Upcoming Releases

We're starting to get a little anxious around here.
To be frank, it looks as if the new installment in the Call of Duty franchise may be well worth getting.

Treyarch's Call of Duty: Black Ops looks to have everything CoD4: Modern Warfare and CoD: Modern Warfare 2 had, and more! Now only 8 days away from release, the release trailer hits the internet, and it further backs up the suspicions of awesomeness.

If the game is as awesome as it looks, we might even forgive Activision for some of their silliness regarding the infamous IWNET and Steam-only stuffles and such.

So, without any further yapping, we present the launch trailer:

Check out Treyarch's official YouTube channel for more of their awesome CoD: Black Ops videos.

Splash Damage announces their latest game; Tapir Wars: It Just Got Chilly!
Featuring groundbreaking technology T.R.A.M.S. (Totally Repeatable Automated Movement System).

Sources neither confirms or denies. Anything. Neither does Splash Damage..?
Sources however do confirm Tapirs and Penguins. Awesome.

Also, there's a video floating around on YouTube, we'll show it to you. OK?

Check out the new minisite for all the info you would ever need,
and probably ever want at www.splashdamage.com/tapirwars

Official Twitter page: www.twitter.com/tapirwars

The Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Beta goes live tomorrow at 5pm GMT, 18:00 CET!

The moment we've all been waiting for is nigh! The legendary Battlefield franchise's latest PC installment serves us with a Beta to test, play-to-death and give feedback to. At the time being, this is only available to gamers who pre-order Battlefield: Bad Company 2 through a select list of retailers.

In order to access and play the beta, you will need your exclusive Beta key recieved from your retailer and download the client from www.battlefieldbadcompany2.com/beta, and follow the instructions given to you.

Getting Started In the Beta

1. Make sure you have at least 5GB free on your HDD and then download and Install BFBC2! :-D
2. Once installation is completed (install size will be around 1.5GB) start the client and click the login button. You will then be prompted to sign in with your EA Account.  If you don't have an EA Account you'll be able to create one in the same screen (You may also create your EA Account in advance here).
3. Enter the unique PC Beta Code during the log in process to authenticate your participation in the Beta.
4. Create your Soldier name (this will lock that name to your EA account for retail if you want to keep it).

For full details, read the official Battlefield: Bad Company 2 blog entry here.

Related links:

Official site: www.battlefieldbadcompany2.com
Official blog: blogs.battlefield.ea.com
Official Twitter page: www.twitter.com/OfficialBFBC2

There's a new Brink clip popping up around the intertubes, showing off the character customization screen with Splash Damage game director/owner Paul Wedgewood yapping on about how it works.

We borrowed the clip from VG247.com, just so you can enjoy it here at our lovely home! So, Enjoy!

Brink just keeps upping itself on the 1337ness ladder here at Connect Gaming. And we suspect all fans of previous Splash Damage titles feels the same way.

Go on Paul, show us them sexy tats!

Related links:
www.brinkthegame.com
www.splashdamage.com

The official announcement is for Europe (yay!), so this gives us something to look forward to after a girly valentines weekend! (My wife's birthday also, sure she will understand why we can't go out for dinner that night!)

So, lock and load ladies!
Aliens vs Predator launches in Europe Friday, February 19th.

Since last week the Left 4 Dead 2 Authoring Tools have been in closed beta, according to Chet "Mr. Awesome" Faliszek (L4D2 Story Writer). Originally scheduled for release at game launch this deadline was put back. But the announcement of a closed beta from Valve should mean arrival of said tools on our doormats shortly.

Here is a quick Q&A of some noobish questions you might have about the tools. Note, this is just some common knowledge stuff, Connect Gaming haven't spoken to Chet in person.

What are the Left 4 Dead 2 Authoring Tools for?
Simply put it is the L4D2 mapping suite, allowing for both individual and full campaigns to be created.

Ok neat, now where do I download it from?
When released it will be available to download for free from the steam "Tools" tab, for anyone that has purchased L4D2.

Ah ok, so how long did you say until release?
I didn't, all we know at the moment is they are in closed beta. We can hope this means it won't be too long before a public release. You will surely hear some whispers nearer the time.

Kewl, so when I get my hands on the authoring tools, how do you go about map making?
The tools include a few different utilities and editors, the main one you'll need to use for map creation is called Hammer. A good place to get started is with the Valve Developer Wiki, here is a link to the L4D Level Design Basics Tutorial.

Does this mean we'll be able to play L4D1 maps in L4D2?
Well, the L4D1 maps are available to edit and tweak for use in L4D1. So if someone is able to convert them into L4D2 format (if indeed it uses a different format) and then further tweak the maps to make use of the new director and new infected (among other things) then to my mind it is doable, I think only time will tell for sure. Who knows, maybe Valve will even offer them up as an official add-on (doubtful because it wouldn't go with the storyline). But for now it is still a waiting game.

