TECHY GAMERZ

Ain't she a beautiful sight? Back in June, SCS Software announced that the map scale of  American Truck Simulator  would be changed from 1:35 to 1:20. You might think that is one of the least exciting-sounding announcements in the history of this publication, and you would be right, but it will actually have a big impact on the game,  lengthening roads  and opening up space for future growth.  SCS said at the time that it would take "several months" for the expansion to happen, and it wasn't kidding. However, the update is now close enough to finished that it's been released as an open beta for anyone who wants to try it.  The biggest changes, as detailed on the SCS Software blog:  Scale : It's bigger! You will understand it once you start the game. New chassis options (6x2 and 6x2 Midlift) : There is an option now to choose 6x2 chassis or 6x2 chassis with lift-able axles (lifted axles avoid unnecessary tire wear when the weight di...

Blake Jorgensen says EA studios develop for the most powerful systems, and then scale back for consoles. It's still fairly common for PC to get average ports of console-targeted blockbuster titles, but according to Electronic Arts' CFO, it may be the other way around for his publisher's studios. Speaking at the UBS Global Technology Conference, Blake Jorgensen said the company aims for the highest spec PC, and then scales back accordingly for consoles. The question arose during a discussion about the company's flexibility when it comes to console cycles. Moving all of its games to the Frostbite Engine has meant that dramatic upgrades only need to happen for one engine, rather than "25", according to Jorgensen.  In any case, he believes Microsoft and Sony are moving towards more iterative hardware upgrades anyway, and that backwards compatibility between these iterations will stop games dying at retail, thus making investing in games less risky. I...