'Relique Game' will start beta in June / 'Relique Game' 将于6月份对外进行封闭性测试

From http://www.uqugame.com/
Quick comment:'Relique Game',a MMORPG developed by Shanghai UQUgame will start its beta in this June and will be commercial launched in Sep.

Relique Game是上海游趣公司开发的融合中国古代地宫探险与现代社会社交混合的一款超大型网络游戏，玩家将身处古代中国地宫探险、寻宝、解秘，在这个充满机关、怪兽与混战的世界之中，体验穿越时代的快感、认识历史的感知，玩家将完全不同感受的大型多人在线游戏。Relique Games 预计在今年6月份进行第一次公开性测试，力争在9月份完成商业化运营。

'Zhengrong Tianxia' will start 2rd Beta in June / '峥嵘天下'将在六月份启动第二次测试

From http://zr.5hma.com/html/news/20090306/0/shtm/1030550860.aspx
Quick Comment: ' Zhengrong Tianxia' will start its second beta in June. More lucky players have chances to get test accounts than the first beta. More gameplays and game content will be tested in this beta.

由杭州五花马网络科技公司历经两年，完全自主研发的MMORPG经典之作《峥嵘天下》一经推出，立刻受到广大玩家的热情支持，自08年末首测以来，以其人性化的游戏操作、精美的游戏画面获得一致好评，其浓厚的民族文化气息不断给玩家们带来美的享受！

在首次技术测试后，五花马研发团队根据首测时收集到的众多玩家宝贵经验，正紧锣密鼓地对游戏进行从画面到玩法的最终优化和改进，相信不用多久，二次技术测试即将与广大殷切期盼的玩家门见面。据内部透露，二次测试版本在内容和画面上都进行了优化升级，首测时曾流连忘返的桃源更加如梦如幻了，就让我们先来了解一下玩家踏入峥嵘的第一个区域——桃花源吧！

仙魔大战中从魔界涌入的妖魔和邪魔妖气破坏了人间界原本十分充盈的灵气，很多地方不仅已经没有了足够的灵气从而不再适于修炼，而且有些地方甚至被妖气侵袭出现了妖物。在这场波及人间的大战中，一位无名仙人施展法力，用崆峒印保护了一方山水不受到邪魔妖气的侵袭，并在此地种下了一粒不老泉所浸泡的种子，这粒种子生长成为一棵充满灵气的巨大桃树，可以供幸存的人修真修炼，这就是桃源的传说。

由于修真之人在修炼之初最容易受到邪魔歪道的侵扰，甚至可以导致修入魔道，因此后来经过挑选的资质上乘的初学者就会被送往灵气充足的桃源进行修炼的筑基。在渡过了修炼的筑基阶段之后，修真者就可以前往其它地方继续修炼之路。这些被挑选修炼的人也称之为“天选之人”。玩家们就是以“天选之人”的身份被送到桃源，在这里开始希望的征程和危机的挑战！

是不是很神秘？在游戏开测前，我们先去偷窥一下桃源的奇景吧！

玩家进入游戏后，以修真者的身份去拜访“天书使者”——这位美女就是《峥嵘天下》的新手指导员了，她会告诉大家一些基本技能的使用方法，玩家们可以在这里学习游戏基本操作。学会了基本技能的修真者就可以去找村长“宁长老”开始自己的修行之路。你可以一边修炼一边帮助村中的人做一些力所能及的事情，从他们口中，你能慢慢了解到桃源的美丽传说。

在桃源，有很多奇怪的事情等着你去发现并进行深入调查。其中，你会遇到一些会行走的桃树以及会说话的桃树，等你到了一定的级别，这些桃树也便会给你一些特别的任务，并让你察看桃源之外的情况。在接下来的调查过程中，修真者们会慢慢了解到桃源结界已经开始出现裂痕！而灵修一派的清虚子也正在全力调查桃源奇异现象的根源！你只要找到清虚子，就能找到一些答案，并能助清虚子一臂之力，消除桃源瘴气！

究竟是什么答案呢？怎样才能帮到清虚子拯救桃源？到底还有什么可怕的事情等着修真者们？更惊人更精彩的还在后面！只等你来揭露，层层谜团！

《峥嵘天下》二测在即，更多游戏详情，敬请关注游戏官网！

《峥嵘天下》官方网站：zr.5hma.com

Twinity gets Herringed

from the Looks best in Red dept,

BigWorld powered Virtual World 'Twinity' from Metaversum, has picked up a Red Herring Top 100 award in Europe, recognising leading private technology ventures in the EMEA region. Thanks to Virtual Worlds News.

