You and your friends can download a fantastic selection of songs, music videos, apps and books for free. Each download will only be available for 24 hours. Get the special 12 Days of Christmas app to make it even easier to access your gifts while you’re on the go.
To access these gifts, the Region Format setting on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch needs to match your iTunes Store account.
You need to download the app and then each day for 12 days there will be something free.
Call of Duty makes it’s debut on the the next gen with Ghosts; following it’s promising success on the previous set of consoles, it’s time to see what Infinity Ward and crew can accomplish with a meatier set of hardware.
Jumping into the singleplayer, the immediate graphical differences are stark and plain to see. Somehow, sun glare has been improved for the next gen consoles, individual blades of grass are realised and the character models have been lavished in glorious textures. Nothing much else has changed however, you still meet David ‘Hesh’ Walker, your narrative anchor for the duration of the campaign and follow his destructive journey throughout his relationship with his brother and father. South America has risen up through it’s rich oil reserves, gotten a bit sick of America and launched a pretty destructive satellite assault upon the land of the free.
Taking approximately 8 hours to complete on a first run through, the campaign bombards you with explosions, set pieces, locales and a distinct lack of subtlety. On the PS4, the dramatic increase in fidelity immerses you further, screen shaking explosions rattle your overwhelmed brain with over indulgence. The few and far between, deliberately slow sections involving NPC’s add an extra layer of envelopment due to the added depth of facial details and expressions that, at times, felt strangely lacking on the preceding consoles.
The locales have probably seen the greatest improvements, floating through the barren, emptiness of space is unnaturally eerie and muffled; the same can be said for your sea faring escapades in the underwater sections, the inertia and momentum involved whilst navigating your way through the fabled ‘fish AI’ feels, sounds and looks fantastic. In contrast, the few pieces where you’re in control of the infamously destructive air support are about as brash and bombastic as you might expect, even if the bass and low end audio seems a tad lacklustre. Of course,detail and animation on our best friend Riley, the lovable attack dog, have also been increased with the hardware jump too, making the sections where he’s involved perhaps seem more emotional due to a more lifelike appearance.
Once you’ve blundered and staggered your way through to the end of the campaign, there’s unfortunately no real incentive to drag you back. Unlike Black Ops 2, there aren’t any branching storylines nor challenges to go back for. There are the obligatory collectibles to tediously scavenge along your journey but luckily, they are fairly limited in number if you fancy going on a Pokemon-esque hunt for them all. Considering the slightly predictable, throwaway plot, I will say I enjoyed my scripted romp through the campaign more than usual. Whether that be because it had spruced up graphics or perhaps because I couldn’t simply plough my way through with a target finding LMG, I don’t know. Either way, once the credits and compulsory ending scene had rolled past, I was left satisfied and relatively excited for a sequel.
In an effort to claw some users back from the unrelenting zombies fanbase, Extinction has been introduced in Ghosts. With only the one map for the time being but more promised with future DLC packs, Extinction sees you performing an objective based, wave survival mode against aliens. A progression system involving creating a basic loadout with unlockable content gives you a real incentive to progress in this mode as opposed to restarting from scratch each time. In-game challenges ensure it doesn’t tire as quickly; seeing as you can actually complete it, (bring good teammates!) the overall goal hastens the pressure and desire to do well. Much like Treyarch’s counterpart, guns are available to buy and secrets can be found. Unlike Zombie’s, other things can also be bought with the money earned; dependant on your class loadout, you can deploy ammo packs, user controlled turrets and the like to hopefully make defending the interminable hive drill that bit easier.
Squads mode is the newly rebadged Combat Training from Treyarch’s previous offerings, for those who want some practice against the AI, fancy learning the maps or just to chill out without some high pitched screaming in your ears, Squads is for you. You can customise your team loadout before each match depending upon generally, how you wish your team to perform. Giving a teammate a long range rifle will make them more inclined to ‘camp’ and stick towards the edge of the map, whereas tooling your AI buddy up with a slew of perks and a knife will turn them into a veritable maniac. Unusually hidden away, is an incredibly fun survival mode against waves of AI. Teamwork, communication and sharing are the inevitable keys as rounds past 10 can get fairly hectic without knowing your comrades strengths and weaknesses.
