Joystiq

Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/IGN to Silicon Knights: Here's how to fix Too Humanhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/01/ign-to-silicon-knights-heres-how-to-fix-too-human/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/01/ign-to-silicon-knights-heres-how-to-fix-too-human/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/01/ign-to-silicon-knights-heres-how-to-fix-too-human/#commentsFiled under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

With initial previews of Silicon Knights' Too Human painting the long-in-development action RPG as a few miles short of Valhalla, IGN has stepped up, offering the developer a handful of advice concerning items that site would like to see corrected before the game ships in August.

According to IGN, among the issues needing a little extra lovin' are the game's lock-happy camera, random loot drops, and "sluggish" framerate, as well as a general lack of combat hand-holding and backstory -- each of which the site is only too happy to offer up a helpful tip or two to correct. Of course, with Dyack and Co. set to take their seemingly flawed action romp on the road next month, we doubt that a few choice words from an outside source will help right a decade of stumbling.

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]]>silicon-knightssiliconknightstoo-humantoohumanJason Dobson2008-07-01T12:55:00+00:00Too Human 'just days away' from donehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/13/too-human-just-days-away-from-being-finished/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/13/too-human-just-days-away-from-being-finished/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/13/too-human-just-days-away-from-being-finished/#commentsFiled under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

Silicon Knight's controversy-fuelled Too Human is nearly finished, as company president Denis Dyack confirms on his IGN blog that the game "is likely just days away" from being completed. Writes Dyack, the team is currently working to squelch a pair of "rare crash bugs" before sending the long-in-development sci-fi Norse action game off for final approval.

The exec also notes that "there will be plenty of time for press to critique Too Human as they will receive evaluation copies well in advance of the release date." This means that when scores come rolling in this August they should not be based on rushed play throughs to meet unrealistic deadlines, at least that's the theory. We admit that part of us will miss the roller coaster ride that has been Too Human's road to retail, though we can't help but wonder what Dyack will be up to next.

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]]>denis-dyackdenisdyacksilicon-knightssiliconknightstoo-humantoohumanJason Dobson2008-06-13T13:30:00+00:00GDC08: Hands-on with Too Humanhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/gdc08-hands-on-with-too-human/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/gdc08-hands-on-with-too-human/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/gdc08-hands-on-with-too-human/#commentsFiled under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, RPGs, GDC

As I violently disassembled insectile robots into their constituent sparks and parts, someone asked me which game Too Human reminded me of. Without pause, I pointed towards Devil May Cry, Capcom's over-the-top display of acrobatic swordsmanship and stylish oneupmanship. It made perfect sense -- the dual pistols, the melee mashing, the juggling of enemies and the utter disregard for the forces of gravity made it a close match, with the exception of whimpering demons having been replaced by spidery robots.

I don't think the comparison is inaccurate given Too Human's wonderfully chaotic encounters, but I've since come up with one that more closely conveys my somewhat conflicted opinion. Too Human is very much like Mass Effect, and not just in terms of technology, grand science fiction settings and heroic bald men, but in how it presents a role-playing game within the shell of an action game.

Gallery: Too Human

Inside this shell you'll find more than enough statistics, classes and inventory items to justify the "RPG" side of developer Silicon Knight's "Action RPG" label. Baldur (who's the, ur, bald protagonist) can be outfitted head to toe with various armors, melee weapons and guns, all of which may affect his defensive capabilities, attack power and reach. Various runes and skills will modify attacks or inflict status effects on enemies, and a robust set of development paths are available to each of the game's five classes. Whether you play as a rampaging, dual-wielding Berserker or simply wish to dole out a healing touch as the BioEngineer, customization seems satisfyingly deep and immediately apparent in gameplay.

Coupled with Too Human's extensive and elegantly produced cutscenes (one exception: the obligatory and criminally unskippable "you have died" sequence), I suspect the game's main strength will lie in its RPG foundations. Still, like Mass Effect, it's encased in a genre that would have you value quick reflexes and a spirited offense in order to succeed. That certainly is the case with Too Human, but it diverges from Mass Effect in a several ways.

