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[EA opens 'EA Gothenburg' studio focused on Frostbite 2 projects]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/05/ea-opens-ea-gothenburg-studio-focused-on-frostbite-2-projects/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/05/ea-opens-ea-gothenburg-studio-focused-on-frostbite-2-projects/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/05/ea-opens-ea-gothenburg-studio-focused-on-frostbite-2-projects/#comments A brand new EA studio has been opened, according to a very brief announcement from Electronic Arts. Known as EA Gothenburg, the studio is "focused on making a new generation of games using the Frostbite 2 engine," the same engine that powers the recent Battlefield 3, as well as last year's Need for Speed: The Run. The studio itself is located in Gothenburg, Sweden, only five hours away from Stockholm, home of Frostbite 2 creator and Battlefield developer, DICE.

The studio is currently hiring, apparently from the ground up. There are numerous positions available, ranging from creative director to UI artist, gameplay designer, audio designer and more. No other details are given. The franchise and genre of the current project will only be revealed to job candidates after they agree to a non-disclosure agreement. Hopefully we'll learn more during GDC this week.

JoystiqEA opens 'EA Gothenburg' studio focused on Frostbite 2 projects originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>diceeaea-gothenburggdcgdc-2011microsoftpcplaystationps3xboxMon, 05 Mar 2012 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Homefront marketing stunt results in $7,000 fine]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/14/homefront-marketing-stunt-results-in-7-000-fine/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/14/homefront-marketing-stunt-results-in-7-000-fine/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/14/homefront-marketing-stunt-results-in-7-000-fine/#comments The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board has levied a $7,000 fine on the marketing company responsible for releasing 10,000 red balloons to promote Homefront at last year's Game Developers Conference. The promotion went wrong when many of the balloons ended up in San Francisco Bay, which local residents get just a tad protective over.

The Homefront stunt involved a fake protest -- with musical accompaniment -- in which thousands of balloons were released with notes telling those bombarded by the luft waffes to pre-order the title at GameStop. When things went wrong, GameStop was quick to say it had "no prior knowledge" of the promotion, and THQ noted the balloons were "100 percent organic product and are 100 percent biodegradable."

The marketing company, TrashTalkFCM, took responsibility for the incident and assisted in the cleanup. The company has 30 days to pay the fine.

JoystiqHomefront marketing stunt results in $7,000 fine originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GameStopgdc-2011homefrontmicrosoftpcplaystationps3THQTrashTalkFCMxboxWed, 14 Dec 2011 14:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Silicon Knights' Denis Dyack still wary of game previews, hints at studio's self-publishing goal]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/09/silicon-knights-denis-dyack-still-wary-of-game-previews-hints/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/09/silicon-knights-denis-dyack-still-wary-of-game-previews-hints/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/09/silicon-knights-denis-dyack-still-wary-of-game-previews-hints/#comments During GDC this past March, I met with Silicon Knights head honcho Denis Dyack under the condition that he wouldn't be discussing the studio's upcoming action-RPG, X-Men Destiny (pictured above). The game is slated for release this year, yet we know relatively little about it -- and we've seen even less. Save for OXM UK, no outlet has published a preview (nor been offered one, as far as I know).

I asked Dyack about his outspoken views against the preview process. "In my view, the ultimate model requires our industry to not show games until they are ready," he told me, echoing his past sentiments. "I'm not saying get rid of previews, because previews are a good thing," he clarified. "What I am suggesting is that our industry should not do previews until the game's completed."

Continue reading Silicon Knights' Denis Dyack still wary of game previews, hints at studio's self-publishing goal

JoystiqSilicon Knights' Denis Dyack still wary of game previews, hints at studio's self-publishing goal originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 09 May 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisiondenis-dyackgdc-2011microsoftplaystationpreviewsps3silicon-knightstoo-humanx-men-destinyxboxMon, 09 May 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Silicon Knights' Dyack on Too Human: 'we do plan on finishing the trilogy']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/silicon-knights-dyack-on-too-human-we-do-plan-on-finishing-th/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/silicon-knights-dyack-on-too-human-we-do-plan-on-finishing-th/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/silicon-knights-dyack-on-too-human-we-do-plan-on-finishing-th/#comments During the Game Developers Conference nearly two months ago, Silicon Knights head Denis Dyack met with me in a hotel overlooking that week's event at the Moscone Center. He wasn't there to show off his studio's next game -- X-Men: Destiny -- to press, but for unspecified "meetings" with unnamed folks. Spooky.

And while we touched on the subject of XM:D during the half hour, the first questions I had for Dyack were about his studio's last major release, Too Human. Primary among them: Is the Too Human trilogy dead? "No, not at all," Dyack told me. "It is still on the table and we do plan on finishing the trilogy."

When it came to other questions about Too Human, however, Dyack was far more verbose. With the intention of setting the record straight, as it were, Dyack outright denies that Too Human was in development for 10 years. "It is true that an earlier version of the general 'Too Human' concept was first shown on the PlayStation in 1998, but that was a completely different game than what was released on the Xbox 360," he said. "Among other things, the original concept was a single-player, third-person action/adventure game based on a detective called John Franks trying to discover who had killed his partner." It's a far cry from the Norse mythology-based dungeon crawler we played in 2008.

Continue reading Silicon Knights' Dyack on Too Human: 'we do plan on finishing the trilogy'

JoystiqSilicon Knights' Dyack on Too Human: 'we do plan on finishing the trilogy' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 May 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>denis-dyackepic-gamesgdcgdc-2011konamilegalmass-effectmetacriticmetal-gear-solid-twin-snakesmicrosoftsalessilicon-knightssilicon-knights-enginetoo-humanunreal-engine-3valkyriex-men-destinyxboxTue, 03 May 2011 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Remedy: Signing with MGS for Alan Wake was 'a business risk']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/25/remedy-signing-with-mgs-for-alan-wake-was-a-business-risk/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/25/remedy-signing-with-mgs-for-alan-wake-was-a-business-risk/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/25/remedy-signing-with-mgs-for-alan-wake-was-a-business-risk/#comments Speaking at a GDC panel earlier this year, Remedy's Markus Maki discussed the development of Alan Wake, namely that the game was originally planned as a multiplatform release, PC and PS3 included. As reported by CVG, Maki noted that Remedy had to maintain a narrow "focus" to get the project done, which meant staying light on features -- no multiplayer, etc. -- and eventually agreeing to become a Microsoft exclusive.

Regarding the planned multiplatform release, Maki stated that Microsoft's offer to publish the game pulled "one big technological effort, the PS3, out of the equation," thus allowing Remedy to focus on a single platform. That said, Maki added that moving to a single platform "changed the technology risk to a business risk - but that's a subject for a different talk altogether." Ouch.

Meanwhile, the PC version of Alan Wake, for reasons we may never fully comprehend, remains (appropriately) shrouded in darkness.

