Archived News:
The Supreme Commander 2 Interview on Eurogamer chats with Chris Taylor, supreme commander at Gas Powered Games, who discusses their upcoming real-time strategy sequel. As they note separately, he expresses concerns about the relentless pursuit of innovation in the RTS genre: "There's been some desperate moves in the industry to find a new place for RTS," he tells them. "All these kinds of variations, but it's like saying let's add a fifth wheel to a car, or let's take a wheel off. But maybe we can actually make the car more comfortable, maybe we can make the drive less noisy or more fuel-efficient."
Open beta testing is now underway for Avalon Heroes, a subscription-free online RPG/RTS game from German developer burda:ic. The game is due for a full launch next month, and word is burda:ic will be active in e-sports in the future: The games publisher burda:ic today launched the Open Beta phase of the gripping free-2-play online RTS RPG Avalon Heroes. All adventurers who registered at www.alaplaya.net will now be able to participate in breathtaking battles for approximately ten days, taking the side of either Oriens or Aeonia. Ambitious testers will profit from an augmented EXP rate, allowing them to proceed faster in the game. However, to give everybody an equal chance, all characters, their game progress, and the increased EXP rate will be reset when the game is officially released in February of 2010. Avalon Heroes is also closely associated with the Electronic Sports League (ESL) because, in the future, burda:ic will sponsor Europe-wide tournaments, leagues, and events.
For more information, please visit the official teaser website www.avalon.alaplaya.net.
The Dawn of War II Community Website has new unit profiles of the Tyranid Tyrant Guard and Genestealer Brood from the upcoming Chaos Rising expansion for Dawn of War II, Relic's Warhammer 40,000 RTS sequel. The Tyrant Guard will completely replace the Screamer Killer, while the Genestealer Brood are new elite melee infantry units. The profile includes concept art along with unit descriptions.
The Mass Effect Website announces Mass Effect: Retribution, a new novel by Drew Karpyshyn set in the science fiction universe of BioWare's Mass Effect series. The novel's description follows. Continue here to read the full story.
Though the Elemental: War of Magic page on Impulse still lists a February 15 release date, Big Download reports learning through Stardock PR that the strategy/role-playing game will not be hitting its announced Q1 2010 release window, and is instead now expected in the third quarter of this year. No reason for the setback is provided.
MMORPG.com has first details on Fantasy Earth Zero, a new subscription-free MMORPG from Square Enix and Gamepot that's scheduled to launch in the first quarter of this year. The fantasy-themed game will focus on PvPvE (yes, "Player vs. Player vs. Environment") and will entail what they are calling a "Hyper-Active Battle System." There's a trailer from the game on GameTrailers and MMORPG.com has details on the game and some concept art, and if you take your Ritalin we'll share the description of the Hyper-Active Battle System: "From 5v5 up to 50v50 player-versus-player (PvP) action in multiple battlegrounds, Fantasy Earth Zero is more akin to an action game than a traditional RPG. It’s an experience that puts the control of a multiple nation war directly into the player’s hands. Fast-paced action where players dodge, attack and use their skill and resources to win battles and change the tide of war."
NimbleBit announces the release of Zero Gear, their multiplayer kart racing and combat game where "you can beat up your friends in 18 different levels, in customizable karts and characters. Play with physically based weapons, earn achievements and compete in many different game modes." Zero Gear can be purchased from Steam through either the Zero Gear Store or the Steam Website. Steam also offers a free demo, but the full game is playable for free between now and January 18 anyway. For those inspired to make a purchase, Zero Gear is on sale for 25% off for the next week. The sale also applies to four packs which are normally 50% off the price of individual copies (four copies for the price of two), so the additional 25% discount makes the cost of a four pack $29.99, or $7.50 a copy. There's also a new update for the game automatically available through Steam.
A new version of the Torchlight editor is now automatically available on Steam, offering updated tools for mod authors to create their own content for Runic Games' action RPG. The list below is described as the major changes in the new version. Continue here to read the full story.
A new update for Left 4 Dead 2 is now automatically available through Steam. There are changes to game play, matchmaking, and more, as well as the SDK. The change list follows: Continue here to read the full story.
- Kings Bounty Series on Steam. Save 75%.
- Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II on Direct2Drive. Save 50%.
Still on sale (previously reported)
Continue here to read the full story.
There's a Mythos Q&A on GameShark that chats up Eric Liu, global manager for Redbana US, to discuss Mythos, the action/RPG developed by defunct developer Flagship that Redbana is looking to launch in North America as an MMORPG. They discuss the game's troubled development history, what distinguishes the game from Diablo and Torchlight, what they are doing to make the game more suited to online play, plans for beta testing, and how they are still hammering out a price structure for the game, which they say will include microtransactions.
