A few weeks ago, we started streaming at www.Twitch.tv/Athenelive, for charity. All the revenue meant for us, is going to Save The Children. More specifically to the Newborn and Child Survival program.
How can you support the project?
Subscribing is the key. It only costs you 4,99 dollar per month, per account and you get a lot of things in return such as an Athene Extreme dose, a Firefall key, the possiblity of winning Razer gear and most importantly, the part we would get is going to Save The Children.
Why subscribing, and not just launching a new Sharecraft project?
It’s small amounts and people hardly notice it this way. On top of that,with this system we are also able to give a lot in return. Numbers talk and going to companies and presenting a 10k+ subscriber base, will get a lot of respect and will end up in a lot more interesting deals for both future charity projects and for our subscribers.
What’s a Pledge?
Recently we decided to use a pledge system. A pledge in this case is promising to subscribe 5 times, if the Athenelive team is able to fill up a list of 10 pledgers. It’s an all or nothing case. If we don’t get a full list, noone subscribes. If we do, everyone does.
What’s so good about the pledging system?
It makes it so a lot of people do subscribe, who wouldn’t before, since there is a lot more at stake and their subscriptions are worth even more now. On top of that we also hand out extra Razer gear per full pledge list. This means a person who makes 1 pledge (promise to subscribe 5 times when the list gets completed), has a 1 in 10 chance to win Razer gear. People who buy an entire list, automatically win and can pick out of what’s in stock at that time.
It has been a crazy ride so far, but I want to thank everyone for all the support and don’t forget to claim your Firefall key and Athene Extreme dose at www.gamingforgood.net!
Livestreams:
www.Twitch.tv/TaniaUncensored and www.Twitch.tv/Athenelive
Made In Asia is an event I have been looking foward to ever since I found out about it’s existence (so a few months ago). I will be going there the 9th and go all reporter mode so make sure to keep an eye on this blog!
What is it about?
It highlights all the current trends of Asia, (going from k-pop to karaoke) combined with League of Legend competitions and introductions to other upcoming games. You can find the shedule here.
When?
Friday 8th march 2013 from 19h – 21h (Free). Saturday 9th march 2013 from 10h – 20h Sunday 10th march 2013 from 10h – 18h
Cost?
Fridag is Free. Saturdag: 10 euros if you buy it there and 9 if you buy it upfront. Sunday: same as saturday. If you want to go the entire weekend: 20 euros if you buy them there, and 16 if you buy them upfront.
You can get your tickets here.
Where?
It takes place at the Brussels Expo : Belgiëplein 1, 1020 Brussel. Paleis 5 (Belgium).
Win tickets?
I am also very happy to announce that I will be giving away 2 tickets to one of the people who give me the most creative comment on why they really should win these tickets.
The only thing you need to do is: Like my Facebook page and post a creative comment there on why you need to win those tickets!
My facebook: www.facebook.com/Taniauncensored
The winner will be picked and notified on wednesday the 27th. Make sure to leave an e-mail address if you don’t often check your facebook, so I can contact you for your details and send you the tickets, and good luck!
Last week while attending the GameJam event, I got lucky to interview some people of 4DDynamics. It was an interesting conversation and very educational!
It appears that 3D scanning is something that has been used in the movie industry for ages, and even for actors who are big in the industry, such as Angelina Jolie and Tom Cruise.
I was surprised to hear they even used this technology in one of my favorite movies and I never noticed it! I have seen The Last Samourai a lot of times but didn’t notice anything that would suggest there was some 3D scanning used! Very impressive!
The first question that popped my mind was: “How long does it take to make a scan?”. I have to say I was mesmerized by the fact it only took a couple of seconds, and afterwards a few minutes to form the image etc.
Once I heard about 3D printing possibilities, I got even more curious! I assumed it would take at least a day to get a print out of a scan, but even there I underestimated the technology! It only takes about 4 hours to print! Can you imagine!
