It was the end of October 2014. After a great Starpoint Gemini 2 launch, we at LGM were contemplating what we would do next. There was really promising potential in the Starpoint Gemini franchise, so we in the office regarding the possibility of making another game. We let our thoughts settle down a bit for a few days before more serious talks. So we did just that. The whole gang went AWOL for several days, and got back in the office reinvigorated, with fresh ideas and new outlooks on the company future.

The cornerstone and the main reason for LGM’s success is the community, fantastic feedback, and great support. So, as November 2014 was nearing we had finally decided to put all ideas on the table. Actually, the main ideas for the next game were from the community wish list. We put everything to that one big piece of paper and started the process of elimination.

And yeah, we were still located in that legendary kitchen office. But as the team grew and more members came on, we decided to move to a real office, where we could arrange the crew into separate teams. So, for the first time, we actually had a programming department, an art department, a 3D department, and so on. The work on Starpoint Gemini Warlords could finally begin.

How Warlords Became a Strategy Game

When Starpoint Gemini Warlords was in the first phases of production, it actually wasn’t planned to be a strategy game at all. We were seriously thinking about an official sequel to Starpoint Gemini 2. But, when our team looked at the sheer scope of the possibilities and new ideas, we realized that this type of content is an ideal way to introduce a spin-off title. An experiment, if you will.

So, the first step of the production was to beef-up the Whale Engine. Basically, Starpoint Gemini 2’s engine and Starpoint Gemini Warlords’ engine are almost completely different entities. In order to make Warlords work, we had to apply a myriad of modifications to the engine:

• Render system was completely reworked
• New script system
• Sound system uses FMOD
• Major database optimizations
• Streaming engine optimizations
• New GUI system
• Major graphics code modifications
• The engine now uses PBR (physics-based rendering) shader
• And a lot more

Once those modifications and improvements were applied, we finally had more room to apply loads of new features that the community and the team wanted. So in the game, there are over 60 different factions, the ability to build and upgrade your own personal headquarters, the ability to build structures, the Warmaster gameplay system (which basically brings the whole strategy part of the game to life), and loads of other new features.

All of that led to the fact that Starpoint Gemini Warlords became a “lite” 4X strategy game which, in the end, is around nine times larger in contrast to Starpoint Gemini 2.

Easily Expandable

One of the major advancements in the Whale Engine happened in the database management system which rendered Starpoint Gemini Warlords easily expandable in terms of new content. In that sense, we were able to precisely plan post-launch content with downloadable expansions and free content updates.

The upgraded database system also granted the ability to implement core mechanics from the expansions into the main game. That basically meant that the mechanics found in the DLC could be easily implemented into the vanilla game. So if one doesn’t wish to purchase the expansion at a certain time, the game offers the ability to “test drive” the DLC gameplay mechanics, completely for free.

Built with an Xbox One Controller in Mind

Even though Starpoint Gemini Warlords is a complex title that combines space exploration, RPG, action, and strategy, the game has been built with a game controller in mind from day one. Thanks to previous experiences with the development for the Xbox One platform, we have decided to take it up a notch and make the controls feel even more natural while using an Xbox One game controller.

In order to make that possible, we have taken the best from Starpoint Gemini 2 (manual targeting) and combined it with a completely new HUD system built specifically for an Xbox One controller.

Visit us at Starpoint Gemini Warlords Game Hub, Social Network Channels and Discord Channel

Stay in the loop with the latest news by visiting the Starpoint Gemini Warlords Game Hub on Xbox One and Windows 10. Additionally, we are ever-present on Facebook, Twitter and Discord! See you there!

It’s the end of another week, so that can only mean one thing! Another weapon variant for Splatoon 2! This time around, it’s the turn of the bulky and mortar-like Sloshing Machine, which will now be available as the Sloshing Machine Neo, complete with a snazzy new look.

This version of the meaty weapon will also come complete with Point Sensors and Splat Bomb Launcher, making it a real game-changer in a round of Turf War. We’ll likely be on this weekend giving this rejigged slosher a go, so let us know in the comments below if you’re planning on painting the town a variety of vibrant colours… 

Bayonetta 2 is all about its combos. If you really want to master the combat system, you’re going to have to learn a few of these, and fast.

There are a few different combo types as well: ground, air, and unique combos that you can only pull off with a particular weapon. It’s worth noting that you can perform all of the default ground and air combos with any weapon type in the game though – so prioritise learning them first.

