Last week's game releases introduced a lot of fun games, such as Dr. Mario DX and Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness. This week, however, is the week for game ports, with Mac getting its own conversion of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PC, PS3, Xbox 360), the Nintendo DS getting the arcade classic Super Dodgeball Brawlers, and many others.

* Article originally posted May 26, 2008 at 12:37AM

What is a dungeon? Is it an ominous treasure vault filled with lonely creatures waiting to be taken down by your trusty sword arm? Or is it a bustling society all its own? That, dear readers, is what Firefly Studios and Gamecock Media Group want you to find out in this new trailer for Dungeon Hero (PC and Xbox 360).

Take a trip into the world behind a dungeon, where the many clans of creatures trying to survive in this rough and tumble world are besieged by a force of darkness beyond their reckoning. Down in the dark, a world much like ours is in need of a hero. Someone like yourself, it seems.

Watch the video, take a trip, and remember: there's more to dungeons than monsters and spoils... though there's plenty of that to go around as well.

 

Ever dreamed of just digging a bomb shelter and just staying there just to get away from it all? Well, this new video game from Gamecock Media and Firefly Studios will bring us the dungeon dwelling experience in Dungeon Hero.

This new dungeon-based title boasts of realistic dungeon life so expect to see all the perils and norms of subterranean existence. Dungeon Hero will sport HD graphics and immersive gameplay. According to Rick Stults, Console Chief for Gamecock Media Group:

Dungeon Hero sets itself apart from every dungeon game that has come before it. We love the realism that the game portrays, the living breathing dungeon aspect is something unique that hasn’t been done anywhere before and that’s the key to the innovation we’re looking to promote.

Along with all the other fun stuff, players will be able to do different things with the underground creatures. You'll get to meet some troll miners, imps, and even goblin cheese merchants. Dungeon Hero will be going to the PC and Xbox 360 platforms and currently has a tentative release date of early 2009. We'll keep you posted on more info and news about this title. Stay tuned.

Gamecock Media Group and Firefly Studios, the collaboration that brought us the memorable Stronghold series, is making a comeback, this time with a new action-RPG tentatively titled Hero. The pair first started joint efforts during the Gathering of Developers and the good relationship has bloomed well throughout the lifespan of their RTS franchise.

The two outfits have surprised the game community with their paradigm shift, as most expected another deep, historical RTS in the tradition of their previous work.

"When we discussed working with them again, they asked if we wanted the next Stronghold or an original title. The team was insanely passionate and committed to the new original title, so it was a no-brainer for us, we choose that," said Gamecock CEO Mike Wilson adding that "they understand that consumers want something more than another sequel and we plan to support that vision."

Simon Bradbury, Firefly's CEO, is optimistic about the new project, claiming that Gamecock is "a very artist driven and flexible company" even adding that they are "perfectly placed to take on "the establishment" in the shifting sands of the publishing landscape."

Firefly and Gamecock are already promising a realistic dungeon-dwelling experience driven by the former's new HD graphics engine. The game is set for release in Spring of 2009 for the PC and a next-gen console which is yet to be named. If you want to have a better feel of what the game will look like, check out the trailer below.

Download: [Hero Trailer]

It's not that easy to create a game, think of how hard it is to get somebody to publish it. Not everybody would take the risk to publish a game from an unknown developer. A newly formed independent publisher called Gamecock Media Group, from the founders of Gathering of Developers (GoD), have these small devs in mind. Gamespot was able to score an interview with Harry Miller, co-founder of GoD and Gamecock along with Michael Wilson.

According to Miller, they formed the new company under the same principles as the old one (GoD was acquired by Take-Two Interactive). They will focus on fresh ideas and indie devs. With GoD, they were newbies to the industry and enticed developers by offering them stock. Now, Miller says they "hope to be a little smarter and do a better job." They are aiming to be pro-developer in terms of letting the game engineers keep their IP (intellectual property), when other publishers open options to either acquire the company or the IP. According to Miller, in all their deals, the devs get to keep all their IP. They plan to have them keep the IPs to keep the games stay the same.

About the name, Miller explains that it just means that they want to take the backseat when publishing games. He added, that they "do advertising and promotions, but it's their [developers] name in the highlight and we're in the background. And that's how it should be. So our name is silly because it doesn't really matter."

Gamecock is "well funded" and most of the projects are funded by the founders themselves. They aren't film financing anymore, since movies mostly have good solid release dates. Distribution-wise, they are confident that they could get their games on the shelves.

They have already announced their line up for this year: Fury by Auran, Insecticides by Crackpot Entertainment, Mushroom Men by Red Fly Studios, Hail to the Chimp by Wideload Games, and Hero by Firefly Studios.

As pervy as this may sound to some, the truth is, we're really not being silly here. We're going to try to do our best to type this down despite some of us here being worried that we may get complaints related to political correctness.

Wideload Games, has recently announced that they picked Gamecock Media Group to publish their next title Hail to the Chimp, which is a self-proclaimed impossible-to-classify party game based on politics in the animal kingdom. The game is set to be released in spring 2008 for next gen consoles.

More stuff from Gamecock after the Jump!

