Village Gamer

Burnaby – For the first time, EA Sports FIFA Manager 10 is equipped with an integrated auto patcher which automatically updates the game to the newest version at the start of the game. After a very successful update 1 which was available already on the release day, update 2 is ready for automatic download as of today. The complete content of the update can be accessed in the developer blog by Lead Designer Gerald Köhler and will include new features for the offline and online mode as well as specific and community-requested bug-fixes including various 3d match improvements.

Guinness World Records announced today that they will launch the third in their series of books dedicated to video gaming in the new-year. Guinness World Records 2010 Gamer’s Edition will be released on the 4th of January in the United States and the 21st of January in the United Kingdom. Praised by critics as a ‘must have for fans of gaming’, the latest edition is the best in the series yet; packed full of amazing gaming records, reviews, trivia, and cool features!

I searched Chapters.ca for the new edition, but could only find the paperback version which is now available for pre-order, while Amazon.ca lists both paperback and hardcover for pre-order. Both sites list a later-than-announced release date, but perhaps those were just estimated dates. I’ve pre-ordered books before and then received them earlier than the listed release date.

Havok™ has announced that as part of the company’s expanding business model it has launched an Independent Developer Program. Designed to enable independent game studios to execute their creative visions using Havok’s premium, developer-preferred middleware technology, the Independent Developer Program helps studios minimize the overall risk and high cost associated with internal creation of the tools and technologies required to power today’s sophisticated video and PC games. Krome Studios is the first to license Havok tools and technology under the Independent Developer Program.

Havok’s Independent Developer Program will give developers access to the company’s full suite of cutting-edge, award-winning products and technologies including: Havok Animation™, Havok AI™, Havok Behavior™, Havok Cloth™, Havok Destruction™ and Havok Physics™. Havok’s modular suite of tools puts power in the hands of creators, empowering them to reach new standards of believability and interactivity in video games. All of Havok’s software tools are fully multithreaded and cross-platform optimized.

“Havok continues to be an industry enabler by providing the best resources at an affordable price to all independent developers,” said David O’Meara, Managing Director of Havok. “Havok is the tools and technologies provider of choice for developers worldwide and featured in over 250 games to date. We are excited to further extend our business model to enable independent game developers to innovate using the industry’s leading cutting edge technologies and tools.”

Based on an annual agreement, Havok’s Independent Developer Program is flexible and affordable, allowing unrestricted prototyping with the company’s premium products. Independent developers enrolled in the program have flexibility in choosing which Havok products to use, in what capacity, and when. Finally, independent developers will have access to Havok’s world class, experienced customer support organization, driven to make the integration of Havok technology successful.

“Krome Studios is excited to be the first member of Havok’s recently announced Independent Developer Program,” said Robert Walsh, CEO and Co-founder of Krome Studios of Australia. “This program gives our business the flexibility to innovate our game development processes and strategies. Krome has the unique opportunity to develop multiple prototypes using Havok’s world class products and then, if required, to license those technologies from Havok. Havok has ascended from being just a middleware provider to becoming an instrumental business partner. Havok enables Krome to manage its risk during development and allows it the freedom to explore fresh possibilities with Havok’s technology.”

In addition to the newly launched Independent Developer Program, hobbyists of all types can still take advantage of the Intel-funded, binary-only versions of Havok Physics, Havok Animation and Havok’s Content Tools for the PC. This comprehensive SDK download enables grass roots developers to experiment and deploy “freemium” PC games using the same physics and animation game technology used by the pros for no charge.