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[Legend of Dungeon devs' secret to saving money: Live in a tree]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/09/legend-of-dungeon-devs-secret-to-saving-money-live-in-a-tree/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/09/legend-of-dungeon-devs-secret-to-saving-money-live-in-a-tree/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/09/legend-of-dungeon-devs-secret-to-saving-money-live-in-a-tree/#comments Legend of Dungeon devs' secret to saving money Live in a treeAs a husband and wife development team, Alix Stolzer and Calvin Goble worked out a system that saw them through the first few years of crafting games: Calvin made their first two titles, Tiny Plumbers and IGF nominee Neverdaunt: 8Bit, while Alix worked a 9-5 job and provided input in her spare time. The situation was satisfactory, but eventually, Alix wanted more.

"While money was coming in from our games, it really wasn't enough to pay the bills," Alix told me. "We decided we'd rather reduce living costs and rough it, instead of one of us working a 'real' job. The opportunity came quickly."

A friend offered them the opportunity to be his "mountain neighbor" in Vermont - meaning they would live in a mountainside forest, in a home they'd craft themselves out of trees and tarp. There, they could survive on $150 a month, plus food. Alix and Calvin seized the moment.

"We sold our house and used as little money as possible to build a small house-tent thing eight feet off the ground, on a platform our friend had made out of four trees," Alix said. "We spent maybe $1,000 on it, really using thrifty things like greenhouse plastic, and making our own solar panels, etc. It's an awesome adventure, but the downside is it slows down game development."

The mountain, miraculously, hosted a strong cellular internet signal, and on sunny days Alix and Calvin were able to charge their laptops, one at a time, using the homemade solar panels. Cafes and the college campus in town, a half hour walk away, provided power and internet on cloudy days. Everything - food, heat, power, water - took extra time in the mountain home, Alix said, including video game programming and design.

But the tree house didn't stop their game development. As the studio Robot Loves Kitty, Calvin (the Robot) and Alix (Kitty) brought their latest game, Legend of Dungeon, to PAX East, using not a lot of money and earning wild success.

Continue reading Legend of Dungeon devs' secret to saving money: Live in a tree

JoystiqLegend of Dungeon devs' secret to saving money: Live in a tree originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbudgetindielegend-of-dungeonmacmobilemoneyouyaPAXpax-eastPAX-East-2013pcrobot-loves-kittySavingstreetree-houseTue, 09 Apr 2013 16:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Tim Keenan's paper prototypes invade the PAX East tabletop summit]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/02/tim-keenans-paper-prototypes-invade-the-pax-east-tabletop-summi/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/02/tim-keenans-paper-prototypes-invade-the-pax-east-tabletop-summi/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/02/tim-keenans-paper-prototypes-invade-the-pax-east-tabletop-summi/#comments Tim Keenan invades tabletop games at PAX East with paper prototypesA Virus Named Tom developer Tim Keenan stepped out of his comfort zone during PAX East - literally - to set up shop in the tabletop gaming summit, with two paper prototypes of ideas for his next big project. At the end of a long row, in the heart of tabletop territory, Keenan demonstrated the mechanics behind Scavenger, a top-down, rolling tower defense game set in space, and Chess the Gathering, which played exactly how it sounds and definitely won't have that name if it enters official development.

Chess the Gathering featured an iPad showing off the game's digital prototype, including a level editor. The gameplay is a spatial representation of Magic the Gathering, on a chessboard and with a myriad of creatures and "twins." For a rundown of Chess the Gathering, check out Keenan's YouTube playlist, and sign up to get an early (digital) prototype here.

Keenan convinced a pair of Magic fans to play Chess the Gathering, and as we talked, they remained riveted on the rudimentary gameboard, cards and characters. When they finished, they concluded that they loved it. "If this were a board game, I would buy it," one of them said.

Scavenger tells the story of a Han Solo-esque character as he travels the galaxies looting spaceships, attempting to pay off his debt to vicious collectors. It's a top-down, tower defense game where the protagonist sits in his spacecraft and sends out drones to infiltrate the victim ships. The player defends his own ship from enemies, while directing drones throughout the other ships, in search of money. See the Scavenger playlist here.

Keenan has a third game in the works, an action title that he said wouldn't work well as a paper prototype. He and his wife, Holly, plan to ask the community which project sounds best, and then launch a Kickstarter to develop that game under their studio, Misfits Attic. Currently, the Misfits are working on the Vita port of A Virus Named Tom.

Check out the paper prototypes for Scavenger and Chess the Gathering in the gallery below.

Gallery: Tim Keenan (PAX East 2013)

JoystiqTim Keenan's paper prototypes invade the PAX East tabletop summit originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Apr 2013 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-virus-named-tomchess-the-gatheringMisfits-Atticpaper-prototypepaper-prototypesPAXpax-eastPAX-East-2013pcplaystationplaystation-vitaprototypescavengertabletoptabletop-gamingvitaTue, 02 Apr 2013 20:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Cannon Brawl devs release alpha build for free]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/13/cannon-brawl-devs-release-alpha-build-for-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/13/cannon-brawl-devs-release-alpha-build-for-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/13/cannon-brawl-devs-release-alpha-build-for-free/#comments Cannon Brawl devs release an alpha build for freeCannon Brawl is dropping off an alpha version, available to download and play for free on PC. The game is a 2D mix of multiplayer action and real-time strategy, in which you control a little zeppelin that can build structures and fire cannons.

Unfortunately, this is an early version of the game, so it likely has plenty of bugs, performance issues, and other compatibility problems. But the devs want to get the game in your hands, so if you're in the forgiving mood you can download it starting now.

Cannon Brawl has also appeared on Steam Greenlight, and is aiming for the Xbox sometime in the future.

JoystiqCannon Brawl devs release alpha build for free originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Feb 2013 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionalphabrawlcannoncannon-brawldemodownloadpaxpax-10pcreleasertsturtle-sandbox-gamesWed, 13 Feb 2013 04:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ron Gilbert, MC Frontalot, RoosterTeeth, more confirmed for PAX AUS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/12/ron-gilbert-mc-frontalot-roosterteeth-more-confirmed-for-pax-aus/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/12/ron-gilbert-mc-frontalot-roosterteeth-more-confirmed-for-pax-aus/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/12/ron-gilbert-mc-frontalot-roosterteeth-more-confirmed-for-pax-aus/#comments Ron Gilbert, MC Frontalot, RoosterTeeth and more confirmed for PAX AUMonkey Island and Maniac Mansion creator Ron Gilbert will give the keynote at the upcoming PAX Australia, Penny Arcade has announced. Gilbert most recently worked on The Cave for Double Fine, and will kick off the Penny Arcade Expo's Australian branch with a "storytime" session, presumably about his work in the glory days of adventure gaming, creating the SCUMM interpreter, and his most recent work on DeathSpank and at Double Fine.

Other announced guests for the show include musicians The Protomen and MC Frontalot, and video makers RoosterTeeth are also set to appear - and we're sure founders Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik are headed down under, too. PAX Australia is set to take place at the Melbourne Showgrounds on July 19-21, 2013, and there are still tickets available for the first two days right now.

