Joystiq

Bethesda's Todd Howard on Skyrim's biggest development hurdle, fan-made mods, and what happens next

Xav de Matos — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST

Todd Howard and his clan of designers from Bethesda Game Studios walked off the stage with top honors for 'Game of the Year' at the 2012 Game Developers Coice Awards last week, for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. As the large group shuffled off to party, Howard, the company's boss, took a few moments to speak with the media.

Topics of discussion quickly merged into one frame of thought: what happens next? Everyone wants to know when the first piece of downloadable content will launch, how will it change the award-winning experience, and more.

Howard, being as used to sidestepping media inquires about unannounced items as he is working with a talented team, quickly shot those questions down.

Our focus, however, was slightly different. With a game as large as Skyrim, we wondered what complications arose during development. What is the hardest part about crafting a world meant to live on its own, away from the player's eyes?

Gallery: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (11/10/11)

Continue reading Bethesda's Todd Howard on Skyrim's biggest development hurdle, fan-made mods, and what happens next

Bethesda's Todd Howard on Skyrim's biggest development hurdle, fan-made mods, and what happens next originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch Bethesda's 'Skyrim Game Jam' sizzle reel right here

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST

Skeleton butlers? Seasonal foliage? Skyrim knows not these things, but it maybe perhaps we sure hope could according to a seriously noncommittal Todd Howard speaking at the beginning of the video above, shot at his DICE 2012 keynote last evening in Las Vegas.

Watch Bethesda's 'Skyrim Game Jam' sizzle reel right here originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Internal Bethesda 'Skyrim Game Jam' sizzle reel features dragon mounts, giant mudcrabs

Xav de Matos — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:55:00 EST

Let's pretend you work at Bethesda Game Studios. Congratulations! You've just shipped The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, a game that would go on to win multiple 'Game of the Year' awards. You're tired, probably haven't seen your family in months, and you have a week off. What do you do? Work on Skyrim, of course!

During his DICE 2012 keynote, Bethesda Games Studios game director and executive producer Todd Howard discussed an annual tradition at the company: a game jam, where staff are allowed to create anything they want on company time for one week. This year, the only stipulation was creating something within the recently released Skyrim.

In a sizzle reel presented to attendees, the public was shown what the minds at Bethesda could create. On the list? Mountable dragons, epic mounts (like flaming horses), giant mudcrab bosses that rival any other games, a new skill tree focused on lycanthropy, Kinect-enabled shouts (like this!), the ability to build homes, adopt children, use spears, and much more.

Howard was quick to note that the features shown in the video -- which were all running within the game -- were experiments. "How much of this stuff sees the light of day? To be determined. Could it be in a future DLC? We don't know. Could various parts of it just be released for free? We don't know."

And what was id Software's John Carmack doing that week? "[He] shot a rocket into f***ing space!" Howard said, showing actual footage of a rocket Carmack sent out of the earth's orbit. We'd still rather have dragon mounts. Check out the list of 'Game Jam' features after the break.

Continue reading Internal Bethesda 'Skyrim Game Jam' sizzle reel features dragon mounts, giant mudcrabs

Internal Bethesda 'Skyrim Game Jam' sizzle reel features dragon mounts, giant mudcrabs originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Todd Howard: Over 10 million Skyrim players, average PC playtime 75 hours

Xav de Matos — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:16:00 EST

During his DICE 2012 keynote speech, Bethesda Games Studios game director and executive producer Todd Howard revealed that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has been played by "over ten million people." In December, Bethesda revealed it had shipped ten million units worldwide.

Of the "over ten million" players, Howard says that "many million" are playing the game on PC. Based on Steam statistics Bethesda has seen, "the average playtime is 75 hours," something Howard called "amazing." Our assumption is that there are a number of players worldwide who have yet to power down their machines since the game's November 11, 2011 launch.

The PC version of Skyrim continues to evolve, with the recent release of the Skyrim Creation Kit and its partnership with Valve to become the second featured title -- behind Team Fortress 2 -- in the Steam Workshop, which highlights user-generated content and streams it into games.

"It's something we'd like to see come to consoles one day," Howard said, adding that giving players the ability to "take and change" the game helps to make the experience unique. To Howard, games are the "ultimate combination of art [and] technology" and allowing the players to become their own "director."

