Watch the brand new gameplay trailer for the Xbox One exclusive fighting game, Fighter Within from Ubisoft.
Angry Birds Star Wars Lands on Handhelds and Consoles 1st Nov
From a galaxy far, far away, Activision’s has released new screen shots from the upcoming Angry Birds Star Wars, crashing onto consoles and handhelds on 1st November.
Players will have the chance to play as their favourite Star Wars-inspired birds and fly across iconic Star Wars settings like Tatooine, Death Star, Hoth, and Cloud City. Angry Birds Star Wars features 20 never-before-seen exclusive levels and over 200 original stages, all supporting two player local co-op and up to four players local in competitive hot-seat mode.
With the Rebel Alliance behind you, get ready to fly into cosmic warfare against those dastardly Storm Trooper pigs of the Galactic Empire.
Angry Birds Star Wars will be available in Europe on 1st November for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo Wii U, Nintendo Wii and Nintendo 3DS. But also it has been rated for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 just no release date for those two at this time.
Watch 10 Minutes of Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate
Watch the extended gameplay walkthrough video for Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate, just in time for the game’s worldwide launch tomorrow, October 25th on PlayStation Vita and Nintendo 3DS.
The Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate gameplay walkthrough video is narrated by Armature game directorMark Pacini who highlights a level in Blackgate prison while explaining level design, controls and combat and Batman’s investigative and detective features.
Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate brings the Batman Arkham games to a handheld format for the first time to Sony and Nintendo handheld systems. Featuring stealth gameplay, free-flow combat, and Batman’s infamous gadgets, Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate captures the genuine Arkham feel players have come to appreciate. With gripping 2.5-D graphics, fully voiced narrative, and a captivating storyline, you’ll will explore deep inside the bowels of this remote island penitentiary that plays an important role in the Arkham universe.
Batman: Arkham Origins and Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate are both available worldwide on 25 th Oct. 2013!
Arma 3 Lands New Sitrep Video
Bohemia Interactive today published a new video SITREP (II) for the recently released tactical military shooter, Arma 3. Thanking all those who participated in the Arma 3 Alpha and Beta, Andrew Gluck (better known as Dslyecxi) from ShackTactical reflects on the game’s release, explores the launch package, and looks at the future of Arma 3 as a platform for official and user-made content..
In similar fashion to the first video SITREP, this new Community Guide recaps development and celebrates the splendid release milestone. While scanning the horizon, Dslyecxi also discusses Bohemia Interactive’s dedication to supporting the game with new updates and content – including the singleplayer campaign, of which the first episode will be deployed on October 31. Player-created scenarios, mods and add-ons are another point of focus, one which the studio hopes to push to a next level with additional tools, documentation, and the further integration of the Steam Workshop.
In co-operation with Andrew Gluck from ShackTactical, Bohemia Interactive is creating a series of videos to explain some of the basics of Arma 3. Previous Community Guides already explored infantry combat, multiplayer teamwork, helicopters, sniper and launcher teams, and combined arms warfare. The upcoming season of video guides will focus on a specific range of Arma 3-related topics.
Arma 3 is now available for purchase on Steam and Store.bistudio.com for 44.99 EUR/39.99 GBP/59.99 USD. There is also a Digital Deluxe Edition available (49.99 EUR/42.99 GBP/64.99 USD). A boxed version of Arma 3 is sold at many of the major retailers.
Atelier Escha & Logy Coming to PS3 March 2014
Today, TECMO KOEI Europe is proud to announce that the latest installment in the long-loved Atelier series, Atelier Escha & Logy ~Alchemists of the Dusk Sky~, the direct sequel to the last title, Atelier Ayesha : The Alchemist of Dusk, will be released across Europe on the 7th of March 2014 for the PlayStation 3.
This latest instalment will provide an extended gameplay experience with two protagonists’ stories—Escha and Logy. For the first time in the Atelier series, Atelier Escha & Logy ~Alchemists of the Dusk Sky~ lets players choose their main character, either Escha or Logy, which will offer unique story perspectives and gameplay experiences. Escha’s story focuses on the traditional alchemy RPG and everyday adventures of an alchemist that Atelier series fans love, whereas Logy’s story is a more serious adventure focused on world exploration.
