Earlier this week, rumors swirled that THQ had canceled its entire 2014 online games lineup and that the publisher had relinquished rights to a Disney intellectual property. THQ denied that speculation, and now it appears the Disney IP in question could be none other than an adaptation of Pixar's upcoming animated film Brave.
It appears THQ and Behaviour are getting <i>Brave</i>.
It appears THQ and Behaviour are getting Brave.
A listing for "Brave" on the Australian government's Office of Film and Literature Classification website (as spotted by Joystiq) notes that THQ is the publisher of a Behaviour Interactive-developed game based on the film Brave. That film--Pixar's 13th motion picture and its first with a female lead--is due out this summer.
THQ has a history of working on Pixar games. The publisher has worked on numerous Pixar titles from film franchises like Cars, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles. Additionally, Behaviour Interactive (formerly Artificial Mind & Movement) developed 2001's Monster's Inc., also a china tours Pixar property.
That said, the most recent Pixar video games--Toy Story 3: The Video Game and Cars 2: The Video Game--were published by Disney Interactive.
As of press time, THQ had not responded to GameSpot's request for comment.
2012年1月19日星期四
EA stock tanks on Star Wars: The Old Republic fears
US markets are largely positive today, due in large part to positive earnings-season economic data and strengthening unemployment data, according to a consensus of financial reporters. However, such is not the case for Electronic Arts, which is trading down more than 6 percent after Brean Murray Carret & Co. analyst Todd Mitchell lowered the company's price target from $28 to $22.
Mitchell may be performing Jedi mind tricks on investors.
Mitchell may be performing Jedi mind tricks on investors.
As reported by Market Watch, Mitchell's reassessment of EA came about due to what he termed "creeping concerns" over the future of EA's recently launched massively multiplayer online role-playing game Star Wars: The Old Republic.
"Specifically, initial sales appear to be below expectations, and casual observation of early play is causing us to rethink our churn assumptions," Mitchell said in a note to investors.
Released to a strong critical reception on December 20, The Old Republic sold more than 1 million units during its first week of availability. That tally proved to be more than what EA could handle, as the game's launch was marred by long wait times to access many servers.
Mitchell's analysis of The Old Republic's situation isn't without its detractors. Speaking with GameSpot, Electronic Entertainment Design and Research's Jesse Divnich emphasized that it is far too early to measure the game's long-term potential.
"Some sell-side analysts have such bad tunnel vision on the market that they fail to understand the mechanics of the MMO vertical," Divnich said. "Whether MMO, console online games, mobile, or social, each have a completely different business model. It is erroneous to apply success metrics from other verticals to the MMO market and that is exactly what a lot of analysts are doing."
Divnich also noted that EA still has a number of options to boost china tours player numbers and engagement, should the company deem it necessary.
Baird & Co. analyst Colin Sebastian echoed Divnich's sentiment, telling GameSpot, "The game doesn't appear to be the smash hit that some had [thought], but I think it's way too early to be signing the death warrant."
Mitchell may be performing Jedi mind tricks on investors.
Mitchell may be performing Jedi mind tricks on investors.
As reported by Market Watch, Mitchell's reassessment of EA came about due to what he termed "creeping concerns" over the future of EA's recently launched massively multiplayer online role-playing game Star Wars: The Old Republic.
"Specifically, initial sales appear to be below expectations, and casual observation of early play is causing us to rethink our churn assumptions," Mitchell said in a note to investors.
Released to a strong critical reception on December 20, The Old Republic sold more than 1 million units during its first week of availability. That tally proved to be more than what EA could handle, as the game's launch was marred by long wait times to access many servers.
Mitchell's analysis of The Old Republic's situation isn't without its detractors. Speaking with GameSpot, Electronic Entertainment Design and Research's Jesse Divnich emphasized that it is far too early to measure the game's long-term potential.
"Some sell-side analysts have such bad tunnel vision on the market that they fail to understand the mechanics of the MMO vertical," Divnich said. "Whether MMO, console online games, mobile, or social, each have a completely different business model. It is erroneous to apply success metrics from other verticals to the MMO market and that is exactly what a lot of analysts are doing."
Divnich also noted that EA still has a number of options to boost china tours player numbers and engagement, should the company deem it necessary.
Baird & Co. analyst Colin Sebastian echoed Divnich's sentiment, telling GameSpot, "The game doesn't appear to be the smash hit that some had [thought], but I think it's way too early to be signing the death warrant."
Skyrim PC Creation Kit on track for January
January may be well past its midway point, but it doesn't appear as if Bethesda Softworks will miss its promise to deliver The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim's Creation Kit by the end of the month. In an update on the game's status today, Bethesda confirmed that the Creation Kit and Steam Workshop have entered final testing in advance of their launch on PC toward the end of January.
My Little Pony mods can soon be given the justice they so online games deserve.
My Little Pony mods can soon be given the justice they so deserve.
Designed to support the modding community, the Creation Kit gives gamers access to Bethesda's own development tools to make new Skyrim content. Likewise, Valve's Steam Workshop tool for Skyrim will aid PC gamers in finding and installing community-created game mods.
Bethesda also confirmed today that Skyrim's 1.4 update has entered a testing phase on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. The update includes a variety of bug fixes and optimization patches, and a full list of tweaks can be found on the developer's website. Bethesda expects to conclude work on the update and submit it to Sony and Microsoft next china tours week.
For more information, check out GameSpot's previous coverage of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
My Little Pony mods can soon be given the justice they so online games deserve.
My Little Pony mods can soon be given the justice they so deserve.
Designed to support the modding community, the Creation Kit gives gamers access to Bethesda's own development tools to make new Skyrim content. Likewise, Valve's Steam Workshop tool for Skyrim will aid PC gamers in finding and installing community-created game mods.
Bethesda also confirmed today that Skyrim's 1.4 update has entered a testing phase on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. The update includes a variety of bug fixes and optimization patches, and a full list of tweaks can be found on the developer's website. Bethesda expects to conclude work on the update and submit it to Sony and Microsoft next china tours week.
For more information, check out GameSpot's previous coverage of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
Activision recounts 'massive' Modern Warfare 3 leak
In May, a hefty information dump revealed numerous marquee components and intelligence about Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. The game went on to become a big hit, hauling in a billion dollars in 16 days, but that doesn't mean Activision was pleased with the leak happening in the first place.
Modern Warfare 3 was exposed earlier than Activision planned.
Activision publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg has publicly recounted the events of the leak in a video at AdAge. During the talk, Hirshberg revealed several nuggets of information concerning the leak, including how it was his "first real crisis on the job." At the time of the leak, Hirshberg had been with Activision for only a little over a year.
Explaining the leak, Hirshberg said, "It wasn't on our timetable; we didn't instigate it. But it's out there, and we can't pull it back in. We weren't ready for this, but we had to online games deal with it."
Hirshberg called a meeting (which he said lasted for half a day) with those affected on the day of the leak. During this meeting, Hirshberg said he stressed one idea in particular:
"Our job today is to complete this sentence: 'If this leak had never happened, we would have never been able to do ______ .' And if we could complete that sentence, then we could go to bed tonight having turned a crisis into an opportunity," he said.
Hirshberg admitted that the leak exposed details about Modern Warfare 3 to only a "very small percentage of the population," calling those persons the "core-most, china tours enthusiast fans."
Regardless, Hirshberg stressed that the "greatest value in this digital, connected world is the value of transparency." And for this reason, he said it was important to him to "be straight with people."
Managing the situation with this in mind, Hirshberg said he took the "fire of interest" that was created with the leak and "poured gasoline on it."
To do this, Hirshberg said he initiated a plan to release new assets for the game on the same day as the leak. The executive said these assets--videos and art distributed through the company's Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages--were supposed to be released four weeks later but were pushed up to embrace the situation instead of avoiding it.