Despite the fact that your actions were deeply tied to all manner of statistics, equipment and abilities, Mass Effect's presentation and controls were implemented in such a way so as to make you feel like you were playing an action title. Pull the trigger, and the consequences come screaming out of the barrel of your gun. In Too Human, you're pulling the trigger of what feels like a leaky water pistol. There's an inescapable feeling of disconnection between your input and Baldur's spectacular actions, a problem that's rooted in the game's controls.

Baldur's melee attacks are directed by the right analog stick (the camera tries very hard to keep things in view without your help), with ranged weapons requiring the addition of the R-trigger. A double-tap of the stick to launch enemies into the air is a minor source of complexity in a system which rewards consistent pointing with a flurry of spectacular attacks. It should be satisfying -- I just chopped that cybernetic creature in half! -- but the gap between physical input and in-game results simply feels too large. Is Too Human really the name of the game where I'm gently guiding a robot running on autopilot?

It seems like a contradictory complaint, I know. Isn't this how many RPGs work? Aren't you supposed to customize characters to your heart's delight and then set them loose on the world with only indirect action as their guide? And yet, when a game is presented as an action title, when it hopes to evoke the excitement and emotion of that genre, shouldn't I feel more involved with my character? Do take note: I'm asking these questions not because I found my experience with the game unpleasant (far from it!), but because I'm trying to understand why I suddenly want an RPG to be an action game.

While viewing the row of demo kiosks at the event, I noticed that many players weren't even bothering to spend the skill points obtained from defeated enemies (a notice remains on the screen for as long as you have unspent points). I suspect this is also related to the game's pace and presentation -- it seems so much like an action game, the thought of leveling up and adding new abilities in the middle of a battle seems somewhat odd. The same could be said about a victory which hinges on pointing as opposed to button presses or timing. It's an awfully inactive way to be active, don't you think?

I now wonder if my initial mention of Devil May Cry was less of a comparison and more of a desire. For all its visually frantic battles, Too Human's edge feels dulled by player passiveness and a lack of immediacy. The game's depth is fully appreciated, make no mistake, but it seems largely confined to status menus and equipment screens. Perhaps more time is needed to truly grasp the game's essence, but for now, my concerns lie less with the gameplay itself than with how the game is played.

For another perspective on Too Human, check out X3F's hands-on impressions.

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]]>BreakingNewsDenis-DyackDenisDyackDevil-May-CryDevilMayCryGDC08Silicon-KnightsSiliconKnightsToo-HumanTooHumanLudwig Kietzmann2008-02-20T06:30:00+00:00Canada funds new Silicon Knights, Digital Extremes projectshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/13/canada-funds-new-silicon-knights-digital-extremes-projects/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/13/canada-funds-new-silicon-knights-digital-extremes-projects/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/13/canada-funds-new-silicon-knights-digital-extremes-projects/#commentsFiled under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Business

While Silicon Knights continues to divide its forces between the long-in-development Too Human and the legal mosh pit that is its relationship with Epic Games, the company has apparently marshaled enough energy to begin work on another game, as both it and fellow Canadian dev Digital Extremes have been given a combined $1 million in funding to begin work on a pair of development projects. The investment, awarded by the Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC), serves as part of the agency's Video Game Prototype Initiative, which looks to help companies create prototypes of video game concepts in order to attract potential publishers.

While Pariah dev Digital Extreme's game is described as a third-person "old school" horror game for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC, Silicon Knights, which recently expanded its Canadian ops, is apparently using the funds for something a bit farther out, promising a third person action/psychological thriller for release sometime in 2010 for unspecified "next-generation systems" -- which by that time may actually be an accurate moniker.

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]]>digital-extremesdigitalextremespariahsilicon-knightssiliconknightstoo-humantoohumanJason Dobson2008-02-13T15:55:00+00:00Silicon Knights expanding with Canadian business incentiveshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/31/silicon-knights-expanding-with-canadian-business-incentives/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/31/silicon-knights-expanding-with-canadian-business-incentives/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/31/silicon-knights-expanding-with-canadian-business-incentives/#commentsFiled under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Business

Despite Silicon Knights being in the middle of a major lawsuit, the company still needs to ~~make~~ finish games and do business. The Too Human developer is planning to add 80 employees to its studio thanks in part to a Canadian initiative called the Niagara Interactive Media Generator (nGen), which seeks to "nurture a new generation of interactive entertainment companies."

