magnify
formats

EA SPORTS UFC – A New Bar for Fighter Likeness

EA SPORTS UFC will set a new bar for character likeness and emotion in gaming. Every single licensed fighter in the game has been created from high resolution 3D head and body scans to deliver revolutionary character likeness and authenticity. Powered by EA SPORTS IGNITE, new facial animation technology delivers more expression, emotion and will communicate greater sense of awareness and intelligence in the Octagon.

Here are the first look UFC Fighter renders that were revealed during EA’s E3 Press Conference:

Benson Henderson

From Colorado Springs, Colorado with a record of 18-2-0, we’re excited to have UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson be one of the first fighters revealed for the EA SPORTS UFC Fighter Roster. Named the UFC’s 2012 Fighter of the Year, Henderson is one of the most exciting fighters in all of MMA.

Jon Jones

When Jon ‘Bones’ Jones beat Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua to win the UFC Light Heavywieght Championship, he became the youngest champion in UFC history. Five title defenses later, Jones is one of the biggest stars in the UFC and we’re proud to welcome him to the EA SPORTS UFC Fighter Roster.

Chuck Liddell

The epitome of a UFC ‘Hall of famer’, Chuck ‘The Iceman’ Liddell has the second most career knockouts in UFC history, behind only Anderson Silva. Liddell held the Light Heavyweight Championship from April 2005 to May 2007 and is largely considered to be the greatest fighter in that weight class of all-time. We’re honored to have a legend like Chuck Liddell join the EA SPORTS UFC Fighter Roster.

Learn more about the EA SPORTS UFC gameplay features.

 
formats

ACRONIS® ADDS PARTNER SPECIALISATION TO PARTNER PROGRAM TO DRIVE CHANNEL SALES IN HIGH GROWTH MARKETS

First Acronis specialisation to focus on Mobile File Management enabling partners to showcase expertise and develop brand new revenue streams 

Sydney, 13June 2013Acronis® today announces its new global partner program strategy with the introduction of Partner Program Specialties and Certifications for specific high growth segments within its portfolio of data access, availability and protection solutions for physical, virtual and cloud environments. The aim is to create and build a select number of expert partners that can tap into high growth markets focusing on predefined themes including Mobile File Management (MFM), Virtualisation and Cloud.

The new specialist focus areas within the partner program will align to the current Acronis Partner Authorised, Silver, Gold or Platinum Levels. For each high growth specialist category, Acronis will run a partner recruitment, enablement and demand generation campaigns to showcase partners’ expertise and aggressively optimise the opportunities in these key market segments.

Acronis Mobile File Management solution training and certification

‘Acronis Mobility Specialist’ will be the first competency area to be launched in Acronis’ ongoing commitment to offering secure file synchronisation and sharing solutions that allow enterprises to provide anytime, anywhere secure file access across multiple platforms and mobile devices. The next Specialist solution competency areas will be Virtualisation and Cloud. Themes for 2014 will be announced later this year.

Simon Bills, ANZ Partner and Alliances Manager for Acronis said: “This presents a huge business opportunity for the Acronis channel partners to clearly identify their expertise to reach new markets and open new revenue streams in some of the fastest growing markets.”

IDC Analyst Laura DuBois said: “Applying Acronis’ strong heritage in providing easy-to-use backup and recovery technologies for any type of IT environment to the enterprise social collaboration market, gives enterprises a way to not only protect data, but also enable secure and centralised corporate file sharing, access and synchronisation. When combined with the demands for storage optimisation, Acronis is significantly expanding its offering to prepare organisations for the third platform of computing now built on cloud services, mobile workers, social business and Big Data.”

Business partners interested in selling Acronis’ mobility solutions, including mobilEcho® and activEcho®, start by participating in online training. Every Acronis Mobility Specialist will have access to an Acronis® mobility partner account manager and an authorised mobility distributor to support the reseller in its Mobility transactions. Acronis Mobility Specialists will also receive free Acronis® Mobility Solutions Not-for-Resale (NFR) licences, deal registration protection, free online support and many other privileges, such as discounts, promotions, configuration tools and ready-to-use demand generation kits which are available through the Acronis Partner Portal.

Jamie Powter, Sales Director from Rivercity said: “As a specialist value added reseller, it’s important that the products we deploy at customer sites are easy to set up and manage and will solve customers’ needs. It’s also important to be equipped with resources that increase our ability to generate revenue so that we can grow our business, and provide excellent service. As a recognised Acronis Specialist partner, we have access to the right tools to take advantage of the opportunities in the mobile file management space, and that ultimately means we can provide our customers with the solutions and support they needs. It’s a win-win situation.”

