Rollhack
EBaumWorld: Access to the admin panel
ESPN: Election Deathmatch
Fark: Hacked by a hamster
Gamefaqs: There's a rockroll poll
Gamespot: Several game related jokes
Google: Introducing Gmail Custom Time
Google: New Google search tool 'can see into future'
Njection: Real Time Tracking of Police Officers online and on your phone
LiveJournal: Rickrolled
Lord of the Rings Online: Unlock a new race!
Virgin/Google: Travel to Mars
WoWWiki: Swapped with Guild Wars' Wiki
Warhammer Alliance: Hackers taking over
World of Warcraft: The Bard Hero class
World of Warcraft: "The Molten Core" coming to consoles
World of Warcraft: US & EU forum avatars has been replaced with bears
Runescape:Tthe runescape mmorpg fansite was taken over by bacon lovers that hate runescape
Starcraft II: Tauren Marines
TrustBanners: A scientific breakthrough in advertising
The Pirate Bay: Moves to Egyptian Desert Island
Legend of Zelda Movie Trailer Debut

Legend of Zelda Film Trailer

var FO_202 = { movie:"http://dev.curse-gaming.com/static/flash/flvplayer.swf", width:"500", height:"350", majorversion:"7", build:"0", bgcolor:"#FFFFFF", allowfullscreen:"true", flashvars:"file=http://videos.cursebeta.com/stream2/premium/1321.flv&autostart=true" }; $("#flvplayer_202").click(function(event) { UFO.create(FO_202, "flvplayer_202"); $(this).unbind('click'); });

YTMND: Website shuts down
YouTube: Introducing YouDigg

YouDigg

var FO_205 = { movie:"http://dev.curse-gaming.com/static/flash/flvplayer.swf", width:"500", height:"350", majorversion:"7", build:"0", bgcolor:"#FFFFFF", allowfullscreen:"true", flashvars:"file=http://videos.cursebeta.com/stream2/premium/1318.flv&autostart=true" }; $("#flvplayer_205").click(function(event) { UFO.create(FO_205, "flvplayer_205"); $(this).unbind('click'); });

YouTube: All featured videos links you to rickroll

1UP Network Announces 2008 EGM Speaker Lineup

Zyuu — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:30:08 GMT

Dr. Oren Harari, Renowned Author of 'Break from the Pack' to Keynote

NEW YORK, March 25, 2008—1UP Network, the recognized leader in print and online videogame content, announced today that celebrated author, Dr. Oren Harari, will be headlining a stellar lineup of speakers at the 11th Annual Electronic Gaming Summit. The Electronic Gaming Summit, held May 19-21, 2008 in Napa, Calif., is the only event of its kind to provide a platform for leading videogame industry influencers and top-level executives to learn, network, and exchange ideas about the gaming culture and its future.

The 2008 Electronic Gaming Summit boasts presentations from an array of elite videogame industry and non-industry leaders, who through their vast knowledge, experiences and business visions, will share invaluable insight on hot-button gaming-related issues and trends. In addition to Dr. Harari, author of ‘Break from the Pack: How to Compete in a Copycat Economy,’ Summit speakers include such key business players as Cammie Dunaway, executive vice president of sales and marketing, Nintendo of America, Inc.; Jeff Bell, corporate vice president of global marketing, Interactive Entertainment Business, Microsoft Corp.; Peter Moore, president of EA Sports; Michael Pachter, managing director, research, Wedbush Morgan Securities; Jason Holtman, director of business development, Valve Software; Beth Simone-Noveck, professor of law, director, Institute for Information Law and Policy, Democracy Design Workshop; Tanya Giles, senior vice president, research and planning, MTV Networks Entertainment Group; and a panel of prominent journalists that cover the gaming industry including N’Gai Croal, Newsweek, Daniel Sieberg, CBS News, Geoff Keighley, Spike TV, and Brian Crecente, Kotaku.com.

