PixelVulture http://www.pixelvulture.com Gaming // Tech // Reviews // Anything Geeky Thu, 16 May 2013 10:17:55 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 Gran Tourismo 6 Announcement Trailer http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/05/gran-tourismo-6-announcement-trailer/ http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/05/gran-tourismo-6-announcement-trailer/#comments Thu, 16 May 2013 09:56:27 +0000 Brett Greaves http://www.pixelvulture.com/?p=10209 Gran Tourismo 6 Announcement Trailer
What is it about cars that gets our blood pumping? For the life of me I cannot put my finger on it, no matter how hard I try. It is impossible to justify a new car purchase to your wife. Yet, you never need to when you show it off for the first time to ...]]> Gran Tourismo 6 Announcement Trailer
What is it about cars that gets our blood pumping? For the life of me I cannot put my finger on it, no matter how hard I try. It is impossible to justify a new car purchase to your wife. Yet, you never need to when you show it off for the first time to your mates. It is like an unspoken agreement, a meeting of the minds. We don't know what it is but we happily provide our approval none-the-less. gran_turismo_6 Could it the looks - the way the light hits the curves of the car at every angle? Or the cheeky nose that stares at you with a hint of aggression when you stare back? Or is it the sheer speed - and if so what kind of speed? Is it going from 0-100 in 3 seconds? Or is it hitting 400km/h on a perfectly flat, straight road? Could it be the feeling of living on the edge, knowing that a single second lapse in concentration could be the end of your existence? Or is it the comfort? Possibly the feeling of accomplishment? Achieving that forth step on Maslow's pyramid? - For some that is more real than others. Better question, could it be the sound? That epic sound of a roaring V8 carburetor engine as it chews through fuel at 8000RPM or the high-pitch scream, unique to a perfectly refined Ferrari at 12000RPM? Rather, is it a combination of everything? The perfect sound embodied by a glistening exterior that is capable of achieving 250km/h in 3rd gear while you get a massage from the front seat... Whatever it is, we can all agree it is a franchise with huge earning potential. Generally speaking, boys as well as men will spend without a second's hesitation. No need to justify the purchase, because their inner-man already has the answers, irrespective of their ability to convey them...it is theirs to have, and they will if they can. This is what I'd like to think the Gran Turismo franchise is built on. Something that is there...yet it cannot be explained. Better yet, you won't need to sell a kidney to get it, and along with it, the same feeling of awesome that you'd get in real life...well, kinda. The announcement trailer of their 6th installment captures everything that the game is perfectly, yet to try and describe it would be near impossible. Check it out for yourself: Tell us what you think it could be. What we do know however, is that in the 15 years of Gran Turismo games, Sony and Polyphony have never failed to deliver! So trying to sell this game, or tell you how good it's going to be would be frivolous. Sony have said that GT6 will only be released for the PS3, leaving some pretty gaping questions as to what may lie in store for their new flagship release later this year. Watch this space for updates on GT6.]]> http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/05/gran-tourismo-6-announcement-trailer/feed/ 0 Beautiful FIFA Interface Concept http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/05/beautiful-fifa-interface-concept/ http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/05/beautiful-fifa-interface-concept/#comments Wed, 15 May 2013 16:18:34 +0000 Matthew Arnold http://www.pixelvulture.com/?p=10201 Beautiful FIFA Interface Concept
FIFA has re-invented their user inteface every couple of years with FIFA 13 getting quite a big overhaul. However it is generally very cluttered and difficult to find what you need. Well Rodrigo Bellão decided to apply his wizard like skills to the task and design a beautiful interface concept for FIFA. I really love the ...]]> Beautiful FIFA Interface Concept