A new trailer from Dark Void is part four in a five-part series on the "360 degrees of tactical freedom" in Airtight Game's upcoming jetpack-powered action game. The clip is narrated by Morgan Grace and Shana Bryant of publisher Capcom, who set aside the jetpack for a bit and show off ground combat, though this does involve a little hovering. The clip is posted on the YouTube and below. Continue here to read the full story.
Thanks Mike Martinez and Ant.
Got Game Entertainment announces the U.S. retail launch of Twin Sector, the sci-fi action/adventure featuring "innovative and physics-based high-energy gameplay." The game was released for digital distribution last month and a playable demo was released before that, and now Twin Sector should also be available in U.S. stores. There are full details on the Twin Sector Website, and word from the announcement is: "Twin Sector is a thrilling physics-based action-adventure for the PC that allows players free interaction with their environment. Using the advantages of the powerful HAVOC®-Engine, innumerable puzzles, challenges and enemies await the players in a hostile and threatening futuristic environment. Featuring more than 15 missions, alongside a thrilling story line unfolding over the course of non-stop action, Twin Sector appeals to core gamers worldwide."
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has cut jobs at three Seattle-area studios, reports Gamasutra, where they say an unspecified number of cuts have come down at Kirkland-based Monolith Productions, Seattle-based Surreal Software, and Bothell-based Snowblind Studios. The statement they received indicates this was to reduce redundancies: "We are committed to growing Warner Bros. in the game space and will be retaining robust teams in our Seattle studios. We have been moving towards sharing certain resources across the studios and have also been reallocating resources to align talent with our development needs. Unfortunately, we had a few too many resources in certain functions and some positions were eliminated in this process. Our plan is to continually review staffing needs and as future projects evolve we would expect to see the studios grow."
Atari announces that open beta testing of Star Trek Online is now underway, and will run through January 26. The open beta page is where to go for further information on how to get a beta key, how to get the beta client, and how to get up and running. Included is a FAQ making it clear that closed beta participants don't need to reinstall the open beta client, and open beta participants will not need to reinstall the game upon its release. The announcement is accompanied by a new Klingon Faction Trailer, which is embedded below. Continue here to read the full story.
Mad Catz announces plans to release an amBX Hardware Development Kit in spring of this year, offering tools for developers to add amBX effects to their games. This will come in advance of Mad Catz's new Cyborg gaming keyboard and USB Light Pods, which is also part of the HDK. amBX has had mixed success in the nearly five years since Phillips announced this technology that adds environmental effects like wind, light and vibrations to video games and movies. Phillips spun the unit off into a separate company in 2008, and early last year it was announced amBX support is coming to consoles. Back to the new HDK release, Mad Catz CEO Darren Richardson comments, "We believe that amBX is an exciting breakthrough in creating interactive and immersive entertainment and are proud to be working alongside amBX. By providing the HDK, we are enabling PC game developers and publishers to optimize their amBX enabled games. At Mad Catz, we will continue to support new technologies in our products as part of our strategy of developing products that evoke a passionate consumer response."
Virtual reality videogames can help improve hand function and forearm bone health in teens with hemiplegic cerebral palsy, reports Science Daily, describing the results of a study that may offer hope to sufferers of other illnesses and injuries that affect movement, such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, arthritis and orthopedic injuries affecting the arm or hand. Word is: The researchers also reported that improved hand function appears to be reflected in brain activity changes as seen on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans.
The three study participants were asked to exercise the affected hand about 30 minutes a day, five days a week using a specially fitted sensor glove linked to a remotely monitored videogame console installed in their home. Games, such as one making images appear ("sliders") were custom developed at Rutgers, calibrated to the individual teen's hand functionality, included a screen avatar of the hand, and focused on improvement of whole hand function.
A new free add-on is now available for Ironclads: High Sea, adding some complimentary content to this 19th century naval combat simulator. There are no details on what it offers, but the download is a mere 4.5 MB, which can be found on AtomicGamer, Gamer's Hell, and WorthPlaying.
The Mana Bomb Game Studio Website has a new gameplay trailer from Colony Defense, the science fiction tower defense game that's coming to the PC and Xbox 360. Colony Defense wraps the tower defense concept around a sphere, allowing you to exercise circular logic in defending your bases.
A new R.U.S.E. trailer shows off the motion capture from the creation of Ubisoft's upcoming real-time strategy game. The clip includes developer narration and a stylized presentation that includes a moment that would make David Copperfield jealous, as Mathieu Girard conjures a wireframe tank from his behind. The trailer can be found on FileFront, Gamer's Hell, Strategy Informer, and WorthPlaying.
