Arcen Games a sorti une nouvelle mise à jour pour AI War, un STR option Space Opera 4x coopératif privilégiant la stratégie à la microgestion. Au menu, meilleure prise en compte des transports, corrections de bugs et divers ajustements des règles. Voyez le changelog ci-après pour une liste complète. Pour plus de détails sur le jeu, rendez-vous sur le site officiel, vous y trouverez de nombreuses informations ainsi que différents screenshots et trailers.

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Changes
- Simple Formation movement, as well as arc-movement.
- New, modular, riot control starships.
- Many various performance improvements.
- Manufactories now auto-manage themselves by default.
- Transports are now extremely more useful.
- Astro Trains are now much less fearsome.
- Cleanup drones can now remove mines (even perma-mines).
- Gate-raiding is now cheaper in terms of AI Progress.
- Hit chance logic is slightly simplified to avoid player confusion.
- New screenshot key (F12).
- Control nodes and rally points now knowledge-free.
- Option for historical autosaves.
- Dozens and dozens of balance tweaks.
- Other various bugfixes and small changes.

Cyberstratège et Square Enix vous proposent de participer à un concours pour gagner trois exemplaires de Supreme Commander 2. Pour cela répondez aux questions dans le formulaire suivant. Les gagnants seront désignés par tirage au sort et prévenus par courrier électronique.
Pour plus d’informations sur Supreme Commander 2 voyez le site officiel ou le récapitulatif dans notre boutique.

Date limite pour participer à ce concours le 19 mars prochain, minuit.

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Le jeu sera fourni en version DVD, en français. Participation réservée aux ressortissants de l’union européenne (une par nom et adresse électronique).

© 2010 Square Enix, Inc. Tous droits réservés. SUPREME COMMANDER est une marque de fabrique ou une marque déposée de Square Enix, Inc. GAS POWERED GAMES est une marque de fabrique ou une marque déposée de Gas Powered Games Corp.

Une seconde mise à jour est disponible sur Steam pour Supreme commander 2. Ce patch corrige un bug introduit par le précédent et annonce l’arrivée prochaine des classement pour vos parties ainsi que d’un service de matchmaking afin de trouver plus facilement des adversaires à votre hauteur. Voyez le changelog ci-après pour le détail de ces deux patchs.

Par ailleurs, voici une intéressante vidéo expliquant comment Gas Powered Games a amélioré le pathfinding par rapport au premier opus, grâce à un système nommé flowfield développé par un laboratoire de l’université de Washington. Le pathfinding étant un problème récurrent dans les STR, voilà qui devrait probablement améliorer les choses, au moins en ce qui concerne Supreme Commander pour commencer.

Supreme Commander 2 étant sorti depuis peu, vous le trouverez aussi en téléchargement dans notre boutique, au prix réduit de 44,99 € au lieu de 49,99.

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Supreme Commander 2 – pathfinding
envoyé par Cyberstratege.

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Bug Fixes and Improvements

* Ghost lobbies: Fixes issue when player cancels join game in multi-player lobby causing an un-joinable ghost game to persist
* Saved games no longer reference Steam nickname: Prevents issue where players who changed their nicknames after saves were no longer able to see their saved games. Does not inoculate existing saves made prior to this fix
* Replay crash: Fix for low-repro issue of replays crashing when loading in twice

Coming Soon

* Ranked games and custom skill match-up games coming soon

Bug Fixes and Improvements

* Improved path-finding and performance for larger games
* Navigation fixes for Cybran Protobrain and UEF experimental Transport
* Range rings for Illuminate Space Temple
* Rare Desync fix
* Improved Eyefinity support
* Victory message for Players in MP game
* Game type indicator on in-game scoreboard
* Dead player indication on in-game scoreboard
* Passworded games for your friends will now show up in the friends tab (see related known issues below)
* Setting Exclusions in skirmish lobby will no longer reset player choices (color, team etc)
* New Multiplayer Leaderboards
* Also added message to players when they leave the chat on Summary screen and on Skirmish
* Added [TEAM] tag to the messages that are sent to team only
* Highlight on top scores in summary screen
* MP UI polish – Multiple fixes and polish throughout the MP menus

