CCP Games and TransGaming Partner to Bring EVE Online to New Platforms

CCP Games, one of the world’s largest independent game developers, today announced a partnership with TransGaming Inc. (TSX-V: TNG) , a leading developer of software portability products for the electronic entertainment industry. The strategic relationship will enable CCP to deliver its popular massively multiplayer online game (MMOG), EVE Online, with Linux and Macintosh platforms later this year.

TransGaming provides technology and expertise to deploy games across a range of platforms without the need for redevelopment and still maintaining the high quality of gameplay and allowing users of different platforms to play in the same perpetual online universe. As a result of this partnership, CCP will be able to expand the reach of its Sci-fi MMOG to new groups around the world.

As an element of the partnership, EVE Online and TransGaming will share quality assurance as well as technical support responsibilities but TransGaming will lead partnership and OEM opportunities for the Linux version of EVE Online. The two companies will work hand-in-hand to ensure all releases go smoothly, creating a transparent integration of the original EVE Online code with each platform.

TransGaming first introduced Linux users to EVE Online through Cedega, a software product that allows Windows games to run on the Linux operating system completely transparently and seamlessly. It was the popularity of this solution that indicated the strong demand for further integration between CCP Games and TransGaming. Later this year, EVE Online will be released for Linux with Cedega directly integrated into the game and on Mac through TransGaming's Cider portability engine.

“We’re pleased to extend our relationship with TransGaming, as the company’s expertise allows us to deliver the most innovative MMOG to more platforms,” said Halldor Fannar, CTO of CCP Games. “By integrating TransGaming’s excellent technology, we are able to keep our laser-focus on evolving EVE Online, while simultaneously expanding the EVE universe to even more players.”

“EVE Online has always ranked highly with our Linux users and there is significant demand for it among other platforms, including the rapidly growing Mac base,” said Vikas Gupta, CEO of TransGaming Technologies. “As EVE takes place within a single-server persistent universe, it’s vital that the game is identical in every way across different platforms. This challenge is what makes the partnership with CCP both important and rewarding.”

EVE Online is available for download now at www.eve-online.com.

Richard Meier: art and architecture opens 12 october 2007

THE LOUISE T BLOUIN INSTITUTE will celebrate the upcoming retrospective exhibition of Richard Meier: Art and Architecture. The solo exhibition presents Meier’s extraordinary versatility as artist, designer and architect and comprises an overview of Meier’s outstanding international architectural creations together with an exploration of his sculpture, collages, drawings, photographs, furniture and product design over 45 years.

Richard Meier remains the youngest recipient of the Pritzker Prize (1984) which is considered to be architecture’s highest accolade. He is renowned internationally for cultural projects which include The Getty Center, Los Angeles; the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Georgia; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Barcelona; and the Jubilee Church, Rome, amongst others.

Meier has over the years developed his own distinctive and dynamic style of architecture to become one of America’s most influential and widely emulated architects. His work celebrates natural light and space in response to the environs in which it stands, thereby creating sublime spaces of aesthetic illumination and enlightened cultural values.

Parallel to 45 years of architectural practice, Richard Meier has been making sculpture and collages and ceramics. The sculpture and collages, which he has created from papers, tickets and cuttings collected on his travels, express space and pivotal moments that are explored and articulated in his buildings.

Meier’s furniture, ceramic, glassware and silver objects have become iconic designs and marry a minimalist tradition with beautiful simplicity. To highlight his extraordinary versatility as a designer we will be exhibiting a unique grand piano designed by Richard Meier and built by IBACH.

Louise T Blouin MacBain, Chairman of the Foundation, comments: ’We are delighted to be exhibiting Richard Meier. Art and architecture are central to the expression and collective enjoyment of creativity and fundamental to our sense of well-being. The individual aesthetics of architecture shared in cities across the world is one of the positive aspects of globalisation and adds to our growing cultural exchange.’

There will also be an extensive programme of lectures, education work and public events to explore architecture and the environment, well-being, art and light within an architectural space.

The Louise T Blouin Institute opened a year ago in October 2006 with a solo exhibition of lightworks by James Turrell, and in Summer 2007 presented solo exhibitions of work by Gary Hill and Gerry Judah which explored issues of globalisation, politics, conflicts of interest and environmental concerns. The Foundation provides 35,000 sq ft of exhibition space and lecture facilities, and creates a platform for contemporary art and affiliated events.