Amiga Successfully Fixed in NZ While Karga Goes 3D

When we last mentioned the Amiga Wing Commander Computer, it was on its way around the world to have critical circuitry repaired in New Zealand. The machine has arrived at its destination, and the Kiwi technician there has already fixed what was broken! That doesn't mean that LOAF has been without a mission for the last few weeks, however. In the mean time, Karga has gotten some upgrades in order to clean up its layout and make room for the Amiga. Most impressive of all is the new VFX-1 virtual reality headset that has been added to the setup. In addition to fancy head tracking and 3D support in games like Wings of Glory and System Shock, the device is also the coolest way you can possibly steer your ship in Wing Commander. LOAF even got a posh glass head to store it on when not in use!

So, is that it? Project on hold for a month, you're not going to have LOAF to Amiga around anymore? Actually, the stars have aligned and I'm happy to announce that following in Pix's footsteps I have...

... purchased a Forte VFX-1 virtual reality helmet! You can read about Pix's first experiences here: http://www.pixsoriginadventures.co.uk/system-shock-on-the-vfx-1 and I just couldn't let him have all the fun. Actually, I saw sold the minute I learned I had an excuse to buy one: the card officially supports yaw movement in several Wing Commander games. That's enough to warrant inclusion in my setup, although the REAL prize should be using it to 'look around' in Wings of Glory!

Now, yes the use in Wing Commander is fairly limited... and yes the 3D aspect is useless to a cyclops such as myself... but it's just too darn cool looking to pass up. And WoG, one of my favorite games, fully supports them.

It's going to require a major structural change to Karga. The vaunted and valuable LAPC-I is out and will need to be replaced by an external MT-32 (luckily I have two ready to go!)... and I'll need to put a PCI video card with a feature connector in my last available slot. And of course my web of various external connections will need to change... but it'll be fun to figure that all out in the coming weeks! And come on, it's a freaking VR helmet! What is more 1990s than that?

I'd actually been working behind the screens to try and get one of these the last few weeks. I had a heartbreaking encounter over at the VFX Yahoo group where someone offered to GIVE ONE AWAY to the first person from the UK who responded. I replied first and I should have just given him Hades' address but I didn't think of it... so it went to someone else.

Then someone offered to sell me one, but shipped from Canada with an entire computer attached... and I had to make an offer. I was going to say $400 for the system and hope that was enough when I happened to search eBay and find one listed UNDER THE WRONG NAME! It was listed as a "VFX-I" (eye, not one) and so it didn't go for an insane amount of money. Burned off Saturday waiting to snipe it and I got lucky!

So: VFX-1 coming in the mail and Karga will re-enter our story!

Finally, I'd heard that the VFX-1 had a cameo in an episode of X-Files. I decided to go through my DVDs and see if I could find it. Interestingly it wasn't in EITHER of the Virtual Reality-related episodes... instead, it shows up in the Lone Gunmen's origin story, "Unusual Suspects." Screenshot!

Space Sim First Look: Moon Breakers

Imba Entertainment just recently launched our first game, Moon Breakers. While not a Wing Commander game (and I'll admit in advance we have no in-cockpit view), Moon Breakers is the distillation of our passion for space shooters, a genre that we know has fallen out of favour recently in mainstream gaming. As a team we grew up playing games like Elite, Xwing vs. TIE, Wing Commander and Freespace. We wanted to recreate those experiences for gamers who miss them, as well as entirely new populations of players. Our focus has been on 3D multi-player space combat with simple, intuitive controls and rock solid gameplay, in addition to a contemporary level of eye-candy. Moon Breakers is free-to-play and perhaps most exciting, the game runs directly in Google’s Chrome browser, which puts us on computers in homes, offices and internet cafes around the world. We're a small team, but what our game lacks in cockpit views and characters it makes up for in gameplay and accessibility.

New multi-player space combat title bringing classic SciFi action to a new generation of gamers, free to play.

Kirkland, WA, February 20, 2012 - Space battles are back! Newly formed game studio Imba Entertainment is pleased to announce Moon Breakers, an online game focused on bringing classic space combat to wherever Google Chrome is found.

The game pits two teams of players against each other in objective-based missions, where nimble star ships dogfight and Carriers bristle with automated gun turrets as they fend off torpedoes and cannon fire, all set to a soundtrack by legendary composer Bear McCreary (Battlestar Galactica, Walking Dead). Moon Breakers’ formula of incredibly intuitive controls, crisp visuals and thrilling action gives players an experience unlike anything they’ve played in a browser, and best of all it’s free to play.

“We’re big fans of the classic PC space shooters of the 90’s,” said Ed Byrne, Creative Director. “So we’re thrilled to bring that genre alive again for both a new generation of players and hardcore fans alike. As we expand Moon Breakers we’ll begin to introduce some exciting contemporary features in the works, including fully customizable ships, player clan ‘squadrons’, and unique mission objectives.”

Moon Breakers plays seamlessly on multiple operating systems, directly in Google’s Chrome browser with one click. Once new pilots sign in they will be able to jump into battle with the ‘Mamba’ light fighter and ‘Rhino’ bomber. Other ships can be unlocked using Moon Breaker’s in-game Helium-3 currency. Additionally, players earn Cred as they play which is used to upgrade their ships even further, allowing for extensive customisation.