Bills said: “We are confident these new qualitative resources in our Partner Program will enable us to aggressively grow our partners’ sales in a number of the industry’s hot market segments. Our partner ecosystem will continue to play a key role in our success and we strongly believe that the Partner Program Specialists will be instrumental when going after new opportunities in the Mobility, Virtualisation and Cloud arenas.”

For more information about the Acronis Global Partner Program, or to become an Acronis Mobility Specialist, please visit http://www.acronis.com/partners/ 

 
formats

AOC Displays Conventional and Ultra-Modern Monitors, with Practical and Premium Technologies to Suit All Computer Users.

Sydney, Australia, 13th June 2013 – AOC, a leading global monitor brand, offers a wide range of displays to give every computer user exactly the right image. The AOC 60 Series has a model to suit every business environment, whilst the 57/67 Series are designed to appeal to home enthusiasts and demanding professionals who want cutting-edge style and the latest screen technologies.

AOC 60 Series: Conservative, Practical, Economical
The AOC 60 Series presents an understated traditional style that doesn’t draw attention to itself. The all-black monitor with its refined brushed surface texture adds a classic elegance that will suit every office desk from reception to the CEO. While neatly avoiding a cheap plastic appearance, this monitor range is nevertheless notable for its affordable pricing.

Multiple energy-saving technologies ensure impeccable green credentials and stand-out operating economy, especially suitable for larger organisations.

Selected models enhance their workplace appeal with features like a 4-way adjustable ergonomic stand, automatic display brightness level, hard power switch for zero energy use, convenient USB hub with fast-charging port for mobile devices, and a removable hard glass panel for effective screen protection.

Screen sizes range from eye-friendly 24”, down to 18.5” for crowded desktops and/or tighter budgets.

AOC 57/67 Series: Ultra-Modern Style and Premium Display Technology
AOC has won the coveted iF Product Design Award for the 57 Series of super-stylish, ultra-slim, futuristic monitors. The 67 Series follows the same streamlined theme with minor differences in surface texture. Notable design elements include an unusually narrow bezel around the screen, and a removable base that allows the bottom edge of the monitor to rest directly on the desktop, like a large photo frame.

Both ranges feature IPS display panels for superior colour reproduction and consistent images across the screen, even from very wide viewing angles, making them ideal for graphic designers and users who value a premium entertainment experience.

3D models are available that use light-weight polarized glasses for flicker-free entertainment, instead of the bulky active shutter glasses required by most 3D televisions. 2D to 3D simulation technology adds extra dimension to conventional games and movies.

All models have “direct insert” connectors that face the rear of the monitor, making it much easier to attach power and various input sources when required.

Pricing and Availability

Manufacturer: AOC
Australian Distributors:

Achieva Technology   Australia
Phone: 1300 364 881
Web: www.achieva.com.au  
Altech Computers   Corporation
Phone: (02) 8622 8000
Web: www.altech.com.au  
Compucon Computers
Phone: (02) 9496 5888
Web: www.compucon.com.au  
 
formats

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5 Now Available

Powerful New Features Advance Photography Workflows

Sydney, Australia – 11 June 2013 Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the availability of Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 5 for Mac OS® and Windows®. The product is available as an individual license or as part of Adobe Creative Cloud™. Designed for both photography enthusiasts and professionals alike, Lightroom 5 adds critical photo editing capabilities and creates groundbreaking workflows. Lightroom 5 was initially released as a free, public beta in April 2013.

“Lightroom was originally conceived through the requests of Adobe customers, and this feedback continues to drive each new iteration,” said Winston Hendrickson, vice president of products, Creative Media Solutions, Adobe. “As the digital photography landscape advances and evolves, Lightroom is the best solution for photographers and passionate hobbyists who want to get the most out of their digital images.”

New Features in Lightroom 5
Lightroom 5 adds powerful new editing tools to help photographers create better images faster. The Advanced Healing Brush enables customers to fix irregularly shaped imperfections such as dust spots, splotches, and other distractions with the precision and flexibility of a fine brush. The Upright tool analyzes each image to automatically straighten objects such as buildings and level horizons. Radial Gradients offer customers the control to make photo subjects stand out by applying off-center and multiple vignettes in a single image.

Lightroom 5 also brings extended sharing and publishing capabilities. New video slideshows enable customers to combine still images, video clips and music in a creative HD slideshow that can be viewed on almost any device. Updates to the Book module bring the ability to create, personalize and print elegant photo books from a variety of tailored, easy-to-use templates, as well as create customer-specific templates.

Smart Previews, new in Lightroom 5, enable photographers to make edits to their images offline, without bringing their entire library of original files with them. Edits and metadata changes to Smart Preview files are automatically applied to the original images when they are reconnected.