Changing things up again; building upon Black Ops 2’s Pick 10 system, Infinity Ward has opted for largely the same idea, however instead of everything costing the same, the perks are valued differently upon their strength. Your primary weapon costs one point, you may equip up to two attachments for ‘free’ but after that, everything costs. Sidearms, explosives and tactical grenades can be deselected in favour of more perks and vice versa. With around 35 perks to choose from, it’s now more difficult than ever to make that perfect class. Weapons are now not unlocked via level progression but instead, solely by squad points, meaning you get more choice in weapon selection at the start. Being able to unlock the ‘final’ gun in a class after an hour or so of playing is empowering yet slightly overwhelming, however if anything, I still prefer the old ways in that respect.
Maps are huge, with even the smaller arenas rivalling previous Call of Duty’s ‘large’ maps. Having played it on both PS3 and PS4, the graphical improvements seem to be more of a necessity than a luxury. Picking out a player lying in a pile of heath with a thermal scoped sniper across the map can be incredibly difficult without the definition and fidelity of the newer hardware. Maps take precedence as the striking features as the difference is abrupt; much akin to a new glasses prescription.
Aside from the graphical differences, the real lure of the PS4 version over the PS3’s is the addition of Ground War. Adding more players to the standard TDM and Domination playlists makes a surprising difference; three more players per side can tip the difference on the larger maps between boredom and action. The newer game modes such as Cranked and Blitz come at the expense of Capture the Flag and Hardpoint, yet with new playlists such as Heavy Duty (players get a little more health) being added via free patches, Ghosts’s life cycle looks promising.
For it’s first foray into the depths of next gen, Ghosts performs it’s duties quite well, whilst the lack of any radical changes may frustrate some, the alterations it does perform only shows promise of evolution. Niggles such as the lack of an in depth stats page outside of the game still annoy, as does the lack of a ping indicator and being able to ‘mute all’ in a pre-game lobby; these all seem like weird oversights. The promise of new content and weapons being added as DLC in the future nods to their commitment to improvement and I’m looking forward to seeing where the series can go if developed primarily for the now current generation.
Reviewed on PS4, also available on Xbox One, PC, PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U.
Recently I went away and was separated from my PS4 for nearly a whole week. As you can imagine it was a traumatic experience but I made it through. Despite being very excited about the console release of the War Thunder beta (especially given all the PS4 titles that have been delayed) I was still surprised that even with all the next-gen goodness waiting for me it was War Thunder I couldn’t wait to get back on.
The first time I went on War Thunder on my PS4 I was completely confused. It certainly can be a bewildering experience but as ever good old perseverance and just having a go got me through it. I didn’t know what nation to play, what planes to research or what upgrades to research for those planes. But a few hours in and everything starts to make sense.
But even from your very first battle the simple but genius control system will certainly be your friend. Moving your left thumbstick (or mouse if your on PC) will move an on screen reticule that signifies where your plane will eventually end up. Essentially this means if you move it left your plane will bank and role much more efficiently than in more conventional flight games. Assuming, like me, you’re not an ace pilot. That’s not to say everything is automated but War Thunder certainly helps you and works with you rather than against you.
PC players certainly have more control with access to certain flaps and rudders on the keyboard but I never felt like I needed anything more on my PS4. When both versions get on the same patch and PC and PS4 players will be playing together we’ll see if it makes a difference. I have a vision of PC players laughing sadistically with their superior rudder control and the aiming accuracy of a mouse. Gaijin insist that War Thunder is the same game on both systems but we’ll have to wait and see.
There are a huge amount of planes available. It’s truly massive. And with ground vehicles on the horizon War Thunder promises hour after hour of entertainment. If War Thunder ends up not being the game for you it will not be because of a lack of things to do. And every single plane is so well designed that each has a unique feel. Each nation has a definite set of weapons with their own style. The historical detail and accuracy is clear to see in everything on War Thunder.
And there are no health bars. Each bullet is properly rendered and it’s trajectory is calculated to find the point of impact. If you get hit in the tail your tail takes damage and you may lose control and crash. The damage model is insanely impressive and keeps things interesting and realistic looking. The only way this is possible is to have the planes painstakingly crafted.
Unfortunately the matchmaking can on occasion see planes from different tiers pitted against each other. As there are now only 5 tiers a one tier difference between planes makes quite a difference. When up against planes with superior firepower, handling and speed things can get a little frustrating. But having said that it’s amazing what you can do with enough skill and a bit of luck.