Balance and Tuning

* Proto Brain vision radius increased to 32. Was 10
* Soul Ripper, Darkenoid, Mega-Fortress and Star King Extreme crash damage set to 5000
* AC-1000 crash damage increased to 1500
* Fixed Cybran Gunship strategic icon
* Space Temple now shows its max range
* Proto Brain and Star King Extreme navigation radius fixed
* UEF Gunship RP cost increased to 5. Was 3
* AC-1000 RP cost decreased to 5. Was 6
* Wilfindja movement speed increased to 3.6. Was 3
* Gantry cost reduced to 400m/1300e. Was 450. Build Time reduced to 120. Was 150
* Decreased UEF Transport AA by 50%
* Fixed Illuminate Land Radar boost description
* Reduced Research Station mass cost to 375
* Megalith Energy cost reduced to 2300. Was 2650
* Cybranasaurus Energy cost reduced to 4900. Was 5250
* Urchinow Energy cost reduced to 2100. Was 2550
* Fatboy Energy cost reduced to 2350. Was 2690

Known issues

* Joining passworded games via the « Friends » list still not functioning to spec. Joining via standard game list fully functional
* Default games list is currently limited to games hosted in your current Global Steam region. We will be adding a « Show All Regions » button in the next patch. There is currently no limitation on inviting Friends from any region via Steam, however

Coming Soon

* Ranked 1v1 matches. Currently targeting the end of March. We’ll have more info soon

Tandis qu’Ubisoft laisse filtrer que RUSE devrait sortir en théorie entre le 4 et le 8 juin prochain, respectivement en Angleterre et aux USA, voici une nouvelle bande-annonce présentant le contenu de la seconde bêta publique. Au programme de cette vidéo, en anglais encore une fois sous-titrée en anglais (…), un survol des cartes, des ruses, un  rappel du fait que le jeu soit aussi jouable avec un clavier et une souris (mais vous devriez pouvoir bêta-tester l’option écran tactile), et un rapide zoom sur quelques unités en combat.

L’open beta de RUSE vient de débuter sur Steam. Elle permet de jouer 7 cartes en multi et contre l’I.A (cf. détails ci-après). Pour plus de détails sur le jeu, voyez le site officiel.

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RUSE – Open Beta Briefing
envoyé par ubi.

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About R.U.S.E. Public Beta

Fight on 7 maps from the final game in ranked and unranked modes against other players. Or challenge the AI in single player mode as a training ground.

Playable Maps:

* 1V1: « Blitz », « Above the River »
* 2V2: « Diplomats », « Side by Side »
* 1V1V1: « Tripartite »
* 3V3: « Centre of Gravity »
* 4V4 (or 2v2v2v2): « 8 Strategists »

Playable modes (1945, 1942, and 1939):

* 1v1 ranked
* 2v2 ranked
* 3v3 ranked
* Quick, Host & Join « unranked »

Au registre des sujets que nous avons un peu laissés de coté, voici une bande-annonce concernant l’adaptation de Heroes of Might & Magic sortie en début d’année sur Nintendo DS et arrivant prochainement sur le PlaySation Network ainsi que sur le Xbox Live Arcade. Clash of Heroes est un puzzle-RPG teinté de stratégie au look complétement manga, comme vous pourrez le voir dans ces brefs extraits.

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Might and Magic Clash of Heroes – Trailer de lancement PSN
envoyé par ubi.

HPS vient de mettre à jour trois titres de la série Ancient Warfare. Ces patchs amènent différents ajustements au niveau de l’IA comme par exemple des unités. Voyez les changelog ci-après pour plus de précisions. Les fichiers se téléchargent depuis cette page du site officiel.

