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 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[James Bond meets Virtua Cop: The development of Rare's GoldenEye 007]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/03/james-bond-meets-virtua-cop-the-development-of-rares-goldeneye/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/03/james-bond-meets-virtua-cop-the-development-of-rares-goldeneye/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/03/james-bond-meets-virtua-cop-the-development-of-rares-goldeneye/#comments
During GDC Europe 2012, former Rare developer Martin Hollis recounted his experience directing GoldenEye 007, one of the most fondly remembered games of its time and a landmark title in the history of console first-person shooters. Hollis had only worked on one game for Rare at the time, the arcade version of Killer Instinct. When the opportunity arose to pursue a James Bond game in early 1995, Hollis jumped at the chance; as the video above demonstrates, he was a pretty big fan.

The rest is gaming history. Hollis went over far too much for us to condense into a single piece (in fact, we've already written two others), but we've compiled some of the highlights after the break. Read on to discover how one of GoldenEye's primary influences was actually Sega's Virtua Cop. In the gallery below, you'll find images of some of GoldenEye's original design documents and some behind the scenes stories from the original team.

Continue reading James Bond meets Virtua Cop: The development of Rare's GoldenEye 007

JoystiqJames Bond meets Virtua Cop: The development of Rare's GoldenEye 007 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 03 Sep 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Gamescom-2012gdc-europe-2012goldeneyegoldeneye-007martin-hollisrareMon, 03 Sep 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Seen@Gamescom: Gran Turismo 5's Audi R8 controller]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/23/seen-gamescom-gran-turismo-5s-audi-r8-controller/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/23/seen-gamescom-gran-turismo-5s-audi-r8-controller/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/23/seen-gamescom-gran-turismo-5s-audi-r8-controller/#comments SeenGamescom Gran Turismo 5's Audi R8 controllerThe city of Cologne, Germany, home to the country's annual Gamescom convention, is full of beautiful cars (proof!). During our week-long stay, I counted at least six Audi R8s in the wild. That includes this one, used to casually control a game of Gran Turismo 5 (by an underage driver, no less).

As you might imagine, a line held steady around the massive, moving Audi R8 shell. It certainly didn't hurt that the device was smack in the middle of a street fair many blocks away from Gamescom's enormous facilities on the other side of the Rhine. We can only imagine the line had it been anywhere near the hundreds of thousands of Gamescom attendees!

Continue reading Seen@Gamescom: Gran Turismo 5's Audi R8 controller

JoystiqSeen@Gamescom: Gran Turismo 5's Audi R8 controller originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiaudi-r8gamescomgamescom-2012Gran-Turismo-5playstationpolyphony-digitalps3Thu, 23 Aug 2012 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Solving the League of Legends community problem one player at a time]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/22/solving-the-league-of-legends-community-problem-one-player-at-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/22/solving-the-league-of-legends-community-problem-one-player-at-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/22/solving-the-league-of-legends-community-problem-one-player-at-a/#comments Riot's Travis George on solving League of Legends' community problem one player at a timeAs any of its millions of players will tell you, League of Legends is a fun game. Those same players will likely also tell you that the game has a tremendously steep learning curve. With more than 100 playable champions, a dizzying array of items and demanding gameplay, getting to know the ropes is no easy feat. Speaking with senior producer Travis George at Gamescom, I asked how developer Riot Games was going to address the issue of easing players into League of Legends.

The game already features bot training and a spectator mode, but what other systems could Riot implement to acclimate new players? His answer surprised me: The problem isn't the learning curve, it's the community.

Gallery: League of Legends (Gamescom 2012)

Continue reading Solving the League of Legends community problem one player at a time

JoystiqSolving the League of Legends community problem one player at a time originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamescomgamescom-2012league-of-legendspcriot-gamestravis-georgeWed, 22 Aug 2012 15:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Larian Studios' Gamescom still a success despite having two PCs stolen]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/22/larian-studios-gamescom-still-a-success-despite-having-two-pcs/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/22/larian-studios-gamescom-still-a-success-despite-having-two-pcs/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/22/larian-studios-gamescom-still-a-success-despite-having-two-pcs/#comments Larian Studios' Gamescom still a success despite having two PCs stolen
Divinity franchise dev Larian Studios had a successful trip to Gamescom, even though two of the company's PCs were stolen containing early builds of Divinity: Dragon Commander and Divinity: Original Sin. "The team is using backup PCs, so no issues there," Larian said in a statement issued during the show. A video montaging Larian's antics at Gamescom also captures Larian president Swen Vincke reacting to the burglary in real time.

"How do you feel about somebody physically stealing your games?" he's asked. "I feel very bad bad about it. I feel like I've been raped actually. It wasn't only my games that were on there, there were also personal documents on there. So I hate it. I think the person should be crucified," Vincke said, clearly still upset.

"There's very little I can do, I'll keep on smiling. I'll give $5,000 to whoever gets me my PC back," Vincke added. As of now, Larian tells us it hasn't gotten its hardware back, nor have any builds of the two stolen games surfaced online (at least that Larian's seen). Nor has Larian heard from the culprits. If you'd like to get in contact with the studio to offer information, shoot the devs an email right here.

JoystiqLarian Studios' Gamescom still a success despite having two PCs stolen originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>burglarydivinitydivinity-dragon-commanderdivinity-original-singamescom-2012larian-studiospcswen-vinckeWed, 22 Aug 2012 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[15 minutes of Ni no Kuni footage straight from Gamescom (bonus: British hosts!)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/22/heres-15-minutes-of-ni-no-kuni-footage-straight-from-gamescom/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/22/heres-15-minutes-of-ni-no-kuni-footage-straight-from-gamescom/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/22/heres-15-minutes-of-ni-no-kuni-footage-straight-from-gamescom/#comments
The Gamescom demo of Ni no Kuni was hands-on and, as expected, full of adorable moments. GameSpot UK's editor supreme Guy Cocker narrates the proceedings alongside Namco's Hollie Bennett, which can be seen above.