JoystiqRemedy: Signing with MGS for Alan Wake was 'a business risk' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 22:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alan-Wakegdc-2011Markus-MakimicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiosremedyRemedy-EntertainmentxboxFri, 25 Mar 2011 22:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Watch the GDC 'Classic Game Postmortem' talks for free]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/watch-the-gdc-classic-game-postmortem-talks-for-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/watch-the-gdc-classic-game-postmortem-talks-for-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/watch-the-gdc-classic-game-postmortem-talks-for-free/#comments If you want to hear about Mark Cerny's first, overambitious version of Marble Madness for yourself, try to decipher Toru Iwatani's clues about a "singing Pac-Man" game, see the history of Prince of Persia in the time it takes to play Prince of Persia (one hour), or suck John Romero's Doom postmortem down, you are welcome to do so right now.

The GDC organizers have uploaded video and slides of many of this year's presentations to the GDC Vault, most of which are restricted to subscribers. However, the GDC Vault offers the Classic Game Postmortem series for free, including the aforementioned talks plus Eric Chahi on Another World, Will Wright on his first game, Raid on Bungeling Bay, Ron Gilbert looking back on Maniac Mansion, and more.

JoystiqWatch the GDC 'Classic Game Postmortem' talks for free originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classic-game-postmortemgdc-2011gdc-vaultjohn-romeromark-cernyretroron-gilberttoru-iwataniwill-wrightWed, 23 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Milo & Kate engine footage shows off mega meshes, derelict backyards]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/milo-and-kate-engine-footage-shows-off-mega-meshes-derelict-backy/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/milo-and-kate-engine-footage-shows-off-mega-meshes-derelict-backy/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/milo-and-kate-engine-footage-shows-off-mega-meshes-derelict-backy/#comments Before Milo captured the hearts and minds of a people (and was taken out back and shot like he had rabies), lead programmer at Lionhead Studios, Ben Sugden, worked on a world in which the boy could live. During his GDC panel, Sugden took attendees on a tour of Milo's world -- the video past the break shows that Milo's digs were quite pleasing to the eye, if a little unkempt.

Continue reading Milo & Kate engine footage shows off mega meshes, derelict backyards

JoystiqMilo & Kate engine footage shows off mega meshes, derelict backyards originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gdc-2011kinectlionhead-studiosmega-meshesmicrosoftMiloMilo-and-Katepeter-molyneuxxboxTue, 22 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Shoot Many Robots preview: What it says on the tin]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/shoot-many-robots-preview/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/shoot-many-robots-preview/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/shoot-many-robots-preview/#comments Shoot Many Robots reminds me of classic 2D shooter Metal Slug, but with the addition of leveling and upgrade systems. Or it could be like a linear, 2D version of Borderlands -- beyond exhibiting a similar color palette, SMR's constantly popping out XP numbers and loot notices. Or maybe it's more like Contra, given the steady flood of enemies and enormous mini-bosses.

Okay, let's just call it a mixture of all those things, melded with its own southern-baked main character -- the gaming equivalent of Zombieland's Tallahassee character. That all makes SMR sound pretty derivative -- which it certainly is, to an extent -- but the game's developers show a ton of heart going into the project. Also, tutus.

Gallery: Shoot Many Robots (PSN/XBLA)

Continue reading Shoot Many Robots preview: What it says on the tin

JoystiqShoot Many Robots preview: What it says on the tin originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>demiurgedemiurge-studiosgdc-2011microsoftpax-east-2011pcplaystationps3psnshoot-many-robotssteamxblaxboxTue, 22 Mar 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Jordan Mechner on Prince of Persia, respecting game writers]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/15/jordan-mechner-on-prince-of-persia-respecting-game-writers/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/15/jordan-mechner-on-prince-of-persia-respecting-game-writers/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/15/jordan-mechner-on-prince-of-persia-respecting-game-writers/#comments In 1985, Jordan Mechner was thinking about baggy pants, arches and columns -- images that could be clearly conveyed in a low-resolution, pixelated computer game. While delivering his Prince of Persia postmortem during GDC earlier this month, Mechner delved into his memories, his journals (which you can read online) and his temporary departure from the game midway through development to pursue a screenwriting career in Hollywood.

Mechner's interests and techniques have always been embedded in cinema. He filmed his brother David running about in a Reader's Digest parking lot with a VHS camera, and layered drawings on top of those movements (in a process called rotoscoping) to capture the protagonist's movements in Prince of Persia. You've heard that part, but you might not know about the fate of the camera that captured such iconic scurrying. According to Mechner, he purchased it, recorded the necessary footage, and then returned it within a 30-day guarantee. "I felt a little guilty about it, but I was trying to keep costs down," he said.

Initially dubbed "Thief of Baghdad" (and inspired by the film of the same name), the game continued to come together in a modular fashion, at one time incorporating a full level editor that Mechner had to persistently test, making sure users couldn't introduce game-breaking bugs. "My job title was programmer, all those other things were extra."

Continue reading Jordan Mechner on Prince of Persia, respecting game writers

JoystiqJordan Mechner on Prince of Persia, respecting game writers originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>broderbunddsgdc-2011jordan-mechnermacmicrosoftnintendopcplaystationpostmortemprince-of-persiaps3pspsonywiiwritingxboxTue, 15 Mar 2011 15:10:00 EST<![CDATA[The many hats of Demiurge Studios]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/demiurge-studios-humble-origins/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/demiurge-studios-humble-origins/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/demiurge-studios-humble-origins/#comments Shoot Many Robots is Boston-based Demiurge Studios' first original game, and my hands-on with it at GDC was the first time that anyone at the developer ever gave a press demo. Studio head Albert Reed was, unsurprisingly, excited to delve into the studio's origins. "We got our start doing mods for Unreal Tournament. It was me and two other college buddies doing mods in the frickin' computer cluster at Carnegie Mellon. I'm not kidding!" Reed told me before showing off Shoot Many Robots last week. "Then one thing lead to another and those companies that were licensing Unreal Engine started hiring us," Reed added humbly.

It turns out that the folks hiring Demiurge were developers like Gearbox Software, Irrational Games, BioWare, and Harmonix. "We did some work on the first level -- the lighthouse and that sort of descent into Rapture," Reed told me, casually explaining that his studio clandestinely assisted with one of gaming's most iconic openings: the beginning of BioShock.

Continue reading The many hats of Demiurge Studios

JoystiqThe many hats of Demiurge Studios originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>al-reedalbert-reedbioshockbiowareborderlandsbrothers-in-armsdemiurgedemiurge-studiosgdc-2011gearboxgearbox-softwaregreen-day-rock-bandharmonixirrational-gamesmicrosoftpcplaystationps3randy-pitchfordshoot-many-robotsunreal-tournamentxboxMon, 14 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Interview: Cave Story's salaryman designer, Daisuke 'Pixel' Amaya]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/11/interview-cave-storys-salaryman-designer-daisuke-pixel-amay/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/11/interview-cave-storys-salaryman-designer-daisuke-pixel-amay/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/11/interview-cave-storys-salaryman-designer-daisuke-pixel-amay/#comments Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya is one of just a few Japanese names in the indie gaming pantheon, after developing 2004's Cave Story entirely on his own as a labor of love. This year, he came to the Game Developers Conference to present a long-overdue postmortem about the development of Cave Story and to promote the upcoming 3DS remake, which he's working on with developer Nicalis and publisher NIS America. During this presentation, Amaya showed never-before-seen footage of a beta version of Cave Story, including locations, characters, and enemies that didn't make it into the beloved indie game.

