Search: Web        
powered by
Nerdvana: Sci-fi, comics, games & more ~ Sci-Fi, fantasy, TV, film, comics and games - all the keys to your inner geekdom.

Archive for the 'Mesa' Category

Developer cites ‘good progress’ on troubled ‘Stargate’ MMO

November 18th, 2009, 2:06 pm by Jayson Peters

IncGamers recently spoke with Mesa-based Stargate Worlds developer Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment about the increasing flow of news about the long-stalled online RPG:

sgwlogo“Yes it is good to have some new content to show and start to be back in the public eye,” marketing director Jeremy Taylor told the site. “Most of our time without announcements came from the uncertainty of funding as we did not want to give our community and fan base consistently changing info. Production has never completely stopped and we still have a good group of developers working on bringing good quality content to market. It is certainly true that we went through our fair share of attrition due to funding issues but there is a team here and they are very dedicated.”

“While we continue to seek funding to take us to the finish line we are doing better and are making good progress.” Read the rest of this entry »

‘Stargate Worlds’ developer shows some class

November 16th, 2009, 1:55 pm by Jayson Peters

Not long after announcing a lull in updates until funding could be worked out, the company behind the online roleplaying game Stargate Worlds has updated its website to thank fans for their patience and reward them with a slew of new images from the project. Read the rest of this entry »

Despite signs of life, ‘Stargate Worlds’ out of money, on hold

November 8th, 2009, 9:28 am by Jayson Peters

sgwlogoStargate Worlds, the planned online roleplaying game based on the sci-fi movie and TV series, is now officially on hold until further funding can be found.

Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment CEO Timothy Jensen told Massively that the company’s recent website outage was due to a change in server providers. Around that same time, footage from the stalled game appeared in the Oct. 2 series premiere of Stargage Universe on Syfy, raising many fans’ hope that Stargate Worlds was finally going to shake its vaporware reputation.

But Jensen also said no new updates on the game’s status will come until more money can be secured.

The company and its founder and principal owner, Gary Whiting, were recently sued by investors who claim misuse of company funds. The Mesa company was granted a license by MGM in 2006 to develop an online roleplaying game based on the Stargate film and TV series, but those efforts have repeatedly stalled as the game’s financial backing came into question.

Meanwhile, Atari’s MMORPG Star Trek Online is forging ahead at warp speed. The company recently announced a Feb. 2 launch date for North America.

Via IncGamers

Is the time of making movies Down Under over?

October 18th, 2009, 3:23 pm by Jayson Peters

hal-greenlanternProduction of Warner Bros.’ Green Lantern has pulled up stakes from Australia, part of an overall decision by the movie studio to reassess its overseas filming operations, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The reason is the power of green — or the lack thereof. As the falling U.S. dollar continues its slide, the once-sound financial strategy to film Down Under has become more expensive. George Lucas took production of his Star Wars prequels to the then-new Fox Studios Australia in Sydney. In 1998, it was a bargain.

With a live-action Star Wars television series on the way, the land of koalas and kangaroos has been floated as a possible base of operations for that lucrative venture — but these days even Lucas isn’t so sure. Read the rest of this entry »

Investor sues ‘Stargate’ computer game developer

October 2nd, 2009, 1:54 am by Jayson Peters

Mesa-based Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment and its founder and principal owner are named as defendants in a lawsuit filed by investors who claim he took and used company funds.

Gary Whiting’s company was granted a license by MGM in 2006 to develop an online roleplaying game based on the Stargate film and TV series. Those efforts stalled as the game’s financial backing came into question, but one executive expressed optimism as recently as Aug. 31.

2The suit also names as a defendant Mmoguls, another company owned by Whiting. Mmoguls is described in the court documents as “an incentivized gaming network marketing company through which customers would pay to play online computer games and have the opportunity to create a network through which a customer could be paid by encouraging others to sign up with Mmoguls, Inc.”

If that looks and sounds like it’s too good to be true, you’re not alone. How does MGM feel about their brand’s involvement with such a business model … especially with a brand-new TV series, Stargate Universe, launching TODAY on Syfy, and no lucrative video game to go with it? Read the rest of this entry »

‘Wizard of Oz’ goes HD for 70th anniversary

September 6th, 2009, 10:08 pm by Jayson Peters

wizard_of_oz

The Yellow Brick Road never looked so yellow and bricky.

The film adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s Wizard of Oz is turning 70, and to celebrate the occasion a remastered, high-def version has been prepared for a national theater tour. Turner Classic Movies host and film historian Robert Osborne recorded an introduction for the movie, which will be screened Sept. 23 at several Valley theaters. Read the rest of this entry »

Is Mesa company’s ‘Stargate’ game back on track?

August 31st, 2009, 4:27 pm by Jayson Peters

Mesa-based Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment seems to be seeing better days. The developer of the online roleplaying game Stargate Worlds has reportedly secured the funding it needs to finish work on the project, which is based on a hit movie and TV series, and is on its way to repaying its vendors and employees.

Cheyenne Mountain exec Shane Hensley told MMORPG.com:

quotemarks“Things are actually very good here right now. We received some funding commitments that will provide financing over time and allow us to move forward with development and start catching up on our past due financial obligations, including some back payroll that we paid last week.”

In mid-August, the company’s statements took a more pessimistic tone, with CEO Tim Jenson telling the official Stargate Worlds online forum that his company has not managed to secure funding for the online roleplaying game. A report that surfaced in July suggested that if funding wasn’t secured by Aug.1, MGM Studios would pull the license that allows Cheyenne and its publisher, FireSky, to produce content based on the Stargate properties. So far, there is no official word that such a move is imminent.

Busting makes you feel good

August 27th, 2009, 10:28 am by Jayson Peters

The Arizona Ghostbusters will drop by the Mesa Bookmans 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday.

No, the store isn’t haunted (that I know of). The local costuming fan club and volunteer organization is on a mission to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original Ghostbusters movie while raising awareness of a Step Out to Fight Diabetes walk.

dscn0249

Arizona Ghostbusters

Bookmans now selling NEW video games

August 3rd, 2009, 4:48 pm by Jayson Peters

After years of selling people’s unwanted stuff, Bookmans Entertainment Exchange is adding something new. Literally.

Bookmans Flickr page

Photo: Bookmans Flickr page

The Arizona chain of used bookstores is now offering factory-sealed video games for the Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS at all six of its locations.

Titles mentioned in the announcement include Little Big Planet, Ghostbusters and Lego Battles, but that’s just a sampling. They’ll still have plenty of used inventory to choose from, if you’re looking for a deal.

Bookmans offers trade credit and cash for in-demand books, games, movies, music and collectibles.

They have Valley stores at Country Club Drive and Southern Avenue in Mesa and Northern and 19th avenues in Phoenix, plus three locations in Tucson and one in Flagstaff.

The Mesa store is undergoing a renovation (see photo) that will include a cafe when it’s done, but remains open for business during construction.

Atomic Comics in Mesa holds ‘Transformers’ contest

June 16th, 2009, 8:20 pm by Jayson Peters

Transformers Revenge of the FallenAre you in your Prime?

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen opens June 24, and to celebrate Atomic Comics in Mesa is hosting a costume and “robotic dance move” contest 6 to 7 p.m. Friday, June 19. The prize pack includes a screening pass, movie T-shirt, comic book and Atomic Comics gift card.

The store’s address is 1120 S. Country Club Drive, No. 105, on the northwest corner of Southern Avenue and Country Club.

Transform and roll out!

See also: ‘Transformers’ toys live up to big-screen robots

ADVERTISEMENT