A phrase that often strikes fear into the heart of many gamers is free-to-play. Well not once have I felt that free-to-play is a problem on War Thunder. In fact I’ve already paid for many days of premium account membership. If you want you can even pay for a single day which is very useful if you plan on having a long weekend on War Thunder but don’t expect to be on every day of the year. With a game as good as War Thunder I’ve got no problem at all paying small amounts for a bit more XP on occasion. I’m certainly going to get a lot of time out of War Thunder before I reach the conventional £40-£60 price tag.
But if you don’t want to pay you don’t have to. You won’t get adverts slung at you every 10 seconds or shorter matches or no access to higher tier planes. It’ll just take longer to get there, which you might not even think of as a bad thing. It’s by far the best example of free-to-play I’ve seen and if this is how it can work then I say bring it on.
War Thunder is an absolutely brilliant game. It is fantastically detailed even given the 300 or so planes that are currently available. It looks gorgeous. It sounds great. The matches are on occasion a little unbalanced but for a vast majority of the time there’s no problems. The learning curve at the start is harsh but after a few hours you will likely have the hang of things. The official forums are generally a constructive place to start and there’s loads of information available there.
For those of you who are sick of getting spawn trapped on Battlefield and always seem to be the person who spawns in front of someone on COD, War Thunder might just be the answer for you. I like that War Thunder caters for people who want to improve and a lack of modern gadgets and weapons keeps the combat pure. It’s free-to-play so there’s no reason not to give it a try. I’m completely hooked and can’t get enough of it. It might just be the best game you didn’t know you had on your PS4.
You and your friends can download a fantastic selection of songs, music videos, apps and books for free. Each download will only be available for 24 hours. Get the special 12 Days of Christmas app to make it even easier to access your gifts while you’re on the go.
To access these gifts, the Region Format setting on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch needs to match your iTunes Store account.
You need to download the app and then each day for 12 days there will be something free.
You and your friends can download a fantastic selection of songs, music videos, apps and books for free. Each download will only be available for 24 hours. Get the special 12 Days of Christmas app to make it even easier to access your gifts while you’re on the go.
To access these gifts, the Region Format setting on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch needs to match your iTunes Store account.
You need to download the app and then each day for 12 days there will be something free.
You and your friends can download a fantastic selection of songs, music videos, apps and books for free. Each download will only be available for 24 hours. Get the special 12 Days of Christmas app to make it even easier to access your gifts while you’re on the go.
To access these gifts, the Region Format setting on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch needs to match your iTunes Store account.
You need to download the app and then each day for 12 days there will be something free.
SQUARE ENIX today released a new trailer for KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.5 ReMIX from the recent Jump Festa event that took place in Japan.
Picking up from where KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5 ReMIX ends, the trailer features fan-favorite characters like Sora, Roxas, Riku and Naminé alongside the Disney cast including Princess Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), Hercules, King Mickey, Captain Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean) and others – now in stunning high-definition graphics.
Be merry with the Mighty Thor this holiday season and give the gift of Thunder with the LEGO Marvel Super Heroes: Asgard Character Pack, featuring LEGO minifigures Malekith, Kurse, Sif, Volstagg, Odin, Hogun, Fandral and Jane Foster!
Watch the brand NEW trailer featuring the Prince of Asgard, Thor, alongside his friends and allies here.
You can get your hands on the awesome LEGO Marvel Super Heroes: Asgard Character Pack for £1.59, and the LEGO Marvel Super Heroes: The Super Pack for £3.99. Both DLC packs can be downloaded exclusively on Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network and PC.
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes: The Super Pack gives players more Super Heroes and Super Villains, plus new vehicles and races. Play as fan favorites Dark Phoenix, Winter Soldier, Symbiote Spider-Man, Hawkeye, Falcon, and Beta Ray Bill. Leave more damage with LEGO Big Figures Thanos and A-Bomb, and speed through 10 new races aboard the Spider-Mobile and Hawkeye’s Sky Cycle.
This week Nintendo starts it festive fortnight, out this Friday 27th December Pokémon Bank 30 days free trial if it is started before 31st January 2014. Pokémon Banks costs £4.49/€4.99 per year.
With Super Mario 3 discounted for both the Wii U and 3DS via the (Virtual Console – NES) it will be £2.79/€3.99 until the 2nd Jan 2014. Also discounted is Assassin’s Creed Iv – Black Flag for the Wii U via the eShop for £38.99/€48.99, Assassin’s Creed III for the Wii U discounted to just £7.99/€9.99. A lot of Wii U titles are discounted for the festive fortnight from Nintendo have a look around the eShop for both consoles the Wii U and the 3DS.