Story
This world has gone through many Dusks, and is slowly nearing its end. Within this world, in the western reaches of the “Land of Dusk,” there was a nation that prospered thanks to its use of alchemy. There, in order to survive the eventual arrival of the “Dusk End,” the people devoted their efforts to rediscover and recreate lost alchemic technologies. Rediscovered technology from the past era was gathered in the alchemy research city known as “Central,” where research was conducted on how to halt the advance of the twilight. One of the heroes is a young man who researched alchemy in Central, the other a girl living in a small town on the frontier. This girl’s name is Escha. In the process of using her knowledge of ancient alchemy to help others, she was assigned to the Development Department. The young man’s name is Logy. Having learned the newest alchemic techniques in Central, he requested a transfer to this understaffed town to make use of his abilities, and meets Escha when he is assigned to the Development Department as well. The two make a promise to use their alchemy together, and bring success to the Development Department.
Atelier Escha & Logy ~Alchemists of the Dusk Sky~ game features include:
Two protagonists, two stories, more gameplay. Depending on which protagonist a player selects, the story and events will unfold from different perspectives. For players who enjoy the traditional Atelier series, Escha’s story will fulfill their alchemy RPG needs! For players who enjoy a classic RPG, or are newcomers to the series, they can choose Logy’s story to begin their journey in the Atelier universe!
Battle with more teammates! Traditionally, in the Atelier series, only 3 characters could join the battle party, but in Atelier Escha & Logy ~Alchemists of
the Dusk Sky~, players can have a maximum of 6 characters in battle to allow for more strategy and faster-paced fights!
Streamlined synthesis welcomes newcomers and long-time series fans! The synthesis system and interface have been streamlined to make item creation more approachable and enjoyable. As their Synthesis level goes up, players will be able to access more items for synthesis.
Fast-paced, turn-based combat system! Battles are fought using a turn-based combat system, but character actions and command inputs are optimized for fast-paced fights. During battle, players can use support attacks, in which allied characters hop in and appear one after another in an effort to execute impressive follow-up attacks! Utilize the assist attack system to rule the battlefield!
Alchemist-exclusive attack, Double Draw! As Alchemists, Escha and Logy can use the various items they create through synthesis during battle. Atelier Escha & Logy ~Alchemists of the Dusk Sky~ has expounded on that concept and created a new alchemist-exclusive command, “Double Draw,” which allows consecutive item use while also increasing their effects!
Gorgeous graphics with lively characters! Characters’ faces are meticulously animated and show a wide range of expressions. With the newly implemented engine, the characters in Atelier Escha & Logy ~Alchemists of the Dusk Sky~ really come to life!
A-Men 2 Coming to PSN and PS Vita Out This November
Introducing A-Men 2, the Arcade Platform Shooter sequel to the 2012 original, developed by Bloober Team and set to release on PlayStation Network and PlayStation Vita this November.
A throwback to the old-school era when arcade games were designed to test a players skills and reflexes to the limit, A-Men 2 is arguably the most punishing game on PSN and Vita to date, where only precision and speed-of-thought will be rewarded with progress.
Players take on the role of the elite A-Men, a Special Forces unit with a variety of skills and abilities, as they travel across the world on a mission to take down the lethal A-Droids, renegade robots that have escaped from the factories of A-Corp, the world’s biggest producer of robot soldiers, before they cause untold chaos and destruction.
Nomadic Tribes Culture Pack’ DLC for Total War: ROME II Released
The Nomadic Tribes Culture Pack adds a new playable culture comprising three new playable Factions to Total War: ROME II, for use in Single or Multiplayer Campaign modes and Custom and Multiplayer battles.
The Nomadic Tribes Culture Pack enables ROME II players to take on the ancient world as the ruthless Roxolani, the independent Massagetae and the proud Royal Scythians. Accomplished raiders and legendary horsemen, the Nomadic Tribes are poised to sweep from the steppes and strike at the soft, sedentary targets of more established empires.
Defined by their independence, their excellence on horseback and their ability to swiftly assemble large armies, The Nomadic Tribes bring an entirely new cultural flavour to ROME II.
