Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[GC 2008: Details for House of the Dead: Overkill escape Leipzig]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/25/gc-2008-details-for-house-of-the-dead-overkill-escape/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/25/gc-2008-details-for-house-of-the-dead-overkill-escape/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/25/gc-2008-details-for-house-of-the-dead-overkill-escape/#commentsFiled under:


Apparently, one Bradley Crooks, developer at Headstrong Games, revealed to Gamekyo a few details about the upcoming Sega game on every Wii gamers' mind (if it isn't on your brain, then you should get your head checked) during an event at Leipzig. The list is fairly long, so head past the break, where it's all been organized with helpful bullet points.

Continue reading GC 2008: Details for House of the Dead: Overkill escape Leipzig

JoystiqGC 2008: Details for House of the Dead: Overkill escape Leipzig originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gdc-08gdc-2008gdc08headstrongheadstrong-gameshouse-of-the-deadhouse-of-the-dead-overkillleipzig-08overkillsegashooterzapperMon, 25 Aug 2008 16:35:00 EST<![CDATA[GC 2008: Activision demonstrates music creation in Guitar Hero: World Tour]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/25/gc-2008-activision-demonstrates-music-creation-in-guitar-hero-world-tour/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/25/gc-2008-activision-demonstrates-music-creation-in-guitar-hero-world-tour/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/25/gc-2008-activision-demonstrates-music-creation-in-guitar-hero-world-tour/#commentsFiled under:


To say that Guitar Hero: World Tour has a lot of content is now an understatement. The game is so ridiculously full of goodies, fans are likely going to explogasm when they watch the video above. It goes into incredible detail, showing off the music creation fun you can have in Activision's latest installment in its popular franchise. Whether you're mixing drum loops for your tracks or turning your guitar into a keyboard (could this confirm a keyboard peripheral is inbound?), it looks like you won't be bored with Guitar Hero: World Tour anytime soon after its release.


There's been a lot of Guitar Hero news lately. Like the confirmation that Miis will be included in the Wii game (as well as an explanation of how they'll be incorporated). Also, don't forget to check out which tracks have been confirmed for the game so far!

JoystiqGC 2008: Activision demonstrates music creation in Guitar Hero: World Tour originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisiongdc-08gdc08guitar-heroguitar-hero-world-tourleipzig-08musicred-octaneredoctanerhythmworld-tourMon, 25 Aug 2008 09:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Go! Go! Break Steady site update and video]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/10/go-go-break-steady-site-update-and-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/10/go-go-break-steady-site-update-and-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/10/go-go-break-steady-site-update-and-video/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We haven't seen much of the XBLA rhythm game from new studio Little Boy Games since its announcement around GDC. From the video the game seems to borrow heavily from many other rhythm games, but tries to do its own thing by incorporating characters, style, and slightly more varied mechanics. Since the game looks relatively deep, our main concern at this point is the games ability to find and hold an audience. With the production value of the trailer and the new site, it would be a shame to see such an enthusiastic effort fail. Supposedly a summer release title, Go! Go! Break Steady looks to be well on track, and should with luck find its niche in the untapped Live Arcade rhythm game market.

[Via GamerBytes]

JoystiqGo! Go! Break Steady site update and video originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GDC08ggbsgo-go-break-steadymusicrhythmrhythm-actionxblaTue, 10 Jun 2008 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Spend a virtual evening with Will Wright]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/11/spend-a-virtual-evening-with-will-wright/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/11/spend-a-virtual-evening-with-will-wright/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/11/spend-a-virtual-evening-with-will-wright/#commentsFiled under:

Do you love Will Wright? Like, really love Will Wright? Do you love Will Wright so much that you could listen to him talk for a half hour about things that are only tangentially video game related? It's for the special fan like you that we present "An Evening With Will Wright," a talk held at an off-site bar during last month's Game Developers Conference in San Fransisco.

We were there, so here are some simple instructions if you want the full virtual experience: get yourself some mini hot dogs and french fries (the victuals at the event) and some free booze. You'll probably find yourself irritated at the people talking over Will Wright and wanting nothing more than to have fists so large that you could simultaneously punch all of them in the face. Trust us, that's part of the experience too. Part 2 is right after the break.

Continue reading Spend a virtual evening with Will Wright

JoystiqSpend a virtual evening with Will Wright originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Mar 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gdc08sporewill-wrightwillwrightTue, 11 Mar 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Learn to make Uncharted at home!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/07/learn-to-make-uncharted-at-home/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/07/learn-to-make-uncharted-at-home/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/07/learn-to-make-uncharted-at-home/#commentsFiled under:

Okay, so you won't actually be able to recreate Uncharted without thousands of dollars worth of software, a PlayStation 3 dev kit and a considerable amount of talent. However, for anyone who is interested in various aspects of how the game was put together, Naughty Dog has very kindly placed their GDC powerpoint presentations up on their website for anyone to take a peek at.

Topics covered include a post-mortem of the game (which everyone should see), a look at Uncharted's animation pipeline and Naughty Dog's use of the high-detail modeling package, Mudbox, and how it integrates into other modeling software. Some of these will be very technical and might not be particularly interesting to everyone. Animation and 3D modeling students, however, have some new game-specific reading material to sift through. Get stuck in!

[Via PlayStation.Blog]

JoystiqLearn to make Uncharted at home! originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 Mar 2008 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GDC08naughty-dogunchartedFri, 07 Mar 2008 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC also ponders invite-only model]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/05/gdc-also-ponders-invite-only-model/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/05/gdc-also-ponders-invite-only-model/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/05/gdc-also-ponders-invite-only-model/#commentsFiled under:


At the close of the 2008 Game Developers Conference (GDC) this year we heard rumblings that change was in store for the industry event. After achieving a record setting 18,000 attendees, about 1,000 of which were press, event coordinators are contemplating an invite only stance to the media.

Speaking with Kotaku, GDC event director Jamil Moledina expressed his fear for the industry learning event, "I am concerned that if we don't focus on what makes GDC work we will face some complications down the road." To alleviate those fears, GDC is considering changes to who will be allowed to cover the 2009 event from the show floor.

