Unigine is a commercial 3D game engine used heavily in the simulation and engineering industry.  Last year Unigine started offering a game oriented license, however compared to Unity and Unreal, it was still quite pricey, especially for smaller or indie developers who make less than $100,000 a year.  Thankfully Unigine are offering a new Community license (available sometime this week) specifically targeting these developers.

Details of the new Unigine Community version:

Version	Community
Eligibility	●     Non-commercial projects ●     Revenue or funding less than $100K in the last 12 months
Not available for	●     Defense-related projects ●     Enterprises from Energy, Mining, Oil & Gas industries ●     Gambling ●     See other editions
Price	Free, no royalty

The community version will be available later this week.  In the meanwhile you can check out Unigine Community in action in the video below.  You can also check out our prior hands-on video here.

GameDev News Engine

April 8, 2020 KillHouse Games has just confirmed that Door Kickers: Action Squad is finally available on Android, and that many of the bugs users over on iOS have been experiencing, including crashes, have been fixed.

April 3, 2020 Door Kickers: Action Squad isn’t available on Android in all regions yet, and we apologise for the confusion. KillHouse Games has confirmed that the release is still pending on Google’s side. We’ll update you all further when it’s actually available.

If you’ve ever wished that the real world resembled that found in ’80s police movies, Door Kickers: Action Squad is the game for you. It’s a pleasingly-retro side-scrolling shooter in which you direct a SWAT trooper on a murderous rampage across Nowhere City USA. Bullets will fly, heads will roll, and many doors will be kicked.

Like any self-respecting SWAT member, you’ll begin by selecting your gear. There’s a wide variety of weaponry and useful items, like health packs or refills, and each gun has its own unique set of recoil and reload speeds. Given that this is a sequel to the deeply-strategic Door Kickers, you can expect to develop some level of mastery over time.

Because while, on paper, it looks like a Contra-style shoot-’em-up, it’s actually an experience that requires a fair amount of thought. The action might fly in thick and fast, but those that go in prepared will have a much easier time. You can use cover to stay safe, utilise a variety of strategic abilities to turn the tide, and unleash your ultimate skill to clear out a room.

There are six different characters to select from too, which each have their own playstyle. You can level each of them up individually, with different improvements available per character.

In terms of gameplay, there’s a single-player campaign to beat that features a whopping 84 explorable levels, an endless tower mode, and a zombie invasion mode, which remixes the base campaign to include the shambling undead.

It’s an intriguing sequel in that it maintains much of what we loved about the original, the strategic play, while changing pretty much everything else. If you’d like to check it out for yourself, you can grab it right now on iOS via the App Store and Android via Google Play. It’s a premium app at $2.99 (£2.99).

The Python developers have already released five alpha versions of Python 3.9.0 and you can already try the latest one in Fedora! Test your Python code with 3.9 early to avoid surprises once the final 3.9.0 is out in October.

Install Python 3.9 on Fedora

If you run Fedora, you can install Python 3.9 from the official software repository with dnf:

$ sudo dnf install python3.9

In order to get the very latest pre-release, you might need to enable the updates-testing repository:

$ sudo dnf install --enablerepo=updates-testing python3.9

As more alphas, betas and release candidates of Python 3.9 will be released, the Fedora package will receive updates. No need to compile your own development version of Python, just install it and have it up to date. New features will be added until the first beta planned for mid May.

Test your projects with Python 3.9

Run the python3.9 command to use Python 3.9 or create virtual environments with the builtin venv module, tox or with pipenv and poetry. For example:

$ git clone https://github.com/benjaminp/six.git

Cloning into 'six'...

$ cd six/

$ tox -e py39

py39 run-test: commands[0] | python -m pytest -rfsxX

================== test session starts ===================

platform linux -- Python 3.9.0a5, pytest-5.4.1, py-1.8.1, pluggy-0.13.1

collected 200 items test_six.py ...................................... [ 19%]

.................................................. [ 44%]

.................................................. [ 69%]

.................................................. [ 94%]

............ [100%] ================== 200 passed in 0.43s ===================

________________________ summary _________________________ py39: commands succeeded congratulations :)

What’s new in Python 3.9

So far, the first five alphas were released, more features will come until the first beta. You can however already try out the new dictionary merge & update operators:

$ python3.9

Python 3.9.0a5 (default, Mar 24 2020, 00:00:00) [GCC 10.0.1 20200311 (Red Hat 10.0.1-0.9)] on linux

Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.

