Joystiq

Silicon Knights: we never received any of Canada's money

David Hinkle — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST

Last year, Silicon Knights was awarded a grant by the Canadian government, in part to self-publish games, and to hire 80 employees. But it turns out the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade never handed over the funds -- a promised sum of $3 million Canadian.

"There hasn't been any funding. There were announcements and no money received," Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack told GI.biz. "That's one of the strangest things. So, at one point, there was a loan that we got. That's it." Dyack said he's following up on the money, but to no avail so far.

It could be an alarming issue for Silicon Knights, considering the state of affairs at the Ontario-based studio. Late last year the developer had to let 45 go, and it remains embroiled in a long-running legal dispute with Epic over the use of Unreal Engine 3 during the development of Too Human.

Silicon Knights: we never received any of Canada's money originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Silicon Knights cuts staff by nearly 75 percent, from 97 to just 25 [update]

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:47:00 EST

X-Men Destiny and Too Human developer Silicon Knights may be in dire straits, with a report today stating the company is down from 97 employees to just 25. 1UP cites "two credible independent sources" as telling the news site of the massive layoffs over this past weekend.

The report seemingly flies in the face of a $3 million Canadian government grant given to Silicon Knights this past July, intended at the time to "create 80 new jobs and protect 97 existing positions." It was also supposed to make SK into a self-published dev house -- something that company head Denis Dyack has continually pushed for. As of this publishing, representatives from Silicon Knights had yet to respond to request for comment.

Update: The company has since confirmed layoffs, although the number is lower than originally reported in this piece.

Report: Silicon Knights cuts staff by nearly 75 percent, from 97 to just 25 [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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X-Men Destiny review: Destined for failure

Justin McElroy — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 11:05:00 EST

Sometimes you read about a canceled game and think, "Oh, that's too bad, that could have been fun. I wish they'd just release what they had finished so I could check it out."

Do me a favor. The next time that thought should happen to flit across your mind, remember X-Men Destiny. Because when someone has a cool idea and releases it unfinished, this is exactly what it looks like.

Gallery: X-Men Destiny (Gamescom 2011)

Continue reading X-Men Destiny review: Destined for failure

X-Men Destiny review: Destined for failure originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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X-Men Destiny preview: Designer genes

Mike Schramm — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:50:00 EST

Silicon Knights founder Denis Dyack is happy to hear that X-Men Destiny looks unlike many of the games already based on Marvel's mutant universe. "We've been collaborating with Marvel and Activision to do things very differently," he says.

In most X-Men games, you pick a familiar hero, like Wolverine or Gambit, and then explore the world from his or her point of view. In X-Men Destiny, however, Dyack and his team have been given free reign to separate powers from characters. Your custom-built hero can play through the RPG-driven side of the game by equipping powers as you would gear. You could combine Cyclops' eyebeams with Juggernaut's charge, or Wolvie's healing factor, all while finding a place in the campaign somewhere between the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants.

Unfortunately, while there are a lot of interesting touches in the story and powers system, X-Men Destiny's core game struggles to hold the higher ideas up. The graphics look only marginally better than those leaked screens, and even in the short demo I played the game's combat and enemies teetered on the verge of becoming notably repetitive.

Gallery: X-Men Destiny (Comic Con 2011)

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X-Men Destiny preview: Designer genes originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Silicon Knights receives Canadian gov. grant to hire 80, self-publish

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 09:15:00 EST

The Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade announced yesterday that it gave Too Human and Eternal Darkness developer Silicon Knights "support" that will help the company become a "self-sustainable, self-publishing" company. According to the St. Catharine Standard, the developer received nearly $3 million in provincial funding. The money is also intended to create 80 new jobs and protect 97 existing positions.

"This will enhance our competitive edge within the highly-competitive video game market ... and allow us to enter lucrative global markets," Silicon Knights' Denis Dyack said in a statement. Dyack had hinted toward Silicon Knight's self-publishing future in an interview with Joystiq in May.

The latest batch of cash will be added to the $4 million the company received from the government last year. Silicon Knights is currently working on X-Men Destiny.

Silicon Knights receives Canadian gov. grant to hire 80, self-publish originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Silicon Knights' Denis Dyack still wary of game previews, hints at studio's self-publishing goal

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 09 May 2011 16:00:00 EST

During GDC this past March, I met with Silicon Knights head honcho Denis Dyack under the condition that he wouldn't be discussing the studio's upcoming action-RPG, X-Men Destiny (pictured above). The game is slated for release this year, yet we know relatively little about it -- and we've seen even less. Save for OXM UK, no outlet has published a preview (nor been offered one, as far as I know).

