Round Up: EVE Online, Zbrush Training, Bella Sara

Today's round up includes news of EVE Online setting records in China, a two day long Zbrush training session, and a publishing deal between HCG and conceptcard for Bella Sara, as well as the latest GameSetWatch posts, product news, Serious Games Source news, and Gamasutra job postings. - Independent producer of massively multiplayer online games and producer of the MMORPG EVE Online CCP Games announced that the first day of EVE Online’s open beta in China resulted in a new world record for the number of simultaneous users playing in the same game world. More than 30,000 users logged into the game server just hours after opening. The company also announced that over 200,000 players from China registered for the game during the first day of the of the open. Optic Communications—the licensing partner of CCP Games in China—is operating the fully localized cluster, which runs separately from the Western variant of EVE Online. - The American InterContinental University (AIU) and International Game Developers Association (IGDA) announced that an open house will take place on June 17 from 12-2 pm at AIU. The event will allow visitors to visit the school, as well as offer them the opportunity to ask on hand experts such as Vitaliy Naymushin questions about the industry. In addition, a two day Zbrush training session will take place from 2-6 pm on June 17, and will continue on June 18 from 12-4 pm. Vitaliy will run both sessions, and each will cost $35 for non IGDA members or $25 for IGDA Members. - Seattle-based Hidden City Games announced that it has signed a five-year licensing agreement with Denmark-based conceptcard for the worldwide rights (with the exception of Scandinavia) to publish and market Bella Sara, a horse-themed game for girls, ages 5-12. The game will be an updated version of conceptcard's existing game, which debuted in Denmark under the brand name Bella. Bella Sara combines fantasy images of horses printed on cards, which can be collected or used in easy-to-learn gameplay, with an online environment that enables girls to activate, care for and play with a virtual horse. Hidden City Games will release Bella Sara in the United States late in 2006. In North America, sales and marketing will be conducted by Hidden City Games; in all other territories, the game will be marketed and distributed through partnerships with experienced, local game companies. - The latest updates on Gamasutra sister weblog GameSetWatch include news of GameSetWatch going to the 2006 Webby Awards, a look back at TNN/NHK SC’s 1994 Super Famicom platformer Umihara Kawase, and a gaming podcast by NPR. - Also updated today: Serious Games Source news on how virtual worlds are changing classrooms, plus Gamasutra product news on 8BIT Family 2 collection of game sounds released by Discovery Sound, plus the latest Gamasutra job postings, featuring openings from Activision / Toys For Bob, Blizzard Entertainment, Cryptic Studios, Factor 5, iBeta Quality Assurance, LucasArts, Massive Inc., Pixar Animation Studios, Ubisoft, Vigil Games, Visual Concepts/Kush Games, and Vivendi Games.