Joystiq15 minutes of Ni no Kuni footage straight from Gamescom (bonus: British hosts!) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gameplaygamescom-2012namconamco-bandaini-no-kuniplaystationps3studio-ghibliWed, 22 Aug 2012 12:40:00 EST<![CDATA[CD Projekt Red on killing your favorite features]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/21/cd-projekt-red-on-killing-your-favorite-features/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/21/cd-projekt-red-on-killing-your-favorite-features/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/21/cd-projekt-red-on-killing-your-favorite-features/#comments CD Projekt Red on killing your favorite featuresAdding a feature to a game might seem like a fairly straightforward process, but even a simple one can have much bigger ramifications than you might think at first glance. During GDC Europe 2012, CD Projekt Red gameplay producer Marek Ziemak and lead gameplay designer Maciej Szczesnik detailed the process that the developer uses to evaluate any features that could make their way into a project.

CD Projekt Red uses a set of internal documents that the studio's employees all have access to. Using these documents, developers can describe their features and the rest of the staff evaluates them. In some cases, staffers even apply numerical values to a proposed feature, with the final "score" affecting the likelihood that a feature will make it into the game. The overarching idea is to fully analyze the risk of a feature and the consequences of implementing it.

Gallery: CD Projekt Red GDS Europe 2012 talk

Continue reading CD Projekt Red on killing your favorite features

JoystiqCD Projekt Red on killing your favorite features originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cd-projekt-redgamescom-2012gdc-europe-2012macmicrosoftpcthe-witcher-2xboxTue, 21 Aug 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EA putting 'a lot of resources' toward preventing another 'FIFA hack' season]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/20/ea-putting-a-lot-of-resources-to-prevent-another-fifa-hack-s/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/20/ea-putting-a-lot-of-resources-to-prevent-another-fifa-hack-s/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/20/ea-putting-a-lot-of-resources-to-prevent-another-fifa-hack-s/#comments Electronic Arts made over $39 million in just three months off FIFA 12's Ultimate Team DLC last year - a 69 percent increase from the same period the year before - but it also created a lot of headaches for consumers (and us) with what came to be known as the "FIFA hack."

"We learned a lot from the experience. A lot of companies are suffering from this right now. There's a lot of sophisticated hacking happening in the gaming industry and it's a continuous battle," EA Games president Frank Gibeau told us during Gamescom. "We take it very seriously, put a lot of resources on it. The learning from the FIFA example last year has been incorporated this year. There's some incremental and additional things. I don't want to get too detailed because I don't want to tip our hand. Rest assured, we take it very seriously."

Gibeau said that EA did hire someone from Microsoft to add layers of security precautions and other anti-hack methods inside the publisher's products.

"You're never going to win this battle," said Gibeau, recognizing the company can only go so far. "The moment you declare victory, somebody will walk in and show you didn't. So you have to continuously stay on top of it and, most importantly, keep account integrity the first and foremost issue."

So, should consumers feel more confident this year that they won't be hacked?

"I hope that they do, and I think our performance will have to make them feel that way." He concluded, "We can promise it, but we have to actually show it."

JoystiqEA putting 'a lot of resources' toward preventing another 'FIFA hack' season originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Aug 2012 15:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EAElectronic-Artsfifa-13fifa-hackFrank-Gibeaugamescom-2012microsoftxboxMon, 20 Aug 2012 15:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Hitman: Absolution 'Contracts' can't cross platforms, but community can work around it]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/20/hitman-absolution-contracts-cant-cross-platforms-but-commun/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/20/hitman-absolution-contracts-cant-cross-platforms-but-commun/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/20/hitman-absolution-contracts-cant-cross-platforms-but-commun/#comments Hitman Absolution features asynchronous multiplayer 'Contracts' modeDue to "political" issues, Hitman: Absolution's "contracts" won't be transferable across platforms for developer IO Interactive to feature, but there is a way for the community to do it. The recently revealed contracts mode is a major part of Absolution's package - receiving co-billing on the title screen with the campaign - but we wanted to know if IO could help promote prominent challenges accomplished by the community on one platform for another.

"We'll have to deal with something within the political rules that allow us to do that," Torben Ellert, game designer on Hitman: Absolution told us. "We're interested in featuring community contracts so that we avoid that whole wasp's nest."

The way to do that will be for the community to decode the file numbers of contracts after the game's launch. Contract IDs begin with a two-digit number, determining their platform (currently 03- PC, 05- Xbox, 07- PS3), with the following set of digits expressing rules of the scenario.

"[Contracts] was built in a way for people to asynchronously share things," said Ellert. "The trick is you have to do it yourself. You have to be able to pull it off yourself."

Update: To stress, codes can't simply be swapped across platforms. Players on separate platforms will need to complete the aspects of a contract to make it live on that platform. The contract ID simply gives the blueprints for a scenario's rules.

Gallery: Hitman: Absolution (Gamescom 2012)

JoystiqHitman: Absolution 'Contracts' can't cross platforms, but community can work around it originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Aug 2012 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamescom-2012hitman-5hitman-absolutionio-interactivemicrosoftpcplaystationps3Square-Enixtorben-ellerttorturexboxMon, 20 Aug 2012 15:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Joe Danger 2: The Movie - the Nintendo-flavored XBLA game with jetpacks]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/20/joe-danger-2-the-movie-the-nintendo-flavored-xbla-game-with-je/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/20/joe-danger-2-the-movie-the-nintendo-flavored-xbla-game-with-je/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/20/joe-danger-2-the-movie-the-nintendo-flavored-xbla-game-with-je/#comments The only place Joe Danger hasn't ended up is on a Nintendo console. Which made Hello Games founder Sean Murray's statement on the game's inspirations distinctly confusing when he told me this last week during Gamescom:
"What we always talk about is a kind of 'Nintendo-y' feel. The Nintendo thing for me is they make it look effortless - they just throw in things. If you're playing Mario Galaxy, you're like, 'That one five minutes, most people would make that an entire game.' That's what I really want so badly for people to play unicycle - or any of those ... we've got skis and it's only like two levels - you want someone to play that and think, 'This could've been a whole game and I would've played it. You know what I mean? But I've just had this one little nugget, and it's left me wanting more. And they move on to the next thing, and the next thing, and they feel like - when they unlock a level - 'I wonder what this one's gonna be.' So we've really stuck to that."
Like Mario Galaxy, Joe Danger 2: The Movie is pocked by one-off (or perhaps "one or two-off") gameplay vignettes. "The unicycle has that unique lean thing to stay upright, and it's a really fun vehicle. But we just use it once, don't put it anywhere else, and it's a really cool thing when you find that," Murray said. Of course, if you're just way into the unicycle, you can always create levels just for it in the game's revamped, online sharing-enabled level editor.