For more on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, check out GameSpot's review.
Modern Warfare 3 was exposed earlier than Activision planned.
Activision publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg has publicly recounted the events of the leak in a video at AdAge. During the talk, Hirshberg revealed several nuggets of information concerning the leak, including how it was his "first real crisis on the job." At the time of the leak, Hirshberg had been with Activision for only a little over a year.
Explaining the leak, Hirshberg said, "It wasn't on our timetable; we didn't instigate it. But it's out there, and we can't pull it back in. We weren't ready for this, but we had to online games deal with it."
Hirshberg called a meeting (which he said lasted for half a day) with those affected on the day of the leak. During this meeting, Hirshberg said he stressed one idea in particular:
"Our job today is to complete this sentence: 'If this leak had never happened, we would have never been able to do ______ .' And if we could complete that sentence, then we could go to bed tonight having turned a crisis into an opportunity," he said.
Hirshberg admitted that the leak exposed details about Modern Warfare 3 to only a "very small percentage of the population," calling those persons the "core-most, china tours enthusiast fans."
Regardless, Hirshberg stressed that the "greatest value in this digital, connected world is the value of transparency." And for this reason, he said it was important to him to "be straight with people."
Managing the situation with this in mind, Hirshberg said he took the "fire of interest" that was created with the leak and "poured gasoline on it."
To do this, Hirshberg said he initiated a plan to release new assets for the game on the same day as the leak. The executive said these assets--videos and art distributed through the company's Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages--were supposed to be released four weeks later but were pushed up to embrace the situation instead of avoiding it.
For more on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, check out GameSpot's review.
Microsoft sells 8.2 million Xbox 360s in holiday quarter
Microsoft's online games unit is on a hot streak. Last week, Microsoft announced that the Xbox 360 scored $6.7 billion in 2011 from games, accessories, and hardware. Today, the company put that number in perspective, noting the Microsoft's Entertainment & Devices Division (which includes the Xbox business) posted $4.24 billion in revenue for the three-month period ended December 31, 2011.
Microsoft sold 8.2 million Xbox 360s in its latest quarter.
That figure represents a 15 percent surge from the $3.7 billion the division took in during the same period a year prior. Microsoft said it sold 8.2 million Xbox 360s during the quarter, up 27 percent from the 6.3 million it sold during the same period a year ago.
Xbox 360 revenue grew 9 percent, or $322 million, during the quarter, led by hardware sales and increased Xbox Live income. However, revenue was offset by slowing sales of Kinect devices.
Microsoft also reiterated that it has sold 66 million Xbox 360 units life-to-date worldwide and 18 million Kinect devices. Additionally, Microsoft said Xbox Live now has 40 million users, up 33 percent from this time last year.
The division had a strong run, but Microsoft's total take during the quarter did not jump by as high a china tours margin. Quarterly revenue for Microsoft was $20.89 billion, up 5 percent from the same period last year. Microsoft's Business Division hauled $6.28 billion during the quarter, up 3 percent from the year prior. The Server & Tools unit of Microsoft took in $4.77 billion during the three-month period, representing an 11 percent uptick from the prior year's haul.
Not all Microsoft business units posted positive numbers. Microsoft's Windows and Windows Live Division took in revenue of $4.74 billion, which marks a 6 percent decline from the prior year. Microsoft also updated its Windows 7 license sales figure, saying that it has sold over 525 million licenses of the operating system since launch.
The Online Services Division of Microsoft tallied revenue of $784 million, marking a 10 percent increase from the year prior. Finally, Microsoft said it is revising its operating expense guidance down to $28.5 billion to $28.9 billion for the full year ending June 30, 2012.
Microsoft sold 8.2 million Xbox 360s in its latest quarter.
That figure represents a 15 percent surge from the $3.7 billion the division took in during the same period a year prior. Microsoft said it sold 8.2 million Xbox 360s during the quarter, up 27 percent from the 6.3 million it sold during the same period a year ago.
Xbox 360 revenue grew 9 percent, or $322 million, during the quarter, led by hardware sales and increased Xbox Live income. However, revenue was offset by slowing sales of Kinect devices.
Microsoft also reiterated that it has sold 66 million Xbox 360 units life-to-date worldwide and 18 million Kinect devices. Additionally, Microsoft said Xbox Live now has 40 million users, up 33 percent from this time last year.
The division had a strong run, but Microsoft's total take during the quarter did not jump by as high a china tours margin. Quarterly revenue for Microsoft was $20.89 billion, up 5 percent from the same period last year. Microsoft's Business Division hauled $6.28 billion during the quarter, up 3 percent from the year prior. The Server & Tools unit of Microsoft took in $4.77 billion during the three-month period, representing an 11 percent uptick from the prior year's haul.
Not all Microsoft business units posted positive numbers. Microsoft's Windows and Windows Live Division took in revenue of $4.74 billion, which marks a 6 percent decline from the prior year. Microsoft also updated its Windows 7 license sales figure, saying that it has sold over 525 million licenses of the operating system since launch.
The Online Services Division of Microsoft tallied revenue of $784 million, marking a 10 percent increase from the year prior. Finally, Microsoft said it is revising its operating expense guidance down to $28.5 billion to $28.9 billion for the full year ending June 30, 2012.
2012年1月18日星期三
L.A. Noire short story anthology due June 6
Rockstar has been pushing into a number of different media to promote the release of Team Bondi's L.A. Noire. Last month, the Take-Two subsidiary demoed the cinematic crime drama at the Tribeca Film Festival, the first online games to be shown in such a way. Rockstar also believes L.A. Noire's plot stands up in the literary realm, as the publisher today announced a short story anthology for the game.
Rockstar has tapped eight writers to craft stories based in L.A. Noire's world for inclusion in the anthology. Pulitzer Prize nominee Joyce Carol Oates is the most recognizable of these names, which also include Megan Abbott, Lawrence Block, Joe Lansdale, Francine Prose, Jonathan Santlofer, Duane Swierczynski, and Andrew Vachss.
Masters of the story trade will be telling their own L.A. Noire shorts.
Masters of the story trade will be telling their own L.A. Noire shorts.
The collected stories will feature many of the characters china tours and cases that play out in the game itself. Plotlines teased by Rockstar include an actress craving Hollywood fame, as well as tales of broken heroes and prototypical Noir villains.
As for the game, L.A. Noire follows Detective Phelps as he becomes entangled in a violent web of vice, corruption, and crime in 1940s Los Angeles. Players jump into the seedy underworld of the metropolis and are tasked with solving a series of murders in what Rockstar describes as an "open-ended challenge."
L.A. Noire: The Collected Stories will be available as an e-book through major retailers beginning June 6, and an excerpt of Megan Abbott's "The Girl" is now available through Rockstar's website. The game itself is expected to arrive for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on May 17.
Rockstar has tapped eight writers to craft stories based in L.A. Noire's world for inclusion in the anthology. Pulitzer Prize nominee Joyce Carol Oates is the most recognizable of these names, which also include Megan Abbott, Lawrence Block, Joe Lansdale, Francine Prose, Jonathan Santlofer, Duane Swierczynski, and Andrew Vachss.
Masters of the story trade will be telling their own L.A. Noire shorts.
Masters of the story trade will be telling their own L.A. Noire shorts.
The collected stories will feature many of the characters china tours and cases that play out in the game itself. Plotlines teased by Rockstar include an actress craving Hollywood fame, as well as tales of broken heroes and prototypical Noir villains.
As for the game, L.A. Noire follows Detective Phelps as he becomes entangled in a violent web of vice, corruption, and crime in 1940s Los Angeles. Players jump into the seedy underworld of the metropolis and are tasked with solving a series of murders in what Rockstar describes as an "open-ended challenge."