We want to help you learn all of the combos in the game, so we’ve created a list of them below. You can use this as a resource while playing so pop it in your bookmarks and refer back to it. Enjoy!

Ground Combos

Air Combos

Onyx Roses Weapon Combos

Shuraba Weapon Combos

Kulshedra Weapon Combos

Durga Weapon Combos

Lt. Col. Kilgore Weapon Combos

Odette Weapon Combos

Sai Fung Weapon Combos

Bazillions Weapon Combos

Pillow Talk Weapon Combos

Rodin Weapon Combos

Knockout League – Arcade VR Boxing is Now Available on Steam and is 10% off!*

Welcome to the Knockout League, an arcade style boxing game built from the ground up for VR. Its intuitive gameplay involves moving and dodging with your body and 1:1 punch movement that lets you attack how you want. Fight a crazy cast of characters to become the champion of the Knockout League!

*Offer ends February 20 at 10AM Pacific Time

Today is Valentines Day! We couldn’t think of any better way to show our love for you than to give you a snapshot
full of new things. <3

The full changelog can be found on Minecraft.net.

• Added Phantoms (MineCon voted mob!)
• Added Turtles
• Added new swimming ability (sprint underwater!)
• Added bubble columns
• Added ability to strip logs
• Added new trident weapon
• Squids now shoot ink to defend themselves
• Added new kelp and sea grass blocks
• Items in water now float to the top
• Added new prismarine stairs and slabs

PHANTOMS

You look tired. When’s the last time you got a decent night’s rest? Bad things happen to those who don’t sleep… they start to hallucinate, and see what’s really there.

• Spawns in the overworld and the end
• Attacks players who haven’t slept in a while
• Drops leather, but this may change

TURTLES

The turtle moves.

• Spawns on warm beaches, but this is temporary
• Will lay eggs in their home beach
• You can craft pieces of their old shell into one big shell
  
  • And wear it on your head!
  • Or craft it into a potion!
  • Turtles are known for their strength, not their speed
• Please be kind to turtles. They hold up the world.

KELP AND SEAGRASS

The green in the blue!

• Seagrass generates in all oceans, but this is temporary
• Kelp doesn’t generate in deep oceans, but this is temporary
• Kelp can be smelted to get dry kelp
  
  • A tasty snack for the ocean adventurer!
  • Or a convenient way to fuel more smelting
  • Or just store it away into a dried kelp block

BUBBLE COLUMNS

Blub blub blub blub.

• Doesn’t generate anywhere currently
• Occurs when a magma block is in water
• Watch out, you’ll get sucked under!
• A good way to breath without cheating game mechanics

STRIPPED LOGS

Go ahead, axe us a question.

• You can strip logs by using an axe on them (right-click)
• Stripped logs act like regular logs in furnaces, crafting, etc
• They look neat!

TRIDENTS

Some say that throwing your only weapon away is a bad idea. We disagree.

• Right click to throw the trident
• Left click to melee
• Currently unobtainable in survival, that will change
• Super overpowered, we’ll balance them later
• Has 4 available enchantments
  
  • Loyalty: Your trident will come back to you. Spoil-sport.
  • Impaling: Very useful against creatures of the sea.
  • Riptide: Gotta go fast.
  • Channeling: We’re not sure. It’s pretty spooky.
• UI icon is not yet implemented

FIXED BUGS

• MC-11208 – The big tree generator handles tree height variable incorrectly
• MC-124890 – Can’t insert charcoal into furnace
• MC-124897 – “Balloon oak” tree variant generates upside down, with often only stumps visible on the surface
• MC-124902 – Furnace recipes work in crafting interfaces and interfere with crafting recipes
• MC-124903 – Random crash in snow biomes: java.lang.NullPointerException: Exception ticking world
• MC-124913 – Horses, rabbit, parrot, llamas and sheep generate with default color / variant only
• MC-124916 – Chorus plant generation broken
• MC-124930 – The game crashes when pressing “show craftable” in the furnace recipe book.
• MC-124952 – Large oak trees fail to generate in all biomes with the new generator
• MC-125016 – Debug world does not generate
• MC-125047 – World generator not fully cleaned before making new world

To get snapshots, open your launcher and go to the “launch options” tab. Check the box saying “Enable snapshots” and save. To switch between the snapshot and normal version, you can find a new dropdown menu next to the “Play” button. Back up your world first or run the game on in a different folder (In the “launch options” page).