Todd Howard: Over 10 million Skyrim players, average PC playtime 75 hours originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bethesda's Todd Howard on how games can make players 'proud'

Xav de Matos — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:53:00 EST

Set aside your favorite movie, music, or traditional piece of art, because there's only one medium that has the ability to make the one experiencing it proud: video games. This was the message Bethesda Games Studios game director and executive producer Todd Howard had for attendees during his DICE 2012 keynote.

Using the level end music from Peggle and the level-up sound from Modern Warfare, Howard explained that video games have the ability to reach people in ways others are unable because they can convey a sense of accomplishment. Helping to give players that feeling with intelligent game design "makes it the greatest," he said. Howard noted jokingly that he used the Modern Warfare sound for his email, to give him a sense of pride when he sends something off.

Much of Howard's introduction focused on Bethesda's three rules of development, which he discussed during his 2009 DICE keynote. Howard said the difficult balance of design is finding a harmony in creating a challenge for players that isn't so easy that it leaves them bored and isn't so difficult that they give up.

The gameplay loop (Learn, Play, Challenge, Surprise), as he explains, is presenting a game mechanic to the player in steps that entice them to continue. Howard discussed how Half-Life 2's introduction to the Gravity Gun is a perfect example of using the loop effectively -- players learn how to use the gun by playing with it, they are challenged to use it in new ways, and are surprised by what they can accomplish. This accomplishment helps to build the level of pride the players experience throughout the adventure. Howard urged game makers in the audience to be proud of their work and to make gamers proud in the process.

"Do something great. Make yourself proud," he said. "Make the player proud they played it. Make them proud they bought it."

Bethesda's Todd Howard on how games can make players 'proud' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Skyrim to have multiple DLC releases, powerful buckets

Mike Schramm — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 15:30:00 EST

Game Director Todd Howard was at the Spike Video Game Awards yesterday to accept a well-deserved Game of the Year award for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and he said to Joystiq that the game's popularity has surprised even the development team. "We thought it would do well," he said, "but it has gone above and beyond." One of the surprising effects of that popularity is the many YouTube videos (and "arrow in the knee" references) out there, but Howard says one in particular stood out to Bethesda. "I think our favorite really is putting the buckets on the heads," he laughed. "It was like day two, and we went, what? Do we fix that? Our lead programmer is pissed and wants to fix it, and I said I'm not sure we should. That's one of those where maybe we leave it in."

Howard couldn't yet share plans for DLC, but he says it will be focused on "ways to make the game better, not just have more, because the game is so big. So we're going through ideas right now, and processing everything people are doing in the game, and trying to think of ways that we can improve it." There will be multiple releases (as with Bethesda's past games), but Howard says they "don't have a timetable. They won't be quick, and they'll have a lot of meat on them."

For all of its successes, the one thing Skyrim doesn't have is other players. Is there a chance we'll ever see a multiplayer title, or even an MMO, from Howard and his company? "You can never say never to anything like that," he admitted, "but it's not what our focus is. This type of game is where our hearts are, what we get excited about, and that's what we want to focus on. We don't want to lose that focus and we never want to sacrifice anything in the singleplayer game just to have it be multiplayer."

Skyrim to have multiple DLC releases, powerful buckets originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 11 Dec 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Howard: Skyrim offers infinite procedurally generated quests

JC Fletcher — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:00:00 EST

You've already been assured that you'll never run out of slayable dragons in Skyrim. In an interview with Wired, director Todd Howard revealed that the game features an inexhaustible supply of quest content, as well.

Using the "Radiant" quest system, the game randomly generates missions for each of the in-game guilds, as well as tasks offered by other NPCs. Examples cited by Wired include collecting flowers for an alchemist or hunting for bandits.

This likely comes as bittersweet news for people who have experienced Bethesda games in the past. Sure, you'll never run out of content, but how long before you have to defeat a monster who's embedded in a tree, or go on a quest for the dagger of ^^^^^^ARTIFACTNAME?

