David Braben & Elite: Dangerous Pick up Awards at GDC 2015

The 15th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCA), the peer-awarded highest honors in video game development, has revealed its first two Special Award winners for this year - honoring Veteran Brenda Romero With Ambassador Award, Elite Co-Creator David Braben With Pioneer Award

The Ambassador Award, honoring someone who is helping video games "advance to a better place" through advocacy or action, is going to game designer and academic Brenda Romero, who has been a key figure in video games throughout more than 3 decades of standout game design, teaching, and advocacy. The Pioneer Award, honoring breakthrough tech and game design milestones, is being awarded to David Braben, the co-creator of seminal 3D space exploration title Elite - now in resurgence with Elite: Dangerous - and co-founder of the Foundation for the popular 'hobbyist computer revival' Raspberry Pi device.

Pioneer Award winner David Braben co-developed the seminal 'open world' 3D space trading game Elite with Ian Bell while at university in the early 1980s. The best-selling, startlingly expansive title had revolutionary 3D graphics and let the player make all kinds of intriguing moral decisions as they flew the known universe. Elite saw a number of sequels, including the crowdfunded, currently much buzzed-about Elite: Dangerous, and went on to be a big influence on games in the genre it helped create - from Wing Commander to No Man's Sky and beyond.

In addition to his work on Elite and his more than 30 years as a game developer - latterly at his major UK studio Frontier Developments - Braben was also involved in the genesis of the Raspberry Pi, a 'hobbyist computer' which enables people of all ages to explore computing, and to program in languages like Scratch and Python. Braben helped to found the Raspberry Pi Foundation and guide the program through to mass production - with more than 4 million of the devices now manufactured.

Elite: Dangerous also picked up the Audience Award for Best Game.

Top Artists Draw Their Favourite Classic SEGA Games for a Limited-Edition Print Project by Art Gallery Cook & Becker and SEGA

Jet Set Radio, Streets of Rage, Golden Axe, Phantasy Star and Shinobi among first available prints

Amsterdam,  The Netherlands.  14 May 2015 - Cook & Becker asked some of the hottest artists working in entertainment and video games today to draw and create a print of their favorite classic SEGA games. The idea was to create a series of beautiful prints under direction of SEGA that would capture the heart of these classic brands, their aesthetic and what they meant for people playing them and growing up with them.

Maarten Brands from gallery Cook & Becker: "We're committed to the visual culture of video games and new digital art. The last couple of years we've worked successfully with top game developers, artists and publishers to release fantastic editions of concept art and designs of some of the best and artistically interesting video games.

If you go back further in history though, there is less high-resolution material available or images have not been archived etc. So we decided to work with the original rights holders and artists working in games and entertainment today - people who grew up with these classics - to make new prints that would capture the feeling of those games. A sort of tribute art but officially licensed and made in conjunction and with direction of the rights holders and people on the original teams if they were still there."

Many great artists participated and started working on concepts. Today the first 5 designs from 5 different artists are unveiled and made available to purchase worldwide. Among them artworks by known sci-fi and fantasy illustrator Kilian Eng, Marvel and game concept artist Gerald Parel and artist Julien Renoult, who was Sunset Overdrive's Lead Concept Artist among others.

The artists created the prints under art direction of Cook & Becker and SEGA working from the original assets. The images are made under official license. They are fine art Certified Art Giclees, available in a limited-edition of 200 each. They are large poster sizes of 24 x 36" or 60 x 90 cm that will fit any standard frame.

The first 25 of each will retail for €99 / $99 / £75 after which the price goes up.

In summer 2015 a second set for other games by other artists will be released. Cook & Becker warmly invites any artist that want to participate to contact them via their website. 

BACKGROUND ON THE ARTWORKS AND ARTISTS

Phantasy Star by Kilian Eng

Digital artist Kilian Eng (https://www.candb.com/en/biography/4/kilian-eng.html ) is well-known for his retro scifi and surreal landscapes. His prints and posters are in high-demand with collectors. He was worked on images and covers for many Marvel, Disney and HBO brands.

