HEAT ONLINE, new North America service

http://www.invictus-games.com/downloads.html?view=17

29 July 2010 Today Invictus-Games Ltd. made an arrangement with Innologin Ltd. so that players in North America can access a Level-R service as the existing service running under the local title "Project Torque" is ending on 30 July 2010. "Heat Online" is going to be available in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

http://www.heat-online.net/



Innologin :Domain serch.
Domain Name: HEAT-ONLINE.NET
Registrar: GODADDY.COM, INC.
Whois Server: whois.godaddy.com
Referral URL: http://registrar.godaddy.com
Name Server: NS1.SAXONSOFT.HU
Name Server: NS2.SAXONSOFT.HU
Status: clientDeleteProhibited
Status: clientRenewProhibited
Status: clientTransferProhibited
Status: clientUpdateProhibited
Updated Date: 27-jul-2010
Creation Date: 27-jul-2010
Expiration Date: 27-jul-2011

The company would be Hungaryan? Im not sure detail of the company infomation.

Here is the Game's hell report about Heat online as follows;
http://www.gamershell.com/companies/innologin_ltd_/752284.html
-------quote------

Company: Innologin Ltd.
Date: 30 Jul 2010
Innologin Ltd. is pleased to announce the release of HEAT Online, thier new free-to-play MMORG (Massively Multiplayer Online Racing Game) for players in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

HEAT Online is offering an exciting and fun alternative besides other upcoming new games like Need for Speed World.

The Beta version of HEAT Online is set to launch in middle of August 2010.

About the game
Players can race against thousands of fellow players across the streets of Tokyo, on the racetracks of Germany or the Hungarian and Mexican off-road tracks, in the English countryside, on the rooftops of Shanghai and many more.
The game developer, Invictus' latest game engine offers a realistic real-time damage model. The vehicles are user-customizable both in appearance and performance. Racers win points with racing, they can buy items in-game and tune their ride.
This game does not require professional driving skills; we’d like to see players having fun!

It is FREE TO DOWNLOAD and FREE TO PLAY. It means there is NO subscription fee. Almost all items in the item mall are available for free (for points earned by playing the game) but players can also get them fast for real money what Innologin spend on improving the service and the game further.

Players can try new game modes like SUMO with cars in the Open Beta. Furthermore, players will have the usual race mode on circuit tracks, street racing, drift mode with drift cars, stock car racing mode with specialized tracks and more to come later…


Other game features
Racing Crews (teams)
Crew Tournaments and ladders
In-game item mall for cars and upgrades
Championships, cups & Events
Single player career mode
Community features

System requirements
CPU: 1800 MHz single core (P4)
Memory: 768 Mb
GFX Card: Ati 9600 / GeFORCE 6600
Internet: 128 kbps in/out

URL:
http://www.heat-online.net

See ya on the track!

Copyright (C) 2010 Innologin Ltd.

-----quote end-----

From the official page , we can now judges.
1. Sumo mode on PT beta February.
2. No real car image there. Only fantasy cars image shown in their screen shot.(30/07/2010 19;17GMT+7)
3. NO company detail information, no adress and so on. It means, the management would be noob.

Just a assumption of the future N.A service?

New announcement on Invictus page on 24th of July 2010.
http://www.invictus-games.com/level-r.html
http://www.invictus-games.com/downloads.html?view=13
Aeria Games Entertainment Inc., USA, has decided to stop the North American service of the game on 30 July 2010. Invictus Games Ltd. is evaluating the possibilities for providing access to the game in North America.


Here is the territory of level-R territorial map.

Darkpurple:Gamepot Tokyo (Service already closed Feb2010)
Grey:Aeria Calfornia (Service will close End of July 2010)
Purple:Joyzone Shanghai (Service cancelled)
Red :Gamigo Humburg
Uncolored: Gamigo under the Gamepot approval of ip-lift up
Green: Nival Network: St.Petersburg
Charcoal:One life Jakarta.
Dark Charcoar: Winner Online Bangkok (Service cancelled)
Orange: Unalis Taipei

so, there are some assumption as follows;

1.If Invictus start N.A service by themselves?
As far as we know Gamepot's global license is not incruded North America. So ofcourse Invictus have right to run themselves. But....it is concerning that they don't have enough know-how to publish/run Network game management.