FIFA has re-invented their user inteface every couple of years with FIFA 13 getting quite a big overhaul. However it is generally very cluttered and difficult to find what you need. Well Rodrigo Bellão decided to apply his wizard like skills to the task and design a beautiful interface concept for FIFA. I really love the graphical representation of data instead of the very dated % figures that EA still use. I hope someone at EA sees this and has applied some of the thinking to FIFA 14. FIFA-UI-Concept-2 FIFA-UI-Concept-6 FIFA-UI-Concept-7]]> http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/05/beautiful-fifa-interface-concept/feed/ 0 Breaking Bad as a LEGO Game http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/05/breaking-bad-as-a-lego-game/ http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/05/breaking-bad-as-a-lego-game/#comments Thu, 02 May 2013 05:22:07 +0000 Matthew Arnold http://www.pixelvulture.com/?p=10193 breaking bad lego game
As unlikely as it is for LEGO to be involved with a show based on cooking meth, merging two of my favourite things together would be undeniably epic. Animator Brian Anderson has done exactly that and imagined what a LEGO Breaking Bad video game would be like. The four-minute-and-thirty-second “parody” is modeled after developer Traveller’s Tales‘ LEGO video-game ...]]> breaking bad lego game
As unlikely as it is for LEGO to be involved with a show based on cooking meth, merging two of my favourite things together would be undeniably epic. breaking bad lego game Animator Brian Anderson has done exactly that and imagined what a LEGO Breaking Bad video game would be like. The four-minute-and-thirty-second "parody" is modeled after developer Traveller's Tales' LEGO video-game series, and features LEGO versions of Walter White, Jesse Pinkman and other Breaking Bad characters. The clip does have some spoilers so be warned if you have yet to watch Breaking Bad. ]]> http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/05/breaking-bad-as-a-lego-game/feed/ 1 Watch Dogs SA Release Date & New Trailer http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/04/watch-dogs-sa-release-date-new-trailer/ http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/04/watch-dogs-sa-release-date-new-trailer/#comments Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:19:02 +0000 Matthew Arnold http://www.pixelvulture.com/?p=10189 Watch Dogs SA Release Date & New Trailer
Watch Dogs is one of the most anticipated games this year with the concept, graphics and gameplay all looking amazing! Well the good news is that we finally have a launch date – November 21, 2013. Watch Dogs will release on PC, WiiU, Xbox 360, PS3, PS4 and “The game is also planned for other ...]]> Watch Dogs SA Release Date & New Trailer
Watch Dogs is one of the most anticipated games this year with the concept, graphics and gameplay all looking amazing! Well the good news is that we finally have a launch date - November 21, 2013. WD_Relaunch_Police-Takedown_LOW.155657 Watch Dogs will release on PC, WiiU, Xbox 360, PS3, PS4 and "The game is also planned for other next generation consoles" - which you can read as the new Xbox. Ubisoft also released a brand new trailer as well as a slew of details for the various collectors editions which you can check out below.     Details of each of the four Watch_Dogs collector’s editions available at launch: The Dedsec Edition This premium edition is ideal for Watch_Dogs fans wishing to immerse themselves in the hacker fantasy. It includes:
  • Physical content:
    • A 23cm Aiden Pearce Figurine
    • Steelbook™
    • DedSec Collector box
    • Watch_Dogs Artbook: artworks and illustrations that inspired the game
    • Original soundtrack of the game
    • Watch_Dogs map of Chicago
    • Set of 4 collectible cards: discover Watch_Dogs iconic characters through augmented reality
    • Set of 3 exclusive badges
  • Digital content: 3 single payer missions with up to almost 60 minutes of additional gameplay:
    • Palace Pack: A police raid is planned on the luxury palace of an Internet mogul. His impressive databanks have intimate details on thousands of people…including Aiden Pearce. Break inside, wipe those hard drives and escape before the raid begins.
    • Rewards unlocked upon completion of the ULC mission: investigation bonus allows gamers to unlock more investigative opportunities inside the network databanks, and ATM hack boost which boost the cash rewards when hacking bank accounts.
    • Signature Shot: A biometrics weapon has been smuggled into Chicago for a captain of the Black Viceroys gang. The weapon only works for the first person who holds the gun. Breach a stronghold, steal the package and be the first to hold the weapon.
    • Rewards unlocked upon completion of the ulc mission: black viceroys gang colours outfit and biometric assault rifle.