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Punic Wars 1.06

Battle Engine
Added – Legendary Leaders can now be highlighted using the ‘L’ key.
Added – Option of loss of morale if loss of wagons occurs – Option given at start of scenario only.
Adjusted – Loss of Commander unit now has a major impact on morale and extra victory points scored by the other side.
Adjusted – Command & Control – Mediocre and Experienced commanders can only place instructions on units in the same group. Legendary commanders can place orders on all units.
Adjusted – Cantabrian Circle – A unit in Cantabrian Circle can now move at ½ pace. Cavalry unit in Cantabrian circle now allowed to skirmish.
Adjusted – Skirmishing –
If a unit is in skirmishing mode and an enemy unit moves adjacent to it then -
LI and LCh can always escape from all but LC
LMI can escape from all but LI and LC
LHI can escape from all but LI, LC and MC
If a unit is in skirmishing mode and it moves adjacent to an enemy unit then –
The unit must have sufficient movement points to move to the next clear hex.
Adjusted – Uncontrolled Advance – ‘U’ – units now move on nearest enemy quicker.
Regular Elite and Veteran units no longer go in to ‘U’ and the likelihood for Irregular Fanatics and Bodyguard troops is reduced. No change for Experienced troops and the others. Regular LI no longer go in to ‘U’.
Adjusted – Bow effectiveness modified.
Adjusted – All missile armed LC except for militia units can form the cantabrian circle.
Adjusted – Leaders not released now allowed to have active command range to place commands on units in range.
Adjusted – AI Computer player modified for LMI – skirmish if with missiles.
Adjusted – ‘Disruption Recovery’ for a unit improved by +1 if friendly leader within 5 hexes.
Adjusted – HC/EHC given additional +1 bonus when charging in.
Adjusted – MC/HC no longer restricted to 15 action points when in contact with enemy unit but given full movement allowance to give option to disengage the enemy.
Adjusted – Mounted Leaders only move in fourth quarter of the action phase but move their full allowance. This is designed to stop Leaders moving ahead in Group Movement.
Adjusted – LI – no cost to change direction.
Adjusted – Elephants not allowed to recover fatigue – this simulates they were only used once in a battle.
Adjusted – Elephants in combat made more effective except against LI.
Adjusted – Reduced likelihood of elephant being killed by mahout when in rout.
Adjusted – ‘Slow’ option provided on ‘Speed of Action’ slows down the action further.
Adjusted – ‘Next Unit to Move’ option cycles through all units with action points remaining and loops back to the first unit once all have been considered. Modified to stop the loop and generate dialog box ‘All units have been considered’.
Adjusted – The automatic re-combine function that occurs at the start of each player turn is now only automatic for the computer AI player. Players can still manually re-combine but it is now only an option not automatic.
Adjusted – Rules Manual updated.
Adjusted – Legendary leaders now allowed to place orders on any unit on the same side and not just those of the same nationality.

Editor –
Added – New option – to create a copy (clone) unit on the map. Once you have set the unit features on the first unit you can create a group of the same using the keyboard ‘T’ key.

