Archived News:
Valve announces the
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II multiplayer beta test is now open to all
owners of Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Soulstorm, which they are also
now offering at a 75% discount
on Steam. For everyone else, the beta is slated to open for all on January
28. They are also now accepting pre-purchase of
Dawn of War II.
Bad Economy Hits
SEGA on IGN reports that 30 employees have been laid off at SEGA of America,
attributing the report to a source inside the company. Their requests for
official comment from SEGA have not yet been answered. Also,
Gamasutra
is reporting that EA's restructuring efforts have struck EA Tiburon, saying
"multiple staffers" at the studio behind the Madden series have lost their jobs.
Finally,
GamesIndustry.biz reports a number of layoffs are planned at UK-based
console developer Atomic Planet as a cost cutting measure.
Storming the Fortress on The Escapist is an article format interview with
Robin Walker of Valve, discussing the future of Team Fortress 2, the
multiplayer shooter. They talk about how they came up with the plan to upgrade
each class with individual updates, their game-balance goals, interaction with
the community and similar related issues. They touch on the coming Scout class
update, the possibility a new class will ever be added, and Robin gives an idea
of other changes coming down the line with comments on how ineffective the Spy's
disguise has become over time, and how sentry guns are too easily overcome by
skilled players, stressing the importance of the game's delicate balance.
Massively's Champions Online interview chats with Randy Mosiondz, lead
designer on Champions Online, Cryptic's superhero-themed MMORPG. Topics
include how they are maintaining an action-oriented approach, how the combat
system has changed over the course of development, how older systems will handle
the game's graphics, PvP, PvE, playing as a villain, story telling, audio
design, travel powers, and guilds.
Thanks Mike Martinez and Ant.
Thanks Mike Martinez and Ant.
The World of Warcraft version 3.0.8 update is now live, and the
WoW Current Patch Notes
now reflect the new version and outline what it does. The new version adds the
promised ability to create Death Knights on any realm after you reach level 55,
changes how Bonus Armor is handled, lifts racial restrictions on mounts, the
addition of numerous new graveyards, a bunch of balance tweaks, support for
NVIDIA 3D
Vision, and more. Manual downloads of the US/AU English edition are
available from
AtomicGamer,
ComputerGames.ro,
Gamer's Hell,
Games32, and
Strategy Informer; while other localized patches are posted on
AtomicGamer and
Games32.
The good old gamers at
GOG.com announce the addition of
Stronghold to their
DRM-free marketplace, as they are now offering Firefly Studios' besieged
strategy/building game for $5.99, and will soon be adding its follow-up,
Stronghold Crusader.
They have also just added
Waxworks, the horror-themed adventure game from Adventure Soft, to their
catalog.
The United States Army announces
America's Army 3 will be released later this year, offering a new
installment in this first-person shooter that serves as a recruiting tool for
the military. The game will be built on the Unreal Engine 3, and will feature a
greater emphasis on role-playing elements than its predecessors, as evidenced by
this portion: "AA3 highlights different aspects of the Army from Army Values and
the Warrior Ethos to Army career opportunities and lifestyles both on and off
duty. Through their in-game characters, AA3 players will be able to experience
the way Soldiers train, live, and advance in the Army. AA3 players will also
experience different types of technologies and equipment used by the Army's
high-tech Soldier. Players are bound by Rules of Engagement (ROE) and gain
experience as they navigate challenges in team-based, multiplayer, force on
force operations. In the game, as in the Army, accomplishing missions requires
teamwork and adherence to the seven Army Core Values. In the game, a player's
actions and demonstrated Army values will have consequences that are integral to
success in gameplay and will affect a player's career progression." They are
currently accepting reservations to carry your AA2 nickname to the new game, and
are also taking applications to participate in the upcoming beta test.
The Dawn Of War 2
Community Site has an internal Q&A about the release of Warhammer 40,000:
Dawn of War II, explaining, among other things, how a game can enter beta
testing after it goes gold, going on to offer further details on the beta. A
semi-related point is that they have already cooked up a day zero patch with
"improvements to the game based on early feedback to ensure fans get the best
possible experience." Looking at the long term, they have: "planned scheduled
patches and data updates through 2009 and beyond." They also say they plan to
release a pair of additional multiplayer maps for the RTS sequel within a week
of its launch. Thanks
Voodoo Extreme.
Owning the
Territory on GamesIndustry.biz is an interview with Paul Wedgewood of Splash
Damage about what the future holds for the UK-based developer following
their deal with ZeniMax Media, though specifics about what they
are currently up to are still being withheld. An interesting point he touches on
is highlighted
in a separate article, as he describes the emphasis publishers now place on
achieving specific Metacritic scores as
"ridiculous," and while he is quick to point out that they are not receiving
such pressure from ZeniMax, he also admits that Splash Damage is obviously still
eager to get good reviews. He also makes the point that the way games are
reviewed make summarizing critical acclaim a dicey proposition: "We know that
some websites score quite high and some quite low, but in general, all websites
tend to score between 60 and 100. There's never a 37. It's as if that whole
section doesn't exist, so zero starts at 60, so three stars, and goes up to
five. It's just not really an accurate enough measure."
GamesIndustry.biz reports the formation of
Ruffian Games, a new developer based
in Dundee Scotland formed by veterans of Climax, DMA Design, and RealTime
Worlds, who have worked games such as Crackdown, Project Gotham Racing,
Fable 2, and Grand Theft Auto. They are not spilling many beans
about what they are up to, GI quotes creative director Billy Thompson saying:
"We want to provide an online experience rivalling any other through
co-operative and competitive multiplayer gaming," while their website goes on to
say: "All we can say about our current project is it's signed with one of the
world's biggest and most successful publishers and on a great project we're
really excited about." They are hiring, so more hints can be found on
their careers page, as the
various job listings mention features like team-based and cooperative
multiplayer support, vehicles, and weapons.