>>> d = {'spam': 1, 'eggs': 2, 'cheese': 3}

>>> e = {'cheese': 'cheddar', 'aardvark': 'Ethel'}

>>> d | e

{'spam': 1, 'eggs': 2, 'cheese': 'cheddar', 'aardvark': 'Ethel'}

>>> e | d

{'cheese': 3, 'aardvark': 'Ethel', 'spam': 1, 'eggs': 2}

>>> d |= e

>>> d

{'spam': 1, 'eggs': 2, 'cheese': 'cheddar', 'aardvark': 'Ethel'}

And stay tuned for Python 3.9 as python3 in Fedora 33!

Ask her nicely and Erika Ishii will sing songs from the famed Broadway show “Hamilton” for you… only with a twist. Specifically, she’s got her own Destiny-themed version of the musical’s song “Dear Theodosia,” with lyrics centered on everyone’s favorite Warmind.

Dearest Rasputin

What to say to you?

You’re my Warmind, you have a Russian name

When you came online you launched warsats

And it warmed my heart

As the new voice of Ana Bray and with an ever-growing resume of on-camera and voice acting roles under her belt, Ishii is no stranger to performing. If you’ve played games like Shenmue III, Fallout 76, Smite, or seen anime films like Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative, you’ve heard Ishii’s work. As a host with shows on Geek & Sundry and Nerdist, Ishii is deeply immersed in the world of geek culture. She’s also a big Destiny fan (and a Warlock main, in case you’re curious), who told us that getting the role of Ana was “a real honor.”

“My agent, if she has really good news for me, a lot of times she’ll call me to deliver it in person, and so she did,” Ishii recalls. “There was a lot of screaming and crying, definitely.”

We recently caught up with Ishii in her home in Los Angeles, where we talked about what she wanted to bring to the role of Ana Bray, how her career has progressed, and what it’s like to hear her own voice in a videogame.

How did you prepare for the role of Ana?

I was very fortunate that there was already this wealth of lore. The game has been out for a while. I played Destiny 1, but I hadn’t had a chance to play [Destiny 2] yet. The Bungie guys were so sweet and they sent me codes to pop in [and] play some Destiny. Also I watched some “Let’s Plays” to catch up on lore and any background information I might need.

I make playlists for almost every character I play, and there’s definitely an Ana playlist.

What kind of music made the Ana Bray playlist?

When I make a character playlist, it’s songs that define who they are, how they feel about events or others. Of course there’s stuff from the Destiny 2 soundtrack. And then a lot of songs about her isolation; there’s a couple of songs from my favorite artists Vian Izak and Juniper Vale — “The Astronaut” and “The Expanse.” It has a lonely and hopeful feeling to it.

I would listen to it before I went to sessions or in between session weeks to keep fresh. Music is a huge touchstone of how I get into character or formulate and focus character.

Right tunes, right frame of mind. Makes sense. According to your Web site, you’ve got a musical background.

Most voice actors I know are musical. There’s something about the rhythm and the musicality of phrasing and performance and breath control that I think music prepares you for. People who are drawn to music are also drawn to voice acting. It’s very common.

What were the Destiny recording sessions like?

It was just so much fun. It was criminal amount of fun. It’s really just getting to play; I feel so lucky to get to do this.

Voice acting presents a unique challenge as far as acting goes, because you have to imagine everything yourself. What are the weather conditions like? Are you speaking to someone who is far away from you, or close? Then you have to layer all of the physical conditions on top. [Things like] how are you feeling? What is your character trying to get across? Is your character an expert on this topic? There’s so many elements you need to keep in mind while you’re performing. It’s a wonderful, exciting challenge.

