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[Flipnotes from the PAX 2009 show floor]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/08/flipnotes-from-the-pax-2009-show-floor/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/08/flipnotes-from-the-pax-2009-show-floor/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/08/flipnotes-from-the-pax-2009-show-floor/#commentsDuring PAX last year, Nintendo asked any professional artists who happened to be there to create an animation in the DSiWare program Flipnote Studio. Now, the flipnotes from comic artists like Eric Jones and Christina Strain, webcomics artist Scott Kurtz, and 5TH Cell art director Edison Yan, have finally been posted in a gallery on the Flipnote Hatena site.

Showing what can be done in a few minutes by a talented artist, and building on the excitement of a popular convention, makes this initiative a great promotional tool for the free app (and for the DSi in general), which is why Nintendo waited until six months after the event to release these!

JoystiqFlipnotes from the PAX 2009 show floor originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>5th-celldsidsiwareedison-yanflipnote-studiopax-2009scott-kurtzMon, 08 Mar 2010 15:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Interview: Left 4 Dead 2's Chet Faliszek]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/15/interview-left-4-dead-2s-chet-faliszek/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/15/interview-left-4-dead-2s-chet-faliszek/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/15/interview-left-4-dead-2s-chet-faliszek/#comments
 During PAX 2009, we stopped by Valve's booth to chat with Chet Faliszek, one of the leading minds behind Left 4 Dead 2. Read on for insight into the differences between Left 4 Dead and its upcoming sequel, the possibility of user-created levels on Xbox 360 and just what's possible with the L4D2 editing tools:

So, you guys have talked about fleshing out the story in Left 4 Dead 2 a bit more, and having a more involved plot. How do you do that with a game like this?

I think that's one of those "I'm just going to ask you to wait and see." Some of it is simply ... Left 4 Dead 1's world was at the same stage every place you went. The infection had been there for a little bit. This time we're seeing what it's like to be in a city before the infection hits. And you see different people's reaction to that, as you cross around the country, and there's some other bits we tie in with the original Left 4 Dead in Left 4 Dead 2 as well.

Continue reading Interview: Left 4 Dead 2's Chet Faliszek

JoystiqInterview: Left 4 Dead 2's Chet Faliszek originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chet-faliszekinterviewleft-4-deadleft-4-dead-2Microsoftpaxpax-2009valveXbox-360Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:43:00 EST<![CDATA[Titan demoes Fat Princess' New Pork map]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/12/titan-demoes-fat-princess-new-pork-map/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/12/titan-demoes-fat-princess-new-pork-map/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/12/titan-demoes-fat-princess-new-pork-map/#comments Jeff Rubenstein over at PlayStation.Blog recently got a chance to check out Fat Princess' new stompin' grounds at the game's demo booth at PAX -- you'll find his video preview of the Roman-esque New Pork arena posted after the jump. The map not only possesses a visual aesthetic that stands out from the title's pre-existing levels, it's also got a neat instant-travel sewer system and a central resource hub that should lend itself to some fairly hectic skirmishes.

Also discussed in the video is the upcoming content patch, which will renovate the ranking system, balance the classes a bit and make the team switching mechanic less exploitable. Not discussed are the quartet of new classes hinted at by Titan Studios last month. We want -- nay, we need ninjas in this game.

Continue reading Titan demoes Fat Princess' New Pork map

JoystiqTitan demoes Fat Princess' New Pork map originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dlcfat-princessnew-porkpatchpaxpax-2009sonytitan-studiosSat, 12 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX attendance rises by 2k, 60,750 people geek out]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/12/pax-attendance-rises-by-2k-60-750-people-geek-out/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/12/pax-attendance-rises-by-2k-60-750-people-geek-out/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/12/pax-attendance-rises-by-2k-60-750-people-geek-out/#comments After the recent announcement by the folks at Penny Arcade that PAX 2009 sold out the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, today they officially released attendance numbers for this year's Penny Arcade Expo. Speaking with Big Download, PA's Robert Khoo said 60,750 people packed into the convention center -- though he had earlier predicted "roughly 75,000" -- and that the show's organizers are looking into expansion plans for next year to accommodate more showgoers.

We'd say with the unveiling of PAX East, some people may very well have stayed home in anticipation of a shorter travel distance early next year over this year's Washington-based soiree. This might help explain the relatively small attendance growth from 2008's 58,500 people to this 2009's numbers. However, Khoo said he's surprised how many people plan on attending both PAX East and next year's PAX, umm, West. We'll see you a year from now, Khoo -- with facts!

JoystiqPAX attendance rises by 2k, 60,750 people geek out originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 12 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>big-downloadpaxpax-2008pax-2009pax-eastpenny-arcadepenny-arcade-exporobert-khooSat, 12 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Naughty Dog 'maxed out' the PS3 with Uncharted 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/11/naughty-dog-maxed-out-the-ps3-with-uncharted-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/11/naughty-dog-maxed-out-the-ps3-with-uncharted-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/11/naughty-dog-maxed-out-the-ps3-with-uncharted-2/#comments
Despite the copious amount of gigglebytes and Dilithium Crystals under the hood of the PS3, it's never enough for developers. Their lot is constantly pushing envelopes and raising bars everywhere they go -- and the fine folks at Naughty Dog are no exception. During a preview of Uncharted 2 at PAX, Naughty Dog's Amy Hennig commented that the first Uncharted game only managed to utilize a third of the PS3's power, but Naughty Dog has "maxed it out" for the sequel.

This is something Naughty Dog achieved by taking a lot of the processes on the main processor and shifting them onto the SPUs (which may be one of the reasons why it could never work on Xbox 360). This allowed the developers to significantly increase the quality of the animations and other aspects of the game, leaving the main processor to "focus on getting all of that richness in the backgrounds." Well, whatever that means, we're glad they did it. This game is purty.

Head past the break to watch the video interview -- around the 3:37 mark is where she starts talking about the powah of the PS3.