Howard: Skyrim offers infinite procedurally generated quests originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Come, watch 20 minutes of Skyrim gameplay

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:20:00 EST

So much Skyrim-ing! Lap up part one above and circle around past the break for the rest of the 20-minute experience with Game Director/Executive Producer Todd Howard. What's that? Dragons? Hmm, not sure if it has those. Guess you'll have to watch. (P.S.: Don't be stupid. It's got all the dragons.)

Continue reading Come, watch 20 minutes of Skyrim gameplay

Come, watch 20 minutes of Skyrim gameplay originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Todd Howard on Skyrim's worthwhile glitches, MMOs and when big is big enough

Justin McElroy — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:40:00 EST

November 11 is fast approaching and that means that Bethesda Game Director/Executive Producer Todd Howard and company are putting the finishing touches on The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. But with a game this massive, is there really such a thing as "finished"? How do you know?

"I guess we just kind of know," Howard told us at PAX. "Content wise, we want to have a lot, and we want it to work well together. Mainly we're looking for a saturation of activity -- is there always something to do, without being overwhelmed. As the project goes on, we're finding areas where there isn't enough to do, and we keep adding. So the game always ends up a lot bigger than we anticipated.

Gallery: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (4/1/11)

Continue reading Todd Howard on Skyrim's worthwhile glitches, MMOs and when big is big enough

Todd Howard on Skyrim's worthwhile glitches, MMOs and when big is big enough originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Skyrim DLC to have more of an 'expansion pack feel'

Justin McElroy — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:30:00 EST

They say you can't have too much of a good thing, but Bethesda certainly put that to the test with its seemingly unending releases of downloadable content for Fallout 3. Project lead Todd Howard said that the developer has learned its lesson, and those who play the studio's next game, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, should expect heartier, less frequent updates.

"Right now I can say that we'd like to do less DLC but bigger ones -- you know, more substantial," he told AusGamers. "The Fallout 3 pace that we did was very chaotic. We did a lot of them -- we had two overlapping groups -- and we don't know what we're going to make yet, but we'd like them to be closer to an expansion pack feel."

In short, expect huge horse armor collections this time around, in every size, shape and hue imaginable.

Skyrim DLC to have more of an 'expansion pack feel' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well, at least we won't run out of dragons in Skyrim

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 19 May 2011 20:00:00 EST

As if the concept of defeating just several dragons in Bethesda's forthcoming Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim wasn't enough to get your dragon-murdering blood going, maybe this little bit of info from producer Todd Howard will: "There is an unlimited number of dragons" in the forthcoming game, he told Norwegian magazine Gamer.no (according to a fan translation on Bethesda's forums). Not only will dragons appear in scripted encounters, but they'll also be randomly generated in the gameworld.

The translation also notes that "all dragons speak" in the game, with Howard further explaining "it's actually what they do when they are spouting fire." He hinted that some dragons will be able to communicate with the player in "the common tongue," though we're distinctly worried about what happens when a dragon can't remember the "common" word for something. Does he try to pronounce it in dragon, and accidentally set ablaze whoever he's speaking with? Either way, it sounds dangerous.

Well, at least we won't run out of dragons in Skyrim originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 May 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Developers celebrate Super Mario Bros.' 25th anniversary

JC Fletcher — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 01:00:00 EST

In case the red consoles didn't sufficiently alert you, 2010 is the 25th anniversary of the release of Super Mario Bros. for Famicom and NES. To commemorate the occasion, Famitsu spoke to a group of prominent developers about the impact Shigeru Miyamoto's masterpiece had on them and the industry.

"The reason I entered the industry," Capcom's Keiji Inafune said, "was because I encountered Mario and learned how interesting games can be. Thank you, Mr. Shigeru Miyamoto." Super Monkey Ball and Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi expressed a similar sentiment, saying "It's the game that made me enter the game industry." Bethesda's Todd Howard said that Super Mario Bros. was the beginning of "the genre where the hero always follows the correct path."

Our favorite quote is from Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii. "Also, I can't say much," he said, "but there was also 'Kintamario.'" Yes, yes there was.