I asked Dyack about his outspoken views against the preview process. "In my view, the ultimate model requires our industry to not show games until they are ready," he told me, echoing his past sentiments. "I'm not saying get rid of previews, because previews are a good thing," he clarified. "What I am suggesting is that our industry should not do previews until the game's completed."

Continue reading Silicon Knights' Denis Dyack still wary of game previews, hints at studio's self-publishing goal

Silicon Knights' Denis Dyack still wary of game previews, hints at studio's self-publishing goal originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 09 May 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Silicon Knights' Dyack on Too Human: 'we do plan on finishing the trilogy'

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 03 May 2011 09:30:00 EST

During the Game Developers Conference nearly two months ago, Silicon Knights head Denis Dyack met with me in a hotel overlooking that week's event at the Moscone Center. He wasn't there to show off his studio's next game -- X-Men: Destiny -- to press, but for unspecified "meetings" with unnamed folks. Spooky.

And while we touched on the subject of XM:D during the half hour, the first questions I had for Dyack were about his studio's last major release, Too Human. Primary among them: Is the Too Human trilogy dead? "No, not at all," Dyack told me. "It is still on the table and we do plan on finishing the trilogy."

When it came to other questions about Too Human, however, Dyack was far more verbose. With the intention of setting the record straight, as it were, Dyack outright denies that Too Human was in development for 10 years. "It is true that an earlier version of the general 'Too Human' concept was first shown on the PlayStation in 1998, but that was a completely different game than what was released on the Xbox 360," he said. "Among other things, the original concept was a single-player, third-person action/adventure game based on a detective called John Franks trying to discover who had killed his partner." It's a far cry from the Norse mythology-based dungeon crawler we played in 2008.

Continue reading Silicon Knights' Dyack on Too Human: 'we do plan on finishing the trilogy'

Silicon Knights' Dyack on Too Human: 'we do plan on finishing the trilogy' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 May 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dyack dismayed by layoffs, anticipates growth in Ontario

Xav de Matos — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST

Following yet another report of company restructuring resulting in job losses, outspoken industry veteran Denis Dyack called industry-wide layoffs within the last year and a half "staggering." However, the Silicon Knights boss does see a brighter future for development over the next five years, at least in the Canadian province of Ontario.

"Before, Ontario was a little isolated, there wasn't a lot of videogame companies here. But that's going to change. With all the positive steps that the government's done," Dyack told GamesIndustry.biz. Dyack's hopeful outlook for Ontario comes, in part, from Ubisoft's July announcement to open a new studio in Toronto -- a move Ubisoft hopes will bring 800 new jobs to the region over the next decade.

According to Dyack, new business in Ontario means the province will be able to combat recruiters who remove developer and designer graduates from the area. "It's really depressing going to [University of] Waterloo to recruit and we see that Microsoft was there before us and took all the best people. The tax payer paid for that education," he lamented. With development expanding in Ontario, Silicon Knights can finally start combing schools for talent to help produce the (Sweet Lord, make it happen) sequel to Eternal Darkness.

Dyack dismayed by layoffs, anticipates growth in Ontario originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dyack predicts more publisher consolidation

Justin McElroy — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

Publishers have been disappearing faster than Ludwig's snickerdoodles at Joystiq's Mid-Autumn Tea Social lately, both through bankruptcy or (for the lucky ones) being purchased. Designer and industry soothsayer Denis Dyack told Gaming Union he expects that to continue, comparing the shift to that of Hollywood which went from hundreds of individual studios to the six major houses we know today. Dyack expects the role of publishers to change as well, though he's less specific on exactly what that means.

Boy, one console and now fewer publishers? Sounds like Denis has been listening to too much They Might Be Giants.

Dyack predicts more publisher consolidation originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dyack muses about clouds, won't abandon current consoles

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:45:00 EST

"We have no intentions to stop making video games for the current consoles ... that would be nuts." That was Silicon Knights head Denis Dyack's response to our question about whether his musing about cloud technology had anything to do with a new direction for the company. During Dyack's "musing about clouds" presentation today at GDC Europe, the SK president mentioned a belief in systems like OnLive -- but he's not ready to take a walk in the clouds just yet.

The outspoken executive said that he doesn't believe people should be investing in game stores at the moment, though he was unsure how long the cloud model will take to gain a foothold. According to Dyack, cloud computing could become the dominant form of distribution and access for consumers within the next 20 years. In the meantime, Dyack told us Silicon Knights will keep doing console-based games "as long as the market is there."

Dyack muses about clouds, won't abandon current consoles originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dyack: Industry making more games than consumers can handle

Justin McElroy — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 02:15:00 EST

When we first heard about Denis Dyack's vision of a single-console future, we were ready to dismiss the idea as, if you'll excuse our language, cockamamie. Now, in a world with cloud computing systems like OnLive and Gaikai in the works, it doesn't seem that nutty.