Yesterday EA indicated they are planning to launch their "major new MMO" in "Spring 2011," and now The Old Republic Website has a confirmation of the almost universal speculation that the game in question is Star Wars: The Old Republic, the upcoming Star Wars MMORPG, offering the following statement from LucasArts: “While we have not announced a specific date, we can confirm that we are targeting a spring 2011 release for Star Wars: The Old Republic. We’ve got a lot of exciting updates and reveals planned throughout 2010, including the first-ever hands-on testing for the game. It’s not too late to sign up to be a game tester, so go to www.swtor.com/tester and sign up today. We can’t wait to share more about the game with you as we progress through the year, so make sure you stay tuned to the official website for details.”
The Online Portfolio of Joakim Hellstedt has some sketches and flowcharts outlining a ninja game that was being developed, or at least contemplated, by GRIN, the Swedish developer that closed last summer. These materials outline some interesting gameplay concepts involving an energy meter that indicates a strategy component. Thanks Siliconera.
The Irrational Games Website has relaunched, marking the recently announced return to the Irrational name for the studio formerly known as 2K Boston. The site offers a message from Ken Levine, a podcast, and more. According to the Ken Levine post, "The Irrational Games website is about secrets," and he describes these secrets in a general sense, though he doesn't reveal any of them. This will change in the future though, as the update concludes with the following: "And yes, we will tell you about the game we’re working on right now. Just not today."
A story on GE Reports has preliminary details on One Earth, the working title for an upcoming game from Trion World Network created in conjunction with Syfy and NBC Universal to tie directly in with a television series where the events in the game and the TV shows will influence each other (thanks MMORPG.com). A recent story based on job listings indicated that Trion was planning a PS3 MMOG in conjunction with Syfy, but it's not clear if that is the same project mentioned in this new announcement, as no platforms are specified (the video mentions creating an MMOG to run entirely off the server, and it would not be a shock for such a project to be platform independent; perhaps web-based). Says Lars Butler, CEO of Trion: "In this unique set-up, we can do things that other people would never even dare before: create a video game world and a television show… They not only promote each other, they literally depend on each other and co-evolve."
Duck and Cover has a partial transcript from the Bethesda v. Interplay preliminary injunction hearing. This allows the dubious pleasure of being a fly on the wall as the judge and lawyers sort through the legalities in the battle over the rights to a Fallout MMOG. The transcript is lengthy, though they just cover the opening statements. Bring your own aspirin.
VG247 reported rumors that Rebellion Derby is being closed, saying they'd seen indications casting doubts on the future of Rebellion's studio formerly known as Core Design. Rebellion has responded saying plans for the studio that created the beloved Tomb Raider series and the reviled Rogue Warrior is being evaluated. "No-one has been made redundant by Rebellion in more than a decade, and the Derby studio is very much still open while we conduct the review, says Rebellion CEO Jason Kingsley. "We are currently undergoing a process of consultancy with our staff to get their ideas, and establish the best possible future for the Derby studio." Rebellions full statement follows. Continue here to read the full story.
Games On Net's Metro 2033 Interview discusses the post-apocalyptic shooter with Olez Shishkovtsov, Chief Technical Officer at 4A Games. The main topic of the conversation is the game's engine, which is discussed in detail. Word is: "If you’re the kind of gamer who is truly nerdcore, and knows the difference between antialiasing and anisotropic, this is the interview for you."
The ZDoom Website announces a new version 2.4.0 of this multiplatform port of the DOOM source code is now available. Word is: "ZDoom version 2.4.0 has been released. Visit the downloads page to get it. If you were observant and already downloaded it when you noticed the downloads page was updated yesterday, you might want to do so again, since it has been updated with newer zdoom.pk3 that fixes one minor problem with Heretic's weredragon." Thanks Ant via LinuxGames.
A new version 012a of Bitfighter is now available for Windows and Linux, offering an update to this "free multi-player 2-D space combat game with Robotron-like controls." Version 012 adds an asteroid generator and the ability to drop items and version 012a fixes a crashing issue. Thanks Ant via LinuxGames.
Gamasutra - On Aging, Death And Games. Thanks Mike Martinez.
A second point: both rely too heavily on the conceit of interaction denied. There is a tendency in some art games to derive the artistic impact from refusing to let the player change things, from the conflict between what the player wants to achieve (and thinks he might be able to achieve) and what the designer has chosen to allow. At its simplest, the gimmick is to get the player to try to do something impossible, and then wait for him to give up.
There's a video on the YouTube with some NSFW outtakes from Better off Ted that are pretty hilarious. Just to be clear: even though BoT is a network television show, this clip is *really* not safe for work. Anyway, the outtakes are great, and they also provide an excuse to plug the show again, as it really is one of the best things on TV today, you perfectly tanned $#%bird!
R.I.P.: Anne Frank diary guardian Miep Gies dies aged 100. Thanks Mike Martinez.
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