EETimes has news that Qualcomm has purchased part of AMD's handhelds
business for $65 million. Word is: "Qualcomm Inc. is paying about $65 million
for the graphics and multimedia IP and assets of what was AMD's handhelds
business. Under terms of the deal, Qualcomm will hire some design and
development teams from the processor specialist's handheld business, notably
those involved in developing technologies to enhance mobile devices in areas
including 2D and 3D graphics, audio/video, display, and architecture. The two
companies signed and closed a binding agreement, having already received
required regulatory approvals." Thanks Neutronbeam.
One question that often gets raised in debates over the touchy topic of piracy
is the impact of game pricing on the situation. Now
VideoGamer.com
has quotes from Miles Jacobson, as the studio director at Sports Interactive
chimes in on the topic, saying he's not sure there's a cure for piracy, but that
he feels it leads to higher prices, not vice versa: "I don't know whether there
is a proper cure for piracy without a change in society, to be honest," going on
to say: "I don't think it will ever be fixed and it is a shame because the price
of games would go down if the issue was fixed and we'd be able to have more
people working on the titles." He also discusses estimates of piracy rate that
go as high as 90%, saying, "So 90 per cent could actually be quite low," and
touches on the authentication issues that hit Football Manager
2009, saying the problem was cleared up relatively quickly. He also states
they do not have much choice but to use DRM: "There needs to be some kind of
copy protection in your product otherwise retail aren't going to stock your
product, so we do have to take some measures."
Rumors of layoffs at Mythic Entertainment are making the circuit, first
surfacing on
Joystiq, where they reported: "21 customer service employees, half of QA and
all of the playtest group" have been let go. The response they received from EA
to inquiries about this are a bit vague, implying that any cuts are in line with
their previous announcements on the topic, but this has not
quelled rampant speculation that this is an indication that Warhammer Online
is in trouble, and that further cuts to the MMORPG might be in the works. Now
Mythic boss Mark Jacobs has made
several forum posts (thanks
Voodoo Extreme) discussing the impact of the worldwide economic crisis on
the games industry, and
this post in particular refutes assumptions being made about the future of
WAR: "It isn't any more complicated than that other than to say that we have a
very large studio and pretty much every person there has been and will continue
to work on WAR for quite a while (meaning we haven't started work on another
game yet). When we launched, we had over 400+ people working on the game in one
capacity or another so it's not like we had a small team at launch or even a
small team now. Oh, and the whole (OMG, we're losing 1/2 the developer (or even
of the total team) thing) is total nonsense. This is one of the times I really,
really wish I could comment more than I can but if you look at what JR has said
in terms of *cost* cutting, that should give you a good idea about what is
happening throughout EA."
The Democracy
2 Website is offering the President Obama Inauguration Edition of
Democracy 2 at over 50% off the regular price of this politics
simulator. The sale, in honor of the inauguration, runs for 24 hours, and there
is also a demo available to check how the game runs on your system.
Black Jacket Studios announces
Metal Drift, a futuristic vehicular combat game planned for release in
the first half of this year from this independent developer that includes
veterans from the creation of Tribes and Marble Blast Ultra.
The Metal Drift Website has some info
and screenshots, and here's a bit from
the press release: "Metal Drift features 56 different tank configurations
with various weapon and upgrade selections to choose from. In addition, the
drift-tanks have a unique energy system that allows the pilot to direct acquired
energy into a speed boost or to power up weapons for extra damage. The game also
features 5 different arenas, each with their own racing lines and boost
tunnels."
Commander in Chief - Geo-Political
Simulator 2009 is hitting North American stores and
Amazon.com today, in honor of the US presidential inauguration, asking the
question "What would you do, if you were the President?" The game puts the
player in the role of a world leader, facing players with challenges ripped from
today's headlines (which tends to render the newspaper unreadable), requiring
management of the economy, the military, and national security to deal with
issues such as terrorism, natural disasters, finding alternative energy sources,
and more, "all with the persistent threat of a terrorist attack on a major U.S.
city." The website offers a
gameplay trailer.
Fantasy Online is now accepting new
players to this Flash-based fantasy-themed MMORPG. No subscriptions or fees
are involved at this point, and what information there is to be found on the
game is in the Forums, the
New Player Guide, and
The
Partial FAQ. Thanks JS.
Edge Online - Building Gaming’s Future.
"In a sense, gaming has come full circle, reinventing its old freedoms as
‘user-generated content’. Whether it’s LittleBigPlanet, virtual thingamajigs
such as Whirled and Metaplace (we’ll explain shortly), or rapidly evolving
toolsets and portals such as Game Maker, the old impulse to develop is being
put right back where it began: in the hands of the consumer."
Gamasutra - Opinion- Space Marines Need Dialogue Trees Too.
"In most games, you watch the story and narrative that developers desire you
to watch. It’s intriguing to encounter completely non-mandatory, optional
dialogue. It’s often of a more personal, character-driven nature, this
dialogue: it adds little things into your body of knowledge concerning the
fiction. It means that you can contextualize the characters and settings
within the game as much as you want to."
Today we get a new president here in the USA, and he's certainly got his work
cut out for him. Here's hoping he can effectively help us navigate through the
rough waters ahead and help citizens of this country and the world find a
peaceful prosperous future.
|
Twitter 