Continue reading Naughty Dog 'maxed out' the PS3 with Uncharted 2

JoystiqNaughty Dog 'maxed out' the PS3 with Uncharted 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>naughty-dogpax-2009uncharteduncharted-2uncharted-2-among-thievesFri, 11 Sep 2009 14:20:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 2009: Cosplaying in Seattle]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/10/pax-2009-cosplaying-in-seattle/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/10/pax-2009-cosplaying-in-seattle/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/10/pax-2009-cosplaying-in-seattle/#commentsIn the aftermath of PAX this year, we almost forgot to post one of our favorite event pastimes: a cosplay gallery. We've been too busy slapping on facemasks and hazmat suits to quell the nerd flu outbreaks. There weren't nearly as many people dressed up as last year, but we're hoping that Tycho and Gabe add a full-on costume contest to the mix next year for PAX East or West.

Did you see that Big Daddy costume we posted about? Well, that guy wasn't at PAX ... but we wish he would have been. Still, there were some impressive efforts up in Seattle this year, and you can take a gander at them in the gallery below. And yes, we've included a photo of War's horse Ruin from Darksiders, because he was a mechanical bull who just happened to be wearing a giant, killer horse skin. Cheater.

Anyhow, knock yourself out in the gallery below. After all, we braved a freakin' virus to get these pictures for you.

Gallery: PAX 2009: The Costumes

JoystiqPAX 2009: Cosplaying in Seattle originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 01:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cosplaycostumesgallerypaxpax-2009Thu, 10 Sep 2009 01:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Hands on: Alien Breed Evolution]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/09/hands-on-alien-breed-evolution/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/09/hands-on-alien-breed-evolution/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/09/hands-on-alien-breed-evolution/#comments When I saw that Team 17's upcoming Alien Breed Evolution was playable at Microsoft's pre-PAX shindig, I leapt at the chance to try it out. As a huge fan of the Worms series, I really wanted to give Alien Breed Evolution a go. After spending a few minutes with the game -- which appeared to be the trial version of the XBLA game -- I have to admit I was disappointed. That's not to say it's bad, but it failed to elicit that instant 'click' of the Worms series.

Gallery: Alien Breed Evolution


Continue reading Hands on: Alien Breed Evolution

JoystiqHands on: Alien Breed Evolution originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alien-Breedalien-breed-evolutionAlien-Breed-Evolution-Episode-1Microsoftpaxpax-2009psnteam-17xblaXbox-360Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:45:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 2009: MAG producer explains the game's original server technology]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/09/pax-2009-mag-producer-explains-the-games-original-server-techn/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/09/pax-2009-mag-producer-explains-the-games-original-server-techn/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/09/pax-2009-mag-producer-explains-the-games-original-server-techn/#comments
Making online, 256-player battles unfold without lag or disconnection issues is nothing short of pure techno-wizardry. However, according to producer Alan Van Slyke, who recently spoke with us at a PAX preview event, that's exactly what MAG will bring to the table thanks to a groundbreaking new form of server architecture.

"Before we started working on the front-end client technology, we started building the servers. We wiped the slate clean and asked 'what do we need to do to scale to these numbers to make sure it's not laggy, and make sure people can't exploit,'" Van Slyke explained. What they decided was that peer-to-peer hosting was insufficient -- instead, the MAG team created their own networking solution which would host and authenticate game data from a (presumably beefy) central server.

Van Slyke couldn't reveal the specifics of the technology (the patent for which is still pending), but promised that it would reduce latency and completely eliminate connection griefing which has plagued other multiplayer shooters in the past. In addition, he said Zipper's not worried about having its servers crushed by a day-one rush of new recruits, explaining that "we've invested a lot in our server technology and our load test harnesses and the things we can do to replicate the scalability of it to ensure that it's stable and rock solid."

JoystiqPAX 2009: MAG producer explains the game's original server technology originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alan-vanslykemagmultiplayeronlinepaxpax-2009serverzipper-interactiveWed, 09 Sep 2009 18:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Snap Judgment: XNA Dream-Build-Play 2009 finalists]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/09/snap-judgment-xna-dream-build-play-2009-finalists/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/09/snap-judgment-xna-dream-build-play-2009-finalists/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/09/snap-judgment-xna-dream-build-play-2009-finalists/#comments
While nearly all of my demo appointments at PAX required me to absorb information about new games at blinding speed, the XNA Dream-Build-Play Finalists booth demo tasked me with getting a feel for six games in just under an hour. It would be difficult for me to develop any kind of deep analyses on these brief gameplay slivers -- instead, I've collected my initial, hastily acquired thoughts about the games after the jump.

Here's the short version: They're all pretty fun, but Dust: An Elysian Tail is clearly the leader of the pack.

Continue reading Snap Judgment: XNA Dream-Build-Play 2009 finalists

JoystiqSnap Judgment: XNA Dream-Build-Play 2009 finalists originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dream-build-playdream-build-play-2009dustdust-an-elysian-tailhurricane-x2-evolutionkaleidoscopemax-blastronautMicrosoftpaxpax-2009rotorscopesol-survivorXbox-360xnaWed, 09 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 2009 interview: The Beatles: Rock Band lead designer Chris Foster]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/09/pax-2009-the-beatles-rock-band-lead-designer-chris-foster/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/09/pax-2009-the-beatles-rock-band-lead-designer-chris-foster/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/09/pax-2009-the-beatles-rock-band-lead-designer-chris-foster/#comments
The Beatles: Rock Band drops today, along with the band's remastered albums availability on iTunes (?) and a flood of Beatles: Rock Band news. Fans will be wailing on plastic instruments all day in an effort to travel back in time and live out their fantasies of becoming musical legends.

We caught up with lead designer Chris Foster at PAX, who gave up some secrets about the game (including the scrapped "forever" mode). Read on for the full interview.