Alright, thanks for the info
You're welcome. By the way, come and play on our L4D2 servers with us, hosted by The Group Thing and sponsored by Alpha-Networks. Here is the link to our server list:
The Group Thing Servers
The L4D2 servers aren't actually listed yet, but I'll get onto someone to have it sorted soon.

We have been given the privilege to talk to Gert Haar-Jørgensen, one of the founders of Zero Point Software A\S, the developer of the upcoming game Interstellar Marines.

Jørgensen, has been surprisingly open regarding the issues ZPS (Zero Point Software) are facing, the financial restructuring and the engine IM (Interstellar Marines) is built on. But there are great news in the midst of all this. He explains that a solution has presented itself in regards to the engine licensing, and ZPS has started working on IM again. Jørgensen further explains that ZPS may very well have some IM awesomeness to present to the community as close as 6 months from now.

So, what is the solution? Well, it couldn’t be more fitting. It’s called Unity.

“Unity is a multiplatform game development tool, designed from the start to ease creation. A fully integrated professional application, Unity just happens to contain the most powerful engine this side of a million dollars.”

The people at Unity had ambitions of creating an AAA capable engine, and ZPS have been selected to be the test-pilot for the new engine. This means that ZPS are receiving the much needed licenses for free from Unity, and thus can and have picked up the development of Interstellar Marines. The only set-back is that all the development done on the previous engine, must now be ported over to Unity. And that’s where the 6 months I mentioned a little further up comes in.

Zero Point Software rises from the ashes…
For The Love of The Game

Oct 15, 2009 - Valve, creators of best-selling game franchises (such as Half-Life and Counter-Strike) and leading technologies (such as Steam and Source), today announced details and timing for the demo of its upcoming zombie thriller, Left 4 Dead 2.

The Left 4 Dead 2 demo will feature gameplay taken from "The Parish" campaign, set in the New Orleans French Quarter. Playable by 1 to 4 players over local or Internet connections on both the Xbox 360 and PC (with two-player split screen available on the Xbox 360), the demo features all the new boss infected zombies and all the new melee weapons included in the full product.

Those who pre-order the game (at participating retailers or via Steam) will obtain early access to the demo on October 27. The demo will then be made available to Xbox LIVE Gold members and all PC gamers on November 3. Then all Xbox LIVE members will obtain access to the demo on November 10.

Coming exclusively to Xbox 360 and PC, L4D2 promises to set a new benchmark for co-operative action games and become one of 2009's marquee titles. Set for release on November 17, the title adds melee combat to enable deeper co-operative gameplay, with items such as a chainsaws, frying pans, axes, baseball bats, and more.

With the AI Director 2.0, L4D's dynamic gameplay is taken to the next level by giving the Director the ability to procedurally change weather effects, world objects, and pathways in addition to tailoring the enemy population, effects, and sounds to match the players' performance. The result is a unique game session custom fitted to provide a satisfying and uniquely challenging experience each time the game is played.

Adding new Survivors, boss zombies, weapons, and items, Left 4 Dead 2 offers a much larger game than the original, featuring more co-operative campaigns, more Versus campaigns, new Survival maps, and the new competitive game mode, Scavenge, all available at launch.

Source: Steam News

id Software once again lets the world know who’s king!

The new QuakeCon trailer for Rage demonstrates the awesome power of id Tech 5 and shows that id haven’t forgotten how to make games just yet!

Enjoy!

Here's something interesting for you; Interstellar Marines.

This is a game being developed by Zero Point Software, an independent Danish developer, who has a quite peculiar way of doing things . We hear the term is "AAA Indie". We'll talk about that a little further down. Now, about the game, well that's the most interesting part.

Interstellar Marines is basically an FPS shooter set in space. Nothing new and intuative there, but(!) there's some other things that makes it more interesting. It's sporting persistent character development and skill system, and it's storyline is mainly written for 4 player co-op non-linear game play and open ended level design.

Set in a believable future, the game focuses on realism in the gameplay and will include both tight and claustrophobic level and big open maps. It's also said Interstellar Marines is intended to be part 1 of a trilogy.

www.interstellarmarines.com

Now, that's all well and dandy and tasty cookies, but what the hell is "AAA Indie"?

AAA Indie is split up into this: AAA is the highest stamp of quality and Indie is independant. Meaning that the game and development is of great quiality, and the developers are independant, again meaning there are no publishers which results in a cheaper retail.

AAA Indie combined as a term for Zero Point Software, means they have an open door to the development so that the gamers and fans can track the development from each stage to the next. Further the gamers have an option to take part and "vote" on suggested eatures for the game.

The question remains, though. Why AAA Indie?

Because the publishers who were interested in the game wanted to change too much of the content. The developers on the other hand, being all pure gamers, didn't want to change a thing. So... AAA Indie.

www.zeropointsoft.com
www.aaaindie.com