Kilian Eng says about his Phantasy Star print: "When I learned about this project I thought it would be fantastic to get the opportunity to work on Phantasy Star. I remember several older SEGA games fondly, but Phantasy Star was my first pick. It was really fun digging into the Phantasy Star universe again after so many years since I last played it. It’s a really good game with a lot of nostalgic value for me."

Golden Axe by Gerald Parel

Gerald Parel is an extremely talented artist. He works freelance and is part of top concept art and design studio Sixmorevodka. He is maybe best known for his Marvel comic book cover art.

"When I was a teenager, I was very much into Conan and all things barbarian. So when around that time I played Golden Axe, even only for a few hours, it left a precious mark in my memory. It was THE barbarian game in my book. Then decades later, I noticed Mastodon's (Metal Band) riff man was playing on a Gibson called "Golden Axe" and it brought back so many good memories! The choice to pick Golden Axe was then obvious when I started working with Cook & Becker."

Streets of Rage by Julien Renoult

Julien Renoult (https://www.candb.com/en/artist/25/julien-renoult.html) is one of the best concept/character artists working in the industry. Recently he was the lead concept artist on Insomniac's sumptuous looking Sunset Overdrive and worked on Nike's: The Last Game ad for the Brazilian World Cup as well as the 2012 BBC's London Olympics promo animation. He currently works on a project at MMO game maker Trion Worlds.

Jet Set Radio by Roman van der Haven

Roman van der Haven (https://www.candb.com/en/biography/10/roman-van-der-haven.html) is a visual storyteller and 3D character artist both active in the art market and in the creative industry with past clients such as Nintendo and Guerrilla Games. He has created ads, toys and prints.

"Jet Set Radio is maybe my most favorite game and to be able to make a new piece under SEGA's flag was one of my dreams come true. Jet Set Radio is such a rich world, full of character. We decided to go with the current design, a clear and iconic image of Beat running for the cops. I had to be respectful to the source material but also to add my own, unique style to it. Working with SEGA's creatives on the composition and style was an interesting and fun experience."

Shinobi by Emmanuel Malin

French artist Emmanuel Malin is a designer in the creative industry that also creates art. His almost analogue looking digital paintings often have a lot of Asian influences and Shinobi played a part in that.

"I remember when the first Shinobi was out on Master System, I was so frustrated because I didn’t have the console, and as a kid, I was totally fascinated by Ninjas. The mix of martial arts, swords, shurikens, and the great outfits were a winner for me ! After a long wait, I finally got my hands on The Revenge of Shinobi on the Megadrive, which remains one of my greatest videogame memories; I am still playing it on 3DS when the need for old-school platformer kicks in. I was thrilled to have this opportunity to paint a tribute to the game, with an emphasis on demons and dark magic."

Elite: Dangerous Alpha Phase 1.1 released today - Oculus Rift, 3D TV and Track IR support

Just in time for the holidays Frontier today releases the new Elite: Dangerous Alpha Phase 1.1 - Single Player combat, which is an updated version of 1.0 with new stereoscopic 3D features we are testing.

We'd like to thank everyone for their positive feedback on the Alpha test so far. Craig Pearson from the Rock, Paper, Shotgun website got a hands-on look at the Alpha Phase 1.0 build, and you can read his impressions in a detailed piece here.

To get the latest build Alpha backers can simply re-download the Alpha build from the Elite: Dangerous online store as before.  If you want to get involved, access to the ongoing Alpha testing phases can still be purchased from the store.