If after your potentially countless hours of exploration and piracy on Black Flag you still feel the need for some extra Assassin’s goodness Ubisoft has you covered. The Freedom Cry DLC adds a few more hours of violence and story telling following Edward Kenway’s temping right hand man, Adewale.
But rather than concerning itself with plundering and exploring the massive amount of hidden treasures that Black Flag has to offer, or really anything to do with Assassins (or Templars was it?), Freedom Cry is a much more narrative driven experience. Adewale’s chief concern being to free slaves and generally make life miserable for their tyrannous captors. And when it comes to either of these tasks Adewale is certainly more than able.
He trades swords for a single giant machete and multiple pistols for a shotgun-like blunderbuss. It’s nice to have some new weapons to play with and though there are only a couple of upgrades to each they are well thought out given Freedom Cry’s 5 or 6 hour length. There’s certainly a raw brutality fighting with the machete that resonates with Adewale’s story and the plight of the slaves.
Right from the start it’s clear that Ubisoft aren’t scared about telling a story and making you uncomfortable at times if it helps sell the story. When dealing with issues such as slavery it’s all too easy to be presented with a diluted and relatively friendly version of the horrors that where carried out. Especially where video games are concerned. But there are some truly horrific moments in Freedom Cry and I never felt like the story was held back or censored.
Whilst walking around Port-au-Prince there are various mini objectives and side missions for you to accomplish and free as many captives as possible. It’s difficult not to intervene and put a stop to whatever injustice you see before you. It’s also difficult not to feel just a little bit like a very violent machete wielding batman when you air assassinate a jailor or guard. And when you’re done your newly freed friends will happily join the ranks of the freedom fighters that slowly gather and grow in number in hiding below the city.
Unfortunately they only really serve as a way to unlock new weapons and equipment for Adewale and as a numerical counter to keep track of your vigilante-ing. It does slightly diminish the good deeds you perform that ultimately these newly free men become ‘just numbers’. But as far as the game’s mechanics are concerned it works fine and despite the fact you will need no incentive whatsoever to help captives unlocking new stuff always helps.
There is definitely a reduction in the amount of sea faring objectives and I found myself spending almost no time at all at sea. Given Freedom Cry’s time frame unless you plan on spending time getting the upgrades just for the fun of it, which is certainly worth considering, it’s likely you won’t have much time to progress the ship far anyway. But Freedom Cry is refreshingly combat heavy so if you fancy a fight, running around freeing people will actually get you somewhere.
Some of the missions however didn’t benefit from the combat. Like the final assassination in the last missions where my target ran at me and before I even realised it I had relieved him of his head with an axe. Other than that you will be tailing people and listening in on conversations. I know I’ve said it in all my Assassin’s Creed IV reviews but it’s getting to be beyond a joke now. To be honest I stopped laughing halfway through Black Flag’s main game.
Even the DLC with a fair few changes to fundamentals still makes its bread and butter following people and listening to them. I cannot believe that Ubisoft doesn’t have more creative minds than this. In fact I know they do. Some new objectives would be nice! And the first time you tail someone, having to stay no more than 20 or so metres away and ensuring a clear line of sight, past a guard that essentially acts as a moving restricted zone you will have some real fun. There where also a couple of bugs in some of my objectives, like targets not spawning or markers being placed in impossible to reach locations but I may just have been unlucky.
All things considered Freedom Cry is a great bit of DLC that extends your AC IV experience in a surprisingly meaningful and poignant way. It’s nice to see no compromises or pulled punches when dealing with such a heavy topic. Unfortunately objectives are still more or less the same two or three tasks repeated, but just for less time.
Also a lot of the freedom of Black Flag is lost but given the time frame and inevitable limitations in scope for a DLC it never really becomes a problem. And the maps you play on feel full and certainly don’t lack in detail or feel inferior to their Black Flag counterparts. All in all a great bit of DLC that nicely extends Black Flag and tells a good tale while it’s at it.
Gaijin Entertainment is pleased to announce the release of update 1.37 for its military MMO game War Thunder. The update introduces a new progression system, numerous new planes and combat maps, DirectX 11 support and many other improvements.