While other industry professionals lineup to question the validity of press presence, we're reminded of the invite changes made to the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) and Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain (DICE) to streamline the event coverage.

Continue reading GDC also ponders invite-only model

JoystiqGDC also ponders invite-only model originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 Mar 2008 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dicee3esagdc08gdc08fanboyWed, 05 Mar 2008 07:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq interviews DeathSpank's Ron Gilbert]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/joystiq-interviews-deathspanks-ron-gilbert/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/joystiq-interviews-deathspanks-ron-gilbert/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/joystiq-interviews-deathspanks-ron-gilbert/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Described as "the perfect melding of a Monkey Island style adventure game with the wicked RPG gameplay of Diablo," Ron Gilbert's episodic endeavor also formed part of our recent GDC interview with Hothead Games. Though the Orphans of Justice still have quite a bit of growing up to do, we quickly quizzed designer Ron about Deathspank's upcoming lampooning of adventure game heroes, as well as the series' inevitable downward spiral in quality after the, uh, 600,000th episode.

Continue reading Joystiq interviews DeathSpank's Ron Gilbert

JoystiqJoystiq interviews DeathSpank's Ron Gilbert originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 03 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DeathspankDiabloEpisodicGDCGDC08HotheadHothead-GamesJoel-DeYoungMonkey-IslandOrphans-of-JusticeRon-GilbertThe-Secret-of-Monkey-IslandMon, 03 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq interview: Penny Arcade Adventures]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/joystiq-interview-penny-arcade-adventures/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/joystiq-interview-penny-arcade-adventures/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/joystiq-interview-penny-arcade-adventures/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


It's fair to say that quite a lot is expected from Vancouver-based developer, Hothead Games. The group not only has to deliver a series of downloadable and episodic adventure RPGs in regular intervals, but also appease a fanbase so large and rabid that it can click your website to death -- accidentally, if you're lucky. On top of all that, the poor developers are occasionally dragged into a tiny room for the sole purpose of being poked by a plethora of questions regarding their upcoming games.

Penny Arcade Adventures producer, Joel DeYoung, and Hothead creative director, Ron Gilbert, had to endure just such a prodding during GDC, the results of which can be viewed after the break. Appropriately enough, our interview's almost as long as the title of the series: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness.

Gallery: Penny Arcade Adventures

Continue reading Joystiq interview: Penny Arcade Adventures

JoystiqJoystiq interview: Penny Arcade Adventures originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 03 Mar 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DeathspankEpisodicGDCGDC08HotheadHothead-GamesJoel-DeYoungPCPenny-ArcadePenny-Arcade-AdventuresPennyArcadeAdventuresRon-GilbertXBLAXbox-360Mon, 03 Mar 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WRUP: a ninja's destiny edition]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/29/wrup-a-ninjas-destiny-edition/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/29/wrup-a-ninjas-destiny-edition/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/29/wrup-a-ninjas-destiny-edition/#commentsFiled under:


Looking over this week's releases, the only title that really piques our interest is Naruto: Ninja Destiny. JC got his hands on it at GDC and confirmed that we weren't crazy when we gushed about how beautiful the game is. We're not Naruto fans at all, but we are fans of fighting games.

What are you all planning on picking up? New game? Playing through an older title? What will you be playing this weekend?

JoystiqWRUP: a ninja's destiny edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fightinggdc08narutoninjaFri, 29 Feb 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[See the Battlefield Heroes debut trailer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/29/see-the-battlefield-heroes-debut-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/29/see-the-battlefield-heroes-debut-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/29/see-the-battlefield-heroes-debut-trailer/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We saw this trailer for Battlefield Heroes at an a EA/DICE party during GDC and it was enough to get us really, really excited for the game. Trust us on this one. As much fun as this looks in the video, it looks twice as good when you actually see it in action.

After seeing the trailer (and the reaction from the hardened, cynical journalists at the shindig) it was pretty much understood amongst the Joystiq crew that Battlefield Heroes was going to be "a thing." Do you and your friends have a similar understanding yet? Is this trailer not enough to put you over the edge? Have you no soul?

Gallery: Battlefield Heroes

JoystiqSee the Battlefield Heroes debut trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Feb 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlefieldbattlefield-heroesbattlefieldheroesdiceeaElectronic-Artsgdc08PCFri, 29 Feb 2008 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Game Developers Choice Awards on G4 tonight]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/29/game-developers-choice-awards-on-g4-tonight/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/29/game-developers-choice-awards-on-g4-tonight/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/29/game-developers-choice-awards-on-g4-tonight/#commentsFiled under:


In case our live coverage of the Game Developer Choice Awards and Independent Games Festival Awards wasn't enough to sate your appetite for GDC's prestigious ceremony, G4TV will be showing coverage of the event tonight.

A 30-minute recap of the two-hour event will air tonight at 8:00 PM EST (5:00 PM PST), as part of a special episode of G4's X-Play program. If you miss it, the episode will re-air several times on Saturday, March 1, Sunday, March 2 and Monday, March 3. Check out the episode guide for the full list of times.

For those with a distaste for digests, the award shows' organizers will be hosting full-length streaming video coverage of both events on their respective websites sometime in the next week. We'll keep an eye out for when those streams become available.

JoystiqGame Developers Choice Awards on G4 tonight originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>g4GDCgdc08gdcaigfFri, 29 Feb 2008 06:30:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC '08 breaks attendance record, press may need invite next year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/29/gdc-08-breaks-attendance-record-press-may-need-invite-next-yea/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/29/gdc-08-breaks-attendance-record-press-may-need-invite-next-yea/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/29/gdc-08-breaks-attendance-record-press-may-need-invite-next-yea/#commentsFiled under:


As many who attended GDC recover from illness (thanks to days of rain and the plague-ridden in attendance), CMP Media says its 2008 conference broke a record and hosted 18,000 game industry professionals (previous attendance was somewhere around 16,000). Highlights included, well, we've covered all that already. GDC will be back at the Moscone Center in San Francisco again next year, blissfully later from March 23-27.

Attendance could also take a tiny dip next year as Kotaku reports GDC may become invite-only for those seeking press credentials. Jamil Moledina, executive director of the Game Developers Conference, tells the site that CMP hasn't nailed down details on how it's going to work, but they are looking at an "invite model for press access." Moledina is worried about maintaining the show's atmosphere and wants to make sure GDC maintains its core goals.

