Nimblebit has released a new update for its kart racer/combat game Zero Gear, now available for download. The patch brings the new map ‘Aqua Race’ to the game along with a handful of bug fixes and other tweaks including a couple of improvements to dedicated servers.

The new map along with the rest of the update is available now via Steam, for owners of the game simply restart the Steam client to apply.

From the change log:

Zero Gear

• New race map added: Aqua Race
• Stat based achievements will now trigger properly (Drive 500 Miles, Flight of the Falcon, etc)
• Dedicated server no longer uses NAT punch through (if you were having problems with lag on servers, try connecting to a dedicated server now)
• A LAN server will only be listed once now if there it is also an internet server
• Invites to dedicated servers are fixed
• Plugins now supported, see pluginScripts.txt in the server directory and Assets\Scripts\Plugins for more info
• AdminRemoteControl.lua plugin added from community member Chris M

Ludosity Interactive has released a new update for its recently released adventure game Bob Came in Pieces, now available for download via Steam.

The patch brings a few fixes and improvements dealing with some gameplay elements specifically dealing with Chapter eight and ten.

For owners of the game the update can be accessed by restarting the Steam client. The game is currently on sale for 25% off, but that deal ends tomorrow, so hurry!

From the change log:

Bob Came in Pieces

• Repaired the last puzzle on Chapter 8
• Made windpuzzle on Chapter 10 clearer
• Fixed a minor bug in Save As dialog

RailSimulator continues to release new content for its train sim RailWorks at breakneck speeds. Earlier this week announcing add-ons The Southern Pacific GS-4 Pack and 0-4-0ST Saddle Tank Locomotive Pack.

Both pieces of DLC bring a variety of new content to the title including new trains, free roams, scenarios and more.

The Southern Pacific pack runs $20 while the Saddle Tank pack currently offers a discounted tag of $9 instead of the standard $13.

From the descriptions:

Southern Pacific ordered a total of 28 Class GS-4 (“GoldenState”) locomotives from Lima Locomotive Works, with streamlined Daylight livery. The GS-4s began to be delivered to the railroad in 1941. Locomotive 4449 was retired in 1957 and was restored to operational condition and repainted into red, white and blue as part of the USA’s bi-centennial celebrations.

The earliest tank locomotives date from the 1840s, one of the first of which was used to build branch lines along the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway in the UK. In spite of the early belief that such locomotives were inherently unsafe, the idea quickly caught on, particularly for industrial use and five manufacturers exhibited designs at an Exhibition in 1851.

Nimbly Games has released a large update for its combat flyer Altitude, now available for Steam users. Included in the patch are ten new 1-life deathmatch maps, new plane skins, improvements, balance tweaks, expanded options and more.

The download for the multiplayer-heavy title can be had by owners of the game simply by restarting the Steam client. Altitude itself is available for $10.

Lengthy change-log follows.

Added Plane Skins:

• View all skins under Hangar Deck -> Community Points
• Added shark skins for all planes
• Added zebra skins for all planes

New Maps:

• Added 10 new 1-life deathmatch maps (thanks Maimer)
• Updated 1dm_clocktower (thanks pig_bomb)

Ball Mode Improvements:

• Refined ball collision bounds for more predictable bounces off terrain
• Increased elasticity of ball collisions (less speed lost when bouncing off surfaces)
• Decreased drag on ball (less speed lost while ball sails through open air)
• Miranda must now wait 0.7 seconds after releasing the ball before warping (Realism note: warp core jury-rigged to provide blast for ball ejection, takes a moment to reconfigure)
• Larger planes now shoot the ball significantly faster (previously, all planes ejected with velocity = 13.5)
  • Bomber: 18.5
  • Explodet: 18.5
  • Miranda: 16.8
  • Biplane: 16.5
  • Loopy: 14.5
• Larger planes now retain more speed while carrying ball, smaller planes significantly slowed by extra weight (all planes still lose 50% afterburner effectivness while carrying ball)
  • Explodet: 94% (up from 87%)
  • Bomber: 94% (up from 87%)
  • Miranda: 88% (up from 86%)
  • Biplane: 86% (up from 85%)
  • Loopy: 79% (down from 82%)

Balance Changes:

• Ace Instincts: now reduces XP required to gain a bar from 10 to 8 in addition to increasing per bar bonuses to speed/turn/regen/damage by 50%
• Miranda’s Reverse ability now temporarily disables Repair Drone just like afterburning
• Miranda’s Time Anchor cooldown is increased by 42% when carrying the Big Bomb or Ball
• Miranda Charge Shot:
  • improved collision bounds for more predictable bounces off terrain
  • can no longer hit the same plane twice with a single shot
  • each bounce now reduces the total damage by 25% (up from 20%)
• Miranda Laser:
  • increased total damage by 4% (260 -> 270)
  • increased length by 1% (273 -> 276)
  • increased duration by 1% (.8045 -> .812)
• Explodet (all forms):
• Explodet Remote Mine:
  • no longer collides with planes, complete control of detonation just like rockets
  • increased cooldown (0.35 -> 0.66)
  • increased minimum release->detonation time (0.15 -> 0.30)
  • reduced blast radius by 4%
  • increased ejection speed by 18%
  • increased damage by 3%
  • increased knockback by 3%
  • increased maximum lifetime (6.8 -> 8.8 seconds)

Expanded Options:

