Joystiq

Wargaming purchases Gas Powered Games

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 09:08:00 EST

Struggling developer Gas Powered Games has been purchased by Wargaming, the developer and publisher of free-to-play games World of Warplanes and World of Tanks. This is the company's second US acquisition this year, purchasing formerly independent developer Day 1 Studios (Fracture, Fear 3) for $20 million, putting them to work on an "unannounced console title." The financial terms of the GPG acquisition were not disclosed.

"Gas Powered Games has a long track record of providing incredibly engaging AAA gaming experiences and we can't wait to start working with them," said Wargaming CEO Victor Kislyi.

Gas Powered Game canceled its Wildman Kickstarter on Monday. GPG CEO Chris Taylor, who will stay on board after the Wargaming purchase, said at the time, "At this point, it makes sense for us to focus our attention on other ways to keep Gas Powered Games running. Unfortunately, we are unable to share any specifics in public."

We've reached out to Wargaming regarding its plans for the newly acquired Seattle-based developer.

Update: Wargaming is not currently providing any information on its plans for GPG. In a statement provided to Joystiq, a company representative said, "Currently, Wargaming doesn't have any information to share other than that we're extremely excited to welcome Chris [Taylor] and his team to our family and look forward to sharing more about what they'll be working on at a later date."

Continue reading Wargaming purchases Gas Powered Games

Wargaming purchases Gas Powered Games originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Feb 2013 09:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Wildman' Kickstarter canceled by Gas Powered Games

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 16:55:00 EST

Gas Powered Games canceled its Kickstarter for Wildman today, with four days and another half-million dollars in funding required to reach its goal.

"At this point, it makes sense for us to focus our attention on other ways to keep Gas Powered Games running. Unfortunately, we are unable to share any specifics in public," an update reads on the Wildman Kickstarter page. "We are profoundly grateful to those of you who backed this project and Gas Powered Games. Your passion and hard work put us in a position to write this exciting new chapter in the history of GPG."

GPG studio head Chris Taylor (along with Star Citizen's Chris Roberts) joined us on the Super Joystiq Podcast during last week's DICE conference to discuss his experience with crowdfunding.

'Wildman' Kickstarter canceled by Gas Powered Games originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Feb 2013 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Around 40 employees laid off at Gas Powered Games [Update: Chris Taylor explains timing]

Jordan Mallory — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 18:45:00 EST

Gas Powered Games, the development studio responsible for the Dungeon Siege series and one that has recently launched an ambitious Kickstarter campaign, is undergoing a round of layoffs, Kotaku reports.

While anonymous sources claim that virtually the entire company has been let go, save for CEO Chris Taylor and a small handful of others, the only official word is that layoffs are indeed underway, and that more information will be posted to the Wildman Kickstarter soon. We've reached out to Gas Powered Games to learn more about the severity of the situation, as well as what these layoffs may mean for the studio's future projects.

Update: Gas Powered Games boss Chris Taylor tells Joystiq about 40 employees have been affected by layoffs. Taylor says it was a "Very tough decision, but an important one such that I could properly pay severance and remaining [paid-time off]."

Taylor wouldn't go into specifics about his studio's future, but he further clarified that those affected understood the timing of the decision, despite how sudden it may have appeared in the press.

"I think everyone agrees better to have a few bucks to find the next job that run this train to the end and have nothing left to work with. It's one thing for me to bet the company, but I can't bet their last severance money, that's not cool," he said. In a recent interview with Gamasutra, Taylor said he was betting his company on the success of the studios' first Kickstarter project, Wildman.

Around 40 employees laid off at Gas Powered Games [Update: Chris Taylor explains timing] originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Jan 2013 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gas Powered Games reveals Wildman, CEO says he's betting the company

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 12:20:00 EST

Gas Powerered Games is launching a $1.1 million Kickstarter for Wildman, an action RPG/real-time strategy game/MOBA hybrid. CEO Chris Taylor tells Gamasutra it's not a good thing if they come up short on this.

"We spent all the last dough that we've had, and the last several months working on it. So we're betting the company on it," Taylor told the site.

Taylor says the game is a risk, but it's not the first time he's done it, noting he bet the company on Dungeon Siege and Supreme Commander. He also mentions that with the normalcy of the Kickstarter culture, it's easier to ask people for $15 than to ask a publisher for $1.1 million. We'll update this post with a Kickstarter link when it apparently launches in a couple hours.

Update: Kickstarter is now live.