At the moment they are thinking about implementing the technology in video games, so if you are a gamedevelopper and interested in that idea, you can always contact them!
They are also working on the idea of printing chocolate. I have to admit that after I heard this, everything started to get a bit blurry, so that’s where I will end this little blog with as well… chocolate… print…
For more information you can check out their site: http://www.4ddynamics.com
What is Smite?
SMITE is an online battleground between gods. Players choose from a selection of gods, join session-based arena combat and use custom powers and team tactics against other players and minions. It’s inspired by Defense of the Ancients (DotA) but with a third-person camera that brings you right into the combat.
Open Beta
On thursday Jan 24th they officially announced open beta. Players no longer require a key to play the game and all player progression in the beta will carry over into launch.The new content features released with the open beta patch include a graphical overhaul for the conquest map, clan tags, and an exclusive Demon Ymir skin for players who reach level 30 before launch.
You can check out this video for more info on this:
100k launch tournament?!
Recently they also announced they’ll be kicking off a season of competitive SMITE gaming including a 100k launch tournament. More details will follow in the upcoming weeks!
They also released their newest god, Vulcan, into the game, which you can check out here, and they changed the login screen from a static image to an animated page featuring Vulcan.
Free-to-play
Best of all. It will be on a free-to play base! Players have immediate access to 10 playable gods for free. Five gods are permanently free with five additional gods on rotation. Additional gods are unlocked through gameplay time or more quickly through micro-transactions, and cosmetic skins can be purchased for further god customization.
Refer a Friend
Hi – Rez Studios launched a Refer a Friend page recently, where you can sign up and track the progress of your friends (who used the code), and if they reach certain milestones you can get gems. These you can use to buy skins etc.
I checked it out and this is my referral code if your interested… https://account.hirezstudios.com/smitegame/default.aspx?referral=4522978&utm_campaign=email
A lot is going on behind the scenes now, and I am looking forward to seeing the end result!
All I know for sure is, they are planning to kick off with a boom, and I wish them good luck!
Today I got to check out Cognition: The Hangman,a thrilling adventure that grips you and won’t let go. Not only was it very addictive. The art style, and music made it an even more epic experience. What I also liked is that the level isn’t’ too high. So all ages could play it. It is a lot comparable to the Walking Dead series, which I loved playing a lot as well!
Storyline
You start of as FBI agent Erica Reed who has an uncanny talent. She is able to see the past and piece together how a crime unfolded. It appears your brother is kidnapped by a serial killer and he is leaving clues behind for you to follow. So combining these clues and using your special talent, you hope to solve this case, and better, save your baby brother’s life!
The First Episode out of 4
The Hangman is the first installment of a four-part series. Starting off, with a quest to save your brother evolving to trying to solve his murder. With the big question: Will you succeed or will it cost your life?
Cognition is developed by Phoenix Online Studios, with contributions from veteran game designer Jane Jensen and comic book artist Romano Molenaar.
Where to get it?
Pay what you want to get started with The Hangman here. If you’re hooked you can grab the rest of the series at a discount here.
If you like the game, you can also vote them on Steam Greenlight here. Once they’re Greenlit, all existing customers will be eligible for Steam keys!
How to win the game
I really loved the game a lot, and I can gladly say I will be able to giveaway 2 keys that unlock both the soundtrack and the game!
The only thing you have to do is Like my Facebook page (http://www.Facebook.com/TaniaUncensored) and add me on Twitter: (http://www.Twitter.com/TaniaUncensored), leave a creative comment saying why I should pick you for the giveaway!
Follow Phoenix Online:
Twitter: @POStudios
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PhoenixOnlineStudios
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/postudios/
Keep an eye on http://www.indiegamestand.com for more awesome Indie games!
I have come to the realisation I should come out a lot more, because everytime I do, I get to meet interesting people! Tune of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air suddenly starts to play:
“Now this is the story all about how
My life got flipped, turned upside down
And I’d like to take a minute just sit right there
I’ll tell you how I became the blogger of a town called Antwerp, comon hands in the air!”