Read: 2008 GDC breaks attendance record
Read: GDC, DICE, E3 could all be press invite only

JoystiqGDC '08 breaks attendance record, press may need invite next year originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Feb 2008 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>attendancecmpgdc08moledinaFri, 29 Feb 2008 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[X3F interviews Peter Molyneux about Fable 2, BC, XNA]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/28/x3f-interviews-peter-molyneux-about-fable-2-bc-xna/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/28/x3f-interviews-peter-molyneux-about-fable-2-bc-xna/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/28/x3f-interviews-peter-molyneux-about-fable-2-bc-xna/#commentsFiled under:


We've already posted the audio of our interview with Peter Molyneux, but we know not everyone is down with spoken word. As such, we've transcribed the entire interview for your reading pleasure. In this massive interview, Molyneux discusses Fable 2 co-op (he thinks Live co-op is a great idea by the way), the possibility of versus multiplayer (which is also a good idea according to Molyneux), and we even manage to squeeze in questions about Microsoft's new XNA initiative and the ill-fated BC. Find the lengthy and informative interview after the break.

Continue reading X3F interviews Peter Molyneux about Fable 2, BC, XNA

JoystiqX3F interviews Peter Molyneux about Fable 2, BC, XNA originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fablefable-2gdc08gdc08fanboyinterviewlionheadmicrosoft-game-studiospeter-molyneuxThu, 28 Feb 2008 17:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Joyswag: Win our GDC swag]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/28/joyswag-win-our-gdc-swag/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/28/joyswag-win-our-gdc-swag/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/28/joyswag-win-our-gdc-swag/#commentsFiled under: ,


So, we amassed quite a bit of swag from Game Developer's Conference. For those of you that didn't swindle some away from us at our Video Games Live meet-up in San Francisco, here's your chance to get in on the action. One winner will take it all!
To enter, simply tell us what was the most important story of GDC (here's an overview). Gears of War 2? Xbox Live Community Games? Uh, pictures of our food? The comment must be left before Saturday, March 1st, 5PM EST. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected in a random drawing. Grand Prize Winner will receive this GDC swag collection (MSRP: approximately $100). Click here for complete Official Rules. Eligibility is restricted to the legal residents of the 50 United States (including DC). You must be 18 years or older to enter.

JoystiqJoyswag: Win our GDC swag originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GDCgdc08joyswagThu, 28 Feb 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare founders: 'We're not done yet']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/bioware-founders-were-not-done-yet/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/bioware-founders-were-not-done-yet/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/bioware-founders-were-not-done-yet/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Right after our demo of the PC version of Mass Effect, we had the chance to sit with BioWare founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk for a quick catch-up on recent events. The two men were overjoyed to talk about Mass Effect's success and critical reception, as well as the uplifting effect the EA buyout has had on the company.

The impression the two give are of guys who have just been given a chance at the brass ring. Their comments, intimating that BioWare itself is now a micro-publisher, praising their new co-worker's common sense, hint at a new era of opportunity for the company. We've already posted the audio from the interview, but for a full transcript of our discussion just read on below the cut. You can get a better sense of Ray and Greg's cheery outlook, see them again discuss the reason Mass Effect on the 360 had the UI it did, and watch them stonewall on a question about their in-development MMO title.

The bottom line, unsaid in the interview itself, is a clear message: "Fans shouldn't worry. We're not, and neither should you." Here's hoping that they've got the right of it.

Gallery: Mass Effect (PC)

Continue reading BioWare founders: 'We're not done yet'

JoystiqBioWare founders: 'We're not done yet' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-austineaea-buyoutElectronic-ArtsGDCgdc08greg-zeschukinterviewmass-effectPCray-muzkyaXbox-360Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo 3 outtakes: Full Metal Jacket & ranting lesbian space marine]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/halo-3-outtakes-full-metal-jacket-and-ranting-lesbian-space-marin/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/halo-3-outtakes-full-metal-jacket-and-ranting-lesbian-space-marin/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/halo-3-outtakes-full-metal-jacket-and-ranting-lesbian-space-marin/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The audio track of GDC is an under-appreciated gem of the conference. Though many of the sessions are highly technical in nature -- discussing the use of software tools and compositional elements -- enjoying the music and the auditory experience of gaming hardly takes a degree. I sat in on one of these sessions, "Halo 3: An Audio Postmortem", and was rewarded greatly. Not only did I have the chance to listen to Jay Weinland, C. Paul Johnson, Mike Salvatore and Marty O'Donnell speak on the process of composing for Bungie's titles, but the audio team brought hilarious outtakes for us to listen to.

Read on below the break for a few words on composing audio for the series, Adam Baldwin's Halo-style take on Full Metal Jacket, and comedienne Debra Wilson's take on a angry, ranting, foul-mouthed, lesbian marine. Even better: the Wilson outtakes have apparently never been made available outside of Bungie's studio before.

Gallery: Halo 3

Continue reading Halo 3 outtakes: Full Metal Jacket & ranting lesbian space marine

JoystiqHalo 3 outtakes: Full Metal Jacket & ranting lesbian space marine originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audioclipsfeaturedGDCgdc08halo-3musicsound-fxXboxXbox-360Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Zero Punctuation seeks Drake's Fortune, snorts some GDC]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/zero-punctuation-seeks-drakes-fortune-snorts-some-gdc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/zero-punctuation-seeks-drakes-fortune-snorts-some-gdc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/zero-punctuation-seeks-drakes-fortune-snorts-some-gdc/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Wow, Yahtzee needs to visit the States more often if spending such a small amount of time for GDC brings on this level of devilishly delightful hate. This week Zero Punctuation takes on -- some will say quite unfairly -- Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. Every little possibly insane nit-pick thing is leveled against poor Uncharted, including the fact that it's the best game for white supremacists ever. The issues are quite silly for a game that is currently one of the few jewels in the PS3's crown, but Yahtzee is in top entertainment form -- he even makes a rare appearance au naturel (like as a human, not naked).

Included after the break with this week's NSFW review of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is ZP's video presentation at the Game Developers Choice awards.