Gallery: Wildman (Concept Art)

Gas Powered Games reveals Wildman, CEO says he's betting the company originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jan 2013 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Empires Online hits Steam

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 02:00:00 EST

Freemium title Age of Empires Online has invaded Steam, complete with discounts during its launch week. Until April 3, the Persian, Greek, Egyptian and Celtic civilizations are half-off for $5 each. If you like what you get from the free download, you can purchase the "All-in-Wonder Bundle" for $16.99.

Continue reading Age of Empires Online hits Steam

Age of Empires Online hits Steam originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Empires Online Season Pass offers all and future available content for one price

Mike Schramm — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:20:00 EST

Now that the free-to-play Age of Empires Online MMORTS is out (and it's not all bad, apparently), let's start talking about how you can pay for it, shall we? Of course, the game is free to download, and you get the game's two empires to play with right away. But developer Gas Powered Games are working on releasing new content all the time, of course, and Microsoft has announced at Gamescom that those really interested in the game will be able to pick up a "Season Pass" that will grant access to all premium content currently available. That pass will cost $99.99, and last for the first six months of the game.

At this point, we only know about a few different content packs, and there's a deal for a free Defense of Crete Booster Pack when you buy both Premium Civs, so everything on the market right now will set you back only about $60. But keep in mind that the Season Pass lasts until February of next year, so everything Gas Powered releases before then is yours to keep. If you like the game a lot, that will probably be worth the deal.

One note of warning: Gas Powered also says that buying the Season Pass won't keep you from rebuying content accidentally, so don't forget and buy more stuff when your Christmas cards come in. But hopefully if you spend $100 on a free-to-play game, you won't really be tempted to spend any more than that, right?

Age of Empires Online Season Pass offers all and future available content for one price originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Empires Online review: Casual conquest

Jason Dobson — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:20:00 EST

In reading online discussions surrounding Age of Empires Online, you'd think that the developers had taken to traveling the country with the express intent of running over kittens.

Clearly, players have taken issue with this latest in the Ensemble-created historical strategy franchise, which layers the series' core formula beneath a highly stylized coat of paint and free-to-play business model. However, much of the mechanics that made Age of Empires a household name remain, though now alongside new features designed explicitly to both ease new players into the experience as well as capture the attention of the coveted MMO crowd.

Gallery: Age of Empires Online (5/31/11)

Continue reading Age of Empires Online review: Casual conquest

Age of Empires Online review: Casual conquest originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Empires Online begins August 16

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 31 May 2011 21:30:00 EST

Age of Empires Online is ready to be ushered out of beta and onto PCs worldwide on August 16. The game, which will initially launch with the Greek and Egyptian factions, will be available at retail and online at AgeofEmpiresOnline.com.

The freemium title will offer "more than 40 hours" of free co-op and competitive gameplay, but if you're looking to upgrade straight out the gate, Microsoft has booster bundles available.

Gallery: Age of Empires Online (5/31/11)

Continue reading Age of Empires Online begins August 16

Age of Empires Online begins August 16 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 31 May 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Empires Online launches this fall

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 11 May 2011 19:30:00 EST

Age of Empires Online's march to retail will conclude this fall, the game's official Twitter announced, with a Microsoft rep informing us a specific launch date is expected to be revealed May 31.

After launch, the freemium title will have "a parade of Premium Content" at under $20. The additions include two more civs to keep the Greeks and Egyptians company by the end of 2011, along with a "Premium 'Pro' Civilization" pack that will advance players immediately to level 20 for "expert play."

Check out our Age of Empires Online preview for what to expect from the initial experience.

Age of Empires Online launches this fall originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 May 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Empires Online beta download public until Saturday morning

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 05 May 2011 13:50:00 EST

The Age of Empires Online Beta is publicly available for download over the next two days. The beta will continue past that time, but if you've been curious about the title now's your chance to grab it without the need of tokens or a special invite. It'll be open through the morning of Saturday, May 7 at 9:01am (presumably London time, since the press release was issued from London, so ... 4:01am Eastern).

We were impressed during our Age of Empires Online preview and, despite its cartoony exterior, found something that isn't Age of Empires "Lite." We appreciated that it's trying to be a core "casual" title and not, in Microsoft's own words, "a nickel and dimey microtransaction thing."

[Thanks, Sean]

Age of Empires Online beta download public until Saturday morning originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 May 2011 13:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gas Powered Games replaces Robot as Age of Empires Online developer

Mike Schramm — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 20:20:00 EST

Chris Taylor's Gas Powered Games (makers of the original Dungeon Siege and Supreme Commander) has taken over development of the upcoming free-to-play Age of Empires Online title, according to the game's official blog. Microsoft says that it became clear during development of some of the game's content packs that the GPG team "share our long-term commitment to make this a success," and that the move has been "the plan for some time," and won't delay the game at all.

