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Archived News:
Battle.net has a post on the future of Diablo III written by Josh
Mosqueira, who is filling the game director position for the action/RPG sequel
vacated by Jay Wilson in January.
Josh fills us in on his background and qualifications and also offers some
general thoughts about the direction of the game, which continues the theme of
concentrating on revamping items and closing the Pandora's box they opened with
the game's auction house: In the year since Diablo III launched, we've
made good strides, but there are still things we can improve and new surprises
in store for everyone. As Travis mentioned earlier, itemization is one of our
big focuses for Diablo III moving forward. We want items to feel more
meaningful, and we want players to be excited about the next loot drop. Our goal
is to make the loot experience more enjoyable for ALL players. This includes
reducing the amount of loot that drops while improving the overall quality,
introducing targeted Legendaries, and giving players ways to directly customize
their character's armor—both visually and mechanically. We're also looking into
ways to reduce the impact of the Auction House. While we think the feature does
provide a lot of value, it shouldn’t feel like the end-all-be-all force driving
character progression.
We've built a solid foundation for the future of Diablo III and we're focused on
staying true to the core essence of the game, while pushing boundaries to evolve
gameplay in ways that will keep players like you excited. We hope you'll agree
that with each update, the game keeps getting better and better, and we're only
just getting started. In the future, we'll be focused on preserving the core
fantasy by cultivating the roots of the Diablo storyline, fine-tuning the heroes
for what lays ahead, and creating new monsters and demons that will once again
plant the seed of fear in your hearts. While some Diablo players out there are
just looking for a fun single playthrough of the game, for many others, part of
the appeal of the game is coming back again and again to test their mettle
against challenging foes in an ongoing search for rare treasures, with the goal
of making their heroes more and more powerful. We want to give those players,
and really everyone, even more reasons to keep coming back to Sanctuary, and we
have some great ideas brewing for ways to address randomization, what our
endgame should offer, and how to make playing online with friends truly
fulfilling.
The Sins of a Solar
Empire Website announces the release of Forbidden Worlds, the new DLC for
Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion, Ironclad's sci-fi RTS game. Here's
word: PLYMOUTH, MI – June 5, 2013 – The popular PC space strategy game,
Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion, from Ironclad Games and Stardock
Entertainment has released its first DLC pack today. "Forbidden Worlds" adds new
planet types, planet specialization, technologies, planetary bonuses and
additional Steam achievements all for $4.99.
The war between the loyalists and the rebels within the TEC, Advent and Vasari
continues within the depths of Trader Space. Yet, this sector of the galaxy has
far more worlds and history than any of the factions are aware. The need to
survive forces each to expand into the unknown, discovering worlds of hazard,
wealth, risk, and mystery. Most ominously, the Trader factions have been loathe
to expand to these worlds due to the dark myths that surround them.
Feature List:
- Four new planet types to colonize and exploit
(Barren, Ferrous, Greenhouse, Oceanic), each created with beautiful high-res
textures.
- New Planet Specialization System: Dedicate your
worlds to either social or industrial output. Devoting your planet to social
improvements will increase its population and culture, at the cost of trade
income and ship production. Choosing an industrial path will limit your
growth and culture, but make your planet a trading and ship building
powerhouse.
- 15 new research subjects allow the races to
conquer and expand onto the forbidden worlds.
- Discover 40 new planet bonuses during your
exploration of the galaxy, unlocking the dark past of the Sins’ universe.
- Unlock five new Steam Achievements and display
your mastery of forbidden space!
The Forbidden Worlds DLC is available direct, as well as on Steam, GameStop,
GamersGate and GameFly.
Tower of Guns is an indie
shooter from Terrible Posture Games, a developer founded by 38 Studios survivor
Joe Mirabello (thanks Ray). Here's word: "Tower of Guns is a fast paced,
nostalgic shooter for the twitch gamer… with a few roguelike elements to keep it
fresh with each playthrough. Think of it like FTL or Binding of Isaac mixed with
Doom2/Quake!" The game is available in prerelease form for those who preorder,
though it's said to be only about 25% complete. Here's
a trailer and the
cool-sounding feature list they hope will inspire
Steam
Greenlight support:
- SINGLE SITTING FULL EXPERIENCE: For all of those
who have too many games (or too little time) this is a game you can pick up
and play again and again without remembering where you were or what you were
up to. If you’re gonna win, you’re gonna do it within an hour or two. That’s
a big if though… it won’t be easy.
- ALWAYS A FRESH EXPERIENCE: Random enemies, random
powerups, random bosses, tons of unlockable items and weapons…even
random-level compositing! You never know what to expect when you sit down in
front of Tower of Guns.
- CRAZY POWERUPS: You’ve played first person
shooters where you can double jump, but have you played any game where you
can centuple-jump? You can in Tower of Guns, with the right items.
- GUN-MODIFYING MADNESS: A gun and its qualities
aren’t tied together in Tower of Guns. Do you like rocket launchers? You’ll
like them more if you’re lucky enough to stumble upon a “shotgun” modifier.
A rocket-launching shotgun is very satisfying.
- OLD-SCHOOL TACTICS: For the fans of the faster
shooters, it’s all back: circle strafing, bunny hopping, rocket jumping.
Tower of Guns is all about moving fast!
- OLD-SCHOOL LEVEL DESIGN: Hate invisible blocking
walls that keep you from exploring a cool vista? I do. They’re outlawed in
Tower of Guns. If you can see it, you can get to it…if you have the right
items.
Soldak Entertainment announces
Drox Operative: Invasion of the Ancients, an expansion for Drox
Operative scheduled to come to their sci-fi RPG in Q3 of this year. Here's the
deal: Drox Operative: Invasion of the Ancients, the first expansion for
Drox Operative, is almost here! Drox Operative is a starship action RPG with
warring alien races, fierce space battles, a dynamic, evolving galaxy, and co-op
multiplayer for Windows and Mac.
Before the Drox ruled the galaxy, before they were even sentient, there were
older races now known as the Ancients. Using their Operatives, the Drox crushed
and enslaved most of these races. The rest fled known space. When the Drox
turned on their own Operatives, the Drox were utterly destroyed. Newer races
emerged and thrived in the power void, never knowing the menace waited. Seizing
their chance, the Ancients are invading to take their rightful place in the
galaxy, as rulers! Thirsting for revenge, the Ancients can't harm the extinct
Drox, but they can crush the next best thing, the Drox Operatives.
The Ancient enemies are back! Can you defend the Drox Operative Guild and
younger races against the Invasion of the Ancients?
Frictional Games Forums explain that Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs is
delayed again, and the survival/horror sequel is now expected at the end of this
summer (thanks
Rock, Paper, Shotgun via
PCGN). Here's word: We are working away as fast as we can, it has to
take the time it takes. We have no rush and as a certain well known game
developer said "A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever
bad.".
We are optimizing, tweaking and in general putting the FG expertise to good use.
TCR keeps putting in work as well. There are companies working on the
translations (will launch with 9 languages in addition to original English). The
porting guys are porting away. Deals are being made. Things are prepared for
launching the game through more online stores than any other FG game before. In
general occupied with all things related.
We know we will not make Q2, we also know when the game will be ready for
launch. We have not set the exact day yet. You can however make good use of the
weather outside this summer and look forward to gaming with the piggies as the
summer comes to an end.
Here's the E3 2013 trailer
for South Park The Stick of Truth, the upcoming RPG based on the animated
series. Continue here to read the full story.
This page offers
downloads of Baldur's Gate: Reloaded, a fan-created modification that
remakes Baldur's Gate ( Tales of the Sword Coast and all) within
Neverwinter Nights 2 (it requires ownership of NWN2 as well as the Mask of
the Betrayer and Storm of Zehir expansions). Here's the accompanying word on
legality: "DISCLAIMER: This is a not-for-profit, fan-made mod that has no
affiliation with Bioware, Obsidian, Wizards of the Coast, or Atari. IMPORTANT:
Please purchase the original game before downloading Baldur's Gate: Reloaded!
It's important to support the original developers and publishers of this great
game and other related ones. Please see the "LINKS" section for more details."
As noted
on Kotaku, at least one of the members of the team is a professional, as
Drew Rechner worked for TimeGate Studios before it closed. Thanks nin.
The Mobius Trailer
is a haunting cinematic inspired by Metro: Last Light was created by 4A
Games' Alexander "Monakh" Bereznyak. Word is "The Mobius was created by
Alexander Bereznyak, aka Monakh, who was originally employed by 4A as a capture
artist. Soon it turned out that his talent was needed in the production team and
he took over the role as lead technical artist. But over a couple of months, he
continued to work alone on this trailer, that is now made public." Continue here to read the full story.
- Batman Franchise on
Steam. Save 75%.
- Sang-Froid - Tales of Werewolves on
Steam. Save 50%.
- Zafehouse: Diaries on
GOG.com. Save
60%.
Link of the Day:
Slack-Jawed Yokels Attempt Tree Removal With Car, Fail Miserably. I wonder
where they thought it would fall if it worked. Thanks nin.
Eidos Montreal microblogs the news they've
been teasing about Deus Ex:
The Fall, which, much to the disappointment of PC gamers, will be a mobile
first-person shooter for phones and tablets.
MCV has details about this game we suddenly don't care about, and
an explanation from Square Enix of why they toy with us like this.
The
Crysis 3 website announces the release of the Lost Island DLC for
Crysis 3, which takes Crytek's shooter series back to its tropical island
roots. The add-on should be available worldwide as of today, and here's word: Crysis
3 players can now take aim in an exciting new setting thanks to the arrival of
our Crysis 3: The Lost Island DLC expansion pack. Featuring new multiplayer maps
and game modes, and two brand new weapons, the DLC invites players to return to
the scene of the original Crysis by taking up arms on a remote tropical island
off the coast of Lingshan.
Available in the US from today (June 4) and the rest of the world tomorrow (June
5), The Lost Island DLC invites players to compete on the new Ascent, Coastline,
Creek and Crossing multiplayer maps; trying their hand at the new ‘Frenzy’ and
‘Possession’ game modes at the same time.
Frenzy adds a new dimension to deathmatch, with a weapon loadout that cycles
every 60 seconds keeping tension high as players can only respawn during the
next loadout change. An intensifying radar sweep keeps track of every move. Only
the most skilful Hunter will win.
In Possession, players secure the single objective flag for the longest time in
order to win, but once the flag is secured they become the hunted, permanently
tagged in the enemies HUD. Possession also boasts a team based variant, where
co-ordination and teamwork will ensure victory.
Kaylpso Media announce Rise of Venice, a new strategy/trading simulation
coming to Windows PCs in Q3 of this year. The arguably ironically titled game
(Venice spent most of the 20th century literally sinking) is set during the
Renaissance, and features the "treachery and political machinations" that
accompanied the era's return to enlightenment. Here are
some
screenshots and here's an outline of what to expect: "Rise of Venice drops
players in the Renaissance era, where they start out as a young merchant,
looking to make his mark and build a trading empire. Begin with a meager group
of trading ships and build them into a mercantile fleet that will make your
enemies and friends alike green with jealousy as you fill your coffers with
gold! Rise of Venice is much more than trading, however, as Renaissance Europe
was filled with treachery and political machinations of all sorts – which you
must take part in if you plan to succeed!" They also offer the following feature
list:
- Experience a compelling story full of intrigue and
treason in Venice at the time of the Renaissance
- Trade a variety of goods in the most important
cities of the time such as Rome, Alexandria, Constantinople and Athens.
- With your own family tree you can interact with
your family members, send them on missions and watch how the power of your
family grows over time.
- Meet other important families who are pulling the
strings in Venice’s government and influence political decisions yourself.
- Build your own production facilities and trading
fleets
- Take fate into your own hands and test your skills
in furious sea battles
- Multiplayer mode for up to 4 players via LAN and
Internet
The
Company of Heroes 2 website announces that open beta testing is now underway
on Steam for Relic's
World War II RTS sequel, offering the chance to check out the current state of
the game. This will also allow the chance to get a leg up on its release, as
those who purchase it now will retain all progress when the game goes live, and
also receive other bonuses, including a Theater of War Mini Pack, four
additional Commanders, two Winter Skins, and more. There are further details in
this producer's letter.
Paradox Interactive specifies August 13th, 2013 is the worldwide release date
for Europa Universalis IV, their empire-building sequel that
was announced with the more
general Q3 release window. The game will; be available for Windows, OS X, and
Linux, and they have launched a bonus-laden
preorder program for the game, offering
this trailer hoping to
inspire customers to preorder. Here's word on the game: "Europa Universalis IV
gives you control of a nation to guide it through the years and create a
dominant global empire in the age of exploration, providing unprecedented
freedom through the use of exploration, trade, warfare and diplomacy to let you
rule your nation however you see fit. Strategists will face ruthless AI in an
extensive single-player campaign, or be able to backstab friends and foes in
32-player online matches."
Another NDA expired today.
I was walking the dogs yesterday when we got ambushed by this crazy Portuguese
Water Dog who was literally lying in the weeds of his lawn as we walked by, but
luckily we were outside the barrier of his electric fence as he made his lunge.
In the ensuing commotion, The Gunnar-man popped free from his leash. At first I
thought this was because he was now on the leash that Hudson the wonder dog had
recently managed to escape, but he does not have her finesse, he relies on brute
force, and it turns out he managed to break his leather collar. This led to
another trip the pet store, where I joked it was amazing how often we go there
considering we don't buy dog food: but for instance we were just there a few
weeks ago for a new leash for Hudson. I picked out a sturdy nylon mesh collar
for Gunnar and another for her as a measure to prevent another return trip when
hers inevitably broke too. When I went to put hers on, however, I discovered she
has managed to once again lose her dog tags, and is currently carrying no ID in
case she gets lost (which is bad considering she is the Houdini of dogs). So my
efforts at forestalling another drive to this not particularly close store were
in vain, as I now need to go get her a new name tag.
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