Continue reading Zero Punctuation seeks Drake's Fortune, snorts some GDC

JoystiqZero Punctuation seeks Drake's Fortune, snorts some GDC originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Feb 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>escapistgdc08PS3theescapistuncharteduncharted-drakes-fortuneyahtzeezero-punctuationzeropunctuationWed, 27 Feb 2008 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[X3F interviews James Silva, creator of Dishwasher: Dead Samurai]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/x3f-interviews-james-silva-creator-of-dishwasher-dead-samurai/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/x3f-interviews-james-silva-creator-of-dishwasher-dead-samurai/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/x3f-interviews-james-silva-creator-of-dishwasher-dead-samurai/#commentsFiled under: ,


The annual Game Developer's Conference played host to something of a Cinderella story this year, plunging a once unknown game developer into the limelight. We're talking, of course, about James Silva, creator of Dishwasher: Dead Samurai and Microsoft's new poster child for XNA Community Games. We managed to catch up with James during the conference and ask him how things have changed since the last time we spoke. We also discussed just how James feels about Peter Molyneux and whether or not he's still considering the "Pulling a Peter Moore" achievement for Dishwasher's guitar segments (see 360 Fancast 044 at around 1:05:00). Find the interview after the break. The audio version of the interview is also available in our latest Fancast.

Continue reading X3F interviews James Silva, creator of Dishwasher: Dead Samurai

JoystiqX3F interviews James Silva, creator of Dishwasher: Dead Samurai originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Feb 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dead-samuraidishwasherdishwasher-dead-samuraigdc08gdc08fanboyinterviewjames-silvaska-studiosxblaxbox-live-arcadexnaWed, 27 Feb 2008 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bangai-O Spirits on DS features unique 'Sound Load' technology]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/bangai-o-spirits-on-ds-features-unique-sound-load-technology/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/bangai-o-spirits-on-ds-features-unique-sound-load-technology/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/bangai-o-spirits-on-ds-features-unique-sound-load-technology/#commentsFiled under: ,

As we reported last month, classic Treasure shooter Bangai-O will be getting a second life on the DS as Bangai-O Spirits, due for North American release in the second-quarter of 2008. The former Dreamcast game is being published by D3Publisher, and we learned during a special GDC event that it will feature one of the strangest uses of the DS's microphone that we've heard of in a while.

The "Sound Load" feature on Bangai-O Spirits will allow users to share custom levels, high scores, and replay videos as sound. Sound. When the mode is active, the selected data is converted into an audio track, which is played through the speaker of one DS, and can be intercepted by the microphone of another, where it is read and turned back into game data. The sound files can even be uploaded to computer, for easy sharing of content over the internet. We're as amazed as you are.

Bangai-O Spirits will also feature competitive and co-op multiplayer for 1-4 players through local wireless. For more information on the game, do check out DS Fanboy's colorful overview. We've also appended a gallery of new screenshots (which don't quite capture the game's hectic and explosive gameplay).

Gallery: Bangai-O Spirits (DS)

JoystiqBangai-O Spirits on DS features unique 'Sound Load' technology originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Feb 2008 01:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bangai-obangai-o-spiritsD3-Publisherd3publisherDSGDC08NintendotreasureWed, 27 Feb 2008 01:55:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC Quest Quiz V: Ragnar Tørnquist]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc-quest-quiz-v-ragnar-tornquist/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc-quest-quiz-v-ragnar-tornquist/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc-quest-quiz-v-ragnar-tornquist/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We did a terrible thing at last week's Game Developer's Conference. Aside from our usual barrage of photographs and "reporting," a select group of attendees had to endure a particularly inane and utterly pointless line of questioning -- just for laughs. This is what happens when you hunt down several adventure game connoisseurs and challenge them to solve a typically obnoxious adventure game puzzle.

The Player
Ragnar Tørnquist, designer of The Longest Journey and writer and director of Dreamfall, Anarchy Online and upcoming MMO, The Secret World.

The Puzzle
You're standing in front of a cave. The goal is to get inside the cave, taking care to foil the ferocious robot bear guarding the entrance first.

The Inventory
  • (1) perforated parasol
  • (1) rubber chicken with a pulley in the middle
  • (1) sealed manila envelope
  • (1) miniature macaroni Tim Schafer statue
Check out Ragnar's thoroughly realized reasoning after the break.

Continue reading GDC Quest Quiz V: Ragnar Tørnquist

JoystiqGDC Quest Quiz V: Ragnar Tørnquist originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Feb 2008 21:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DreamfallFuncomGDCGDC-Quest-QuizGDC08Ragnar-TornquistRagnarTornquistTheLongestJourneyTue, 26 Feb 2008 21:55:00 EST<![CDATA[The best of WoW Insider: February 19-26, 2008]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/the-best-of-wow-insider-february-19-26-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/the-best-of-wow-insider-february-19-26-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/the-best-of-wow-insider-february-19-26-2008/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Quite a week in the World of Warcraft, which Joystiq sister site WoW Insider covers like a Warcraft Adventures-style bedsheet each and every single day. We continued to get lots of great information about patch 2.4 (including big news from the new raid instance,The Sunwell), and Heroics made a nice return to the news, with all the new badge loot. Oh, and we even had a liveblog go down straight from GDC. Here's our best stuff.

News
Features

JoystiqThe best of WoW Insider: February 19-26, 2008 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Feb 2008 20:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardburning-crusadegdc08heroicknow-your-lorelivebloglord-ahunemidsummer-fire-festivalrob-pardoroundupterroristsweekly-roundupworld-of-warcraftwow-insiderTue, 26 Feb 2008 20:55:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC08: Hands-on with Bangai-O Spirits]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc08-hands-on-with-bangai-o-spirits/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc08-hands-on-with-bangai-o-spirits/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc08-hands-on-with-bangai-o-spirits/#commentsFiled under: ,

One of the first appointments I had when I got into San Francisco for GDC was with D3 Publisher. This appointment was what I was looking forward to most out of the trip, because I was going to get to play Bangai-O Spirits. And play it I did, while gushing unprofessionally at the D3 QA person giving the demo. I did my best to learn as quickly as possible how all the new parts of Bangai-O Spirits work. It's the same as the N64 and Dreamcast games in a number of ways, but it's also very different in a few fundamental ways. Unfortunately, I didn't get to play with the sound transmission feature, one of the most different things about the game.