Gallery: Joe Danger 2: The Movie

Continue reading Joe Danger 2: The Movie - the Nintendo-flavored XBLA game with jetpacks

JoystiqJoe Danger 2: The Movie - the Nintendo-flavored XBLA game with jetpacks originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Aug 2012 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>capcomgamescom-2012hello-gamesjoe-danger-2-the-moviejoe-danger-the-moviemicrosoftnintendosean-murraysegaxblaxboxxbox-live-arcadeMon, 20 Aug 2012 13:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Co-opinion: XCOM: Enemy Unknown multiplayer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/20/co-opinion-xcom-enemy-unknown-multiplayer/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/20/co-opinion-xcom-enemy-unknown-multiplayer/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/20/co-opinion-xcom-enemy-unknown-multiplayer/#comments Coopinion XCOM Enemy Unknown multiplayer
Richard Mitchell: So Alexander and I got a chance to try out the XCOM: Enemy Unknown multiplayer mode at Gamescom. Both of us played single-player before, so we had some idea of what we were getting into - but multiplayer is an entirely different beast. Using a pool of points, players "purchase" the units that will comprise their team: XCOM soldiers, aliens, or a mix of both. The standard match has a pool of 10,000 points and a turn time of 90 seconds. For this press demo, we had a whopping 20,000 points and 120 seconds. It sounds like a lot of time, but it wasn't - more on that in a bit.

What units did you pick? (Keep in mind, folks, I had no idea what I was going to face on the field, and neither did Alexander.)
Alexander Sliwinski: I believe in the power of humanity! Actually, no, it's mostly that I'd never played an XCOM game prior to the E3 demo, and I had no idea about each race's powers. So, I went with three human soldiers, two Thin Men and then spent a massive 7,300 points on an assault gunner with an alloy cannon. I figured I'd wipe out any alien scum you threw at me.

Gallery: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (8/18/2012)

Continue reading Co-opinion: XCOM: Enemy Unknown multiplayer

JoystiqCo-opinion: XCOM: Enemy Unknown multiplayer originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Aug 2012 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2k2k-gamesco-opco-opinionfiraxisfiraxis-gamesgamescomgamescom-2012microsoftmultiplayerpcplaystationps3take-twotake-two-interactivexboxxcom-enemy-unknownMon, 20 Aug 2012 12:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Joe Danger 2: The Movie flipping to XBLA 'probably in the next month or so']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/20/joe-danger-2-the-movie-flipping-to-xbla-probably-in-the-next-m/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/20/joe-danger-2-the-movie-flipping-to-xbla-probably-in-the-next-m/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/20/joe-danger-2-the-movie-flipping-to-xbla-probably-in-the-next-m/#comments Joe Danger 2: The Movie from UK dev Hello Games is leaping to your Xbox 360 in the not-too-distant future. "We're pretty much complete," Hello Games head Sean Murray told us at Gamescom during a demo of the upcoming 2D Xbox Live Arcade racer. "We're showing the full game here, and hopefully people like it. Hopefully that means we're nearly finished," he said with a smile.

Thankfully for fans excited for the new game, reception at Gamescom was very positive. "It's been good, so the game is actually probably gonna come out in the next month or so. Something like that," Murray said.

There's only one thing standing between Joe Danger 2: The Movie and launch - certification. "That's where we're heading into now. We're doing the final, 'We shouldn't be changing anything, but we are.' Don't tell our QA!" And what about PlayStation 3 or PC versions? "At the moment, we're just showing and talking about 360. We kind of haven't made any other announcements or anything like that," Murray said. But? "But obviously the original came out on PS3 and 360, so ...," he trailed off. Take that as you will!

You'll also be glad to hear that the game is a load of fun - expect a full writeup from Gamescom 2012 later today.

JoystiqJoe Danger 2: The Movie flipping to XBLA 'probably in the next month or so' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Aug 2012 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamescom-2012hello-gamesjoe-danger-2-the-moviejoe-danger-the-moviemicrosoftplaystationplaystation-networkps3psnq3-2012release-datesean-murrayxblaxboxxbox-live-arcadeMon, 20 Aug 2012 10:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Gamescom 2012 attendance over 275,000]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/19/gamescom-2012-attendance-over-275-000/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/19/gamescom-2012-attendance-over-275-000/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/19/gamescom-2012-attendance-over-275-000/#comments Gamescom 2012 attendance over 275,000Gamescom: Part Vier stabilized its attendance, with the premier European gaming event's attendance reaching a little over 275,000 according to event organizers, approximately the same as last year. Microsoft and Nintendo's absense kept things calmer this year, with the Koelnmesse avoiding overcapacity - it also probably helped that Saturday tickets were locked at a set number this year.

Gamescom 2013 is scheduled for next August 21-25 in Cologne. Like our previous roundups of official and unofficial stats, you can find 2012's after the break.

Continue reading Gamescom 2012 attendance over 275,000

JoystiqGamescom 2012 attendance over 275,000 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 19 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamescom-2012microsoftmobilenintendopcplaystationps3wii-uxboxSun, 19 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dead Space 3 weapon crafting lets you stack guns on guns]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/18/dead-space-3-weapon-crafting-lets-you-stack-guns-on-guns/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/18/dead-space-3-weapon-crafting-lets-you-stack-guns-on-guns/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/18/dead-space-3-weapon-crafting-lets-you-stack-guns-on-guns/#comments
You know what this Line Gun needs? A flamethrower. We've all thought about it and in Dead Space 3 players will be able to construct just that. Just make sure you credit us for the completely original idea!

By gathering materials, one can proceed over to the nearest weapons bench and get to work. Players will be able to "build guns, modify guns and share guns," Dead Space 3's UI lead Dino Ignacio reveals in the above trailer. And once something has been made, players can then share their blueprint with the Dead Space 3 community, allowing others to copy and use the weapon in question in their own game.

So can we make a Plasma Cutter that is actually eight Plasma Cutters? Well, EA, can we?