Gallic Wars 1.04

Battle Engine
Added – Legendary Leaders can now be highlighted using the ‘L’ key.
Added – Option of loss of morale if loss of wagons occurs – Option given at start of scenario only.
Adjusted – Loss of Commander unit now has a major impact on morale and extra victory points scored by the other side.
Adjusted – Command & Control – Mediocre and Experienced commanders can only place instructions on units in the same group. Legendary commanders can place orders on all units.
Adjusted – Cantabrian Circle – A unit in Cantabrian Circle can now move at ½ pace. Cavalry unit in Cantabrian circle now allowed to skirmish.
Adjusted – Skirmishing –
If a unit is in skirmishing mode and an enemy unit moves adjacent to it then -
LI and LCh can always escape from all but LC
LMI can escape from all but LI and LC
LHI can escape from all but LI, LC and MC
If a unit is in skirmishing mode and it moves adjacent to an enemy unit then –
The unit must have sufficient movement points to move to the next clear hex.
Adjusted – Uncontrolled Advance – ‘U’ – units now move on nearest enemy quicker.
Regular Elite and Veteran units no longer go in to ‘U’ and the likelihood for Irregular Fanatics and Bodyguard troops is reduced. No change for Experienced troops and the others. Regular LI no longer go in to ‘U’.
Adjusted – Bow effectiveness modified.
Adjusted – All missile armed LC except for militia units can form the cantabrian circle.
Adjusted – Leaders not released now allowed to have active command range to place commands on units in range.
Adjusted – AI Computer player modified for LMI – skirmish if with missiles.
Adjusted – ‘Disruption Recovery’ for a unit improved by +1 if friendly leader within 5 hexes.
Adjusted – HC/EHC given additional +1 bonus when charging in.
Adjusted – MC/HC no longer restricted to 15 action points when in contact with enemy unit but given full movement allowance to give option to disengage the enemy.
Adjusted – Mounted Leaders only move in fourth quarter of the action phase but move their full allowance. This is designed to stop Leaders moving ahead in Group Movement.
Adjusted – LI – no cost to change direction.
Adjusted – Elephants not allowed to recover fatigue – this simulates they were only used once in a battle.
Adjusted – Elephants in combat made more effective except against LI.
Adjusted – Reduced likelihood of elephant being killed by mahout when in rout.
Adjusted – ‘Slow’ option provided on ‘Speed of Action’ slows down the action further.
Adjusted – ‘Next Unit to Move’ option cycles through all units with action points remaining and loops back to the first unit once all have been considered. Modified to stop the loop and generate dialog box ‘All units have been considered’.
Adjusted – The automatic re-combine function that occurs at the start of each player turn is now only automatic for the computer AI player. Players can still manually re-combine but it is now only an option not automatic.
Adjusted – Rules Manual updated.
Adjusted – Legendary leaders now allowed to place orders on any unit on the same side and not just those of the same nationality.

Alexandrian Wars 1.01

Battle Engine
Added – Legendary Leaders can now be highlighted using the ‘L’ key.
Added – Option of loss of morale if loss of wagons occurs – Option given at start of scenario only.
Added – New missile weapon – Lead-shot Sling. Used by the Rhodian and Balearic slingers for added range and penetration of armour.
Added – Training camp map added to the maps available with the game. This map is referred to in the Scenario Editor.
Added – Antigonus campaign scenarios added to the campaign game. Note – Player must be Macedonian.
Adjusted – Loss of Commander unit now has a major impact on morale and extra victory points scored by the other side.
Adjusted – Command & Control – Mediocre and Experienced commanders can only place instructions on units in the same group. Legendary commanders can place orders on all units.
Adjusted – Cantabrian Circle – A unit in Cantabrian Circle can now move at ½ pace. Cavalry unit in Cantabrian circle now allowed to skirmish.
Adjusted – Skirmishing –
If a unit is in skirmishing mode and an enemy unit moves adjacent to it then -
LI and LCh can always escape from all but LC
LMI can escape from all but LI and LC
LHI can escape from all but LI, LC and MC
If a unit is in skirmishing mode and it moves adjacent to an enemy unit then –
The unit must have sufficient movement points to move to the next clear hex.
Adjusted – Uncontrolled Advance – ‘U’ – units now move on nearest enemy quicker.
Regular Elite and Veteran units no longer go in to ‘U’ and the likelihood for Irregular Fanatics and Bodyguard troops is reduced. No change for Experienced troops and the others. Regular LI no longer go in to ‘U’.
Adjusted – Bow effectiveness modified.
Adjusted – All missile armed LC except for militia units can form the cantabrian circle.
Adjusted – Leaders not released now allowed to have active command range to place commands on units in range.
Adjusted – AI computer player modified for Persian infantry with bow – stand back and shoot as priority.
Adjusted – AI Computer player modified for LMI – skirmish if with missiles.
Adjusted – ‘Disruption Recovery’ for a unit improved by +1 if friendly leader within 5 hexes.
Adjusted – HC/EHC given additional +1 bonus when charging in.
Adjusted – MC/HC no longer restricted to 15 action points when in contact with enemy unit but given full movement allowance to give option to disengage the enemy.
Adjusted – Mounted Leaders only move in fourth quarter of the action phase but move their full allowance. This is designed to stop Leaders moving ahead in Group Movement.
Adjusted – LI – no cost to change direction.
Adjusted – Elephants not allowed to recover fatigue – this simulates they were only used once in a battle.
Adjusted – Elephants in combat made more effective except against LI.
Adjusted – Reduced likelihood of elephant being killed by mahout when in rout.
Adjusted – ‘Slow’ option provided on ‘Speed of Action’ slows down the action further.
Adjusted – ‘Next Unit to Move’ option cycles through all units with action points remaining and loops back to the first unit once all have been considered. Modified to stop the loop and generate dialog box ‘All units have been considered’.
Adjusted – The automatic re-combine function that occurs at the start of each player turn is now only automatic for the computer AI player. Players can still manually re-combine but it is now only an option not automatic.
Adjusted – Rules Manual updated.
Adjusted – Legendary leaders now allowed to place orders on any unit on the same side and not just those of the same nationality.

