atomic-games posts

Destruction physics are gradually becoming more common. Games like Bad Company 2 and Red Faction Guerrilla have incorporated the destruction of the environment as main mechanics, and it makes them both ridiculous and awesome. After all, nothing is quite as hilarious as dropping a building on a friend by blowing out all the supports. The newest game to incorporate these destruction physics is Breach, and it claims to have far better physics than any other similar game on the market. In the end, however, Breach falls short, both in its physics and in its gameplay. It never quite lives up to the developer's promises, and ends up being more of a budget version of the aforementioned games. It's a shame, as there is a lot of unfulfilled potential here that is hidden under a sea of poor graphics, stiff mechanics, and half-implemented features.

Atomic Games is known for attempting to infuse their games with a bit of realism. Their Close Combat series was, after all, used as tactical simulators for the Army. Breach aims to take a bit of slightly futuristic, but possible (or already prototyped!) technology and put it in your hands. The four gadgets featured in this trailer are: a bionic ear with LED heads-up display, a motion sensor, a sonic imager to see through walls, and an infrared sniper detector to catch those pesky snipers. While a few of these seem like they are in the realm of science fiction (sonic imagers being the big one), it's certainly cool enough to play with!

Download HD Breach 'Gadgets' Trailer
Check out all Breach downloads

We've seen gameplay like this before, but that's not going to stop Atomic Games! The creators of the Close Combat series are working on a multiplayer FPS called Breach, and they've finally released a gameplay trailer. This trailer showcases the terrain destruction, bullet penetration, cover system, and experience gain in Breach. While it doesn't appear to be anything incredibly special, it definitely looks like it will scratch that modern warfare itch for those that can't (or won't) buy Bad Company 2 or Call of Duty.

Download HD Breach 'Gone Gold' Gameplay Trailer
Check out all Breach downloads

Developer Atomic Games' modern day first person shooter Breach has been in development for some time and today the company finally announced that the game has "gone gold", meaning that the main development has been completed. The PC version of the game is due out on January 26 and will be priced at $19.99. The PC version will be available via download and will also be found in retail stores.

The PC version will have support for Nvidia' PhysX tech which means folks with Nividia graphics cards will have "larger explosions, particle effects and more" compared to the Xbox 360 version. The PC port will also have an additional Hardcore game mode as well as dedicated server support.

It's been a little while since we have heard anything about Breach, the multiplayer-oriented first person shooter from developer Atomic Games. Today the company sent over word of what players can expect if they decide to check out the game's Hardcore mode.

Hardcore mode can be enabled to work on any of Breach's game types and maps and includes features like no mini-radar map, a minimal player HUD, a more realistic damage system and more. Hardcore mode also launches a new game type, the Sole Survivor mode, where players are given just one life in matches with no respawns. Breach is still scheduled to be released via download in January.

The state of North Carolina just became more friendly to game developers. The Triangle Business Journal reports that the state''s governor Bev Perdue has just signed into law a new tax break that should encourage more game developers to work in North Carolina.

The law, which was signed by Perdue at the offices of Epic Games (located in Cary, NC), will give creators of " digital media products" a 15 percent tax credit on all all development costs that exceed $50,000. The tax break increases to 20 percent if the developer works with a university or community college. Besides Epic Games a number of other game developers already call North Carolina home including Ubisoft's Red Storm team, Virtual Heroes (America's Army) and Atomic Games (Breach). Most are located in the state's Research Triangle Park area.

One of the more interesting upcoming downloadable games has gotten its released date pushed back. Developer Atomic Games has announced that their multiplayer shooter Breach will not be released this summer as previously announced. Instead the game will be released for both the PC and Xbox 360 sometime in January 2011.

However the development team has decided to take the extra time to put in some new features into Breach including a new Hardcore mode. Atomic Games says the new mode was put in the game in part due to input from certain unnamed "organizations" that wanted to use a modified version of the game for training purposes.

[Via email press release]

Developer Atomic Games has had to deal with issues that are similar to the well known saying, "If life gives you lemons, make lemonade." The developer was handed a big pile of lemons when their third person modern military shooter Six Days in Fallujah got its publishing deal pulled by Konami just a few weeks after it was first announced in 2009.

That didn't stop the developer and in 2010 they revealed plans for a downloadable multiplayer shooter titled Breach that will come out for the Xbox 360 first but will have a PC version at a later date. Big Download got in touch with Atomic to learn more about their plans for the game.

The suspect who allegedly tried to steal early code for Atomic Games' upcoming first person shooter Breach last March at PAX East has officially pleaded not guilty to the charges today. 20 year old Justin May of Delaware appeared in court for the first time in Boston today.

As reported last March, May is accused of using his laptop to try to download a copy of the Xbox 360 version of the game which was being shown at PAX East. Peter Tamte, the head of Atomic Games, states, "Breach, and our Hydrogen game engine, are the result of millions of dollars of investment and years of hard work. It would have been very harmful if Breach had been posted on the Internet months before its planned release. Thankfully the Boston Police Department and Suffolk County District Attorney quickly realized the seriousness of the crime and plan to prosecute Mr. May."

[Via email press release]

The odd story of a man accused of trying to steal an upcoming game's code during PAX East this past weekend has ended its first phase. Our sister site Joystiq reports that the suspect, 20 year old Justin D. May, has finally agreed to appear in court for the first time on May 19. May was arrested last Sunday after he allegedly tried download the software to the upcoming multiplayer shooter Breach from a booth at PAX East in Boston to May's laptop.

May denied he tried to steal the software to Joystiq but then he skipped out of his first planned court appearance on Tuesday. The story gives no reason as to why May made this decision but the Suffolk Country District Attorney's office does not plan to press any additional charges for the bail skipping.