Gamesplanet Lab Combines Kickstarter and Steam

Following the massive number of users on Steam and the success of Kickstarter campaigns in recent months, indie game distributor Gamesplanet has teamed up with crowdfunding site Ulele to join digital distribution with user-generated funding in the form of Gamesplanet Lab.

Gamesplanet Lab will allow developers to seek funding for potential projects, but will also provide tools and support for actual development. Once a game is completed, it can be sold through Gamesplanet Lab, and backers can have their pre-orders fulfilled directly, without the need for an additional distribution platform. Backers will also be able to check in on a game’s progress while it’s in active development.

All games will be checked by Gamesplanet Lab to verify that they’re up to expected standards and that “reward fulfillment, community communication and more is conducted professionally and honestly.” Devs will also have to agree to a 10-point charter, including providing clear information, maintaining a clear timetable, guaranteeing the delivery of rewards, prioritizing customer experience for DRM and more.

Gamesplanet stresses that all developers will retain control of their creations, saying in a statement that “This is not a publishing house. No matter what support Gamesplanet Lab offers, developers retain full control and copyright over their ideas. Gamesplanet Lab is also committed to putting the gaming experience first, by demanding not only good results but a gamer friendly approach to the issue of DRM.”

The first two Gamesplanet Lab projects are Day One, an adventure game featuring dark comedy by developer Pendulo, and first-person shooter Magrunner: Dark Pulse from developer 3AM Games. More information about both projects, as well as more details about Gamesplanet Lab itself, are available on the Gamesplanet Lab official site.

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s associate news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following him on Twitter or IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

The Evil Eyes of Symphony

There’s no shortage of music games on the PC that allow you to experience your songs in a whole new way. Audiosurf immediately comes to mind. It’s that Steam game you've played for hours on end where you import a track from your catalog and slalom down a corridor while collecting blocks for points.

Symphony is another take on that genre, but it differentiates itself from other titles with some semblance of a story. While you’re rocking out to some sweet beats (if that’s the kind of music you listen to) you’ll be thrown into a classic side-scrolling shoot-em-up where you’ll fight to take back your music’s soul. After selecting a track you’ll quickly be thrown into a map where cubes, triangles, and tetrahedrons form enemies. Of course you have a set of beams that you can shatter them into musical notes with and then collect those same notes for points -- or to repair a damaged blaster after being hit. Evil eyes will also appear as your song plays to remind you that your favorite song is a prisoner They taunt you for a few moments and claim that they'll never be defeated. The only way to prove them wrong and free your music is by taking your vessel through this adventure where you’ll fight the mysterious foe's minions. This includes mini-bosses that’ll spawn from time to time that’ll give you a completely unique challenge.

This is Your Battlefield

That’s what makes it really special: the fact that there’s a story. It motivates you to continue firing four steady beams into anything that comes at you, and to continue collecting points and upgrades until you’ve freed your favorite tunes. After all, why should you let this mysterious bad guy mess around with your music?

Symphony doesn’t do anything revolutionary, but it does give you a fun interface to experience your music library. If you’re a fan of your favorite music and blowing stuff up, be sure to keep an eye on it.



Source : ign[dot]com

Report: Final Fantasy VII Coming to Steam?

A new version of Final Fantasy VII containing a wealth of additional features could soon be available on Steam.

The users over at the GOG Forum spotted that Square Enix registered the domain FinalFantasyVIIPC.com on June 15th.  Though the site has since been taken down, it can still be viewed in Google's cache.

According to the information gleaned before the site was culled, this new version will include 36 achievements, cloud saving functionality, and also online profiles so you can compare progress with your friends.  The digital download was slated to cost £7.99/€9.99.

While the company hasn't spoken out to confirm the existence of the PC version, character designer Tetsuya Nomura recently suggested that new titles would "take precedence" over a remake of the much-loved classic. Desire for a remastering has remained high since a tech demo for the PlayStation 3 showed Cloud, Aerith and the bustling streets of Midgar in High Definition.

Source : ign[dot]com

Report: New Castlevania Game Coming to 3DS

This week is just brimming with rumors, from the revised Wii U controller to the Star Fox/Metroid crossover. Adding to the pile is a rumor that has gained some steam recently - that a new Castlevania game, called Castlevania: Mirror of Fate, is being developed for 3DS.

As reported by Paul Gale Network, as well as a variety of other sources, the game is purportedly a 2D adventure that stars two different playable characters and features co-op play. The game apparently strives to make creative use of the 3DS’s cameras, with the forward-facing camera acting as some sort of mirror and the outward facing one being utilized for a new puzzle-solving mechanic.

If it's as good as Dawn of Sorrow (above), count us in.

A Wii U version was apparently also in development, but has since been canned in favor of a sequel to Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. The rumored Lords of Shadow 2 will reportedly be cross-platform, coming to Wii U, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. The Wii U version will supposedly support 3DS connectivity, and will be an upgraded port of the PS3 and Xbox 360 build.

For more juicy rumors and exciting revelations leading up to E3, keep it locked on IGN.

Source : http://www.ign.com

World of Mercenaries Beta Launches

City Interactive has announced the World of Mercenaries closed beta. Beginning today, anyone with a beta key can redeem it through Steam and start playing immediately on two maps in two different modes.

According to City, the beta includes a “classic” mode and a “heavy team-oriented one,” as well as “an ultimate playground that you can cross as you see fit.” Six different weapons and a dual health system are also available to use on two maps, which are described as “very different” from one another. Players will also gain access to the beta forums to report feedback and discuss the game with other testers.

Blow up friends or enemies!

Players can obtain keys by heading to the game’s official site and creating an account. Access is limited for now, but more beta keys will be released in waves, and players will receive an email key if they’re selected.

World of Mercenaries is a teamwork-based first person shooter built on Unreal Engine 3. The game is set in the near future and puts players in control of a mercenary “in search for fame & fortune, fighting along and against other fierce warriors.” The game will be free-to-play and will be released exclusively for PC via Steam.

Source : http://www.ign.com