Ubisoft Eyes Free-to-Play Game Sector
French publisher Ubisoft has completed its acquisition of German game developer Related Designs, in a move that signals its willingness to invest in the free-to-play online game sector as well.
Set up in 1995, Related Designs is one of the best game developers in Germany, best known for its PC real-time strategy games such as No Man’s Land, Castle Strike, and especially the Anno Series, most notably Anno 1404 (released in the U.S. as Dawn of Discovery) and Anno 2070.
Screenshot of Related Designs’ Anno 2070
Ubisoft is the third largest game publisher in the United States and Canada and the driving force behind widely popular game franchises such as Prince of Persia, Far Cry and Assassin’s Creed. The French company already owned a 29.95 percent stake in Related Designs and has now purchased the remaining 70.05 percent. The terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
The acquisition signals Ubisoft’s intention to become more invested in the sector of free-to-play online games. Related Designs may be best known for its real-time strategy games but the German developer has been working lately on the popular Might & Magic Heroes Online, a free browser-based massively multiplayer role playing game.
Under the French publisher’s umbrella, Related Designs’ 65-person team will continue to work on the browser MMORPG project, while collaborating with Ubisoft’s Blue Byte studio, also based in Germany, for other titles. Related Designs and Blue Byte, developers of The Settlers eight-game series, have already been working together for six years.
The buy will allow Ubisoft and Related Designs to share experience and resources more easily in developing new games. The French publisher also hopes that the Might & Magic Heroes Online project will become a successful title in its portfolio and a well established name on the free-to-play game market.
[Image via Digital Digest]
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World’s Largest Telescope May Reveal Universe History
Here is some good news for astronomers and passionate stargazers: construction works on the world’s largest telescope will begin really soon! The project was recently approved by Hawaii authorities, paving the way for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) construction on top of Mauna Kea volcano.
The TMT is designed to be the most advanced telescope available today, allowing astronomers to catch a glimpse of the early years of our universe by seeing 13 billion light years away. Its 100-foot-long (about 30 meters) mirror will enable the device to produce considerably sharper images, even of planets orbiting distant stars. Scientists say the gigantic TMT mirror will reveal the history of the universe by offering an unprecedented look at how the first galaxies formed, billions of years after the Big Bang.
The $1 billion project is the result of collaboration between scientists and universities in Canada, China, India, Japan and the United States. It is scheduled to be completed in 2018. The Mauna Kea dormant volcano is a very popular location for astronomers because its height of 13,796 feet (4,205 meters) and its relatively pollution-free environment allow a clear view of the sky. There are already dozens of telescopes in the area.
The project was met with opposition from various Native Hawaiian groups and environmentalists for being a threat to local ancient burial sites and some endangered species. Hawaiian authorities have attempted to allay concerns by making the TMT team vow that it will train its members on responsible development in respect of the local environment and culture.
The TMT may not retain the title of world’s largest telescope for long. Several European countries are working together to build a larger device, the European Extremely Large Telescope, which will be equipped with a mirror of 138 feet (roughly 42 meters). A location has not yet been selected, but the group is reportedly looking at sites in Spain, Morocco, Argentina and Chile. A separate telescope with an 80-foot (24 meters) mirror will be built in Chile and is also expected to be ready in 2018.
[Image via Cosmicdiary]
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PlaneSploit App Could Hijack an Airplane
Did you ever imagine that a simple smartphone app could become a deadly instrument used to hijack a plane? As impossible as it may sound, know that the necessary software has already been developed.
An experienced IT specialist, security analyst and commercial pilot, Hugo Teso created the app in order to expose the flaws and vulnerabilities of aircraft computers, further revealing that some systems don’t have any kind of security measures in place.
The Android application, called PlaneSploit, would allow a possible attacker to hijack an airplane’s onboard computer and take over its controls remotely. At a recent security conference, Teso demonstrated how the software works, by taking control of a virtual Boeing jet in autopilot mode. Such an attack could be thwarted by switching the aircraft to manual mode, but most modern systems are no longer provided with this option.
In the simulation, Teso used the software to change the speed, direction and altitude of an airplane via radio signals. This particular vulnerability is owed to the fact airplane security systems are not provided with the necessary methods of authentication to identify whether the commands come from legitimate sources.
But it seems we shouldn’t be too worried yet. If you’re thinking of never getting on a plane again, know that the software was specifically developed to work only with virtual aircraft systems, not on an actual airplane. The Federal Aviation Administration also insisted that the hacking approach used by Teso does not actually pose a threat, as it would never work on certified flight software.
However, most experts believe the vulnerabilities exposed via PlaneSploit need to be fixed as soon as possible, before someone comes up with software that would actually work to hijack a real plane’s computer system. Teso has already contact aviation officials in Europe and the U.S. to inform them of the security holes, which he says can be easily patched, especially in modern flight systems.
[Image via Sosickwithit]
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