Continue reading Ron Gilbert, MC Frontalot, RoosterTeeth, more confirmed for PAX AUS

JoystiqRon Gilbert, MC Frontalot, RoosterTeeth, more confirmed for PAX AUS originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Feb 2013 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brahejerry-holkinsmc-frontalotmike-krahulikpaxpax-2013pax-aupax-au-2013penny-arcadepenny-arcade-expopenny-arcade-expo-australiaron-gilbertroosterteeththe-protomentychoTue, 12 Feb 2013 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Learn more about Battleblock Theater's level editor]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/05/learn-more-about-battleblock-theaters-level-editor/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/05/learn-more-about-battleblock-theaters-level-editor/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/05/learn-more-about-battleblock-theaters-level-editor/#comments The Behemoth reveals a fullfeatured level editor for Battleblock TheaterThe Behemoth teased us with a PAX reveal of Battleblock Theater's level editor, and the Castle Crashers developer didn't disappoint. There's a full-featured level editor included with the game, and it's the same one the designers have been using to make their own levels, controller and all.

Every type of block in the game is available to be placed by you within the editor, and you can color them however you like. Each level obviously needs an entrance and an exit, but what happens in between is up to you. You can choose any of the game's modes (and can even combine some of them), lay out resources to collect, and even build little Rube Goldberg devices with the various available components. One example shown to us used boulders and timed pneumatic devices pushing them onto switches, which created a sort of timed trap for characters to navigate. Extra creative users will come up with even more complex and varied setups, we suspect.

Even if you're not looking to create levels, The Behemoth has you covered. To start with, users will be able to share and send levels to each other. There's a "Level Lobby" in the game's main menu, where you can download playlists of created levels, see feeds for highest played and Behemoth favorites, and play and rate all of the levels you can find. Levels do need to be downloaded locally to be played, but they're tiny, so bandwidth and storage shouldn't be a problem.

We'll have to see how the level sharing system actually works post-launch to see how prominent it becomes (Castle Crashers, of course, suffered from connectivity problems during its release, which made playing multiplayer tougher than it should have been). But The Behemoth has created a powerful editor here, and it'll be fascinating, as with most user-generated content systems, to see what players can do with it.

JoystiqLearn more about Battleblock Theater's level editor originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battleblock-theaterlevel-editormicrosoftpaxpax-2012pax-prime-2012releasethe-behemothxboxWed, 05 Sep 2012 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Breaking free with your own IP: Insomniac's CEO on what's next (besides Ratchet & Clank)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/04/breaking-free-with-your-own-ip-insomniacs-ceo-on-whats-next/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/04/breaking-free-with-your-own-ip-insomniacs-ceo-on-whats-next/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/04/breaking-free-with-your-own-ip-insomniacs-ceo-on-whats-next/#comments There's a big craze these days with independent developers, though the idea isn't all that crazy. Developers, as it turns out, like to own the stuff they create - Ratchet & Clank developer Insomniac Games is no different. And here's something you might not know about Insomniac: the studio owns virtually none of the iconic characters or worlds it's created. Not Ratchet, not Clank, not the world of Spyro the Dragon. That last one cuts especially deep considering the vast riches Activision's reaped from its Spyro-based Skylanders game. The former two are Sony-owned.

With Fuse (which we think used to be Overstrike) and Outernauts, Insomniac is pushing in a new direction. "For us, we're at the point in our growth as a company where we can own our intellectual property," Insomniac president and CEO Ted Price told us in an interview last week. "That's been gratifying for us because, as creators, controlling your own destiny - controlling the IP that you build - is important." Beyond its financial importance, owning IP also means unfortunate spin-offs of properties you created can't be farmed out to other studios (see: Resistance: Burning Skies).

It's important to note what Price says about his studio not being able to own its previous projects. When Insomniac started in 1994, it produced only franchises owned by its publishers. Quite literally everything the company created up until Outernauts and Overstrike/Fuse was owned by outside forces. That's why you will assuredly see more Resistance games, despite Insomniac outright stating it won't work on any more (at least any time soon) - Sony owns the IP rights to the Resistance franchise and can do with them as it pleases.

Continue reading Breaking free with your own IP: Insomniac's CEO on what's next (besides Ratchet & Clank)

JoystiqBreaking free with your own IP: Insomniac's CEO on what's next (besides Ratchet & Clank) originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Sep 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>insomniacinsomniac-gamesintellectual-propertyipmacmicrosoftoverstrikepaxpax-2012pax-primepax-prime-2012pcplaystationps3ratchet-and-clankresistanceskylanders-spyros-adventureted-pricexboxTue, 04 Sep 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Insomniac's 'Fuse' likely to be a reworked 'Overstrike']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/04/insomniacs-overstrike-and-fuse-are-almost-certainly-one-in/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/04/insomniacs-overstrike-and-fuse-are-almost-certainly-one-in/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/04/insomniacs-overstrike-and-fuse-are-almost-certainly-one-in/#comments
With Insomniac president and CEO Ted Price obliquely teasing an unknown project called "Fuse" during his PAX Prime 2012 keynote last week, it wasn't too difficult to put together the teaser image he produced and the teaser video released last year (above) for EA Partners project Overstrike. Price wouldn't admit as much to us during a followup interview last week, but he didn't really need to.

"I'm gonna point you to Fusegame.com," Price answered when asked about Overstrike's long absence from the public eye. Is it still a current-gen game (it was originally announced for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3)? He wouldn't say. When directly asked whether Overstrike and Fuse are the same game: "I'm being cagey here because I want to be consistent with how we're answering these questions," he said, deferring to his PR manager.

The PR man offered a bit more than Price would. "We're very deliberate in what we're showing right now, and that's why we're just pointing people to the website and saying, 'Hey, this is a process. We're going to share more information with you, stay tuned.'" That said, why in the world would the two guys be pointing us to a website for Fuse when we're asking about Overstrike? The answer seems pretty clear to us.

Price additionally refused to answer whether Fuse is an EA Partners project - Overstrike is an EA Partners-published four player co-op game.

Unsurprisingly, Game Informer is also positing that Overstrike is now named Fuse, calling it a "reworking" of the originally announced concept (what that means is up to your own interpretation). We'll presumably find out for sure when the Fuse website's countdown clock runs out in another seven days.

And wouldn't you know it, there's an upcoming Insomniac press event offering hands-on time with an unannounced game. Sounds like we'll find out what the mystery is all about soon enough.

JoystiqInsomniac's 'Fuse' likely to be a reworked 'Overstrike' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Sep 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fuseinsomniacinsomniac-gamesmicrosoftoverstrikepaxpax-2012pax-primepax-prime-2012playstationps3ted-pricexboxTue, 04 Sep 2012 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[This Unfinished Swan story trailer is delightful]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/02/this-unfinished-swan-story-trailer-is-delightful/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/02/this-unfinished-swan-story-trailer-is-delightful/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/02/this-unfinished-swan-story-trailer-is-delightful/#comments
This trailer for The Unfinished Swan from PAX 2012 delves into the Sony-published, Giant Sparrow-developed game's mysterious plot. While no specific release date has been revealed for this PSN-exclusive game, the game's official site indicates it will launch some time in 2012.