Gallery: The Beatles: Rock Band (07/20/09)

Continue reading PAX 2009 interview: The Beatles: Rock Band lead designer Chris Foster

JoystiqPAX 2009 interview: The Beatles: Rock Band lead designer Chris Foster originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>09-09-09Chris-FosterHarmonixMicrosoftNintendoPAXPAX-2009RhythmThe-BeatlesThe-Beatles-Rock-BandWiiXbox-360Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:44:00 EST<![CDATA[All 10 Left 4 Dead 2 melee weapons over here!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/09/all-10-left-4-dead-2-melee-weapons-over-here/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/09/all-10-left-4-dead-2-melee-weapons-over-here/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/09/all-10-left-4-dead-2-melee-weapons-over-here/#comments Speaking to Valve's Chet Faliszek at PAX, we asked how many melee weapons will make it into Left 4 Dead 2. At the time, Faliszek told us he wasn't sure, but he knew there were more melee weapons in Left 4 Dead 2 than there were guns in the original game. We followed up with Faliszek after the show and we can now share all ten of the game's melee weapons. Without further ado, they are:
  • Baseball Bat
  • Cricket Bat
  • Crowbar
  • Electric Guitar
  • Fire Axe
  • Frying Pan
  • Katana
  • Machete
  • Tonfa (police baton)
  • Chainsaw
The question you have to ask yourself: Which one of these would you abandon your teammates for? Remember, a teammate constricted by a Smoker is a teammate that can't pick up that katana over there.

JoystiqAll 10 Left 4 Dead 2 melee weapons over here! originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Chet-FaliszekL4D2left-4-deadleft-4-dead-2Microsoftpaxpax-2009valveXbox-360Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:14:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: Swine flu cases confirmed at PAX]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/09/psa-swine-flu-cases-confirmed-at-pax/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/09/psa-swine-flu-cases-confirmed-at-pax/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/09/psa-swine-flu-cases-confirmed-at-pax/#comments
Important note for PAX attendees only: Okay, before we get into this, you have to promise us you're not going to panic. Promise? Okay. Some people who attended PAX have been stricken by confirmed cases of swine flu. So, if you were there, and you start feeling sick (like many apparently have), don't freak out, but do go to your doctor right away. [Update: According to the CDC's latest advice, you need only go to the doctor if you're in a high risk group or have really severe symptoms. You can read all the advisement here, and thanks to Nori for setting us straight.]

There's a list of flights over at Penny Arcade of those with confirmed cases so, if you attended, make sure you check that out. But whether or not yours appears there, you need to keep an eye on your health, okay? Don't freak out, just be smart.

Important note for non-PAX attendees only: Okay, we're going to have to be smart about this thing if we're going to survive it. If you know someone who went to PAX, it's very sad, but they're dead now. You hear us? DEAD. We don't care if your own brother is banging down your door asking for NyQuil, you just keep telling yourself, "That must be the wind. It can't be Griffin, because he's dead."

Also, invest in power armor.

JoystiqPSA: Swine flu cases confirmed at PAX originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>paxpax-2009swine-fluWed, 09 Sep 2009 10:13:00 EST<![CDATA[Hands-on: Tony Hawk Ride]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/09/hands-on-tony-hawk-ride/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/09/hands-on-tony-hawk-ride/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/09/hands-on-tony-hawk-ride/#comments
Hi. I'm Joystiq writer Griffin McElroy, and those are my feet. They're attached to my shins, which attach to a long sequence of other appendages which stop at my brain -- which at the very moment this image was taken, was likely in a confused, panicked state. It's a reflex reaction I usually turn to when placed before an alien video game peripheral, although in most cases, it quickly subsides, and is replaced with a steely determination to figure out how it works.

By the time I'd reached the end of my brief hands-on session with Tony Hawk Ride, I had only just begun to deconstruct the hardware's machinations, and started determining how to deftly manipulate it in order to do sweet tricks. I was making progress in this endeavor when the demo came to a halt, but I'm still not sure my mind had completely wrapped around how I was supposed to manipulate the device. Is that indicative of the peripheral's weakness? No, I think it can be entirely chalked up to the fact that skateboarders move in mysterious ways.

Gallery: Tony Hawk Ride

Continue reading Hands-on: Tony Hawk Ride

JoystiqHands-on: Tony Hawk Ride originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionhands-onMicrosoftneversoftNintendopaxpax-2009robomodotony-hawktony-hawk-rideWiiXbox-360Wed, 09 Sep 2009 09:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Bungie, film noir and the creation of ODST]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/bungie-film-noir-and-the-creation-of-odst/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/bungie-film-noir-and-the-creation-of-odst/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/bungie-film-noir-and-the-creation-of-odst/#commentsFiled under: , ,

During a panel held at PAX 2009, Bungie's CJ Cowan, Joe Staten, Lars Bakken, Michael Wu, Curtis Creamer, Marty O'Donnell and Brian Jarrard explained the creative process behind Halo 3: ODST. The panelists spent a good deal of the session discussing one of the major influences of the game: film noir. Film noir influenced nearly every aspect of the game, from the artwork and gameplay to the music and story. Halo 3: ODST borrows elements from the genre, such as dark lighting and moody music. Also in the tradition of film noir, players will be tasked with solving a mystery -- what happened to the rest of the ODST team?

In addition to the film noir talk, we got to take a look at some concept art from the game, including an Elephant adapted as a waste collection vehicle (renamed the Oliphaunt) and the Covenant Engineer, which will be making its first official appearance in a Halo FPS game. We also got to see the early, hideous model of Nathan Fillion's character, Buck, which you can see above. Apparently, Fillion's agent actually cleared it to be included in the game. Thankfully, Bungie did not.

Bungie also dropped the news of the Fourth Wall Studios meta-game within Halo 3: ODST at the panel, which you can read more about right here. And, finally, there was Connor. Check out images from the event in the gallery below.