This major update introduces more than 20 new aircrafts, including the long-awaited Ki-84 Japanese fighter and German attack plane Hs.129B-3, featuring the enormous 75-mm cannon. With the release of update 1.37, more than 300 historically accurate aircrafts are now available in War Thunder!
8 new maps provide diverse combat scenarios, and all of the game locations got a serious visual overhaul thanks to updated render with DirectX 11 support.
With the new progression system War Thunder pilots can chose the aircraft they want to unlock next, and every battle on any plane of this nation will bring this moment closer. This allows players to progress more quickly through the branch of the research tree they prefer. At the same time, both new and existing players will keep their achievements, earned modifications and previously purchased planes.
And, with the upcoming addition of Ground Forces Expansion, every player will be researching tanks and other vehicles from the beginning, regardless of previous experience with War Thunder.
The Long expected Update – 1.37 – will bring several significant changes to the game, such as:
A completely different progression system. All vehicles are divided into 5 ranks instead of 20, to get a new aircraft a player will have to research a previous one, researching the desired vehicle has become faster. More details in the recent issue of Developers’ Diaries.
New render with the support of DirectX 11, improving graphics quality and performance up to 25% (on some video cards).
Many of new planes have been added, such as the Soviet fighters the I-185 and the La-9, the American P-400 (an export variant of the P-39 Airacobra for the RAF). The German Bf 109 F-1 and Bf 109 F-2, The Hs. 129B-3 attacker with an incredible 75 mm cannon, the series of Japanese Ki-84 fighters and others.
New “Custom Battles”. Now the battles are hosted on a dedicated War Thunder server and not on the player’s side. This will provide ease of use and a high quality connection for online tournaments, clanmates and for all those who play custom battles.
More than 70 aircraft have their Flight and Damage models tuned to fully meet the historically accurate data. Please refer to our forums for the full list and current flight models state report.
The mission editor is now added to “test flight” mode and you can test any desired aircraft in different situations, choose the scenario of a battle, the weather and the number and power of your opponents.
Dynamic Campaign mode has been significantly reworked.
– Any researched but un-purchased aircraft from 1.35 can be purchased without researching and upgrading previous planes in a line.
– “Custom battles” are now hosted on dedicated servers.
– “Custom Battles” can now have up to 32 players in one battle “
– “Dynamic Campaign” allows a player to choose a historical period in which the mission will take place.
– Planes for the “Dynamic Campaign” Missions are chosen by the server. Players have an opportunity to fly aircraft they have not bought/researched yet. -Cooperative mode in Dynamic Campaign and Quick editor is temporarily removed; it will be returned a little bit later, reworked and improved.
– Distance for “highlighting” of ground targets in Simulation Mode (previously known as FRB) is reduced by 1 km – New options for purchasing Golden Eagles (more variants of GE packages have been added) – Bots now do not now fly biplanes only – they use aircraft of different types and ranks;
– The “Marker” system has been changed. If an enemy has a higher altitude than you, it will be harder for him to define the type of your aircraft against the ground (distance to recognize aircraft type has been reduced by 20% when the plane is against the ground)
Interface:
– Game modes have been renamed: Historical Battles are now known as Realistic Battles, Full Real Battles are renamed to Simulator Battles
– In the player profile the level and miliatry rank(Prestige) are displayed. Military Ranks(Prestige) are awarded for reaching certain levels.
– Aircraft and battle settings in “Custom battles” can be changed by the host without exiting the game room and closing the session
– Modification window interface changed, research tree interface changed
Graphics:
– New render with DirectX 11 support.
– Graphics for all maps and locations have been reworked.
– Models and cockpits for certain aircraft have been fixed.
– Visual models for the I-16 type 18 and the I-16 type 28 have been fixed.
– Pilot indicator is added for air brake status, the modifications are mounted on the wings Ju.87 B-2, R-2, D-3 and D-5;
– Changed the reflex sight on D.520, N1K2-J, N1K2-Ja;
– Fixed and fully functional counters for ammunition status on the Bf.109 series (Exception is a numerical counter in the Emil, others have visual indicators);
– Added ammunition counter bar indicators on all aircraft series Fw.190, the A-5/U2 , F- 8, as well as on the A- 5 ( shows ammo MG-FF) and A-8 (not functioning due to the absence of pendant arms);
– Added the ability to put on the ground adjusted trim tabs. (Which cannot be adjusted in flight);
– Improved rendering of fire, explosions and smoke ;
– Added a new effect for burning fuel tanks . Each fuel tank has its own fire effect.