You can Grab your copy here: http://store.steampowered.com/app/258270 The Nomadic Tribes Culture Pack’ DLC for Total War: ROME II, will be Free for the First Week.
New Features:
New Playable Factions – The Roxolani, Massagetae and Royal Scythians each offer a unique new way to experience the campaign, with their own rosters of powerful military units, distinct traits and play styles.
The Roxolani gain wealth from their skills as migrant traders, and as committed conquerors, fight harder when in enemy territory; the Royal Scythians are experts with the bow, and enjoy increased wealth through their high degree of craftsmanship; and the fierce independence of the Massagetae leads them to fight harder when defending their territory, while their expertise in animal husbandry means increased income from livestock.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgMRS08CMmw
New Cultural Traits – All Nomadic Tribes benefit from extra recruitment slots in their home provinces, enabling them to raise armies swiftly. They have also refined raiding and looting to an art-form, and their forces gather greater wealth through raiding than other factions.
New Cultural Objectives – The Nomadic Tribes have their own new set of military, economic and cultural victory conditions, as well as sharing a unique set of bonus objectives drawn from the history of The Steppes. Additionally, each faction will have to contend with its unique events and dilemmas.
New Military Tradition – The armies of the Nomadic Tribes can benefit from a unique new military tradition: Nomadic Horde. This tradition increases the movement range of the army, increases its unit morale when fighting in enemy territory and, commensurate with the tribes’ heavy use of horse and rider, reduces the recruitment costs of cavalry units.
New Units:
Peerless horsemen and skilled archers, The Nomadic Tribes Culture Pack offers factions which rely heavily on cavalry for the backbone of their fighting horses. Among the numerous melee, bow, javelin and spear-armed riders of the steppes, the Nomadic Tribes Culture Pack also introduces a variety of unique and deadly mounted units.
MASSAGETAE: armour focussed
Saka Noble Armoured Lancers
Few can withstand a charge by these skilled and heavily-armoured noblemen.
Saka Cataphracts
Armoured from head to toe, these heavy cavalry are capable of flattening anyone in their path.
Saka Cataphract Horse Archers
Heavy armour and excellent bow-skills guide these natural riders to victory.
ROXOLANI: melee focussed
Sarmatian Royal Lancers
Deadly lances make these heavy cavalrymen a frightening – and deadly – force.
Sarmatian Riders
Born to the saddle, these spear-wielding riders like to get up-close and brutal with their enemies.
Sarmatian Horsemen
With the right man in the saddle, a horse and a spear make for a deadly combination.
ROYAL SCYTHIANS: ranged-weapon focussed
Royal Horse Archers
There are few more terrifying sights than Scythian horse-archers preparing to fire.
Scythian Royal Skirmishers
The enemies of Scythia rightly fear these natural riders’ javelins – and the swift swords which follow.
New Buildings:
The Nomadic Tribes are fiercely independent and make lives for themselves under canvas. You’ll see this reflected in their settlements and cities on the campaign map, which favour tents and yurts over brick and stone structures. In addition, their building chains are unique among the factions of ROME II; they reflect the nomadic lifestyle and bring bonuses which play to the nomads’ strengths as shepherds, horsemen and archers.
Food:
Given their itinerant lifestyle, the Nomadic Tribes’ food supply – and to a greater degree than other factions, their income – begins with animal herding. As such, their food-production building chain begins with Sheep Pens, which advances to the Weaver, then the Yurt Maker.
A second Camp chain replaces farms in the standard building chains, and offers increasing benefits to the income that livestock bring. The Camp chain begins with the Nomad Camp, which upgrades to the Wagon Camp, then the Royal Camp.
Research
The wisest of the tribe gather with the soothsayers to devise ways of improving tribal society. The Nomadic Tribes’ Research chain consists of the Enaree Tent, which upgrades to the Enaree Conclave, and ultimately the Royal Enarees, and brings boosts to the rate at which new technologies are developed.
Stables
The people of the Nomadic Tribes make great use of horses for trade, travel and war, and breed their stock on the wide-open steppe. The Stables chain begins with Wild Horses, which upgrades to Large Herd and finally to the Royal Herd.