Are there any specific challenges to building a scene?

What was your vision for your Ana performance? How do you relate to her?

I think every character that you play you find something of them in yourself, or put a bit of yourself into them. Ana is inquisitive and I think she really wants to help in the way that she best knows how. Exploring your past and your history — whether it’s in an undiscovered “sci-fi” sense, or just you as a person — is difficult. That was something that was interesting to explore.

What’s it like to be part of the Destiny cast?

I still can’t believe that I got to join this cast. That cast is stacked. Some of the greats of voiceover and on-camera. Such incredible actors that I get to say I’m in an ensemble with. A lot of people that I looked up to, or were idols of mine. I’ve joined the ranks and it’s unbelievable to me.

I love seeing the diverse and really rich characters of the world of Destiny. The fact that [Ana is a] queer Asian woman was kind of huge for me. I identify as pansexual. It’s really amazing because that’s not something you get to see a lot in media; queer women of color. That felt very significant to me.

Have you played the game since you’ve been in it?

Not yet! I want to jump back in, especially since I was power leveling my Warlock before the season dropped. Now that [my performance is] in, I’m a little nervous. It’s odd hearing myself; most artists are very self-critical but I haven’t jumped in yet.

We’re sure the fans are loving it. What’s it like to hear YOUR voice when playing a game or watching a movie you’re in?

I was in the Gundam movie [Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative] and I got to take my mom to the screening premier of it. And the first time a character speaks, [it was] just an out-of-body experience. I was like “Oh, that’s me!” That happened in the trailer where Ana has those lines. It didn’t feel real seeing her mouth move and my voice come out of it. It was so wild. I have friends who play Destiny. They would send me clips and say, “I heard you in my living room!”

What has your path to voice-over acting been like?

I feel like no VO actor has the same story. Everybody comes from different backgrounds. I did on-camera acting for a long time. I always wanted to do voice over. I grew up with cartoons and videogames. One day I made the decision that I wanted to do VO specifically for videogames because it’s this new exciting medium that we have growing up in our lifetimes. Imagine being at the advent of cinema and getting a chance to make films. I wanted to be part of performing for this exciting new narrative medium.

Was there a game that served as your inspiration?

I grew up with videogames. There have been so many incredible performances by legends and pioneers. I think it was playing The Last of Us that I decided, “Oh for sure, this is what I’m going to do.”

I was always so scared to do it because it’s a different skill than on-camera acting. Other than the different techniques you need to learn, there’s a financial investment involved with it; paying for a demo, paying for classes, workshops and everything you need to be ready and have a calling card and show that you’re serious in the industry.

But it was playing The Last of Us that I said, “Yeah it’s worth it to me. I want to make art like this. I want to be a part of this medium that I really love.”

I was very fortunate to have a lot of good mentors, friends, and colleagues that gave me opportunities. I was lucky to have a lot of background that prepared me for a lot of those opportunities when they arose. On-camera acting, improv, [and] music helped so much.

It’s really truly wild to me that I get to do my dream job.

—

In the near term, Erika will be narrating the new Vampire: The Masquerade novella that’s due for release this summer, and she looks forward to her next opportunity to jump back in the role of Ana Bray.

Thanks to Erika for spending time with us.

Today sees the launch of a new Kickstarter campaign for Sword of the Necromancer, a dungeon-crawler action-RPG hoping to release on Switch.

The game itself revolves around a mechanic which allows you to revive your defeated enemies to make them fight alongside you. You’ll be using this power – granted to you by the titular Sword of the Necromancer – to gather up an army, equip yourself with weapons and relics, and take on the guardians standing between yourself and your goal.

Interestingly, the game promises to make use of the criminally underused IR camera which can be found in the Switch’s right Joy-Con. You’ll be able to get items, weapons, and monsters by scanning special codes, essentially working just like amiibo do in games like Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

You’ll be able to obtain these IR codes by purchasing physical collectable cards or through free social media distribution in the future. If you’re playing on a Switch Lite with no camera, you can either use a smartphone app or enter codes manually.

