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[League of Legends updates co-op vs. AI mode, more improvements coming]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/24/league-of-legends-updates-co-op-vs-ai-mode-more-improvements-c/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/24/league-of-legends-updates-co-op-vs-ai-mode-more-improvements-c/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/24/league-of-legends-updates-co-op-vs-ai-mode-more-improvements-c/#comments
When Riot Games first announced that it was adding the ability to play co-operatively against AI bots to League of Legends, it expected it to be used by noobs, says producer Mark Norris. "When we put it out there, we put it out there with sort of the sole intent of having new players get an introduction to League of Legends."

But what the company found was that the game mode, which takes some of the human element out of the MOBA genre's relatively steep learning curve, was actually being used by all sorts of players. "One thing that kept coming up was the majority of the people who play League of Legends will play, every week, at least one co-op vs. AI game. And it's actually the primary game mode for a surprisingly large percentage of players."

With that insight, then, it's probably not surprising to hear that Riot is updating the co-op vs. AI game mode, enabling AI bots for 40 of the game's champion characters, as well as adding play on the Dominion game mode to the mix.

Continue reading League of Legends updates co-op vs. AI mode, more improvements coming

JoystiqLeague of Legends updates co-op vs. AI mode, more improvements coming originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aibotsco-op-vs-aidominiongame-modeleague-of-legendslolpcriot-gamesrise-of-the-botsTue, 24 Jan 2012 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[League of Legends Dominion preview: The squared circle]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/04/league-of-legends-dominion-preview/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/04/league-of-legends-dominion-preview/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/04/league-of-legends-dominion-preview/#comments League of Legends recently reached a total of 15 million registered players. Perhaps the most surprising thing is that all of those players have played their matches on just two different maps, one made specifically for Defense of the Ancients-style 5v5 play, and one made for 3v3 combat (there are a few other maps in the game, but they're used for training, not full game modes).

That's about to change. Last week, Riot Games invited Joystiq over to its headquarters in Santa Monica, California, to see a brand new game mode for the online competitive title. It's coming along with what Senior Producer Travis George calls "the biggest update we've ever made for League of Legends," a new content release subtitled Dominion.

Dominion is a brand new gametype and is especially notable because all of the games in the growing DotA (or MOBA) genre have basically used the same premise: two armies of minions fight with equal strength across a series of parallel lanes, and player champions fight minions and each other to gain ground and win the battle. Dominion, however, is a brand new set of rules, combining elements of the DotA genre with scoring, much more akin to EA's Battlefield games or Call of Duty's Domination mode.

Gallery: League of Legends: Dominion

Continue reading League of Legends Dominion preview: The squared circle

JoystiqLeague of Legends Dominion preview: The squared circle originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>championscompetitiondominiondotaleague-of-legendsmobapcpreviewriot-gamestravis-georgeThu, 04 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Best of the Rest: Kevin's Picks of 2009]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/02/best-of-the-rest-kevins-picks-of-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/02/best-of-the-rest-kevins-picks-of-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/02/best-of-the-rest-kevins-picks-of-2009/#comments 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

JoystiqBest 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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Applebattlefieldbattlefield-1943best-of-the-rest-2009canabaltclansdefense-griddefense-grid-the-awakeningdominionensemble-studiosflowergalaxy-truckergigamichalo-warsillusioiPodkillzonekillzone-2last-night-on-earthMicrosoftpandemicpcpower-gridpsnpuerto-ricopylosstarcraftstarcraft-2torchlightxblaXbox-360Sat, 02 Jan 2010 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SCEA registers trademarks for 'Starhawk' and 'Dominion']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/14/scea-registers-trademarks-for-starhawk-and-dominion/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/14/scea-registers-trademarks-for-starhawk-and-dominion/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/14/scea-registers-trademarks-for-starhawk-and-dominion/#comments
Sony Computer Entertainment America recently staked claim to two intriguing video game monikers at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The first title, Dominion, is definitely a code name for the reboot of the Crash Bandicoot franchise we've been waiting on for so long. Or, possibly, a new God of War. Or, perhaps, a mash-up of the two franchises. Fine, we have absolutely no idea what Dominion is -- but if it turns out to be God of Bandicoot, remember that we totally called it.

The second trademarked title, Starhawk, might actually lend some credence to rumors of an upcoming space-themed follow-up to Warhawk which we heard last month. See, they replaced "War" with "Star," which is a celestial body that can be found in space. Don't feel too bad for not catching it. That kind of journalistic sleuthing is the reason we get paid the big bucks.

[Via superannuation]

JoystiqSCEA registers trademarks for 'Starhawk' and 'Dominion' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dominionsceasony-computer-entertainment-americastarhawktrademarkwarhawkTue, 14 Apr 2009 11:41:00 EST