Staying at home on Black Friday? Well, we're sure that you've a lot of technological thingamajigs to amuse you while pandemonium is erupting on North American stores. If you're an avid player of Firefly Studio's Stronghold Legends, then this tidbit is something that would put a smile on your bored and restless faces.

2K and Firefly Studios recently announced the first ever developer vs. fans match-up in Stronghold Legends, which sort of like the virtual version of the Adam Sandler movie, The Longest Yard, only this time you're King Arthur or Count Vlad or Siegfried.

Anyhow, this will take place today, November 24 at 6 p.m. GMT or 10 a.m. PST. Die-hard fans of the game will get an opportunity to test their mettle against Firefly's David Robertson and Niall Benzie.

The first session will only last for an hour but the team behind Stronghold is working to schedule additional future events. For you to get into the game, all you have to do is post in a forum thread that you can go to if you click the link below. Then, you'll be sent a password via PM on that forum which you would use in the game. When the clock strikes 6 p.m. or 10 a.m., simply log on to the Multiplayer lobby and join the game.

Interested? The read link is right there, we trust you know what to do. Have fun, you guys!

Boy, Firefly Studios sure does update their game a lot. Not long after they released the Stronghold Legends retail patch v1.1a, now comes an even better and bumped up patch version for the game -- v1.11.

Now, since the last version we were able to bring you was v1.1a, we'll include the overall changes that have been made from that version using v1.11:

• Units on top of gatehouses do not take damage when the gatehouse is destroyed.
• Improved multiplayer game connectivity.
• Improved map transfer system.
• Added ability to set the maximum number of players in a multiplayer game.
• Added LAN game filter in multiplayer game selection lobby.
• Removed ability for players joining multiplayer games to change their own team.
• Added network troubleshooting output file system.

v1.1 fixes and changes:

• Capture the Flag and Economic War icons removed from Custom Skirmish.
• Options tabs appear to be selectable even though they are unusable.
• At some resolutions the player looses the ability to see and select some user created maps.
• The player is unable to order the dragon to attack structures.
• The title for user maps is always "Enter the Dragon".
• Previously selected troops will remain selected after clicking on a building.
• The single building sleep button does not stop the building working.
• In some formations troops will move twice as fast when the user double clicks the right mouse button.
• In resolutions other than 1024x768 users are unable to see all save games in the load window.
• In resolutions other than 1024x768 not all maps are shown in custom skirmish and multiplayer lobbies.
• Mission Tutorial information can sometimes scroll slowly.
• In high resolutions on widescreen mouse selection cursor becomes inaccurate.
• Map transfer system implemented.
• Wood symbol appears when the carter horse is attacked and killed whist carrying weapons.
• The stone from the lookout tower smashes and floats downwards slowly.
• Units can climb terrain that they should not be able to climb.
• In the map editor the user can place water under units.
• Mouse control is lost when user goes into QuickLook, then alt-tabs out to the main menu, then re-enters the game.
• Troops walk over armoury when embedded in wall.
• User is able to adjust the difficulty level mid-game when difficulty is pre-set.
• When clicking on a peasant that says "Do you ever get that feeling of de ja vu?" there is no audio.

Download: [Stronghold Legends patch v1.11]

The dark ages weren't this cool. Get a load of Stronghold Legends. It's an RTS medieval game that takes elements from some of the popular MMOs and LAN games out there. You have a choice of starting the game as different rulers: King Arthur, Siegfried, or even Dracula.

Now, Firefly Studios has released a retail patch for the game, bringing it up to v1.1a. The US $ 39.95 patch has a bulk-load of changes and improvements. There's GUI enhancements to make the menus and screens easier to navigate as well as other changes like bug fixes, control improvements, and tweaks for the gameplay and editor.

Here's just some of those changes in detail:

• Capture the Flag and Economic War icons removed from Custom Skirmish.
• In some formations, troops will move twice as fast when the user double clicks the right mouse button.
• Map transfer system implemented.
• In the map editor the user can place water under units.
• User is able to adjust the difficulty level mid-game when difficulty is pre-set.

Oh and for those of you who've been waiting for the "Disney castle" patch... Err, we don't think that's ever going to happen here...

Click the "Read" link below to learn more about the changes and download the patch!

The castle-based, real-time strategy game, Stronghold Legends, has recently launched the Stronghold Legends: War of Legends Community Site which will serve as a central discussion point for the game. Aside from that, this new addition will urge fans to tackle and complete a series of game-related challenges in an effort to seize ultimate control of a kingdom. The site will be regularly updated with new puzzles, scavenger hunts, and other challenges that will instill fan cooperation. Working hand-in-hand for kingdom domination? Cool!

In case this is the first time you're hearing this PC game, Stronghold Legends is a dramatic addition to the Stronghold series of games. It is now amped with a range of new gameplay innovations which includes a different and new strategic conquest gameplay style and multiplayer modes. Gamers could play as King Arthur and his Round Table knights; they could also play as Count Vlad Dracula or Siegfried of Germany in 24 missions that span across three unique campaigns.

Interested? Check out the game's official site by clicking on the 'Read' link below.