brink

Get more on RAGE on the go with the RAGE HD v2.0 update. The update, now available on the iTunes, includes new melee combat, official support for iOS 5, and enables the in-app purchase of two new episodes, Kraken and Aqueduct. The new episodes are available for purchase for $.99 via the “Store” button on the RAGE HD main menu.

After the break, check out more screens from the 2.0 update.

Programmer Ricky Gonzalez shared this amazing fan art up on deviantART. Inspired by Skyrim and Malukah’s breathtaking cover of The Dragonborn Comes, you’ll definitely want to head to MurdockMcMackin’s page to see it in all its glory. Amazing!

Soon we’ll be adding new fan art submissions to our Flickr account. Send your Bethesda-inspired works to bethblog@bethsoft.com.

RT @mitchob29: My current Resistance character in @brinkgame Can't wait to unlock The Disgrace facial hair. http://t.co/KHkP4LGW

La Splash Damage dopo la news di ieri oggi ha annunciato, che l’ex direttore di produzione di titoli come FIFA e Need for Speed fa parte della software house inglese.

Paul Wedgwood ha commentato:

Dopo il successo incredibile di FIFA, il nuovo ruolo di Griff presso la Splash Damage sarà quello di migliorare i nostri giochi, migliorando il modo in cui li sviluppiamo. Sotto la guida di Griff miglioremo la produzione con una nuova disciplina  sull’arte, design e programmazione. Si tratta di aree che abbiamo sempre costantemente cercato di migliorare, e la produzione non dovrebbe essere diversa.

Potete trovare altri dettagli in inglese qui.

The nominees for the 2012 Academy Awards were announced this morning, and two Skyrim voice actors were amongst those honored in the Best Supporting Actor category.

Christopher Plummer — voice of Skyrim’s Arngeir — was nominated for his work in “Beginners,” while Max von Sydow — Esbern himself — was recognized for his role in “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.”

Congrats to them both!

Oggi Paul Wedgwood, CEO e Game Director della Splash Damage, ha pubblicato una nuova news per annunciare i vari progetti per il 2012.

Dopo aver ringraziato tutti i giocatori che hanno creato nuove mappe, seguito i loro giochi con i siti e hanno inviato i loro commenti anche negativi ha detto che nelle prossime settimane – mesi ci saranno diversi annunci importanti.

Nuovi titoli anche su piattaforme diverse da quelle principali, con il supporto di nuovi sviluppatori che adesso fanno parte della software house inglese.

Potete trovare altri dettagli in inglese qui.

Probabilmente continueremo a collaborare come avevamo fatto con Brink con la Splash Damage.

Prepare for Peace, Love, and Rockets!

QuakeCon, North America’s largest BYOC (Bring-Your-Own-Computer) LAN party, returns to the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, TX on August 2-5. Attendees can already reserve special room rates at the hotel by calling 1-800- Hiltons and ask for the QuakeCon 2012 rate ($154 per night).

For the latest updates, keep an eye on QuakeCon.org and our Twitter & Facebook pages for the event.

Update 1/26: A new version of the Beta Update (1.4.20) is now live on Steam. It addresses the following:

• Fixed occasional audio issue that would play sound effects louder than intended
• Master Criminal achievement/trophy unlocks properly in French, German, Spanish and Italian
• Fixed issue where dragon priest masks would not render correctly
• Fixed issue where player would be unable to become Thane of Riften if they purchased a home first

Original Post: Skyrim is using Steam’s beta functionality to give users an early look at the 1.4 Update currently in development.

What does beta mean? This patch is still in development. Apply the update at your own risk and only if you are affected by issues listed in the fix notes.

Be sure to back up your saved games or simply be careful not to overwrite your existing saves. If you decide to opt out of the beta program, your old saves will still work with the current release of Skyrim (v 1.3).

To get the beta, you need to do the following:

1. Log into Steam
2. Click on Steam in the upper menu
3. Select Settings
4. Under the Account tab, go to the Beta Participation section and select Change.
5. A drop down menu will appear. Select Skyrim Beta.
6. Select OK.
7. Steam will now restart. After Steam restarts, Skyrim will be updated to the Beta version currently available.

If you decide you don’t want to run the Beta anymore, redo steps 1 – 4. At the drop down, select NONE – Opt out of all beta programs. Let Steam restart, and Skyrim will automatically update itself back to the latest released version.

To provide feedback on the beta update, use our beta forum.

It’s been a few weeks since our last update on Skyrim’s status, so we wanted to share details on what we’re working on.

The Creation Kit and Steam Workshop are nearly ready. We’re currently working with members of Valve and our modding community to do some final testing, and we’re on track for a public release near the end of the month. We think Skyrim modding is one of the game’s best features, and we have the best modders of any game. It’s been a lot of exciting work for us, and we can’t wait to unleash it.