In project Torque official forum , there are a rumor about Project torque Ⅱ without any trustable sources.
http://forums.aeriagames.com/viewtopic.php?t=887755


2.If Invictus sell N.A right to other publisher.
a: to other new publisher
ofcourse Invictus have right to sell NA service so new publisher would start PT or Level-R or other new name? I dunnno some company contact with them?

b; to Gamepot ?
If gamepot get N.A rights from Invictus, they would start N.A service? Actually Gamepot still hold a global license where there are no local contracted publisher except North America (see unpainted area in the map above). In this case, Gamepot might start new wide-territory service which incrudes North America and "the rest of world"? Those case, Gamigo need to do account transfer to new service. The concerning things is, Gamepot already failed and ruined Level-R.

*There are tons of blame Gamigo or Invictus makes Level-R childish, is wrong. It is Gamepot policy change make it childish.　Current childish upgrades(or so-called downgrades) trend had already been decided by Gamepot.It is not Invictus or Gamigo.
*Why Level-R Japan falling down?

c; to Gamigo ?
Now Gamigo have contract with Gamepot for German, Swiss, Austria,　United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Poland.　It seems just a temporary agreement about" the rest of world"　where there are no publisher which Gamepot doesn't contract with.
In this case, Gamigo have double contract with Gamepot for present licensed territory, and newly contract with Invictus for North America. This situation will happns more complecated situation.


3.Invictus just lift up ip-ban of Gamigo Level-R for North American player?
Those case, Invictus actually give N.A right freely to Gamigo? I dont think Gamepot feel complicated situation altough they have no position to protest about N.A right? This situation will happns more complecated situation like 2-c case?


Im not sure how they will decides near the future.

So-net IR press release and Level-R

There are Investor Relations paper by So-net.
http://www.so-net.ne.jp/corporation/IR/individual/presentation/pdf/20100626.pdf
(See PDF page 30)
http://www.4gamer.net/games/044/G004471/20100511042/



The IR report said Gamepot contract with German, Russia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Taiwan. The paper omits China Mainland service and ofcourse North American service (North American service is not subject to Gamepot license. Gamepot does have global license except North America.)
----Quote-----
現地パブリッシャーへのライセンス/パートナーシップ
License/Partnership contract to local publishers

Level-R　
© 2006-2010 Invictus Games Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Exclusive License. © Gamepot Inc, All Rights Reserved.

ドイツ：（EU地域において、5か国語で配信中）　German :5Languages in EU region)
ロシア　（Russia)
インドネシア　（Indonesia)
タイ　（Thailand)
台湾　（Taiwan)
----Quote end-----

German (now EU) service (they write Invictus and Gamepot allright reserved)

http://levelrs-projecttorque.blogspot.com/2009/11/when-they-got-worldwide-license-who.html
Russia service (they write Invictus and Gamepot allright reserved)

http://www.gamepot.co.jp/pdf/press_release/090630_lr.pdf
http://levelrs-projecttorque.blogspot.com/2009/04/russian-version-test-will-coming-soon.html

Indonesia service (they write Invictus and Gamepot allright reserved)

http://levelrs-projecttorque.blogspot.com/2009/11/fast-black-indonesia-version.html

Thailand service (I dont know why they doesnt write Invictus or Gamepot allrightreserved?)

http://levelrs-projecttorque.blogspot.com/2010/02/level-x-thailand-version-of-level-r.html

Taiwan service (they write Invictus and Gamepot allright reserved)

http://levelrs-projecttorque.blogspot.com/2010/07/taiwan-version-of-level-r-coming-soon.html

In invictus Level-R official website they also omitted Communist China mainland service by Joizone.
Invictus level-R site cache on 3th of May 2010

Still Maximum Limit race (Level-R) Joyzone Shanghai website exists. But It seems that the website haven't already revised from January 2010 and actually not active?
(they doesn't write Invictus and Gamepot allright reserved)

http://lr.joyzone.com.cn/
http://www.joyzone.com.cn/

http://www.joyzone.com.cn/product_2.html


In this page, they introduce Invicus and Gamepot. But no copyright description.