L.A. Noire: The Collected Stories will be available as an e-book through major retailers beginning June 6, and an excerpt of Megan Abbott's "The Girl" is now available through Rockstar's website. The game itself is expected to arrive for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on May 17.
Resistance 3 demo rising with Battle: LA Blu-ray
PlayStation 3 gamers eager to launch into Resistance 3 already know that they have the opportunity to secure a multiplayer beta test slot by picking up a copy of the now-available SOCOM 4. Now, those eager to get an advanced look at the online games single-player story arc also have an option prior to the PS3-exclusive shooter's September 6 ship date.
G4 reports today that those who pick up the Blu-ray release of Columbia Pictures' Aaron Eckhart-led spring blockbuster Battle: Los Angeles will gain access to a 30-minute playable demo for Resistance 3. Battle: Los Angeles' Blu-ray release is scheduled for June 14, and the demo can be accessed from the movie's disc.
Slavering aliens notwithstanding, Wrightsburg really is a lovely town.
Slavering aliens notwithstanding, Wrightsburg really is a lovely town.
In the sampler, gamers will join protagonist Joseph Capelli and a companion as they journey down the Mississippi river on a boat, passing through the flooded town of Wrightsburg, Missouri. For an idea of what to expect from the Resistance 3 demo, check out GameSpot's preview of the level.
Resistance 3 is set in an alternate reality during the year 1957, after thechina tours is overrun by a hostile alien race called the Chimera. It will follow the aforementioned Capelli, an ex-soldier, who is hiding out from the Chimera with his family and several other survivors. Besides offering 3D and PlayStation Move support, the game will boast several multiplayer modes for up to 16 people.
G4 reports today that those who pick up the Blu-ray release of Columbia Pictures' Aaron Eckhart-led spring blockbuster Battle: Los Angeles will gain access to a 30-minute playable demo for Resistance 3. Battle: Los Angeles' Blu-ray release is scheduled for June 14, and the demo can be accessed from the movie's disc.
Slavering aliens notwithstanding, Wrightsburg really is a lovely town.
Slavering aliens notwithstanding, Wrightsburg really is a lovely town.
In the sampler, gamers will join protagonist Joseph Capelli and a companion as they journey down the Mississippi river on a boat, passing through the flooded town of Wrightsburg, Missouri. For an idea of what to expect from the Resistance 3 demo, check out GameSpot's preview of the level.
Resistance 3 is set in an alternate reality during the year 1957, after thechina tours is overrun by a hostile alien race called the Chimera. It will follow the aforementioned Capelli, an ex-soldier, who is hiding out from the Chimera with his family and several other survivors. Besides offering 3D and PlayStation Move support, the game will boast several multiplayer modes for up to 16 people.
Tomb Raider film gets Iron Man writers
Lara Croft is expected to return to the silver screen in 2013, marking a full decade since Angelina Jolie last portrayed the Square Enix-owned action heroine in Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life. While it remains to be seen who will replace Jolie in the lead role, GK Films today online games announced Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby will be the writing team to put words in her mouth.
Fergus and Ostby are perhaps most known for adapting Marvel Entertainment's Iron Man comic for the big screen in 2008. The two also worked on the Oscar-nominated script for Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men, as well as Warner Bros.'s proposed adaptation of the heralded Japanese anime Akira.
Two men have been charged with capturing the spirit of Lara Croft.
Two men have been charged with capturing the spirit of Lara Croft.
GK Films, which acquired the rights to create a new film franchise based on the Crystal Dynamics-created property in March, said that Fergus and Ostby china tours will be going back to Lara Croft's roots with the first installment in the planned series.
"We aim to write an origin story for Lara Croft that solidifies her place alongside Ellen Ripley and Sarah Connor in the pantheon of great female action heroes," Fergus and Ostby said in a statement. Crystal Dynamics has previously noted that its next game set in the Tomb Raider franchise will also tell a Lara Croft origin story.
GK Films has previously announced that Graham King and Tim Headington will serve in producing roles for the film. Actors have yet to be cast for the film.
Fergus and Ostby are perhaps most known for adapting Marvel Entertainment's Iron Man comic for the big screen in 2008. The two also worked on the Oscar-nominated script for Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men, as well as Warner Bros.'s proposed adaptation of the heralded Japanese anime Akira.
Two men have been charged with capturing the spirit of Lara Croft.
Two men have been charged with capturing the spirit of Lara Croft.
GK Films, which acquired the rights to create a new film franchise based on the Crystal Dynamics-created property in March, said that Fergus and Ostby china tours will be going back to Lara Croft's roots with the first installment in the planned series.
"We aim to write an origin story for Lara Croft that solidifies her place alongside Ellen Ripley and Sarah Connor in the pantheon of great female action heroes," Fergus and Ostby said in a statement. Crystal Dynamics has previously noted that its next game set in the Tomb Raider franchise will also tell a Lara Croft origin story.
GK Films has previously announced that Graham King and Tim Headington will serve in producing roles for the film. Actors have yet to be cast for the film.
Smithsonian selects top 80 games from past 40 years
The Smithsonian American Art Museum has since February been soliciting gamers' opinions on the most creative and influential games of all time for an upcoming exhibit devoted to the interactive medium. Today, the US-funded institution announced the results of that polling process, selecting 80 games from five different eras spanning the past 40 years to be a part of the Art of Video Games exhibit.
Starting from the earliest era, the Smithsonian exhibit will feature the likes of Pac-Man, Space Invaders, Donkey Kong, and Utopia. online games from this era were pulled from the Atari 2600, Colecovision, and Intellivision. The second era spotlights the NES, Sega Master System, and Commodore 64, with representative games including Sid Meier's Pirates, Super Mario Bros., and Marble Madness.
Marble Madness will be one of more than 80 games to be part of the Smithsonian's exhibit.
Marble Madness will be one of more than 80 games to be part of the Smithsonian's exhibit.
The third era concerns itself with Nintendo's and Sega's feuding SNES and Genesis systems. From the former were drawn Nintendo staples such as Super Mario World and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, while the latter included Phantasy Star IV. Sony enters the picture with the PlayStation in era four, while Sega bows out with the Dreamcast.
The fifth era concerns itself with the two most recent generations in gaming, encompassing Nintendo's GameCube and Wii, Microsoft's Xbox and Xbox 360, and Sony's PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3. The era also includes a variety of popular PC china tours, such as Portal and Minecraft.
The Art of Video Games exhibit will open in Washington, DC, on March 16, 2012, and will run through September 30, 2012.
Era 1: Start!
Atari VCS
Pac-Man
Pitfall
Space Invaders
Combat
Colecovision
Donkey Kong
Pitfall II: Lost Caverns
Zaxxon
Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator
Mattel Intellivision
Tron: Maze-Atron
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
Star Strike
Utopia
Era 2: 8-Bit
Commodore 64
Jumpman
The Bard's Tale III: Thief of Fate
Attack of the Mutant Camels
Sid Meier's Pirates!
Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Mario Bros.
The Legend of Zelda
1943: The Battle of Midway
Desert Commander
Sega Master System
Marble Madness
Phantasy Star
After Burner
Spy vs. Spy
Era 3: Bitwars!
Sega Genesis
Earthworm Jim
Phantasy Star IV
Gunstar Heroes
Dune II: Battle for Arrakis
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Mario World
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Star Fox
SimCity
Era 4: Transition
DOS/Windows
Doom II
Fallout
Diablo II
StarCraft
Nintendo 64
Super Mario 64
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Goldeneye 007
Worms Armageddon
Sega Dreamcast
Sonic Adventure
Shenmue
Rez
Chu Chu Rocket!