Editor –
Added – New option – to create a copy (clone) unit on the map. Once you have set the unit features on the first unit you can create a group of the same using the keyboard ‘T’ key.

Corrected – 3D image on map missing when unit routed.

Kalypso Media vient d’annoncer avoir signé un accord avec Akella pour la distribution aux Etat-Unis, en Europe occidentale et en Asie de disciples 3. Le jeu est déjà disponible en Russie depuis quelques mois et débarquera donc chez nous dans le courant de l’été.

Quelques screenshots a priori inédit se trouvent sur cette page chez The Wargamer.

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Kalypso Will Bring Disciples III to North America, Western Europe and Asia Pacific

Epic turn-based sword and sorcery title coming in summer 2010 for PC

Baltimore, Maryland, March 8, 2010 – Kalypso Media, a global publisher of award-winning PC and console games, is pleased to announce an agreement with game developer and publisher Akella that grants Kalypso Media the rights to market and publish Disciples III: Renaissance in North America and select European territories. Disciples III: Renaissance is a standalone turn-based strategy RPG set in an expansive fantasy world, offering players action, adventure and glory. Stunning 3D environments, three playable races, and multiplayer functionality all combine to offer an outstanding gameplay experience. Kalypso Media will release Disciples III: Renaissance in summer 2010 on Windows PC.

“Disciples III: Renaissance is a perfect fit with Kalypso’s portfolio of top-quality strategy games, and we are excited to partner with Akella to release this title to gamers around the world,” said Simon Hellwig, Managing Director, Kalypso Media. “Disciples III is poised to take this award-winning strategy franchise to the next level by appealing to existing fans and newcomers to the series.”

“Everyone at Akella has a deep respect and love for the Disciples brand,” said Dmitry Arkhipov, Vice-President of Development at Akella. “Our team is dedicated and passionate about ensuring that Disciples III: Renaissance takes the franchise further by providing fans more dynamic gameplay and deeper strategies in an incredibly atmospheric and rich 3D world. Kalypso is the perfect partner to work with to ensure that Disciples III: Renaissance will be delivered to gamers around the world.”

Disciples III: Renaissance is the next title in the award winning Disciples series and represents a leap forward in the evolution of the turn-based strategy RPG genre. Building on the successes of the first two games, Disciples III: Renaissance introduces a host of new features as well as the compelling gameplay that made the previous titles so popular.