Skyrim’s 1.4 update is currently undergoing testing on all three platforms. The update will include fixes and optimizations for the most common issues people have been reporting (see below). We’re hoping to finalize this next week, and submit it to the console manufacturers for certification, as well as release on PC.

Our current update plan for the PC is to first release our updates as “beta” versions through Steam. This is something you’ll be able to opt into through Steam and back-out of if needed. This is an extra safety check for everyone going forward and should expedite and improve our updating process for our PC users. We’ll have more info soon on how this will work.

Echoing what we said back in December, we’ll continue to look into issues that are being reported and subsequent updates will follow. You have all supported Skyrim in a huge way, and we’ll be supporting all of you, and continue to make the game better.

After the break, check out the current changelog for 1.4.

Current 1.4 Changelog (all platforms unless noted)

NEW FEATURES

• Skyrim launcher support for Steam Workshop (PC)

BUG FIXES

• General optimizations for memory and performance
• Fixed occasional issue with armor and clothing not displaying properly when placed on mannequin’s in player’s house. (PS3)
• Improved compiler optimization settings (PC)
• Long term play optimizations for memory and performance (PS3)
• Memory optimizations related to scripting
• Fixed crashes related to pathing and AI
• Fixed crash in Haemar’s Shame if player had already completed “A Daedra’s Best Friend”
• Fixed rare crash with loading saved games
• Fixed issue with accented characters not displaying properly at the end of a line
• Master Criminal achievement/trophy unlocks properly in French, German, Spanish and Italian
• Fixed issue where dragon priest masks would not render correctly
• Fixed issue where quests would incorrectly progress after reloading a save
• Fixed issues with placing and removing books from bookshelves in the player’s home
• Fixed issue where weapon racks and plaques would not work correctly in player’s house if player immediately visits their house before purchasing any furnishing.
• Fixed issue where the player house in Windhelm would not clean up properly
• Fixed crash related to giant attacks and absorb spells
• Fixed issue with ash piles not cleaning up properly
• Fixed occasional issue where overwriting an existing save would fail
• Fixed memory crash with container menu
• Fixed infinite loop with bookshelves
• Fixed issue where traps in Shalidor’s Maze would not work properly in French, German, Spanish and Italian versions
• Fixed issue where transforming back to human from werewolf would occasionally not fail
• Bows and daggers will display properly when placed on weapon racks

QUEST FIXES

• The Unusual Gem inside the Thalmor Embassy is now accessible after finishing “Diplomatic Immunity”
• In “Breaching Security”, the quest token is no longer required to receive a fortune reading from Olava the Feeble
• Fixed issue where Galmar would not complete Joining the Stormcloaks properly if “Season Unending” was an active quest
• Fixed issue where starting “Season Unending” after finishing “Joining the Stormcloaks” would prevent “The Jagged Crown” from starting properly.
• Fixed issue progressing through “Message to Whiterun” while “Season Unending” was still open would block progression for both quests.
• In “Arniel’s Endeavor”, fixed issue where a quest journal would trigger multiple times
• In “Forbidden Legend”, the amulet fragment can no longer disappear after player leaves a dungeon without taking it
• Fixed rare issue in “Forbidden Legend” where killing Mikrul Gauldurson while sneaking would make his corpose unaccessible
• In “The White Phial”, the phial can no longer disappear if player leaves dungeon without taking it
• “The White Phial” will now start properly if player already has a briar heart in their inventory
• Player can no longer get stuck in Misty Grove after completing “A Night to Remember”
• Fixed issue where leaving Riften during “A Chance Arrangement” would prevent quest from progressing
• In “Darkness Returns”, a door in Twilight Sepulcher will properly open if the player leaves the dungeon for an extended period of time before completing the quest
• In “Under New Management”, if the player leaves the Oculory for an extended period of time after placing the focusing crystal and returns, the quest will proceed correctly
• “Onmund’s Request” will now start properly if player has already found Enthir’s staff before receiving this quest
• Fixed instance where Tonilia would stop buying stolen items and also would not give Guild Leader Armor
• “Repairing the Phial” will start properly if player already has unmelting snow or mammoth tusk in their inventory
• Finding Pantea’s Flute before speaking with Pantea no longer prevents her quest from updating
• In “The Coming of the Dawn”, fixed rare instance where a quest object would spawn incorrectly on the Katariah during Hail Sithis
• Fixed rare issue in “The Mind of Madness” where player is unable to equip the Wabbajack
• Fixed issue in “Pieces of the Past” where Mehrunes Dagon’s Razor will not trigger properly if player leaves the cell for extended period of time before activating it
• “Blood’s Honor” will start properly if you visited and completed Driftshade and an extended period of time passes before starting the quest.
• Fixed rare issue where “Dampened Spirits” would not start properly
• Fixed issue where player would be unable to become Thane of Riften if they purchased a home first
• Fixed issue where killing guards in Cidhna Mine woud block progression for “No One Escapes Cidhna Mine”
• Fixed numerous issues with “Blood on the Ice” not triggering properly
• In “Blood on the Ice”, Calixto can now be killed if player owns a house in Windhelm
• In “The Cure for Madness”, killing Cicero then resurrecting him no longer impedes quest progress
• Fixed rare issue in “To Kill an Empire” where an NPC would fail to die properly
• Clearing Knifepoint Ridge before starting “Boethiah’s Champion” no longer prevents quest from starting.