Soon after the presentation, we sat down with the game designer, and found out that despite the popularity of Cave Story, he still has a day job. For now. " I still work full time as a salaryman," Amaya told Joystiq, "but from April I'm going to be a full time developer." He explained that he planned to leave his job as a programmer for large-scale printing equipment a year ago, but "everybody was like 'are you really okay with developing games?' They weren't really sure if I could support myself." As he also had to train his replacement, his transition to full-time game designer was delayed. " I have a wife, I have kids, so [his co-workers] were a bit worried. It's not like they doubt my skill."

Continue reading Interview: Cave Story's salaryman designer, Daisuke 'Pixel' Amaya

JoystiqInterview: Cave Story's salaryman designer, Daisuke 'Pixel' Amaya originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Mar 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dscave-storycave-story-3ddaisuke-amayagdc-2011nicalispixelFri, 11 Mar 2011 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Animales de la Muerte reanimated as PSN/XBLA game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/animales-de-la-muerte-reanimated-as-psn-xbla-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/animales-de-la-muerte-reanimated-as-psn-xbla-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/animales-de-la-muerte-reanimated-as-psn-xbla-game/#comments Back in 2009, High Voltage Studios discussed its plan to shift Animales de la Muerte, a game with the irresistible concept of "zombie zoo animals," from WiiWare to retail because of a large amount of audio.

The twin-stick shooter has resurfaced again, and has returned to the download space -- as an XBLA and PSN game. IGN saw this new version at GDC, noting that even though the game has existed for years, it's in a very early state again as a result of a newly rebuilt engine, with the HUD, many enemies, and even some basic gameplay elements like dropoff locations for rescued non-zombie animals yet to be implemented.

Will we ever get to destroy undead penguins? In a game, we mean?

JoystiqAnimales de la Muerte reanimated as PSN/XBLA game originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animales-de-la-muertegdc-2011high-voltagemicrosoftplaystationps3psnxblaxboxThu, 10 Mar 2011 14:16:00 EST<![CDATA[What's in a Name: Demiurge Studios]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/whats-in-a-name-demiurge-studios/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/whats-in-a-name-demiurge-studios/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/whats-in-a-name-demiurge-studios/#comments Demiurge Albert Reed is the studio director and co-founder of Demiurge Studios, the Boston-based team responsible for the forthcoming Shoot Many Robots and a mess of contract work with Harmonix' Rock Band franchise, Gearbox Studios' Brothers in Arms and Borderlands franchises, and many more. Reed discussed the origin of his studio's name during an interview with us at GDC:

"Late night with a thesaurus searching for words that mean 'creativity' and 'innovation.' So the demiurge was -- there's a bunch of different interpretations of it, some of which are sort of ... mean to religions. I don't know. But the one that we originated from was the Greek philosopher Plato needed -- there was no one in the Greek pantheon of Gods who sort of created the Earth, there wasn't much of a creation myth there. So the demiurge was sort of responsible for forming the material world. So the Earth and trees and all that stuff, right? And so since we make worlds inside of video games, that seemed appropriate."

Shoot Many Robots is being planned for digital launch later this year on consoles, and currently has no publisher.

Like this feature? Be sure to check out the What's In A Name Archives.

JoystiqWhat's in a Name: Demiurge Studios originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 02:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>albert-reeddemiurgedemiurge-studiosgdcgdc-2011shoot-many-robotswhats-in-a-nameThu, 10 Mar 2011 02:18:00 EST<![CDATA[American McGee's Spicy Horse to focus on free-to-play games after Alice: Madness Returns]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/09/american-mcgees-spicy-horse-to-focus-on-free-to-play-games-afte/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/09/american-mcgees-spicy-horse-to-focus-on-free-to-play-games-afte/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/09/american-mcgees-spicy-horse-to-focus-on-free-to-play-games-afte/#comments More than ten years after overseeing Alice with now-defunct developer Rogue Entertainment, American McGee is wrapping up a sequel with his Shanghai-based company, Spicy Horse. "This will be the first ever console triple-A game that's been developed from beginning to end in China, for the Western market," McGee told Joystiq during an EA event last Tuesday. "There's been a lot of stuff that's been outsourced, or various pieces of it have been made there, but in terms of production process we had to invent a lot of what we were doing to get this game made there."

Spicy Horse was restructured to handle development of Alice: Madness Returns, and will restructure again once it launches the action game in June. "Well, we don't see that the future for us is in triple-A console games," McGee said. "We actually are trying to make games that are online, free-to-play, 3D advanced casual games, so as we finish this we're going to transition the company back to where we were intending to be when we finished Grimm."

Spicy Horse was on track to follow up Grimm -- its fantasy-themed episodic series for games portal Gametap -- with more casual fare, but was temporarily derailed by an irresistible offer from EA instead. "So, we restructured for two years, we built the game, we did a great job, we're gonna ship it on time, on schedule, we never had a crunch and it's been really awesome. But now, it's back to what our belief is in terms of where things are going, so it's going to be all about free-to-play, 3D games for Asia."

McGee claims that half of the development team has already completed work on Alice: Madness Returns, with ten to fifteen people doing "last-minute cleanup" -- of a project that has gone almost suspiciously (in this industry) according to plan. "I mean, we never had a freakout moment, we never had a crunch, we never had to work on a weekend and, in fact, we were always running ahead of milestones, so we would even give extra days off when the sky was blue, or something like that," he said. "So, it was a really pleasant development experience."

Since Spicy Horse is set on transforming its production process once again, it's currently unsure about what would happen if EA asked for another Alice sequel. "That's a question to ask them. But it might take them another ten years to figure it out," McGee joked.

Gallery: Alice: Madness Returns (March 2011)

Continue reading American McGee's Spicy Horse to focus on free-to-play games after Alice: Madness Returns

JoystiqAmerican McGee's Spicy Horse to focus on free-to-play games after Alice: Madness Returns originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alice-2Alice-Madness-Returnsamerican-mcgeeeagdc-2011microsoftpcplaystationps3spicy-horsexboxWed, 09 Mar 2011 16:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Shinji Mikami on his Shadows of the Damned role and 'adult love']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/shinji-mikami-on-his-shadows-of-the-damned-role-and-adult-love/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/shinji-mikami-on-his-shadows-of-the-damned-role-and-adult-love/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/shinji-mikami-on-his-shadows-of-the-damned-role-and-adult-love/#comments Shadows of the Damned represents not only a partnership between EA and Grasshopper Manufacture, but also a reunion between Grasshopper and Shinji Mikami, who produced its Killer 7 for Capcom. Mikami is lending his action-horror expertise to Grasshopper's new game, completely separate from his work with the Zenimax-owned Tango GameWorks.