He's still banging the drum and elaborating on his point, saying that the single console would help reduce a glut of games overwhelming the consumer. "There were 300 or so games released last November. We're in a state of performance over supply. We're making more games than consumers can possibly consume," Dyack told Videogamer.com. "Marketing is having a disproportionate effect over the success of games because there's so many out there people are ignoring us."

Hey, you're a consumer, right? Are you feeling overwhelmed?

Dyack: Industry making more games than consumers can handle originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 02:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Silicon Knights lays off 26 employees 'temporarily'

James Ransom-Wiley — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:45:00 EST

Filed under: Business

We'll spare the "too human" jokes and get right to it: Silicon Knights laid off 26 employees today as the studio reshuffled its size in preparation for "several new and exciting" projects. Before the "temporary" cutback, the company totaled just over 180 employees.

"These 26 individuals are hard-working and valued team members that we hope to bring back as we ramp up on our future projects," head knight Denis Dyack said in a statement. The layoffs are consistent with typical development cycles in the industry, but do come at a time when global markets are wavering. Silicon Knights has not yet named any of the individuals affected by today's downsizing, but a tipster suggests the group includes "a few long-tenured ones."

Read the full statement from Silicon Knights after the break.

[Thanks Bob!]

Continue reading Silicon Knights lays off 26 employees 'temporarily'

Silicon Knights lays off 26 employees 'temporarily' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dyack and crew playing Too Human online and you're invited

Dustin Burg — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Too Human

Tonight, from 7-9:00PM eastern, Mr. Denis Dyack and a handful of Silicon Knights developers will be logging onto Xbox Live to play some Too Human as part of Xbox.com's Game with Developers initiative. And, really, we couldn't think of any better way to spend a Friday night. Simply make the leap over to Xbox.com to get a listing of all the Silicon Knights Gamertags and spam their friends list like there's no tomorrow. Have fun and, please, play safe.

Dyack and crew playing Too Human online and you're invited originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Too Human cracks NPD Top 10

Xav de Matos — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:45:00 EST

Filed under: News, Too Human

According to the NPD Group the controversial loot-grinder Too Human cracked the top ten sales chart for the month of August. Selling 168,200 units in a ten day period, Too Human landed the number 8 spot beating out Madden 09 for the Nintendo Wii and Guitar Hero: On Tour for the Nintendo DS.

While reactions have been mixed since Too Human's release, Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack told X3F in a post game release interview that the team from St. Catharine's, Canada, couldn't be happier with the final product. Controversy aside, Too Human debuted strong and continued sales only solidifies that the previously announced sequels are still in the works. That Valkyrie death animation can still fall in a well and die, though. Just saying.

[via GameDaily]

Too Human cracks NPD Top 10 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Too Human update fixes connectivity, nothing else

Ross Miller — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

We turned on Too Human this morning (no, really) and found an auto update. Hoping it might have shortened the Valkyrie death sequence, we immediately unequipped all weapons and armor and ran naked (figuratively) into battle, only to be faced with the same 15.5-second consequence. We also thought the menu screen loaded faster, but that is all apparently just in our heads.

In a forum post this morning, Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack revealed that the update "fixed some connectivity issues and was done prior to release. It does not contain any balance or gameplay changes." Better luck next time.

Too Human update fixes connectivity, nothing else originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Sep 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dyack: Ownership of Eternal Darkness IP is 'complicated'

Chris Greenhough — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:40:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews

Our greener, slightly more hi-def colleagues at X3F recently had a chance to sit down with Denis Dyack, famously outspoken founder and president of Silicon Knights. Although Dyack and Silicon Knights have been working with the others in recent years, the company does have a history of working alongside Nintendo, perhaps most notably when Ninty published cult favorite Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem on the GameCube. Since it was released in 2002, the fan clamor for an Eternal Darkness follow-up has been considerable.

Regrettably, the signs given by Dyack here (at around the 4.30 mark) aren't encouraging. The sticking point seems to be the issue of who owns the Eternal Darkness IP, something which Dyack describes as "a complicated question with a complicated answer."

That said, he also reveals that Nintendo is a "silent partner" with the developer, and that the two companies have a "great" relationship. "It's not time to talk about Eternal Darkness 2," he concludes. The chances of an Eternal Darkness sequel on Wii seem a little slimmer after watching this, and that makes us sad pandas.