“From the inception of the Electronic Gaming Summit, this event has been the gaming industry touchstone for uncovering key trends and generating forward thinking,” states Jason Young, CEO, Ziff Davis Media. “This year’s diverse lineup of speakers truly continues the prestigious reputation of this event. Through their varied backgrounds and specialties, their presentations will no doubt enlighten minds, open important dialogues within the industry, and cultivate new ideas. I can’t wait to hear what this great group of minds has to say!”

The theme of this year’s Electronic Gaming Summit is 1:1, exemplifying what the focus is of this unique event, as it is defined in many different ways- the meeting of individuals face to face, the opportunity to have direct, focused communication, and the current industry genesis as the birth of the next-generation consoles translates into continuous growth and opportunities.

Travel to be less troublesome for GC ‘08

Zyuu — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 21:03:54 GMT

It have never been easier to reach Games Convention as this year. There's new flight connections, coach and rail services to make the journey/accessibility of GC smoother.

Six New Flight Connections Shorten the Journey
Deutsche Bahn with GC Rail Travel Offer
First-time Direct Coach Services from German Cities

The appeal of the GC – Games Convention, Europe’s leading fair for international entertainment, is immense. Every year, exhibitors, visitors and journalists come to Leipzig from more than 40 countries. To make their journey pleasant, even from further away, the Leipziger Messe has three special offers this year. As well as additional flights, the familiar Deutsche Bahn GC-Special for rail travel is also available to exhibitors and trade visitors. Private visitors are catered for too: the new GC coach service guarantees affordable journeys for game fans from all over Germany.

International visitors can be particularly pleased. With six extra charter flights, the GC – Games Convention 2008 is closer than ever. The planes depart for Leipzig on 19 and 20 August from key European airports Amsterdam, Helsinki, London/Luton, Munich, Paris/Le Bourget and Vienna. Return flights can be on either 21 or 22 August. “By expanding the flight options, the Leipziger Messe underlines its reputation as one of the leading service providers in the German trade fair business”, says the project director of the GC – Games Convention, Peggy Schönbeck.

Flights can be booked now on the website http://www.gc-germany.com/index.php?page=64.... Further information is available from the Leipziger Messe customer services (Ms Sehr, +49 (0) 341 678 8954).

Rail & Play: To the GC 2008 with Deutsche Bahn

This year, Deutsche Bahn AG has something for frequent players as well as frequent travellers. With the attractive GC travel special, exhibitors and trade visitors can get to Leipzig quickly and easily from any DB railway station in Germany. And do so at a unique special price: a return ticket to Leipzig costs only 99 euros for 2nd class and 159 euros for 1st class.

Tickets can be booked by phone with Deutsche Bahn as from 1 April on +49 (0) 1805 – 311153, keyword “Games Convention”, with easy payment by direct debit or credit card. Tickets can then be obtained at ticket machines or will be sent by post to home addresses. The special offer: tickets are valid between 18 and 26 August 2008 on all DB trains, including the ICEs, so that visitors to the GC can plan their stay in Leipzig flexibly and independently of train times. Further information on the GC travel special is available on http://www.gc-germany.com/index.php?page=64....

Connect GC: Rally to Leipzig

Together with “Connect GC”, the Leipziger Messe is for the first time also organising a blanket coverage coach service. In more than 30 German towns, coaches will be ready to travel to Leipzig on the Friday and Saturday of the fair. With no detours or stops on the way, they head straight for the gaming mecca, arriving at 10.00 am at the latest. Whether or not coaches operate is up to the gamers: at least 50 bookings are needed for each journey.

The price of the coach trip depends on the distance. From Berlin, for example, a return ticket costs 39 euros, from Munich, 56 euros. A ticket for the fair can be ordered as well as the coach trip. Further information about this new option is available on the website http://www.connect-gc.de, where there is a complete overview of all connections.

2008 -- Year of the MMOs?

Zyuu — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 08:21:37 GMT

Many MMOs and expansions to current MMOs are scheduled to be released this year. The hype of them increases as E3 is approaching. Not to mention Games Convention later this year in August.

Which games CAN we look forward to, though? We've tried to list as many potential good MMOs as possible. The list is in no specific order.