"Grasshopper is making all these great games, with really a nice visual style," Mikami told us at an EA event during last week's GDC. "I'm there to make sure the gameplay is right -- make sure it's tight, make sure it's fun. That's why I'm there." He denied the assertion that Shadows of the Damned would feel strongly Mikami-like." "When you look at it, you're going to say this is a Grasshopper game," he said. "When you play it, especially if you've played a Resident Evil, you can kind of sense 'ah, there's a little bit of Resident Evil here.' But I don't think it's from the start it's a Mikami game. It's definitely a Grasshopper game."

We asked Mikami about the heart-shaped buttons EA was handing out at the event, which seemed hilariously out of step with the outrageous violence and manliness of Damned. Is Shadows of the Damned a love story? "There's two sides to it: there's that aspect of a love story, but it's not the romantic type of love," Mikami explained, cryptically. "It's a very adult type of love. And you'll see that when you play through the game -- it's definitely conveyed in certain aspects." Apparently, the "adult" type of love is so strong that a man can be fooled by a giant, grotesque demon wearing the shape of his girlfriend like a costume.

As the interview concluded, the subject turned to another violent, quirky action game from Mikami: 2006's God Hand -- a title that Mikami burst into laughter upon hearing. Mikami firmly denied even a superficial relationship between his own PS2 action game and Shadows of the Damned, but he did tell us that "I'd like to make a sequel to God Hand sometime." When we suggested he could make a spiritual "sequel" to get around the Capcom-owned IP, Mikami laughed again and said "Someday, I'll do it."

JoystiqShinji Mikami on his Shadows of the Damned role and 'adult love' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ea-partnersgdc-2011grasshopper-manufacturemicrosoftplaystationps3shadows-of-the-damnedshinji-mikamixboxTue, 08 Mar 2011 20:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Uncharted 3(D) preview: Drake Drop Distance]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/uncharted-3-d-preview-drake-drop-distance/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/uncharted-3-d-preview-drake-drop-distance/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/uncharted-3-d-preview-drake-drop-distance/#comments When I say Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception has the best stereoscopic 3D presentation I've seen so far, I don't mean to imply that I'll shut my laptop after I complete this sentence and dash out the door to buy a 3DTV (an inconsiderate and fatal idea, given that I'm writing this from inside an airplane). The work done by Naughty Dog, with 3D incorporated from an early stage of development, is not an effective sales pitch for the technology -- and that's why it's good. The effect is subtle, unobtrusive, useful, and very distant from the eye-blasting nonsense of what you would derisively label a "sales pitch."

Kneeling on the floor in front of a large 3D television, Naughty Dog co-founder Evan Wells appears childlike and completely involved as he marches Nathan Drake through the burning chateau, a now-familiar venue for Uncharted 3 gameplay demos. As Drake and stubborn sidekick Sully attempt to escape, the heat of the flames racing them to the top of the building, they're forced across a wooden beam that's fallen between the crumbling remnants of a floor. "This an inner ear thing?! Let's go!" Drake yells from the other side, firing at thugs as Sully slowly -- like, slowly -- walks and wobbles to the end of the beam. This is an interesting, tense scene regardless of your television, and in 3D it's very easy to gauge Sully's distance at a glance. That's not exactly mind blowing, I know, but I'd rather take a sliver of contextual usefulness over an in-your-face cheese slap.

Continue reading Uncharted 3(D) preview: Drake Drop Distance

JoystiqUncharted 3(D) preview: Drake Drop Distance originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3devan-wellsgdc-2011naughty-dogplaystationps3uncharted-3uncharted-3-drakes-deceptionTue, 08 Mar 2011 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Voice of the Damned: Suda 51 on being an EA Partner and surviving the Japanese market]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/voice-of-the-damned-suda-51-on-being-an-ea-partner-and-survivin/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/voice-of-the-damned-suda-51-on-being-an-ea-partner-and-survivin/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/voice-of-the-damned-suda-51-on-being-an-ea-partner-and-survivin/#comments At a preview event alongside GDC, EA offered the first playable demo of Grasshopper Manufacture's From Dusk Till Dawn-esque third-person shooter, Shadows of the Damned. Immediately after experiencing its floating skull sidekicks, baby-head gates, and demons in seductive-woman suits, we spoke to Grasshopper's CEO, Suda 51, and asked the first thing that came to mind: how did he convince EA to back such a strange game?

Suda, of course, understood the intention, saying that "strange equals compliment for us." And besides, "Actually, EA has always respected our punk rock style. It was really easy, and we had a lot of freedom. EA is not just a giant corporation, but they're very accepting." He said that Grasshopper pitched the game to EA -- though later in the same interview, he told us that it was at EA's request that the game became a shooter. "We wanted to do well with the Western market," Suda said, "and we wanted to have that challenge of creating shooters," and so the studio agreed.

Continue reading Voice of the Damned: Suda 51 on being an EA Partner and surviving the Japanese market

JoystiqVoice of the Damned: Suda 51 on being an EA Partner and surviving the Japanese market originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ea-partnersgdc-2011grasshopper-manufacturemicrosoftplaystationps3shadows-of-the-damnedsuda-51xboxTue, 08 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Shadows of the Damned preview: Goat toward the light]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/shadows-of-the-damned-preview/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/shadows-of-the-damned-preview/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/shadows-of-the-damned-preview/#comments If you thought Grasshopper Manufacture was "selling out" by making a third-person shooter, of all things, with EA Partners, of all people, you need not worry about such a thing. Having played Shadows of the Damned for about 20 minutes, I can confirm that it is a true Grasshopper game, full of the punk rock style, weird humor, brash, sexy women (one of whom wears mechanical devices on her arms and legs, and causes earthquakes when she dances), and over-the-top melee violence you'd expect from Suda 51's studio.

It just has better production values.

Gallery: Shadows of the Damned (3/8/11)

Continue reading Shadows of the Damned preview: Goat toward the light

JoystiqShadows of the Damned preview: Goat toward the light originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ea-partnersgdc-2011grasshopper-manufacturemicrosoftplaystationps3shadows-of-the-damnedxboxTue, 08 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Mortal Kombat preview: Didactic die tactic]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/mortal-kombat-preview/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/mortal-kombat-preview/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/mortal-kombat-preview/#comments After my release from school in the afternoon, I would march into the mediocre mall arcade with an earnest intent to learn. Rather than claiming the Mortal Kombat 3 machine with a coin, I'd drop a thick, stapled stack of A4 pages in the middle of the counter to signal my impending occupation -- and preliminary preoccupation with memorized violence.