Pricing and Availability

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5 is available now for immediate download for Adobe Creative Cloud members. Standalone software is available at Adobe.com and participating retailers for AUD$186 or AUD$99 for upgrades. For more detailed information about product features, upgrade policies, pricing and language versions, please visit http://www.adobe.com/au/products/photoshop-lightroom.html.

Customers can also connect with the Lightroom team directly on Facebook (www.facebook.com/lightroom), via Twitter (www.twitter.com/lightroom) or on the Adobe Lightroom blog (http://blogs.adobe.com/lightroomjournal). For Lightroom how-to videos, visit http://www.youtube.com/lightroom.

About Adobe Systems Incorporated

Adobe is changing the world through digital experiences. For more information, visit www.adobe.com/au.

 
formats

Golden Globe Winner Ron Perlman Announced for Oz Comic-Con Melbourne!

Oz Comic-Con Melbourne: July 6th and 7th, 2013
Royal Exhibition Building – 9 Nicholson St, Carlton
9am-6pm, both days
www.ozcomiccon.com

It’s just under a month away, but the names keep coming as Oz Comic-Con Melbourne continues to secure highprofile  guests and fan-favourite actors. And there aren’t many that come with a bigger profile than Ron Perlman,  who is the latest celebrity confirmed to appear at the convention. A versatile actor with over 190 titles to his credit  across film, television, animation and video games, he’s the imposing but big-hearted (and bright red) titular  character in the Hellboy films and he currently stars as Clarence ‘Clay’ Morrow, the main antagonist in the  critically acclaimed television series Sons of Anarchy.

Perlman is also known for his roles in the films Drive, Tangled, Alien: Resurrection, Blade II and Conan the  Barbarian and his Golden Globe winning role in the television series Beauty and the Beast. What’s more, he is  set to appear in the monsters vs. robots blockbuster Pacific Rim, due to hit Australian cinema screens this July.  He is just one of the amazing celebrities making an appearance at Oz Comic-Con Melbourne. Last week the  legendary William Shatner (Star Trek, Boston Legal) was announced as a guest, joining a growing list of  international and local stars from film, television, games, comics and animation including Shannen Doherty  (Beverly Hills 90210, Charmed), Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride, Saw, Robin Hood: Men in Tights) and The
Rocky Horror Picture Show’s Patricia Quinn and Nell Campbell.

Oz Comic-Con Melbourne is on July 6 and 7 at the Royal Exhibition Building and is brought to Australia by DCA  Enterprises – the Sydney-based company also responsible for The Hub Productions’ intimate popular culture  events www.thehubproductions.com). Tickets are available for purchase from Ticketmaster.

For further   information please visit www.ozcomiccon.com.

 

 
formats

Gameloft – E3 latest announcements

Asphalt 8: Airborne

Launch yourself into a gravity-defying experience! Get behind the wheel of the world’s greatest luxury dream cars and take arcade racing in a new direction thanks to a dynamic new physics engine. Perform high-speed, mid-air stunts as you race on the most exotic tracks. If you can handle it, challenge your friends to multiplayer races and asynchronous duels!

Available on iOS and Android in Q3 2013.

TRAILER : http://youtu.be/BE2EYLx2iiQ  

BROTHERS IN ARMS 3

Expanding upon this critically acclaimed franchise on consoles and smartphones, Brothers in Arms returns in the ultimate squad-based WWII shooter on mobile platforms. Experience hours of fun with innovative gameplay focused on intense combat & deep customization.

Available on iOS and Android in Q4 2013.

 
formats

EA AND VICTORY GAMES PUT PLAYERS IN CONTROL WITH A NEW GENERATION OF COMMAND & CONQUER

Sign Up to the Closed Beta for a Chance to be among the First to Experience the Future of Real-time Strategy Gaming

Sydney, Australia. – June 12, 2013 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) yesterday announced that Command & Conquer™, the next installment of the award-winning real-time strategy franchise from Victory Games™, will be entering closed beta this summer. Set in the popular Command & Conquer Generals series, the new Command & Conquer is raising the bar for the Real-time Strategy (RTS) genre by delivering unparalleled immersion and best in class visuals and dynamic physics, all powered by the award-winning Frostbite™ game engine. Victory Games is dedicated to letting players control more – more Generals, more strategy and more direct feedback in the game. Command & Conquer will launch in 2013 as a free*, live service. Players can sign up now for a chance to access to the Command & Conquer closed beta**, starting later this summer, at www.CommandandConquer.com.

Victory Games is dedicated to player-driven design, where a large part of evolving, developing and expanding game content is based on community activity.