The Welland Tribune reports nGen is a partnership that includes Brock University, Niagara College, regional and city governments, Niagara Economic Development Corp. and the Niagara Enterprise Agency. The Ministry of Culture will provide $245,000 to nGen's two-year $560,000 budget. Hopefully Silicon Knights will put those kids to work fast and finally get Too Human out the door sometime in '08.

[Via GameDaily]

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]]>canadaniagarasilicon-knightssiliconknightstoo-humantoohumanAlexander Sliwinski2008-01-31T13:30:00+00:00Fable 2, Alan Wake and more confirmed for 2008http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/fable-2-alan-wake-and-more-confirmed-for-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/fable-2-alan-wake-and-more-confirmed-for-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/fable-2-alan-wake-and-more-confirmed-for-2008/#commentsFiled under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Adventure, RPGs, Strategy

Microsoft Games chief Don Mattrick has confirmed (or, in some cases, reaffirmed) via a memo a handful of exclusive titles to arrive on Xbox 360 in 2008. The list of assuredly not canceled titles include Halo Wars, Too Human, Fable 2, Alan Wake, Splinter Cell: Conviction and "several exciting yet-to-be-announced titles."

Following the list of 2008 exclusives, Mattrick continues to say that "Xbox 360 will be home to the next versions of great franchises like Grand Theft Auto and Resident Evil ... Madden and FIFA." We're not sure if he meant to imply Resident Evil 5 is due out this year, but it's certainly a suspicious line. Other than this year, no schedule was given as to the release of these titles, although we now get a sense of what Microsoft feels will keep gamers happy in this post-Halo 3 world.

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]]>alan-wakealanwakecplintercellconvictionensemblefablefable-2fable2fifagrand-theft-autogrand-theft-auto-4gta4halohalo-warshalowarslionheadmaddenmicrosoftmolyneuxpeter-molyneuxresident-evilresident-evil-5splinter-cellsplinter-cell-convictionsplintercelltoo-humantoohumanRoss Miller2008-01-07T17:45:00+00:00Too Human clip gives us best idea of game in yearshttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/08/too-human-clip-gives-us-best-idea-of-game-in-years/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/08/too-human-clip-gives-us-best-idea-of-game-in-years/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/08/too-human-clip-gives-us-best-idea-of-game-in-years/#commentsFiled under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Adventure

We really haven't seen much of Too Human's combat since the "flipbook presentation" during E3 2006. Now GameTrailers/Game Head have a "world exclusive" Too Human trailer. The cutscene stuff is mundane at this point, we've seen that before. The real meat in this Too Human trailer is getting a good look at the combat footage.

The combat appears to be Devil May Cry meets God of War, with that still-nagging frame rate hiccup in there. Legal entanglement questions regarding the Unreal Engine 3 aside, we're hoping to speak with Silicon Knights and finally get some hands-on time with Too Human by GDC in February. If we can actually play it this time around, we'll know it's close to being released.

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]]>toohumanvideoAlexander Sliwinski2007-10-08T13:57:00+00:00Silicon Knights makes motion to dismiss Epic counterclaimhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/14/silicon-knights-makes-motion-to-dismiss-epic-counterclaim/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/14/silicon-knights-makes-motion-to-dismiss-epic-counterclaim/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/14/silicon-knights-makes-motion-to-dismiss-epic-counterclaim/#commentsFiled under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Business

Can't we all just get along? The lawsuit between Silicon Knights and Epic heats up again as the Too Human developer has filed a motion to dismiss Epic's counter-suit. In the paperwork obtained by Next-Gen, Silicon Knights' attorneys take apart piece by piece Epic's counterclaim that Silicon Knights stole Epic's technology from the Unreal Engine 3 to create (well, technically we should say develop 'cause it isn't done) Too Human.

SK's lawyers say that Epic's interpretation of an "operable" engine under the license they signed is that Epic could deliver nothing in return for SK's payments, which is what they alleged happened. They also say that Epic's claim that it's in their best interest to support UE3 licensees is a fallacy because "the profits Epic assured for itself by having Gears of War as the marquee title for the Xbox 360 dwarf any gain Epic would receive from Silicon Knights purchasing a subsequent licenses for the Engine." No word yet when a judge will rule on the motion to dismiss.