Key features:
• Three playable races – The Empire, the Legions of the Damned and the Elven Alliance. Each race has unique units and city designs.
• Cities, locations, units and other game assets are now represented in full 3D
• Advances in gameplay allow increased fluidity in multiplayer games and less downtime in single-player games
• A new upgrade system allows the player to assign attributes to their leader units. This system employs inventories and new stats and abilities
• Visual representation of characters’ equipped armor, weapons and artifacts

About Kalypso Media
Founded in 2006 in Germany by industry veterans Simon Hellwig and Stefan Marcinek, Kalypso Media is a global, independent developer, marketer and publisher of interactive entertainment software.

Along with Headquarters in Worms Germany, the company has offices in the United Kingdom and the United States. Kalypso Media also enjoys very strong global digital distribution through its Kalypso Media Digital Ltd. subsidiary, and owns two development studios – Realmforge Studios GmbH and Gaming Minds Studios GmbH , and works with multiple leading independent developers.

Kalypso Media recently released the critically acclaimed best-seller Tropico 3 for Xbox 360 and PC, and will release M.U.D. TV for the PC this spring and DarkStar One – Broken Alliance for Xbox 360 in summer 2010.

About Akella:

Akella was founded in 1993, and since inception Akella has grown from a team of six people into a multiple-disciplined company engaged in developing, publishing, and distributing computer games and multimedia products. At present, Akella employs more than 200 qualified specialists under the direction of experienced and professional managers. Akella’s own distribution network has grown fast and covers all the former USSR territories. Among Akella’s shareholders are Quadriga Capital (EBRD fund) and Intel Capital.

Pour accompagner la sortie en français de Armored Princess, la « suite » de King’s Bounty, voici un trailer a priori inédit et montrant de nombreux extraits du jeu. Par ailleurs notez que la version française du site officiel a ouvert ses portes il y a peu. Vous y trouverez de nombreuses infos et captures d’écrans.

Distribué par Micro Application, le jeu est disponible en DVD mais aussi en téléchargement, dans notre boutique en ligne.

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King_s Bounty_ Armored Princess – Official Trailer
envoyé par MicroApplication.

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Communiqué

Suite de King’s Bounty: The Legend, sorti en octobre 2008, King’s Bounty Armored Princess est un jeu de stratégie en tour par tour sur PC.

Dans le monde de Teana, nouvel univers fabuleux et fantastique, le joueur incarne cette fois la princesse Amelie. Alors que son royaume est assiégé par les forces du mal, cette dernière est chargée d’une mission de premier ordre : partir à la recherche de son mentor, Bill Gilbert. Lui seul pourra l’aider à repousser la terrible menace qui pourrait détruire le royaume.

Fidèle à ses précédents atouts, ce nouvel épisode de King’s Bounty propose néanmoins de nombreuses nouveautés qui raviront les adeptes de la série et les fans du genre :

• Nouveau scénario et un nouveau continent à explorer
• Une nouvelle héroïne accompagnée de son dragon, dont les pouvoirs grandissent au cours du jeu
• Des médailles qui récompensent le joueur lorsque des actions d’éclat sont réalisées
• Une nouvelle race à affronter, les terribles Lézards
• De nouveaux boss sanguinaires, le Driller, le Gremlion, l’archidémon Baal et bien d’autres
• De nouveaux sorts destructeurs
• Possibilité de transformer votre cheval en pégase volant
• Possibilité d’atteindre le niveau 50, voire plus
• Plus de 100 unités à recruter

Cryptic comet a sorti une nouvelle petite mise à jour pour Solium Infernum. Ce patch corrige un problème entre blood lords et blood vassals, puis divers autres détails. Le fichier se télécharge depuis cette page du blog officiel.

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Pas de changelog

Sega vient de mettre en ligne une démo pour le nouvel épisode de la série Total War. Cette démo permet de découvrir le didacticiel, ici le siège de Toulon contre les anglais, et de jouer le scénario de la bataille de Ligny, coté français ou prussien. Le fichier se télécharge sur Steam, uniquement.

Un sou d’économisé étant un sou de gagné, sachez que nous vous proposons d’acquérir Napoleon Total War au prix de 34,99 € au lieu de 39,99 € dans notre boutique en ligne, sur cette page.