Sega Saturn
Tomb Raider
Panzer Dragoon Saga
Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei
Sim City 2000
Sony PlayStation
Metal Gear Solid
Final Fantasy VII
Einhander
Final Fantasy Tactics
Era 5: Next Generation
Microsoft Xbox
Halo 2
Fable
Panzer Dragoon Orta
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
Microsoft Xbox 360
BioShock
Mass Effect 2
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved
Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth II
Modern Windows
Portal
Fallout 3
flOw
Minecraft
Nintendo GameCube
Metroid Prime 2: Echos
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Star Fox: Assault
Pikmin 2
Nintendo Wii
Super Mario Galaxy 2
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Boom Blox
Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure
Sony PlayStation 2
Shadow of the Colossus
Okami
Gradius V
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Sony PlayStation 3
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Heavy Rain
Flower
Brutal Legend
Additional Games (available for short play in exhibit, not included in vote)
Pac-Man (Arcade)
Super Mario Bros.
The Secret of Monkey Island
Myst
World of Warcraft
Starting from the earliest era, the Smithsonian exhibit will feature the likes of Pac-Man, Space Invaders, Donkey Kong, and Utopia. online games from this era were pulled from the Atari 2600, Colecovision, and Intellivision. The second era spotlights the NES, Sega Master System, and Commodore 64, with representative games including Sid Meier's Pirates, Super Mario Bros., and Marble Madness.
Marble Madness will be one of more than 80 games to be part of the Smithsonian's exhibit.
Marble Madness will be one of more than 80 games to be part of the Smithsonian's exhibit.
The third era concerns itself with Nintendo's and Sega's feuding SNES and Genesis systems. From the former were drawn Nintendo staples such as Super Mario World and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, while the latter included Phantasy Star IV. Sony enters the picture with the PlayStation in era four, while Sega bows out with the Dreamcast.
The fifth era concerns itself with the two most recent generations in gaming, encompassing Nintendo's GameCube and Wii, Microsoft's Xbox and Xbox 360, and Sony's PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3. The era also includes a variety of popular PC china tours, such as Portal and Minecraft.
The Art of Video Games exhibit will open in Washington, DC, on March 16, 2012, and will run through September 30, 2012.
Era 1: Start!
Atari VCS
Pac-Man
Pitfall
Space Invaders
Combat
Colecovision
Donkey Kong
Pitfall II: Lost Caverns
Zaxxon
Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator
Mattel Intellivision
Tron: Maze-Atron
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
Star Strike
Utopia
Era 2: 8-Bit
Commodore 64
Jumpman
The Bard's Tale III: Thief of Fate
Attack of the Mutant Camels
Sid Meier's Pirates!
Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Mario Bros.
The Legend of Zelda
1943: The Battle of Midway
Desert Commander
Sega Master System
Marble Madness
Phantasy Star
After Burner
Spy vs. Spy
Era 3: Bitwars!
Sega Genesis
Earthworm Jim
Phantasy Star IV
Gunstar Heroes
Dune II: Battle for Arrakis
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Mario World
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Star Fox
SimCity
Era 4: Transition
DOS/Windows
Doom II
Fallout
Diablo II
StarCraft
Nintendo 64
Super Mario 64
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Goldeneye 007
Worms Armageddon
Sega Dreamcast
Sonic Adventure
Shenmue
Rez
Chu Chu Rocket!
Sega Saturn
Tomb Raider
Panzer Dragoon Saga
Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei
Sim City 2000
Sony PlayStation
Metal Gear Solid
Final Fantasy VII
Einhander
Final Fantasy Tactics
Era 5: Next Generation
Microsoft Xbox
Halo 2
Fable
Panzer Dragoon Orta
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
Microsoft Xbox 360
BioShock
Mass Effect 2
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved
Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth II
Modern Windows
Portal
Fallout 3
flOw
Minecraft
Nintendo GameCube
Metroid Prime 2: Echos
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Star Fox: Assault
Pikmin 2
Nintendo Wii
Super Mario Galaxy 2
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Boom Blox
Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure
Sony PlayStation 2
Shadow of the Colossus
Okami
Gradius V
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Sony PlayStation 3
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Heavy Rain
Flower
Brutal Legend
Additional Games (available for short play in exhibit, not included in vote)
Pac-Man (Arcade)
Super Mario Bros.
The Secret of Monkey Island
Myst
World of Warcraft
David Braben designs $25 computer
Frontier Developments chairman David Braben helped shape the gaming industry with the seminal PC space trading sim Elite, but now he's hoping to shape society at large. The developer has unveiled a prototype of Raspberry Pi, a new computer online games small enough to be mistaken for a USB thumb drive and economical enough to cost just $25.
The computer will sport a USB port on one end and an HDMI port on the other for hooking up to a TV or other monitor. Plans right now call for the unit to include a 700MHz processor, 128MB of SDRAM, and free open-source software like the Ubuntu operating china tours system and the programming language Python.
The Raspberry Pi is barely bigger than pocket change, and not too much more expensive.
The Raspberry Pi is barely bigger than pocket change, and not too much more expensive.
Raspberry Pi is expected to be just the first offering from The Raspberry Pi Foundation, a UK registered charity "which exists to promote the study of computer science and related topics, especially at school level, and to put the fun back into learning computing." The group is also designing Raspberry Pi with the intention that it could be implemented with a touch screen to create an inexpensive tablet computer, and hopes it will be used in both developed countries and the developing world.
"A lot of things have been obfuscated these days, in the sense that you can't get at them," Braben told the BBC News. "There's so much between you and doing something interesting or creative that gets in the way. Hopefully this will be one of the pieces that helps change that."
Ideally, Braben said the computers could be given away to British schoolchildren to help them engage in the creative side of things they previously knew only as consumers. The group hopes to roll out its first offering within 12 months.
http://www.onlinegamesinfun.com/
The computer will sport a USB port on one end and an HDMI port on the other for hooking up to a TV or other monitor. Plans right now call for the unit to include a 700MHz processor, 128MB of SDRAM, and free open-source software like the Ubuntu operating china tours system and the programming language Python.
The Raspberry Pi is barely bigger than pocket change, and not too much more expensive.
The Raspberry Pi is barely bigger than pocket change, and not too much more expensive.
Raspberry Pi is expected to be just the first offering from The Raspberry Pi Foundation, a UK registered charity "which exists to promote the study of computer science and related topics, especially at school level, and to put the fun back into learning computing." The group is also designing Raspberry Pi with the intention that it could be implemented with a touch screen to create an inexpensive tablet computer, and hopes it will be used in both developed countries and the developing world.
"A lot of things have been obfuscated these days, in the sense that you can't get at them," Braben told the BBC News. "There's so much between you and doing something interesting or creative that gets in the way. Hopefully this will be one of the pieces that helps change that."
Ideally, Braben said the computers could be given away to British schoolchildren to help them engage in the creative side of things they previously knew only as consumers. The group hopes to roll out its first offering within 12 months.
http://www.onlinegamesinfun.com/
2012年1月17日星期二
London 2012 Olympics takes its mark in June
Considering Sega has the exclusive rights to create games based on the Olympics, a qualifying process wasn't necessary for London 2012. Today, the publisher followed up on its announcement last May that a London 2012 - The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games is under way, confirming the
online games will be available for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation in June.
If half the riders aren't lying unconscious on the track by the end, it was a pretty mediocre keirin race.
Sega Studios Australia (formerly The Creative Assembly Australia) is capturing more than 30 Olympic events for inclusion in London 2012. The most notable change to the experience this year, though, is that Sega will be incorporating Kinect and PlayStation Move motion controls into an unspecified number of these events.
The publisher did explicitly call out a number of events that will china tours feature motion controls. These include the 110m Hurdles, Beach Volleyball (Kinect only), and the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol (Move only). Sega also said that it would be adding a variety of new events, including keirin cycling, 10m synchronized platform diving, and trampoline.