Please report any and all bugs you find in Minecraft to bugs.mojang.com.

Snapshots can corrupt your world, please backup and/or run them in a different folder from your main worlds. 1.13 will have a lot of experimental snapshots that may break everything and smell funny. This may be one of those snapshots. This is what happens when Mojang are changing all the things! 

Share your thoughts on how 1.13 is shaping up in the comments below!

Finnish mobile game studio Supercell said today it earned $810 million in profit and $2 billion in revenue for fiscal 2017. That’s down from 2016, when the company reported $1 billion in profit and $2.3 billion in revenues.

Supercell’s 2017 is still notable given that the company hasn’t released a game globally since 2017, and as sales from Clash of Clans seem to be winding down. 

“Our headline numbers for the year are not as high as last year, as we did not release a new game globally,” said CEO Ilkka Paananen in a statement. “Our vision is to create games for as many people as possible that are played for years and remembered forever. This is how we continue to build Supercell for the long term.”

In addition the company also paid a dividend of $615 million (~€523 million) to Tencent, after the Chinese online and video game giant purchased an 84.3 percent stake in Supercell back in 2016. 

Supercell announced last month that it had invested $4.2 million in funding to London-based studio TrailMix Games, continuing the company’s trend of investing in other game makers as they also spent over $55 million last year to take a majority stake in Space Ape Games.

New details and videos released for Nintendo Labo

You may have heard about the upcoming launch of Nintendo Labo, a series of kits that combine the magic of Nintendo Switch* with the fun of DIY creations.

Now we’ve got lots more details to share, along with three new videos that give you a deeper look at how you can Make, Play, and Discover with the Nintendo Labo Variety Kit and Robot Kit, both launching on April 20. You can check out the videos right away at https://labo.nintendo.com/

One particularly cool feature that’s part of the software included with each Nintendo Labo kit is Toy-Con Garage, which can be accessed in Discover mode. Toy-Con Garage introduces basic principles of technology in a fun and accessible way, allowing you to combine various simple inputs and outputs to invent new ways to play with your Toy-Con projects.

In addition to Toy-Con Garage, the Toy-Con projects in each kit offer many ways to have fun.

Nintendo Labo Robot Kit

• Build your own wearable Toy-Con Robot suit and assume control of a giant in-game robot, completing challenges and destroying in-game objects to unlock powerful new abilities.
• If you’re feeling competitive, you can even challenge a friend in two-player local battles or compare your high scores/rankings with other players! (An additional Robot Kit and Joy-Con controllers are required for two-player mode; sold separately.)
• Nintendo Labo encourages you to use your imagination and creativity to customize your cardboard Toy-Con creations in a variety of ways. The Robot Kit even allows you to customize and level-up your in-game robot.
• Learn more about the Nintendo Labo Robot Kit in this new video .

Nintendo Labo Variety Kit

• Toy-Con Piano: After assembling your 13-key Piano, you can host an impromptu recital or record your songs and play them back for your biggest fans-in-the-making. Experiment with different sounds and pitches to create something truly unique – even a song composed entirely of cat noises!
• Toy-Con Motorbike: Grab your newly-constructed handlebars and race through different tracks, challenging CPU opponents or collecting targets across mountainous terrain. You can even create your own custom tracks, so start planning your designs now!
• Toy-Con Fishing Rod: There are many exotic fish to discover, and some of the deep-ocean fish are particularly tricky to catch. Show off your collection in Aquarium mode and have fun creating your own fish with different shapes and colors – simply insert and scan different cards in the Toy-Con Piano to get started. (Assembled Toy-Con Piano is required to access Aquarium mode.)
• Toy-Con House: Befriend the cute creature living in your Toy-Con House (shown on the Nintendo Switch screen) and discover different ways to interact and play with it. There are a variety of experiences to discover, including mine cart races, bowling, and jump rope.
• Toy-Con RC Car: The RC Car is full of unique and surprising features. Since the Variety Kit includes materials to build two Toy-Con RC Cars, you can race against a friend, set up obstacle courses or even compete in a sumo-inspired challenge to try to knock your opponent’s RC Car over (additional Joy-Con controllers are required; sold separately). Create a path using the reflective stickers included in the kit, and set the car to auto-drive along a specific route using the IR Motion Camera on the Right Joy-Con controller.
• Learn more about the Nintendo Labo Variety Kit in this new video .

For more information about Nintendo Labo, visit https://labo.nintendo.com/.

*Nintendo Switch is sold separately.

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