Alpha Phase 1.1 includes the following in addition to the 1.0 content:
• A selection of stereoscopic 3D support options added
- Oculus Rift
- Side-by-side 3D rendering for use with 3D TVs / monitors
- Anaglyph rendering: old school Red/Cyan rendering for those without Oculus Rift or a 3D TV but with some vintage red/cyan glasses
• Track IR support added
• Dashboard brightness option added
• Improved build stability
• Assorted improvements from Alpha feedback

Have a Happy Holidays! The Elite: Dangerous team is going to take a well-deserved rest now – although there will be people supporting Alpha backers over the holidays - and we’ll be back in the New Year with a bang!

Frontier Announces Elite: Dangerous Premium Beta

Frontier today announced the delivery date of the next milestone in the development of its forth-coming Elite: Dangerous game.

The Premium Beta effectively starts today, with Premium Beta players able to download a single player combat build of the game. The full Premium Beta will start on 30th May 2014, and until then, players will be able to practise with the single player combat build.

Upgrades are on sale now for anyone who has already pre-ordered the standard Beta or the final game, via this link.

Before the first Premium Beta release, Frontier will release one final Elite: Dangerous Alpha phase, Phase 4, which adds Travel and Trading.

Alpha phase 1 covered the vital moment-to-moment combat and ship controls.

Alpha phase 2 added internet-based multiplayer capability.

Alpha phase 3 expanded on these technology tests to add docking and the first elements of gameplay progression.

Alpha phase 4 expands significantly on this with two modes of faster than light travel - in-system 'super-cruise' and between-system 'hyperspace'.  The full Milky Way galactic map, containing some 400,000,000,000 star systems, will be present. Alpha 4 gameplay is focused on a 200 cubic light year volume of space, far from Earth.

The date and further details of Alpha Phase 4 will be announced shortly.  Alpha contributors get early access to future builds and a lifetime benefit of discounted in-game ship insurance. Elite: Dangerous Alpha access is available for order until 25th April.

David Braben, CEO of Frontier, said:

“The Alpha process has worked well for us. We have gradually built out the key elements of the game, first locally, with single player combat, then with a few thousand players across the internet. On 30th May the Premium Beta extends this to many thousands of players worldwide, with an increasingly rich game.

I want to take this opportunity to thank all those who have played such an important role in Alpha testing, and I’m very happy that we will continue to benefit from their valuable input as they test Beta builds approximately 2 weeks in advance of release.

400 billion star systems are yours to explore in Elite: Dangerous

On 30th May we move into a new phase of Premium Beta testing, and I’m delighted to be able to welcome a significant numbers of new players to Elite: Dangerous today.”

Frontier & Gollancz Announce Authors for Kickstarted “ELITE: DANGEROUS” Books

Frontier Developments plc (AIM:  FDEV) and Gollancz, an imprint of the Orion Publishing Company, are delighted to announce the authors who will be writing their three tie-in novels set in the world of ELITE: DANGEROUS, the ground-breaking Kickstarted sequel to best-selling computer game ELITE.

Frontier received crowd-sourced funding for ELITE: DANGEROUS via a hugely successful campaign on the Kickstarter website, and now has over 45,000 backers. Gollancz contributed over £13,000 to secure the rights to publish three related books. After much discussion and many volunteers, Gollancz editor Marcus Gipps selected the authors and collaborated closely with Frontier to ensure continuity and reflect the evolving game world.

The original game ELITE was one of the best-selling and most iconic computer games of the eighties, and has been credited with inspiring generations of game designers and players. It was the first game to be packaged with an accompanying novella – ELITE: THE DARK WHEEL, by Robert Holdstock. Holdstock was an award-winning and much-respected author, and had a long relationship with Gollancz.

ELITE: WANTED, by Gavin Deas, is a rip-roaring space epic told from two points of view – the hunted, and the hunter. When a routine bit of piracy goes wrong, the crew of the Song of Stone realise that there's a bounty hunter on their tail. One who might, finally, be able to outclass them. The Dragon Queen is feared across space, and for good reason. But even the bounty hunter doesn't realise what she's been hired to do. Or what is in the container she's been sent to retrieve. And she's not the only hunter in the game...