Beyond motion controls, Sega said that it would be including global leaderboards into London 2012. Leaderboards will track personal medals earned while playing online, and they will be tracked by global regions to provide each nation's standing in the game.
The actual 2012 Summer Olympic Games are scheduled to take place in London from July 27 to August 12.
online games will be available for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation in June.
If half the riders aren't lying unconscious on the track by the end, it was a pretty mediocre keirin race.
Sega Studios Australia (formerly The Creative Assembly Australia) is capturing more than 30 Olympic events for inclusion in London 2012. The most notable change to the experience this year, though, is that Sega will be incorporating Kinect and PlayStation Move motion controls into an unspecified number of these events.
The publisher did explicitly call out a number of events that will china tours feature motion controls. These include the 110m Hurdles, Beach Volleyball (Kinect only), and the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol (Move only). Sega also said that it would be adding a variety of new events, including keirin cycling, 10m synchronized platform diving, and trampoline.
Beyond motion controls, Sega said that it would be including global leaderboards into London 2012. Leaderboards will track personal medals earned while playing online, and they will be tracked by global regions to provide each nation's standing in the game.
The actual 2012 Summer Olympic Games are scheduled to take place in London from July 27 to August 12.
Starhawk arriving May 8, open beta starts today
When Starhawk was officially announced last year, it was scheduled to arrive in early 2012. However, the online games isn't going to make that window, as Sony today announced the shooter is touching down on May 8, 2012.
Starhawk takes up arms this May for the PS3.
Starhawk is a successor to 2007's PlayStation Network downloadable third-person shooter Warhawk. Unlike its predecessor, Lightbox Interactive's Starhawk will include a single-player campaign in addition to its multiplayer component. A new mechanic to the series will allow on-the-fly building of structures on the battlefield, and the china tours jetlike Hawks return to join a host of other vehicles, including mechs and other cars.
Gamers won't need to wait until May to get into the third-person shooter. An open beta for the game started today, with PlayStation Plus subscribers (and former closed beta participants) being the first members in.
For more on Starhawk, check out GameSpot's latest hands-on preview of the game.
Starhawk takes up arms this May for the PS3.
Starhawk is a successor to 2007's PlayStation Network downloadable third-person shooter Warhawk. Unlike its predecessor, Lightbox Interactive's Starhawk will include a single-player campaign in addition to its multiplayer component. A new mechanic to the series will allow on-the-fly building of structures on the battlefield, and the china tours jetlike Hawks return to join a host of other vehicles, including mechs and other cars.
Gamers won't need to wait until May to get into the third-person shooter. An open beta for the game started today, with PlayStation Plus subscribers (and former closed beta participants) being the first members in.
For more on Starhawk, check out GameSpot's latest hands-on preview of the game.
Dead Rising 2 dev at work on new IP
Capcom Vancouver's last project was the zombie action revamp Dead Rising 2: Off the Record, but the studio has more on its slate than simply reanimating existing online games . According to a job posting spotted by GamerZines, Capcom Vancouver is now hiring a design director for an original intellectual property.
Dead Rising 2: Off the Record was Capcom Vancouver's latest effort.
Capcom Vancouver lists the project as an "unannounced new IP" and a third-person action adventure title. The post also states the developer needs "the help of smart, passionate and dedicated people to help us make our open world action games!" There aren't many other details to be gleaned from the job description, although the note that the design china tours director will be "defining the creative vision for the game" in tandem with the executive producer suggests it isn't going gold anytime soon.
Capcom Vancouver is best known for its work on Dead Rising 2 and Dead Rising 2: Off the Record, the former of which it created under the name Blue Castle Games. Prior to Dead Rising 2 and its acquisition by Capcom, Blue Castle worked with Take-Two Interactive on a number of MLB-licensed baseball titles, including The Bigs and The Bigs 2.
For more on Capcom Vancouver's latest, check out GameSpot's review of Dead Rising 2: Off the Record.
Dead Rising 2: Off the Record was Capcom Vancouver's latest effort.
Capcom Vancouver lists the project as an "unannounced new IP" and a third-person action adventure title. The post also states the developer needs "the help of smart, passionate and dedicated people to help us make our open world action games!" There aren't many other details to be gleaned from the job description, although the note that the design china tours director will be "defining the creative vision for the game" in tandem with the executive producer suggests it isn't going gold anytime soon.
Capcom Vancouver is best known for its work on Dead Rising 2 and Dead Rising 2: Off the Record, the former of which it created under the name Blue Castle Games. Prior to Dead Rising 2 and its acquisition by Capcom, Blue Castle worked with Take-Two Interactive on a number of MLB-licensed baseball titles, including The Bigs and The Bigs 2.
For more on Capcom Vancouver's latest, check out GameSpot's review of Dead Rising 2: Off the Record.
Star Wars: The Old Republic - Rise of the Rakghouls update delayed
Gamers hoping to jump into the first content update for BioWare's massively multiplayer online role-playing online games Star Wars: The Old Republic today won't have that opportunity, as BioWare has delayed Rise of the Rakghouls.
Patience, Padawans, says BioWare.
Writing on the official Old Republic community news site, BioWare today said that "issues requiring additional testing" have been found in the update's test server and have led the developer to delay the scheduled content update.
A new release date was not offered for Rise of the Rakghouls, but china tours BioWare said gamers should expect it sometime "in the next few days."
Rise of the Rakghouls is The Old Republic's first content update. It includes a new mission, as well as anti-aliasing and player-versus-player bracketing for the WarZones mode.
For more on Rise of the Rakghouls, check out GameSpot's interview with BioWare's James Ohlen.
Patience, Padawans, says BioWare.
Writing on the official Old Republic community news site, BioWare today said that "issues requiring additional testing" have been found in the update's test server and have led the developer to delay the scheduled content update.
A new release date was not offered for Rise of the Rakghouls, but china tours BioWare said gamers should expect it sometime "in the next few days."
Rise of the Rakghouls is The Old Republic's first content update. It includes a new mission, as well as anti-aliasing and player-versus-player bracketing for the WarZones mode.
For more on Rise of the Rakghouls, check out GameSpot's interview with BioWare's James Ohlen.
Max Payne 3 delayed to May
Max Payne was ready to take a trip to Brazil this March in Max Payne 3, but those plans have been dashed. Rockstar online games' parent company Take-Two Interactive today announced that Max Payne 3 has been delayed from March to May 2012.
Hopefully Max Payne purchased traveler's insurance.
More specifically, Max Payne 3 will arrive for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on May 15 in North America, with a European premiere scheduled for May 18. A PC version of the game will follow in North America on May 29, and in Europe on June 1.
Because of the delay, Take-Two said it's expecting to report a net loss for its fiscal year ending March 31, 2012. The company said this amounts to a dip in net revenue of $210-$230 million. Take-Two will announce third-quarter financial results on February 2, 2012.
As for the reason behind Max Payne 3's delay, Take-Two chairman and CEO Strauss Zelnick said the game was pushed to its new release window to "ensure that Max Payne 3 delivers the highest quality."
Take-Two also reiterated that its fiscal year 2013 will include BioShock: Infinite, Borderlands 2, Spec Ops: The Line, XCOM, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, and additional, china tours unspecified titles to be announced later.
Max Payne 3 is in the works at Rockstar Games' Vancouver studio, which took over from Finnish developer Remedy (Alan Wake). The game will catch up with the now-former cop, who has spent the time since Max Payne 2 running from his troubled past. That has led him to Sao Paulo, Brazil, where he works as a private bodyguard for a wealthy family.
The $100 collector's edition of Max Payne 3.
Rockstar is also incorporating multiplayer into the series for the first time with Max Payne 3. The publisher has said it will feature "traditional" multiplayer game modes with full-featured support for character progression, clans, and loadout options.