Gallery: PAX 2009: Halo 3: ODST panel

Bungie folkPolice PelicanThe OliphauntSuperintendent cameras

JoystiqBungie, film noir and the creation of ODST originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-IndustriesbungieBungie-StudiosFPShalohalo-3halo-3-odstMicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-Studiospaxpax-2009Xbox-360Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 2009: Battlefield 1943 producer talks lack of DLC]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/pax-2009-battlefield-1943-producer-talks-lack-of-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/pax-2009-battlefield-1943-producer-talks-lack-of-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/pax-2009-battlefield-1943-producer-talks-lack-of-dlc/#comments We spoke with Battlefield 1943 producer Gordon Van Dyke at PAX and asked him why there hasn't been any DLC at all for the game so popular it crashed servers and broke sales records. The main reason? DICE is busy. Apparently it's working so hard on the next two Battlefield games that it doesn't have time to show BF1943 any extra love at all, which is a bit perplexing given the popularity of the title.

Gordon told us, "We don't have any immediate plans right now, but it's not ruled out. There's a lot of pressure on the team for Battlefield 3 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 ... we don't want to stretch things too thin and and make something that's not up to quality. Battlefield 1943 is a huge game with a lot that we can pull from. We just want to make sure we keep our options open, and make sure that the decision we land on is what's best for everyone. We don't want to be that company that pushes out DLC just for DLC's sake."

Fair enough, but we'd still like to see more maps and modes come to Battlefield 1943 like ... yesterday. Hey, hire some interns already!

JoystiqPAX 2009: Battlefield 1943 producer talks lack of DLC originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BattlefieldBattlefield-1943Battlefield-XBLADICEDLCEAElectronic-ArtsGordon-Van-DykeMicrosoftPAXPAX-2009Xbox-360Tue, 08 Sep 2009 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 2009: Red Dead Redemption lets you kill ... everything]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/pax-2009-red-dead-redemption-lets-you-kill-everything/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/pax-2009-red-dead-redemption-lets-you-kill-everything/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/pax-2009-red-dead-redemption-lets-you-kill-everything/#comments Red Dead Redemption's promised Wild West sandbox came to life in a build shown off to attendees at PAX over the weekend. One of the first things we noticed is that you can end a life whenever you want. What kind of lives? See a bunny bouncing by? Kablam. Attacked by a wild bear? Kapow. Angry at your horse and want to put him down? Kablang. You can kill literally every living thing in the game and, in some cases, skin them and sell their hides to the furrier in town to make some dough. We doubt he deals in horse skins, however.

There's more beyond the break, just mind you don't get shot.

Gallery: Red Dead Redemption (PAX 2009)

Continue reading PAX 2009: Red Dead Redemption lets you kill ... everything

JoystiqPAX 2009: Red Dead Redemption lets you kill ... everything originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Kill-EverythingMicrosoftOpen-WorldPAXPAX-2009Red-Dead-RedemptionRed-Dead-RevolverRockstarrockstar-san-diegoSandboxShooterThird-PersonWesternXbox-360Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hands-on: Star Trek Online]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/hands-on-star-trek-online/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/hands-on-star-trek-online/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/hands-on-star-trek-online/#comments
You're going to buy and subscribe to Star Trek Online if you're a Star Trek fan.

I'm really sorry to be the one to break it to you. You might not possess the fungible assets required for such a commitment -- heck, you might not even like MMOs. These facts don't matter. Cryptic hasn't just made a game based on Roddenberry's magnum opus -- it has managed to create a flawlessly adapted interactive extension of the show.

Continue reading Hands-on: Star Trek Online

JoystiqHands-on: Star Trek Online originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cryptic-studioshands-onmmommorpgpaxpax-2009pcstar-trekstar-trek-onlineTue, 08 Sep 2009 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Red Steel 2 director would 'love' to see series on 360, PS3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/red-steel-2-director-would-love-to-see-series-on-360-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/red-steel-2-director-would-love-to-see-series-on-360-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/red-steel-2-director-would-love-to-see-series-on-360-ps3/#comments During a Q&A session following the PAX demo of Red Steel 2, creative director Jason VandenBerghe told Joystiq that he would "love" to see Red Steel arrive on other platforms. When asked about the possibilities of the new motion control options headed to PS3 and Xbox 360, VandenBerghe said, "I personally would love to see any and all consoles have more sword fighting experiences." He then added that any decision to develop the series on other consoles would be up to Ubisoft.

Here's hoping Ubisoft decides to throw us more than a deluge of Rabbids once the 360 and PS3 climb aboard the motion control bandwagon.

JoystiqRed Steel 2 director would 'love' to see series on 360, PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Microsoftmotion-controlpaxpax-2009playstation-motion-controllerproject-natalred-steelred-steel-2ubisoftXbox-360Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Coming soon: The Halo 3: ODSTOST]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/coming-soon-the-halo-3-odstost/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/coming-soon-the-halo-3-odstost/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/coming-soon-the-halo-3-odstost/#comments During the Halo 3: ODST panel at PAX, Bungie revealed -- much to everyone's surprise -- that there were plans to release an official soundtrack alongside the release of ODST. According to Marty O'Donnell, over three hours of music were recorded for the game, so there should be plenty to listen to. O'Donnell also discussed the film noir influences in the soundtrack, as evidenced by the moody saxophone riffs heard in the first ViDoc released earlier this year.

Sold as a two disc set from Sumthing Digital, the soundtrack is available for pre-order on Amazon and should release alongside Halo 3: ODST on September 22.

JoystiqComing soon: The Halo 3: ODSTOST originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-IndustriesbungieBungie-StudiosFPShalohalo-3halo-3-odstMicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-Studiospaxpax-2009Xbox-360Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq vs. PAX '09: Day 3 & 4]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/joystiq-vs-pax-09-day-3-and-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/joystiq-vs-pax-09-day-3-and-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/joystiq-vs-pax-09-day-3-and-4/#comments Here it is, the last Joystiq vs. PAX 2009 video. We decided to roll up the footage from our third and fourth days in Seattle into one mongo video, which we've kindly embedded above. Marvel as we watch Omeganauts throw down in Halo 3: ODST, enjoy some marketing materials, head over to the Resident Evil 5 PC launch party, check out the massive console freeplay room and, finally, witness the final round of the Omegathon.

So long PAX. See you in Boston!