It's all looking too bad for SK really. The success of BioShock and Ken Levine's own words on the matter of the UE3 show that working with a cutting-edge engine is tough, but that's the path you walk with (at the time starting development) an unproven engine. Epic may have screwed SK, but as more games come out using the UE3, it just seems to highlight SK's ineptitude to manipulate the technology like everyone else seems to have had to do.

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]]>epiclawsuitreintoohumanue3Alexander Sliwinski2007-09-14T18:10:00+00:00BioShock's helping hand to Unreal Engine 3's imagehttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/29/bioshocks-helping-hand-to-unreal-engine-3s-image/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/29/bioshocks-helping-hand-to-unreal-engine-3s-image/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/29/bioshocks-helping-hand-to-unreal-engine-3s-image/#comments

If any company is going to benefit from the success of BioShock, beyond 2K Boston and Take-Two, it's Epic with their embattled Unreal Engine 3. BioShock has brought very public redemption and good press to the UE3 due to 2K Boston's phenomenal use of the tech. This hasn't gone unnoticed by Epic's Mark Rein who says, "We like to think we set a high bar with our own games, but more importantly we give our licensees the opportunity to take what we've done and do something even better with it ... There are a lot more great titles coming from our licensees as well and we're very proud of what is being accomplished and the helping role we get to play in their success."

2K Boston's Ken Levine didn't wimp out on talking about their issues with the UE3 during our interview with him. Levine said, "Of course, it's an engine, engine's are always a bear. Developing games is really hard, I think the mistake that a company like Epic might make is to say, 'Oh yeah, it's simple, we give you the engine and you go do it fellas, it'll be a breeze.' Development is hard, it gives you a leg up, but if you don't have a great technology team you're going to run into trouble. Even if you have a great technology team you can run into trouble." Although the exact contractual issues regarding Silicon Knights' license with Epic are something for the court to decide, SK's inability to get Too Human working with the UE3 looks pretty awkward in the court of public opinion in the wake of BioShock.

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]]>bioshockpcps3reintoohumanue3unrealtournament3xbox360Alexander Sliwinski2007-08-29T12:55:00+00:00Too Human trilogy may conclude on next next-gen consolehttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/21/too-human-trilogy-may-conclude-on-next-next-gen-console/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/21/too-human-trilogy-may-conclude-on-next-next-gen-console/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/21/too-human-trilogy-may-conclude-on-next-next-gen-console/#commentsFiled under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

too human 3

Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack was just keeping it real when he confessed to IGN that the Too Human trilogy might drag on past the Xbox 360's life cycle. Ya think? The ongoing legal drama with Epic is just the latest hiccup in what's close to a decade-long project. (Silicon Knights began development in 1999 and first previewed Too Human, originally a 5-disc PlayStation game, at E3 in 2000.) But if Dyack's prediction comes true, if there is only one 'next next-gen' console, then at least future Too Human sequels will not be slowed by platform transitions.

Dyack's newest estimate for the release of the first game is now "early 2008," curtailing total development time to the 9-year mark and improving the forecast from last week's more broadly cited date of "2008." The first truly playable version of Too Human will apparently be shown to media outlets as early as October.

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]]>DenisDyacklgc07SiliconKnightsTooHumanJames Ransom-Wiley2007-08-21T16:27:00+00:00Too Human release date and demo 'coming soon'http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/20/too-human-release-date-and-demo-coming-soon/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/20/too-human-release-date-and-demo-coming-soon/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/20/too-human-release-date-and-demo-coming-soon/#commentsFiled under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

According to TooHuman.net, Silicon Knights founder Denis Dyack looked up from a huge mound of legal documents on Friday just long enough to leave a brief message on the site's forum regarding the release of Too Human. "It is always darkest before the dawn," said Dyack. "Too Human will be out in 2008. A firm date with tons of new info is coming soon." Given the many delays and uncertainties suffered by the sci-fi actioner since its unveiling, "soon" isn't a word we feel comfortable translating to any sort of time frame (we asked Microsoft to do it instead).

While we await further details, consider Dyack's next statement: "[The new info] will be followed up with a playable demo. The demo will speak for itself." Without stuttering, one would think.

[Update: Microsoft confirms a 2008 release date, but hasn't "made any announcements regarding a demo."]