JoystiqDead Space 3 weapon crafting lets you stack guns on guns originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Aug 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dead-space-3eagamescom-2012microsoftpcplaystationps3visceral-gamesxboxSat, 18 Aug 2012 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[How to pitch your indie game to Sony]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/18/how-to-pitch-your-indie-game-to-sony/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/18/how-to-pitch-your-indie-game-to-sony/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/18/how-to-pitch-your-indie-game-to-sony/#comments How to pitch your indie game to Sony"I'm sick of sitting through crap development pitches," Pete Smith, Sony XDev director of product development, told an audience of developers at GDC Europe last week. Smith handles all of the European studios looking to snag a publishing deal on Sony systems, and he helped games such as Heavy Rain and the Motorstorm series race into the public eye.

Smith knows what he wants in a pitch, but just as importantly, he knows precisely what he doesn't want. He gave an overview of his approach to independent pitches, and then broke down a quick and dirty list of "do's" and "do not's." Read through Smith's pet peeves and praises below.

Continue reading How to pitch your indie game to Sony

JoystiqHow to pitch your indie game to Sony originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Aug 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamescom-2012gdc-europe-2012Indiemovepete-smithpitchplaystationplaystation-vitaps3pspPublishingsonyvitaxdevxdev-studio-europeSat, 18 Aug 2012 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[CastleStorm fires off new screens for Gamescom]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/18/castlestorm-fires-off-new-screens-for-gamescom/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/18/castlestorm-fires-off-new-screens-for-gamescom/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/18/castlestorm-fires-off-new-screens-for-gamescom/#comments CastleStorm assets Zen StudiosZen Studios, which found success through its pinball games, is branching out and showed off Kickbeat and CastleStorm at Gamescom. Here's the latest screens for the real-time strategy, castle vs. castle physics based destruction game launching this autumn, "first on Xbox."

Continue reading CastleStorm fires off new screens for Gamescom

JoystiqCastleStorm fires off new screens for Gamescom originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlestormgamescom-2012microsoftxboxzen-studiosSat, 18 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Ni no Kuni screens, and a Ninostarter update]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/18/new-ni-no-kuni-screens-and-a-ninostarter-update/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/18/new-ni-no-kuni-screens-and-a-ninostarter-update/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/18/new-ni-no-kuni-screens-and-a-ninostarter-update/#comments
A set of new Gamescom screens for Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch provides the perfect reason to check in on the "Ninostarter" pre-order campaign.

With 12 days left, enough fans have pre-ordered the special "Wizard's Edition" to unlock one bonus item, a set of five prints. The second item is a gold "Wizard's Coin," which has 24% of its allotted pre-order numbers. You have until August 31 to throw your pre-order in and get the game, the book, the prints, and possibly that coin.

Gallery: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (Gamescom 2012)

JoystiqNew Ni no Kuni screens, and a Ninostarter update originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Aug 2012 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamescom-2012ni-no-kuniplaystationps3Sat, 18 Aug 2012 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Super Joystiq Podcast Gamescom 2012 special: Day 5]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/super-joystiq-podcast-gamescom-2012-special-day-5/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/super-joystiq-podcast-gamescom-2012-special-day-5/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/super-joystiq-podcast-gamescom-2012-special-day-5/#commentsFiled under:

Image
Welcome to our last day of podcast specials from Gamescom 2012!

Today, the stalwart Gamescom crew of Alexander, Ben, Richard, and Jess are joined by Xbox Live's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb to discuss a whole slew of games and the Cologne, Germany experience.

Games on-tap in this episode include Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, SimCity, Joe Danger 2: The Movie, KickBeat, Dishonored, and more. The crew also shares some anecdotes from the show and Cologne, and the the Major himself gives an audio sightseeing tour, extols the virtues of canned oxygen for fighting jet lag, and offers protips on how to survive a life of international travel.

That's it for our Gamescom 2012 podcast specials. Thanks so much for taking the journey with us, be sure to hit the archives if you missed any of the shows, and we'll back back to normal next week with another episode of the Super Joystiq Podcast.

Listen to the Super Joystiq Podcast:A stream of the show and details about each segment is available after the break.

Continue reading Super Joystiq Podcast Gamescom 2012 special: Day 5

JoystiqSuper Joystiq Podcast Gamescom 2012 special: Day 5 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamescom-2012joystiq-podcastpodcastssuper-joystiq-podcastFri, 17 Aug 2012 19:30:00 ESTSuper Joystiq Podcast Gamescom 2012 special: Day 5Joystiq58:17podcasts<![CDATA[Ten whole minutes of Splinter Cell: Blacklist gameplay]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/ten-whole-minutes-of-splinter-cell-blacklist-gameplay/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/ten-whole-minutes-of-splinter-cell-blacklist-gameplay/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/ten-whole-minutes-of-splinter-cell-blacklist-gameplay/#comments Ten whole minutes of Splinter Cell Blacklist gameplay
Allow Splinter Cell: Blacklist creative director Maxime Beland (and his soothing accent) to walk you through 10 full minutes of Blacklist gameplay, as Sam Fisher infiltrates a terrorist cell on the Iraq/Iran border.

JoystiqTen whole minutes of Splinter Cell: Blacklist gameplay originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gameplaygamescom-2012maxime-belandmicrosoftpcplaystationps3splinter-cell-blacklistUbisoftubisoft-torontoxboxFri, 17 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Spector still wants Epic Mickey HD, needs your help]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/spector-still-wants-epic-mickey-hd-needs-your-help/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/spector-still-wants-epic-mickey-hd-needs-your-help/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/spector-still-wants-epic-mickey-hd-needs-your-help/#comments Warren Spector, long-term industry survivor and creative director of Disney's Junction Point Studios, still wants to do a high definition version of Wii-exclusive Epic Mickey for other consoles.

"It's been about four or five days since I've asked to get that project greenlit. It's not my call to make. I can't even tell you how much I want to see the first game with all the enhancements and improvements we've made on Xbox 360 and PS3," Spector told us today at Gamescom. "Just have all of your readers send emails to Disney corporation and say: 'Warren should make this game.'"

Spector told us there are two things he very much wants: "I want to make a duck game and I want to see Epic Mickey on next-gen platforms."

But this is Warren Spector we're talking about. Can't he just wave a magical paintbrush and make his dreams come true? He may not have his duck game, but he's got his duck comic.

"There's only so much clout," he admitted. "When you're talking about the kind of money games cost now, there's only so much you can do."

Well, what we can do is just slide the Disney Twitter over to you fine folks reading and you can decide whether to let them know if you want Epic Mickey on HD consoles.

