4th March – Rotterdam, The Netherlands – Leading European Serious Games Developer VSTEP today announced it will work together with Philips to enable amBX technology into its best-selling Ship Simulator 2008 Game. The agreement will see an amBX patch being released for Ship Simulator 2008, intensifying the in-game experience for amBX users.

VSTEP and Philips will demonstrate Ship Simulator 2008 with amBX technology to the general public for the very first time at the Virtual Experience stand (7.100) at the HISWA Amsterdam Boat Show from 4-9 March 2008 in RAI Amsterdam. Visitors can play Ship Simulator 2008 at the stand and experience the added sensations like wind, rumble and special light effects of the amBX system themselves.

Shorthand for ‘ambient experiences’, amBX reinvents the gameplay experience by extending the traditional gaming world out of the screen and into the real world. amBX delivers full ‘surround senses’ by allowing developers to use light, colour, sound, rumble and even air flow through enabled devices, including the Philips amBX PC Gaming Peripherals range of LED colour-controlled lighting, rumble peripherals and variable speed desktop fans.

Developed by VSTEP in Rotterdam, Ship Simulator 2008 is a simulation game that puts players at the helm of a wide variety of ships and vessels, engaging in exciting missions and travelling to famous ports and locations, all realistically recreated in the game.

VSTEP’s CTO Pjotr van Schothorst: “We are excited to enable Philips amBX technology in Ship Simulator 2008. Striving to create high quality games and simulations, we are constantly innovating our products and the enhanced gameplay sensation created by amBX will provide our audience with an even more immersive experience of Ship Simulator 2008.”

Ship Simulator 2008 with amBX will feature variable speed fan effects to simulate wind speed and direction as players sail their vessels through the different environments. LED Light effects - across a 16 million colour range - will deliver immersive weather light effects, including sunlight, sunsets and lightning storms. Rumble effects will feature to simulate ship engines, vessel collisions and roaring thunder during storms, giving players a true feel of captaining a ship in a host of different circumstances.

To find out more about Ship Simulator 2008, and to keep up with the latest news visit www.shipsim.com For hires amBX & Ship Simulator 2008 images download the press kit here.

About VSTEP

VSTEP is a leading provider of Serious Games & uses real-time 3D technology to develop virtual training applications for firefighters, train drivers, safety officers, and nautical training. Since its initiation in 2002, VSTEP has completed over 35 projects for clients like the Royal Dutch Navy, the Port of Rotterdam, Falck/Nutec, Shell and the Dutch Railways. Originating from its vast experience with virtual disaster management, nautical and firefighting training, VSTEP has expanded its activities to create immersive entertainment games for the home PC user as well! For more info visit www.vstep.nl

About Philips amBX

amBX is a new 'experience' technology developed by Philips that is currently being added to PC games and PC gaming peripherals. amBX is shorthand for ‘ambient experiences’. With amBX, games and peripherals providing surround lighting, sound, vibration, air movement and other effects work in harmony together. The result is an incredibly immersive experience bringing game play into the room. More info at www.ambx.com