“The community has always been and will continue to be paramount to the success of Command & Conquer,” said Jon Van Caneghem, General Manager of Victory Games, EA. “Being a live platform, we have the freedom to be responsive and to deliver content that our players care about at launch and beyond. As developers, this sort of direct and evolving relationship with our audience is incredibly exciting and we can’t wait to hear what players think about this new Command & Conquer experience.”

The next generation of Command & Conquer will mark a return to the core gameplay that put the series on the map. In addition to strategic, fast-paced, high action, Command & Conquer also introduces a large variety of Generals, which gives each commander the freedom to conquer on their own terms. Players will be in full command of the battlefield as they take control of dozens of unique Generals across three varied factions – Global Liberation Army, European Union and Asia Pacific Alliance. Each General has a unique arsenal, battle style, and personality, offering a wide variety of tactics to dominate. Whether a player favors strategies focused on base defense, stealth, rushing or firepower – there is a different General to accommodate every play style.

Command & Conquer is redefining RTS gaming for the next generation, amplifying classic gameplay elements for a new era of PC gaming and introducing all new ways to play in the genre. From new modes never before seen in the genre including Onslaught, an objective based co-op mode where players team up to defend their base from enemy hordes, to the return of popular modes likes Multiplayer Deathmatch, and Solo Skirmish gamers of all styles and skill levels will have more ways to play than ever before.

Command & Conquer will be available as a free, live service for the PC later in 2013. For more information on and to register for a chance to be selected for closed beta access, please visit www.CommandandConquer.com. Follow the game on Twitter at http://twitter.com/OfficialCnC or “Like”Command & Conquer on Facebook® at http://facebook.com/commandandconquer.

*Internet connection required.
**Must be 18+ and accept Beta Agreement terms in order to participate in closed beta.

 
formats

A Conversation with Nicola Scott (Impulse Gamer) – Earth 2 Spoilers & the new Writer!

A  CONVERSATION WITH NICOLA SCOTT (DC COMICS ARTIST TEEN TITANS, EARTH 2)

To celebrate Oz Comic Con in Melbourne Australia, Impulse Gamer sat down with artist  Nicola Scott to discuss her career, superheroes and the future of Earth 2.

[IG] Welcome to Impulse Gamer  Nicola!

Thankyou
[IG] How did you become involved in comics?
It’s kind of a round about way actually. A lot of people I know who work in  comics, almost everybody who work in comics kind of grew up reading them but I  didn’t really have them in my life when I was a kid. I didn’t know they existed.  It wasn’t really until I was in my late teens that I understood that there were  comic books about superheroes. However I did grow up on TV shows about  superheroes and as a kid, they really excited me and I never quite grew out of  that.

The Full Interview can be found at http://www.impulsegamer.com/conversingwithnicolascott.html.

 
formats

New Thief Art

Sydney 12th June – Square Enix® and Eidos-Montréal®, the award winning studio behind the critically acclaimed Deus Ex: Human Revolution® today unveil new THIEF screen-shots and concept art.

Steal a rare opportunity to get inside the mind of Garrett and understand what it takes to become the Master Thief in Eidos-Montréal’s next title THIEF, due for release in 2014 for Windows PC, Xbox One and PlayStation®4. Some steal to survive; Garrett survives to steal…

In case you missed the most recent trailer, you can watch the THIEF – Garrett – the Master Thief – E3 2013 trailer here: http://youtu.be/nOy7wTB9XPA

 
formats

[New Video] Infinite Crisis: New Map Unveiled; 2 lanes, 2 turrets and The Doomsday Device!

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Turbine a today announced a brand new map for Infinite Crisis, the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), currently in its Closed Beta phase. The new map, entitled “Coast City,” features two lanes and defensive turrets, along with several new exciting elements unique to the MOBA genre.  To accompany the announcement, a new trailer was released showcasing the new map.

About Coast City

Coast City is a “two lane” map, featuring a top lane and a bottom lane with defensive turrets spaced along them, and a significant area in the middle of the map called “The Wastes.” The Wastes contains creatures and objectives beneficial to teams, as well as The Doomsday Device.

The Doomsday Device is located in the centre of the map, and offers a brand new addition to the competitive game play, as well as a powerful attack against enemy structures or Champions. This destructive artefact is protected by a neutral turret and re-spawns every five minutes where it will need to be recaptured by either team.

The map also contains “Power Relays,” which are control points that enable a team to push into lanes and obtain a patrolling vision of The Wastes.  The relays stay locked to the capturing team for 90 seconds, and then stay controlled, until they are captured away.

Coast City is one of several cutting-edge experiences offered by Infinite Crisis that will introduce new and innovative features to the MOBA genre, and we look forward to sharing them with you in the coming months!  In the meantime, we encourage your readers to sign-up and join the closed beta to test their skills in the Infinite Crisis battle arena!

Watch the Coast City trailer here!