In addition to the standard iteration of Max Payne 3, Rockstar Games will offer a $100 version of the shooter. This top-tier SKU includes a 10-inch-tall statue of Max, a bullet keychain, art prints, the game's soundtrack, in-game weapons, and "classic" multiplayer characters from previous entries in the franchise.
For more on Max Payne 3, check out GameSpot's interview with Rockstar Games' vice president of product development, Jeronimo Barrera.
Hopefully Max Payne purchased traveler's insurance.
More specifically, Max Payne 3 will arrive for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on May 15 in North America, with a European premiere scheduled for May 18. A PC version of the game will follow in North America on May 29, and in Europe on June 1.
Because of the delay, Take-Two said it's expecting to report a net loss for its fiscal year ending March 31, 2012. The company said this amounts to a dip in net revenue of $210-$230 million. Take-Two will announce third-quarter financial results on February 2, 2012.
As for the reason behind Max Payne 3's delay, Take-Two chairman and CEO Strauss Zelnick said the game was pushed to its new release window to "ensure that Max Payne 3 delivers the highest quality."
Take-Two also reiterated that its fiscal year 2013 will include BioShock: Infinite, Borderlands 2, Spec Ops: The Line, XCOM, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, and additional, china tours unspecified titles to be announced later.
Max Payne 3 is in the works at Rockstar Games' Vancouver studio, which took over from Finnish developer Remedy (Alan Wake). The game will catch up with the now-former cop, who has spent the time since Max Payne 2 running from his troubled past. That has led him to Sao Paulo, Brazil, where he works as a private bodyguard for a wealthy family.
The $100 collector's edition of Max Payne 3.
Rockstar is also incorporating multiplayer into the series for the first time with Max Payne 3. The publisher has said it will feature "traditional" multiplayer game modes with full-featured support for character progression, clans, and loadout options.
In addition to the standard iteration of Max Payne 3, Rockstar Games will offer a $100 version of the shooter. This top-tier SKU includes a 10-inch-tall statue of Max, a bullet keychain, art prints, the game's soundtrack, in-game weapons, and "classic" multiplayer characters from previous entries in the franchise.
For more on Max Payne 3, check out GameSpot's interview with Rockstar Games' vice president of product development, Jeronimo Barrera.
2012年1月16日星期一
Dead Block lands on XBLA July 6
Yesterday, Call of Duty: Black Ops welcomed the Annihilation map pack, a new add-on that included a fresh zombie level for gamers to fight the undead in. Next week, zombie-slaying fans will have another new chance to re-kill the living dead, when Dead Block hits Xbox Live Arcade.
Dead Block comes to life next week on XBLA.
Candygun Games' Dead Block hits XBLA next Wednesday, July 6, and will be available for 800 Microsoft points, or $10. PlayStation 3 owners are going to have to wait a bit longer to play the online games , as it is currently scheduled to arrive on the PlayStation Network on July 20.
The game is also expected to arrive for the PC, but Candygun has not announced a release date for Dead Block on that platform.
The Unreal Engine-powered Dead Block lets gamers play as a construction worker, china tours traffic warden, or an insatiable boy scout. Players are tasked with surviving waves of oncoming zombies either by force or with strategy. Additionally, gamers can fight alone or with friends in the game's split-screen mode.
Dead Block comes to life next week on XBLA.
Candygun Games' Dead Block hits XBLA next Wednesday, July 6, and will be available for 800 Microsoft points, or $10. PlayStation 3 owners are going to have to wait a bit longer to play the online games , as it is currently scheduled to arrive on the PlayStation Network on July 20.
The game is also expected to arrive for the PC, but Candygun has not announced a release date for Dead Block on that platform.
The Unreal Engine-powered Dead Block lets gamers play as a construction worker, china tours traffic warden, or an insatiable boy scout. Players are tasked with surviving waves of oncoming zombies either by force or with strategy. Additionally, gamers can fight alone or with friends in the game's split-screen mode.
Foxtel unmetering to have significant impact: Xbox AU boss
Foxtel on Aussie Xbox 360s was first launched late in 2010, but it wasn't until the last month that it became truly appealing, thanks to online games carrier Telstra BigPond announcing it would stream the content unmetered. According to Xbox Australia head David McLean, this move will have a significant "impact" on take-up of the new service.
"I think that it's a hindrance...people thinking about their download and cap limits. If I look at the experience in the US...if you're using Netflix on a 360, you're actually consuming twice the amount of content than a standard Netflix subscriber uses. If I take that analogy with Foxtel here, my expectation will be that as people start to realize there's no extra ISP cost, they'll start to consume a lot more content," McLean said.
McLean made his comments as part of an interview with GameSpot AU covering topics such as china tours when Kinect voice will be released in Australia, what Microsoft has in store for other content on its console (such as YouTube and ESPN), and McLean's thoughts on the Sony PS Vita and Nintendo's Wii U. Check out the video below for the full interview.
"I think that it's a hindrance...people thinking about their download and cap limits. If I look at the experience in the US...if you're using Netflix on a 360, you're actually consuming twice the amount of content than a standard Netflix subscriber uses. If I take that analogy with Foxtel here, my expectation will be that as people start to realize there's no extra ISP cost, they'll start to consume a lot more content," McLean said.
McLean made his comments as part of an interview with GameSpot AU covering topics such as china tours when Kinect voice will be released in Australia, what Microsoft has in store for other content on its console (such as YouTube and ESPN), and McLean's thoughts on the Sony PS Vita and Nintendo's Wii U. Check out the video below for the full interview.
FIFA 12 signs ex-England striker Alan Smith as new commentator
Last year, EA Sports released two FIFA titles: FIFA 11 and 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. Both sold millions of copies and boasted voice work by Andy Gray and Martin Tyler. Today, the sports studio announced a changeup in the virtual broadcasting booth.
EA Sports has sent word that Alan Smith--a former Leicester, Arsenal, and England striker--will join longstanding commentator Martin Tyler as one of FIFA 12's in-game broadcasters. Smith takes over for Andy Gray, the longstanding FIFA commentator who was fired from his post at Sky Sports for sexist remarks he made earlier this year.
FIFA 12 gets new voice talent in the way of former England striker Alan Smith.
The changes to FIFA 12's broadcast component don't stop with the addition of Smith alone. Ten thousand lines of new dialogue are promised for the online games , and there will be two distinct English broadcast teams.
Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend will operate apart from Tyler and Smith, and they will call tournament matches. Additionally, gamers will be able to customize the game audio as they see fit, with the ability to choose between either Smith and Tyler or Tyldesley and Townsend.
For FIFA 12--due out September 27--EA Sports emphasized that it will be delivering an identical gaming experience on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. This promise is particularly meaningful for PC gamers, with EA Sports noting that FIFA 12 on desktop platforms will include the Player Impact Engine. This inclusion will offer PC gamers improved player china tours physics and other technical features found in the console versions.
As for new features impacting all three versions, EA Sports has revisited dribbling mechanics in an effort to deliver a more realistic touch on the ball. Defense has likewise been tweaked, with a greater emphasis being placed on position play and ball interception. The publisher is also introducing the EA Sports Football Club feature, a free service that offers news and updates on the real-world sport.
EA Sports also said that it has updated the game's Career mode. With FIFA 12, players will be able to live out storylines taken from real-world events. Career mode also boasts more than 500 officially licensed clubs.
Fore more on EA Sports' newest soccer sim, check out GameSpot's preview of FIFA 12.
EA Sports has sent word that Alan Smith--a former Leicester, Arsenal, and England striker--will join longstanding commentator Martin Tyler as one of FIFA 12's in-game broadcasters. Smith takes over for Andy Gray, the longstanding FIFA commentator who was fired from his post at Sky Sports for sexist remarks he made earlier this year.
FIFA 12 gets new voice talent in the way of former England striker Alan Smith.