Game Features:
– Turn your foes into allies: use the Sword of the Necromancer to revive defeated monsters and make them fight alongside you.
– Gather weapons and relics: each weapon is different from the others thanks to the procedural weapon generation system, which gives them various effects and attributes.
– Fight with all your might: defeat your enemies using a variety of weapons and objects and dominating the fluid head-to-head battle system.
– Level up: enhance your character by fighting enemies and upgrade your stats. Improve your summoned monsters by fighting alongside them.
– Death is not the end: Each try gets you closer to the Necromancer. You will lose all your equipped weapons and monsters, but you will retain half the level you achieved in your run. Also, you can choose to exit the dungeon at some moments, losing all your level progress but maintaining all your equipment.
– Learn the truth: Discover Tama and Koko’s past as you advance through the dungeon.
– Local co-op play: Use the Flask of Homunculus to create a copy of the playable character and play with a friend in local co-op game.

If you’re interested in the project, make sure to check out the Kickstarter page here. The game’s already in “an advanced stage of development” and is hoping to raise just 15,000€ to push it over the line.

Do you like the sound of this one? Would you enjoy using physical cards to scan into the game? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

Japanese entertainment rating organization CERO (Computer Entertainment Rating Agency) will be shutting down for a month as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company explained its staff will be unable to review submissions from home, and will therefore be suspending all operations until at least May 6, 2020.

It’s a decision that could lead to some game delays in the region, with all home console titles in Japan requiring a CERO rating before launch — similar to how PEGI and ESRB ratings work in Europe and North America.

“The government declared state of emergency regarding COVID-19, and the Governor of Tokyo asked people to refrain from going outside until May 6. Since reviewers visit our office to conduct review, it is not possible for our staff and reviewer to work from home,” reads a CERO statement.

“For this reason, all operations, including review (including those under review), will be suspended from today until May 6. All staff will be on standby at home, and the office will be closed during this time. We will announce the resumption of business on our website.

“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you, and thank you for your understanding.”

Newsbrief: Ubisoft’s Rocksmith team is getting to work on something new, and ending the creation of new Rocksmith DLC as a result.

The shift marks the end of quite a reign as the team has so far released DLC song packs across 383 weeks (for a total of 1570 songs) since the guitar-teaching rhythm game series got its start in 2011.

“For over a decade, we’ve watched players learn, grow, and constantly surprise us with your talent, creativity, and eagerness to help one another reach your goals,” reads a post from the team. “We truly could not be more proud to play a part in this guitar journey with you.”

Despite switching focus to a new, yet unannounced project, the Rocksmith team notes they plan to keep up with community events like regular developer streams and, eventually, updates on what they’ve got in the works.

I am extremely honored & excited to finally say that I'm the composer for the upcoming Nether Update for @Minecraft !!

There'll be a blog with more info soon, but for now I have a little mention in the latest snapshot blog ✨https://t.co/g7VICcnLNC pic.twitter.com/nAMmfJYX85

— kuraine ?‍? (@kuraine) April 8, 2020

When E3 2020 was cancelled earlier in the year, event organiser Entertainment Software Association said that an “online experience” which could replace the physical event was being explored. It has now been confirmed that no such digital event will be happening this year.

The news comes from an E3 representative, who shared the following statement with PC Gamer:

“Given the disruption brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, we will not be presenting an online E3 2020 event in June. Instead, we will be working with exhibitors to promote and showcase individual company announcements, including on www.E3expo.com, in the coming months. We look forward to bringing our industry and community together in 2021 to present a reimagined E3 that will highlight new offerings and thrill our audiences.”

Several publishers have confirmed that they either are, or are considering, hosting their own digital events this summer to replace E3 2020, including the likes of Nintendo, Microsoft, Square Enix, and Ubisoft; Bethesda has confirmed that it will not host an event.

As for E3 2021, the “reimagined” show mentioned in the statement above has now been confirmed to be taking place next June.

Were you hoping to see an official replacement event from E3? Or are you happy enough for publishers to just get on with their own thing this summer? Share your thoughts with us below.