Gavin Smith and Stephen Deas are regular Gollancz authors – having produced 15 books between them over the last few years – and their combined talent makes this a gripping tale.

ELITE: NEMORENSIS, by Simon Spurrier, tells the story of an unlikely pair of star-crossed lovers who steal a spaceship and go on the run, attacking at random and revelling in the fame and glory their violence brings them. Celebrated by the jaded youth of the Federation and urged on to ever more flashy acts of destruction, they know it won't be long before they are caught and killed. But someone is following the couple. Someone who knows why they are so obsessed with each other. Who knows where they are heading. Who knows why. Someone who knows more about them than they do themselves. And has another plan for their deaths...

Simon is currently writing X-MEN for Marvel Comics and CROSSED for Avatar Press, and has written for Judge Dredd, Wolverine and many other popular characters. He has published two novels with Hodder and five licensed novels based on Warhammer and 2000AD properties.

ELITE: DOCKING IS DIFFICULT, by Gideon Defoe, humorously explores what life in the future is really like.  On what might be the worst planet in the universe, a young man dreams of the stars. Adventure! Lasers! Women! And the ultimate goal - to become Elite! Unfortunately, Misha has to do his chores first. And learn how to talk to Phoebe, the beautiful customs officer. And leave the planet. But the death of a famous author unexpectedly drags Misha and Phoebe into a system-wide conspiracy, complete with smuggling, international art thieves, multi-system corporations, canapés and exploding pigs. This is Misha's chance to prove he has what it takes! After all, surely anyone can be Elite if they dream...

Gideon is best known for his comic novels featuring THE PIRATES! and was the scriptwriter for the Oscar-nominated Aardman film THE PIRATES! IN AN ADVENTURE WITH SCIENTISTS, based on his books.

Elite: Wanted

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1juWE29

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1i9BYdd

Apple UK: http://bit.ly/1fjn31l

Elite: Nemorensis

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1s1JIog

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1pHjFi6

Apple UK: http://bit.ly/1juXaNE

Elite: Docking is Difficult

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1kmWKXX

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1okWPBF

Apple UK: http://bit.ly/1i9AmzU

Marcus Gipps said:

I was delighted by the response to our involvement with ELITE: DANGEROUS, and very grateful for all of the authors who contacted me and asked to be considered. It was a difficult decision, but in the end I think we’ve ended up with three remarkable books, each of which takes a very different look at the expansive game Frontier has devised while still feeling part of the same universe. It’s been wonderful to work with Frontier and our four talented authors, who will bring their own fanbases to the books.

David Braben, CEO of Frontier said:

I am a huge science fiction fan, avidly reading sci-fi novels since I was small. I’ve always enjoyed rich, consistent worlds, so the ability to work closely with a number of authors as we create our own galaxy-wide fiction has been amazing. ELITE: DANGEROUS includes thousands of inhabited star systems with their own histories spanning more than a millennium, with details ranging from what people eat to how they are governed.  We have worked with the authors to include things in the game that they need for their fiction in the worlds in which their stories are set. Books are a great way to bring such worlds to life, and will fire players’ imagination and enthusiasm for the wider game as well as, of course, standing as creative works in their own right. I look forward to reading the final books.

The books will be released for sale as eBooks in major digital stores on the 15th of May 2014. Collector’s hardbacks will then be published for sale alongside the retail release of the game later that year.

Coaster Crazy Deluxe iOS Release Trailer

Coaster Crazy Deluxe out now on iOS!

Elite: Dangerous to Support Oculus Rift

Immersive, Galaxy-wide Sandbox Space Experience on Virtual Reality Headset in 2014 

10th October 2013. Cambridge, UK. Frontier Developments (AIM: FDEV) today revealed that it will support the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset in its forthcoming Elite: Dangerous game.

Designed for immersive gaming, Oculus Rift lends itself perfectly to providing players of Elite: Dangerous with an even more intense experience.