    • Breakthrough Pack: A secret gathering is underway. The Chicago Club is negotiating power with Corporate CEOs. The Club has hired scramblers to block surveillance devices. Drive around the city to find the scramblers and take them out. Retrieve all names from the meeting and upload their images to the world.
    • Rewards unlocked upon completion of the ULC mission: vehicle expert perk allowing players to get free vehicles from underground car contact and earn discounts on select cars.
The Vigilante Edition This edition is for gamers who want to embody a real life hacker vigilante with the iconic mask and cap of Aiden Pierce. It includes all they need to become a modern day hero:
  • Physical content:
    • Vigilante Collector box
    • Aiden Pearce’s iconic cap
    • Aiden Pearce’s mask
    • Original soundtrack of the game
  • Digital content: 1 single payer mission:
    • Palace Pack: A police raid is planned on the luxury palace of an Internet mogul. His impressive databanks have intimate details on thousands of people…including Aiden Pearce. Break inside, wipe those hard drives and escape before the raid begins.
    • Rewards unlocked upon completion of the ULC mission: investigation bonus allows gamers to unlock more investigative opportunities inside the network databanks, and ATM hack boost which boost the cash rewards when hacking bank accounts.
The Uplay Exclusive Edition This exclusive edition available only on Uplay website addresses to gamers who wants to improve their hacking skills through 3 single player missions. It includes:
  • Physical content:
    • Exclusive Steelbook™
  • Digital content: 3 single payer missions with up to almost 60 minutes of additional gameplay:
    • Palace Pack: A police raid is planned on the luxury palace of an Internet mogul. His impressive databanks have intimate details on thousands of people…including Aiden Pearce. Break inside, wipe those hard drives and escape before the raid begins.
    • Rewards unlocked upon completion of the ULC mission: investigation bonus allows gamers to unlock more investigative opportunities inside the network databanks, and ATM hack boost which boost the cash rewards when hacking bank accounts.
    • Signature Shot: A biometrics weapon has been smuggled into Chicago for a captain of the Black Viceroys gang. The weapon only works for the first person who holds the gun. Breach a stronghold, steal the package and be the first to hold the weapon.
    • Rewards unlocked upon completion of the ulc mission: black viceroys gang colours outfit and biometric assault rifle.
    • Breakthrough Pack: A secret gathering is underway. The Chicago Club is negotiating power with Corporate CEOs. The Club has hired scramblers to block surveillance devices. Drive around the city to find the scramblers and take them out. Retrieve all names from the meeting and upload their images to the world.
    • Rewards unlocked upon completion of the ULC mission: vehicle expert perk allowing players to get free vehicles from underground car contact and earn discounts on select cars.
The Special Edition This special edition features the retail copy of the game and an exclusive single player mission for gamers who want to step into the action right away:
  • Digital content: 1 single player mission:
    • Breakthrough Pack: A secret gathering is underway. The Chicago Club is negotiating power with Corporate CEOs. The Club has hired scramblers to block surveillance devices. Drive around the city to find the scramblers and take them out. Retrieve all names from the meeting and upload their images to the world.
    • Rewards unlocked upon completion of the ULC mission: vehicle expert perk allowing players to get free vehicles from underground car contact and earn discounts on select cars.