Sound:
– Reduced volume of sound effects for aerobatic smoke;
– Added sound effect for indication of game start whilst client is minimized;
– Optimization of sound interface parameters;
– Fixed sound settings of multiple bullet hits on the player aircraft;
– Added new sound effects for the gun BK-7, 5 inside and outside the cockpit;
– Added new sound effects for the gun Vickers Class S inside and outside the cockpit.
Changes in DM:
– Fixed the damage model for the XP- 55 ;
– Wellington ( all models) – Fixed the damage model of the fuselage ;
– Fixed the damage model for the D.520 and D.521;
– Fixed the damage model for wings of IL-2 , IL -2M , IL- 10 .
Changes in FM:
Flight models partially adjusted or completely corrected according to datasheets/passports : A6M3, A6M3 mod 22, A6M3 mod 22ko, A-20G-30, A-26C, A-26C-45-DT, B-25J-1, B-25J-20, B-25J-30, Havock Mk I, P-47D-25, P-47D-28, I-16 type 18, I-16 type 28, P-400, P-39Q-15, Typhoon Mk-Ia, Typhoon Mk. Ib, Typhoon Mk. Ib/L,I-15 bis, I-15 WR, I-15 М-22, I-15 K, I-185 М-82, Yak-3, Yak-3P, Yak-9U, Yak-9UT, Yak-9P, P-26A-33, P-26A-34 M2, P-26B-35, SBD-3, Tempest Mk. II, Tempest Mk. V, Tempest Mk V (Vickers P), P-36A, P-36A Rasmussen’s, P-36C, P-36G, B7A2, FW-190D-9, FW-190D-12, FW-190D-13, Spitfire L.F. IX,SB-2 M-100,I-153 М62, I-153 P, Ki-84 ko, Ki-84 otsu, Ki-84 hei, Swordfish Mk.I, B-17E, B-17E/L, B-17G, B-24D, He 51 A-1, He 51 B-1, He 51 C-1, Bf.109 E-1, Bf.109 E-3, Bf.109 F-1, Bf.109 F-2, Bf.109 F-4, Bf.109 F-4/trop, Bf.109 G-10, Bf.109 K-4, Lа-9, Fw.190A-5, Fw.190A-8, Beaufighter Mk VIc, PBY-5, PBY-5a, Hs.129 B-2, Hs.129 B-3. Corrected and updated : –
– Hs.129B- 2 (B- 3) : added startup of the engines smoke effect, jet wash moment (compression model) for counter-rotating propellers removed ; FM configured according to datasheet/passport data ;
– For many planes adjusted effect of engine overheating . Permanent engine overheating leads to the gradual destruction of aircraft propulsion units, until the engine stops. Engine damage is indicated in the interface damage indicator (paper doll) – pink, red and black motor;Implemented in simulation and realistic mode
– Many aircraft corrected fuel consumption according to datasheet/passport data and modes of operation of the engine;
– For all aircraft included the effect of heaviness of rudder at high speeds (the higher the speed of the aircraft, the higher the pressure of the oncoming air, the more resistance is needed to overcome). Implemented in sumlation and realistic mode
Weapons and modifications:
United States:
– Added M10 for guiding planes P-39N- 0 , P-39Q- 5 , P-51D- 5 , P-51D- 20 NA, P-51D- 30 , P-47D- 28 , A-20G- 30 ;
– Added HVAR missiles for the F- 86 Sabre ( all versions) ;
– Fixed bomb load for internal bomb bay B-17E (6×1000 pounds instead 8×1000 pounds );
– Fixed bomb load for internal bomb bay B-17G (4×1000 pounds instead 8×1000 pounds );
– Expanded bombing armament on P-63A- 10;
– Fixed calculation of the weight of bombs for U.S. ;
– Fixed vertical angle aiming for the top turret B-24D;
United Kingdom:
– Tempest Mk.V: added 250 – pound bombs under the wings on pylons ;
– Tempest Mk.II: added 2×250- 2×500 pound and pound bombs under the wings on pylons ;
– Wellington ( all models) : expanded bombing loadouts ;
– Lancaster: expanded bombing loadouts ;
– Beaufighter Mk.X: 12,7 mm M2 Browning machine guns replaced by 7.7 mm machine guns Browning;
– Fixed calculation of the weight of bombs for Britain ;
Germany :
– Added preset 2x936kg torpedoes for He.111H- 6 ;
– Added modification pendant arms BK-3.7 for HS.129B- 2 ;
– Removed 500kg bombs at Bf.109 series G;
– Number SM.79, available for purchase, reduced to 4 . Withdrawn from sale versions: S. 79 1937 and S. 79 1942 ;
– Modification to U4 Me.410 now has , in addition to 50mm BK 5 gun , two 20mm MG 151 cannon ;
– Ammunition BK 5 increased by 1 shell – a shell being charged in the breech ;
– Ammunition Ju.87G- 1 increased from 6 to 12 shells per barrel ;
– Added 20mm motor gun for Bf.109G- 6. Standing motor 30mm gun is now available as a retrofit ;
– Added BK 7,5 gun caliber 75 mm (for gunship Hs.129B- 3);
– Added 13 mm machine gun instead of 7.92- mm machine gun on Me.410B-1/U2.