Developers celebrate Super Mario Bros.' 25th anniversary originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bethesda's new game is for current platforms, 'pretty far along'

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:40:00 EST

Filed under: News, In The News, Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

After two years of silence, Bethesda is very used to deflecting questions about its next, still unannounced game. But executive producer Todd Howard finally shared some info about the forthcoming project at this year's QuakeCon, telling Eurogamer that it's "pretty far along." Around 90 people are working on the game, and Howard predicts that the stretch between the project's announcement and launch will be the "the shortest it's been for us" (Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was announced in September 2004 and released in March 2006, and Fallout 3 was announced in July 2004 but not released until October 2008).

Additionally, he pointed out that the upcoming project will run on existing consoles and is built on the same engine that powered Oblivion and Fallout 3. "That's our starting point -- the Fallout 3 tech. It started with Morrowind, we went to Oblivion, we did a lot between Oblivion and Fallout 3 because now we had final hardware -- with Oblivion we had six months on final hardware, so Fallout 3 technically does a lot more than Oblivion. The new stuff is an even bigger jump from that," he said. He wouldn't get too specific on when we'd hear more, saying he didn't want to disappoint people by announcing an ... announcement that might shift later on.

Hopefully, Mr. Howard knows that disappointment will be harder to avoid if that announcement turns out to be anything but Elder Scrolls V.

Bethesda's new game is for current platforms, 'pretty far along' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Irrational Interviews launches with Levine, Todd Howard

Justin McElroy — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Usually, these miniposts are for smaller stories, but this time we're just trying to hurry to the good bit: Irrational's launched a new audio show called Irrational Interviews. In the first episode, Ken Levine and Shawn Elliott talk with Bethesda's Todd Howard. So, uhh ... what are you waiting for?

Continue reading Irrational Interviews launches with Levine, Todd Howard

Irrational Interviews launches with Levine, Todd Howard originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bethesda clarifies MMO claims, Elder Scrolls V statements

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 01:00:00 EST

Rather than let the statements made at QuakeCon 2009 by Elder Scrolls executive producer Todd Howard rest as they are, Bethesda's Pete Hines has clarified a few things on the company's blog. First and foremost, he wants to make sure that people know that another Elder Scrolls game will eventually be released. "Both Todd and I have said repeatedly that, of course, we're going to do another Elder Scrolls game," Hines outright states. Rather than comment directly on what Bethesda is currently working on, he instead notes that, "We aren't going to confirm or deny or comment on speculation, nor are we going to give hints about anything ... if you know us by now, you know we don't really do that."

Hines additionally points out that Bethesda Softworks (the game studio) isn't working on an MMO at the moment, per the speculation surrounding a possible Elder Scrolls MMO. ZeniMax Online Studios, however, is working on an MMO, though "they have not said anything about what game they are making." It looks as though an upcoming Elder Scrolls MMO may be more likely than seeing numero cinco anytime soon, folks. What happened to that "possible 2010 release," eh, Bethesda?

Bethesda clarifies MMO claims, Elder Scrolls V statements originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Aug 2009 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Elder Scrolls V not in the works, there's a 'chance' for Elder Scrolls MMO

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 11:00:00 EST

Bethesda's Todd Howard delivered a heart-crushing blow to fans of Oblivion (and the Elder Scrolls series as a whole) during a recent speech at QuakeCon 2009. When pressed about the company's next big project, Howard told the audience not to expect "Elder Scrolls V" any time soon. Amidst wails of anguish from the Tamriel enthusiasts in attendance, Howard followed that statement with a minor concession -- he joked that "there's always a chance" for an Elder Scrolls MMO.

Flash forward to this morning, when stalwart internet lookyloo Supererogatory noticed a startling trend. A number of intriguingly named web domains use Zenimax's nameserver as their host -- domains such as ElderScrollsOnline.com, ElderScrollsMMO.com, TheElderScrollsMMOG.net, etc. This is so very far from a confirmation of the project -- but definitely food for thought following Howard's QuakeCon remarks.

Elder Scrolls V not in the works, there's a 'chance' for Elder Scrolls MMO originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 15 Aug 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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QuakeCon 2009 detailed, first public demos of Rage and Brink

Ben Gilbert — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 21:30:00 EST

Nothing more clearly shows the new relationship forged by Zenimax Media between id Software and Bethesda Softworks than this year's QuakeCon lineup. Littered with little extras like an hour-long presentation by Bethesda's Todd Howard and the first public demonstration of Splash Damage's Brink, QuakeCon 2009 is clearly accommodating some new faces.

