Avencast: Rise of the Mage Demo Competition

Lighthouse Interactive sent us over a press release this morning announcing a new Avencast: Rise of the Mage competition that starts today.
AVENCAST: Rise of the Mage Demo Competition Sponsored by SoundBlaster®

Haarlem, The Netherlands January 22, 2008 Leading computer software publisher Lighthouse Interactive, game developer ClockStone Software, and Creative, a worldwide leader in digital entertainment products, are looking for the most famous adept among all AVENCAST demo players! Today they announced a player competition for their unique Action RPG game, AVENCAST: Rise of the Mage. The competition begins on Tuesday, January 22, 2008 and ends Tuesday, February 5, 2008 (inclusive). AVENCAST combines role-playing with a fluid combat system found in beat-em-up games, which is unique to the RPG genre. AVENCAST is Windows® Vista™ compatible and is available at major retail stores across Canada, the US and Europe.

What is it about?

One of the features of AVENCAST is a player's Fame Points. It is a score that evaluates a player's battle skills as they try to avoid being hit and use their spells with maximum effect to gain lots of points. If players beat the game, their hero will appear in the game's Hall of Fame. They can compare their scores to those of other characters. If they have their Fame Points Display activated while playing, players can permanently observe their current competence in gaining fame points.

How to participate:

1. Download the latest game demo at www.avencast.com.
2. Download the competition tool at www.avencast.com and save it on your computer.
3. Play the demo to the very end so your hero is found in the Hall of Fame.
4. Enter the competition by starting the competition tool, which submits your hero stats and contact details.

You could win one of the following SoundBlaster© prizes:

1st Prize 1 qty. Sound Blaster® XtremeGamer™ sound card
2nd Prize 1 qty. Sound Blaster® XtremeGamer™ sound card
3rd Prize 1 qty. Sound Blaster® XtremeGamer™ sound card
4th Prize 1 qty. Sound Blaster® XtremeGamer™ sound card

Plus... 5 winners by random draw, each receiving a deck of Avencast branded cards

TOTAL WINNERS = 9

The 1st and 2nd prizes will be awarded to the top 2 players with the highest "fame scores." The 3rd and 4th prizes will be awarded by random draw among the Top 20 best players. The 5 winners of the Avencast decks of playing cards will be allocated by random draw among the Top 100 players.

To view the full contest details, visit www.avencast.com.

GAME SUMMARY:

As the sun rises over Avencast, the renowned academy of magic; a young adept begins his perilous journey. In a world of wizardry, wonder and untold mystery, you must undertake some of the most diverse quests to hone your abilities in spell casting, weaponry and melee combat. Your martial skills are soon put to the test as demonic monsters of unknown ancient origin descend upon Avencast turning the academy into a horrific state of chaos and destruction.

Armed with over 50 combat moves and spells, and a vast arsenal of equipment items, you must uncover the source of these ominous happenings while vanquishing an onslaught of fiendish enemies. Treachery and deceit reveal themselves as the vicious army of adversaries beleaguers your frail haven threatening Avencast's very existence. Amidst the mayhem, an astonishing truth unfolds which will forever change the battle scarred Wizard.

AVENCAST: Rise of the Mage is accessible to novice RPG game players, but it will also challenge core RPG and Action fans. Both combat and non-combat interactions create a perfect balance between brains and brawn. By requiring players to bring their own combat and strategic skills to the forefront, they will have the excitement of crafting a powerful character unleashing their hero's potential.

FEATURES:

'¢ Cast Lethal Spells from Different Skill Trees Surrounded by vicious foes, unleash a mighty soul magic spell. The pure agglomeration of energy alone produces a warp in the surrounding atmosphere before the catastrophic nova demolishes your enemies. Blood Magic (elementally charged blows with varying speeds, ranges, and damage properties) and Soul Magic (covers all kinds of ranged magic spells allowing better area control) both allow players to summon reinforcements during combat.
'¢ Perilous Quests While brawn and agility will win most battles, acumen and strategic thinking are necessary to survive challenging quests.
'¢ Fluid Combat System Chain together spells and easily execute lethal attacks using an innovative system that favors skillful gameplay over dull mouse clicking. Unleash your hero's potential as you bring your own player skills to each intense battle.
'¢ Strong Player Personification & Character Development - Acquire new equipment, armor, weapons and spell casting skills to craft a powerful character.
'¢ Over 30 Nightmarish Monsters with Advanced AI Each with versatile combat strategies, attacks, and defensive moves dependant upon the player's behavior and attack strategy.
'¢ State-of-the-art 3D Engine Stunning graphics enhanced with advanced visual effects make for an impressive display of devastating spell casting.
'¢ Many Hours of Exciting Gameplay Set in diverse worlds with both indoor and outdoor environments to explore.
'¢ Attractive to a Broad Range of Players An Action RPG at its core, but dynamic gameplay and adventure-like quests make AVENCAST attractive to a broad range of game players.


About ClockStone Software
ClockStone Software GmbH is an up-and-coming Austrian company specialized in developing games and multimedia applications for the PC. Located in the beautiful town of Innsbruck, Austria, their growing team of artists, programmers, and game designers together with numerous freelancing partners seeks to create innovative, state-of-the-art software and graphics at the highest level. www.clockstone.com

About Creative
Creative is a worldwide leader in digital entertainment products. Famous for its Sound Blaster® sound cards and for launching the multimedia revolution, Creative is now driving digital entertainment on the PC platform with products like its highly acclaimed ZEN® MP3 and portable media players. Creative's innovative hardware, proprietary technology, applications and services leverage the Internet, enabling consumers to experience high-quality digital entertainment - anytime, anywhere. www.creative.com

About Lighthouse Interactive
Lighthouse Interactive Game Publishing B.V. is a fast growing publisher of interactive entertainment with offices established in Toronto and Montreal, Canada, Haarlem, The Netherlands and London, England. The company is focused on bringing strong titles to the worldwide market in a wide array of genres including: RPG, Simulation, Adventure, Action and Strategy. Staffed with industry veterans, Lighthouse is the right choice for developers looking to bring their products to a worldwide audience. www.lighthouse-interactive.com