Dyack: Ownership of Eternal Darkness IP is 'complicated' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dyack: Nintendo a 'silent partner', Eternal Darkness IP ownership 'complicated'

Ross Miller — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Nintendo GameCube, Microsoft Xbox 360

In the final part of X3F's interview series, Silicon Knights President Denis Dyack said that the question of who owns the Eternal Darkness IP is, "a complicated question with a complicated answer," while at the same time confirming that Nintendo is still a "silent partner" with the developer.

"That's a question we've never answered," he said. "At the end of the day, it's not time to even talk about those things for various different reasons. You know Nintendo, who's still our silent partner, a lot of people don't know that, we have a great relationship with those guys. It's not time to talk about Eternal Darkness 2." Dyack went on to say that, despite some reports to the contrary, SK has never announced ED2 to be in development.

Dyack also discussed his one console theory, and how the consolidation of the developers and publishers support his claim that the industry is moving towards a one-console future, adding that Silicon Knights is not opposed to being acquired by a publisher. He also said that the company's next game will be "very different" from Too Human, declining to elaborate further.

Continue reading Dyack: Nintendo a 'silent partner', Eternal Darkness IP ownership 'complicated'

Dyack: Nintendo a 'silent partner', Eternal Darkness IP ownership 'complicated' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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X3F TV -- Denis Dyack, "Future Knights" Interview

Xav de Matos — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews, Too Human, X3F TV

In the final part of our three part interview with Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack we discuss the future of the studio. From genre bending, clarifications and the unanswered question regarding the ownership of the Eternal Darkness IP, this interview covers everything you'd want to know about the future of Silicon Knights.

Stay tuned tomorrow for a special giveaway to round out our Too Human coverage.

[iTunes] Subscribe to X3F TV directly in iTunes.
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[M4V] Download the M4V of the first section of this video directly.

Gallery: Silicon Knights: Studio Tour

Continue reading X3F TV -- Denis Dyack, "Future Knights" Interview

X3F TV -- Denis Dyack, "Future Knights" Interview originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dyack mum on Eternal Darkness IP ownership

Xav de Matos — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews

In the final part of our three-part interview with Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack one of the biggest questions lingering in our mind was the ownership debate regarding the Eternal Darkness IP. Some say Nintendo is the sole owner of the name, some say they were simply the publishers.

While Denis agreed that the question is one they have never answered in the past, he still kept silent on the answers. ""It's a complicated question with a complicated answer and we're not answering that question."

However Dyack surprised us by stating that Silicon Knights still has a "silent partner" in Nintendo when discussing Eternal Darkness but reiterates that nothing has ever been announced for a sequel to the famed horror title.

Dyack mum on Eternal Darkness IP ownership originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Silicon Knights could join a major publisher in the era of consolidation

Xav de Matos — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Interviews

In the final part of our three-part interview with Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack we discussed the one console future, specifically the topic of consolidation. With companies such as Electronic Arts purchasing developers like BioWare and Pandemic and Microsoft purchasing Lionhead, does Denis Dyack see Silicon Knights joining a major company in the future?

"I think I see that for everybody," Dyack told X3F. "I think what is really important for us, more than anything else, is that we're allowed to create great games, grown in the way we want to grow [and] maintain our culture."

While Dyack isn't adverse to the possibility he did contend that any thought on the matter now is pure speculation on his part. "Who knows, it's like trying to predict what the weather is going to be like a week from now."

Silicon Knights could join a major publisher in the era of consolidation originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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X3F TV: Denis Dyack, "Too Human" interview

Xav de Matos — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:50:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews, Too Human, X3F TV

In the second part of our three part interview with Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack the conversation focuses in on Too Human. After listing off his three high points and low points from his experiences of the game, Denis discusses his overall impressions of fan response -- refraining to comment on videos from Kevin Pereira and Giant Bomb -- and whether or not the game has lived up to the studio's expectations.

Due to length this video split into two sections, the second portion of the Too Human interview can be found after the jump.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the final part of our three part Denis Dyack interview. In part three Denis and Xav discuss the future of Silicon Knights, the studios relationship with Nintendo and the genre possibilities for the development team.