Head past the break for detailed impressions, and be sure to check out our gallery of brand-new screens!

Continue reading GDC08: Hands-on with Bangai-O Spirits

JoystiqGDC08: Hands-on with Bangai-O Spirits originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bangai-obangai-o-spiritsd3D3-Publishergdc08gdc08fanboyjoystiqfeaturesshootertreasureTue, 26 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC Quest Quiz IV: Erik Wolpaw]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc-quest-quiz-iv-erik-wolpaw/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc-quest-quiz-iv-erik-wolpaw/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc-quest-quiz-iv-erik-wolpaw/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We did a terrible thing at last week's Game Developer's Conference. Aside from our usual barrage of photographs and "reporting," a select group of attendees had to endure a particularly inane and utterly pointless line of questioning -- just for laughs. This is what happens when you hunt down several adventure game connoisseurs and challenge them to solve a typically obnoxious adventure game puzzle.

The Player
Erik Wolpaw, co-author of the now-defunct Old Man Murray. He's written for games such as Psychonauts and Portal, and once accused the adventure genre of committing suicide.

The Puzzle
You're standing in front of a cave. The goal is to get inside the cave, taking care to foil the ferocious robot bear guarding the entrance first.

The Inventory
  • (1) perforated parasol
  • (1) rubber chicken with a pulley in the middle
  • (1) sealed manila envelope
  • (1) miniature macaroni Tim Schafer statue
The Solution
 "How is the pulley attached to the rubber chicken? See, this is why I hate adventure games. I think you're expecting a joke answer, and I'm actually trying to figure it out. OK, type 'quit.' That's what I would do. Go to the menu and type 'quit.'"

(Catch the rest of our interview with Wolpaw later this week!)

JoystiqGDC Quest Quiz IV: Erik Wolpaw originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Erik-WolpawGDCGDC-Quest-QuizGDC08PortalPsychonautsValveTue, 26 Feb 2008 17:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Hands-on with Nyko's Winter 2008 peripherals]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/hands-on-with-nykos-winter-2008-peripherals/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/hands-on-with-nykos-winter-2008-peripherals/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/hands-on-with-nykos-winter-2008-peripherals/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Do you have really, really, really long arms? Good. Because the Nyko Wireless Nunchuck is perfect for you. It's one of the many peripherals we tested with Nyko in San Francisco. Surprises were few and far between. But perhaps that's a good thing -- we found that everything they offered worked as one would expect. The Wireless Nunchuck works just like the official corded variety, It may work a bit too well, in fact. We left the Wii Remote in one room, and ran across the office to find the Nunchuck still operated. Unnecessary? Yes. But a great display of how well this peripheral is designed.

Continue reading Hands-on with Nyko's Winter 2008 peripherals

JoystiqHands-on with Nyko's Winter 2008 peripherals originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GDCgdc08nykoPS3WiiXbox-360Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:25:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC Quest Quiz III: Mike Stemmle]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc-quest-quiz-iii-mike-stemmle/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc-quest-quiz-iii-mike-stemmle/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc-quest-quiz-iii-mike-stemmle/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We did a terrible thing at last week's Game Developer's Conference. Aside from our usual barrage of photographs and "reporting," a select group of attendees had to endure a particularly inane and utterly pointless line of questioning -- just for laughs. This is what happens when you hunt down several adventure game connoisseurs and challenge them to solve a typically obnoxious adventure game puzzle.

The Player
Recent Telltale Games addition Mike Stemmle, co-designer of Sam & Max Hit the Road and Escape from Monkey Island, and designer on the ill-fated Sam & Max Freelance Police. He also worked on Afterlife, but he doesn't think you remember it.

The Puzzle
You're standing in front of a cave. The goal is to get inside the cave, taking care to foil the ferocious robot bear guarding the entrance first.

The Inventory
  • (1) perforated parasol
  • (1) rubber chicken with a pulley in the middle
  • (1) sealed manila envelope
  • (1) miniature macaroni Tim Schafer statue
Peek hard at Mike Stemmle's Star Trek strategy after the break.

Continue reading GDC Quest Quiz III: Mike Stemmle

JoystiqGDC Quest Quiz III: Mike Stemmle originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Feb 2008 15:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GDCGDC-Quest-QuizGDC08Mike-StemmleSam-and-MaxSamandMaxStar-TrekTelltaleTelltale-GamesTue, 26 Feb 2008 15:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Highlights from the Game Developers Conference 2008]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/highlights-from-the-game-developers-conference-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/highlights-from-the-game-developers-conference-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/highlights-from-the-game-developers-conference-2008/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The Game Developers Conference has come and gone. Five very hectic days and over 250 posts later, we've still not caught up on sleep (and probably won't until the week before E3). As much as we'd like you to read every single post, one by one, and adding polite comments to each and every one of them, we're pragmatists.

Join us in the next few pages for a primer on all things GDC 2008. Comments can be found on the last page (Update: comments have been turned on for every page, so go crazy!) as well as a very special image for some of our readers who feel a strong infinity with writer Ludwig Kietzmann. Read on as we recap last week.

Gallery: GDC08: The Experience


Continue reading Highlights from the Game Developers Conference 2008

JoystiqHighlights from the Game Developers Conference 2008 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Actionfable-2gdcgdc08gears-of-war-2LionheadLionhead-StudiosMGSmicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-Studiosninja-gaiden-2RPGXbox-360Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:59:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC08 Highlights: Baldur, Big Daddy and cake]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc08-highlights-baldur-big-daddy-and-cake/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc08-highlights-baldur-big-daddy-and-cake/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc08-highlights-baldur-big-daddy-and-cake/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Playing (and being) Too Human

Elsewhere that day, Silicon Knights' boastful Denis Dyack held a press conference showing off the latest build of Too Human (photos) and, lo and behold, the framerate was consistent and the game looked much improved from previous demonstrations. Our hands-on impressions were decidedly mixed, however; as one commenter aptly put it, "the controls hindered Baldur's gait."