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]]>DenisDyackSiliconKnightsTooHumanLudwig Kietzmann2007-08-20T12:25:00+00:00Silicon Knights' lawyer responds to Epic countersuithttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/10/silicon-knights-lawyer-responds-to-epic-countersuit/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/10/silicon-knights-lawyer-responds-to-epic-countersuit/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/10/silicon-knights-lawyer-responds-to-epic-countersuit/#commentsFiled under: Culture

GameDaily BIZ has been following the back and forth between Epic and Silicon Knights regarding their dueling lawsuits over the mess that is Too Human and the "inadequacies" of the Unreal Engine 3. Silicon Knights' lawyer has spoken out against Epic's claims that Silicon Nights stole their tech saying SK has now built a "better" engine. The nit-picky part becomes how much of that engine is based of the Unreal Engine 3 tech?

Silicon Knights' attorney, Christopher T. Holland, of a law firm with way too many names, says they'll stand their ground. He says the counterclaim has no merit. Epic is asking for $650,000 in their counterclaim while SK wants "millions of dollars more." Holland also points out that the suit will have no effect on Too Human and that the compensation they are seeking is "based on substantial delay and damages that Epic caused." He goes on to say that the game will come out in a "timely fashion." You know, ignoring the whole two year delay.

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]]>epiclawsuitsiliconknightstoohumanue3unrealengine3Alexander Sliwinski2007-08-10T12:30:00+00:00Mark Rein speaks on Silicon Knights v. Epic suithttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/09/mark-rein-speaks-on-silicon-knights-v-epic-suit/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/09/mark-rein-speaks-on-silicon-knights-v-epic-suit/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/09/mark-rein-speaks-on-silicon-knights-v-epic-suit/#commentsFiled under: Culture, Microsoft Xbox 360

Epic's Mark Rein is standing strong in the face of the Silicon Knights suit over the "inadequacies" of the Unreal Engine 3. In a statement sent out today he says they have "done nothing wrong" and that they are committed to fight against Silicon Knights' "unfounded allegations." Epic has now gone and filed a counterclaim in U.S. District Court saying that Silicon Knights "decided to misappropriate Epic's licensed technology" and that SK's lawsuit has no merit.

There have been some developers who spoke out regarding development issues with Epic's Unreal Engine 3. Sony even admitted their concerns by sending in their own engineers to get the UE3 working on their "timed exclusive" title Unreal Tournament 3 for PS3. Whatever the issue with the engine, the latest bit in this saga revolves around Silicon Knights allegedly co-opting the UE3 tech as their own. Epic says in their suit, "Indeed, the plain language of the Silicon Knights' Complaint makes clear that Silicon Knights wants to take Epic's Licensed Technology, pay nothing for it, and use it any way it pleases." Epic wants "compensatory and punitive damages, the destruction of infringing goods, including infringing computer code, and attorney's fees and costs." This is only going to get bigger before it gets better.

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]]>breakingnewsepiclawsuitsiliconknightsTooHumanUE3unrealengine3Alexander Sliwinski2007-08-09T13:59:00+00:00Developers talk about Unreal Engine 3 lawsuithttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/23/developers-talk-about-unreal-engine-3-lawsuit/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/23/developers-talk-about-unreal-engine-3-lawsuit/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/23/developers-talk-about-unreal-engine-3-lawsuit/#commentsFiled under: Culture, Business

Following the news of Silicon Knights suing Epic games for "inadequacies" with the Unreal Engine 3, ShackNews went ahead and talked to some developers about the issue. Of course, most of the people who spoke against the engine and its licensor Epic (Gears of War, Unreal Tournament 3) did it anonymously -- except for the Postal developers, 'cause they just treat the world with one giant middle finger up in the air, although they did it so softly here with a simple: "It just wasn't the best relationship for us [with Epic]."

The statements pretty much cover the spread from good to bad. The most interesting anonymous source talks about several studios who had various levels of experience with the UE3. The key thing is that the source doesn't believe the problems were "intentionally malicious," but a product of Epic being stretched thin because of their own product development. Interestingly, this is given even more credence by Sony swooping in and lending support to Epic in getting the UE3 working properly with PS3. The question is slowly turning into what did Epic deliver to these developers through their license? How much extra work did these developers have to put into the engine to get it functional? Obviously, Sony felt the need to help out. The Unreal Engine 3 tree is going to continue shaking and we're sure to see more stories fall out very soon. Hopefully, with developers who know what they're talking about and are willing to go on the record.