Starting with Shang Tsung in the top-left corner of the character select screen, I'd read and execute every move and combo for each fighter, line by line, glancing at the pages as I made my way through the arcade mode. If I could pull off every attack sequence for the active character, I'd allow myself to graduate to the fatality list and then cap my progress with a gory reward. This formulaic approach wasn't really born from any desire to be competitive -- rather, I envisioned defeating the game by seeing and knowing every attack, combo and piece of content. Victories against human opponents felt almost incidental.

If you're the kind of player who enjoys the solitary, methodical act of executing and learning moves, you should know that April's Mortal Kombat reboot is very happy to show you the ropes, provided you're eager to strangle someone with them afterward.

Continue reading Mortal Kombat preview: Didactic die tactic

JoystiqMortal Kombat preview: Didactic die tactic originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 19:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fightinggdc-2011microsoftmortal-kombat-2011Netherrealm-Studiosplaystationps3warner-broswb-gamesxboxMon, 07 Mar 2011 19:10:00 EST<![CDATA[BurgerTime HD footage shows a twist on the coin-op classic]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/burgertime-hd-footage-shows-a-twist-on-the-coin-op-classic/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/burgertime-hd-footage-shows-a-twist-on-the-coin-op-classic/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/burgertime-hd-footage-shows-a-twist-on-the-coin-op-classic/#comments If you can figure out what's going on in this BurgerTime HD multiplayer footage IGN shot during GDC, we'll ... buy you a (virtual) burger.

Here's the deal: It sort of looks like Data East's 1982 original in terms of the basic burger-building gameplay, but the HD-ification has clearly been taken to an extreme. The levels twist, the art style screams "cyberspace" circa 1992 and there's just so much happening.

But hey -- it could be weirder.

Continue reading BurgerTime HD footage shows a twist on the coin-op classic

JoystiqBurgerTime HD footage shows a twist on the coin-op classic originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>burgertimeburgertime-hdburgertime-world-tourgdc-2011MonkeyPaw-Gamesplaystationps3psnMon, 07 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CryEngine 3 GDC tech demo is all kinds of futuristic]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/cryengine-3-gdc-tech-demo-is-all-kinds-of-futuristic/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/cryengine-3-gdc-tech-demo-is-all-kinds-of-futuristic/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/cryengine-3-gdc-tech-demo-is-all-kinds-of-futuristic/#comments Not only does the CryEngine 3 GDC tech demo posted below give us hope for the future of video game visuals -- it also fills us with anticipation for the future of dune buggy technology. Sure, pretty video games are great, but they can't hold a candle to a sleek recreational motor vehicle.

Continue reading CryEngine 3 GDC tech demo is all kinds of futuristic

JoystiqCryEngine 3 GDC tech demo is all kinds of futuristic originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cryengine-3Crysis-2crytekgdc-2011microsoftpcplaystationps3xboxMon, 07 Mar 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC 2011 reaches record attendance, GDC 2012 scheduled]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/gdc-2011-reaches-record-attendance-gdc-2012-scheduled/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/gdc-2011-reaches-record-attendance-gdc-2012-scheduled/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/gdc-2011-reaches-record-attendance-gdc-2012-scheduled/#comments GDC 2012 Wondering exactly how many people you need to be supremely jealous of, thanks to the fact that they got to hang out with and generally become best buds with Eric Chahi, Clint Hocking, Peter Molyneux and other gaming inudstry legends at GDC 2011? According to the event's official blog, this year's conference was attended by a record 19,000 gaming professionals, who attended over 450 lectures, tutorials, keynotes and friendship bracelet craft circles.

Want to help add to that number next year? Well, check your calendars -- the Game Developers Conference is going to roll back into San Francisco like a brisk wind March 5 - 9, 2012.

JoystiqGDC 2011 reaches record attendance, GDC 2012 scheduled originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>attendanceeventgame-developers-conferencegdcgdc-2011gdc-2012Mon, 07 Mar 2011 13:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning preview: The path of promises]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/kingdoms-of-amalur-reckoning-preview/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/kingdoms-of-amalur-reckoning-preview/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/kingdoms-of-amalur-reckoning-preview/#comments Curt Schilling and company made a lot of promises last year about Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, the first title from 38 Studios' long-awaited IP. He said that we'd see "combat that keeps you doing combat" along with a "deep quest narrative" and old-school RPG tropes brought around to match up with action gamer tendencies. "I don't know a way to tell you," Schilling said at the time, that "'Hey, we're taking God of War and marrying it with Oblivion.'"

That's a tall order, made even taller by 38 Studios' origins -- while there are a lot of veterans working on this game, this is the first time they've all worked together, and certainly there's enough pressure and hype on the project that it seems like it could very well fall apart in disasterous fashion.

And then we saw the game running in full motion for the first time this week here at GDC 2011. Sure, it's only an hour of directed gameplay, and sure, there's lots of work yet to do on the title. But there's this: All of Schilling's promises were up there on the screen, and it seems more likely than ever that 38 Studios might just pull this off.

Gallery: Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning (3/4/11)

Continue reading Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning preview: The path of promises

JoystiqKingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning preview: The path of promises originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>38-studiosbig-huge-gamesGDCGDC-2011kingdoms-of-amalur-reckoningmicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxMon, 07 Mar 2011 12:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Mega64 and Yu Suzuki reveal Shenmue's conclusion at last]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/mega64-and-yu-suzuki-reveal-shenmues-conclusion-at-last/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/mega64-and-yu-suzuki-reveal-shenmues-conclusion-at-last/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/mega64-and-yu-suzuki-reveal-shenmues-conclusion-at-last/#comments During his GDC panel, Yu Suzuki dropped the world-changing news that he might possibly, maybe, be able to make a third Shenmue game, if he can find the money. But in case this rock-solid guarantee doesn't go through, Mega64 cornered Suzuki and asked him to outline the end of the story, in order to provide us the closure we've craved since 2001.

We don't want to spoil the ending of Ryo Hazuki's saga ourselves, so we'll just tell you to go past the break and let Suzuki tell the story of the vengeance-obsessed teen's trans-Pacific ride on a levitating sword, with live-action performances of key scenes by Mega64 and a special guest. Perhaps we've already said too much. It'll be entirely our fault if the story lacks dramatic impact.

Continue reading Mega64 and Yu Suzuki reveal Shenmue's conclusion at last

JoystiqMega64 and Yu Suzuki reveal Shenmue's conclusion at last originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GDCGDC-2011lolzmega64segashenmueyu-suzukiMon, 07 Mar 2011 11:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars 2's GDC presentation now available on video]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/06/guild-wars-2s-gdc-presentation-now-available-on-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/06/guild-wars-2s-gdc-presentation-now-available-on-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/06/guild-wars-2s-gdc-presentation-now-available-on-video/#comments At last, we know why ArenaNet and NCSoft haven't realeased too many gameplay trailers for their upcoming MMO, Guild Wars 2 -- they were just waiting for GDC 2011, where they'd reveal enough video from the game to drown the internet. Check out four clips from their presentation below!