Besides Microsoft, the other keynote of the conference was futurist Ray Kurzweil who, among other mind-blowing points, confirmed that by 2023 we will be injecting ourselves with plasmids. Speaking of which ...

BioShockTacular!

One of the Big Daddies of the conference (yes folks, plenty more puns to come!) was BioShock, with total rock star Ken Levine drawing quite a crowd. Levine et al. showed off early footage of the game, advised to keep story simple, talked Steamworks and even sent a splicer to check up on us.

GDCA and IGF Awards

BioShock was a major winner at the Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCA), walking away with honors for audio, visuals and writing (Ayn Rand woke from the dead to claim the writing award). Also announced that night were the Independent Games Festival awards, with World of Goo winning three nods and Crayon Physics Deluxe earning the Seamus McNally award. Cheer up, World of Goo fans, they already have a distribution deal for the Nintendo Wii. The best part of the award presentations were probably Mega64 and Zero Punctuation's hilarious videos.

Despite three accolades, BioShock didn't win Best Game. That award went to Portal along with design and innovation nods.



Portal: This was a Triumph

Remember last year when Portal was just a bullet point during the Experimental Games session? A lot has changed since GDC 2007, with almost everyone singing the game's praises. The night of their GDCA win, Valve revealed that Jonathan Coulton's Portal song "Still Alive" would be featured in Rock Band. Though we missed that performance (Coulton only hit 95% on vocals), we did happen to catch his concert on Friday where he, along with Leo LaPorte and Mahalo Daily's Veronica Belmont, managed to fail the song live on stage (video).

As one of the last sessions of the conference, designer Kim Swift and writer Erik Wolpaw delivered a Portal post-mortem (photos) for an overpacked crowd (did you see the line to get in?). Among other little details, the duo talked about the origins of the Weighted Companion Cube and the various final levels they tested.

Next: Spore, Street Fighter and Nintendo

JoystiqGDC08 Highlights: Baldur, Big Daddy and cake originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bioshockgdcgdc08gdcaigfportaltoo-humanTue, 26 Feb 2008 07:57:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC08 Highlights: Spore, Street Fighter and Nintendo]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc08-highlights-spore-street-fighter-and-nintendo/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc08-highlights-spore-street-fighter-and-nintendo/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc08-highlights-spore-street-fighter-and-nintendo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


The Unified Spore Theory

On the more academic side of the conference, we were treated to a handful of lectures on Will Wright's Spore, including one on procedural music and user-generated content. (We didn't get a chance to write up the music lecture, which was a complex discussion on music theory and their in-house music editor based on Pure Data.) The user-generated content session (photos) provided, among other things, a glimpse at how to make a spaceship that looks like the PS3 "boomerang" controller and a GameCube.

Perhaps the most fascinating talk of the conference was also given at the worst possible venue. Will Wright talked about the importance of worlds, of community ownership and of escapism and the power of science fiction. It was a mind meld of information being thrown out, which you can view yourself here. Unfortunately, the speech was at a club and it seemed like half of the attendees seemed to either not know who Will Wright was or did not care and kept talking loudly over him.

Obligatory Street Fighter IV mention

Yeah, we played Street Fighter IV and walked away impressed. Also check out this interview with producer Yoshi Ono.

Excuse me, Wii're looking for Nintendo

Nintendo's presence was a bit more subdued compared to last year -- not having the keynote speech tends to do that. There were announced dates for Wii Fit and WiiWare (May 19 and May 12, respectively). A lot of information came out about WiiWare, including titles LostWinds, Shantae and a non-Sam & Max episodic series from Telltale. (No promises on demos for any of the titles.) We also learned more about the Wii Menu from Nintendo's Takashi Aoyama, who taught us why the blue LED light glows in a certain rhythm. Aoyama also revealed a potential "Pay & Play" option for developers who want to charge for online (e.g. MMO developers).

In other Nintendo news, NWF writer JC Fletcher managed to sneak into a Smash Bros Brawl tournament for conference helpers (video) and one confused gentleman left his rock and discovered a "new" Nintendo interface.

Next: Sony, Sessions and Telltale

JoystiqGDC08 Highlights: Spore, Street Fighter and Nintendo originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DSgdcgdc08nintendosporeWiiwii-fitwiiwareTue, 26 Feb 2008 07:56:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC08 Highlights: Sony, Sessions and Telltale]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc08-highlights-sony-sessions-and-telltale/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc08-highlights-sony-sessions-and-telltale/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc08-highlights-sony-sessions-and-telltale/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Sony and the In-Shirt XMB

Sony more or less packed up and left early (around 5:00pm on Thursday), but in the interim they did let us hang out in their Bloggers' Lounge (even Xbox 360 Fanboy editor Richard Mitchell) playing Singstar, flOw on PSP and Echochrome. They also held a Buzz! charity event. Outside the lounge they gave us the "in-shirt XMB" shirts -- especially ironic given that they didn't announce the much-hoped for in-game XMB feature.

Elsewhere, Home was mentioned, Sony gurus Insomniac unleashed its source code for development world to peruse. Then there was the Block Party with Q-Tip (video) ... um, yeah. For you, Sony, we dine on Cell chips in Blu-ray dip. Meanwhile, where the heck was LittleBigPlanet?

Adventure Quest(ions)

Whereas we felt really out of place at Sony's party, Telltale threw a zombified soirée attracting some of industry's best adventure game luminaries (many of whom, as it were, happen to work at Telltale). We were even lucky enough to pose a ridiculous adventure game puzzle to legends such as Steve Purcell, Ron Gilbert and Mike Stemmle. There's more to come, if threats on our life (wake up) don't come to fruition.

While not a "party," per se, Emotive did give a few attendees a jolly good time at their presentation, while everyone else just felt uncomfortable witnessing a series of unfortunate disasters.

In Other News

Sessions

GDC holds hundreds of sessions in its five day period. Most of them talk about programming and art techniques, and while we tried our best to attend them all (really, we did), a handful stood out as interesting and fascinating for even non-developers to enjoy. They also happen to be some of the most heavily-attended sessions in the conference. Experimental games? They got you covered. Angry designers and balloon parties? Yep, that too. This year's game design challenge produced a sure-fire hit for the much-coveted bacteria demographic.