G4 @ GDC interview with 38 Studios : Curt Schilling

Genesis Journey to the West goes into closed beta on 3rd.Apr / 《创世西游》于2009年4月3日第一次技术封闭测试

From http://game.people.com.cn/GB/48644/48661/9039203.html
Quick Comment: Genesis Journey to the West, a massive 3D MMOPRG developped by Netease, will go into the first Closed beta on 3rd.Apr.2009

人民网3月27日电　网易旗下“创世工作室”历时四年倾力打造的国产3D东方神幻大作《创世西游》，将于2009年4月3日正式开放第一次技术封闭测试。

网易分别在2002年和2004年推出了《西游三部曲》的前两部——《大话西游》和《梦幻西游》，并以其超凡的游戏品质、丰富多样的玩法和良好的网络社区环境，赢得了无数玩家的喜爱。

《梦幻西游》更以232万同时在线的数据，创造了中国网络游戏的神话。

为了向玩家呈现一副完整的西游画卷，网易于2005年开始正式启动了三部曲的第三部——《创世西游》的开发。经过四年的辛苦耕耘，现在终于可以展现在玩家面前。

作为三部曲中的压轴大作，《创世西游》建立在一个宏大而完整的世界体系之上，在这个世界中，演绎了六道的生成和轮回，五行的起始和寂灭。世界之中的各种生灵，他们的使命与追求，征战与纠葛，生存与死亡，便注定了世界的创始与终结。而西游，便是绽开在这片广袤土地上一朵绚烂的奇葩：唐僧师徒原本是谁？他们为何踏上取经之路？取经的终极意义究竟为何？……这一切，都只是一个开始，一个世界的开始！《创世西游》由此得名。

为了展现一个全新的、更加奇幻瑰丽的中国神话世界，《创世西游》的美术风格既有别于《大话西游》的唯美写实，也不同于《梦幻西游》的Q版可爱，而是采用了一种接近传统中国美术片的风格，场景色彩更加饱满圆润，人物更加活灵活现。神幻瑰丽，丰富辽阔，融合了国风韵味与想象夸张于一身，充满了东方古典之美。
　
游戏采用与《天下贰》相同的BigWorld引擎，支持无缝超大场景和各种华丽的3D效果，单组服务器可支持万人同时在线，是目前世界上最先进的3D多人在线游戏引擎。

Website: http://csxy.163.com/

Announcing BigWorld Technology Suite 2.0 – A major upgrade delivering hundreds of new features and performance improvements

25 March 2009

For Immediate Release

In Game Web Functionality, Full 64 Bit Server Support, Ground Breaking Multi-Threaded Client Capability among enhancements to industry leading MMO middleware.

[San Francisco, CA, 25th March 2009] BigWorld Pty Ltd. today announced the release of BigWorld Technology Suite 2.0, reinforcing its position as the leader in development technology for massively multiplayer online games and virtual worlds. A proven technology, with dozens of licenses worldwide, and an ever-increasing number of game titles in full commercial operation, the BigWorld Technology Suite has been offering developers the ideal balance between quality and scalability since 1999.

Now with the release of BigWorld Technology Suite 2.0, including a multitude of new features and improvements such as native 64 bit server support, a new fully featured multi-threaded client with exciting post effects, and extensive social networking and Web 2.0-style functionality, the company continues to reinforce its position as the industry leader in truly massively multiplayer environment development technology. BigWorld CTO, Simon Hayes, commented that ‘BigWorld has always been at the forefront of massively multiplayer development technology. It was important for us to implement native full 64 bit support to ensure the greatest possible server scalability and continue to reduce deployment costs for our customers’.

Commenting on the new version, Gavin Longhurst, VP of Business Development, said “BigWorld 2.0 consolidates hundreds of optimizations and features since our customers started releasing games over the last few years. More complex and sophisticated visuals with tools like the integrated weather-editor are great improvements to workflow, but online games are not just about eye candy. Social connectivity through appropriate use of interfaces like Twitter, and web-content injection into games and virtual worlds can make for an increasingly compelling, ‘sticky’ and creative environment. These are part of the tools and interfaces for the massive communities of now and tomorrow’.

BigWorld Technology Suite 2.0 also sees the addition of a post-processing visual effects editor, enabling effects such as cartoon rendering, film granularity, and posterization to be applied to the virtual environment. This is all part of the new multi-threaded client application.

BigWorld will be demonstrating BigWorld Technology Suite 2.0 on North Hall Booth #6233 at GDC 2009, taking place at the Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco, between 25th and 27th March 2009.