JoystiqSpector still wants Epic Mickey HD, needs your help originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Epic-MickeyEpic-Mickey-2gamescomgamescom-2012junction-pointjunction-point-studiosmicrosoftnintendoplaystationps3warren-spectorwiixboxFri, 17 Aug 2012 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Remember Me's 'Neo-Paris' was a 'late choice,' US / AU both considered]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/remember-mes-neo-paris-was-a-late-choice-us-au-both-cons/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/remember-mes-neo-paris-was-a-late-choice-us-au-both-cons/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/remember-mes-neo-paris-was-a-late-choice-us-au-both-cons/#comments Remember Me's 'NeoParis' was a 'late choice,' US AU both consideredThe art style of Dontnod Entertainment's "Neo-Paris" in Remember Me is stunning, and the vision of a futuristic Eiffel Tower glimmering in the background of many images gives the game a distinctive look - not dissimilar from the beauty of modern day Paris. The city may be a staple of the game now, but Remember Me's development saw Nilin potentially memory jacking foes in the United States or Australia before settling on the dev team's home base.

"Since the beginning, I really wanted to have Remember Me not being all French, for instance," Dontnod creative lead Jean-Maxime Moris told us in an interview this week at Gamescom. "Neo-Paris was a late choice, because we wanted to stay away from it. We had that global warming element to the game," Moris added, a reference to the concepts we saw last year when the game was still known as "Adrift."

"First we thought about Australia or the US, and then we were like, 'Well, let's just stick to Paris, because we have all the material, it's a great city, and it hasn't been done in the way we wanna do it,'" Moris said. Beyond just a thematic shift, the choice of Neo-Paris fits with the game having an international feel, he said.

"There are French elements to the game, but we wanted it to have some American appeal - kind of really extending the scope of the city, and the characters, and the scope of the robots. And at the same time, there is definitely a Japanese feel to it with the cyberpunk theme. Japanese have been eating cyberpunk for breakfast for 30 years now. Ghost in the Shell, and Akira and all those things," Moris added.

We might've followed up to that question, but we were too busy thinking about Japanese people eating cyberpunk for breakfast. What a dangerous proposition!

JoystiqRemember Me's 'Neo-Paris' was a 'late choice,' US / AU both considered originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adriftaustraliacapcomdontnoddontnod-entertainmentfrancegamescom-2012jean-maxime-morismicrosoftneo-parisparispcplaystationps3remember-meunited-statesxboxFri, 17 Aug 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Look around SimCity, don't get bogged down in charts]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/look-around-simcity-dont-get-bogged-down-in-charts/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/look-around-simcity-dont-get-bogged-down-in-charts/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/look-around-simcity-dont-get-bogged-down-in-charts/#comments We built SimCity o"I want more time," I thought leaving my first SimCity hands-on experience. "I must go deeper!" There's just so much I wanted to try out, poke around, but the rails were firmly set to give the tiniest taste of what's to come. Needless to say, I'm ready for the SimCity entree when it launches in February 2013 on Mac and PC.

The demo I tried out went through the super basics of building residential, commercial and industrial zones; along with how the city infrastructure is built out. All of it quite instinctual.

Gallery: SimCity (E3 2012)

Continue reading Look around SimCity, don't get bogged down in charts

JoystiqLook around SimCity, don't get bogged down in charts originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaea-maxiselectronic-artsgamescom-2012macMaxispcsimcity-2013simcity-5Fri, 17 Aug 2012 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Anomaly: Warzone Earth takes out PSN on August 29 in Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/anomaly-warzone-earth-takes-out-psn-on-august-29-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/anomaly-warzone-earth-takes-out-psn-on-august-29-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/anomaly-warzone-earth-takes-out-psn-on-august-29-in-europe/#comments Anomaly Warzone Earth takes out PSN on August 29 in EuropeAnomaly: Warzone Earth is set to launch digitally on the PS3 on August 29 in Europe, for €8.99, and some time in September for the US, 11 bit studios tells Joystiq at Gamescom. The PSN version will be available in seven languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Polish and Russian.

PSN's Warzone Earth introduces local co-op and a new human unit to the franchise. The new unit is called the Chainer, and it charges enemies and blasts them in a chain attack, hitting up to eight at once.

JoystiqAnomaly: Warzone Earth takes out PSN on August 29 in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>11-bit-studiosanomaly-warzone-earthGamescom-2012playstationps3PSNrelease-dateFri, 17 Aug 2012 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New Tropico in development at Haemimont Games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/new-tropico-in-development-at-haemimont-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/new-tropico-in-development-at-haemimont-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/new-tropico-in-development-at-haemimont-games/#comments Good news, El Presidente! The next Tropico is developer Haemimont Games' next title after it ships Omerta this fall. Even more interesting, the game won't be as obviously iterative as it was between Tropico 3 and Tropico 4.

"We've already started on Tropico. This time we're wiping the whole game clean and building it from the ground up," explained Gabriel Dobrev, chief executive officer of the Bulgarian developer. "We're starting with a clean design this time and all the graphics will be new."

Dobrev says he's a fan of the Caribbean atmosphere, political aspects and story possibilities of the Tropico universe. He wouldn't share any more details about the new island adventure or pinpoint the era it would take place in, but said it's "larger in scope." No matter what they decide to do with the new design, El Presidente shall return!

(Picitured: Tropico 4)

JoystiqNew Tropico in development at Haemimont Games originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gabriel-dobrovgamescom-2012Haemimont-GamesKalypso-mediamicrosoftpctropico-5xboxFri, 17 Aug 2012 06:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Warface deploys a platoon of screens to Gamescom]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/warface-deploys-a-platoon-of-screens-to-gamescom/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/warface-deploys-a-platoon-of-screens-to-gamescom/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/warface-deploys-a-platoon-of-screens-to-gamescom/#comments We're not sure what type of face you should have when browsing through this gallery of screens from free-to-play Crytek shooter, Warface. Happyface? Startledface? Apathyface? Nah, we'd say go with Guarded Optimismface.

Continue reading Warface deploys a platoon of screens to Gamescom

JoystiqWarface deploys a platoon of screens to Gamescom originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 03:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crytekfree-to-playgamescom-2012pctrion-worldswarfaceFri, 17 Aug 2012 03:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Omerta gangs up this November]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/omerta-gangs-up-this-november/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/omerta-gangs-up-this-november/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/omerta-gangs-up-this-november/#comments Omerta gangs up this NovemberOmerta: City of Gangsters will muscle its way into retail this November. Developed by Haemimont Games, the Atlantic City mob simulator isn't so much about building a burg like in the developer's Tropico series, but is actually focused on turn-based combat and keeping the economy of the player's mob empire stable.