The changes to FIFA 12's broadcast component don't stop with the addition of Smith alone. Ten thousand lines of new dialogue are promised for the online games , and there will be two distinct English broadcast teams.
Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend will operate apart from Tyler and Smith, and they will call tournament matches. Additionally, gamers will be able to customize the game audio as they see fit, with the ability to choose between either Smith and Tyler or Tyldesley and Townsend.
For FIFA 12--due out September 27--EA Sports emphasized that it will be delivering an identical gaming experience on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. This promise is particularly meaningful for PC gamers, with EA Sports noting that FIFA 12 on desktop platforms will include the Player Impact Engine. This inclusion will offer PC gamers improved player china tours physics and other technical features found in the console versions.
As for new features impacting all three versions, EA Sports has revisited dribbling mechanics in an effort to deliver a more realistic touch on the ball. Defense has likewise been tweaked, with a greater emphasis being placed on position play and ball interception. The publisher is also introducing the EA Sports Football Club feature, a free service that offers news and updates on the real-world sport.
EA Sports also said that it has updated the game's Career mode. With FIFA 12, players will be able to live out storylines taken from real-world events. Career mode also boasts more than 500 officially licensed clubs.
Fore more on EA Sports' newest soccer sim, check out GameSpot's preview of FIFA 12.
Nintendo Store Update: Final Fantasy III
Though Nintendo has "no plans" to bring Xenoblade to North America, Wii-owning lovers of role-playing online games might be happy to know a Super Nintendo classic is headlining this week's additions to the console's downloadable storefront.
Leading the charge today is Final Fantasy III (800 Wii points, or $8) for the Virtual Console. Originally released on the SNES, the game--known as Final Fantasy VI in Japan--has players discovering who or what is behind of the redeployment of magical creatures known as Espers.
Final Fantasy III is given new life today on the Virtual Console.
The other classic game now available again is Kirby's Dream Land ($4) for the 3DS's eShop. The first appearance of the digestive mascot, Dream Land has players retrieving stolen twinkle stars and saving the inhabitants of the land.
Switching to the WiiWare front, Nintendo added just one new game to the download spot today, Big Town Shoot Out (500 Wii points, or $5). From Performance Designed Products, the Wild West shooting game has players gunning through 40 levels, across 10 zones, and 10 game modes.
The DSiWare download hub welcomed four new games today, the first of which is Chillingo's Moto eXtreme (800 DSi points, or $8). The motorcycle game has players china tours performing stunts and creating tracks with the system's stylus.
The final three DSiWare games out now are role-playing game The Lost Town - The Dust (500 DSi points, or $5), carnival title Boardwalk Ball Toss (200 DSi points, or $2), and card game compilation pack Hearts Spades Euchre (500 DSi points, or $5).
Leading the charge today is Final Fantasy III (800 Wii points, or $8) for the Virtual Console. Originally released on the SNES, the game--known as Final Fantasy VI in Japan--has players discovering who or what is behind of the redeployment of magical creatures known as Espers.
Final Fantasy III is given new life today on the Virtual Console.
The other classic game now available again is Kirby's Dream Land ($4) for the 3DS's eShop. The first appearance of the digestive mascot, Dream Land has players retrieving stolen twinkle stars and saving the inhabitants of the land.
Switching to the WiiWare front, Nintendo added just one new game to the download spot today, Big Town Shoot Out (500 Wii points, or $5). From Performance Designed Products, the Wild West shooting game has players gunning through 40 levels, across 10 zones, and 10 game modes.
The DSiWare download hub welcomed four new games today, the first of which is Chillingo's Moto eXtreme (800 DSi points, or $8). The motorcycle game has players china tours performing stunts and creating tracks with the system's stylus.
The final three DSiWare games out now are role-playing game The Lost Town - The Dust (500 DSi points, or $5), carnival title Boardwalk Ball Toss (200 DSi points, or $2), and card game compilation pack Hearts Spades Euchre (500 DSi points, or $5).
WWE All Stars summer DLC detailed
In April, the well-received WWE All Stars welcomed its first batch of add-on content in the form of the American Dreams Pack, which bundled WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes and his son, "Dashing" Cody Rhodes. Now, THQ is planning to grow the online games further, today announcing new playable characters for the wrestling game.
WWE All Stars adds new wrestlers this summer, beginning today.
Available today on Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network is the WWE All Stars Million Dollar Man Pack, which includes Ted DiBiase and his son, also named Ted DiBiase. The pack costs gamers 160 Microsoft points, or $1.99.
Next up is R-Truth, who will be available as a free download for WWE All Stars on Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network next Tuesday, July 5. Also due out on that date will be the All-Time Greats Pack (320 Microsoft points, or $4). The pack bundles famous fighters china tours Hawk, Animal, Jerry "The King" Lawler, and Chris Jericho.
Lastly, gamers looking to go south of the Mason-Dixon Line can pick up the Southern Charisma Pack (240 Microsoft points, or $3) for WWE All Stars on August 2. The bundle packs in Big Boss Man, Michael Hayes, and Mark Henry.
For more on WWE All Stars, check out GameSpot's review.
WWE All Stars adds new wrestlers this summer, beginning today.
Available today on Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network is the WWE All Stars Million Dollar Man Pack, which includes Ted DiBiase and his son, also named Ted DiBiase. The pack costs gamers 160 Microsoft points, or $1.99.
Next up is R-Truth, who will be available as a free download for WWE All Stars on Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network next Tuesday, July 5. Also due out on that date will be the All-Time Greats Pack (320 Microsoft points, or $4). The pack bundles famous fighters china tours Hawk, Animal, Jerry "The King" Lawler, and Chris Jericho.
Lastly, gamers looking to go south of the Mason-Dixon Line can pick up the Southern Charisma Pack (240 Microsoft points, or $3) for WWE All Stars on August 2. The bundle packs in Big Boss Man, Michael Hayes, and Mark Henry.
For more on WWE All Stars, check out GameSpot's review.
Homefront The Rock DLC hitting XBL 'soon'
Last month, THQ shuttered Homefront developer Kaos Studios, shifting work on the franchise to the publisher's Montreal arm. Though the game's original developer is no more, the title itself is living on with new downloadable content called china tours The Rock.
Homefront DLC for the Xbox 360 is mobilizing soon.
THQ sent word today that the new content will arrive first on Xbox Live at a to-be-announced date in the future. It will be part of THQ's agreement with Microsoft that sees Homefront map packs arrive first for the Xbox 360. THQ did not offer a more precise release date other than "soon," and the publisher also did not indicate if or when it plans to release The Rock on the PlayStation 3 or PC.
As for the content, The Rock bears a 400 Microsoft point price tag ($5) and includes two new maps: Alcatraz and Bridge. Alcatraz takes place inside the San Francisco Bay's iconic island prison and will offer gamers close-quarter combat.
As for Bridge, that map has players battling near the North Tower of the Golden Gate Bridge online games and the surrounding area. In addition to the new maps, THQ said that new Team Deathmatch areas Waterway and Overpass will be included in the DLC.
For more on the core title, check out GameSpot's review of Homefront.
Homefront DLC for the Xbox 360 is mobilizing soon.
THQ sent word today that the new content will arrive first on Xbox Live at a to-be-announced date in the future. It will be part of THQ's agreement with Microsoft that sees Homefront map packs arrive first for the Xbox 360. THQ did not offer a more precise release date other than "soon," and the publisher also did not indicate if or when it plans to release The Rock on the PlayStation 3 or PC.
As for the content, The Rock bears a 400 Microsoft point price tag ($5) and includes two new maps: Alcatraz and Bridge. Alcatraz takes place inside the San Francisco Bay's iconic island prison and will offer gamers close-quarter combat.