That being said, id Software's John Carmack will be giving this year's keynote speech, and the event is still very much PC-centric, with Alienware, NVIDA and Ventrilo hosting a handful of events. Upcoming post-apocalyptic, not-Mad Max FPS Rage will also be getting its first public demo at the show, further asserting id Software into the event. For those of you attending, we encourage hounding Todd Howard for information on the next Elder Scrolls game during his Q&A -- if not for us, do it for the kids.

QuakeCon 2009 detailed, first public demos of Rage and Brink originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 09 Aug 2009 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bethesda has designed iPhone versions of Fallout 3

Justin McElroy — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:15:00 EST

So, there's good news and bad news for those of you who'd like to carry the apocalpyse in your pocket. Bethesda wants to bring the Fallout series to smaller screens ... they just haven't figured out how to pull it off yet.

"I think that the world of Fallout is unique enough that it could work on any platform. I think some of the things we do like VATS, I think that could translate to any platform, particularly the iPhone," Todd Howard told us yesterday. "We've looked into those things, we just haven't found the thing that supports the brand well. I wouldn't be surprised if it does happen one day. The iPhone versions that we've designed and said 'Ehh, we don't think we're going to do that right now,' there are ... there are a lot of them."

Could we maybe just have one?

Bethesda has designed iPhone versions of Fallout 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WSJ explores claims of racism in Resident Evil 5

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:45:00 EST

The Wall Street Journal's Jamin Brophy-Warren has a piece today exploring the racial connotations some are seeing in Capcom's latest effort, Resident Evil 5. The game's producer Jun Takeuchi recently said, "There is no racial element to it at all," and Capcom's Chris Kramer expands on that point, stating to the WSJ that the game adopts an "anti-colonialist" stance. Mr. Kramer is referring to white protagonist Chris Redfield, shooting his way through RE5's African non-zombies, and the imagery it represents with regards to traditional Western colonialism on the continent.

The theme of the piece is one of exploring whether or not the game is racist, rather than starting with a condemnation and then going forward like we've seen so many times in mainstream video game coverage. He speaks to a variety of major game developers (from Fallout 3's Todd Howard to Dead Space's Glen Schofield) and even broaches the topic of racism in American society being perpetuated by a largely caucasian game industry. Surprisingly, no sweeping claims are made and no aspersions cast. Bravo, we say!

WSJ explores claims of racism in Resident Evil 5 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DICE 2009: Todd Howard on Bethesda's 3 rules of game development

Jason Dobson — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 10:00:00 EST

Some of us had only just recovered from turning back the Daedric scourge in Tamriel before Bethesda took it upon itself to obliterate the countryside altogether in Fallout 3. Destruction of this magnitude takes planning, and speaking during last week's DICE summit in Las Vegas studio director Todd Howard laid out Bethesda's three simple rules for "making excellent games."

According to MTV Multiplayer, Howard's vision for great game design can be distilled down into the following principles: 1) A dev's ability to leave even their favorite ideas on the cutting room floor, 2) the capability to think smaller and keep things simple and 3) being able to define a project "by the experience you want people to have," rather than just a laundry list of features.

During his time on stage, the outspoken director also took issue with the importance of the Wii's overwhelming dominance of the console market, with Gamasutra reporting that Howard said "if install base really mattered, we'd all make board games, because there are a lot of tables." True, but we'd still be hard pressed to trade away our railway rifle and head shots for a pricey monopoly built on the smoldering ruins of Boardwalk and Park Place.

Source -- The Following Colorful Wisdom Is From Todd Howard
Source -- Bethesda's Howard On Supreme Playability

DICE 2009: Todd Howard on Bethesda's 3 rules of game development originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 22 Feb 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NYCC 09: Todd Howard, Ken Levine panel

Majed Athab — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 20:45:00 EST

So, what happens when you stick game developers Ken Levine (BioShock) and Todd Howard (Fallout 3) in a room with two outspoken games journalists for an hour? You get a fascinating discussion on how Eastern Europe has become a new haven for PC games, how Bollywood perfected The Lost and, of course, a lesson about Horse Armor. That, and Howard reveals Bethesda is working on an iPhone game. MTV Multiplayer's Stephen Totilo and Newsweek's N'Gai Croal grilled both Levine and Howard on everything and anything gaming, and we were there to absorb it all.