]]> http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/04/watch-dogs-sa-release-date-new-trailer/feed/ 0 Microsoft Illumiroom Extended Demo http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/04/microsoft-illumiroom-extended-demo/ http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/04/microsoft-illumiroom-extended-demo/#comments Tue, 30 Apr 2013 08:16:31 +0000 Matthew Arnold http://www.pixelvulture.com/?p=10185 illumiroom microsoft
Microsoft’s Illumiroom is really starting to take shape, this new demo shows all the ways that it can be used to bring a more immersive experience to your living room. I really dig the Borderlands style artwork and distorted effect, this could be a great way to show damage when playing. Take a look at ...]]> illumiroom microsoft
Microsoft's Illumiroom is really starting to take shape, this new demo shows all the ways that it can be used to bring a more immersive experience to your living room. illumiroom microsoft I really dig the Borderlands style artwork and distorted effect, this could be a great way to show damage when playing. Take a look at the full demo to see the potential that a system like this has. ]]> http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/04/microsoft-illumiroom-extended-demo/feed/ 0 The Future of Water in Video Games http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/04/the-future-of-water-in-video-games/ http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/04/the-future-of-water-in-video-games/#comments Fri, 26 Apr 2013 07:42:54 +0000 Matthew Arnold http://www.pixelvulture.com/?p=10180 water effects nvidia
Graphics have come a long way in recent years with textures and lighting improving dramatically. There is one element that developers still struggle with – water. Creating realistic water effects is one of the hardest things to do and because of that, the water scenes tend to shatter the atmosphere and bring us back to ...]]> water effects nvidia
Graphics have come a long way in recent years with textures and lighting improving dramatically. There is one element that developers still struggle with - water. Creating realistic water effects is one of the hardest things to do and because of that, the water scenes tend to shatter the atmosphere and bring us back to reality. Now Nvidia has a new fluid simulation algorithm called "Position Based Fluids"  that makes it look easy, with water bouncing off objects in a startlingly realistic fashion. water effects nvidia
"In fluid simulation, enforcing incompressibility is crucial for realism; it is also computationally expensive. (...) By formulating and solving a set of positional constraints that enforce constant density, our method allows similar incompressibility and convergence to modern smoothed particle hydrodynamic (SPH) solvers, but inherits the stability of the geometric, position based dynamics method, allowing large time steps suitable for real-time applications," explain NVIDIA's Miles Macklin and Matthias Müller-Fischer.
Alright, enough rambling have a look at the beautiful water effects below and prepare for the next generation of realism:     ]]> http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/04/the-future-of-water-in-video-games/feed/ 0 Mobile Gaming market to triple by 2017 http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/04/mobile-gaming-market-to-triple-by-2017/ http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/04/mobile-gaming-market-to-triple-by-2017/#comments Thu, 25 Apr 2013 08:26:26 +0000 Matthew Arnold http://www.pixelvulture.com/?p=10175 Mobile Gaming market to triple by 2017
We thought we would step away from all the awesome trailers and game news for a few minutes and engage your brain… Some new data from Juniper Research has revealed that by 2017 there will be 64.1 billion games downloaded onto smartphones and tablet devices – over 3 times that of 2012, which stood at ...]]> Mobile Gaming market to triple by 2017
We thought we would step away from all the awesome trailers and game news for a few minutes and engage your brain... Some new data from Juniper Research has revealed that by 2017 there will be 64.1 billion games downloaded onto smartphones and tablet devices - over 3 times that of 2012, which stood at 21 billion. This high rate of growth is being driven by the increasing number of free-to-play releases, more sophisticated devices, and the global uptake of smartphones. That's a massive number and one that does not seem overly ambitious in my opinion, but lets have a look at how they got there. mobile-gaming-industry-growth-forecast-656x403-622x382 Mobile – The Primary Screen For Gamers In the report, Mobile & Tablet Games: Discovery, In-App Purchases & Advertising, the Juniper team investigated why this growth in the number of games downloaded would be so staggering. It found that an increase in the number of sophisticated games, which allow for truly multi-platform gameplay through the use of cloud technology, meant that mobile would become the primary screen for gamers. Greater memory on devices would also mean consumers were able to download more games onto their phones and tablets. Accelerated by the Mid-Core Gamer Another key point highlighted by the report is that tablet users are downloading over twice the amount of games onto their devices than smartphone users.
Siân Rowlands, Report author added “tablet games are growing so much because they are such an accessible way for all consumer segments to access games. In particular mid-core gamers, who previously spent a lot of money and time playing games but now have jobs, families or other commitments, are driving this trend. These people are really embracing the tablet form factor, and innovative gameplay devices such as the mobile based OUYA console, really appeal to them”.
Mobile-Gaming_pan_16548 In addition, the report analysed the impact made by smartphone and tablet games on the dedicated portable gaming device market. Juniper Research believes that mobile and tablet games will not mark the end of this market, but with players such as Nintendo cutting its sales forecasts by 14% for its 3DS, and 27% for its Wii U, it is hard to deny the challenge by the smartphone and tablet sector. Other Key Findings Include:
  • Social & Casual Games will remain the most popular genre downloaded, with over half of all smartphone games downloaded fitting this genre.
