Live-Action Feature Film Footage Vividly Recreates Action-packed
Techno-thriller Story By Dale Brown In Atari’s Upcoming PC Blockbuster
BEVERLY, MA, Jan. 14, 2005 – Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) today announced that Act of War: Direct Action™, a near-future, geopolitical techno-thriller for PC, will have a story created and written by New York Times best-selling author Dale Brown and will feature nearly one hour of original, live-action feature film footage produced by SWAT Films/Beyond FX to vividly present the story.
“SWAT Films theatrical interpretation of Dale Brown’s intense story gives Act of War: Direct Action™ a dramatic sense of authenticity and creates a truly immersive entertainment experience,” said Bob Welch, Executive Producer for Atari’s Beverly studio. “By bringing together a novelist, filmmakers and game developers, Act of War: Direct Action™ is more than the sum of its parts.”
“Producing nearly an hour of live-action film, as well as special effects for Atari’s Act of War: Direct Action™ was an exciting creative challenge,” said Daniel LeBlanc, Executive Producer, SWAT Films. “Our team had to produce film content to tell the game’s story in the traditional between-levels format while also sharing with players what was going on behind the scenes with voiceover and shorter film clips streamed to players mid-game. The goal was to draw them in with the story and let the game blow them away and there’s no doubt we’ve done just that.”
The film production element of Act of War: Direct Action™ was shot over two weeks and featured a cast of 10 principal actors and hundreds of extras. The film footage will be blended with scenes created by the in-game engine to tell the story of Jason Richter and Task Force Talon as they discover a web of intrigue and terrorism that spans the globe from Moscow to Washington, D.C. Act of War: Direct Action™ is due for release on PC in March 2005.
About SWAT Films
SWAT Films is a Montreal-based production house founded in 1994. In the past 10 years, it has become one of the most well respected production companies in Montreal, Qc, Canada. It has carried out over 500 production projects that span a wide range of fields: TV commercials, music videos, corporate films and the latest development, the integration of live-action film cinematics and in-game engines in interactive entertainment. Its customer base is extensive and the company has worked with such clients as the Coors Lite brewing company, Celine Dion, General Motors and McDonalds.
About BEYOND FX
Beyond FX is a visual effects studio located in Montreal, Québec. It has a unique approach where it gathers a personalized team around the needs of a specific project. This studio uses state-of-the-art computers and software technology to realize the vision of the most demanding projects.
Through a strong network of film artists, Beyond FX is able to expand around different types of projects by providing several services including storyboard conception, graphic design, animation, compositing and editing.
About Dale Brown
Dale Brown is the author of more than 15 New York Times bestsellers, including Plan of Attack (available in January 2005), his most recent novel starring his intrepid hero, Patrick McLanahan. His next book, Act of War (due out in June 2005), launches an unforgettable new series lead by a young new hero named Jason Richter. This surefire thriller combines geopolitics, terrorism, and plenty of action as it takes readers deep into the new world of intelligence-focused warfare like never before. A former U. S. Air Force captain, Brown can often be found flying his own plane over the skies of Nevada. He lives near Lake Tahoe. To learn more about Dale Brown and his books, visit his web site at: www.dalebrown.info.
Act of War™ FACT SHEET
Platform: PC
Release Date: March 2005
Developer: Eugen Systems
Publisher: Atari, Inc.
Category: Real-Time Strategy
ESRB Rating: Teen
Story Overview:
A ruthless secret group of petroleum company owners known as the Consortium finances an international terrorist organization to stage a series of attacks around the world in an effort to destabilize the global economy and profit from skyrocketing oil prices. A group of seasoned military veterans and young techies are recruited into a special high-tech task force and begin the worldwide job of tracking down the terrorists and uncovering the international conspiracy before the terrorists can strike in the heart of America itself.
Product Description:
Ripped from today’s headlines, Act of War is a frightening and believable tale of suspense, international intrigue and geopolitical military conflict. Through a techno-thriller story constructed by best-selling author Dale Brown, this real-time strategy experience puts you squarely in control of counterterrorist forces to defend cities of the world. It’s the first look at tomorrow’s war. No place is safe!
Product Features:
CHILLING AND BELIEVABLE STORYLINE – Storyline and game universe created in close cooperation with Dale Brown, 15 times NY Times best-selling author and expert on US military, global conflict and future military technology.
EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT - Zoom down to street level on the urban battlefields of San Francisco, Washington DC, London and Moscow; all highly detailed, realistic, and fully destructible. With a game-play where success is partly determined by your ability to medevac your own wounded soldiers and take enemies prisoner (rather than killing them), contemporary/near-future combat comes to life in a very modern way.