Return home to the Mojave Wasteland with Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition!

The Ultimate Edition includes the full version of Fallout: New Vegas as well as the Dead Money, Honest Hearts, Old World Blues and Lonesome Road add-on packs. To sweeten the pot, you’ll be armed with the latest cache of unique weapons, ammo types and recipes from the most recent add-on packs Courier’s Stash and Gun Runners Arsenal.

Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate edition arrives on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Games for Windows on February 7th in North American and throughout Europe on February 10th.

We’re pleased to announce that id Software’s FPS classic, DOOM, has returned to the Xbox LIVE Marketplace worldwide. This even includes Germany, where the the game was de-listed from a banned list last year.

Face off against Hell’s army as you experience the revolution of DOOM. Lay waste to hordes of demonic monsters with an arsenal of classic weapons including the infamous BFG 9000. Take the deathmatch online via LIVE and battle your friends for dominance of the leaderboards, or team-up with a friend in co-op.

DOOM is available now for 400 Microsoft Points. 

BGS artist Megan Sawyer spotted this one on deviantART. Great work, ~daunted!

Today on Gamespot, the nominees for this year’s Interactive Achievement Awards were announced. We’re excited to share news that Skyrim was nominated in six categories (including Game of the Year), while id Software’s RAGE is up for Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering.

Below is the full rundown of nominations…

Skyrim – Game of the Year, Outstanding Achievement in Story, Role-Playing/Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year, Outstanding Innovation in Gaming, Outstanding Achievement in Game Play Engineering, and Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction.

RAGE – Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering

Join us in congratulating the teams at Bethesda Game Studios and id Software on their well-deserved nominations.

Welcome back for another roundup. Plenty of fun happenings Skyrim happenings around the web! We start with Skyrim: 2012, a fan video created by GoBroPros that shows what happens when Skyrim and real life cross over. The video has some pretty great post-production effects and definitely had folks smiling around the office. For more fun stuff, check out these links…

• Our own Nick Breckon started a Twitter account (@SkyrimMom) featuring notable quotables from his mother as she plays through the game.
• The Consumer Electronics Show is currently going in Vegas. See how Skyrim was shown on a tablet at NVIDIA’s booth!
• Skyrim songstress Malukah shares her latest Skyrim cover, The Age of Aggression.
• See how deviantART user ~oddeh created a Monopoly-inspired Skyrim game board.
• UGO continues their Skyrim covering marriages the many diseases you can contract.
• Craving some Skyrim Sweetrolls? Watch this video from YouTube creator SashasBiscuits
• The (new and improved) Escapist shares some of their favorite mods available now on Skyrim Nexus.
• Check out some great hand-crafted Skyrim snowflakes.

In other news, Skyrim has received a few more awards around the web, including Game of the Year from RipTen, EGM, Examiner, and The Escapist.

Congrats to @EdStern on his WGA nomination for Brink http://t.co/qkNVoJpp

The Writer’s Guild of America has announced this year’s nominees for Outstanding Achievement in Videogame Writing, and we’re pleased to share news that Splash Damage’s Ed ‘Bongo Boy’ Stern received a nomination for Brink.

This marks the fourth consecutive year a Bethesda title has been nominated for the award. Previously nominated titles included Fallout 3 (2008), WET (2009), and Fallout: New Vegas (2010).

Every year, the Writers Guild of America selects what it thinks are the most outstanding feats of writing in movie, television, and new media. What makes this year's nominations particularly special is that our very own Ed 'BongoBoy' Stern is among them, joining an illustrious group of people that includes Woody Allen, Adam Sorkin and fellow London developer Rocksteady Studios.

Ed is up in the Best Videogame Writing category for his efforts on Brink, which not only featured a staggering 26,000 lines of dialogue, but was also supported by a copious amount of backstory, timelines, biographies, and all manner of other supporting Writer's Produce. On top of that, Ed is the only person on the entire list that somehow managed to get their nickname on there.

The winners will be announced at the 64th Annual Writers Guild Awards in Los Angeles on February 19. Many big huge congratulations, Ed!