JoystiqJoystiq vs. PAX '09: Day 3 & 4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>falsejoystiq-vs-paxjoystiq-vs-pax-2009paxpax-2009Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hands on with L4D2's Dark Carnival (and a katana!)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/hands-on-with-l4d2s-dark-carnival-and-a-katana/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/hands-on-with-l4d2s-dark-carnival-and-a-katana/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/hands-on-with-l4d2s-dark-carnival-and-a-katana/#comments
Left (click) 4 Large Okay so, technically, we only got our hands on a digital katana, but it was just as awesome. More awesome, in fact, because wielding a real katana against a real zombie isn't so much fun as it is terrifying. But more on that later, this preview needs a setup. We got a chance to try out the recently revealed Dark Carnival campaign in Left 4 Dead 2 and, unsurprisingly, it was a blasting, hacking, slashing good time.

Continue reading Hands on with L4D2's Dark Carnival (and a katana!)

JoystiqHands on with L4D2's Dark Carnival (and a katana!) originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>falseleft-4-deadleft-4-dead-2Microsoftpaxpax-2009valveXbox-360Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq at the Resident Evil 5 PC launch party]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/joystiq-at-the-resident-evil-5-pc-launch-party/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/joystiq-at-the-resident-evil-5-pc-launch-party/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/joystiq-at-the-resident-evil-5-pc-launch-party/#comments
During the second night of PAX 2009, Capcom held a launch party for the PC version of Resident Evil 5. In edition to the swanky PC setups featuring the game, Capcom had some other Resident Evil-themed goodies, like Majini makeovers. There was also a station for printing out personal Tricell employee ID badges. See the party in pictures in the gallery below, and check out a quick video of the shindig above.

Gallery: PAX 2009: Resident Evil 5 PC launch party

JoystiqJoystiq at the Resident Evil 5 PC launch party originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>capcompaxpax-2009resident-evilresident-evil-5Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hands-on: The Behemoth's 'Game 3']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/hands-on-the-behemoths-game-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/hands-on-the-behemoths-game-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/08/hands-on-the-behemoths-game-3/#comments
There's a part of me that likes examining games' sub-superficial levels -- the lingering inspiration behind the art, gameplay, story and all the rest of its aggregate components. Behemoth's Game 3 is difficult to dismantle in this manner, largely due to the fact that, even when compared to past entries in Behemoth's bizarre repertoire -- it's an unabashed labor of madness.

It could also be due to the fact that the speed at which I was forced to play the Game 3 PAX demo could best be described as blistering. Still, it didn't take much time to get what the game's core components are all about: Frantic multiplayer platforming action, the likes of which you haven't seen since Super Mario Bros. 3.

Continue reading Hands-on: The Behemoth's 'Game 3'

JoystiqHands-on: The Behemoth's 'Game 3' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>game-3hands-onMicrosoftoriginalpaxpax-2009platformingthe-behemothXbox-360Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Impressions: APB]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/07/impressions-apb/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/07/impressions-apb/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/07/impressions-apb/#comments
It's been a long time coming, but the first gameplay of Realtime Worlds' pseudo-MMO APB has been shown to the public. PAX attendees who stopped by EA's booth were allowed to view a 15-minute long in-game video demo of the title -- just for kicks, the player/commentator for the demo was none other than Epic's Mark Rein, creator of the Unreal Engine 3 upon which the title is built. Rein, who was playing as an Enforcer, was joined by Realtime's Chris Collins, who effectively played the Crockett to Rein's Tubbs.

What we saw looked less like an MMO, and more like a persistent online multiplayer cops-and-robbers game. Action isn't slow and meditated, it's fast-paced and twitchy. If you were expecting skill-filled hotbars, you're going to be disappointed -- APB is a third-person shooter, through and through.

Continue reading Impressions: APB

JoystiqImpressions: APB originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>actionapbmark-reinmmopaxpax-2009pcrealtime-worldsshooterthird-person-shooterMon, 07 Sep 2009 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 2009: Hands-on with Torchlight]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/07/pax-2009-pixar-diablo-torchlight/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/07/pax-2009-pixar-diablo-torchlight/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/07/pax-2009-pixar-diablo-torchlight/#comments

We never thought a completely new game would rise from the ashes of Mythos in just over a year, but that's exactly what Torchlight represents. We played through Torchlight for half an hour at the show, and it's a delightful action RPG that looks like a cartoon version of Diablo ... which doesn't mean it's for toddlers. There's still killing of the smashing, bashing and magical varieties throughout this thing, you know!

Gallery: Torchlight

Continue reading PAX 2009: Hands-on with Torchlight

JoystiqPAX 2009: Hands-on with Torchlight originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>impressionsMythosPAXPAX-2009RunicTorchlightMon, 07 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hands-on: Uncharted 2 single player]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/07/hands-on-uncharted-2-single-player/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/07/hands-on-uncharted-2-single-player/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/07/hands-on-uncharted-2-single-player/#comments
I'm not sure what accolades we've yet to place upon the already ornamented crown of Uncharted 2. We've all seen the trailers and gameplay demos, we've played in the multiplayer beta and we've briefly tried the game's co-op mode. All of it was incredible, and our writeups have heaped praise upon praise onto Naughty Dog's upcoming treasure hunting sim.

After playing the first single-player segment made available to the public, I'm unsure what else I can add to the conversation. If my observations mimic those of our former writeups for Uncharted 2, I apologize -- but when a game exhibits this kind of polish, it's difficult to conjure up any kind of dissenting opinion.

It's really good.

Continue reading Hands-on: Uncharted 2 single player

JoystiqHands-on: Uncharted 2 single player originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>naughty-dogpaxpax-2009uncharteduncharted-2Uncharted-2-Among-ThievesMon, 07 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 2009: And the final Omegathon event is ...]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/pax-and-the-final-omegathon-event-is/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/pax-and-the-final-omegathon-event-is/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/pax-and-the-final-omegathon-event-is/#comments
It's been a long, hard struggle for this year's Omeganauts. The initial lineup of 20 contestants has been whittled down to the only two participants who made it through the gauntlet unscathed. Now, we'll shortly know the winner following the final round: A no-holds-barred match of ... Skee-Ball. (Seriously.) We'll let you know the results as soon as the dust settles!