In addition, Frontier is happy to announce that the Oculus Rift version of Elite: Dangerous will be available to all backers that have an Oculus Rift headset for no extra cost.

David Braben, CEO of Frontier commented, “We’ve been playing with the Oculus Rift dev kits and are excited about the potential – just glancing around your cockpit or being totally immersed in a space battle. Many of our backers have made it clear that they would like Oculus Rift support – and so do we! We’re very pleased with the results so far.”

For more information contact:

Alison Beasley, Lincoln Beasley PR. E: alison@lincolnbeasley.co.uk M: +44 (0) 7966 449130

About Frontier Developments plc.

Frontier Developments plc, listed on the aim stock market (ticker:FDEV), is a leading independent game developer founded in 1994 by David Braben, co-author of the seminal ‘Elite’ game. Based in Cambridge, UK and Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, Frontier uses its proprietary ‘Cobra’ game development technology to create innovative games across videogame consoles, computers, smartphones and tablets. On 4th January 2013 Frontier raised £1.7 million via Kickstarter, the crowd funding website, and its own site to develop Elite: Dangerous. The studio is also working on a number of other titles, including ‘Zoo Tycoon’ as a launch title for Microsoft’s new Xbox One console.

About Oculus Rift

Oculus VR™ was founded by Palmer Luckey, a self-described virtual reality enthusiast and hardware geek. The company raised over $2.4 million in a Kickstarter campaign to help fund development of the Oculus Rift, a ground-breaking virtual reality headset for immersive gaming.

Carmageddon: Reincarnation Development Fuelled by $3.5m Investment

Stainless Games Ltd Completes $3.5 Million Investment Round to Fuel Development on Carmageddon: Reincarnation

Newport, 19th March 2013 Stainless Games Ltd announces that the company has successfully completed a $3.5 million funding round for the development of the next iteration of Carmageddon: Reincarnation on the next gen platforms. Les Edgar, shareholder of Stainless Games, founder of Bullfrog Productions and former VP of EA’s European Studios has bridged the final part of the required funding for this development. This investment follows Stainless Games’ successful Kickstarter funding campaign the studio ran during June 2012 that contributed to the development of the PC release of Carmageddon: Reincarnation.

“We are delighted to have fully funded Carmageddon: Reincarnation without having to go outside of the collective of our own company, shareholders and fans. It allows us to maintain a true independence and creative control whilst not having to compromise quality or content by budgetary constraints. ” said Patrick Buckland, CEO and co-founder of Stainless Games.

“For an independent, privately owned company to achieve this, is a testament to our strength and to the loyalty of our fans.” he added.

Following the successful release of the iOS version of the original Carmageddon game on both iPhone and iPad late last year (and their pending Android app release of the title), Stainless Games has completed another major goal in its mission to resurrect this legendary IP and reintroduce it to a new generation of fans. The finance secured during the last weeks by Stainless Games management and board will aid the company in expanding the development and launch of the next gen instalment – Carmageddon: Reincarnation.

“I have always had a great belief in Stainless, and I really admire their continued success as one of the leading indie dev studios. The Carmageddon name is one we all want to see rise again, and I know that in the hands of its original creators, we’re bound to get the best out of the brand.” said Les Edgar. “I’m delighted to be on board and helping make the project happen.”

The new title Carmageddon: Reincarnation is set to re-engage the millions of players who enjoyed the previous versions for their excellent gameplay and irreverent humour; introduce a whole new generation of gamers to the legendary brand; and reinforce Stainless Games’ position as a strong independent developer driving unprecedented engagement for its players across all games they develop on any platform. Stainless Games Ltd. is an approved next gen developer and the experience, merit, knowledge and development discipline combined with this investment is a great indicator of the quality to be expected when Carmageddon: Reincarnation is unleashed.

Stainless said “Let there be gibs!” And there were gibs.