Continue reading Guild Wars 2's GDC presentation now available on video

JoystiqGuild Wars 2's GDC presentation now available on video originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetgdc-2011guild-warsGuild-Wars-2ncsoftpcvideoSun, 06 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The (Marble) Madness of Mark Cerny]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/06/the-marble-madness-of-mark-cerny/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/06/the-marble-madness-of-mark-cerny/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/06/the-marble-madness-of-mark-cerny/#comments In 1983, game designer Mark Cerny worked on a game that had dynamic 3D environments, including bumps in the floor that would chase your character. It also, at one point, was to use either a touchscreen or a motorized trackball that provided resistance feedback to correspond to onscreen events. Obviously, none of these things worked out at the time. But the game did manage to make it out, if in a less grandiose form than originally intended, and on more modest hardware than the revolutionary arcade board Cerny had in mind. And the scaled-down version found an audience as Marble Madness.

During a GDC postmortem for the classic game, Cerny said that the concept came about because the post-crash game market (and Atari) demanded totally unique concepts with two-player functionality. Two players meant twice as many coins per play, after all. And so Cerny set about with a minigolf-inspired game that used new 3D hardware -- which eventually ended up 2D, with a new "budget" arcade board that used interchangeable cartridges and afforded a bit more storage space.

Cerny gave an abstract look to the game, with enemies like Slinky creatures and transparent blobs (the transparency was simulated by drawing the floor grid onto the enemy sprite). So he was understandably irritated when the cabinet designers decided to make the trackball controller a smiley face. Eventually, they reached a compromise, with a sort of smiling character on the panel, but not quite a face, and not on the trackball itself.

After the year or so of design, Cerny and Atari ended up with a hit -- for about six months. Sales dropped off, he said, because the game could be completed in four minutes. He lamented not spending more time designing levels after getting the tech in place; at eight minutes, it could have remained a hit, he said.

JoystiqThe (Marble) Madness of Mark Cerny originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Mar 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arcadeatariatari-gamesgdc-2011marble-madnessmark-cernyretroSun, 06 Mar 2011 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bleszinski: Marry gamers, don't date them (or: design long-term engagement for fans)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/06/bleszinski-marry-gamers-dont-date-them-or-design-long-term/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/06/bleszinski-marry-gamers-dont-date-them-or-design-long-term/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/06/bleszinski-marry-gamers-dont-date-them-or-design-long-term/#comments In a candid talk during the Game Developers Conference on Thursday, Epic Games design director Cliff Bleszinksi advised attendees to "have an educated gut," and to be cognizant of the value of marketing and long-term relationships with customers. He encapsulated his talk in the "power creative," a project member who is unique, valuable and visibly tied to the game's identity. "This could be anyone," Bleszinski said.

With consumers constantly immersed in an information feed -- via social networking platforms like Twitter and Facebook -- it's important for game designers to be "surgical" and "devious" in creating IPs that thrive in an always-on, heavily branded world. According to Bleszinski, the market only tolerates games that land on the far ends of the spectrum between freemium or "snack" games and big-budget productions like Gears of War. "I believe the middle class game is dead."

Continue reading Bleszinski: Marry gamers, don't date them (or: design long-term engagement for fans)

JoystiqBleszinski: Marry gamers, don't date them (or: design long-term engagement for fans) originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Mar 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliff-bleszinskigdc-2011Gears-of-War-3ipmicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxSun, 06 Mar 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bangai-O HD Missile Fury preview: Co-overboard]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/06/bangai-o-hd-missile-fury-preview-co-overboard/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/06/bangai-o-hd-missile-fury-preview-co-overboard/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/06/bangai-o-hd-missile-fury-preview-co-overboard/#comments Bangai-O HD: Missile Fury Bangai-O HD: Missile Fury feels a lot more like an Xbox 360 successor to Bangai-O Spirits than it did when I played it at TGS. The demo available in Tokyo seemed a lot more straightforward, more "here are a bunch of enemies for you to shoot" -- in other words, more original Bangai-O -- than the cleverly-designed, semi-puzzle stage design that the DS game brought.

But that was just the TGS demo. Most of the elements that made Bangai-O Spirits what it was have carried over into the XBLA game, with a few important changes. Perhaps the most notable change is the addition of multiplayer. You might not think putting one more thing (another player) on the screen in a game about filling the screen with objects would be a big deal, but it doubles the unfathomable insanity.

Gallery: Bangai-O HD: Missile Fury (co-op)

Continue reading Bangai-O HD Missile Fury preview: Co-overboard

JoystiqBangai-O HD Missile Fury preview: Co-overboard originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Mar 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bangai-o-hd-missile-furyd3-publishergdc-2011microsofttreasureXBLAxboxSun, 06 Mar 2011 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[XBLIG facts: Nazi-killing a no-no, revenue a yes-yes]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/06/xblig-facts-nazi-killing-a-no-no-revenue-a-yes-yes/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/06/xblig-facts-nazi-killing-a-no-no-revenue-a-yes-yes/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/06/xblig-facts-nazi-killing-a-no-no-revenue-a-yes-yes/#comments During the Xbox Live Indie Games panel at GDC, a who's who of XBLIG developers (James Silva, Nathan Fouts, Robert Boyd and Ian Stocker) talked about their experiences, successes and failures self-publishing on the service. Perhaps of more use to budding XBLIG developers are some facts about the service, including the revenue split between Microsoft and the developer, as well as some gameplay restrictions.

For anyone who publishes an Xbox Live Indie Game, Microsoft takes 30 percent of the revenue, leaving 70 percent for the game maker. Even more interesting are some of the restrictions for games. James Silva of Ska Studios said it's impossible to have an XBLIG title where the player kills nazis, for example.

"That's like an inherent human right that's been taken away from us," Silva said. "We grew up on killing Nazis." Silva then went on to provide an anecdote about a game concept he had, about a burly mountain man who hunts people, but it turns out XBLIG isn't murder-friendly, either.

We've followed up with Microsoft for some more information on the guidelines of Xbox Live Indie Games.

JoystiqXBLIG facts: Nazi-killing a no-no, revenue a yes-yes originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Mar 2011 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gdc-2011ian-stockerjames-silvamicrosoftnathan-foutsrobert-boydxbligxboxxbox-live-indie-gameszombies-and-pterodactyls-20xxZP2KXSun, 06 Mar 2011 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Social game devs rail against divisiveness, armchair designers, and s*** crayons]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/05/social-game-devs-rail-against-divisiveness-armchair-designers/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/05/social-game-devs-rail-against-divisiveness-armchair-designers/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/05/social-game-devs-rail-against-divisiveness-armchair-designers/#comments As a response to frequent use of social games as punching bags by the rest of the industry, a group of Facebook, mobile, and otherwise social game-identified creators took part in a series of short "rants" during GDC. During this event, a social game was happening in real time: coins were handed out, and attendees were encouraged to collect coins from each other, with the person who was able to get the most invited up for a mini-rant. The winner's rant turned out to be about the positive mental and developmental effects of games.