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]]>dyackepiclawsuitreinsiliconknightsTooHumanUE3unreal engine 3UnrealEngine3Alexander Sliwinski2007-07-23T20:38:00+00:00Silicon Knights sues Epic over Unreal Engine 3 'inadequacies' [Update]http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/19/silicon-knights-sues-epic-over-unreal-engine-3-inadequacies/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/19/silicon-knights-sues-epic-over-unreal-engine-3-inadequacies/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/19/silicon-knights-sues-epic-over-unreal-engine-3-inadequacies/#commentsFiled under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Business

The information is still coming in, but what we do know is that Silicon Knights, creator of the gratuitously delayed Too Human, is suing Epic Games, licensor of the Unreal Engine 3. Epic, who is best known for showing the power of the Unreal Engine 3 in their hit Gears of War, is being sued over "unspecified allegations" relating to the Unreal Engine 3. Mark Rein, VP of Epic says, "This morning we were served with a lawsuit by Silicon Knights. We believe the claims against us are unfounded and without merit and we intend to fully defend against them."

Currently the lawyers are ordering lockdown and Rein says he'll have no choice but to give a "no comment" for a while. Denis Dyack in a statement defends Silicon Knights' actions saying, "We stand behind everything in our complaint and believe it is highly unfortunate that Epic forced us into this situation ... Epic simply refuses to acknowledge the inadequacies of the Unreal Engine 3 code it provides to its licensees and refuses to accept the fact that its code has caused serious damage not only to Silicon Knights, but a number of other developers in the industry. We look forward to successful resolution of our claims in this court proceeding." This is going to get big and bad. At least this may shake out some of the issues other developers say they've been having with the UE3.

Update: More details from the lawsuit appended after the break.

Gamasutra has published an extensive analysis of the lawsuit. The main allegations against Epic involve late delivery of the latest versions of the Unreal 3.0 Engine. Silicon Knights claims that an iteration of the technology, originally promised to follow six months after the arrival of Xbox 360 development kits, arrived too late and effectively derailed its schedule and E3 2006 showing.

The Too Human developer points to Gears of War as evidence that Epic Games was withholding game-specific enhancements to the Unreal engine in order to give its own games preference. The suit notes, "Epic apparently was able to achieve a very usable version of the Engine for the Xbox 360 - the version that it kept to itself, for use only on its Gears of War game (as discussed below), to the detriment of Silicon Knights and Epic's other licensees... Epic's plan to avoid its obligations and hoard all of the necessary functionalities not only harmed Silicon Knights and all of Epic's other licensees in the industry, but also gave Epic a clearly unfair advantage in the industry." The suit goes on to say that "that Epic later provided nearly all the Gears of War code to all of its licensees, at no extra charge, in a belated effort at damage control."

Silicon Knights asserts that the constant delays have prompted it to phase out the Unreal engine and switch future games to a new engine entirely. "Progress on the Silicon Knights' Engine continues to date and, at this time, the Silicon Knights Engine is completely independent of Epic's Engine and certainly derives no benefit from the unworkable source code provided by Epic." The suit notes that "as development of the Silicon Knights Engine continues, the amount of code from Epic's Engine employed by Silicon Knights continues to decrease. After the release of Silicon Knights' Too Human, all Epic code will be removed from the Silicon Knights Engine."

Interestingly, Silicon Knights also licensed the PlayStation 3 variant of Epic's technology, most likely for use in its previously announced Sega project. "More recently, Epic has breached its Agreement with Silicon Knights yet again by missing the six-month deadline for release of an Engine that works on the Playstation 3. Final development kits for that console were released in and around mid-August, 2006, making the functional Engine due to Silicon Knights in February, 2007. Silicon Knights has received no such Engine from Epic."

One might venture that just such a situation may have caused Koei to abandon the PS3 version of Fatal Inertia -- despite Epic's own Unreal Tournament III gliding happily onto the PlayStation 3. It's irresponsible and impossible to draw conclusions at this point, though we'll surely hear much more about this situation in the coming weeks.