This, of course, leaves previous developer Robot Entertainment - comprised of AoE veterans from the now-shuttered Ensemble Studios - in the lurch, as Microsoft has shown them the door. On its official message board, Robot confirms that "this was always in the plan," and says that the goal all along has been to work on original titles. Now that they've handed off the reins to Taylor and GPG, the company is reportedly hard at work on a new title called Orcs Must Die! Still no word on how close we are to a release date for Age of Empires Online, but Microsoft is still pushing beta signups on its website.

Gas Powered Games replaces Robot as Age of Empires Online developer originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gas Powered Games RTS 'Kings and Castles' on hold

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 22:30:00 EST

Though most of the Kings and Castles progress updates delivered by developer Gas Powered Games have been absolutely rife with levity and good cheer, the latest word from founder Chris Taylor is decidedly non-hilarious. Speaking to Big Download, Taylor explained, "We've put the project on hold for now, but the moment I know more I will let you know." When pressed for further info, he added, "I can't go into those details just yet... let's call it a 'timing' thing."

We hope Gas Powered Games can get the project back on track once the "timing" is right -- not only because the game looks really fun, but also because, man, we miss those video updates.

Gas Powered Games RTS 'Kings and Castles' on hold originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: The beefed up AI of Supreme Commander 2 DLC

Richard Mitchell — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 01:00:00 EST

We're not scientists, but when Gas Powered Games says it's improving Supreme Commander 2 AI in upcoming DLC, we believe them. Why? Because the team claims that units use learning neural nets. You know who else uses a neural net? Data, and ain't no one going to beat Data at Supreme Commander 2.

Continue reading Video: The beefed up AI of Supreme Commander 2 DLC

Video: The beefed up AI of Supreme Commander 2 DLC originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Supreme Commander 2 demo now available for Xbox Live Goldies

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:14:00 EST

Whether you're curious about the sweeping changes made since the franchise's initial installment, or you're completely new to the series and want to know exactly how "supreme" it actually is, you can now get a free sneak peek of Gas Powered Games' strategy title Supreme Commander 2. The demo's available today for Xbox Live Gold subscribers, and will be made accessible to lowly Silver peons on April 14.

The demo offers two tutorial levels and two quests from the United Earth Federation campaign, one of the title's three factions and single-player storylines. We were holding out hope for a sample of the Juggalo Nation campaign, but we suppose beggars can't be choosers.

Additionally, the 2010 FIFA World Cup demo is also available today.

Xbox.com: Add Supreme Commander 2 demo to your Xbox 360 download queue

Xbox.com: Add 2010 FIFA World Cup demo to your Xbox 360 download queue

Supreme Commander 2 demo now available for Xbox Live Goldies originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Supreme Commander 2 demo now available on Steam

Mike Schramm — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 01:00:00 EST

As if you didn't have enough to play this week, RTS fans, with Starcraft II in beta and Command and Conquer 4 about to drop, here comes the Supreme Commander 2 demo, now available for download over on Steam. The demo features 4GB (!) of complex Gas Powered Games RTS goodness, in which you'll be able to try two levels of the tutorial, as well as play through two missions as the United Earth Federation faction. You'll also get to see some of those new units at work, and, we presume, do some supreme commanding. No peerless or incomparable commanders here -- supreme only!

One of those new units you can try out is a sea-based experimental submarine for the Cybran faction that's modeled and named after a legendary sea monster. So what are you waiting for? Go download the demo and get kraken!

Supreme Commander 2 demo now available on Steam originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Overheard@DICE: How do you define indie?

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:20:00 EST

"I find this talk offensive." -- A half-joking independent developer listening to Chris Taylor of Gas Powered Games and Epic's Mike Capps discussing being independent studios at DICE.

But, how do we define independent? And is it different from being "indie?" We know that Mega 64 has a violent reaction about the latter question.

Now, it's hard to imagine Mike Capps, who swims in a pool of Unreal Engine cash, being defined as independent. He even dryly stated during the conversation, "We became Microsoft five years ago." However, Chris Taylor, whose company doesn't have an engine that runs many of the games out there stated, "My children will probably not go to college because of Demigod." He also mentioned that in 2008 the company went from 125 people to 45 and then had to build back up again. But does a company's bank account make it independent or is it a state of mind?

In fairness, Mike Capps was a last minute replacement for Double Fine's Tim Schafer, so the original pairing may have been less jarring. But, the indie developer got us thinking: what are the lines that define the perception of independence?

Overheard@DICE: How do you define indie? originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gas Powered Games announces 'Kings and Castles,' antics ensue

JC Fletcher — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 09:30:00 EST

"We're doing something different this time," Chris Taylor, of Supreme Commander developer Gas Powered Games, said about the development of the company's new game, Kings and Castles. He's not really talking about the game -- it's another real-time strategy game, being developed for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 -- but rather of the development process.

The developer plans to be as open as it can while working on the game, promising frequent updates on Facebook and Twitter (from Taylor's account, @DeathBot9), as well as on the game's website. "Synergy will be leveraged, and paradigms will be established," Taylor said in the press release. "More importantly, buzzwords will be utilized." From the tone so far, you might expect the updates to be on the silly side.

The first effort in this initiative: a video blog in which Taylor does stuff on a farm for some reason. See it after the break.

Continue reading Gas Powered Games announces 'Kings and Castles,' antics ensue

Gas Powered Games announces 'Kings and Castles,' antics ensue originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Supreme Commander 2's European deployment date in line with America

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:20:00 EST

Supreme Commander 2 is set to storm European retail on March 5 and 19, 2010, on PC and Xbox 360, respectively. The release dates fall within the same week as the North American launch. As we noted before, Gas Powered Games' real-time strategy sequel will drop right in the middle of a retail war for consumer currency, the likes of which we've never seen.

The game's redeeming quality is that as an RTS -- available for consoles, as well -- it may just survive the 2.8 second life expectancy of a game without massive, effective promotion.

Supreme Commander 2's European deployment date in line with America originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Supreme Commander 2 declares war in March, 2010

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:00:00 EST

Supreme Commander 2 has registered a deployment date of March 2 and 16, 2010, for PC and Xbox 360, respectively. Gas Powered Games' real-time strategy sequel, which is set 25 years after the first game's "Infinite War," will enter retail right in the middle of what we are slowly thinking of calling "the endless Q4." Then again, it is an RTS -- and a console title as well -- so the field isn't as crowded.

The original Supreme Commander was well received back in 2007, and Gas Powered's Creative Director Chris Taylor states that the team has "continually exceeded all of [his] expectations throughout [the] development." Check out the video above and see if you agree with how the game is coming along.

Supreme Commander 2 declares war in March, 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GameStop, GameTap and others join PC Gaming Alliance

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:00:00 EST

The PC Gaming Alliance, a non-profit initiative established to preserve and promote the PC Gaming industry, recently added a bevy of heavy hitters to its ranks. Eight more companies have signed on to lend their support to the cause, including GameStop, GameTap, Gas Powered Games, BFG Technologies, Bigfoot Networks, Flextronics, Howie's Game Shack and InstantAction.

We support the notion of this group enrolling new members -- but we're curious why GameStop has agreed to lend its massive, wealthy hand. Has the unrivaled gaming retailer finally figured out how to purchase and resell used PC titles?

[Via Edge Online]

GameStop, GameTap and others join PC Gaming Alliance originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Demigod bestows demo on the little people

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 23:30:00 EST

Demigod has finally seen fit to grant a demo to the masses. Gas Powered Games' RTS now comes in a bite-sized offering, in which players have access to one map and four playable demigods (Regulus, Rook [pictured], Sedna and Lord Erebus). All gameplay modes are available in the demo.

The Stardock-published title did have a shaky launch -- thanks to pirates -- but the company has since apologized for the overburdened server loads, and things seem to be in working order. Definitely worth checking out for RTS fans who only have time for short games.

Demigod bestows demo on the little people originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interview: Chris Taylor on Supreme Commander 2, publisher Square Enix and RTS on consoles

Xav de Matos — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:00:00 EST

Note: This interview was published earlier today, but featured a broken link to the second half. It has now been corrected. We're sorry for the goof-up -- enjoy the conclusion to our interview!

Showcasing his team's upcoming RTS, Gas Powered Games CEO Chris Taylor sat down with us at E3 2009 to discuss Supreme Commander 2, console RTS releases and the concepts that didn't work in the original title. Prior to our lengthy chat, Taylor demoed the planned 2010 RTS on hardware we were told was a two year old PC with a new video card.

In our short demo we had the opportunity to see advancements made to the game's engine, including new shader and texture technology that Gas Powered Games created in-house. According to Taylor, a major goal for the team at Gas Powered was to create a high performance game, that will "run on 2, 3, 4 maybe 5 year old hardware." While Taylor admits the original title asked for a lot of processing power -- especially in later areas of the game -- the sequel will look better while actually using less polygons than units in the first Supreme Commander.

Even in its Alpha build state, Supreme Commander 2 was an impressive title to watch. But how has the series evolved and how will Gas Powered Games improve the franchise? Check after the break for our complete interview Gas Powered CEO, Chris Taylor.

Continue reading Interview: Chris Taylor on Supreme Commander 2, publisher Square Enix and RTS on consoles

Interview: Chris Taylor on Supreme Commander 2, publisher Square Enix and RTS on consoles originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Taylor: Changing design philosophies because of Square Enix partnership would be 'missing the point'

Xav de Matos — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:15:00 EST

Although we weren't surprised when Gas Powered Games revealed it had been working on a sequel to Supreme Commander, we did scratch our heads at the partnership that would see Japanese publisher Square Enix distribute the title. In a one-on-one interview with Gas Powered CEO Chris Taylor at E3 2009, we wondered if changes to the core design philosophies of Supreme Commander 2 were made due to the new partnership.

According to Taylor, Gas Powered Games had similar questions for Square Enix, but were told to maintain the same core philosophies -- philosophies that attracted Square Enix to the Western developer to begin with. "If we changed... we would be missing the point," Taylor told us. Taylor also mentioned a cue they took from Square Enix was they way they "embrace character and story," which is a focus for Gas Powered in Supreme Commander 2. Stay tuned for the complete interview with Chris Taylor, tomorrow.

Taylor: Changing design philosophies because of Square Enix partnership would be 'missing the point' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Taylor: Bringing Supreme Commander to Xbox 360 was a 'hair on fire mission,' sequel developed in-house

Xav de Matos — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 01:00:00 EST

In a one-on-one interview with Gas Powered Games CEO Chris Taylor during E3 2009, we questioned why the developer was attempting to bring the series back to the console -- considering the first Supreme Commander port ended with less than stellar results. "I felt bad, the developer who did the Xbox 360 version just did not have the time or the resources," Taylor told us, referring to the team at Hellbent Games -- the developer tapped to bring the THQ published RTS to console in 2008. "It was a hair on fire mission."

Hoping to correct errors encountered by bringing the first title to the Xbox 360, Taylor says development of the console version for the Square Enix published sequel is being done by the team at Gas Powered Games. "We're doing it in-house and giving it a lot more time and a lot more resources," Taylor said, admittedly "bullish" the sequel will fare better for console players. "I would be very surprised if it didn't do as well as the PC version." Stay tuned for our full interview with Chris Taylor, tomorrow.

Taylor: Bringing Supreme Commander to Xbox 360 was a 'hair on fire mission,' sequel developed in-house originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stardock issuing apology coupons for Demigod network issues

Richard Mitchell — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:45:00 EST

Demigod, the latest from Gas Powered Games, has had quite a rocky start since it launched in April. Its servers were first overrun with pirates and the network problems continued to persist into May. Stardock, the game's publisher, promised to dole out coupons to players as an apology for the poor network performance, and Big Download reports that customers are starting to receive them.

The coupons will allow anyone to purchase the game for 50 percent off the standard $39.99 price. We're not quite sure how offering a discount to new customers amounts to an apology to current customers, but it's definitely better than nothing. We're sure it might also serve to help new customers take the plunge despite the reported issues.

So, how about it, Demigod players, have you received your coupon yet? Did you manage to convince a friend to pick up the game? For that matter, have you stuck with the game despite its problems?

[Via BD]

Stardock issuing apology coupons for Demigod network issues originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 May 2009 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Demigod servers overrun with pirates at launch, better now

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:45:00 EST

Demigod appears to have been a pirates' cove at launch, as Stardock CEO Brad Wardell explained on his blog a couple days ago: Out of the 120,000 connections on launch day, only 18,000 were legitimate customers (that's not sales, merely "concurrent users"). Obviously, this situation put quite a strain on the servers. He explained that Stardock stress tested for 50,000 players at peak times and wasn't expecting to hit those numbers for weeks.

A letter from Stardock this morning notes that "most" launch day issues were resolved yesterday afternoon. A "doppleganger" of the network was created, along with an update for legitimate players, which now directs them to the clean servers. It's a pretty nasty situation for Stardock, which has actually put faith in gamers by not placing copy protection on its games.

[Via Edge]

Demigod servers overrun with pirates at launch, better now originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Demigod preview vid features Brad Wardell walkthrough

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 22:00:00 EST

The latest video of Demigod is actually a four-minute walkthrough of the game with Executive Producer (and Stardock CEO) Brad Wardell. It's been hard to describe Gas Powered Games' Demigod because it's not a conventional RTS. Players mainly focus on leveling up and keeping alive their main deity character, so there are a lot of RPG elements in the game as well.

The video does a solid job of describing what a typical multiplayer match is like. We've had some time with the beta, and the focus of the game is to keep the action going and avoid the micromanagement in normal RTS titles -- a match can be finished in about a half-hour. Although it's not shown in this video, the camera is completely free to set at whatever angle you'd like to experience the action, which is actually pretty cool once The Rook starts whaling on troops. This PC only title -- which once you play, you won't understand why that is -- will be available this April.

Demigod preview vid features Brad Wardell walkthrough originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Demigod expects retail to pray for release April 14

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 14:40:00 EST

Stardock let us know that Demigod is ready to take control of PCs April 14. The new-fangled RTS, developed by Gas Powered Games, is priced at $39.95 for the standard version and $49.99 for the collector's edition. The additional ten-spot will net deity wannabes a soundtrack CD, poster and a pewter figurine of The Rook.

Demigod is also available to purchase on Stardock's Impulse digital distribution system. The game will utilize Impulse for its multiplayer functionality, too, but full details have yet to be revealed.

Gallery: Demigod (PC)

Demigod expects retail to pray for release April 14 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Feb 2009 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gas Powered Games working on Supreme Commander 2

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Strategy

Square Enix Europe announced this morning that it has entered into a "strategic partnership" with Gas Powered Games to release Supreme Commander 2. Squeenix states that its affiliation with the House of Chris Taylor is part of the publisher's "goal of increasing western development efforts aimed for the global markets."

The original Supreme Commander was published by THQ, so we're a little confused as to how Square Enix got a hold of the license, unless GPG owned the rights all along. We've contacted THQ, GPG and Squeenix for clarification. No word on when Supreme Commander 2 will mech march to retail.

Update: Doing a bit more research, it appears GPG owns the rights to the Supreme Commander franchise.

Gas Powered Games working on Supreme Commander 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PAX 2008 hands-on: Demigod

Kyle Horner — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Features, PC, RPGs, Strategy, Interviews

Following an interview with Gas Powered Games at PAX 2008, we got some hands on time with their newest creation, Demigod. The first thing we noticed while watching it running on glowing, envy-inducing PCs was how deliberate much of it looked. Everything from the unit/map design to the ease-of-use control scheme oozed hours of careful consideration on developer GPG's part. While the concept of Demigod tends to bewilder many who hear it -- ourselves included -- understanding the idea only took us a few minutes of playing the atypical strategy game.

Players only control their Demigod and its set of abilities. Our time was spent with the RPG-style Torchbearer, a Norse flavored character that can switch between ice and fire modes. We were digging his armored-burn-victim look, which just so happened to feature more armor and less burn. The Torchbearer is all about freezing everything before switching to fire and watching the screen light up as your enemies burn. Our magical offensive certainly got us some kills, but it wasn't moving the battlefront at all. Once we began to work more attentively with our AI-controlled troops of the non-Skynet variety, the battle quickly shifted to our favor.

Our actions in-game where peppered by murmurs of, "Oh, whoa." and "I want this game, now" from various onlookers behind us. We were starting to agree with this sentiment. It surprised us to find out that the game is actually running on a version of the Supreme Commander engine, as we saw more visual variety in 30 minutes with Demigod than we ever did playing hours of SupCom. GPG assured us that the system requirements are designed to include low-end machines, which is very much due to the fact that Demigod doesn't try to do a thousand things at once on-screen while you play it. (our wallets say thanks) Looking at the game, it was fairly hard to imagine that the harpy-like creatures and wiggling death-plant-things were living in the same engine that featured angular robot-spiders and hover tanks that bogged down our computers just a year and half ago. All in all, Demigod looks like it's going to steal away our precious personal time when it eventually ships on Stardock's Impulse service next year.

[MP3] Download this interview in MP3 format

PAX 2008 hands-on: Demigod originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 31 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Space Siege PC demo now available

Ludwig Kietzmann — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 19:50:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Action

Tired of constantly clicking dwarfs and dragons to death in a cliché-ridden fantasy setting? Rejoice, for Gas Powered Games' Space Siege demo is now available for download! You -- yes, you! -- can now be plunged into a brave, hitherto unexplored world as you click aliens and robots to death in a cliché-ridden sci-fi setting!

Here's the lowdown on the download: This smattering of outer space adventure will lay siege to approximately 935MB of space on your hard drive and offer you a glimpse of the game's environments, combat and cybernetically enhanced space dudes. You can grab it from our pals at Big Download.

Space Siege PC demo now available originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 Jul 2008 19:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Demigod releases first trailer, confirmed playable at PAX

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 02:00:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Action, Strategy

Publisher Stardock has released the first trailer for Demigod, its upcoming "team-based action game with RTS and RPG elements" being developed by Gas Powered Games. The title will support one-on-one battles, but the game apparently shines in team play. The idea of a "team-based" RTS is still something we're wrapping our brains around; as multiplayer RTS is nothing new, but Demigod sounds like something different. For those who really want to get some hands-on time with the game, we were able to confirm the title will be at PAX.

Gamespot recently spoke with GPG and Stardock about the development of Demigod and we're definitely looking forward to learning more as the title continues its crusade for an early 2009 launch. We're still keeping our fingers crossed for an announcement that the game will make the leap to consoles. Check out the trailer after the break.

Gallery: Demigod (PC)

Continue reading Demigod releases first trailer, confirmed playable at PAX

Demigod releases first trailer, confirmed playable at PAX originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Jul 2008 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Another RTS hits June 23: Supreme Commander

Terrence Stasse — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 02:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

While it isn't the best represented genre on the 360 by a long shot, RTS's have still managed to stake their claim on the platform, and between the coming C&C3 expansion and the newly gone gold Supreme Commander this month looks to see them expanding their territory. Having released over a year ago we're not sure exactly how much territory will be gained by Supreme Commander, but the game was well received when it was released and is likely to still be as good when it comes to console. Besides, the real question will be whether or not the game will hold console RTS fans over until they get what they really seem to want: Halo Wars.

Another RTS hits June 23: Supreme Commander originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chris Taylor talks Dungeon Siege 3

Ludwig Kietzmann — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 19:15:00 EST

Filed under: Action, RPGs

Miraculously, it appears that Gas Powered Games' Dungeon Siege franchise has survived a Boll-ocalypse -- that is to say, it's getting another game even after being "adapted" into a hilariously calamitous Uwe Boll film. Speaking to Eurogamer Germany (English version), Gas Powered Games boss Chris Taylor has divulged some of his plans for a third orc-killing romp.

"There will be some things that are very much like Dungeon Siege 1 and 2, but some things will be simplified," he said. "I am done with multi-character parties; I really think that it's all going to be about a single hero. It's too much to manage." We can certainly get behind the idea of having fewer people to manage, as long as our hero has enough to do by his lonesome. For instance, it would be nice to be granted a choice in whether we'd like to hack or slash any given enemy.

We expect to hear more on the topic once Gas Powered Games completes work on Space Siege. Which is a lot like Dungeon Siege ... but in space.

[Via Big Download]

Chris Taylor talks Dungeon Siege 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Jun 2008 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq interview: Demigod, Sins, and the death of PC gaming

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:25:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, RPGs, Simulations, Strategy, Casual

With publisher Stardock's rise the last couple of years and the announcement that it'll be publishing Gas Powered Games' next title, Demigod, it was time catch up with the two companies. We spoke with Stardock's CEO Brad Wardell and Gas Powered Games' founder Chris Taylor and asked some niggling questions on our minds ... and fired a few total shots in the dark which yielded results (like Demigod on consoles?). Find out more about Stardock and why Gas Powered Games decided to hook up with the little-publisher-that-could for its next title in our interview.

OK, let's get right into it, what's Demigod?

Chris Taylor - Demigod is a frantic team-based action game with RPG and RTS elements mixed in. If that doesn't sound familiar, it's because we're sort of inventing a new style of hybrid gameplay. The player selects a Demigod, and fights for a place in the pantheon of Gods in these incredible arenas. Each battle puts the player in command of either an Assassin Demigod, or General Demigod. These two types gives the player a choice of whether they command just the single Demigod, an Assassin, or whether they take command over every single unit in the game, like a traditional RTS, a General.

Gallery: Demigod (PC)

Continue reading Joystiq interview: Demigod, Sins, and the death of PC gaming

Joystiq interview: Demigod, Sins, and the death of PC gaming originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Demigod could one day rule consoles

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:55:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360

Gas Powered Games founder, Chris Taylor, recently spoke to Joystiq about his upcoming game Demigod (full interview, which includes publisher Stardock's Brad Wardell, coming later today). With GPG's latest game, Supreme Commander, jumping from PC to consoles, we wanted to know if Demigod could do the same thing. Taylor says it's a discussion the studio is having, "but no final decisions have been made just yet."

Even if the game isn't coming to consoles, we wanted to know if the company is thinking ahead and designing the PC version of Demigod for use with a gamepad. Taylor explains that GPG is focusing on the PC version and if it made another version for consoles, the company would overhaul the interface, as there are currently no plans to support gamepads (like the Xbox 360 controller) at this time. He says GPG re-did Supreme Commander's controls when translating it to the Xbox 360, and also alludes to Supreme Commander coming to PS3 as well. We'll have the full interview up soon.

Update: Interview is up now.

Gallery: Demigod (PC)

Demigod could one day rule consoles originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stardock publishing Demigod, praying for domination Feb. '09

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Strategy

Demigod, Gas Powered Games' team-based RTS/RPG, is expected to launch in February of 2009. The company announced today it has reached a publishing agreement with Stardock, which also prominently stated in its press release that the game will feature no on-disc copy protection.

Gas Powered Games is best known for its Dungeon Siege series, but most recently released the hardcore RTS Supreme Commander (recently delayed for consoles). Publisher Stardock recently found more mainstream success with the best-selling -- and surprisingly scalable on older PCs -- Sins of a Solar Empire (the company's Galactic Civilizations II isn't bad either). Sins sports no copy protection and, despite that fact, the game has found success at retail -- plus, it's only $30. Demigod will have a public beta this summer and we'll be sure to post more about that when details become available.

Gallery: Demigod (PC)

Stardock publishing Demigod, praying for domination Feb. '09 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Supreme Commander for Xbox 360 delayed

Jason Dobson — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:35:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Strategy

We'll admit that we had almost forgotten that a console port of Chris Taylor and Gas Powered Games' Supreme Commander was in the works for the Xbox 360, which is probably just as well as it keeps us from being disappointed that the futuristic RTS won't be making its April release date. According to Shacknews, the port, which is being handled by Hellbent Games, has been pushed out by publisher Aspyr until "later this spring or early summer."

No reason was given, through Aspyr marketing man Eric Duncan spun up the delay, stating that "the additional time put into development will result in better gameplay and more fun for gamers." Supreme Commander is certainly one of the most complex RTS releases to come along in a good while, and will be a good test to see just how far the genre can be pushed on a game pad, as long as they don't push it over the cliff.

Supreme Commander for Xbox 360 delayed originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Halo, Battlefield vets form Tyrant Studios

Jason Dobson — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business

With high-profile projects like Halo and Battlefield to your credit, it's difficult to pin where to exactly there is to go next -- a question no doubt being pondered by Hardy LeBel and Anders Hejdenberg, both of whom have charged headlong into the murky waters of independent game development by jointly founding Tyrant Studios. As the studio's new executive producer, LeBel's resume includes helping design the first two Halo titles as well as working with BioWare and Gas Powered Games on Jade Empire and Dungeon Siege 2 respectively. As Tyrant's lead designer, Hejdenberg's portfolio similarly impresses, having helped develop both Battlefield 2: Modern Combat and Battlefield 2142.

Currently the Tyrant Studios' team stands at seven, with individuals having worked on a variety of projects, from Interstate '76 and Tony Hawk, to Spider-man and Crimson Skies. As for the studio's current project, well the Tyrant team is currently playing their cards close to the chest, though a teaser image on the company's official website shows a silhouette of two individuals, what appears to be some kind of crazy hair, and a logo that reads "ESP," sporting a design seemingly more fitting to athletic footwear than anything remotely game related. Speculations anyone?

Halo, Battlefield vets form Tyrant Studios originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Feb 2008 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Space Siege could be headed to 360

Richard Mitchell — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 19:15:00 EST

Filed under: News

Videogaming247 is reporting that Sega is considering a console version of the upcoming Gas Powered Games title Space Siege. Shawn Green, associate producer of the title for Sega said that a console version of the title is "definitely" under consideration. Furthermore, Green says that console gamers would appreciate the "short and sweet" nature of the game. For those unfamiliar with the title, Space Siege is an action RPG in the same vein as Gas Powered Games' previous Dungeon Siege titles (only this one is set in space, obviously). If that sounds like your cup of tea, you may want to read Joystiq's impressions of the title from CES earlier this year. The PC version is expected in September. We'll have to wait to see when (and if) the console version will follow.

[Via Eurogamer]

Space Siege could be headed to 360 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Feb 2008 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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