Longtime game designer and Loot Drop founder Brenda Brathwaite opened with an impassioned refutation of the division of social gamers from other gamers. People told her she was "ruining games" back when she was working on Wizardry, for making an RPG that could be played alone, implying that this attitude was as harmful as the dismissal of social games now. "We stood together," she said, when games like Mortal Kombat came under attack from government and other groups, and when "hot coffee" came to be known not as a "steaming hot beverage but a steaming pile of shit". She urged that game fans stand together now "because we love games." A transcript of Brathwaite's rant has since been posted on her blog.

Continue reading Social game devs rail against divisiveness, armchair designers, and s*** crayons

JoystiqSocial game devs rail against divisiveness, armchair designers, and s*** crayons originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 05 Mar 2011 20:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brenda-brathwaitebrian-reynoldschris-heckergdc-2011ian-bogostmobilepcscott-jon-siegelsocial-gamessteve-meretzytrip-hawkinsSat, 05 Mar 2011 20:23:00 EST<![CDATA[More Battlefield 3 footage captured on shakycam]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/05/more-battlefield-3-footage-captured-on-shakycam/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/05/more-battlefield-3-footage-captured-on-shakycam/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/05/more-battlefield-3-footage-captured-on-shakycam/#comments If you're jonesing to see more of DICE's next, super-pretty shooter Battlefield 3, you should strike while the iron's hot -- by which we mean "before the iron gets pulled from YouTube." Check out some shakycam footage from the developer's GDC presentation posted after the jump.

Continue reading More Battlefield 3 footage captured on shakycam

JoystiqMore Battlefield 3 footage captured on shakycam originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 05 Mar 2011 13:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlefield-3diceeagdc-2011microsoftpcplaystationps3xboxSat, 05 Mar 2011 13:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Bungie: MMO announcement during GDC panel was a joke]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/05/bungie-mmo-announcement-during-gdc-panel-was-a-joke/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/05/bungie-mmo-announcement-during-gdc-panel-was-a-joke/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/05/bungie-mmo-announcement-during-gdc-panel-was-a-joke/#comments In its latest weekly update, Bungie took some time to backtrack on lead network engineer David Aldridge's GDC announcement that the studio's next game would be "massively multiplayer," and similar to "WoW in space." The update explains, "Now, in rehearsal Aldridge was convinced that everybody got the joke. It was all in the delivery, he assured us, and he was certain it was clear that he was playfully riffing off of the recent rumors." Apparently, he was super, super incorrect in that assumption.

It's worth noting that the update doesn't flatly deny that the studio is working on a massively online game -- unless, of course, that denial is hidden somewhere among the cornucopia of Charlie Sheen references. We're having a hard time breaking that particular code.

JoystiqBungie: MMO announcement during GDC panel was a joke originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 05 Mar 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bungiegdc-2011microsoftmmoonlinepcplaystationps3xboxSat, 05 Mar 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Cave Story before it was Cave Story]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/cave-story-before-it-was-cave-story/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/cave-story-before-it-was-cave-story/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/cave-story-before-it-was-cave-story/#comments During his GDC talk "The Story of Cave Story," developer Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya revealed that two years into the development of his 2004 indie hit, he scrapped his game design and started completely over. He then proceeded to show a video of this beta.

This version is very different from what we eventually ended up playing. It featured not only Quote, but Sue and a frog prince as playable characters, each of whom takes over at a certain part of the story. The famous rectangular boss Balrog is present, but he's named "Puu" and has a much less expressive face. He's occasionally seen wearing a scuba mask or other facewear. He's joined by another soap-bar guy named Oscar, who can ... transform into an angry cloud that shoots lightning. And, of course, the level layouts were all different. Weapons aren't upgradable, and are only acquired by purchasing them from shops. The music, however, sounded like what made it into the final game.

We hastily snapped some pictures of the video in motion, so you can get a glimpse of this unreleased version in our gallery below. The quality isn't great, because, well, it was a video playing on a projector.

Gallery: Cave Story (Beta version)

JoystiqCave Story before it was Cave Story originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Cave-Storydaisuke-amayadsgdcgdc-2011nintendopcpixelwiiFri, 04 Mar 2011 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[inSane planned as trilogy, but 'if the first game doesn't work, there won't be a trilogy,' Bilson says]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/insane-planned-as-trilogy-but-if-the-first-game-doesnt-work/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/insane-planned-as-trilogy-but-if-the-first-game-doesnt-work/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/insane-planned-as-trilogy-but-if-the-first-game-doesnt-work/#comments

Guillermo del Toro's forthcoming franchise for THQ -- the awkwardly innercapped inSane -- may be planned as a trilogy, but that doesn't mean it'll necessarily play out that way. Though THQ is confident in del Toro and the franchise, Core Games veep Danny Bilson has a realistic outlook on the franchise's ability to expand to a trilogy. "We have aspirations to make a trilogy," Bilson told a gathering of press at GDC this week, including Joystiq. "If the first game doesn't work, there won't be a trilogy. It's not complicated."

Bilson cited Hollywood's ability to make trilogies as an example of how not complicated this concept is. "If Avatar had been a flop then there wouldn't be two more sequels. And if the first Matrix wasn't a success there wouldn't be two more sequels." For Bilson and THQ, it means delivering quality products first. "We have to succeed on the first one. And then we have to succeed on the second one! And then you can make the third one. It's not really that arrogant, if you will, to plan a trilogy because we're very realistic." And unlike Hollywood, "we can't make two at once," Bilson jokes.

"It doesn't cost that much to plan, right?" Volition president Mike Kulas said. "We're not building a bunch of assets for the future games." Instead, Kulas estimates that "a couple percent of the total budget of the second game will be spent before we have a better idea of how the first one's shaping up." As the studio responsible for collaborating with Del Toro on inSane, Volition has to succeed where many others have failed: working with Hollywood to create a successful video game franchise.

JoystiqinSane planned as trilogy, but 'if the first game doesn't work, there won't be a trilogy,' Bilson says originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Danny-BilsonGDCGDC-2011Guillermo-Del-ToroinsaneMike-KulasTHQVolitionFri, 04 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mass Effect 2 composer Jack Wall explains his departure from the franchise]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/mass-effect-2-composer-jack-wall-explains-his-departure-from-the/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/mass-effect-2-composer-jack-wall-explains-his-departure-from-the/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/mass-effect-2-composer-jack-wall-explains-his-departure-from-the/#comments Though the Mass Effect series has made good on its promise to preserve and carry over important elements between games, prolific composer Jack Wall has elected to depart and pursue several other projects before BioWare launches Mass Effect 3 later this year.

"Well, I've had a great relationship with BioWare for five years, and I think, you know, as with any important relationship it's complicated," Wall said. "Now I'm working with other clients and it feels fresh to me and I think they feel the same way, so I think it's just time to move on. I have nothing but love for those people. I'm sure I'll see them again. It's just time for a break, maybe."