Religion
The tribes of the great steppe pray to their own gods, and these are reflected in the unique groves, shrines and sanctuaries they build. The building chains relating to each god bring bonuses to many aspects of nomadic development, such as research, livestock income, agent levels and public order. Certain chains also bring bonuses to two of the nomads’ key military units: melee cavalry and horse archers.
In addition, the apex of the religious chain brings access to a unique new wonder: The Kurgan Field. This giant burial mound boosts the cultural influence of the tribe, and brings a considerable boost to income through livestock.
Faction History:
The Royal Scythians
The Royal Scythians are the social and tribal elite of nomad society, their skills in war matched only by their love of gold and ostentatious personal finery. Any who mistake this golden luxury for decadence usually die on the points of Royal Scythian spears well before they can change their misguided opinion.
The Massagetae
The Massagetae are a confederation of tribes, and fierce steppe warriors all. Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Achaemenid Empire, fell in battle against them while leading a Persian army deep into the steppes. They have remained a dangerous people ever since, feared and respected by their neighbours.
The Roxolani
Every man has his day in the sun, and the same is true of entire tribes. As the Scythians grow weak, the Roxolani are ready to take up the sword in their place. From astride their hardy steppe horses, they are right to see the whole of the ‘civilized’ world as being filled with riches. What glorious battles await?
Xbox Music app for iOS gets updated to version 1.3.31015
Microsoft have released an update to it’s Xbox Music app for iOS.
Xbox Music brings you all the music you love, every way you want it. Now you can access your Xbox Music Pass on your iPhone, Xbox, Windows 8 PC or tablet, and the web.
Xbox Music Pass on iPhone features:
•Stream ad-free music from a catalog of tens of millions of songs
•Add songs, albums, and playlists to your Xbox Music collection and access them from other devices
•Create playlists that sync across your phone, Xbox 360, PC, tablet, and the web
•Listen to music while using your iPhone
•Listen to artist-based radio stations
•Enjoy a rich visual experience for searching, viewing , and playing back music
What’s New in Version 1.3.31015
• Start a radio station based on your favorite artists. Discover personalized radio suggestions
• Improved interface to let you play music in a few taps
• Fixed a few bugs to make the application iOS 7 compliant
Xbox Music Pass is the best way to enjoy your favorite music, and discover new songs, albums, and artists right from your iPhone.
You can download Xbox Music for free from the Apple App Store now.
Exclusive Batman: Arkham Origins interview with Troy Baker and Roger Craig Smith
Warner Bros will be releasing Batman: Arkham Origins tomrorow and I recently had the chance to sit down with Troy Baker who voices The Joker and Batman himself, Roger Craig Smith.
Batman: Arkham Origins is the next instalment in the blockbuster Batman: Arkham videogame franchise. Developed by WB Games Montréal, the game features an expanded Gotham City and introduces an original prequel storyline set several years before the events of Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City, the first two critically acclaimed games of the franchise. Taking place before the rise of Gotham City’s most dangerous criminals, the game showcases a young, unrefined Batman as he faces the defining moment of his early career and sets his path to becoming the Dark Knight.
So over to Troy and Roger:
Batman: Arkham Origins will be available for the PS3, Xbox 360, the Wii U system, and Windows PC. Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate, the handheld version developed by Armature Studio, will be available for PlayStation Vita and the Nintendo 3DS. The game will release on all platforms worldwide on Oct. 25, 2013.
Are you going to buy Batman: Arkham Origins? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
Installing VMware Tools on Linux Virtual Machines
After finishing my last How to Video on Installing and the Basic Configuration of CentOS I realized that if the user was indeed installing CentOS on a VMware Virtual appliance and not a physical machine then there was one more added step that needs to be done and that is installing the VMware Tools.
VMware Tools is a suite of utilities that enhances the performance of the virtual machine’s guest operating system and improves management of the virtual machine. Installing VMware Tools in the guest operating system is vital. Although the guest operating system can run without VMware Tools, you lose important functionality and convenience. Now on a Windows machine this is essentially a walk through the park that requires no extra or special knowledge but for Linux this is a whole different scenario that equates to building Hover Dam from the ground up if you have never done so before.