JoystiqThis Unfinished Swan story trailer is delightful originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 02 Sep 2012 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>giant-sparrowPAXpax-2012playstationps3PSNSCEASONYSony-Computer-Entertainment-Americastorythe-unfinished-swantrailerSun, 02 Sep 2012 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Ron Gilbert's platformer / adventure game 'The Cave' also headed to Wii U eShop]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/02/ron-gilberts-platformer-adventure-game-the-cave-also-headed/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/02/ron-gilberts-platformer-adventure-game-the-cave-also-headed/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/02/ron-gilberts-platformer-adventure-game-the-cave-also-headed/#comments The Cave isn't just destined for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, apparently. During a demo at PAX Prime this afternoon, DoubleFine rep Greg Rice pointed out that the game's also headed to the Nintendo Wii U's eShop.

The platformer slash adventure game wasn't actually playable on Wii U at the studio's booth, so it's unclear how different (if at all) the game will be on Nintendo's next home console. We're hoping that the Wii U's tablet controller (the WiiPad[TM]) has a giant touchscreen button that simply says "Solve," though it'll probably be something more clever.

JoystiqRon Gilbert's platformer / adventure game 'The Cave' also headed to Wii U eShop originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 02 Sep 2012 18:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>double-finedouble-fine-productionsdoublefineeshopgreg-ricemicrosoftnintendopaxpax-2012pax-primepax-prime-2012pcplaystationps3the-cavewii-uxboxSun, 02 Sep 2012 18:07:00 EST<![CDATA[How Cave Johnson's talking head got cut from Portal 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/02/how-cave-johnsons-talking-head-got-cut-from-portal-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/02/how-cave-johnsons-talking-head-got-cut-from-portal-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/02/how-cave-johnsons-talking-head-got-cut-from-portal-2/#comments How Cave Johnson's talking head got cut from Portal 2Cave Johnson, the eccentric, unstable president of Aperture Science, was going to have a more purposeful role in Portal 2, writer Erik Wolpaw said during the Plot vs. Play panel (co-hosted by Joystiq's Ben Gilbert) at PAX Prime today.

Wolpaw described the following scene, which was cut from the final version of Portal 2 after Valve realized it was too vague mechanically for players to enjoy: Cave Johnson's voice said, "I'm Cave Johnson" over the intercom, followed by, "No, really, I'm Cave Johnson. Look down." Cave's personality was trapped in a computer and he begged to be unplugged, while players found use in his hardware and had to push him against a wall to jump on a ledge.

In the end, the gameplay didn't fly and the scene - and story arc featuring Cave in a computer - was removed entirely. We like to think that means Cave got his wish, and he's not still trapped inside a box, screaming about lemons and plugs.

JoystiqHow Cave Johnson's talking head got cut from Portal 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 02 Sep 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Erik-WolpawmicrosoftPAXpax-2012pax-prime-2012pcplaystationplot-vs-play-2012portal-2ps3valvexboxSun, 02 Sep 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Runic's post-Torchlight 2 plans: Mac port, patches, and a trip to the mountains]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/02/runics-post-torchlight-2-plans-mac-port-patches-and-a-trip-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/02/runics-post-torchlight-2-plans-mac-port-patches-and-a-trip-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/02/runics-post-torchlight-2-plans-mac-port-patches-and-a-trip-t/#comments Runic's CEO Max Schaefer seems both simultaneously relieved and nervous as he sits in the Torchlight 2 booth at PAX Prime 2012. Relieved, because his company finally announced a release date for its long-awaited game, and slightly nervous, because he knows the community's judgment is finally coming. But even launch won't bring a real break for Runic: Schaefer says the company has a clear plan laid out for post-release work.

A Mac port and language translations are first on the list, says Schaefer - both of those are real priorities for the team. Runic's also working on patching the game (if necessary), and getting the content editor up and running so both users and devs can make some mods and add-ons for the game. After that, says Schaefer, he's not sure. "We'll go up into the mountains or something and figure out what to do next."

Schaefer says that both a console port of Torchlight 2 and "an MMO" aren't out of the question, but there are problems with both of those ideas. "We will not be making a traditional MMO under any circumstances," he says, so a possible Torchlight MMO could look very different from what players might imagine - a pretty different stance from what we've heard in the past from Runic Games.

And while the studio had plenty of success with an Xbox Live port of its first Torchlight game (and Microsoft showed interest in a port of the second game), Schaefer says "it's a lot harder this time," given the way the game is built, to put together an Xbox port. All of that is a long way off, however - Schaefer's more concerned about getting this game released first.

JoystiqRunic's post-Torchlight 2 plans: Mac port, patches, and a trip to the mountains originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 02 Sep 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ceomax-schaeferpaxpax-2012pax-primepax-prime-2012pcrunic-gamestorchlighttorchlight-2xbox-liveSun, 02 Sep 2012 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Tour Mojang's pop-up museum: view the beautiful lawsuit docs for Scrolls, the insides of a Creeper]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/02/tour-mojangs-pop-up-museum-view-the-beautiful-lawsuit-docs-for/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/02/tour-mojangs-pop-up-museum-view-the-beautiful-lawsuit-docs-for/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/02/tour-mojangs-pop-up-museum-view-the-beautiful-lawsuit-docs-for/#comments Tour Mojang's popup museum view the beautiful lawsuit docs for Scrolls, the insides of a CreeperMojang's more than just the studio that birthed Minecraft - it's also the studio that birthed the amazing fan art you see above. Beyond said art, Mojang erected a faux museum in honor of its short life on the PAX Prime 2012 show floor.

In it, we witnessed the actual legal documents served to Mojang head Marcus "Notch" Persson over Scrolls, the inner workings of a Creeper (its heart is dynamite!), and a very impressive set of Legos. Take the tour with us in the gallery below.

Gallery: Mojang Museum (PAX Prime 2012)

JoystiqTour Mojang's pop-up museum: view the beautiful lawsuit docs for Scrolls, the insides of a Creeper originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 02 Sep 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Minecraftmojangmojang-museummojang-specificationspaxpax-2012pax-primepax-prime-2012Sun, 02 Sep 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Firefall beta opens up its item store, sells Founder's Packages (on sale now)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/01/firefall-beta-opens-up-its-item-store-sells-founders-packages/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/01/firefall-beta-opens-up-its-item-store-sells-founders-packages/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/01/firefall-beta-opens-up-its-item-store-sells-founders-packages/#comments Firefall opens up its item store, sells Founder's Packages on sale nowRed 5 Studios is once again showing off its open world, free-to-play MMO Firefall (currently still in closed beta) at PAX, and the newest bit of content included is a set of in-game stores, allowing players to purchase items and features via microtransaction. Firefall lead designer David Williams promises the developer won't "sell power items or content areas to players." Instead, Firefall's item stores are all about aesthetic and convenience items, things that players can use to customize their character's look, or have some fun in the game world.

In addition to the company's just-announced 'Founders' content bundles (detailed above, and currently on sale during PAX), Williams showed us some special cosmetic items available for purchase, like shaggy dreadlocks or a flashy helmet, as well as items from an in-game store called Luau Larry's. Larry will happily sell you some fun items, like a little voodoo doctor pet, or a tiki torch that plays in-game music and causes everyone around it to dance when placed in the world.

Becoming a founder also grants priority access to Firefall's current beta build - along with XP boosts, real-world items, in-game currency and more based on purchased tier. And the items in the founders' packages are set to be available on September 24, so we may hear about a bigger update coming then. Meanwhile, the current price on all three packages ($15, $37, and $75, down from $20, $50, and $100) lasts through PAX weekend.

JoystiqFirefall beta opens up its item store, sells Founder's Packages (on sale now) originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 20:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cosmeticdavid-williamsfirefallfounders-packagesitemsmicrotransactionspaxpax-2012pax-prime-2012pcstoreSat, 01 Sep 2012 20:43:00 EST<![CDATA[Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes is gorgeous, open-world, and not Metal Gear Solid 5]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/01/metal-gear-solid-ground-zeroes-is-gorgeous-open-world-and-not/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/01/metal-gear-solid-ground-zeroes-is-gorgeous-open-world-and-not/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/01/metal-gear-solid-ground-zeroes-is-gorgeous-open-world-and-not/#comments Hideo Kojima divulged details on Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes at an "introspective" PAX session about the series today. The game's demo was shown recently to attendees at a Metal Gear 25th anniversary event in Japan, and involved Snake sneaking his way through an open world.

So what else is new about Ground Zeroes? It's a "prologue" to Metal Gear Solid 5, says Hideo Kojima. The open world of Ground Zeroes is literally the entire world - a helicopter can be called to help during missions or ferry Snake in and out of mission levels. Moreover, you can customize the music that the helicopter plays when it arrives to help you ("Flight of the Valkyries" played during the demo we were shown today - Kojima says the louder the song is, the more of a chance of you getting caught, so maybe Slayer wouldn't be the best choice).

Kojima reiterates that Ground Zeroes is a current-gen game, though Fox Engine is scalable for next-gen as well. He wouldn't give specifics on the name, but calls the game "a beginning" rather than an end for the series.

Is Ground Zeroes the "Project Ogre" we've been wondering about? That's still not clear. What we do know is it's headed to current-gen consoles (360 and PS3 were mentioned) rather than the next, yet-to-be-determined hardware generation.

JoystiqMetal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes is gorgeous, open-world, and not Metal Gear Solid 5 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 16:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fox-enginehideo-kojimametal-gear-ground-zeroesmetal-gear-solid-ground-zeroesmicrosoftPAXpax-2012pax-primepax-prime-2012playstationproject-ogreps3xboxSat, 01 Sep 2012 16:54:00 EST<![CDATA[Kojima: Fox Engine could support Silent Hill, other Konami games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/01/kojima-fox-engine-could-support-silent-hill-other-konami-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/01/kojima-fox-engine-could-support-silent-hill-other-konami-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/01/kojima-fox-engine-could-support-silent-hill-other-konami-games/#comments During a Metal Gear 25th Anniversary panel at PAX 2012, designer Hideo Kojima talked about the development of the Fox Engine, which powers Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes. Kojima spoke briefly about the engine's potential and versatility.

"The thing is, once we get the Fox engine moving as we do now. You can make an FPS, you can make an Uncharted, etc. But what I wanted to do is make an open-world game, and that's what I'm doing now," he said.

Kojima added that "other Konami studios may use it as well," and gave the Silent Hill series as an example.

JoystiqKojima: Fox Engine could support Silent Hill, other Konami games originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 16:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fox-enginehideo-kojimaKonamimetal-gear-ground-zeroesPAXpax-2012pax-prime-2012silent-hillSat, 01 Sep 2012 16:48:00 EST<![CDATA[Seen@PAX: Disney artists will draw your favorite Disney character (from Epic Mickey 2)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/01/seen-pax-disney-artists-will-draw-your-favorite-disney-characte/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/01/seen-pax-disney-artists-will-draw-your-favorite-disney-characte/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/01/seen-pax-disney-artists-will-draw-your-favorite-disney-characte/#comments SeenPAX Disney artists will draw your favorite Disney character from Epic Mickey 2Of all the artist alleys we passed at PAX, we never expected to find a team of in-house Disney cartoonists hand-drawing popular characters for surprised attendees. Take a peek at the gallery below and see how some of Disney's iconic characters (featured in Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two) were brought to life.

Gallery: Epic Mickey 2 artist's alley @ PAX Prime 2012

JoystiqSeen@PAX: Disney artists will draw your favorite Disney character (from Epic Mickey 2) originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artistscartoonistsmicrosoftnintendopaxpax-2012pax-primepax-prime-2012playstationps3wiixboxSat, 01 Sep 2012 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Ubisoft wants to shave your hair into a mohawk at PAX]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/01/ubisoft-wants-to-shave-your-hair-into-a-mohawk-at-pax/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/01/ubisoft-wants-to-shave-your-hair-into-a-mohawk-at-pax/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/01/ubisoft-wants-to-shave-your-hair-into-a-mohawk-at-pax/#comments Ubisoft wants to shave your hair into a mohawk at PAXJust like the publisher's Far Cry 3 booth at PAX East 2012 offered attendees a chance to get permanently inked, PAX Prime 2012 attendees can get their perfectly coiffed doos turned into a mohawk to promote Ubisoft's upcoming shooter. The idea is that the newly mohawked community will look just like "Vaas," FC3's masochistic main antagonist. He totally has a mohawk!

The first 60 participants that accept the complimentary buzz get a free copy of Far Cry 3 when it launches on December 4 in the US.

Gallery: Far Cry 3 (Mohawk Madness @ PAX Prime 2012)

JoystiqUbisoft wants to shave your hair into a mohawk at PAX originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>far-cry-3microsoftpaxpax-2012pax-primepax-prime-2012pcplaystationps3ubisoftxboxSat, 01 Sep 2012 04:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fortnite getting a closed beta 'early next year']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/fortnite-getting-a-closed-beta-early-next-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/fortnite-getting-a-closed-beta-early-next-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/fortnite-getting-a-closed-beta-early-next-year/#comments As a special prize for one lucky attendee of tonight PAX Prime 2012 Fortnite panel - a reprise of the Fortnite panel we saw at San Diego Comic Con earlier this year - Epic Games gave out a golden ticket that provides early beta entrance to next year's Unreal Engine 4 PC game. So ... wait, does that mean there's gonna be an open beta for Fortnite?

"TBD," Epic design director Cliff Bleszinski told us immediately following the panel. "There will definitely be a closed beta," producer Tanya Jessing added, but she also refused to confirm whether an open beta is also in the cards. But hey, that one lady who won the ticket? She's totally in.

JoystiqFortnite getting a closed beta 'early next year' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliff-bleszinskiepicepic-gamesfortnitepaxpax-2012pax-primepax-prime-2012pctanya-jessingFri, 31 Aug 2012 23:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Twisted Pixel's LocoCycle takes inspiration from some crazy places]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/twisted-pixels-lococycle-takes-inspiration-from-some-crazy-plac/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/twisted-pixels-lococycle-takes-inspiration-from-some-crazy-plac/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/twisted-pixels-lococycle-takes-inspiration-from-some-crazy-plac/#comments Lococycle goes a little nutsYou may think, after watching the initial trailer, that Twisted Pixel pulled LocoCycle (in which you control a renegade robotic motorcycle that shoots and karate-chops its way across the country) out of some loony creative cauldron of its own making. But that's not quite true, says studio director Michael Wilford, showing the game for the first time at PAX Prime 2012. There is a very clear inspiration, he says, and it's Ice Cube's 2004 motorcycle racing movie, Torque.

"It's a really shitty movie," Wilford tells us. "It tries to be Fast and the Furious on motorcycles." Twisted Pixel's art director gave a copy of Torque to the company's chief creative officer, Josh Bear, one day as a joke, and Bear was directly influenced by a viewing, especially a scene where two women battle with motorcycles. "Josh had a nightmare that night," says Wilford with complete sincerity, "and woke up the next day and said, 'We have to make a game about a fighting motorcycle.'"

Continue reading Twisted Pixel's LocoCycle takes inspiration from some crazy places

JoystiqTwisted Pixel's LocoCycle takes inspiration from some crazy places originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lococyclemichael-wilfordmicrosoftmotorcyclepaxpax-2012pax-prime-2012torquetwisted-pixelxboxFri, 31 Aug 2012 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Take this code and go play the Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault beta]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/take-this-code-and-go-play-the-ratchet-and-clank-full-frontal-ass/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/take-this-code-and-go-play-the-ratchet-and-clank-full-frontal-ass/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/take-this-code-and-go-play-the-ratchet-and-clank-full-frontal-ass/#comments Take this code and go play the Ratchet & Clank Full Frontal Assault betaThe next Ratchet & Clank - Full Frontal Assualt - isn't just the usual third-person platforming and shooting affair we're all so used to from Insomniac Games. Well ... it still has all that stuff, it's just also got a thorough base defense aspect the developer is hoping you'll beta test ahead of Full Frontal Assault's "fall" launch.

That beta, as it turns out, is going on right now (through next week). We've got some codes for you going out on our Twitter feed, and we've also got a link to this handy site where you can procure your own, should your hands not be speedy enough to catch a code otherwise.

Oh, also, the image above is full of codes that totally work (albeit for probably a super limited time). So there's that.

JoystiqTake this code and go play the Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault beta originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betainsomniac-gamespaxpax-2012pax-prime-2012playstationplaystation-vitaps3ratchet-and-clank-full-frontal-assaultvitaFri, 31 Aug 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX coming to Australia, PAX Prime extended to 4 days next year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/pax-coming-to-australia-pax-prime-extended-to-4-days-next-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/pax-coming-to-australia-pax-prime-extended-to-4-days-next-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/pax-coming-to-australia-pax-prime-extended-to-4-days-next-year/#comments PAX coming to Australia, PAX Prime extended to 4 days next yearDuring the Q&A session today, Penny Arcade proprietors Mike "Gabe" Krahulik and Jerry "Tycho" Holkins confirmed that PAX is indeed coming to Australia. On top of that, the duo announced that PAX Prime would last an extra day next year.

And for all of you hopeful for a UK stop on the PAX tour, it's something Penny Arcade is thinking about. "We want to go there," Krahulik responded when grilled by someone from the UK. Regardless, the duo doesn't have anything specific to announce right now.

JoystiqPAX coming to Australia, PAX Prime extended to 4 days next year originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 15:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>australiapaxpax-2012pax-australiapax-prime-2012penny-arcadepenny-arcade-expoFri, 31 Aug 2012 15:17:00 EST<![CDATA[Dress up like XCOM's Thin Man, skip the lines at 2K's PAX booth]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/29/dress-up-like-xcoms-thin-man-skip-the-lines-at-2ks-pax-booth/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/29/dress-up-like-xcoms-thin-man-skip-the-lines-at-2ks-pax-booth/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/29/dress-up-like-xcoms-thin-man-skip-the-lines-at-2ks-pax-booth/#comments Dress like a character from XCOM, skip the PAX demo lineThe lines at PAX Prime can be the show's biggest pain. It's all open to the public, so playing a much-anticipated game like XCOM: Enemy Unknown can have you standing around for ages. Fortunately, the folks at 2K have cooked up a cheat to help you out: Just dress up as the game's Thin Man character and you'll get a VIP badge when you show off your costume at the show.

That badge will grant you access to play XCOM and Borderlands 2 without waiting, plus you'll be able to duck into the XCOM panel on Saturday. You can see what the Thin Man looks like above, and study some concept art on the official blog post, if you need it.

If you don't want to wear a costume but still want some quality hands-on time with Borderlands 2 (and some Joystiq staffers), be sure to stop by the PAX party tomorrow night. The bar is open there no matter who you're dressed as.

JoystiqDress up like XCOM's Thin Man, skip the lines at 2K's PAX booth originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2k-gamesborderlands-2costumelinesmicrosoftpartypaxpax-2012pax-prime-2012pcplaystationps3thin-manxboxxcom-enemy-unknownWed, 29 Aug 2012 20:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Puzzlejuice desktop debuting at PAX, coming to Steam Greenlight]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/28/puzzlejuice-desktop-debuting-at-pax-coming-to-steam-greenlight/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/28/puzzlejuice-desktop-debuting-at-pax-coming-to-steam-greenlight/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/28/puzzlejuice-desktop-debuting-at-pax-coming-to-steam-greenlight/#comments Puzzlejuice desktop debuting at PAX, coming to Steam Greenlight Puzzlejuice is coming to PAX in a keyboard-only desktop version, which creator Asher Vollmer told us he plans to submit to Steam Greenlight soon. The iOS puzzle game is one of a select group to be spotlighted at this year's PAX.

We featured Puzzlejuice in our Portabliss column earlier this year, in which JC noted the game's fiddly touchscreen controls. Yet he found the bizarre mixture of Tetris, Boggle, and Match-3 so "irresistible" that he still heartily recommended it. If you're at PAX, you can find out if a keyboard helps resolve those control issues.

Meanwhile, Vollmer is celebrating Puzzlejuice's featured billing by releasing an updated version, which includes an 'impossible' difficulty mode and a new power-up. The game will also go on sale for $0.99. Vollmer also has other news to celebrate, as earlier this month he started work at thatgamecompany as their 'feel engineer.' Whatever that means.

JoystiqPuzzlejuice desktop debuting at PAX, coming to Steam Greenlight originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Aug 2012 13:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ashley-vollmeriosipadiphonemacmobilepaxpax-prime-2012pcpuzzlejuicesteam-greenlightTue, 28 Aug 2012 13:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Attract Mode and Fangamer host all-ages video game art show Saturday night at PAX]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/28/attract-mode-and-fangamer-host-all-ages-video-game-art-show-satu/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/28/attract-mode-and-fangamer-host-all-ages-video-game-art-show-satu/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/28/attract-mode-and-fangamer-host-all-ages-video-game-art-show-satu/#comments Cool PAX party from FangamerAttract ModeIf you're in Seattle this week - perhaps for PAX Prime - then your Thursday night plans have been taken care of. You'll be at Joystiq's Borderlands 2 party, and you'd better say hi when you see us there. But PAX goes for four days, you say - what about the rest of the weekend? We'll cover Saturday for you as well: "Videogame collective" Attract Mode and videogame apparel site Fangamer are teaming up to hold a great big live art and game show, starting at 7pm on Saturday, September 1 in Seattle.

Cumulo Nimblers, Capy's Super Time Force, and Eric Zimmerman's Metagame will all be there and playable, 8-bit artist Danimal Cannon and hip-hop gamer MegaRan (he's good) will provide the tunes, and the whole show will be drenched in some of the best video-game related artwork you'll find (and which you can see examples of in the gallery below). It'll be a rad time indeed; it's an all ages show that's open to the public, and admission is $5.

The event starts at 7pm and goes until 11 on Saturday September 1, and you can find it at the 1927 Events space, at 1927 3rd Ave. in Seattle. As for your Friday and Sunday nights at PAX, well, you'll have to find your own party space for those.

Gallery: Fangamer vs. Attract Mode PAX 2012 Art Show

JoystiqAttract Mode and Fangamer host all-ages video game art show Saturday night at PAX originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Aug 2012 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artattract-modecapyeventsfangamermeatbunmegaranmetagamemusicpartypaxpax-2012pax-prime-2012super-time-forceTue, 28 Aug 2012 06:00:00 EST<![CDATA[This year's PAX 10: JS Joust, Offspring Fling!, Puzzlejuice and more]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/13/this-years-pax-10-js-joust-offspring-fling-puzzlejuice-and/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/13/this-years-pax-10-js-joust-offspring-fling-puzzlejuice-and/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/13/this-years-pax-10-js-joust-offspring-fling-puzzlejuice-and/#comments This year's PAX 10 include JS Joust, Offspring Fling!, Puzzlejuice and moreThe PAX 10, an illustrious group of indie games chosen annually to be spotlighted during PAX Prime in Seattle, have been selected. This year's rarified group include the likes of Johann Sebastian Joust, Offspring Fling! - a game we highlighted in length on the Super Joystiq Podcast - and hypnotic iOS darling Puzzlejuice.

Other lesser-known titles include the latest from Cipher Prime, the studio behind Auditorium and Fractal, a Steam title called Splice, and puzzle games Containment: The Zombie Puzzler and The Bridge. Puzzle-platformer The Swapper is also represented, along with DigiPen's stealth-action game Deity and Catch-22. Turtle Sandbox's action-strategy hybrid Cannon Brawl rounds out the list of ten.

All PAX 10 titles will be featured in their own special area at this year's PAX Prime, which goes down August 31 through September 2 in downtown Seattle, WA.

JoystiqThis year's PAX 10: JS Joust, Offspring Fling!, Puzzlejuice and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asher-vollmerbootsnake-gamescannon-brawlcatch-22cipher-primecontainment-the-zombie-puzzlerdeityDie-Gute-Fabrikdigipenfacepalm-gamesiosipadiphonejohann-sebastian-joustkpulvmacmango-downmicrosoftmobileoffspring-flingpaxpax-10pax-prime-2012pcpuzzlejuicesplicethe-bridgethe-swapperturtle-sandboxty-taylor-and-mario-castanedaxboxFri, 13 Jul 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX Prime registration site officially open, registration opens next week [updated]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/25/pax-prime-registration-site-officially-open-registration-comin/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/25/pax-prime-registration-site-officially-open-registration-comin/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/25/pax-prime-registration-site-officially-open-registration-comin/#comments ImageIt's been almost a month since you attended PAX East, so you're probably ready to start preparing for this August's PAX Prime out in Seattle, no? The folks over at the official PAX website are hoping so, as the registration site officially opened today. What's that, you already had it bookmarked? Well look at you!

Anyway, registration itself hasn't opened just yet, but the site promises it's on the way "soon." By last year at this time, said registrations had already opened, so we expect "soon" to really be "any day now." We've reached out to Penny Arcade for more specific info.

Update: Penny Arcade's Robert Khoo says that registration "should reopen next week" after some technical hiccups earlier today.

JoystiqPAX Prime registration site officially open, registration opens next week [updated] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>paxpax-2012pax-prime-2012registrationWed, 25 Apr 2012 18:45:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX East has fewer than 1,000 Saturday badges left]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/pax-east-has-fewer-than-1-000-saturday-badges-left/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/pax-east-has-fewer-than-1-000-saturday-badges-left/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/pax-east-has-fewer-than-1-000-saturday-badges-left/#comments PAX East organizers are warning there are under 1,000 badges left for Saturday. If you're a fan of this site, that would be the day to attend (more on this at a later date). Take the town crier of Twitter seriously: the three-day badges lasted a little under 24 hours after that warning went out. Procrastination will not be rewarded.

Last year's PAX East had 69,500 revelers at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, with that number expected to climb this year. PAX East is locked into Boston until 2023, with attendance expected to climb to 100,000 sometime in the next ten years.

JoystiqPAX East has fewer than 1,000 Saturday badges left originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>PAXpax-eastpax-east-2012Tue, 28 Feb 2012 12:40:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: PAX East 3-day passes sold out; sorry, slowpokes]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/08/psa-pax-east-3-day-passes-sold-out-sorry-slowpokes/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/08/psa-pax-east-3-day-passes-sold-out-sorry-slowpokes/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/08/psa-pax-east-3-day-passes-sold-out-sorry-slowpokes/#comments PAX East three-day passes have completely sold out, but single-day passes are still abundant -- for now. If you want to get your PAX East on this year, we suggest you register soon. Last year's PAX East had 69,500 attendees and was the biggest ever, so you'll have to have a strong stomach for crowds as well.

Don't forget to book a hotel too -- though if you're really dedicated, you'll just rent a VW van to sleep and eat in, and you can bathe in the Charles River (no you can't).

JoystiqPSA: PAX East 3-day passes sold out; sorry, slowpokes originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 08 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>PAXpax-eastpax-east-2012Sun, 08 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX East 2012 tickets now available]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/03/pax-east-2012-tickets-now-available/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/03/pax-east-2012-tickets-now-available/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/03/pax-east-2012-tickets-now-available/#comments
PAX East 2012 registration is officially open, so grab those three-day passes quick, because they are always the first to go. Although there will be more tickets this year for the regularly sold out show in Boston, the event will take place over Easter and Passover weekend, so be aware of those in case you have familial obligations.

"It wasn't our first choice by any means, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but we're working with the city to hopefully prevent it from happening again," PAX East organizers stated.

Organizers also warn that they had issues with counterfeit badges being sold to unsuspecting attendees at PAX Prime this year. They warn if you buy a fake badge from someone else that it won't get you into the show and they won't be able to help. So, if you grab a ticket now, you'll be all set for April 6-8.

JoystiqPAX East 2012 tickets now available originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>PAXPAX-EastPAX-East-2012Thu, 03 Nov 2011 23:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX Prime attendance grows to 70,000]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/31/pax-prime-attendance-grows-to-70-000/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/31/pax-prime-attendance-grows-to-70-000/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/31/pax-prime-attendance-grows-to-70-000/#comments Hey, PAX East? Sit down, we gotta talk. You know how we made a big deal about your 69,500 attendees earlier this year? Well, we don't want you to freak out, but your older brother PAX Prime has surpassed that figure, establishing the record for most attendees at a PAX.

Look, don't be down, PAX East. We're a growing family with a third kid on the way, but there will be plenty of opportunity for you to prove yourself again. Chin up!

JoystiqPAX Prime attendance grows to 70,000 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>paxpax-2011pax-prime-2011penny-arcadepenny-arcade-expopenny-arcade-expo-2011Wed, 31 Aug 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Retro/Grade preview: A step forward, backward]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/28/retro-grade-preview-a-step-forward-backward/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/28/retro-grade-preview-a-step-forward-backward/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/28/retro-grade-preview-a-step-forward-backward/#comments Much like the classical pianist who has thoroughly mastered his craft and finds the act of reading sheet music to be perfectly droll, the multicolored gem charts of Guitar Heros and Rock Bands have become easy pleasy lemon squeezy. If you've been playing those games since the genre's inception, you can probably tap and strum through most songs on the hardest difficulty settings. It is unlikely, however, that you could do so backwards while dodging increasingly violent salvos of enemy lasers.

24 Caret Games' PSN-exclusive indie shoot-em-up Retro/Grade asks you to do just that, forcing you to use your brain (and your digits) in a manner which you're almost certainly unaccustomed to. In case you haven't been following it (you terrible dummy), here's the pitch: You're a pilot who's flying his spacecraft through a reversed flow of time, dodging enemy fire as it's sucked back into their ships, while re-collecting your own fired bursts by navigating to the appropriate track and strumming, in time, on a guitar peripheral. (Or a controller, if you're so inclined.)

Continue reading Retro/Grade preview: A step forward, backward

JoystiqRetro/Grade preview: A step forward, backward originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>24-caret-gamesguitarindiepaxpax-2011playstationps3retro-gradeshoot-em-upSun, 28 Aug 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Penny Arcade Expo planning on branching out to third city]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/penny-arcade-expo-planning-on-branching-out-to-third-city/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/penny-arcade-expo-planning-on-branching-out-to-third-city/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/penny-arcade-expo-planning-on-branching-out-to-third-city/#comments Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik -- the pair of minds behind Penny Arcade, which is the comic behind the major gaming convention that's happening right now -- have confirmed that PAX will soon find a home in a third location somewhere on the planet. "Yeah, there's going to be a third PAX," Krahulik explained in an interview with us earlier today. "Believe it," Holkins added. We do!

The duo said they have a city in mind, but didn't divulge which one it is -- a shame, because there are a lot of cities to guess from. During last year's PAX Press Q&A, they hinted that a third PAX might come together, perhaps in an overseas locale they'd like to visit. Any international readers have a hometown they'd like to see wholly and completely overrun by gamingkind?

JoystiqPenny Arcade Expo planning on branching out to third city originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 23:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eventsgabeinternationalpaxpax-east-2011pax-prime-2011penny-arcadepenny-arcade-expotychoFri, 26 Aug 2011 23:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Penny Arcade Adventures Episode 3 still alive, Zeboyd at the helm]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/penny-arcade-adventures-episode-3-still-alive-zeboyd-at-the-hel/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/penny-arcade-adventures-episode-3-still-alive-zeboyd-at-the-hel/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/penny-arcade-adventures-episode-3-still-alive-zeboyd-at-the-hel/#comments Penny Arcade Adventures lives onAfter its abrupt cancellation last year, Penny Arcade Adventures: Episode 3 has risen from the ashes with developer Zeboyd Games taking control of the project. The studio is best known for its Xbox Live Indie Games and PC releases, Cthulhu Saves the World and Breath of Death 7.

RPGamer reports that, given the retro nature of Zeboyd's titles, Penny Arcade Episode 3 will take on a similar graphical style (think: the 16-bit Final Fantasy games); Alex Mauer will be providing the soundtrack. This marks the first game in the series not developed by Hothead, which left the project last year and went on to develop DeathSpank.

Episode 3 is set to be released in 2012 on "as many systems" as possible. More information will be revealed at PAX East next year ... but that won't stop us from harassing Gabe and Tycho for information all weekend.

JoystiqPenny Arcade Adventures Episode 3 still alive, Zeboyd at the helm originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>paxpax-2011pax-prime-2011penny-arcadepenny-arcade-adventures-episode-3penny-arcade-adventures-on-the-rainslick-precipice-of-darkness-epenny-arcade-advenures-3zeboyd-gamesFri, 26 Aug 2011 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[The Xbox 360 PAX deserves, but not the one it needs: Custom Batman: Arkham City console]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/the-xbox-360-pax-deserves-but-not-the-one-it-needs-custom-batm/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/the-xbox-360-pax-deserves-but-not-the-one-it-needs-custom-batm/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/the-xbox-360-pax-deserves-but-not-the-one-it-needs-custom-batm/#comments One lucky PAX attendee will be able to walk away with the custom console above. Warner Bros isn't saying much on how you can win this custom Batman: Arkham City Xbox 360 at Seattle's to-do, though the Facebook page announcing the promotion does offer hope to those who aren't Seattle-bound: Xbox will apparently be giving away the same console at an unspecified later time.

Feel free to glide on into our gallery below to drool over the thing. On one side, Batman; on the other, Joker. Way in the back, envious that they can't win this thing for themselves: the Joystiq staff.

Gallery: PAX 2011 (Custom Batman: Arkham City Xbox 360 console)

JoystiqThe Xbox 360 PAX deserves, but not the one it needs: Custom Batman: Arkham City console originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 06:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Batman-Arkham-Asylum-2Batman-Arkham-Citymicrosoftpaxpax-2011pax-prime-2011Rocksteady-Studioswarner-brosxboxFri, 26 Aug 2011 06:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Ubisoft bringing the big guns (and the tiny, hidden blades) to PAX]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/24/ubisoft-bringing-the-big-guns-and-the-tiny-hidden-blades-to-p/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/24/ubisoft-bringing-the-big-guns-and-the-tiny-hidden-blades-to-p/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/24/ubisoft-bringing-the-big-guns-and-the-tiny-hidden-blades-to-p/#comments Ubisoft isn't messing around at PAX Prime this year, evidenced by the fact that the company is bringing just about every game it's currently working on to the show -- and even some that are already out. Here's the full list:
  • Assassin's Creed: Revelations
  • From Dust
  • Just Dance 3
  • Might and Magic Heroes VI
  • Might and Magic Heroes Kingdoms
  • Rayman Origins
  • Rocksmith
  • Shoot Many Robots
  • Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Online
  • Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Future Soldier
  • TrackMania Canyon
In addition to having games to play, Ubisoft is also looking for attendees to pre-order upcoming games by hooking them up with exclusive goodies. A pre-order of Future Soldier will net PAX attendees an exclusive gun skin, a Revelations pre-order gives you an Altair avatar, Just Dance 3 has a neon watch, Rayman Origins has a custom T-shirt, and pre-ordering Rocksmith gets you an exclusive guitar strap.

Attendees can also check out the Assassin's Creed panel in the Main Theatre on Friday at 6pm PT. There, Ubisoft will show off single-player footage of the game, hopefully adding to what we've seen come out of Gamescom.

JoystiqUbisoft bringing the big guns (and the tiny, hidden blades) to PAX originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Aug 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>assassins-creed-revelationsdsmacmicrosoftmobilenintendopaxpax-2011pax-prime-2011pcplaystationps3pspsonyubisoftwiixboxWed, 24 Aug 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Sonic CD coming to XBLA, playable at PAX [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/22/sonic-cd-coming-to-xbla-playable-at-pax/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/22/sonic-cd-coming-to-xbla-playable-at-pax/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/22/sonic-cd-coming-to-xbla-playable-at-pax/#comments Major Nelson, majordomo of all things Xbox, took to his blog this afternoon and posted a detailed list of all the games and events that will be spread out across Microsoft's five booths at this week's Penny Arcade Expo. It's about what you'd expect; Gears of War 3 Horde mode, Forza 4, Mass Effect 3, etc, until you get to the list of Booth 432's XBLA titles. Right near the end, snuggled squarely between Retro City Rampage and War of the Worlds, is an unannounced XBLA port of Sonic CD.

We've reached out to Major Nelson and Sega for comment, but as of yet no additional confirmation has been provided by either party. We suspect they're too enthralled by Sonic CD's masterful theme song to even move, let alone respond to our e mails.

Update: A communique has hit our inbox from Sega PR: "We don't have any details at this time, but we'll be sharing some more information soon."

JoystiqSonic CD coming to XBLA, playable at PAX [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftPAXpax-primepax-prime-2011PAX2011SegaSega-CDSonicSonic-CDXBLAxboxMon, 22 Aug 2011 18:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Portal lead Kim Swift to debut downloadable game at PAX]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/22/portal-lead-kim-swift-to-debut-downloadable-game-at-pax/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/22/portal-lead-kim-swift-to-debut-downloadable-game-at-pax/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/22/portal-lead-kim-swift-to-debut-downloadable-game-at-pax/#commentsAfter 2010's disappointing Dark Void, we'd nearly forgotten that Airtight Games had hired Portal Creative Director Kim Swift to lead development on a "new, unnamed project." Square Enix has rekindled our interest, announcing that it's picked up publishing rights to the game and will reveal the "top-secret joint project" at PAX this Saturday (7pm in the Pegasus Room for those of you in attendance).

The only information we can glean from the announcement is that it's "downloadable" and "an incredibly fascinating and quirky game" so ... take that for what it's worth. Airtight Games' site says that while it's working on another "ambitious AAA title" it's also working on "a new mid-sized game with all kinds of physical possibilities." Physical possibilities, eh? That sounds like the one!

Continue reading Portal lead Kim Swift to debut downloadable game at PAX

JoystiqPortal lead Kim Swift to debut downloadable game at PAX originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airtight-gameskim-swiftmicrosoftpaxpax-prime-2011playstationps3PSNquantum-conundrumsquare-enixXBLAxboxMon, 22 Aug 2011 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Minecraft's Adventure Update will be playable at PAX]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/12/minecrafts-adventure-update-will-be-playable-at-pax/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/12/minecrafts-adventure-update-will-be-playable-at-pax/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/12/minecrafts-adventure-update-will-be-playable-at-pax/#comments If the promise of 24/7 board gaming extravaganzas and endless 3DS StreetPass swapping aren't enough to get PAX Prime attendees excited about the event, perhaps this will: Notch has announced that Minecraft's Adventure Update will be playable on the show floor. The expansion, which is still largely under wraps, will tack over 40 new features onto the game, including NPC villages, additional farming opportunities and randomly-generated dungeons.

For those who didn't snag tickets to the sold-out, late-August convention, don't fret too much -- we can only assume the line for Mojang's booth is going to wrap around the expo hall like an anaconda. Your time would be better spent actually playing regular Minecraft and building a complex machine to do all that Adventuring for you.

JoystiqMinecraft's Adventure Update will be playable at PAX originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>MinecraftMojang-Specificationsnotchpaxpax-primepax-prime-2011pcTue, 12 Jul 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: PAX Prime 2011 sold out]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/psa-pax-prime-2011-sold-out/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/psa-pax-prime-2011-sold-out/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/psa-pax-prime-2011-sold-out/#comments The official PAX Twitter announced today that PAX Prime 2011, which won't even take place in Seattle until August, is sold out. Full stop.

Penny Arcade's marketing man Robert Khoo told us previously that the show got clearance to sell about 10 percent more badges than in prior years, but that didn't seem to make much of difference.

It would seem PAX East was a failure on one level: despite welcoming 69,500 attendees in March, it did nothing to reduce demand for the Seattle show taking place August 26-28. If you didn't grab tickets and still want to go, prepare to put up a fight with the scalpers.

JoystiqPSA: PAX Prime 2011 sold out originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 31 May 2011 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dsmicrosoftnintendoPAXPAX-Prime-2011playstationps3pspsonywiixboxTue, 31 May 2011 11:05:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: PAX Prime 3-day passes are almost gone]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/06/pax-prime-3-day-passes-are-almost-gone/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/06/pax-prime-3-day-passes-are-almost-gone/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/06/pax-prime-3-day-passes-are-almost-gone/#comments Guys, we so desperately want to hang out with you in Seattle. We want to take you on a tour of our favorite Starbucks locations. We want to go to the top of the Space Needle with you, and point out our favorite Starbucks locations. We want to take you to the birthplace of grunge and flannel -- but we can't do that if you don't get a PAX Prime 2011 pass.

According to the event's Twitter feed, PAX passes are quickly becoming a scarce commodity -- in a tweet this morning, organizers reported, "We are nearly out of 3 day passes for PAX Prime 2011, less than 1k remain." Sure, if those are gone, you can still buy the one-day passes piecemeal; but we're really going to need all 72 hours to show you our favorite Seattle hotspots. Like the Puget Sound! It's so pugety this time of year.

JoystiqPSA: PAX Prime 3-day passes are almost gone originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 May 2011 10:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eventpaxpax-primepax-prime-2011penny-arcadeticketsFri, 06 May 2011 10:36:00 EST