Ahum… it might be I had too much brownies today so excuse me, I got carried away there for a second! Time for the real story now!
The name of the young artist I want to talk about is Matthew Dawn. He is only 23 years old, living in Gent and carrying a diplome of Digital Arts and Entertainment. He has his own T-shirt label called DAWN clothing and you can also hire him to make graffiti designs.
About DAWN clothing
DAWN clothing is the passion project of this young artist. Each design is inspired by either personal experiences or life lessons in general.
The message he tries to communicate via his designs is:
“It is important that we remain consious of our lives, the decisions we make and the consequences they bring. As we grow up, life tends to numb us from it’s very own experiences. Adulthood is known for killing dreams and hopes, making people slaves to their own comfort.”
Dawn represents the anti-establishement, the counterculture and the downfall of the status quo. The same spirit of rebellion is implemented in it’s graphics. Combined with a urge to deliver high quality garments, while still respecting our planet and the life that inhabits it. By using organic textiles and waterbased inks in the production of our products, the impact on the environment is kept to a minimum.
All the T-shirts and hoodies are printed on fabric made with organic cotton which carries the FairWear label. Meaning that no pesticides or harmfull chemicals were used in the production process and no employees were abused or underpaid. While printing, they make sure to use water-based inks, a softer and environmental-friendly alternative to the traditional plastisol inks.
Each design is printed once in a limited number, to make sure you are wearing something unique and original.
And for the people interested. You will be getting a 10% discount if you use this code!
Code: TANIAUNC
More information on this young artist you can find here:
T-shirts: http://dawnclothing.com
Graffiti Art: http://matthewdawn.com
facebook.com/DAWNclothing
facebook.com/matthewdawn
twitter.com/matt_dawn
twitter.com/dawnclothing
It’s that time of the year again where people tend to spoil their other half. Since a lot of people have been asking for advice on jewelry and gifts, and I got the opportunity to pick out some nice items at Soufeel.com, I decided to write a little blog on what I like and would advice to go for! This time I decided to go for a bracelet, since last time I covered necklaces and earrings. Here we go!
My favorite charm is the one in the middle. I love the fact you can have your favorite picture made into a charm. It makes the bracelet even more personal, and since the idea behind this sort of bracelet is that every charm has it’s personal meaning (f.e. the pink heart could have been a gift for Valentine and the little pacifier could be a gift for when you are expecting a little one etc…. ), it doesn’t get more personal that that!
Here you have some examples of charms that work well for Valentine. Depending on what the person already has you can go for clickers like nr 2 and nr 4, with the purpose of keeping the other charms locked in safely, or if you want a little elegant charm for somewhere in between you could go for the left one or the one on the right. If you want something really personal and have a nice picture of you guys or of something you know she cares a lot about, you can always go for the picture charm.
This is also something I found to be an original gift. Instead of the good old heart, maybe go for a nice key, being “the key to your heart“.
These are some examples of what I like, which doesn’t mean every girl will love these of course but I promised to point some people into the direction of what I liked and that’s what I did here.
Also don’t forget… Valentine is not, nor shouldn’t it be about the presents, it’s about caring for each other, looking out for each other for better and for worse. Something you should do every day of your life….
More info on bracelet and charms:
www.soufeel.com / @Soufeel / www.facebook.com/Soufeel
This year was the first time I attended GameJam, and I enjoyed it to the fullest! It was a great experience to see how something, I come into contact with on a daily base, gets created!
I have been playing games ever since I was a kid, but this was the first time I could catch a glimpse of the making of a game, and I was impressed! If there is one thing I have learned out of this experience, it’s to have more respect for games and their makers!
If before I would more easily say a game was bad, I will now see all the hard work behind it and will manage to appreciate it in another way. As something someone, or a bunch of people, have put their heart and soul into. Something that might not be something I am willing to put time in to play, but still something that earns respect.