Aion: The Tower of Eternity

Interactive gameplay systems, the actions of each faction on each individual server will eventually trigger consequences, which will then change each server's live environment
Skill Chains
Visually stunning
PvPvE (Player vs Player vs Environment) an evolving conflict system, which manages the complex relationships and alliances between realms, races and guilds. The system also controls a third NPC faction, the Balaur, who may act as the enemy - or the ally - of players
Ryo Kunihiko, one of the world’s leading composers of movie and television soundtracks, is creating incredible music that seamlessly interweaves with on-screen action, setting the mood
Aerial Combat
2 Factions / Faces and 8 Classes (with school-class system as you level up)
Cryteks CryENGINE
Ncsoft's new flagship
Promised to not have the classic Asian grind--will be more streamlined
WSAD and Mouse controls. I.e no click to move!

For more information, check out our Aion: The Tower of Eternity Portal and The Ultimate Aion FAQ.

Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures

Mature Rating
Directx 10
DreamWorld Engine
Siege Battles
Combines Single Player Game and Multiplayer (MMO) -- chose yourself
Designed with PvP in mind first
Will be released for PC and Xbox 360
over 500,000 signups for the beta
Player-made cities
Real combat
Dynamic world
12 classes

For more information, check out our Age of Conan Portal.

Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning

Realm vs Realm and PvP focused
Four types of RvR combat. Skirmishes: Incidental PvP combat. Battlefields: Objective-based battles in the game world. Scenarios: Instanced, point-based battles balanced with NPC Dogs of War. Campaigns: The invasion of enemy lands culminating in the assault on their capital city
2 Factions and 6 Armies
Collision Detection
Your character(s) will keep changing appearing as they develop
Games Workshop / EA Mythic
Over 600,000 signups for the beta

For more information, check out our Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning portal.

The Chronicles of Spellborn

Emphasizing the focus on story line
Unreal Engine
European Art Approach
Fast paced combat that is more reliant on player skill
Ancestral Quests, which allow the player to take the role of a major character in Spellborn's history to accomplish a specific requirement
PvP and PvE

For more information, check out our The Chronicles of Spellborn portal.

Stargate Worlds

Under development by industry newcomer Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment in association with the film and television media company MGM. The game will allow players to interact in an online universe based around Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis.

The game will contribute to the back story of Stargate SG-1.
Combat will emphasize tactics to defeat opponents both AI and human controlled
Highly developed and very challenging AI
FPS-like combat at times
At release it will revolve around The Milky Way Galaxy
Humans, Goa'uld, Jaffa, and Asgard as playable racers from the start
Scientist, Soldier and Commando classes
First expansion is planned as Stargate Atlantis

For more information, check out our Stargate Worlds portal.

World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King

Second expansion to the world's most played MMORPG, World of Warcraft.

Level 80 level cap
Death Knight Hero Class
Battle with Arthas the Lich King
An entire new continent: Northrend
New profession, Inscription.
Higher profession level cap: 450
Siege weapons and destructible buildings (for PvP)
Customizable hair styles and additional dances for new and existing characters
At least one non-instanced Battleground

For more information, check out our World of Warcraft portal.

Vanguard: Saga of Heroes

After GU3, members of the Vanguard community now look forward to GU4. Details of GU4 have been released by Thom Terrazas, part of the Vanguard Team.

New bug fixes will be implemented
Permanent flying mounts
New riftway improvements
Character improvements
Visible helmets
New solutions to combat gold farmers

For more information, check out our Vanguard: Saga of Heroes portal.

EverQuest 2: Velious?

The next expansion to EverQuest 2 is rumored to be Velious.

Nothing else is known at this time.

MMOs in Development

Darkfall
- Expected to feature unrestricted pvp, complete looting, and a player skill dependent combat system
- Inter-character and projectile-character collision detection
- Manual aiming & blocking
- Naval warfare, with the ability to sink player controlled ships
- Cities can be built by players Player built cities can be destroyed. Each player built city will contain a clanstone, which protects the buildings and defensive structures in the vicinity from attack. The clanstone is invulnerable, except when it has been weakened by a Gloomer. Gloomers can be built by players after they have built a siege fort next to the target city. The siege fort can be attacked and destroyed at any time, during or after construction. If a city is destroyed, a new clanstone constructed on the site is temporarily vulnerable to attack
- No radar or floating names, your mini map only shows party and clan members as said in a developer journal

For more information, check out our Darkfall portal.