When asked about what he thought the most notable game of last year was, Levine answered he was intrigued with Russian dev Katauri Interactive's King's Bounty: The Legend. He pointed out that Eastern Europe has been thriving with PC games, noting that games like King's Bounty are good reason to keep an eye on the region.

Todd Howard was asked by a fan where he draws the line on DLC, using Oblivion's Horse Armor as an example of seemingly unnecessary content, or content which should have been integrated initially. Howard responded saying that people shouldn't complain about the inclusion of DLC, as devs can't always include certain content within their given schedules. They're really extras for fans, he said; however, he ascribed merit to complaining about how much that content costs.

One last interesting discussion of the afternoon included a glimpse into how companies are using Achievements/Trophies in more ways than just giving you - the gamer - an ego. Game companies are using these accolade systems to check up on completion rates on their games (determined by the number of gamers who've received endgame Achievements). Levine revealed that 50 percent of BioShock players finished the game, while Howard noted a 30 percent completion rate for Fallout 3. Both those titles represented a notch up from the average 20 percent.

NYCC 09: Todd Howard, Ken Levine panel originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NYCC 09: Bethesda developing iPhone title

Jem Alexander — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:45:00 EST

In the closest thing you'll find to a Megaton announcement at New York Comic Con, Fallout 3 executive producer Todd Howard has confirmed during a panel at the show that Bethesda is now working on an iPhone game. News of this comes from Newsweek corespondent N'Gai Croal's twitter feed (we heard it, too -- sitting in the audience!) and includes no other details. That's because there weren't any.

Whether the game is Fallout-related, Oblivion-related or something completely new, we're intrigued to find out. Who knows, maybe it's that ill-fated Oblivion PSP title that never made it to market. Check back later for our full report on the Todd Howard and Ken Levine panel at Comic Con.

NYCC 09: Bethesda developing iPhone title originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Todd Howard's 'greatest' lessons from Fallout 3

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 09:40:00 EST

While on some futile quest to learn more about the inevitable Fallout 4, MTV Multiplayer asked Bethesda's Todd Howard what lessons he learned from the current installment. His answer: "Greatest lesson? Don't let the game end, and don't have a level cap."

We're going to have to agree with Howard on both counts. Although it appears PS3 owners won't be getting a reprieve from the game's brick wall ending, PC and X360 owners have the third DLC pack, Broken Steel, arriving in March. The pack allows players to continue past the "end" and raises the level cap to 30. We'd tell Bethesda not to make the same mistake again, but the company is going to make $10 off every Fallout 3 player that cares enough to continue. P.T. Barnum would be proud.

Todd Howard's 'greatest' lessons from Fallout 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Todd Howard takes on Fallout 3 criticisms

Xav de Matos — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: News, Fallout 3

Regardless of how many times its software is contending for Game of the Year accolades, Bethesda isn't immune to criticism and Fallout 3 is no exception. Speaking with MTV Multiplayer blog, Bethesda Softworks executive producer, Todd Howard, discussed three major complaints fans and haters alike have about the recently released Fallout 3.

First criticism out of the gate is that Fallout 3 is only mediocre when judged as a shooter to which Todd Howard quickly agreed. Secondly, each ending of Fallout 3 has been blasted for its quick and dirty wrap up. Howard argues that many people are more upset about the game actually ending than the ending itself and promises the upcoming Broken Steel DLC will combat that by allowing players to continue their adventure. Lastly, critics say that VATS can be rather boring once players are able to almost always get a head shot. Howard says that everyone has a different concept of entertainment and watching a head explode in Fallout 3 never gets old for him, but he admits, "the 'to hit chance' for head shots is probably too high." Three complaints down. So, are you satisfied with Howard's responses to these Fallout 3 criticisms?

Todd Howard takes on Fallout 3 criticisms originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bethesda: 'Fallout 4 before 2018'

Jason Dobson — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 01:00:00 EST

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

Fallout 3's radiation sickness hasn't even begun to set in and already people are talking about another sequel. Understandable, given the pause between Fallout 2 and next week's post-nuclear follow up stretched on for a decade, a wait that Bethesda's executive producer Todd Howard even admits was a touch much.