MILITARY AUTHENTICITY - First RTS to combine a reality universe with simple, elegant game play. Using highly detailed representations of existing and experimental military technology, all to scale, Act of War offers an authentic battle experience without the authentic complexity.
Strong focus on exceptional production value (audio, cinematics, story, technology)
Full 3D with ability to zoom in to see the action up-front for full immersion into the action.
Level of detail in character animations and textures only seen in FPS games to date.
Extensive multiplayer options and single-player skirmish mode for inifnite replayability.
About Dale Brown
Former U.S. Air Force captain Dale Brown is the superstar author of eleven consecutive New York Times best-selling military-action-aviation adventure novels: FLIGHT OF THE OLD DOG (1987), SILVER TOWER (1988), DAY OF THE CHEETAH (1989), HAMMERHEADS (1990), SKY MASTERS (1991), NIGHT OF THE HAWK (1992), CHAINS OF COMMAND (1993), STORMING HEAVEN (1994), SHADOWS OF STEEL (1996) and FATAL TERRAIN (1997), THE TIN MAN (1998), BATTLE BORN (1999), and WARRIOR CLASS (2001). His Fourteenth Novel AIRBATTLE FORCE will be published in late Spring 2003... Dale's novels are published in 11 languages and distributed to over 70 countries. Worldwide sales of his novels, audiobooks and computer games exceed 10 million copies. www.megafortress.com
ACT OF WAR MEDIA COVERAGE REPORT
Print Hits
Hollywood Reporter: Dec. 31 – High end cutscenes in games
Computer Games Magazine: March issue - Preview with cover mention
Computer Gaming World: March issue - Preview
Game Informer: April issue - Review possible game of month
Play Magazine: March issue - Preview
Gamepro: Still confirming March or April run date for preview
PC Gamer: Reporting strong sales of cover story at newsstand. Targeting April issue for preview, but they may hold off for review.
The National Post (Canada 247,000 circ.) – Interview with Bob Welch regarding the convergence of media pitch. Story runs two weeks after interview.
Demo
*Demo was distributed at noon on Friday Jan. 14
Gamespot.com – 21,767 downloads; #4 Coming Soon to PC Hot List
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/01/14/news_6116411.html
Fileplanet.com – 11,782 downloads; #2 What’s Hot List
http://www.fileplanet.com/files/140000/149381.shtml?r=5
CNET’s Download.com – 7,131 downloads
http://www.download.com/Act-of-War-Direct-Action-demo/3000-7486_4-10355889.html?tag=lst-0-1
Filefront.com – 4,611 downloads
http://files.filefront.com/Act_of_War_Direct_Action_US_Demo/;3785777;;/fileinfo.html
Yahoo Games Domain – Added Demo and made it front page
http://gamesdomain.yahoo.com/pc/act_of_war_direct_action/preview/59356
UGO.com – 409 downloads
http://downloads.ugo.com/details.php/id/5705
Worthplaying.com
http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=22586&mode=thread&order=0
Shacknews.com
http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/35228
3dgamers.com
http://www.3dgamers.com/news/more/1096480711/
Filerush.com
http://www.filerush.com/download.php?target=AOW_DEMO_EURO.EXE
Gamers.tv
http://www.gamers.tv/gtv/articles/view/4835
Evilavatar.com
http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=195
Homelanfed.com
http://www.homelanfed.com/index.php?id=28657
Futuremark.com
http://www.futuremark.com/news/?newsarticle=200501/2005011501
Gaminggroove.com
http://www.gaminggroove.com/newsitem.php?id=1611
About.com
http://compactiongames.about.com/b/a/139443.htm
Ferrago.com
http://www.ferrago.com/portal/cluster/110428
Gamershell.com
http://www.gamershell.com/news/19565.html
Actiontrip.com
http://www.actiontrip.com
SWAT Press Release Hits
Financial Sites: Yahoo, Forbes, Electronic Gaming Business, CBS Marketwatch, Hoovers, Lycos, MSN Money, NASDAQ, The Street, FinanaceCanada.com, Big Charts, USAtoday.com, The Baltimore Sun, The Daily Press, LA Times, Newsday, Dallas Morning News, Hollywoodreporter.com
IGN.com
http://pc.ign.com/articles/579/579756p1.html
Gameinformer.com
http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200501/N05.0114.1016.56064.htm
Digital Backspin
http://www.digitalbackspin.com/adm/templates/news-tmp.asp?articleid=1571&zoneid=1
Worthplaying.com
http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=22453
Console Gold.com
http://www.consolegold.com/News/
Mygamer.com
http://www.mygamer.com/index.php?platform=PC%20games&publisher=&developer=&game=&page=globalnews&mode=viewnews&id=594
Digitalentertainmentnews.com
http://www.digitalentertainmentnews.com/news.php?story_id=7236