The Agency
- a spy-themed massively multiplayer online shooter. It is being developed and published by Sony Online Entertainment studios in Seattle for Windows and PlayStation 3.
- Two Agencies: The United Nations Intelligence and Tactical Experts (U.N.I.T.E) and The Paramilitary Global Operations Network (ParaGON)
- FPS-style gun fighting, with some driving and other vehicular segments as well. Skill will be the primary determining factor in the success of the player, though some RPG elements will come into play as well

For more information, check out our The Agency portal.

Knights of the Old Repbulic Online
- Nothing is known about this game right now

Rumored / Unknown Blizzard title
- Could be Starcraft Universe or Worlds

Champions Online
- Superhero-themed massive multiplayer online roleplaying game by City of Heroes developer Cryptic Studios based on the Champions license. The game's announcement followed the cancellation of Cryptic's Marvel Universe Online MMORPG

For more information, check out our Champions Online portal.

Ramayan 3392 A.D
- Sony Online Entertainment announced a partnership with Virgin Comics to create a MMO based on the popular Indian-Mythology inspired Ramayan 3392 A.D. graphical novel

Credits

The inspiration from making this article was taken from this forum thread.

Games Convention 2008 Starts with a Bang

Zyuu — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 06:50:55 GMT

Video Games Live - The Spectacular Concert Event from the USA for the First Time in Germany

Spectacular light effects, interludes of interactive gaming and a top-class symphony orchestra - this is what makes up Video Games Live (VGL), the world's most successful concert series featuring game music. This year for the first time, the classic event is stopping off in Germany: at 8.00 pm on 20 August 2008, the VGL presents the official game music concert for the GC - Games Convention, Europe's biggest computer and video games fair. An audience of around 6,000 can look forward to a major musical event in the Arena Leipzig.

"I am delighted that with Video Games Live, we have been able to bring one of the internationally most successful game music events to Leipzig. The combination of classical music and interactive elements makes it an ideal prelude to Europe's biggest games festival", says Peggy Schönbeck, project director of the GC - Games Convention. Tommy Tallarico, the VGL producer, is also looking forward to the new partnership. "Video Games Live is the best way of making both video games and their wonderful music even better known. Anyone coming to our show will quickly see what a fantastic art form video games have become in recent years."

Conducted by Jack Wall, the Video Games Live Symphony Orchestra plays the best-known computer game melodies. The appearances of the American star pianist Martin Leung are particularly well worth hearing. For several years now, the exceptional 21-year-old talent has dedicated himself almost exclusively to the performance of well-known game melodies such as Earthworm Jim, Zelda and Final Fantasy. Leung's international breakthrough came in 2004 when he first performed the Super Mario title song blindfolded.

But fans of the classics will not be the only ones to have a good time at the GC 2008 game music concert. Parallel to the music, scenes from the various games will be shown on a giant screen. From wild Pacman chases and clever Tetris twists to dangerous Myst voyages of discovery - Video Games Live takes the audience with it on a multimedia time journey through the world of games. "Not just to give that special VGL feeling to the musicans onstage, but also to reach the whole audience, we have added many interactive elements to the concert", is how Jack Wall explains the VGL concept. Gaming has its turn too. A few lucky members of the audience have the chance to take part in an onstage interactive game competition. The evening also includes a specially arranged laser show and the appearances of many well-known game characters.

Tickets for the official GC 2008 game music concert can be ordered at all the usual ticket sales outlets, as well as at www.deag.de. The VGL combi-ticket also includes a day at the GC - Games Convention, where visitors to the concert can then try out the latest video games.

About Video Games Live

Video Games Live was first launched in 2005 by the American composers Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall. Together, they developed the idea of performing computer game music as a multimedia live event. Video Games Live creates a link between a young generation of game fans and passionate lovers of clasical music. More than 11,000 people flocked to the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles for the premiere on 6 July 2005. Since then, there have been numerous other concerts in America and Europe.

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