About the BigWorld Technology Suite

Comprised of the BigWorld Server Software, Content Creation Pipeline, 3D Client Engine Package, Live Management Tools & Instrumentation, BigWorld Technology Suite is the premier complete and proven massively multiplayer game development solution, providing all of the complex systems required to produce engaging, highly scalable next-generation MMOGs and Virtual Worlds.

About BigWorld Pty Ltd

BigWorld Pty Ltd was formed in 2002 to commercialize years of intense R&D, which started in 1999 and continues to this day. With a direct local presence in the USA, China, Japan and Europe, BigWorld licenses its middleware platform to game studios and publishers around the world to build successful next generation MMOGs and Virtual Worlds. For more information and links to currently released or in production titles, visit www.bigworldtech.com.

BigWorld News Blog
blog.bigworldtech.com

Media Contact: Casey Gregory

Email: caseyg@bigworldtech.com

Phone: +61 2 6162 5120

Astrum Online developing new client-based title on BigWorld

from the online games play you dept.

Astrum Online Entertainment is developing a new online game based on BigWorld Technology

Moscow, Russia, March 25, 2008

Astrum Online Entertainment and BigWorld Pty Ltd. announced today the signing of a license agreement for the use of BigWorld’s technology software suite for developing a new online game.

This new project has already been in development for several months by a team of professionals with over ten years of experience in the Russian gaming industry. The team has earlier produced well- known games such as Silent Storm and Robocalypse. The official announcement of the game is scheduled for the second half of 2009.

“Our team has many years of experience in the gaming industry and I’m proud that we’ve got a chance to focus directly on this challenging gaming process in our first online project. It’s been in development for several months already; so it’s safe to say now that BigWorld’s technology successfully tackles all the objectives and allows cutting production cycles”, said Dmitry Zakharov, Head of ACTA Games, the developer of the game.

Mike Allenson, Business Development Manager Europe/Russia for BigWorld Technology stated, “We’re extremely pleased to be working with the largest online company in Eastern Europe. We’re certain that the combination of our world-leading MMO technology suite and Astrum’s highly professional and experienced development team will produce results that help solidify both of our positions locally as well as internationally.”

Vladimir Nikolsky, the CEO of Astrum Online Entertainment believes in the strategic advantage of partnering with BigWorld Pty Ltd. “Using BigWorld’s technology in game development opens new strategic horizons for Astrum Online in the development of the European online gaming market. Only the best quality and the most creative gaming projects can win against tough competition. We have both of these advantages and we are ready to start astonishing Europe and Russia this year already”.

Expanding into international markets with high quality Russian products is a seamless part of Astrum Online’s development strategy. The first steps have already been implemented and include the localization of Astrum’s games into Great Britain, Germany, Turkey and China. The experts of Astrum Online believe this will allow the Russian gaming industry to secure its position in foreign markets and create a strong foundation for the Russian business thus getting ready for the next turn in the global entertainment industry’s evolution which will begin in 5-7 years.

Occupying over 60% of the local Russian market and having extensive experience in the development, publishing and managing of online games, Astrum Online Entertainment operates in new geographical markets according to time-proven strategy of focusing on MMO games and a free-to-play business model.

About Astrum Online Entertainment

Astrum Online Entertainment is the largest player in the Russian market of interactive online entertainment. The Corporation is formed by five companies: Nival Online, Nikita.Online, IT Territory, Time Zero and DJ Games. These companies have successfully launched more than thirty MMO games, including hits like Lord of the Rings: Shadows of Angmar, Legend: Legacy of the Dragons, Territory, Time Zero, Sphere, Piratia, Perfect World and many others.

By the beginning of 2009 a total audience of Astrum’s projects made up over 15 million players.

Astrum Online Entertainment prepares to release ten of its own gaming projects as well as six localized online games by its foreign partners during 2009. For more information please visit Astrum Online.

About BigWorld Pty Ltd

BigWorld Pty Ltd was formed in 2002 to commercialize years of intense R&D, which started in 1999 and continues to this day. With a direct local presence in the USA, China, Japan and Europe, BigWorld licenses its middleware platform to game studios and publishers around the world to build successful next generation MMOGs and Virtual Worlds. For more information and links to currently released or in production titles, visit www.bigworldtech.com.


Roman Chernigovtsev
Astrum Online Entertainment
Phone: +7 (495) 952-4482
E-mail: press@astrumonline.ru

Casey Gregory
BigWorld PTY Ltd.
Phone: +61 2 6162 5120
Email: caseyg@bigworldtech.com