Our old friend total rock star Ken Levine had his BioShock honored by a panel as one of the eight best examples of interactive storytelling alongside Ico, Thief, Plansecape and others. Looking to the future, Silicon Knights' Denis Dyack nearly came to blows with Timeshift's Matthew Karch over the relevance of storytelling for games both in the present and the future.

Next: Saying Goodbye

JoystiqGDC08 Highlights: Sony, Sessions and Telltale originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gdcgdc08PS3Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:55:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC08 Highlights: Saying Goodbye]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc08-highlights-saying-goodbye/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc08-highlights-saying-goodbye/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/gdc08-highlights-saying-goodbye/#commentsFiled under: , ,

And now for something completely ridiculous

If you thought our earlier mention of Emotive was crazy, wait until you check out the gaming vest that actually beats you up for playing badly. Or the "luxurious" (i.e. pricey and eccentric) Z-dome. For more aural spats of craziness, how about this bit of licensed irony, a puzzling Slim Jim reference, or some German language lessons.

Joystiq's Ludwig Kietzmann after five days in San Francisco.

Gallery: GDC08: The Joystiq Photobook


Leaving GDC08 Behind

We waded through countless sessions and interviews, attempted to destroy all developers, ate a lot of food and even managed to deplete our bank accounts at the GDC store. So what's left to show you guys other than a timelapse of events and point you to a Joystiq "Team GDC" photo.

Even more pictures can be found on Flickr. Here's a quick reference if you want to look back through the highlights:
We'll still have a few GDC articles rolling up for the rest of the week, but that's pretty much it for this year's conference. Here's to next year!

JoystiqGDC08 Highlights: Saying Goodbye originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gdcgdc08Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:54:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC08: ... and that's a wrap!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc08-and-thats-a-wrap/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc08-and-thats-a-wrap/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc08-and-thats-a-wrap/#commentsFiled under:



Wow, what a fantastic week we had. The Game Developer's Conference has come to a close, and with it, the flurry of megatons and other fantastic news you may have gotten used to over the last week. In case you missed it (or were, you know, there), take a chance to get caught up with all of the stuff you either overlooked or were too busy to read.

The big stuff:
Wii Fanboy gets in on the action:
 Other news and items of interest:

JoystiqGDC08: ... and that's a wrap! originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gdc08gdc08fanboyMon, 25 Feb 2008 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC08: ... and that's a wrap!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc08-and-thats-a-wrap/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc08-and-thats-a-wrap/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc08-and-thats-a-wrap/#commentsFiled under:



Well, the Game Developers Conference has finally come to a close. So, if you were otherwise occupied and missed out on the boatloads of news from the show (including our man of the hour JC's hands-on write-ups of several titles available), hit up our coverage below.

DS Fanboy gets in on the action:
 Other news and items of interest

JoystiqGDC08: ... and that's a wrap! originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gdc08gdc08fanboyMon, 25 Feb 2008 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC08: Sony details latest Home tools]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc08-sony-details-latest-home-tools/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc08-sony-details-latest-home-tools/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc08-sony-details-latest-home-tools/#commentsFiled under:

The latest version of the Home Developer Kit was detailed at a GDC session last week and Joystiq has all the juicy details. Finally developers are able to create assets for Home, including trophies, games and environments. This is great news for everyone waiting for the Home open beta; the more content developers create, the sooner a populated and functioning service can be released to the public.

The Joystiq article also includes a good number of photos taken during the session. These show various aspects of Home that we may or may not have seen before. Included is a shot showing a stress test of the new Home Items feature, which allows people to use various objects within the world - in this instance we can see a large number of people dancing around their bubble machines. Speaking of the bubble machine, it was one of the added features in the new Home beta upgrade which goes live this week. Between the improved beta and the almost-fully-functional developer tools, it can't be too long until we finally see Home in the flesh. So to speak.

JoystiqGDC08: Sony details latest Home tools originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gdc08gdc08fanboyHomeMon, 25 Feb 2008 22:15:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC08: Hands almost-on with Puzzle Quest: Galactrix]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc08-hands-almost-on-with-puzzle-quest-galactrix/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc08-hands-almost-on-with-puzzle-quest-galactrix/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc08-hands-almost-on-with-puzzle-quest-galactrix/#commentsFiled under:


D3 Publisher's big surprise at GDC this year was the newly rebranded Puzzle Quest: Galactrix, the sci-fi spiritual sequel to the hit Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords. We weren't able to play the game -- we were forced to sit tantalizingly close as we watched the PC version of the game (also coming to DS and Xbox Live Arcade) being demonstrated. The new game explores the question "What if people didn't have souls?" in the medium of match-three puzzle games. No, we don't know what that means either.

Enjoy our gallery of spaceship concept art, screenshots, and this thing, and continue past the break for what gameplay details we could glean from the demo.

Continue reading GDC08: Hands almost-on with Puzzle Quest: Galactrix

JoystiqGDC08: Hands almost-on with Puzzle Quest: Galactrix originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>galactrixgdc08gdc08fanboyinfinite-interactivepuzzlepuzzle-questMon, 25 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC Quest Quiz II: Steve Purcell]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc-quest-quiz-ii-steve-purcell/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc-quest-quiz-ii-steve-purcell/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc-quest-quiz-ii-steve-purcell/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We did a terrible thing at last week's Game Developer's Conference. Aside from our usual barrage of photographs and "reporting," a select group of attendees had to endure a particularly inane and utterly pointless line of questioning -- just for laughs. This is what happens when you hunt down several adventure game connoisseurs and challenge them to solve a typically obnoxious adventure game puzzle.

The Player
Steve Purcell, illustrator and writer best known as the creator of Sam & Max. We're surprised he even talked to us after last year's drunken debacle.

The Puzzle
You're standing in front of a cave. The goal is to get inside the cave, taking care to foil the ferocious robot bear guarding the entrance first.

The Inventory
  • (1) perforated parasol
  • (1) rubber chicken with a pulley in the middle
  • (1) sealed manila envelope
  • (1) miniature macaroni Tim Schafer statue
Find Steve Purcell's solution to the "meta-puzzle" after the break.