1 Up.com
http://pc.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3137777
Game Zone.com
http://pc.gamezone.com/news/01_14_05_10_10AM.htm
Thunder Bolt games.com
http://thunderboltgames.com/news/viewnews.php?nid=1016
Total Video games.com
http://www.totalvideogames.com/pages/articles/index.php?article_id=7034
War Cry.com
http://www.warcry.com/scripts/columns/view_sectionalt.phtml?site=15&id=108&colid=6207
West Chester 1.com
http://www.westchester1.com/
http://www.westchester1.com/
New Media
Digitalentertainmentnews.com
http://www.digitalentertainmentnews.com/news.php?story_id=7221
Gamespy.com
http://media.pc.gamespy.com/media/697/697866/imgs_1.html
Filefront.com
http://news.filefront.com/Act_of_War_Screenies/;16246;/topic.html
Worthplaying.com – FAK#2
http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=22453
Worthplaying.com – New Screens
http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=22544
Gameinformer.com- Feature Asset Kit #1
http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/6A0503C6-B682-48D6-9B6C-FE05DF040F12.htm
Gameinformer.com- Feature Asset Kit #2
http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200501/N05.0107.1354.35323.htm
3dgamers.com
http://www.3dgamers.com/news/more/1096480706/
Previews
Digitalentertainmentnews.com
http://www.digitalentertainmentnews.com/preview.php?story_id=7020
IGN.com – Strategy roundup for 2005
http://pc.ign.com/articles/579/579174p1.html
Hamelan.com – Dale Brown Interview
http://www.homelanfed.com/index.php?id=28648
Other News
Bluesnews.com – Website Update
http://www.bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/board.pl?action=postmessage&boardid=1&id=0&threadid=53695
Homelan.com- Reprint of Hollywood Reporter article
http://www.homelanfed.com/index.php?id=28417
Homelan.com- Reprint of CVG.com preview
http://www.homelanfed.com/index.php?id=28350
Gameinformer.com – Nimrod Music Music Release
http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200501/N05.0107.1354.35323.htm
Telefragged.com – Reposted GamesDomain post
http://www.telefragged.com/
Worthplaying.com – Demo Coming!
http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=22241
Homelanfed.com – Reposted GamesDomain post
http://www.homelanfed.com/index.php?id=28684
Gaminggroove.com
http://www.gaminggroove.com/newsitem.php?id=1611
Ferrago.com – All Act of War coverage
http://www.ferrago.com/portal/cluster/88925
Click
here for more on Plan Of Attack!
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Plan Of Attack At Amazon.Com!
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Plan Of Attack (MAY 2004)
The unthinkable is about to happen in this high-flying novel of adventure
and suspense.
In Air Battle Force, Dale Brown introduced U.S. Air Force aerial warfare
expert Major General Patrick McLanahan and
his air combat unit of the future. Armed with a force of these robotic
planes, the general and a handful of commandos were
secretly deployed to the oil-rich nation of Turkmenistan to stop a Taliban
invasion. And though the Americans won the battle, the war is far from over....
To punish McLanahan and his fleet of robot warplanes for their audacity,
Russian president General Anatoliy Gryzlov decides to do the unthinkable: a
sneak attack on America-unlike anything ever believed possible-that devastates her
strategic air forces.
McLanahan has collected information that not only foretold the Russians'
daring plan, but also gave him the data he
needs to plan a counterstrike that could stop the Russian war machine dead
in its tracks. But Patrick is no longer in charge
of Air Battle Force, and the Russian sneak attack has left the embattled
U.S. president with few options: retaliate with
every weapon in his arsenal, even if it triggers a global thermonuclear
war, or to a cease fire on Russia's terms...
...or listen to a disgraced and discredited young bomber commander's
long-shot plan of attack.
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"The novels of Dale Brown brim with violent action, detailed descriptions of
sophisticated weaponry and political intrigue... His ability to bring technical
weaponry to life is amazing."
--San Francisco Chronicle
Contact Information:
Rights:
Robert Gottlieb
Trident Media Group
(212) 262-4810
Webmaster:
Parker Information Resources
bparker@parkerinfo.com
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ATARI’S ACT OF WAR: DIRECT ACTION BLURS THE LINES BETWEEN FILMS, NOVELS AND VIDEO GAMES
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