Congratulations to everyone who participated in the annual uber-tournament, and a super special congratulations to whoever manages to bowl wood with the greatest amount of dexterity. For those playing along at home, the final lineup for the tournament is posted below.

JoystiqPAX 2009: And the final Omegathon event is ... originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 21:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>omegathonpaxpax-2009skee-balltournamentSun, 06 Sep 2009 21:19:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 2009: Ron Gilbert gives us a tour of DeathSpank]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/pax-2009-ron-gilbert-gives-us-a-tour-of-deathspank/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/pax-2009-ron-gilbert-gives-us-a-tour-of-deathspank/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/pax-2009-ron-gilbert-gives-us-a-tour-of-deathspank/#comments Just a few scant hours after delivering the keynote address to a very pax'd audience at PAX 2009 (more on that later), legendary game designer Ron Gilbert gave me a tour of his latest creation, DeathSpank, best described as equal parts comic adventure game and Diablo-esque RPG. Yeah, it sounded crazy to me too.

I met Gilbert in a small meeting room in the PAX expo hall - inconveniently located adjacent to the cacophonous Rock Band stage - and he explained the pairing this way: "I really wanted to marry those things because obviously I like adventure games a lot - I really like the way adventure games tell stories; I like the way they tell it through dialog, through puzzles - but also I'm a big fan of Diablo and having this kind of action RPG stuff in there, I just wanted to meld those two things together. And DeathSpank is the result of that."

Initially billed as an episodic series in the vein of the Hothead-developed Penny Arcade Adventures, DeathSpank has outgrown that distribution model. "With DeathSpank, he's such an epic, over-the-top character that as we were working all the stories together for him - it sounds silly - but it was hard to contain him," Gilbert said. "And then once we stopped making it episodic, it was really interesting how the design blossomed at that point."

Gallery: DeathSpank

itsp-deathspankrg_logo_highitsp-dsscreen01itsp-dsscreen02itsp-dsscreen03itsp-dsscreen04

Continue reading PAX 2009: Ron Gilbert gives us a tour of DeathSpank

JoystiqPAX 2009: Ron Gilbert gives us a tour of DeathSpank originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DeathSpankHothead-GamesMicrosoftPAXPAX-2009Ron-GilbertXbox-360Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 2009: Brutal Legend lets you decide about the F-word]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/pax-2009-brutal-legend-lets-you-decide-about-the-f-word/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/pax-2009-brutal-legend-lets-you-decide-about-the-f-word/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/pax-2009-brutal-legend-lets-you-decide-about-the-f-word/#comments
Tim Schafer showed us the opening cinematic for Brutal Legend at PAX, where they revealed the band that Jack Black's Eddie Riggs roadies for: Kabbage Boy. It's a band full of hipster d-bags (one guy wears a Phantom of the Opera half-mask) and they think they're metal. The only problem is that they sound like every emo-alternaband out there, much to Eddie's chagrin. Hopefully we'll get to reveal who's in the band soon, until then just let your speculation run wild.

All of that inside, the cinematic included a very novel way to select if you want to hear the super-cussin' & swearin' version of Brutal Legend, or go the sanitized and parental-safe route. Eddie notices one of the musicians crawling around on top of his behemoth-sized, Stonehenge-on-acid set (which Eddie has already been chastised for not tailoring to their "tween" audience), and is not happy. He spouts, "I don't know how many times I've told you not to crawl around up there! I don't know what the F....."

And then the game freezes. A menu screen pops up and you have to choose if you want to hear naughty words or not, and when you resume he finishes the word appropriately. Much better than choosing from a menu screen, eh? There another option-setting moment like this a bit later in the scene which was cut short, but we imagine it'll have something to do with violence and blood spurts. Thanks for making even the settings fun, Double Fine.

JoystiqPAX 2009: Brutal Legend lets you decide about the F-word originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brutal-legendcensordouble-fineeaElectronic-Artsjack-blacklanguageMicrosoftpaxpax-2009tim-schaferXbox-360Sun, 06 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: Joystiq @ The Omegathon for Halo 3: ODST]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/video-joystiq-the-omegathon-for-halo-3-odst/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/video-joystiq-the-omegathon-for-halo-3-odst/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/video-joystiq-the-omegathon-for-halo-3-odst/#comments The PAX '09 Omegathon wraps up later today, but last night, we snagged some footage of the third round, which was dedicated to Nathan Fillion: The Game Halo 3: ODST. Three teams of four faced off in the new Firefight mode, with the top two teams advancing to the next round. This was the first time that anyone outside of Bungie has played the mode on Legendary difficulty, so there were some neat surprises, including Wraith tanks lobbing plasma at players and Covenant Engineers that bestow overshields to any nearby enemy, even Grunts. The players seated at the big screen also got to try out Sergeant Johnson, instilling them with extra courage and cigar-chomping bravado.

Oh, and a Hunter got stuck in a wall during the third round. See it all in the video above.

JoystiqVideo: Joystiq @ The Omegathon for Halo 3: ODST originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-IndustriesbungieBungie-StudiosFPSgameplayhalohalo-3halo-3-odstMicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-Studiosnathan-fillionodstomegathonomegathon-2009paxpax-2009Xbox-360Sun, 06 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hands-on: Heavy Rain introduces Scott Shelby]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/hands-on-heavy-rain-introduces-scott-shelby/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/hands-on-heavy-rain-introduces-scott-shelby/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/hands-on-heavy-rain-introduces-scott-shelby/#comments I don't think I'm being too cynical or jaded when I say that it's hard for me to get legitimately excited for video games anymore. I love playing video games, and I heartily appreciate the good ones -- but the games that fill me with keep-you-up-at-night anticipation are few and far between.