In this instructional how to video I will be going over in detail how to correctly install VMware Tools on a Linux Operating System, The Virtual Linux Operating System used in this example will be CentOS and the VMware Virtual Appliance is VMware Player 5. Even though this is being demonstrated on CentOS this method will work on basically any Linux Distribution, I myself have also done this install on Ubuntu, lubuntu, and Linux Mint. As far as the VMware Appliance menu while being demonstrated on VMware Player 5 this will work on versions 3, 4, and 6 along with Workstation and Vsphere VMware appliances.
Just click on the below you tube video to begin.
Apple makes their new Maverick Operating System available for Free
This announcement nearly had me fall out of my chair when I first read this; I just hope that Steve Jobs is not rolling over in grave as word of this monumental decision was unveiled from Apple early this morning along its other new product unveiled today like the new IPad Air. I think in the long run this is a smart business move from apple who is competing with other products on the market that use free Operating Systems on their devices (Linux anyone?). However tread lightly, while Apple may not be charging anymore for their Computer OS they will most likely be getting there Revenue back by charging an extra dollar or two by raising the price of their already expensive hardware.
To download the Maverick Operating System just head on over to the Mac App Store and download it, the file size is approximately over 5GB. Remember 2 things however is you need a Mac running at least OS X 10.6.6 or later and the right hardware to load it on.
Review of the Microsoft Sculpt Comfort Desktop
If you are on the lookout for a new keyboard and mouse, you should consider the Microsoft Sculpt Comfort desktop set – here is our review.
The Microsoft Sculpt Comfort desktop consists of both a Sculpt Comfort Keyboard and a Sculpt Comfort mouse.
Sculpt Comfort Keyboard
· Contoured design promotes natural wrist position, putting keys within easy reach
· Cushioned palm rest provides support and promotes a neutral wrist position
· Detachable palm rest can be removed for a sleek, compact look
· Split spacebar with backspace functionality designed to improve typing speed and efficiency
· Windows 8 shortcut keys provide easy access to commonly used functions
Sculpt Comfort Mouse
· Windows touch tab for easy access to apps and start screen
· 4-way scroll wheel for navigating up, down, left and right
A Closer Look
Sculpt Comfort Desktop perfectly integrates with Windows 8. The keyboard hotkeys provide shortcuts to the most commonly used keyboard functions. The Windows Touch tab, a touch-sensitive strip located on the side of the mouse, enables you to take advantage of swiping functionality as you navigate the Start screen.
Final Thoughts
The first thing you notice about the keyboard is its shape. It’s curved in the middle and it has a palm rest attached. This isn’t the first ergonomic keyboard Microsoft has produced and they have been very popular – I even had one for a while. They do take a little getting used to but once you are used it them it does feel more comfortable using it, especially for extended periods of time.
Some people don’t like palm rests, that’s fine, I often fall into that category myself, and so you just flick a switch on the understand and the palm rest detaches. And to put it back on later you just click it back into place. This is a good idea meaning you have the best of both worlds!
For users moving over to Windows 8, the fact this keyboard has Windows 8 hotkeys will certainly make the transition easier, and faster! I found myself using the hotkeys more than I thought I would and I really liked that Microsoft included a switch so that I didn’t need to hold down another key to activate those hotkeys and I could easy switch them off if I need the function keys instead.
Connecting it to my PC was simple – I just plugged in the 2.4 GHz wireless transceiver into a spare USB port and Windows did the rest. I did have a few issues to begin with – the keyboard worked fine, but Windows 8 would only recognise it as a generic keyboard, which really surprised me considering its a Microsoft keyboard designed for Windows 8, although it didn’t stop it working. It was just a little annoying until I got it all sorted. I could have left it but I’m a bit picky like that!
One of the big features of the Sculpt Keyboard is it’s split space bar. This gives you the option to have one half of the spacebar as a space key and the other as a backspace key. The idea here is that you don’t have to reach for the usual backspace key. In fact, writing this review I have been using the backspace spacebar key on the keyboard. It does take a little getting used to – after many years of using a keyboard it does feel strange using your thumb to hit the backspace. Because the spacebar is split, you can choose have the backspace key as either the left or right part of the spacebar (see the images above to see what I mean). Now don’t worry, if you really don’t want to use the spacebar for anything other than a spacebar you can turn off that functionality – the choice is yours. Give it a try and see what you think, but do give it a fair test!