Omerta's prohibition setting of the 1920s puts players in control of obtaining and maintaining a mob network that's earning cash through speakeasies, distilleries, bank heists and more. The game takes place on two levels, with the macro mob management game and the turn-based missions, where a team is personally selected thugs rob a bank, take out the competition or other enterprising opportunities. The game will be available on both PC and Xbox 360 when it arrives in "early November," according to Haemimont CEO Gabriel Dobrev.

Gallery: Omerta: City of Gangsters (E3 2012)

JoystiqOmerta gangs up this November originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamescom-2012Haemimont-GamesKalypso-mediamicrosoftomertaomerta-city-of-gangsterspcxboxFri, 17 Aug 2012 02:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed into a new trailer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/sonic-and-all-stars-racing-transformed-into-a-new-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/sonic-and-all-stars-racing-transformed-into-a-new-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/sonic-and-all-stars-racing-transformed-into-a-new-trailer/#comments Sonic All Stars Karting whatever Gamescom trailer screens
All the way from Cologne, Germany, where Gamescom is taking place this week, here's the newest trailer for Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed, the upcoming kart (and boat and plane) racing game featuring the famous blue hedgehog and his crowd. Oh, and Wreck-It Ralph! And Danica Patrick, too.

The racing looks awfully colorful, which should make Sonic and Sega fans very happy indeed. As the trailer says, the game's due to arrive on November 20. There are a few new screenshots for you to browse through as well; just take a left turn into the gallery below.

Gallery: Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (Gamescom 2012)

JoystiqSonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed into a new trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsboatsgallerygamescomgamescom-2012microsoftnintendoplanesplaystationps3racingsegasonicsonic-and-allstars-racing-transformedtrailervideowreck-it-ralphxboxThu, 16 Aug 2012 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Zen of KickBeat]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/the-zen-of-kickbeat/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/the-zen-of-kickbeat/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/the-zen-of-kickbeat/#comments The Zen of KickBeatZen Studios is best known for its prowess in the pinball market, amassing its fame from titles such as Pinball FX, Zen Pinball and Marvel Pinball (Notice a trend?). This success has enabled Zen to expand its creative department and develop a wide range of games for varying platforms.

KickBeat, for example, is a music-based crossover action title for Vita that throws a brilliant twist into the tired rhythm genre. It combines the quick dexterity of classic rhythm games with a few of the industry's favorite tropes and trends: fighting and ninjas.

The most noticeable fad that Zen Studios doesn't integrate in KickBeat also happens to be the game's best feature: It has absolutely no touchscreen or rear touchpad functions.

Continue reading The Zen of KickBeat

JoystiqThe Zen of KickBeat originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>actionFightinggamescom-2012kickbeatplaystationplaystation-vitaRhythmvitaZen-StudiosThu, 16 Aug 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Super Joystiq Podcast Gamescom 2012 special: Day 4]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/super-joystiq-podcast-gamescom-2012-special-day-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/super-joystiq-podcast-gamescom-2012-special-day-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/super-joystiq-podcast-gamescom-2012-special-day-4/#commentsFiled under:

Image
Gamescom 2012 continues and it's back to the round table wrap-up style podcast today.

The regular crew of Alexander, Ben, Richard, and Jess are in the house joined by a few guests including Bethesda's Pete Hines, and Fredrik Wester and Shams Jorjani from Paradox Interactive.

On day four the group discusses DmC: Devil May Cry, the surprising forthcoming relaunch of Final Fantasy XIV, the Oculus Rift, DayZ, the underwhelming showing Resident Evil 6, and other attention-grabbers from the show.

Check back tomorrow for the final Super Joystiq Podcast special out of GDC Europe and Gamescom 2012 in Germany.

Listen to the Super Joystiq Podcast:A stream of the show and details about each segment is available after the break.

Continue reading Super Joystiq Podcast Gamescom 2012 special: Day 4

JoystiqSuper Joystiq Podcast Gamescom 2012 special: Day 4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamescom-2012joystiq-podcastpodcastssuper-joystiq-podcastThu, 16 Aug 2012 19:30:00 ESTSuper Joystiq Podcast Gamescom 2012 special: Day 4Joystiq1:29:45podcasts<![CDATA[Trine 2 expansion 'Goblin Menace' revealed, included in Wii U version]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/trine-2-expansion-goblin-menace-revealed-included-in-wii-u-ve/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/trine-2-expansion-goblin-menace-revealed-included-in-wii-u-ve/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/trine-2-expansion-goblin-menace-revealed-included-in-wii-u-ve/#comments Trine 2 Goblin Menace expansion announced
Using Gamescom as its platform, Finnish developer Frozenbyte unveiled the continuing adventures of its three amigos by announcing 'Goblin Menace,' an expansion for Trine 2.

Other than being completely gorgeous (seriously, just look at it!), the Goblin Menace expansion adds six fresh levels in an all-new campaign along with new skills that are also available for use in the original Trine 2 campaign.

Trine 2: Goblin Menace will debut on Steam this fall before being included in the Trine 2: Director's Cut for Wii U this holiday season. More info, including additional platforms for the content and pricing, is set to come at a later date. In the meantime ... dat graphics!

Gallery: Trine 2: Goblin Menace

JoystiqTrine 2 expansion 'Goblin Menace' revealed, included in Wii U version originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AtlusFrozenbyteGamescom-2012nintendopctrine-2Trine-2-Goblin-Menacewii-uThu, 16 Aug 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Tearaway isn't the only game Media Molecule is working on]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/tearaway-isnt-the-only-game-media-molecule-is-working-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/tearaway-isnt-the-only-game-media-molecule-is-working-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/tearaway-isnt-the-only-game-media-molecule-is-working-on/#comments Media Molecule working on new project that isn't TearawayWhile Media Molecule is hard at work on Tearaway, the new 3D adventure game for PS Vita revealed this week during Gamescom, it's not the only iron the studio has in the fire. The developer has a second project underway, though this mystery game is in the fairly early stages.