After playing Heavy Rain for the first time on the show floor at PAX, something tells me my slumbers will soon be interrupted by Quantic Dreams' upcoming ... well, for lack of a better term, interactive movie.

Continue reading Hands-on: Heavy Rain introduces Scott Shelby

JoystiqHands-on: Heavy Rain introduces Scott Shelby originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hands-onheavy-rainInteractive-Dramaoriginalpaxpax-2009quantic-dreamSCESCEAsonySony-Computer-EntertainmentSony-Computer-Entertainment-AmericaSun, 06 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Overheard@PAX: Harmonix talks Nickel-smack]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/overheard-pax-harmonix-talks-nickel-smack/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/overheard-pax-harmonix-talks-nickel-smack/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/overheard-pax-harmonix-talks-nickel-smack/#comments Harmonix's Caleb Epps: So, you guys probably heard about Nickelback saying negative stuff about music games ...

Crowd: (Boo!)

Epps: I just want to extend an olive branch to Nickelback, and say that if they want to put their music into the Rock Band Network ...

Crowd: (Emphatic boo!)

Epps: Well, guys, it's peer-reviewed, so you can just vote them way down.

Crowd: (Emphatic cheer!)

JoystiqOverheard@PAX: Harmonix talks Nickel-smack originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>caleb-eppseaElectronic-Artsharmonixmtv-gamesmusicnickelbackoverheardpaxpax-2009rhythmrock-bandrock-band-networkSun, 06 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 2009: JoCo adapts 'The Future Soon' at Rock Band Network panel]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/pax-2009-joco-adapts-the-future-soon-at-rock-band-network-pan/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/pax-2009-joco-adapts-the-future-soon-at-rock-band-network-pan/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/pax-2009-joco-adapts-the-future-soon-at-rock-band-network-pan/#comments
We've heard about the Rock Band Network's near-boundless technical capabilities. We've seen the technology in action at Harmonix HQ. What we haven't seen is a popular musical artist adapting one of his songs through Reaper, Ember and the Rock Band Network peer-review process for our enjoyment. We got one such opportunity at the PAX Rock Band Network panel, when nerdfolk songsmith Jonathan Coulton (with the help of a few Harmonix devs) converted "The Future Soon" from mere song to Rock Band DLC.

The steps looked reminiscent of previous previews we've seen of the RBN technology. The track was broken up into its core parts (drums, bass, vocals, etc.) in Reaper -- a process that took Harmonix two days, due to Coulton's implementation of 19 freaking chords in a single song. After that, they imported it to Magma, where Coulton's album art was added, the track's genre and pricing information was chosen ("The Future Soon" was set to sell for 240), a 30-second preview window was designated, and the song's difficulty levels were added.

The song was transferred to Rock Band 2's Audition Mode (which will be tucked away in the Extras menu with the game's next patch for Xbox 360), then played by adoring JoCo fans. We've got a shakycam video of this playthrough -- as well as the original version of the song, which was played by Coulton during the panel -- after the jump.

Continue reading PAX 2009: JoCo adapts 'The Future Soon' at Rock Band Network panel

JoystiqPAX 2009: JoCo adapts 'The Future Soon' at Rock Band Network panel originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>harmonixjonathan-coultonMicrosoftmusicpaxpax-2009rhythmrock-bandrock-band-networkthe-future-soonXbox-360Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New Star Wars: TOR planet revealed - Coruscant, galaxy's 'greatest civilization']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/new-star-wars-tor-planet-revealed-coruscant-galaxys-greate/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/new-star-wars-tor-planet-revealed-coruscant-galaxys-greate/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/new-star-wars-tor-planet-revealed-coruscant-galaxys-greate/#comments During yesterday's completely packed Star Wars: The Old Republic demo at PAX, fans were rewarded for their hours of waiting (seriously, you had to be there really early) with not only a free copy of Knights of the Old Republic but with the very first glimpse of an entirely new area, located at hyperspace coordinates 0,0,0! If you looked that up on Wikipedia you may have learned those coordinates belong to Coruscant, the Star Wars galaxy's "greatest civilization." If you didn't look it up on Wikipedia and just knew it, well ...

While news that Coruscant will join dozens of other planets in the BioWare-developed MMO is about as surprising as the presence of Jedis ("Really?") and lightsabers ("No way!"), we're certain that being at the nexus of the galaxy's main trade routes will come in handy ... did you know that a bunch of fictional trade routes ran through Coruscant before reading Wikipedia? Be honest, we won't judge you.

SW: TOR fansite Darth Hater managed to snag some shakicam footage of the reveal (in less than twelve parsecs?) which we've smuggled over after the break. Not a Dagobah that we don't get even more Hoth and bothered, adding Kashyyyk to our piggy banks to buy a brand Naboo copy of Star Wars: The Old Republic, what's sure to be the Endor-be-all of Star Wars-based MMOs. Also, what planets could they possibly add next?

Continue reading New Star Wars: TOR planet revealed - Coruscant, galaxy's 'greatest civilization'

JoystiqNew Star Wars: TOR planet revealed - Coruscant, galaxy's 'greatest civilization' originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWareCoruscanteaElectronic-ArtsLucasArtsMMOPAXPAX-2009Star-Wars-The-Old-RepublicSWTORSun, 06 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Impressions: Assassin's Creed 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/impressions-assassins-creed-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/impressions-assassins-creed-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/impressions-assassins-creed-2/#comments
click to enlarge While the Splinter Cell Conviction demo at PAX was (mostly) free of anything new, Ubisoft decided to show off a completely new live demo of Assassin's Creed II. The demo was guided by creative director Patrice Désilets, who was a mite nervous giving a demo in front of a frothing throng of rabid fans. After the demo, we can safely say his fears were unfounded.