It was really great to see people with a different background work together as a team, and to manage to make a working game in only 48hours! It makes me wonder what these people are able to do in a week, or a month.
Some of my favorite games of this year’s GameJam
I am really bad with names, but there were four games I really liked a lot. One was a multi player game in a playground, with it’s only purpose to kill one’s opponent. Nevertheless it was a pretty bloody game, it had a very cute aspect and a very addictive side to it.
Another one was a game that reminded me of Techno Kitten Adventure, but without the super flashy side and with care bears.
The third one was about this little cute guy stuck in a nightmare. He had to try to outrun the darkness (in the form of a cloud) that would chase him while having parts of the floor falling and things blocking his way.
The fourth one was a strategic action game, where you would be running and trying to avoid collision with bullets and rockets.
Conclusion
I have to say, I really was amazed by the diversity. I kind of expected the games to be more similar, since they all started off with the same theme, being the heartbeat.
I want to end this little blog, doing a shout out to all the participants and to Wim Wouters and co, who put their heart and soul in this event. It was great meeting all of you and I cannot wait to see what next year’s GameJam has in store for us!
Today was another awesome day in the world of GameJam! If I ever doubted whether it would be possible to make a game in 48 hours, I can say those doubts are all gone now!
I payed a visit to most of the teams today, and I really was impressed by what they managed to put together in this short amount of time! I even managed to record a little interview with some of them. I will put them online asap! I can tell you one thing already… One team managed to almost finish their game and even produced a little soundtrack for it! I was literally blown away!
Although there were tents for our participants, it appears most of them hardly slept. These guys are hardcore and it was nice to learn there was a nice surprise waiting for our future providers of entertainment! The Cheerleader Academy came over to cheer for our gamers and provided them with cakes! I’ve never seen a room full of exhausted faces turn into happy ones this fast!
So another day of meeting interesting people, and one day closer to seeing the result of hardcore teamwork! Tomorrow is the final day! Cannot wait to see what comes out of it! Stay tuned!
Today was the first day of GameJam, and guess who was invited to cover the one in Belgium?! Yep, that would be me!
So what is GameJam?
The goal is to come together and make a video game, or non-digital game like board game or card game. Participants rapidly prototype game designs and hopefully inject new ideas to help grow the game industry. They share a common theme and constraints. It is asked to create a game from beginning to end in a prescribed time (48 hours). The brief time span is meant to help encourage creative thinking to result in small but innovative and experimental games.
Although having computer skills is helpful, code experience is not necessary. Designers, developers, artists and anyone is welcome to try their hand at making a game during a game jam.
It’s the 5th year they are doing this event, and from what I have heard, a lot of cool things have come out of it. F.e. a few years ago, a team came up with the idea of a game where you are an atom evading collision with other objects. Were you to die, you would get an electric shock. Fun part was, the longer you survived, the harder the electric shock. Definitely a lose-lose situation, and the perfect game to use in a truth or dare game or troll your friends imo!
Every year they work around a theme which could be a picture, a video, or in this case a sound file. This time it is a hearth beat, which immediately made me think about a horror game with zombies, that could start off with a fade in of someone running in the streets while being chased by zombies. But that’s just me. Any chance to add zombies or some horror theme to a game works so….
It’s hard to believe GameJam (Belgium) started off with only 5 people joining in, if you see how many joined in this year! Although the limit was around 60, they still pulled it up to 70 people, and I am also glad to announce there are also ladies present, and will do my utterly best to have a nice chat with them as well!
Of course I took the liberty to interview some people, and will do so even more the upcoming days. Interviews and blogs will be posted all the upcoming week! Today I managed to interview the organizer of GameJam Belgium, and the people of 3D Evolution, who have a little 3D scan booth there! I was really mindblown by the information they provided and cannot wait to share it!
Really excited for tomorrow! Stay tuned!