Continue reading GDC Quest Quiz II: Steve Purcell

JoystiqGDC Quest Quiz II: Steve Purcell originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GDCGDC-quest-quizGDC08Sam-and-MaxSamandMaxSteve-PurcellTelltaleTelltale-GamesTelltaleGamesMon, 25 Feb 2008 17:45:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC08: Home tools released, new images revealed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc08-home-tools-released-new-images-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc08-home-tools-released-new-images-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc08-home-tools-released-new-images-revealed/#commentsFiled under: ,


James Cox, Warren Keyes, and Liam Wickham from Sony Computer Entertainment are currently hard at work on Sony's upcoming online initiative, Home. At GDC, they spoke to interested developers about creating content for the online service, and revealed a few new images of the service in action.

The Home Development Toolkit (HDK) is currently available for all developers, and includes the things necessary for 3D asset creation, object creation, and creation of arcade and mini-games. Support for 3D trophies is also available, although its currently as an "evaluation." Samples are included in the HDK, and documentation is offered in English, Japanese and Korean.

Continue reading GDC08: Home tools released, new images revealed

JoystiqGDC08: Home tools released, new images revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GDCgdc08homePS3Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC Quest Quiz I: Ron Gilbert]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc-quest-quiz-i-ron-gilbert/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc-quest-quiz-i-ron-gilbert/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc-quest-quiz-i-ron-gilbert/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We did a terrible thing at last week's Game Developer's Conference. Aside from our usual barrage of photographs and "reporting," a select group of attendees had to endure a particularly inane and utterly pointless line of questioning -- just for laughs. This is what happens when you hunt down several adventure game connoisseurs and challenge them to solve a typically obnoxious adventure game puzzle.

The Player
Ron Gilbert, designer of The Secret of Monkey Island (amongst other LucasArts adventures), consultant on Penny Arcade Adventures and designer of Hothead's upcoming episodic series, Deathspank.

The Puzzle
You're standing in front of a cave. The goal is to get inside the cave, taking care to foil the ferocious robot bear guarding the entrance first.

The Inventory
  • (1) perforated parasol
  • (1) rubber chicken with a pulley in the middle
  • (1) sealed manila envelope
  • (1) miniature macaroni Tim Schafer statue
Find Ron Gilbert's surprisingly direct solution after the break.

Continue reading GDC Quest Quiz I: Ron Gilbert

JoystiqGDC Quest Quiz I: Ron Gilbert originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DeathspankGDCGDC-Quest-QuizGDC08HotheadMonkey-IslandPenny-Arcade-AdventuresRon-GilbertThe-Secret-of-Monkey-IslandMon, 25 Feb 2008 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC08 as retold through food]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc08-as-retold-through-food/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc08-as-retold-through-food/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/gdc08-as-retold-through-food/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Among the few guaranteed assurances that come with GDC, one is perhaps the most constant: in the precious minutes you have to eat -- assuming you have any minutes at all -- you will cherish whatever sustenance you can cram down your gullet. It is with this in mind that we decided to snap pictures of (almost) everything we managed to eat this week, thus bringing the masses one step closer to really being there. Without further ado, enjoy the various foodstuffs (and the many, many sandwiches) of GDC.

Gallery: GDC08 as retold through food

Lunch: Tuesday, Feb 19Lunch: Wendsday, February 20Dinner: Wednesday, February 20Breakfast: Thursday, February 21Breakfast: Thursday, February 21

JoystiqGDC08 as retold through food originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>foodgdcgdc08gdc08-foodMon, 25 Feb 2008 15:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Fancast Xtra: Peter Molyneux interview at GDC08]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/fancast-xtra-peter-molyneux-interview-at-gdc08/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/fancast-xtra-peter-molyneux-interview-at-gdc08/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/fancast-xtra-peter-molyneux-interview-at-gdc08/#commentsFiled under: ,


Don't ask us how we did it, but we managed to corner Peter Molyneux at GDC this year. We subsequently tied him to a chair and forced him to answer our questions about Fable 2. No, no, of course we didn't do that. Peter Molyneux is, in fact, an entirely amiable man -- perhaps too amiable -- and was happy to answer our questions. We learn a few details about Fable 2's newly announced co-op features, the Xbox Live Arcade tie-in, and we even wedge in a question about the ill-fated BC. We've posted the audio from the interview below. The audio will also be delivered to subscribers of the Xbox 360 Fancast. Feel free to download the MP3 using the "Read" link as well. Finally, if you can't be bothered to listen to things -- we know how important you are -- stay tuned for the transcription coming later this week.

JoystiqFancast Xtra: Peter Molyneux interview at GDC08 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fable-2fancastgdc08gdc08fanboylionheadpeter-molyneuxMon, 25 Feb 2008 13:30:00 ESTFancast Xtra: Peter Molyneux interview at GDC08Richard Mitchell20:48gdc08, videogames, games, molyneux, lionhead, xbox, 360, fancast, podcast, fable<![CDATA[Europe to suffer the horror of a Brawl-free summer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/europe-to-suffer-the-horror-of-a-brawl-free-summer/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/europe-to-suffer-the-horror-of-a-brawl-free-summer/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/europe-to-suffer-the-horror-of-a-brawl-free-summer/#commentsFiled under: ,

The last GDC edition of the 1UP Yours podcast reveals a vaguely depressing tidbit about Super Smash Bros. Brawl. How depressing it is depends on your outlook. Shane Bettenhausen reported that during a lunch meeting with Reggie Fils-Aime, he said that Nintendo is planning to release Super Smash Bros. Brawl in the fall.

Specifically, the discussion was framed in terms of Wii Fit and Mario Kart Wii. The reason given that those two games are being released in Europe first is that "they don't get Smash Bros. until fall." The part about Reggie starts at about the 37 minute mark. It's worth a listen in general for some (secondhand reports of) surprisingly strong anti-Xbox posturing from Reggie.

Why do we say that this is potentially not very depressing? Because fall of this year is still this year, and that's pretty good for Nintendo of Europe.

JoystiqEurope to suffer the horror of a Brawl-free summer originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brawleuropegdc08smash-bros-brawlMon, 25 Feb 2008 12:45:00 EST