Gallery: Assassin's Creed II

Continue reading Impressions: Assassin's Creed 2

JoystiqImpressions: Assassin's Creed 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>assassins-creedassassins-creed-2Microsoftpatrice-desiletspaxpax-2009ubisoftubisoft-montrealXbox-360Sun, 06 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 2009: Penny Arcade worked on collectible ping-pong card game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/pax-2009-penny-arcade-worked-on-collectible-ping-pong-card-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/pax-2009-penny-arcade-worked-on-collectible-ping-pong-card-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/pax-2009-penny-arcade-worked-on-collectible-ping-pong-card-game/#comments
At long last, the two culturally distinct worlds of ping-pong and trading card games have been fused into one aggregate superhobby. During the Penny Arcade Media Q&A Panel at PAX, the comic's illustrator, Mike Krahulik, explained, "We've been tinkering with a Paint the Line card game -- that has been quite a bit of fun in the office, so we'll see how that goes." For non-readers, Paint the Line was a series of strips the duo did in 2008 which tells the story of a global ping-pong power struggle. It's also a story of love and killer whales. There's a lot going on in there.

For those who aren't immediately turned on by this notion, Krahulik added, "Ping-pong played in CCG is surprisingly interesting." Draw one backhand swipe! Tap one ping energy! Discard one pong.

JoystiqPAX 2009: Penny Arcade worked on collectible ping-pong card game originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>card-gameccgmike-krahulikpaint-the-linepaxpax-2009penny-arcadeping-pongSun, 06 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 2009: Uncharted 2's Nathan Drake catches a train]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/pax-2009-uncharted-2s-nathan-drake-catches-a-train/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/pax-2009-uncharted-2s-nathan-drake-catches-a-train/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/pax-2009-uncharted-2s-nathan-drake-catches-a-train/#comments
Naughty Dog has been more than happy to explain to us how complicated it is to have a moving character on a moving surface, like on the floor of a collapsing building or the top of a moving train. But we have no idea how to quantify these things. We play games ... we're not math and physics experts. But if you have a barrel that needs blowing up, or a crate that needs smashing open, we're your guys.

Uncharted 2's creative director Amy Hennig explained that most game levels tend to use a moving background that makes the object your character is standing on appear to be moving, and then augment that with physics. Not so with Nathan Drake. He gets to clamber over fully-modeled train cars and diveroll through actual collapsing buildings. No smoke and mirror tricks for this fortune hunter.

To prove the point, the developer showed us a live demo of the game where Drake hauls himself onto the back of a speeding train while simultaneously fending off baddies on the train, and a heavily-armed helicopter that decides Drake needs to be swatted off. You'll have to fight your way forward towards an RPG if you want to survive. Hint: there's a loud, whining noise before the chopper fires its rockets, and also watch out for low-hanging lights.

All of this takes place on a fully modeled and realized moving train, and it looks gorgeous, but we'll just have to take Naughty Dog's word for it as far as the mega-model railroad set that was design for this. Or, you can see what you think! Check out the new footage just after the break.

Continue reading PAX 2009: Uncharted 2's Nathan Drake catches a train

JoystiqPAX 2009: Uncharted 2's Nathan Drake catches a train originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Amy-HennigignNathan-DrakeNaughty-DogPaxPAX-2009UnchartedUncharted-2Uncharted-2-Among-ThievesSun, 06 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: The Assassin's Creed II marketing surprise]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/video-the-assassins-creed-ii-marketing-surprise/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/video-the-assassins-creed-ii-marketing-surprise/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/video-the-assassins-creed-ii-marketing-surprise/#commentsOnce again, as is usually the case, it's the little things that keep you going when you're covering a convention and running on four hours of sleep and sheer will. Enjoy.

JoystiqVideo: The Assassin's Creed II marketing surprise originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>assassins-creedassassins-creed-2falseMicrosoftpaxpax-2009ubisoftXbox-360Sun, 06 Sep 2009 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 2009: Duel the Dragon DLC coming to Duels of the Planeswalkers]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/pax-2009-duel-the-dragon-dlc-coming-to-duels-of-the-planeswalke/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/pax-2009-duel-the-dragon-dlc-coming-to-duels-of-the-planeswalke/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/06/pax-2009-duel-the-dragon-dlc-coming-to-duels-of-the-planeswalke/#comments
We've just returned from the Wizards of the Coast Magic: The Gathering party (where we were in the company of *NAME DROP ALERT* Wil Wheaton / Wesley Crusher / übergeek), and we've returned from the fray with tapped mana and ... information. WotC announced new DLC and a title update coming (finally) to the XBLA version of Duels of the Planeswalkers.

Duel the Dragon, the first expansion to the popular Magic: The Gathering for the Xbox 360 set, features three new decks, six more ladder levels, new challenges including "multi-turns" that require more than one turn to win, and a final boss that is strongly hinted at in the title. They didn't announce a date for the DLC except for "soon." Even sooner than that, however, will be a full title update, which includes numerous bug fixes (no more freezes!), a forfeit option, and more.

WotC execs foolishly chose yours truly to be the first to demo the new expansion, and through extreme amounts of audience help, which consisted of shouts of NOOOOO! and YEEEEEAHHHHH!, my black & blue deck triumphed over Sarkhan Vol. We'll have assets for the DLC soon, which thankfully won't include our blurry partycam shot above. Sadly the new DLC does not include deck customization, but keep hope alive.

JoystiqPAX 2009: Duel the Dragon DLC coming to Duels of the Planeswalkers originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Magic-The-GatheringMicrosoftMTGpax-2009TCGXBLAXbox-360Sun, 06 Sep 2009 00:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq vs. PAX '09: Day 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/05/joystiq-vs-pax-09-day-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/05/joystiq-vs-pax-09-day-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/05/joystiq-vs-pax-09-day-2/#commentsWelcome to Joystiq vs PAX '09: Day 2. Today, we fuel up on delicious DIY waffles, tour the show floor and stand in really long lines. Take a look at what Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, Blizzard and more have to offer at PAX. Also, witness our hotel's elevator or, as we have dubbed it, the creaking box of terror.

JoystiqJoystiq vs. PAX '09: Day 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 05 Sep 2009 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>falsejoystiq-vs-paxjoystiq-vs-pax-2009paxpax-2009Sat, 05 Sep 2009 23:00:00 EST