"We're working on a second project right now, and that's very much in an R&D phase," Media Molecule's Mark Healy told Eurogamer. Media Molecule co-founder Alex Evans added that while the "focus is Tearaway" right now, only 15 people are working on the PS Vita game, and that "Media Molecule is a lot more than 15 people."

"We call it in a holding pattern," Evans added, "because the focus is on Tearaway. I'm not saying that from a press angle - our focus is on Tearaway and making it awesome. The other project is very much in an early stage and is a toy. You don't need to worry about it."

JoystiqTearaway isn't the only game Media Molecule is working on originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamescom-2012media-moleculeplaystationplaystation-vitaps3pspsonytearawayvitaThu, 16 Aug 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Capcom US, Japan's creative relationship with UK's Ninja Theory]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/capcom-us-japans-creative-relationship-with-uks-ninja-theory/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/capcom-us-japans-creative-relationship-with-uks-ninja-theory/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/capcom-us-japans-creative-relationship-with-uks-ninja-theory/#comments Capcom US, Japan's creative relationship with UK's Ninja TheoryDmC: Devil May Cry represents Capcom's focused, intentional effort to add western flair to a traditionally Japanese-styled game, left in the care of UK-entrenched studio Ninja Theory. Both Capcom Japan and US left the westernization entirely in Ninja Theory's hands, only providing advice on the game's core essentials and at times making strong suggestions about characters and controls. Otherwise, Capcom took a hands-off approach to the game's modernization.

Among three branches of two studios in three disparate areas of the globe, creating anything successfully - let alone a new, yet familiar game in a popular franchise - was bound to be frustrating. According to Capcom producers Motohide Eshiro and Alex Jones, it certainly was stressful working with Ninja Theory, but it was also successful.

Read their thoughts on Ninja Theory and the international DmC development process below.

Continue reading Capcom US, Japan's creative relationship with UK's Ninja Theory

JoystiqCapcom US, Japan's creative relationship with UK's Ninja Theory originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alex-jonesCapcomcapcom-japanCapcom-USADevil-May-Crydmc-devil-may-crygamescom-2012microsoftmotohide-eshironinja-theorypcplaystationps3xboxThu, 16 Aug 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Get $1 PC games from Ubisoft's new Uplay client]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/get-1-pc-games-from-ubisoft-during-gamescom/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/get-1-pc-games-from-ubisoft-during-gamescom/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/get-1-pc-games-from-ubisoft-during-gamescom/#comments Get $1 PC games from Ubisoft during GamescomUplay the vague Ubisoft online service is now also Uplay the PC client, through which Ubisoft sells games and offers friends lists and other services. It's worth checking out, because the company is offering a selection of $1 PC game downloads, one a day. Today, it's HAWX 2; tomorrow, From Dust, with Silent Hunter 5 and Driver: San Francisco following.

The same deal applies in the UK and Europe, with prices of one unit of the local currency. There are other deep, if not as dramatic, discounts as well.

Continue reading Get $1 PC games from Ubisoft's new Uplay client

JoystiqGet $1 PC games from Ubisoft's new Uplay client originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>driver-san-franciscofrom-dustgamescom-2012hawx-2pcsilent-hunter-5ubisoftuplayThu, 16 Aug 2012 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA['Spun (God is a DJ)' and Remember Me's memory remixing are cut from the same creative cloth]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/spun-god-is-a-dj-and-remember-mes-memory-remixing-are-cut-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/spun-god-is-a-dj-and-remember-mes-memory-remixing-are-cut-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/spun-god-is-a-dj-and-remember-mes-memory-remixing-are-cut-f/#comments 'Spun God is a DJ' and Remember Me's memory remixing are cut from the same creative cloth
When I first saw Remember Me's "memory remix" sequence play out during Capcom's press conference at Gamescom, my first thought was another Capcom game: Ghost Trick. Creative lead Jean-Maxime Moris agreed that Ghost Trick is a fair comparison, but he denied that that was where Dontnod drew inspiration from when crafting its memory remixing. In fact, Remember Me's memory remixing was "already in place" when Ghost Trick launched in early 2011.

"We tried it, and we played it, and I liked it very much," Moris says. "The main difference is that we are carrying realistic narrative states in the memory remix, and there will be key revelations about the storyline within the memory remix, or in the way things are gonna pan out before and after the remix ... that's very different, 'cause Ghost Trick was very gamey. And I don't mean that in a negative way at all, but it didn't try to achieve what we're trying to achieve in terms of scenario."

Rather than Ghost Trick, Dontnod took inspiration from another source entirely: 2007's YouTube short by Double Edge Films, "Spun (God is a DJ)."

"Have you seen the short movie on YouTube, 'Spun (God is a DJ)'?" Moris asked me. I hadn't, but, watching it this morning, it was easy to see the inspiration shine through. "In the beginning, it was a massive inspiration for us, and one of the first things I did when I started to design the game was to go back to that and say, 'Well, this is the feeling we want to achieve. And how do we do that in the game?'" Moris admitted that Dontnod failed "two or three times" before the studio figured out the current version. "I'm confident we found the right way," he added.

In case you haven't seen the short, it's a clever riff on a DJified deity remixing the world around him, slightly altering events to create alternative outcomes (take a look above). In Remember Me, the game's protagonist Nilin commands that same deity-like power over others, remixing memories to elicit outcomes of her choosing (seen in a video after the break).

Like in "Spun," Nilin must first identify the "glitches" in her target's memory that allow for tweaking before she can begin altering the future. "One thing you didn't see in the video yesterday is that she first needs to identify where she's gonna be able to interact. And then, she can try out various combinations of objects," Moris said.

"Spun" mirrors this concept, where the all powerful DJ must first see what his remixing effects have on the world before he can correctly re-engineer the scenario. The only difference in the case of "Spun" is that the DJ, unlike Nilin, isn't trying to get someone to kill themselves.

Gallery: Remember Me

Continue reading 'Spun (God is a DJ)' and Remember Me's memory remixing are cut from the same creative cloth

Joystiq'Spun (God is a DJ)' and Remember Me's memory remixing are cut from the same creative cloth originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adriftcapcomdontnoddontnod-entertainmentdouble-edge-filmsgamescomgamescom-2012ghost-trickjean-maxime-morismicrosoftpcplaystationps3remember-mespunspun-god-is-a-djxboxThu, 16 Aug 2012 13:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Oculus Rift will cater to those who wear glasses]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/oculus-rift-will-cater-to-those-who-wear-glasses/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/oculus-rift-will-cater-to-those-who-wear-glasses/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/oculus-rift-will-cater-to-those-who-wear-glasses/#comments Upon first learning about the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset, you may have had one of two reactions. Most of us would look at the promising headset and think, "that looks really promising." Others, however, have only one question: "Will it fit over my glasses?"