– Ammunition guns MG-FF Aircraft Fw. 190A-5/U2 changed from 60- to 90 shells per barrel ;
– Added 15 mm MG 151 cannon version ( for fighters Bf.109F- 2);
USSR :
– New Yak- 9UT got 37mm and 45mm hydraulic gun ;
– I -185 ( M-82 ) got rockets and bombs .
– La-5 – removed modification ” Rear Armour plate “;
– Fixed ammunition for machine guns ShKAS the Il -10 (750 on the breech );
– Number of SB-2 , available for purchase, reduced to 4 . Withdrawn from sale versions: SB-2M -103 MB- 3, SB-2M – 103U;
– Number of Yer-2, available for purchase, reduced to 4. Withdrawn from sale versions: Yer-2 M-105 TAT and Yer-2 M- 105R TAT.
Japan:
– All planes of the line A6M “Zero” have the opportunity to bear 2x60kg bombs under the wings ;
– Ruler Ki- 84 has the ability to b under the wings 2×50 or 2x250kg bombs ;
– Ki- 43 -2 has the ability to bear 2×50, 2×100 or 2x250kg under the wings ;
– Ki- 61 -lb and Ki- 61 -lc can now bear 2×50, 2×100 or 2x250kg under the wings ;
– N1K2-J – has the ability to bear under the wings 2×250 kg bomb load ;
– Fixed calculation of the weight of bombs for Japan;
– Ammunition for guns Ho- 5 aircraft Ki- 96 and Ki- 102 increased from 200 to 400 shells;
– H6K4 – removed army bomb type 92;
Common:
Striking effect of bombs 50 – 250kg and rockets of all calibers changed to realistic values given in terms of effect on armoured targets :
Rockets caliber 82-114 mm ( RS82 , M8) may destroy medium tanks only with direct hit , heavy tanks are not affected ;
Rockets caliber 127mm – 152mm ( RS-132 , HVAR, RP- 3) destroy medium tanks within 1.5-2m , heavy – with a direct hit ;
100 lbs bombs (50kg) – perhaps can destroy medium tanks within 2 – 3m, heavy – with only a direct hit ;
250 lbs bombs. (100kg) – possibly destroy medium tanks within 4-6m, heavy – within 2-4m ;
500 lbs. bombs (250kg) – possibly destroy medium tanks within 6-8m, heavy tanks – within 4-6m .
Torpedoes performance changed according to their characteristics:
Torpedo Mk.XII – maximum drop height of 40 m
F200- 450 torpedoes and F5W (licensed copy of Italian with the same performance characteristics) – the maximum drop height – 120m.
Torpedo 45 – 36AN obr.1939 year – the maximum drop height of 45m.
Torpedo Mk.13 – early sample (without box stabilizer) – maximum drop height – 30 m;
Torpedo Mk.13 – late sample (box- stabilizer) – maximum drop height – 250 m
Torpedo Type 91 mod.2 and mod.3 – maximum drop height – 300m.
Mission and maps:
New maps :
[ Operation ] The defense of Stalingrad
[ Operation ] Saipan
[ Ground Strike] Ironridge
[ Ground Strike ] Albion ( for low levels )
[ Ground Strike ] Sandy Beach
[ Domination ] Sicily
– All Ground Strike missions for the arcade have zones for bombing. Destruction of each zone takes 10% victory points off the opposing team.