The mouse was very comfortable to use and I found myself constantly using the Windows button on the side of it to swap back and forth between screens.
As usual with hardware that uses batteries, make sure you either have a spare set ready just in case, and in fact consider swapping the batteries for a set of rechargeable ones, it will save you money in the long run!
Overall I liked the keyboard (and the mouse), it felt natural and comfortable to use and the Windows 8 hotkeys save me a lot of time and effort. I’m not sure if I will stick to the backspace key on the spacebar but that’s just me!
The cost of the Sculpt Comfort Desktop is £69.99, which is a great price for the keyboard and mouse, but as usual look around for a good deal.
Batman: Arkham Origins Launch Trailer
With just few days left before the much-anticipated release of the Batman’s intense new adventure, Warner Bros has released the Batman : Arkham Origins – “Personal Mission” Launch Trailer. The launch trailer sets the tone for visceral combat, an expansive Gotham City and action-packed story players can expect to see as they suit up as the young hero known as Batman to take on Black Mask and eight deadly assassins. Batman: Arkham Origins will be available on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 beginning Friday, Oct. 25, with the Wii U and Windows PC (boxed) available from Friday Nov. 8.
Synology Updates SMB NAS Line With Two New Options
Synology also released two new NAS units aimed at SMB users: the four-bay DS414 and the one-bay DS114.
Synology also released two new NAS units aimed at SMB users: the four-bay DS414 and the one-bay DS114. Here is the press release:
SynologyUK Ltd Presents DiskStation DS414 and DS114
Achieving IT Agility and Versatility, Unmatched Price-performance for SMB
Milton Keynes, United Kingdom – 22nd October 2013 – SynologyUK Ltd today launched DiskStation DS414, a great advancement and rich offering of technology among the Synology NAS Value Series to support task-intensive SMB. Following the announcement of DS414, comes the DS114, the compact but versatile unit that promises personal users get the most with the least investment.
“A little extra gets you a better, more advanced Synology product, bringing you the best overall NAS experience,” said Michael Wang, Product manager at Synology Inc. “Through this expansion, we help our customers transform IT infrastructure from a cost centre to an asset for innovation and success.”
Addressing the growing business needs of SMB pursuing reasonable TCO (total cost ownership) and IT agility, DS414 is a huge step forward considering the generous hardware specifications among Synology Value Series. Featuring dual core 1.33 GHz CPU with floating-point unit, 1 GB RAM, dual LAN, two SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports and the brand new tool-less HDD trays, DS414 stands out as one of the best values in 4-bay NAS devices available today. To ensure optimal services uptime, DS414 is equipped with dual LAN network failover support to maximise system availability. With link aggregation enabled, DS414 achieves over 135.63MB/sec writing speed under RAID 5 configuration in a Windows® environment, and over 207.07MB/sec reading.
Synology DS114, a compact, all-purpose NAS aiming at small business and home users, as a one-bay value model, it delivers remarkable read/write performance – over 108.32 MB/sec reading speed and 71.83 MB/sec writing speed in a Windows® environment. With DDR3 512MB RAM, twice the size of its predecessor, DS114 exhibits a surprising boost in multi-tasking performance. DS114 also comes with two SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interfaces with up to 5 Gbps transmission speed, and an eSATA interface to power an external hard drive. In spite of its size, DS114 is extremely versatile as it shares the rich reservoir of applications available in DSM Package Center.
The DS414 and DS114 runs onDiskStation Manager (DSM) 4.3, which provides rich features to boost user-productivity and simplify their tasks, all on a sleek user interface optimized for multitasking. Synology was honored with 2013 PCMag Business Choice Awardand received the highest rating in every element of the survey, including reliability, overall satisfaction, value, and likelihood to recommend.
For more information, please visit:
DS414: http://www.synology.com/products/product.php?product_name=DS414&lang=enu
DS114: http://www.synology.com/products/product.php?product_name=DS114&lang=enu
Availability
Synology DiskStation DS414 and DS114 are now shipping globally.
Check out these product DS414 pictures:
And these of the 114:
Pricing on Amazon.CO.UK for the 114 is £182.44 and the 414 is £430.67. Note that US pricing is not yet available.