The short answer is no, it won't. The longer, much more positive answer is that even those with impaired vision will be able to use the Oculus Rift when it's finally available to consumers. While the unit won't fit over eyeglasses - creator Palmer Luckey tells us it would put the headset too far away from the user's face - it will have adjustable optics. Exactly how these will be implemented hasn't been finalized, though two possibilities include binocular-like dial adjustment or special optical inserts. The only impairment that could be problematic, says Palmer, is cases of severe astigmatism, though that may be correctable via software.

In other words, years of destroying your eyes by sitting too close to the screen won't stop you from strapping this one directly to your face.

JoystiqOculus Rift will cater to those who wear glasses originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamescom-2012oculus-riftpalmer-luckeypcThu, 16 Aug 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Yoshida: 2012 is 'too early' for Vita price drop]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/yoshida-2012-is-too-early-for-vita-price-drop/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/yoshida-2012-is-too-early-for-vita-price-drop/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/yoshida-2012-is-too-early-for-vita-price-drop/#comments
If you're holding out on a Vita until the price goes down, you may be holding out for a while. Speaking to Eurogamer at Gamescom, SCE Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida that the price will not go down this year. "It's too early," he said. Sony engineers are working on "cost reduction," which Yoshida said takes time.

"At a certain point in the future we would like to address the pricing issue for some of the people who are waiting," Yoshida said. "But this year we are trying to add value by creating different types of bundles," like the LittleBigPlanet PS Vita bundle announced at Gamescom. "That's affordable for people who are looking for a good deal."

JoystiqYoshida: 2012 is 'too early' for Vita price drop originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamescom-2012playstationplaystation-vitaprice-dropshuhei-yoshidavitaThu, 16 Aug 2012 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Dishonored's Harvey Smith on the risk of letting players break your game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/dishonoreds-harvey-smith-on-the-risk-of-letting-players-break-y/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/dishonoreds-harvey-smith-on-the-risk-of-letting-players-break-y/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/dishonoreds-harvey-smith-on-the-risk-of-letting-players-break-y/#comments There are a lot of choices available to players in Dishonored. At every player's disposal is an impressive array of weapons, gadgets and abilities, each offering a different way to tackle a given situation. Take the simple assassination mission I played at Gamescom, which just so happened to be the same mission we detailed earlier this month at QuakeCon. Tasked with infiltrating a posh party at a lavish mansion, freelancer Britton Peele chose to walk right through the front door. Me, I possessed a fish, swam into the sewers and worked my way into the mansion via the cellar. That's only two of many possible choices.

Allowing players that much freedom - the freedom to potentially break the game - must be a nightmare for quality assurance, I tell Arkane Studios' co-creative director Harvey Smith. "It's not just a nightmare for QA," he says, "it's a nightmare for us as well."

Gallery: Dishonored (QuakeCon 2012)

Continue reading Dishonored's Harvey Smith on the risk of letting players break your game

JoystiqDishonored's Harvey Smith on the risk of letting players break your game originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Arkane-StudiosBethesda-Softworksdishonoredgamescom-2012harvey-smithmicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxThu, 16 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Diving into Deadpool at Gamescom]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/diving-into-deadpool-at-gamescom/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/diving-into-deadpool-at-gamescom/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/diving-into-deadpool-at-gamescom/#comments Diving into Deadpool at GamescomI can't speak with great authority on the character of Deadpool, but I've played more than my share of third-person action games, and High Moon Studios' interpretation of the ludicrous anti-hero is shaping up to be an over-the-top experience.

Gallery: Deadpool (Gamescom 2012)

Continue reading Diving into Deadpool at Gamescom

JoystiqDiving into Deadpool at Gamescom originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisiondeadpoolgamescom-2012high-moon-studiosmicrosoftplaystationps3xboxThu, 16 Aug 2012 11:20:00 EST<![CDATA[See Engadget try out the Oculus Rift]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/see-engadget-try-out-the-oculus-rift/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/see-engadget-try-out-the-oculus-rift/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/see-engadget-try-out-the-oculus-rift/#comments See Engadget try out the Oculus Rift
You've read our impressions of the Oculus Rift from our Doom 3 session at QuakeCon, but now you can see it in action as Engadget's Mat Smith takes the prototype for a spin (with yours truly manning the camera). Head over to Engadget for lots of pictures and Mat's detailed impressions.

JoystiqSee Engadget try out the Oculus Rift originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamescom-2012oculus-riftpcThu, 16 Aug 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hitman: Absolution 'Contracts' mode spelled out in video]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/hitman-absolution-contracts-mode-written-out-in-video-form/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/hitman-absolution-contracts-mode-written-out-in-video-form/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/hitman-absolution-contracts-mode-written-out-in-video-form/#comments
Here's the clip from Gamescom detailing Hitman: Absolution's recently revealed asynchronous multiplayer mode, "Contracts." Playable at the German mega show, Contracts allows players to make their own scenario of Agent 47 marks and challenge their friends to do better.

Continue reading Hitman: Absolution 'Contracts' mode spelled out in video

JoystiqHitman: Absolution 'Contracts' mode spelled out in video originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamescom-2012hitman-5hitman-absolutionIO-Interactivemicrosoftplaystationps3xboxThu, 16 Aug 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Seen@Gamescom: Times are tough for assassins]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/seen-gamescom-times-are-tough-for-assassins/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/seen-gamescom-times-are-tough-for-assassins/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/16/seen-gamescom-times-are-tough-for-assassins/#comments SeenGamescom The smallest, most adorable game of golfWith Agent 47 back in action, the murder-for-hire industry seems to be hurting. This member in the brotherhood of assassins is taking requests.

His sign says: "Hitman is back! Lost my job. Will take any job."

Think he knows how to use a mower? Could use some gutter cleaning as well.

JoystiqSeen@Gamescom: Times are tough for assassins originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Assassins-Creed-3gamescom-2012hitman-5hitman-absolutionThu, 16 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EST