– Missions [ Operation ] Kuban , [ Operation ] Ruhr, [ Operation ] Ardennes, [ Operation ] Berlin , a number of changes aimed at increasing the role of bombers and attackers. In particular: – Reducing the amount of land held units, affecting the victory points. These are “ heavy class” units , which can only be destroyed by bombs, missiles and large-caliber guns;
– Added zones for bombing. Destruction of each zone takes 10% victory points off the opposing team; – Completing mission tasks takes 10% victory points off the opposing team;
– Adjustment of ground vehicle movement to improve the balance and greater dispersal techniques on the map;
– Bombers and attack aircraft in the air mission start being closer to enemy ground units, so they will be able to at least have one effective attack. Separate missions:
– Added Korean theater, which includes three new missions: “Storm Warning “, “Hunting Blind “and “Dangerous Intelligence.” – In the mission of the Pacific theater of battle added: “The Battle of Saipan,” “Battle of Guam” and “The Battle of Iwo Jima ”
Wargaming has announced the release of Update 1.1 for its recently launched flight combat MMO action game, World of Warplanes. The update introduces a substantial amount of new content, including 14 aircraft, two battle arenas, and new epic and tiered achievements.
“This update is focused on making the player experience more enjoyable by addressing a number of technical and gameplay balance issues,” said Vlad Belozerov, Director of Global Operations for World of Warplanes. “We’re also excited to give players the chance to try out a new line of German fighters.”
The German tech tree is bolstered with the second line of fighters, featuring nine Focke-Wulf warplanes, known for their overall balance, combat performance, and maneuverability. The latest update also enriches the game with five new premium aircraft, all Tier 5, including the Russian Curtiss P-40 M-105, the UK Miles M. 20, the US Grumman XF4U-1, and the German Messerschmitt Me 209V.
Other significant additions include two new battle arenas—Adriatic and Castle, a broad list of new achievements and customization items, as well as major improvements for mouse and joystick controls, balance tweaks, and general bug fixes.
To celebrate the first content update for World of Warplanes since launch, Wargaming is awarding all players that log into the game between December 23, 2013 and January 16, 2013, with a free in-game premium plane, the Curtiss Model 68C Hawk III. This item is available exclusively to this event.
With 2014 promises to be a very happy New Year for fans of extreme racing, as Nordic Games has unveiled its plans to revive the best-selling MX vs. ATV series.
Nordic Games secured the rights to the MX vs. ATV series as part of its agreement to acquire a range of THQ’s intellectual property earlier this year. Now the firm can reveal it has assembled a team of former MX vs. ATV staff along with other, high-profile developers to properly resurrect the franchise. This dedicated team will be taking it to even greater heights while retaining the ingredients that made MX vs. ATV so successful. It’s no coincidence the team is based in Phoenix Arizona where it all began in the mid-90s. Perhaps one can be forgiven for borrowing from the well-worn cliché: the Phoenix has truly risen from the (digital) ashes.
Led by Ken George and comprising of numerous MX vs. ATV staff along with game development veterans including Dave Dwire, Mike Mamula, Brad Bowling, Scott Hofmann, Justin Walsh, David Knudsen, and Chris Gilbert, the new team’s first title will be MX vs. ATV Supercross due for release in the first half of 2014 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Mac and Linux. As the title suggests, MX vs. ATV Supercross is centred around the popular Supercross sport and has the scope of a downloadable game.
The team is also maintaining the existing MX vs. ATV Alive and MX vs. ATV Reflex code and bringing back as many features as possible including multiplayer on consoles, Motoclub Depot, and more to be announced soon.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to be working with Nordic Games because they appreciate the team’s passion and dedication to bring the feel of real motocross racing to MX vs. ATV fans. Not just the adrenaline rush, but the whole experience from top to bottom.”, says Ken George, Executive Producer of MX vs. ATV Supercross. “A lot of the original team members have been aching to continue their passion: building the most authentic off-road racing games possible. The hiatus is over, and the team is back to work on MX vs. ATV with great new things to come.”
“We’re all devoted fans of the MX vs. ATV games,” adds Reinhard Pollice, Business & Product Development Director at Nordic Games, “so being able to play a part in continuing this brilliant series is a dream come true. We’re absolutely committed to ensuring Ken and his team receive the best support and the freedom to create the games they love making – and we’re confident that the series will continue to grow from strength to strength. Supercross is just the start of our MX vs. ATV plans. 2014 and beyond will prove to be a hell of a ride.”