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]]>breakingnewsepiclawsuitsiliconknightsTooHumanUE3Alexander Sliwinski2007-07-19T18:02:00+00:00Ohhh, is that where Too Human was during E3?http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/18/ohhh-is-that-where-too-human-was-during-e3/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/18/ohhh-is-that-where-too-human-was-during-e3/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/18/ohhh-is-that-where-too-human-was-during-e3/#commentsFiled under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

We'd be lying if we said Too Human's absence from the "everything this year" Microsoft press conference wasn't noticed. Especially considering Too Human is still theoretically supposed to come out this year. How many times must Denis Dyack and the team at Silicon Knights have lemon juice poured into their papercut wounds caused by the stammering flipbook presentation of Too Human at E3 2006? Well, until we play a version of Too Human that doesn't look like a Ray Harryhausen stop-motion monster (and if Harryhausen had computers we couldn't even say that). With Halo 3 and Mass Effect already slated for this holiday season, we're already feeling like we'll be stuffed with sci-fi epics -- so will Too Human make it on the plate?

Dyack tells GameDaily, "We made the decision not to show Too Human at the press conference some time ago. The reason for this decision was that we have another event planned in the future for Too Human that we thought would be more appropriate ... Not attending the show and setting appointments with the press was due to Silicon Knights being extremely busy finalizing the game and we simply could not spare the time." Microsoft, who is publishing the game, apparently didn't want to comment on the story. Too Human did show off some in-game engine footage recently, but for a game that is supposedly still coming out this year -- and was already expected last year -- we've heard next to nothing about it.

Update: We got an email from Eurogamer letting us know that during an interview they did last week the soon-to-be dearly departed Peter Moore said Too Human would be shown in 2008. The wording of the quote doesn't help explain if Moore is saying Too Human will be out in 2008 or just shown at next year's E3 -- whenever and whatever that might be.

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]]>dyacke3missingtoohumanxboxAlexander Sliwinski2007-07-18T21:55:00+00:00Dennis Dyack says nay to the enthusiast press, againhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/30/dennis-dyack-says-nay-to-the-enthusiast-press-again/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/30/dennis-dyack-says-nay-to-the-enthusiast-press-again/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/30/dennis-dyack-says-nay-to-the-enthusiast-press-again/#commentsFiled under: Culture, Microsoft Xbox 360

In a perfect world the press would not see a game until it was finished. Developers would have all the time in the world to enrich a product with both labor and love "until it's done." We would critique games as a legitimate form of media and wear leather clothes that will last the rest of our lives.

Dennis Dyack wants a perfect world.

The president of Silicon Knights was certainly better composed in his lengthy interview with Gamasutra compared to his now infamous appearance on the EGM Live podcast (3/12/07). His idea is this: we, the press, should not be allowed to see titles before their completed state as to foster a critical approach to games. Furthermore, said games should not be promoted until they are completed.

The idea being that if we're ever to take this absurd past time of fiddling with joysticks and turn it into a legitimate medium, we need to become more like Roger Ebert (who hates video games) and less like Tony Stark and Miss Cleo. There are a few road blocks on the way to utopia as most publishers would balk at the idea of sitting on titles and not letting the press do their marketing for them. And you? The readers? We reward you for not using your noodle and jumping straight to a score that (supposedly) proves superiority over other titles.

Some day, Mr. Dyack. Some day we may live in a perfect world. But until then it's nothing but good ol' fashioned compromise and crotch sniffing for us!

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]]>dennisdyacksiliconknightstoohumanJared Rea2007-04-30T20:05:00+00:00Dyack breaks Too Human silence, talks four player co-ophttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/17/dyack-breaks-too-human-silence-talks-four-player-co-op/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/17/dyack-breaks-too-human-silence-talks-four-player-co-op/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/17/dyack-breaks-too-human-silence-talks-four-player-co-op/#commentsFiled under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

If you're Denis Dyack and the crew over at Silicon Knights you've had a rough time since last year's E3. The company unleashed on the gaming press and attendees the stunningly awful demo for Too Human, which ran like a stuttering flip book and played like a poor man's God of War -- like cat food is all you've got left to eat poor. Dennis Dyack is now breaking the silence by plopping a big ol' exclusive over at IGN and saying Too Human is too different now. He just wants people to M.I.B. flashy-thingy last year's demo from their memory. The big shiny reveal for this too new Too Human is the very ambitious four-player cooperative mode that can be played over Xbox Live.