• Options -> Graphics now remembers independent resolution preferences for fullscreen and windowed mode (new defaults: fullscreen at native/desktop resolution, F3 toggles to 1024×768 windowed)
• Additional display options available under Options -> Gameplay:
  • Show Plane Skins
  • Show Ping/FPS in bottom left
  • Show Exp Log (Killed A for 10 xp, Assist on B for 4xp, etc) in bottom middle
  • Show Kill Popups in bottom right
  • Change chat opacity (for better visibility of left side of screen, hit enter to view chat at full opacity)

Network Improvements:

• Improved UPnP compatibility on many routers
• Improved network compatibility for players with unstable, multi-IP network connections (bindIp=”AUTO”)
• Improved server list retrieval to avoid a rare issue that could cause disconnections on some routers

UI Enhancements:

• Re-skinned menu UI
• Added “Assists” and “Current Map” information to scoreboard
• Added “Server Event” info boxes for major events (ex: successful bomb drop in TBD, includes percent damage inflicted)
• Added graphical “You killed” and “Killed by” notifications
• Added “Team Eliminated” messages to 1-life game modes
• Reworked Respawn UI for better clarity and full-screen spectating
• Reworked Award Screen for better clarity and additional info (Team MVPs, top 3 in FFA)

Gamepad Support:

• Added “disable controller support” option to Options -> Controls
• Move up/down/left/right using the Axis and POV directional pad
• Click buttons by pressing FirePrimary/FireSecondary/UsePowerup
• Change window focus (e.g. between ServerList and MainMenu) by pressing ChangePlane/ChangeTeam
• Tab cycle component focus by pressing Scoreboard
• Cancel by pressing Escape

Server Improvements:

• Added infractions to kick command (a player gains an infraction each time he is kicked from a server, each infraction expires after 24 hours)
• Kick times now scale with infractions (2 min, 10 min, 30 min, 60 min, 120 min) to prevent problematic players from continuously rejoining

Bug Fixes:

• Fixed visual artifacts (font, UI lines) for widescreen resolutions, native resolution should look good on all displays now
• Plane balls can no longer teleport through the goal when fired point-blank
• Server list now retains current selection while updating
• Server list no longer shows “maxPlayers <= 2″ in UI when “All” is selected
• UI display bugs when testPlaneScale has been set
• config/options.xml now saved even on failed startup for easier debugging
• Server launcher now restarts to update if there is insufficient memory to update while running
• Bot kills and deaths no longer affect lifetime stats (Hangar Deck -> Stats)

Experience per minute from bot kills is now capped to discourage bot farming

EXOR Studios’ undead-killing Zombie Driver seems to have made quite the splash. Our own editor Peter Eykemans reviewed the game and listed his pros and cons. But for those who enjoy more of a hands-on approach, there’s good news. You can now play through the Zombie Driver demo–which contains 3 story mode missions–and decide if the game is worth the ten dollar plunge. (Or, as in my case, whether it can even run well on your computer). The demo is available and accessible through FilePlanet, FileFront, Gamespot, Bigdownload, AtomicGamer and directly on Steam.

But the news doesn’t end there. For those who are already into the game, EXOR will support it by way of downloadable content. The developer has announced that it will unleash a new Survival game mode in which players will test their skills in new and specially organized arenas. Also included in the DLC update (which will be free) are Steam leaderboards and achievements. New details will arise as time goes on.

Check out this trailer!

Nimblebit has released a new update for its kart combat/racer Zero Gear, now available for download on Steam.  I had a good time giving the game a spin during its free offering launch this last weekend, but more on that in a later, more detailed writing.

The patch brings improvements to the server browser application along with a few bug fixes. Change log follows–anyone else get a chance to check out the game during its free release period?

King Arthur: The Role-Playing Wargame just got its first batch of DLC. There are two separate packs now available for download: Knights & Vassals and Legendary Artifacts.

The first introduces four new units and two new knights to join your forces, and the second brings three new sets of artifacts that you’ll earn as rewards for new battle missions. You can check out the full details of each expansion below.

The packs are supposed to release today, but we haven’t been able to find them just yet.

Arcen Games has announced the release of The Zenith Remnant expansion for their large-scale RTS AI War: Fleet Command.

The expansion adds a ton of new content including 122 new ships, 12 new AI types, 4 Zenith alien minor factions, new AI behaviors, map styles, music and more. Remember that you can expect free DLC updates every month for the game as long as it has a community to support it.

Get the expansion from Steam, Impulse or Arcen itself for $10. To celebrate Steam has given the base game a 50% discount through Wednesday, January 20. Full description follows.

Nimblebit’s kart racer Zero Gear has just been released via Steam, and in once of the coolest acts of celebration I’ve seen to date, the dev has made the game free to play for the rest of the launch week. All you need in a Steam account and you can play for the next 5 days.

While the game will run $20 standard, it’s currently 25% off until the end of the free offer, so if you like it, buy it before the trial period ends to save yourself $5.

I’ll check out the multiplayer madness and post a review of the game later this week, along with a half-dozen or so others I’ve been meaning to catch up on…Oh! and ZG got a launch-day update too, notes follow.

Yullaby has announced the release of a playable PC demo for its casual puzzler Magnetis, now available for download via Steam.

The trial version includes time attack mode and (interestingly) online leaderboards and achievements are also included. Exactly to what extent is unclear, as those game features are generally reserved for those who purchase the title.

Magnetis is available now for $5 on Steam. An update for the game has also been released that brings among other things the aforementioned online leaderboards, change log follows.