  • In 2017, only 7% of games will be paid for at the point of purchase across smartphones and tablets.
The ‘Mobile & Tablet Games ~ Playing & Paying’ whitepaper is available to download from the Juniper website together with further details of the full report.  ]]> http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/04/mobile-gaming-market-to-triple-by-2017/feed/ 0 Watch the Oculus Rift in Action with an Omnidirectional treadmill http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/04/watch-the-oculus-rift-in-action-with-an-omnidirectional-treadmill/ http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/04/watch-the-oculus-rift-in-action-with-an-omnidirectional-treadmill/#comments Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:53:04 +0000 Matthew Arnold http://www.pixelvulture.com/?p=10170 omnidirectional treadmill oculus rift
Yes, you read that correctly, an omni-directional treadmill paired up with the Oculus Rift and Team Fortress 2! This awesome setup was created by Virtuix who have been working on a consumer level omnidirectional treadmill for virtual reality applications, and it has combined its device with the Oculus Rift, and Team Fortress 2. Is this ...]]> omnidirectional treadmill oculus rift
Yes, you read that correctly, an omni-directional treadmill paired up with the Oculus Rift and Team Fortress 2! omnidirectional treadmill oculus rift This awesome setup was created by Virtuix who have been working on a consumer level omnidirectional treadmill for virtual reality applications, and it has combined its device with the Oculus Rift, and Team Fortress 2. Is this the next dimension in gaming? It looks like a great way to keep a gamer in shape at least... Virtuix has plans for a Kickstarter to help fund its treadmill, the Omni, soon. You can find out more about it here. Check out the video of the treadmill and Oculus Rift in action below:   ]]> http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/04/watch-the-oculus-rift-in-action-with-an-omnidirectional-treadmill/feed/ 0 Deus Ex gets a face-lift for the Wii U http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/04/deus-ex-gets-a-face-lift-for-the-wii-u/ http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/04/deus-ex-gets-a-face-lift-for-the-wii-u/#comments Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:42:36 +0000 Brett Greaves http://www.pixelvulture.com/?p=10159 Deus Ex gets a face-lift for the Wii U
The introduction of the Nintendo Wii U got the team at Square Enix all giddy about their Deus Ex masterpiece. They saw an opportunity, rather than simply port the game as is to the new console they popped the hood and gave their title an overhaul. Oh yes, the introduction of the Wii U’s interactive ...]]> Deus Ex gets a face-lift for the Wii U
The introduction of the Nintendo Wii U got the team at Square Enix all giddy about their Deus Ex masterpiece. They saw an opportunity, rather than simply port the game as is to the new console they popped the hood and gave their title an overhaul. Oh yes, the introduction of the Wii U’s interactive controller opened up a world of possibilities for the development team at Square Enix. Naturally, they have taken full advantage of the additional second screen by incorporating it into the game as Adam’s neural hub. The gamepad will now be used for hacking, inventory and praxis hub management, looking around corners and sniping - amongst other things. For now the team have said that the Directors Cut will only release on the Wii U, and will only land later this year. When it does come out in all its revitalized glory, it will offer an additional 8 hours of developer commentary and a 45 minute “making of” video that that reveals some of what went on during the transformation of Deus Ex: Human Revolution to the epic Directors Cut version. Check out this short behind the scenes video that delves into the philosophy behind the development of Human Revolution – Directors Cut: Huge kudos must go to the team at Square Enix for taking the time and putting in the effort on this console port, this is not something we see often enough from big publishers. If you have not yet played Human Revolution and are a proud owner of a Nintendo Wii U, then this is a title worth checking out. Read our review based on the PC version of Human Revolution here.]]> http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/04/deus-ex-gets-a-face-lift-for-the-wii-u/feed/ 0 All you need to know about FIFA 14 http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/04/all-you-need-to-know-about-fifa-14/ http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/04/all-you-need-to-know-about-fifa-14/#comments Thu, 18 Apr 2013 06:41:32 +0000 Matthew Arnold http://www.pixelvulture.com/?p=10149 All you need to know about FIFA 14
Yes, it’s that time of year, time for another FIFA. Before EA Sports announced the new features for FIFA 14 I couldn’t help but wonder “what the hell are they going to add that will get me to upgrade from 13?” It’s a good question. In fact it is THE question that we try to ...]]> All you need to know about FIFA 14
Yes, it's that time of year, time for another FIFA. Before EA Sports announced the new features for FIFA 14 I couldn't help but wonder "what the hell are they going to add that will get me to upgrade from 13?" It's a good question. In fact it is THE question that we try to answer every year. I am a huge FIFA fan and am still playing FIFA 13 at the moment as I am sure a lot of you football fans are. The last few editions of FIFA really pushed the envelope in terms of gameplay and the introduction of some really cool features like Matchday. So FIFA 14 has been unveiled, what do you need to know to help you make that decision? The new innovations for FIFA 14 are set to inspire fans to build play through midfield, dictate the tempo of a match and create rewarding opportunities. Great football matches are achieved through measured build up and incredible finishing. A new feature in FIFA 14 called Pure Shot and a brand-new ball physics system will transform shooting, making every shot attempt feel real, and when players connect with the perfect strike, feel exhilarating.
“FIFA 14 will play the way great football matches are contested with build up through midfield, tension throughout the match as chances are created, and incredible finishing,” said David Rutter, Executive Producer for FIFA 14. “Opportunities in FIFA 14 will be rewarding and great goals will look stunning.”
Finishing has been transformed with Pure Shot so players have the intelligence to adjust their stride and approach angle to find the best position for hitting the back of the net. Well-hit balls feel more exhilarating and rewarding.  New shot types include pure strikes, as well as off-balance and rushed shots. Plus, Real Ball Physics now determines the trajectories of balls, enabling players to kick the ball with force from distance, drill low rising shots with accuracy, and blast dipping or turbulent shots, just like real footballers. FIFA 14 screenshot Fans will be able to create rewarding build up to opportunities and have the tools to dictate the tempo of a match through four new features. Protect The Ball will enable players to fend-off and block defenders from the ball while dribbling at any speed, or out-muscle opponents for position before receiving the pass, then turn defenders to carve out opportunities. Teammate Intelligence has been improved on both sides of the ball. New decision-making logic delivers tighter, smarter marking and improved run tracking where defenders recognize opportunities to provide support and win back possession, while attacking players have new ways to outsmart their opponents by creating space for themselves, running along the backline and checking their pace. Major changes to ball control add new tools to win the midfield battles. FIFA 14 new screenshots Sprint Dribble Turns enable players to turn in every direction at sprint speed while preserving momentum, delivering the control and confidence to take on defenders one-on-one. Variable Dribble Touches introduces variety on touches when sprinting. Skilled players will have better touch and more control when sprinting with the ball. In addition to innovations to gameplay, FIFA 14 is introducing a brand new way to play Career Mode. The Global Scouting Network brings the world of professional scouting to life. Players now develop and refine a scouting network and search for talent year-round. Scouts can evaluate footballers all over the world to uncover the attributes and traits of every player in the game, in preparation for the transfer windows. Plus, a new hub delivers easy navigation, fewer interruptions and live scouting reports. This is something that really excites me and something that all the career mode junkies will love. fifa14_gen3_fr_protect_the_ball_wm A couple of extra features that will also be coming as part of FIFA 14:
  • Changes to the wildly popular FIFA Ultimate Team
  • A new online Mode that will encourage social competition
  • Multiple new features and benefits to EA SPORTS Football Club, the live service that is the heartbeat of FIFA
  • Complete authenticity with more than 500 officially licensed clubs.
So as always it's a big list of new features that continue to improve the realism of gameplay on the pitch with a sprinkling of new updates to the proven features of the game. FIFA 14 has my interest, now lets see the gameplay videos - that will provide a more tangible view as to the value of upgrading.  ]]> http://www.pixelvulture.com/2013/04/all-you-need-to-know-about-fifa-14/feed/ 0