Dyack says, "With Too Human, we're trying to seamlessly integrate multiplayer with the single-player. If you're really going to do that, you should be able to jump in any time, anywhere and go on a 15-minute mission with friends or play five or six hours straight if you want to. In order to do that, the world has to be pretty open and hub-based so you can jump anywhere and come back very much like Diablo."

The cooperative mode will have players utilizing different character classes in a team structure. There are five initial classes to choose from and more will be available through downloadable content -- the talk of downloadable content in the piece smacks of trying to regain lost development revenue, otherwise why not just put it in the game upfront? Dyack says the single-player campaign is balanced differently from cooperative to keep players on an even playing field.

IGN talks about the game a bit saying, "It's functional, it's fun, but so far it lacks the graphic umph that we would like to see accompany the combat scenes, especially since they play such an integral role to the game ... the fluidity, which drops below 30 frames per second, should be locked." Dyack says they haven't optimized the frame rate yet (video after break) and that they're going "to hit a solid 30 frames per second." We hope so ... we really hope so. Last year's lashing will be nothing compared to what Silicon Nights will experience after an extra year of development and delivering another Too Human flip book simulator.

See also: Too Human's Dennis Dyack pokes fun at Penny Arcade

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]]>DenisDyackIGNSiliconKnightsTooHumanAlexander Sliwinski2007-04-17T21:54:00+00:00Too Human's Denis Dyack pokes fun at Penny Arcade gamehttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/23/too-humans-denis-dyack-pokes-fun-at-penny-arcade-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/23/too-humans-denis-dyack-pokes-fun-at-penny-arcade-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/23/too-humans-denis-dyack-pokes-fun-at-penny-arcade-game/#commentsFiled under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Business

Ever since Too Human got savaged by the press for sporting a decidedly wonky framerate at E3 2006, Silicon Knights frontman, Denis Dyack, has been somewhat frigid towards the issue of unfinished games and the media's ability to influence opinion based on early code. Not too long ago, the first part in the sci-fi action trilogy emerged from a "very cold place," hoping to set things back on track and get people to focus on all the good things that were, perhaps unfairly, overlooked in favor of counting the number of frames per second. The Penny Arcade duo has discussed (some would say dissed) the game several times in the past, most recently posting a comic literally illustrating the dangers of revealing premature products.

Dyack has continued the trend by posting his own modified Penny Arcade strip on his IGN blog, taking a jab at the generally unfavorable reaction to Gabe and Tycho's upcoming foray into interactivity. With the greener shoe now on the other end of the turning tables (or something along those lines), it becomes clear that presenting your unfinished game to the public is a tricky business indeed. Perhaps that's too serious a tone to end on considering Dyack's amusing contribution, but it's an interesting dilemma nonetheless.

How do you convey the big picture in a cursory glance? When do you show too much and when do you show too little?

[Thanks, Adam]

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]]>Denis DyackDenisDyackGabePenny ArcadePennyArcadeSilicon KnightsSiliconKnightsToo HumanTooHumanTychoLudwig Kietzmann2007-03-23T19:44:00+00:00Too Human emerging from a "very cold place"http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/25/too-human-emerging-from-a-very-cold-place/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/25/too-human-emerging-from-a-very-cold-place/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/25/too-human-emerging-from-a-very-cold-place/#commentsFiled under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Adventure

impressed?

Silicon's Knights founder Denis Dyack crawls out from a dark hole to deliver a new Too Human screenshot (pictured) and a few promises. Too Human went AWOL after its sketchy E3 showing (slide show, anyone?), but Dyack vows the game has undergone some significant tuning. The evidence is in the image, he claims. Hmmm ... maybe we're missing a cybernetic upgrade or something, but we're not able to judge frame rate, camera movement, and load times from a still shot. But oh yes, those are indeed some soft shadows...

Microsoft is expecting Too Human by July. The onus is on Silicon Knights to deliver. Is the pain from shame enough to drive this project beyond crushed expectations? We can't wait for this one to be dumped outta its ice bucket.

[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]

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]]>360Denis DyackDenisDyackE3Silicon KinghtsSiliconKinghtsToo HumanTooHumanXbox 360Xbox360James Ransom-Wiley2007-01-25T22:25:00+00:00