"I think it's good for people to miss things," Howard commented to Reuters. "Ten years between 'Fallout' is a bit long, but I think there's this nostalgia factor." In fact, the report notes that Howard thinks waiting three years or so is about right, though Bethesda's Pete Hines gives the inevitable sequel a wider berth. The company's VP of public relations tells Edge that it would be more accurate to expect Fallout 4 "before 2018" (since Howard did say 10 years was too long to wait). Geeze, by that time, we'll probably be living in our own apocalyptic wasteland, and Fallout will just be the game we play when we go outside.

[Via Edge Online]

Bethesda: 'Fallout 4 before 2018' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Oct 2008 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PAX 2008: Todd Howard talks Fallout 3, MODs & console power

Xav de Matos — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, First Person Shooters, RPGs, Interviews

In an interview with Bethesda executive producer Todd Howard we discussed Fallout 3's lack of a MOD support and this generation of consoles. While Howard admits the team wants to add support for user generated content he confesses adding the feature -- which was included in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion -- is a daunting task for a team eager to complete the epic adventure.

"We don't [have MOD support at launch], we want to but we have our hands so full with getting the game out and getting tools out there that work well for people and with the game is a pretty big undertaking," Howard told Joystiq.

[MP3] Download this interview in MP3 format

PAX 2008: Todd Howard talks Fallout 3, MODs & console power originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The world lacks PAX in these five Fallout 3 gameplay videos

Alan Tsang — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:10:00 EST

Filed under: Videos and Screenshots

Fresh out of the Penny Arcade Expo are gameplay videos from Fallout 3. Todd Howard of Bethesda narrates each of the five videos. The first one is the very beginning of the game where you escape from Vault 101 located right outside of Washington DC to find out what happened to your father. You can configure how your character will look with a number of options, including a "face, various hairstyles, or a ludicrously long list of beards."

The second video has your character approach a local town named Megaton, where inhabitants offer you advice and jobs. Mechanics demonstrated here include taking meds to make you smarter and listening to the PIPBoy transmissions. We won't spoil the rest for you guys, but definitely watch the end of the fifth video for a ... funghi surprise. All the videos are after the jump.

Continue reading The world lacks PAX in these five Fallout 3 gameplay videos

The world lacks PAX in these five Fallout 3 gameplay videos originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq interview: Bethesda's Todd Howard on Fallout 3

Kevin Kelly — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 07:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Adventure, First Person Shooters, RPGs, Interviews, E3

Hopefully we're not in danger of providing Fallout 3 overload, and if you haven't gotten the idea yet, we're really looking forward to this game. It's literally a cool science fiction series skin slapped on top of Oblivion, but we're not complaining about that. Blowing away mutants in the wasteland? Yes, please.

Here's the meat and bones from our time with Bethesda's Todd Howard, and you can listen to the full audio interview below. After the break, find out some tidbits like the size of the world, how many radio stations are in the game, and why you won't be dual-wielding or buying horse armor. Oh, and be sure to pay attention to the exploding pants achievement.

Continue reading Joystiq interview: Bethesda's Todd Howard on Fallout 3

Joystiq interview: Bethesda's Todd Howard on Fallout 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Jul 2008 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New pics, new perks and no traits for Fallout 3

Ross Miller — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:00:00 EST

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

click to embiggen

We talked about the exhaustive Fallout 3 Q&A yesterday, but there are a few morsels of information we want to point out specifically, chief among them are new images that reveal the Megaton Bar, a "shotgun on robot" and the Pip-Boy skills menu.

For the Fallout purists, chances are you'll be dismayed to hear that traits have been taken out of the game and melded into the perks system, which has been modified to where you're allowed a new perk with every level. "That was a hard decision for us, and one that took, literally, years," said executive producer Todd Howard, who noted that the traits and perks system were so related that many of the design-a-perk contest entrants were actually traits.

According to Howard, if you include ranks, there are about 100 perks available and only 19 chances to pick a perk each game (level cap is 20). No worries, though, because "Bloody Mess" is still available, and that's all we need to hear to be satisfied.

Gallery: Fallout 3

New pics, new perks and no traits for Fallout 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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