[iTunes] Subscribe to X3F TV directly in iTunes.
[Zune] Subscribe to the X3F TV directly (Zune Marketplace link coming soon).
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Continue reading X3F TV: Denis Dyack, "Too Human" interview

X3F TV: Denis Dyack, "Too Human" interview originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interview: Dyack addresses Too Human complaints

Ross Miller — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Adventure, Interviews, Video

Continuing with their week-long series, nos amis at X3F talked with Silicon Knights President Denis Dyack over some of Too Human's biggest perceived faults. Part 1 of today's video interview is embedded above. Some highlights:

On the community's early judgment: "People are trying to understand a game that's inherently interactive [by watching a video] ... All I can say is try the demo."
On clipping and texture issues: "There's glitches in all games. It's really interesting to me because, as an example, there's gonna be things you can always improve. To me, framerate's not really that essential in cutscenes and it never has been for us ... I don't think Too Human's inconsistent from any of our previous games ... So there's clipping. Oh noes. Bottom line is, does it affect gameplay and by how much? Are there ways to improve Too Human? For sure, but the overall big picture? Happy, extremely happy."
On the Valkyrie death scene: Dyack estimated it was a 15 and a 1/2 second scene. "If it's a sign that people love the game so much that they just want to get back in and play, could we make it skippable? Sure, it's an easy change. Is it something we ever would have anticipated since we thought it was faster than going to get your body or losing experience [which does not happen in Too Human] ... is that a change we can make in the future? Sure."
On comparisons to Diablo: "There's this tactical element. People think, 'oh, this is like Diablo with a bit of action. In Diablo I can just go up to an enemy and pound him away [until it dies] and move on to the next one, if you had the better loot, you usually win. In Too Human, if you don't use your tactics, it is a new kind of genre-bender, you're gonna die. And we're looking at some of the feedback and a lot of people are dying. [laughs]"
On future downloadable content: "I think that's gonna be unique to people who pre-order it, that's a one-time thing. But we've got tons of ideas that will far exceed the pre-order bonus."

Check out part two of the interview after the break.

Continue reading Interview: Dyack addresses Too Human complaints

Interview: Dyack addresses Too Human complaints originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dyack: Valkyrie scene faster than load times, corpse runs

Xav de Matos — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:45:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews, Too Human

In part two of our three part exclusive interview with Denis Dyack during a studio tour of Silicon Knights the subject of much debate was pointed out in the room like a 300 ton gorilla. Whether you're on the Too Human hate train or defence camp nearly everyone agrees the unskippable Valkyrie death animation breaks the flow of the game and gets downright boring.

When asked why the animation was not skippable, Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack was quick to compare the animation with loading a save file in other titles or an MMO corpse run reiterating that the Valkyrie scene is the only real penalty for death.

"If you're getting frustrated with the Valkyrie cinema, you might be dying a little too much," Dyack joked. "The bottom line is ... If it's a sign that people love the game so much that they just want to get back in and play, could we make it skippable? Sure, it's an easy change. Is it something we ever would have anticipated since we thought it was faster than going to get your body or losing experience [which does not happen in Too Human] ... is that a change we can make in the future? Sure."

While Dyack makes a valid point, many detractors and even fans - ourselves included - agree the scene feels dated and while he told us it could change, X3F was never told that that it would.

Stay tuned for the full interview at noon today where Xav and Denis discuss Too Human.

Dyack: Valkyrie scene faster than load times, corpse runs originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Denis Dyack talks to X3F on the origin of Silicon Knights

Ross Miller — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:15:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Interviews, Video

Our friends at X3F have posted the first part of their 1-on-1 interview with Denis Dyack, where he talks about the history of Silicon Knights, from its previous legal entanglements with Crystal Dynamics over the Legacy of Kain IP, through the prerequisite Eternal Darkness discussion (Spoiler: There's no talk of a sequel) and how they found themselves developing a Metal Gear Solid port for GameCube.

In case you missed it, check out the Dyack-guided studio tour from yesterday. You can catch up on all things Baldur on X3F's Too Human page.

Denis Dyack talks to X3F on the origin of Silicon Knights originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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X3F TV: Denis Dyack, "Origin of the Knights" interview

Xav de Matos — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews, Too Human, X3F TV

In the first part of our three part interview with Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack we discuss the origin of the studio from an Atari, Amiga and PC developer of RTS titles to the GameCube remake of the classic PS1 title, Metal Gear Solid. How did Silicon Knights get tapped to create the remake, when did the studio's relationship with Nintendo begin? Part one of the interview gets to the bottom of things from the games that Silicon Knights develops to the people and culture that make up the studio.

Stay tuned tomorrow for part two of our three part Denis Dyack interview. In part two Xav lists the top three things he likes and dislikes about his experience with Too Human - discussion ensues.

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X3F TV: Denis Dyack, "Origin of the Knights" interview originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dyack on the corporate culture of Silicon Knights

Xav de Matos — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:15:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews, Too Human, X3F TV

In our exclusive three-part interview with Denis Dyack, the Silicon Knights president revealed the company is built much like a guild. "We do games differently than other companies," Dyack told X3F. "We're not saying we have it right and everyone else has it wrong but we do it our own way."

With ten staffers soon to be added to the, already long, list of decade long employees at Silicon Knights, Dyack told X3F that he hopes the company continue to support the industries most vital resource: People. "Everyone at Silicon Knights realizes that we're a knowledge based company and in a knowledge based company computers are $5,000 pencils -- the only value is the people."

Check out our exclusive studio tour and stay tuned at noon for the first part of our three-part interview with Denis Dyack.

Dyack on the corporate culture of Silicon Knights originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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X3F takes tour of Silicon Knights' studio

Ross Miller — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Adventure, Video

click for the pic-tour-ial

Our compatriots over at X3F visited Too Human developer Silicon Knights last week and were welcomed with a big, friendly bear hug from president Denis Dyack, who proceeded to drink from a bottomless coffee mug as he gave them a tour of the Ontario-based studio. Check out video of the guided tour (after the break) as well a pic-tour-ial gallery. X3F has an entire week of Silicon Knights coverage planned. Tomorrow: Part 1 of their 1-on-1 interview Dyack.

Gallery: Silicon Knights: Studio Tour

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X3F takes tour of Silicon Knights' studio originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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X3F Presents: Silicon Knights studio tour

Xav de Matos — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews, Too Human, X3F TV

After launching the controversial title Too Human, Silicon Knights invited X3F for a full tour of its studio and a one-on-one interview with company president, Denis Dyack. In the first of four videos, Dyack walks X3F through its St. Catharines, Canada, based studio showcasing the company culture and the process of creating its latest release.

Stay tuned tomorrow for part one of our three part Denis Dyack interview. In part one Dyack describes the "Origins of Silicon Knights."

[M4V] Download the M4V directly.

Continue reading X3F Presents: Silicon Knights studio tour

X3F Presents: Silicon Knights studio tour originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dyack: Too Human 10-year dev cycle 'factually incorrect'

Ross Miller — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Adventure

Silicon Knights' Denis Dyack wants to set the record straight: Too Human was not in development for 10 years. Speaking to X3F during their tour of the studios last week, Dyack said, "I cannot dispel that rumor enough ... that is a bad way to talk about Too Human because that is factually incorrect." He cites the E3 1999 reveal -- at that point planned as a 4-disc PS One title -- but explains that production didn't actually begin until after Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes was completed. Given that title's March 2004 release, we're going to carbon date Too Human at 5 years, born in 7 A.D., or Anno Duke (Nukem Forever).

It should be noted that there are screenshots from E3 1999, but both those and the descriptions appear devoid of any Norse mythology that now has become a major aspect of the game. Stay tuned for video and images from X3F's Silicon Knights tour later today.

Check out X3F's four-part video series with Too Human developer Silicon Knights, including a guided studio tour and an interview with the ever-controversial Denis Dyack.

Dyack: Too Human 10-year dev cycle 'factually incorrect' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Aug 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dyack on '10 years of Too Human' misconception

Xav de Matos — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews, Too Human

In an exclusive studio tour and interview with X3F, Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack discussed his frustration regarding the common misconception that Too Human has been in development for over a decade.

"I cannot dispel that rumor enough," Dyack told X3F. "That is a bad way to talk about Too Human because that is factually incorrect."

Too Human is commonly noted as being in development since it was first showcased as a PlayStation title in 1999 but, according to Dyack, production on the game did not begin until sometime after Silicon Knights shipped Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes for the Nintendo GameCube. "People think, 'Oh the game has been in development for 18 years plus...' it isn't possible," Dyack told X3F.

Stay tuned at noon for a full studio tour video and image gallery with Denis Dyack.

Dyack on '10 years of Too Human' misconception originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Aug 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10 more SK staffers 'knighted' for 10 years of service

Xav de Matos — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews

In an exclusive studio tour of its St. Catharines, Canada, studio, Silicon Knights lead Denis Dyack revealed to X3F that ten staff members are poised to be honored for ten years of service during an upcoming Too Human launch party. The process of being 'knighted' at Silicon Knights continues a longstanding tradition that hearkens back to the formation of the studio, staffers who reach ten years of service are honored with a unique sword to be placed in their office.

Ten more members achieving this goal contradicts rumors swirling around GDC that claimed Silicon Knights staff members were leaving in droves due to development issues with Too Human.

Stay tuned at noon for a full studio tour video and image gallery with Denis Dyack.

10 more SK staffers 'knighted' for 10 years of service originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Silicon Knights' next game not 'Two Human,' but trilogy will continue

Randy Nelson — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:29:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Business

For better or worse, Silicon Knights has finally kicked Too Human out of the nest, seemingly not too concerned about whether it will actually fly with most gamers. In fact, while the developer still intends to finish off the planned trilogy, it's not going to be doing so anytime soon.

Speaking with CVG, SK boss Denis Dyack confirmed that his studio's next game is going to be "Like nothing else we've ever made before." The dev has been working on a new title for Sega, which not too long ago was allegedly leaked in video form under the title The Crucible. Sega was quick to deny any connection between SK and a game with that name - which would be good for Dyack, since it was clearly a third-person action/horror game. You know, totally unlike Eternal Darkness.

"We've been lucky enough to make Legacy of Kain, Eternal Darkness, Too Human ... and if you look at all of those they're all really different," Dyack said of SK's plans for its new IP. "We want to continue to do that, to keep fresh. That's really what's important, and making sure that we continue to make new IPs but also continue to innovate in the genres that we try to... create content in." We think it's safe to assume that, whatever this totally fresh new project is, it won't be using the Unreal Engine.

Silicon Knights' next game not 'Two Human,' but trilogy will continue originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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X3F Interview: Five minutes with Denis Dyack

Xav de Matos — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews, Too Human

During the Too Human launch signing in St. Catharines, Ontario, Denis Dyack took a few minutes to answer some of our questions. While reserved, Dyack did speak fondly of the community Silicon Knights represents, the success of the demo and misunderstandings within the media.

Surrounded by fans awaiting a signature from the Silicon Knights development team, Dyack brushed off our questions regarding the recent reviews of Too Human, message board communities and the future of both the franchise and the studio's next announcement.

[MP3] Download this interview in MP3 format

X3F Interview: Five minutes with Denis Dyack originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dyack's defense: Too Human haters 'just don't get it'

Ludwig Kietzmann — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, RPGs

When Jeff Gerstmann bemoaned Too Human's "monotonous combat and dated approach to cooperative play," he was unknowingly shunted from the group of haves to the considerably less illustrious group of have nots -- as in have not a clue to comprehend Too Human's unyielding explosion of uniqueness and innovation. "I think we took for granted how innovative the game was," remarks the game's humble director, Denis Dyack.

Speaking to OXM at the game's UK launch, Dyack explains that a lot of the negative reaction to the game's demo (and presumably, the final version) has its roots in the provocative fear of the unknown. "But what we're also seeing is for the people who don't like it, generally just don't get it. And it's because we've created something so innovative and different," he says. "It's ironic, it just shows that human nature of if you don't understand something, you immediately attack it. It's pretty interesting in that regard."

Consider this a plea to game designers everywhere: Please tone down all that rampant innovation, lest we become embroiled in confusion and hostility and ultimately give your game a six out of ten.

Dyack's defense: Too Human haters 'just don't get it' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Metareview: Too Human (Xbox 360)

Ross Miller — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:15:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Adventure, RPGs, Metareviews

It's been almost ten years since we first saw Too Human at E3 1999, at that point reportedly a 4-disc action adventure for the original PlayStation. In that time, the game has jumped to GameCube and then to Xbox 360, re-emerged as a slideshow, became overshadowed by a lawsuit, and later became the most downloaded action demo on Xbox Live in its first week.

So, after all the hype and controversy, how does the final game fare? Judging by the reviews, it's certainly not a knockout title, with the general consensus being that it aims for the stars and misses the mark. One thing is for sure: If you like seeking out loot, then Too Human is definitely for you.

GamePro (4/5) "Here's an Xbox 360 exclusive that proudly wears its lofty ambitions on its sleeves, and yet sometimes seems bent on self-sabotage. That it's so relentlessly addictive despite its aggravations is something of a minor miracle."
IGN (78/100) "What's been delivered in the end is a good game that ultimately falls just short of its promise due to a few questionable design decisions. One thing is for sure, though. If you love collecting random loot drops, you'll find a lot to like here."
Giant Bomb (3/5) "If you have an insatiable lust for items with higher stats than the ones you're currently using, or if you get giddy at the mere thought of Diablo-style rare item naming conventions, you'll probably be able to look past the game's issues and have a good time. But even at its best, it's hard to ignore Too Human's monotonous combat and dated approach to cooperative play."
GameSpot (55/100): "Too Human is a game of false starts and unrealized potential that infiltrate almost every aspect of the game, from story, to combat, to balance. Its elements feel stitched together, making for a patchwork quilt of a game that's fraying at the seams."
1UP (C-) "At the very least, the cyber-Norse concept of Too Human is a good one that's worth exploring further, just not in this context. The game is simply schizophrenic; it attempts to be all things to all people and never succeeds in executing any of them well. The end result is in dire need of polish and focus, and that doesn't solely apply to gameplay mechanics. There's absolutely no reason why a game released in 2008 should have a bug where characters can fall through solid ground and into some pseudoabyss."

Metareview: Too Human (Xbox 360) originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On eve of Too Human launch, Epic dispute resurfaces

Ross Miller — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:45:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Business

It's been quite awhile since we've heard anything about the Silicon Knights and Epic Games lawsuit -- we last reported on it in January 2008 and were all prepared to make jokes about the lawsuit being on the cusp of vaporware like Duke Nukem Forever is and Too Human was. Thankfully, our curiosity has been rewarded; on the eve of the latter game's launch, Silicon Knights President Denis Dyack managed to put the legal proceedings back into the limelight.

In an interview with Develop, Dyack said that the trial is proceeding and that he was confident in his claims. "We're hopeful that justice will be done. We all feel really strongly that [Epic Games has] defrauded us, and a major portion of the industry," he said.

To recap: In late July 2007, Silicon Knights filed a lawsuit against Epic Games over what it felt was inadequate support for its Unreal Engine 3, thus harming development of Too Human. Epic responded and filed a countersuit. In November, Epic's motion for dismissal was denied. In January 2008, multiple subpoenas were issued to other UE3 licensees. As for Too Human's involvement, we'll be keeping a mental tally of how many reviews mention the lawsuit.

On eve of Too Human launch, Epic dispute resurfaces originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dyack: Too Human campaign will take "around fifteen hours"

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, RPGs

If there was a magic ratio between the amount of time that a game is in development and the length of the final product, many of us would assume that the first installment in Silicon Knight's Norse-inspired trilogy, Too Human, would take roughly ten months to complete. However, Silicon founder Denis Dyack has expressed his concerns with lengthy games in the past, so it should come as no surprise that in a recent interview with gaming site Kikizo, Dyack explained that your first playthrough of his upcoming action/RPG hybrid should take "around fifteen hours".

Dyack goes on to explain that in order to hit level fifty (the game's level cap) might take between fifty and eighty hours, and searching for the game's "epic loot" will tack even more time to the title. If the length of Silicon's quickly approaching title doesn't interest you, perhaps Dyack's mad vision of a one-console future, discussed in the same interview, might catch your attention -- if only to make you furiously wonder what a console civil war would look like.

Dyack: Too Human campaign will take "around fifteen hours" originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 09 Aug 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Too Human goes gold; 900k downloaded demo

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:50:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

Silicon Knights and Microsoft announced today that the long, strange development journey of Too Human is at an end, with the game going gold for its Aug. 19 release. Denis Dyack and Silicon Knights now face the Ragnarök of retail to find out if the last 10 years -- not to mention that little lawsuit -- will grant them access to gaming's financial Valhalla.

At a minimum, it appears gamers certainly are interested in Too Human, as Microsoft announced the demo was downloaded 900k times, making it the most downloaded action demo on XBLM in its first week. Be sure to check out the demo and try out all the classes (using a little bit of time travel) to see if Too Human is too good to pass over.

[Via X3F, GameDaily]

Too Human goes gold; 900k downloaded demo originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Molyneux: 'I feel sorry for Denis Dyack'

James Ransom-Wiley — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, E3

Fable frontman Peter Molyneux has raised his metaphorical fist of solidarity, showing support for fellow game designer and Too Human trumpeter Denis Dyack. "I feel sorry for Denis Dyack because you know, I think a few things were said wrong, there was that really unfortunate showing at E3 a few years ago," Molyneux told VideoGamer.com at E3 last week. "Everyone got on the bandwagon of saying things about Too Human. Now I've played it and, you know, it's a good game. It doesn't deserve a lot of that harsh criticism. But as soon as something starts it's very hard to turn the tide and pull it back again." Molyneux, of course, speaks from experience, having survived a similar "avalanche" of negative criticism after the first Fable game was released in 2004 and failed to meet expectations hyped by Molyneux himself.

While Molyneux doesn't offer any sage advice for braving the inevitable storm to come (you don't actually have "something" in your back pocket, do you Mr. Dyack?), might we suggest, sir, that you quietly step away from the computer and out into the open air. Take a deep breath. You'll be safe there. Remember, it's not the whole world that's judging you (just a teeny, tiny nugget of web real estate). And besides, just like your pal Peter, you've always got the sequel to make good on empty promises.

Molyneux: 'I feel sorry for Denis Dyack' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft bringing home Too Human demo next week

Ross Miller — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Adventure, E3

We can go ahead and cross off one square from our press conference bingo. Microsoft has announced that, as part of their annual "Bringing it Home" series, the Too Human demo is coming to Xbox Live next week during E3 (via IGN). No word yet one what else will be available, but expect a usual flock of videos, themes, gamerpics and other random surprises. So how does Dyack's epic stack up to the hype? Find out yourself next week.

Microsoft bringing home Too Human demo next week originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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