*Postscript on 24Jul2010
Although official Level-R Commuinst China page exists, now I confirmed that Level-R was deleted from Joyzone membership registlation pages. I guess they give up level-R service in China mainland because low interenet inflastructire?
http://member.joyzone.com.cn/　（Joyzone membership registlation page cache　）


In the IR, they introduce Thailand service, though Thaliand service also temporary closed because of low inflastructure of interenet enviroment in Thailand which makes lag issue and problem in game.
http://levelx.winner.co.th/ShowMessage.asp?id=203&type=7

It is odd that it is not so big difference of interenet enviroment between Indonesia and Thailand. But only Thailand postphone the services.

Taiwan version of Level-R coming soon!

Taiwan Level-R will come soon. They had already finished technical test on July and will start Closed beta from August. The Taiwan Publisher Unalis ,cooporate/contract with Gamepot/Invictus, same like Russia, Indonesia, Thailand, and EU version. (Norh America region is not incruded territory of Gamepot.)

here is Chinese news text and no remarkable explanation and no difference with other Level-R explanation. just use web translation. Only the things we need to know is the day when they start closed beta.

From 7th~ 10th of July 2010 they did pre-technical test for VIP customer.
They annonces they will start closed beta from August 2010.

Taiwan Level-R Official site :http://lvr.unalis.com.tw/event/2010/0611/vip.html
Taiwan Level-R Facebook http://www.facebook.com/LevelR

Source:
2010-06-11 http://www.gamebase.com.tw/news/news_content.php?sno=89794978
2010-07-06 http://www.gamebase.com.tw/news/news_content.php?sno=90091024
2010-07-13 http://www.gamebase.com.tw/news/news_content.php?sno=90365066

　競速線上遊戲《Level-R》正式進軍台灣，松崗科技於 7 月 10 日舉行VIP精英試駕，對於《Level-R》的精緻的畫面、精準的操控系統、改裝系統以及豐富的線上遊戲模式，與會玩家們紛紛表示「不虛此行」。

VIP級的玩家禮遇、VIP級的遊戲體驗，見面會現場熱鬧非凡
　 　《Level-R》是由日本知名遊戲公司Gamepot旗下的工作室Invictus所開發製作而成的實感賽車遊戲，是唯一同時擁有七家車廠原廠授權和 全球特色賽道，包括TOYOTA、NISSAN、SUBARU、MAZDA、MITSUBISHI MOTORS、BMW、Volkswagen等，其中更擁有為數眾多、受到台灣玩家熱烈喜愛的日系名車，目前遊戲已被翻譯成9種語言，深受到歐美和亞洲各 國競速玩家的熱烈喜愛。

　 　慕名而來的VIP玩家當中，有熱愛賽車遊戲長達八年的林小弟弟、有經營賽車遊戲社群的站長、修車廠老闆等，讓現場舉行的連線友誼賽便成一場相當熱絡的冠 軍爭奪賽，除了提供餐點供VIP玩家「補給」，前三名還有UP+點卡可以拿；為讓遊戲有更多貼心的功能，松崗科技現場舉行Q&A，詳細紀錄了每一 位玩家的試玩心得，期待在遊戲上市時給所有國人一個全新的賽車體驗。

豐富多變的遊戲選擇、八月邀您共創彎道風雲
　 　《Level-R》目前擁有18種世界地圖、90張賽道以及超過40輛以上的明星車款，像是有「東瀛戰神」之稱的GT-R R35、知名漫畫「頭文字D」主角所乘駕的經典車款AE86、電影變形金剛中大黃蜂的設計原型車款等都將在遊戲當中亮相供玩家駕馭；除此之外，遊戲中設計 了11種以上豐富的遊戲模式，預計今年 8 月進行CB測試，邀您共創彎道新風雲。

本篇新聞相關連結：

※活動網站

• LEVEL-R形象
• 原廠名車由您駕馭
• 慕名而來的VIP精英
• 熱絡的精英賽

We remember the announcement by Gamigo Product manager about the territory "rest the world".

So if there are Taiwan player in Gamigo Level-R they would move the account to Taiwan Level-R and should be ip-block them. They ofcourse knew who use Taiwan ip so dont decieve it like PT does.


http://levelr.gamigo.de/forum/showthread.php?t=7258
----------quote ----------
Dear Community,

gamigo negotiated a deal with Gamepot concerning all territories which currently do not have local services, but are covered by Gamepot’s worldwide license (excluding North America). From today everybody out of a non-licensed territory is able to access the gamigo Level-R server.

Should Gamepot find a local publisher in your region, we will move the whole account with all cars, level etc. to this new service. Nobody needs to be afraid that the situation like with Project Torque will happen again. We ensure you that no one will lose their account.

I am really happy that we are able to offer this solution to you and I hope everybody will have fun on our server.

Best regards
The Level R Team
----------quote end----------

And,,,If I were to be employee of Gamepot, I should have suggest to buy right for U.S service and start new service level-R incruding U.S, Japan, and rest the world except the area which already have local publisher e.g. German or Russia and so on. We knows ,Gamepot Japan have global rights except north america basically. "The rest of world" is just a temporary procedure where there are no local publisher contract with Gamepot.

In this situation, Gamigo level-R would back to one of the small local publisher which provide ther level-R service within five countries German,Swiss,Austria, UK.France, Spain and poland?

again,
---------------------------------------
Should Gamepot find a local publisher in your region, we will move the whole account with all cars, level etc. to this new service. Nobody needs to be afraid that the situation like with Project Torque will happen again. We ensure you that no one will lose their account.
--------------------------------------



By the way, Communist China mainland(PRC :中華人民共和國） versin of Level-R（except Hongkong,Macau, and Republic of China 中華民國) stop their closed /open beta service and cancelled the commercial release? I dunno what it happned? It doesnt work.

Project Torque will close their North America service

Aeria Game Entertainent US annouced that they will close their Project Torque Service in North America.

-----Quote from Project torque official forum-----

Project Torque Notice- Servers will be closing

Announcement end: 16 Jul 2010 16:59

Hello,

It brings me great sadness to be the one to announce this to you all.
We are all aware that Project Torque has not been what it used to this past several months. The drop off of players has left a very noticeable impact on us in all areas.


We (Invictus & Aeria Games) had ultimately put a lot of faith in the Julia build to help us grow the community back to what it used to be. Although we had seen some improvements (some older and newer players returning to the game!), it is simply not happening as fast as we had hoped.

Sadly to say, despite our best of efforts we are no longer able to support the game. We have put together a schedule for the remainder of the month that will lead into the server final shut down.

The final burnout schedule:
July 15th 2010: Shut down of both the in game and web item malls from making purchases of AP Items. RP currency will still be usable during this time. During this time we will be unlocking just about all unreleased items and running nonstop events in the game for prizes. This includes the unreleased cars that have yet to make it into the game.

July 17th through August 2nd: Daily events will be run that give out numerous prizes and locked items that have not yet been released in PT.

August 2nd 2010: Complete shutdown of the game servers.

August 3rd 2010: Closing down of PT Forums.

Compensation plans:
We do plan on creating special promotional offers during this time frame as compensation to the few and proud users left in our great community. Some include a 100% AP refund for users who have spent in the last 90 days. A 200 AP gift for all current Active PT players (most likely a email with key redemption process) and possible setup of special packages from our current lineup of games that may include items from each title. We know a few play our other titles like Wolf Team and we will let you know as soon as information is available on these packages. We will be posting a separate thread up once we complete all the details of these offers. Rest assured we will take care of you all as best we can!

Personal note from GM_1Fastcrx:
As most of you know I have been a GM for this great game for over 2 years now and I loved every minute of it! Yes some of you were a pain! But it didn’t matter we all had a blast together and respected one another throughout the thick and thin, the ups and downs, and the flat out just terrible times. I know I’m an optimistic voice to some here; it saddens me to be the bearer of such terrible news and disappoint you in doing so with this post. It is something I never thought I would have to present to this great community. I do not enjoy one second of creating this post.

We all had nothing but hope for Project Torque here at Aeria Games, and to this day still believe that Invictus has a great game and that it will get the recognition it deserves one day. Again you are all aware of the hardships that we have endured throughout the past 2 years. There are a strong few that are still here and have stuck to it since the beginning. I really must say that even in the darkness that has shadowed PT in the last two years there is still light in the end of it all. We have all gained new friendships, memories, and overall exciting experiences.

I could not have asked for a better community to be a part of and a better game to be a GM for. I thank each and every one of you for your continued support! You ultimately were the ones responsible for this games success and progress. The game will now be back in Invictus’s hands, in the hopes that they will excel Project Torque to new heights and continue to progress the game.

---------------------------------------------------------

I just wondering the statement by the GM.
The game will now be back in Invictus’s hands, in the hopes that they will excel Project Torque to new heights and continue to progress the game.

This statement means, still Aeria holds PT right on North America and if possible, in the future, they will re-start Project Torque again ? Level-R original (in Japan) gamepot still hold their licenses to sell the game abroad. I dont know what they wanna say from this short statement
---fix on 15Jul2010---
I misunderstood that the sentence "The game will now be back in Invictus’s hands, " to ""The game will NOT back in Invictus’s hands,
so, this announce means Aeria will return their North American right to Invictus. We dont know who succeed this North American rights. Invictus hold the North American license for the future publisher or for themselves? Invictus give it to Gamepot? or sell it to Gamigo? Now I cant imagine what would happens.
---fixed end----


Actually, it is not only ip-ban issue but also free to play nerd issue same like Level-R Japan. Ofcourse ip-block against non-North american ip makes lessen PT player. But , originally, those non-north Amercan player is not legally welcomed players ,considering licency issues. It is easy to understand another example that if you enter United States without proper permission or entry visa, you will be repelled from United States because violation of immigration law. It is same situation with PT.

US Project Torque allowed to use multiple account/PC-farming play/ time attack play which it dispromotes to purchase Aeria Points. They dont care for customers who paid real money, and they fellow guest players opinion who should not insist claims game.　Alloed multiple account/PC-farming makes customer feel it is stupid to pay for game.
(customer is the people who pay real money on game. I dont think non-paid player is not customer,they are but just a guest player.)

At the early of the stage when PT had launched I suggest that stop no farmer (I forgot where was my post sorry) , and some other customer suggest same, but Pt allowed those dummy account play.

sockpuppets
http://forums.aeriagames.com/viewtopic.php?p=671417#671417
Server-side app to cut out farmers
http://forums.aeriagames.com/viewtopic.php?p=400374#400374
Against dummy accounts.
http://forums.aeriagames.com/viewtopic.php?p=1158181#1158181

http://forums.aeriagames.com/viewtopic.php?t=827655


But..I also concerning about some issue on Level-R. One is high spec RP cars and the other is GT car.

Now, Class 6 or class7 area all RP cars and it is difficult to understand who want to buy class-5 real car?
Personally, I think no need high level RP-car. Or high level RP car should be available only by real money.No need to care for guest player who have much time to practice. also, GT-car should be bought ony by customer and no need for guest player.

By the way, I post about the contract issue on Gamigo forum, some PT players who dont know the history of Level-R(JP), they blame my post is propaganda or lies on Project torque forum without any logical explain. But it is appear they are still misleading the situation. if they have enough education they would realize what it happned this 9 months. I dont hate and blame anyone for personal issues . But I hate and blame against LIER and agitator with propaganda. Actually, Aeria GM already admitted Gamigo have global right except north america. But they still keep negativa propaganda campain, is weild.

Dear a GS on Project Torque
You comment on PT forum , you insist0 that I hate you, is wrong. I have nothihg hatered or compalin against you with any personal issue. But you did mislead customer with propaganda in Aeria Forum and the chat, especially, ip-block issue. It is better to cease stupid propaganda, is too misery and it makes bad reputation on you.

I am one of the oldcomer who played level-R from technical test 2006 , earlier than you.　 I can check press release by US, Japan and Chinese text so I can have more press release than US players. Also, I am who I test closed beta of Project torque for Last Chaos user Aug 2007, and I announced Project Torque to Japanese Player to promote Japanese player immigrate to PT.