During a Thursday morning GDC session, Wall discussed the interactive scoring methods he and a team of composers (including Sam Hulick, David Kates and Jimmy Hinson) used to craft and integrate three hours of music into the game. The reactive score, blended with numerous transitions between battle scenes, moments of exploration and dialogue, was built on a considerable basis of technical procedure and experience -- which Wall and his team take with them before Black Swan composer Clint Mansell begins work on Mass Effect 3. According to Wall, film composers can transition smoothly into games, provided they're effectively directed by the game development team.

"As long as you have someone doing what we did on the game development side, you can get away with that, and have just somebody write great music and direct them how to do it," Wall said. "I think it's totally fine. It depends what you're looking for as a game developer, really. Do you need somebody with that knowledge, or no? Sometimes, you know, I'm just interested in all that stuff, so I bring that with me, and that's an asset I have, right? But it doesn't necessarily make me more suited to a particular project, unless the developer feels it is. So, I'm having a really good time with that knowledge now, because it really makes me think differently about how I compose for games."

Thinking "differently" and being agile is essential in successful interactive scoring, especially when game development doesn't proceed perfectly according to plan (and when does it ever?). "I do things relevant, so I do think there's a learning curve," Wall said, who began working on music for Mass Effect 2's final sequence before BioWare could even share a working level. "I hope Clint Mansell can get up to speed on that quick and doesn't feel too overwhelmed. He's a very talented guy, so I'm sure it'll be great."

JoystiqMass Effect 2 composer Jack Wall explains his departure from the franchise originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>clint-mansellgdc-2011jack-wallmass-effect-2mass-effect-3microsoftpcplaystationps3xboxFri, 04 Mar 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Seen@GDC: The Winnitron 1000, featuring Super Crate Box]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/seen-gdc-the-winnitron-1000-featuring-super-crate-box/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/seen-gdc-the-winnitron-1000-featuring-super-crate-box/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/seen-gdc-the-winnitron-1000-featuring-super-crate-box/#comments You've never played IGF Pavillion game Super Crate Box? Well then, let's fix that right now (it's free!).

Unfortunately, if you weren't at GDC -- or aren't a resident of Winnipeg, Canada -- it's going to be a bit difficult to check out the game's two player co-op mode, housed inside of the wonderful and mysterious Winnitron 1000.

Continue reading Seen@GDC: The Winnitron 1000, featuring Super Crate Box

JoystiqSeen@GDC: The Winnitron 1000, featuring Super Crate Box originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gdcgdc-2011igfigf-pavillionmacpcseensuper-crate-boxvlambeerwinnitron-1000Fri, 04 Mar 2011 19:40:00 EST<![CDATA[The Darkness 2 preview: Murderous multi-tasking]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/the-darkness-2-preview-murderous-multi-tasking/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/the-darkness-2-preview-murderous-multi-tasking/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/the-darkness-2-preview-murderous-multi-tasking/#comments Those of you who finished The Darkness will remember the end scene, in which [spoiler alert!] protagonist Jackie Estacado unleashed all of his rage and the full power of The Darkness, murdering a mansion full of goons. The only problem was that we didn't get to play it -- we had to just watch.

"At the end, you see Jackie going nuts with the demon arms, but you can't play that," Digital Extremes project director Sheldon Carter lamented about the first game, "and that's what I wanted to play. So that's what we're doing for the second game."

Watching a guided demo at GDC, the developer's mission was clear: Jackie is far more aggressive and powerful in the sequel.

Gallery: The Darkness 2 (GDC 2011)

Continue reading The Darkness 2 preview: Murderous multi-tasking

JoystiqThe Darkness 2 preview: Murderous multi-tasking originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2k-gamesdigital-extremesgdc-2011microsoftpcplaystationps3the-darkness-2xboxFri, 04 Mar 2011 19:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Overheard@GDC: Homefront devs 'put a baby in a dumpster' (and then took it out)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/overheard-at-gdc-homefront-devs-put-a-baby-in-a-dumpster/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/overheard-at-gdc-homefront-devs-put-a-baby-in-a-dumpster/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/overheard-at-gdc-homefront-devs-put-a-baby-in-a-dumpster/#comments Kaos Studios' Homefront has gone "gold" and is under two weeks away from being released. We found out yesterday afternoon about one scenario that didn't make the cut: protecting a dumpster ... with a baby in it.

Lead single-player designer Chris Cross (real name!) related a story about the team's process of involving civilian presence in the game. Cross said his team wanted to "make it relevant without making it cheap." As it turns out, relevant became a little crazy -- at least initially.

"We went through all kinds of crazy crap! We put a baby in a dumpster and were using that as a bullet shield," Cross explained, heartily laughing. "We were trying a bunch of very strange ideas."

We'll be doggedly exploring every dumpster we find in Homefront in search of secret (baby) easter eggs when the game ships on March 15.

JoystiqOverheard@GDC: Homefront devs 'put a baby in a dumpster' (and then took it out) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chris-crossgdcgdc-2011homefrontkaos-studiosmicrosoftoverheardpcplaystationps3thqxboxFri, 04 Mar 2011 18:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Painting with Pixels wall now complete, looking 8-bit and swanky]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/painting-with-pixels-wall-now-complete-looking-8-bit-and-swanky/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/painting-with-pixels-wall-now-complete-looking-8-bit-and-swanky/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/painting-with-pixels-wall-now-complete-looking-8-bit-and-swanky/#comments Throughout the week, we've been updating our gallery of the "Painting with Pixels" 8-bit mural as it's been filled in by attendees. As you see above, the wall is now complete, and it features ... uh ... dragons and stuff!

Did you expect any less from the game industry? Head into the gallery below to see the wall filled in day by day, slowly progressing towards full-on madness.

Gallery: Painting With Pixels (GDC 2011)

JoystiqPainting with Pixels wall now complete, looking 8-bit and swanky originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>8-bitgdcgdc-2011i-am-8-bitpainting-with-pixelsFri, 04 Mar 2011 18:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Machine Gun Jetpack preview: Run-and-fun]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/machine-gun-jetpack-preview/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/machine-gun-jetpack-preview/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/machine-gun-jetpack-preview/#comments Halfbrick's latest iOS project, Machine Gun Jetpack, is probably the most straightforward game I've ever played. Barry Steakfries wants a jetpack, and so he takes one -- one propelled by machine gun fire, what else? -- rocketing from the science lab and dodging obstacles as he escapes.

You tap the screen of your iOS device to hover (holding your finger down to ascend), and you try not to die.

Gallery: Machine Gun Jetpack (iOS)

Continue reading Machine Gun Jetpack preview: Run-and-fun

JoystiqMachine Gun Jetpack preview: Run-and-fun originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>barry-steakfriesgdc-2011halfbrickhalfbrick-studiosiosmachine-gun-jetpackmobileFri, 04 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST