Joystiq

Human Head 'fully intends' to make a more savage Rune sequel

Mike Schramm — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST

Now that Prey 2 has been pushed back, it seems that Human Head co-founder Ted Halsted wants to put up the green light on bringing back the 10-plus year old action title, Rune. "I can't reveal what we've got planned," he says, "but we fully intend to bring digital viking mayhem into the here-and-now."

There were rumblings of a sequel a few years ago, but the potential game's publisher at the time decided to pass on funding development. These days, Kickstarter is the funding method of choice, but Halstead only says he's glad there are multiple methods to funding, and the team "certainly wouldn't rule out Kickstarter."

What else can we expect from this not-officially-announced project? Halsted says a second game would offer a more savage viking world, with updated combat, and a big emphasis on clan-based multiplayer. "We're envisioning an action-world of warrior tribes," says Halsted. They're just not, you know, announcing it yet.

Human Head 'fully intends' to make a more savage Rune sequel originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: APB (Day 3: Choose your illusion)

Mike Schramm — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST

Review Diary

This is part three of our four-part APB review. Today: Customization and clans in the game's Social District.

Yesterday, I examined APB's core gameplay, and while I found it lacking, I hoped it could at least in part be made up for by the incredibly detailed customization system. With a series of in-game editors and marketplaces, you can personalize every aspect of your character, from what you wear and carry, to custom-designed vehicles and even hand-crafted signature killing tunes.

I spent about one-quarter of my game time hanging out in APB's Social District (a non-combat, free-to-play section of the game), trying to create some new clothing, shop the game's marketplace, and build some colorful wheels. Unfortunately, while APB's editors allow for a lot of creativity, Realtime Worlds hasn't implemented many ways to reward it.

Continue reading Review: APB (Day 3: Choose your illusion)

Review: APB (Day 3: Choose your illusion) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Square Enix reveals all of Final Fantasy XIV's races and clans

Mike Schramm — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 23:40:00 EST

Square Enix has revealed detailed information about the five new "clans" found within the races of Eorzea, the realm in which upcoming MMO Final Fantasy XIV will take place. Clans offer up two slightly different character options within the five overall race choices -- for example, if you want to play as a burly Roegadyn, you can go with the paler and more subdued "Sea Wolf" fisherman clan, or heat things up with the rock-and-fire influenced "Hellsguard" clan. Information on all of the races and clans is now available on Square Enix's website.

Unfortunately for Final Fantasy fans, we looked through the whole list of clans, and not a single one of the races lets you become a Sith Warrior. Sure, the Miqo'te Seekers of the Sun look cute and all, but is their one stated goal to kill Jedi? No? Pass, then, sorry.

[via Massively]

Gallery: Final Fantasy XIV (clans and races)

Square Enix reveals all of Final Fantasy XIV's races and clans originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 05 Apr 2010 23:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Best of the Rest: Kevin's Picks of 2009

Kevin Kelly — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 23:00:00 EST

Halo Wars
Yeah, that's right, Halo Wars. I've already caught enough flak for putting this on my best-of list for 2009 (it's hard to even remember that it came out way back in February), but it deserves to be recognized ... so pay attention once your laughter has died down. Ensemble Studios (RIP) proved that you could bring a real-time strategy game to a console, and still make it enjoyable. Sure, you'll never have 1:1 parity mapping everything a full-sized keyboard offers onto a controller, but this game came close. It's a pity Ensemble closed, since we'll never see any expansion packs or a sequel. The good news is that, since it wasn't received with blaring trumpets and the sounds of cash registers ringing, you can pick this up for under 20 bucks for some good fun.

Continue reading Best of the Rest: Kevin's Picks of 2009

Best of the Rest: Kevin's Picks of 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 02 Jan 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Modern Warfare 2 PC won't support dedicated servers

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Whatever goodwill may have been garnered by Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling's announcement that the PC version of Modern Warfare 2 wasn't delayed has been stripped away by an interview which surfaced later in the day. On the latest podcast (around the 1:41 mark) of Call of Duty fansite Bash and Slash, Bowling revealed that matchmaking within Modern Warfare 2 would be reliant on proprietary server technology (called IWNet), and wouldn't allow users to host their own dedicated servers.

Even without a doctorate in PC gaming affairs, it's easy to see how this fact would upset someone (or some community) who drops a wad of cash every month on renting a private server. Also preturbed by this news are fans of modded game modes and custom maps -- both of which would be unlikely under the IWNet framework. While Bowling maintained that the new server tech would be a boon for the PC gaming community, most hardcore PC gamers aren't particularly thrilled about MW2's server hosting capabilities being brought into parity with those of the console versions of the game. (That is to say, completely eliminated.)

Modern Warfare 2 PC won't support dedicated servers originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Worms Open Warfare 2 gets serious about online

Andrew Yoon — Mon, 07 May 2007 17:45:00 EST

Filed under: Worms, Video

Worms Open Warfare 2 is getting serious about online. Not only does it feature Infrastructure play, it will offer a plethora of other features that will make it one of the most fully-featured online titles on our handheld. IGN's recent preview notes that "you can even create clans, text chat, track your online stats, share battlefields you've created in the level editor."

Of course, that's not all. Like Wipeout, the game will have a great deal of longevity thanks to its downloadable content. Players will be able to "download some of the classic maps from previous Worms games via the title's online capabilities." With all these new features, Open Warfare 2 looks like a substantial upgrade to the franchise's previous iteration.

Worms Open Warfare 2 gets serious about online originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 May 2007 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Major Nelson teases new Dashboard details on Xbox 360 Fancast

Christopher Grant — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 11:25:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360

If you haven't been listening to our very own Xbox 360 Fancast, you really ought to be! The team at Xbox 360 Fanboy just celebrated their tenth installment with a very special guest: Spring Dashboard rumors! Oh, and Major Nelson was there too. First, the bad news. According to Major (at around 0:39:45), the oft-requested clan support functionality ain't gonna be coming in the impending Spring update. That doesn't mean individual titles can't use the available API to support clans, but don't expect to see Dashboard level functionality.

Now the good news: Major says (at around 0:40:30) that the update will include "simple things that I've been asking for since launch." 360 Fanboy put their thinking caps on and came up with a pretty convincing guess. Adding some "Play Game" verbiage to determine what game is in the drive is a feature that Major's been vocal about and, they remind us, early Dashboard screenshots (like the one pictures above) included this functionality. It's been a long time coming, so let's hope it is coming.

Listen -- Xbox 360 Fancast 010 featuring XBL's Major Nelson
Speculate -- Spring update may upgrade "Play Game" verbiage
Denied -- What's not in the spring update: clan support

Major Nelson teases new Dashboard details on Xbox 360 Fancast originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Apr 2007 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Irish gamers go green for 360

Ken Weeks — Fri, 17 Mar 2006 22:15:00 EST

Filed under: Fan stuff

It wouldn't be St. Patrick's Day without a post on the Irish gaming community. The Emerald Isle Xbox site CelticSnipers.com is working on a redesign that mimics the Xbox 360 dashboard. It's still a work in progress pending an April 9 launch, but clan members report that the it will eventually update automatically via Xbox.com and have a bunch of useful features. The Irishmen's effort will get a nod in the next issue of Official Xbox Magazine. Check it out or shine me buckles of gold.

[Thanks, Robbie]

Irish gamers go green for 360 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Mar 2006 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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