As for Bridge, that map has players battling near the North Tower of the Golden Gate Bridge online games and the surrounding area. In addition to the new maps, THQ said that new Team Deathmatch areas Waterway and Overpass will be included in the DLC.
For more on the core title, check out GameSpot's review of Homefront.
Spider-Man: Edge of Time, X-Men Destiny tap Hollywood talent
Megapublisher Activision signed Hollywood icons Sarah Michelle Gellar, Danny Trejo, George Romero, Michael Englund, and Michael Rooker for the new zombie level in Call of Duty: Black Ops' Escalation downloadable content. Now, the publisher is reaching to online games Hollywood again for Spider-Man: Edge of Time and X-Men: Destiny.
Activision has signed a list of Hollywood actors for its upcoming Marvel games.
Activision sent word today that Spider-Man: Edge of Time will benefit from voice work contributed by Val Kilmer (Heat, Top Secret), who will play Walker Sloan. Additionally, the new Spider-Man game casts Smallville star Laura Vandervoort as Mary Jane and Battlestar Gallactica's Katee Sackhoff as the Black Cat.
As for X-Men: Destiny, Activision has china tours commissioned Milo Ventimiglia (Gilmore Girls, Heroes) to play Grant Alexander, Hangover II's Jamie Chung as Aimi Yoshida, and Friday Night Lights' Scott Porter as Adrian Luca.
Gamers hoping to learn more about Activision's partnership with Marvel can do so at Comic-Con 2011 in San Diego, which runs this Thursday through Sunday. Spider-Man: Edge of Time and X-Men: Destiny will be discussed at greater length during the Marvel Video Games Panel on Saturday, July 23 at 10 a.m. Comic book icon Stan Lee, Marvel writer Peter David, and Beenox studio boss Dee Brown will be on hand to discuss the franchises.
Activision has signed a list of Hollywood actors for its upcoming Marvel games.
Activision sent word today that Spider-Man: Edge of Time will benefit from voice work contributed by Val Kilmer (Heat, Top Secret), who will play Walker Sloan. Additionally, the new Spider-Man game casts Smallville star Laura Vandervoort as Mary Jane and Battlestar Gallactica's Katee Sackhoff as the Black Cat.
As for X-Men: Destiny, Activision has china tours commissioned Milo Ventimiglia (Gilmore Girls, Heroes) to play Grant Alexander, Hangover II's Jamie Chung as Aimi Yoshida, and Friday Night Lights' Scott Porter as Adrian Luca.
Gamers hoping to learn more about Activision's partnership with Marvel can do so at Comic-Con 2011 in San Diego, which runs this Thursday through Sunday. Spider-Man: Edge of Time and X-Men: Destiny will be discussed at greater length during the Marvel Video Games Panel on Saturday, July 23 at 10 a.m. Comic book icon Stan Lee, Marvel writer Peter David, and Beenox studio boss Dee Brown will be on hand to discuss the franchises.
PlayStation Store Update: Limbo, New Vegas DLC
The PlayStation Store is a hotbed for new content this week, as Sony added Playdead's dark platformer, new add-on content for Fallout: New Vegas, a cooperative zombie game, and more to the virtual marketplace.
Leading the pack this week is Playdead's Limbo ($15). The game is a puzzle platformer that has players controlling a silhouette of a boy searching for his sister throughout various dreary chapters and dark environments. The Xbox 360 version of Limbo won critical acclaim when it china tours debuted last year.
The search for a lost sister begins today on the PlayStation 3.
Also now live on the PlayStation Network is the Old World Blues downloadable content for Obsidian Entertainment's Fallout: New Vegas. Old World Blues sees gamers forced into participating in a gruesome science experiment that also offers a closer look at the Mojave's mutated-monster contingent.
Gamers will be presented with the option of battling the maniacal scientists or joining with them to fend off "an even greater threat." The game will offer new opponents such as robotic radscorpions, as well as raise the game's level cap by five. Unlike other expansions, Old World Blues will let players keep their equipment.
Gamers looking for a full-motion video game can grab Digital Leisure's Fast Draw Showdown ($10) today. The title sports a number of improvements over the Wii iteration, including high-definition graphics, online leaderboard support, a new scoring system, and Western clothing for PlayStation Home avatars.
Zombies live on today via Candygun's Dead Block ($10). The Unreal Engine-powered Dead Block lets gamers play as a construction worker, traffic warden, or a very hungry boy scout. Players are tasked with surviving waves of oncoming zombies either by force or with strategy. online games Additionally, gamers can fight alone or with friends in the game's split-screen mode.
The final two PlayStation 3 games now available are from the Neo Geo era. Baseball Stars 2 ($9) and The King of Fighters '95 ($10) are now available to download via the Neo Geo Station, which launched last year.
Gamers looking to add to their games can grab new content today for People Can Fly's brutal Bulletstorm in the form of the $10 Blood Symphony map pack. The other notable new piece of DLC now available is a new character for NetherRealm's fighter Mortal Kombat, Rain ($5).
Switching to the PSP download hub, Sony added three new games to that spot today, the first of which is Square Enix's Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions ($10). The other two new games added to the PSP store are Baseball Stars 2 PSP ($7) and The King of Fighters '95 ($7).
Gamers looking to pick up a new PSP mini this week have a host of options. Sony added Angry Birds ($4), Athena ($3), Guerrilla War ($3), HAL 21 ($3), Ikari Warriors ($3), Marvin's Maze ($3), Me Monstar: Hear Me Roar ($5), Ozma Wars ($3), Sasuke Vs. Commander ($3), and Vanguard ($3).
A full list of the week's deals and new PlayStation Store content, including themes, wallpapers, demos, discounts, and add-on content, is available on the PlayStation Blog.
Leading the pack this week is Playdead's Limbo ($15). The game is a puzzle platformer that has players controlling a silhouette of a boy searching for his sister throughout various dreary chapters and dark environments. The Xbox 360 version of Limbo won critical acclaim when it china tours debuted last year.
The search for a lost sister begins today on the PlayStation 3.
Also now live on the PlayStation Network is the Old World Blues downloadable content for Obsidian Entertainment's Fallout: New Vegas. Old World Blues sees gamers forced into participating in a gruesome science experiment that also offers a closer look at the Mojave's mutated-monster contingent.
Gamers will be presented with the option of battling the maniacal scientists or joining with them to fend off "an even greater threat." The game will offer new opponents such as robotic radscorpions, as well as raise the game's level cap by five. Unlike other expansions, Old World Blues will let players keep their equipment.
Gamers looking for a full-motion video game can grab Digital Leisure's Fast Draw Showdown ($10) today. The title sports a number of improvements over the Wii iteration, including high-definition graphics, online leaderboard support, a new scoring system, and Western clothing for PlayStation Home avatars.
Zombies live on today via Candygun's Dead Block ($10). The Unreal Engine-powered Dead Block lets gamers play as a construction worker, traffic warden, or a very hungry boy scout. Players are tasked with surviving waves of oncoming zombies either by force or with strategy. online games Additionally, gamers can fight alone or with friends in the game's split-screen mode.
The final two PlayStation 3 games now available are from the Neo Geo era. Baseball Stars 2 ($9) and The King of Fighters '95 ($10) are now available to download via the Neo Geo Station, which launched last year.
Gamers looking to add to their games can grab new content today for People Can Fly's brutal Bulletstorm in the form of the $10 Blood Symphony map pack. The other notable new piece of DLC now available is a new character for NetherRealm's fighter Mortal Kombat, Rain ($5).
Switching to the PSP download hub, Sony added three new games to that spot today, the first of which is Square Enix's Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions ($10). The other two new games added to the PSP store are Baseball Stars 2 PSP ($7) and The King of Fighters '95 ($7).
Gamers looking to pick up a new PSP mini this week have a host of options. Sony added Angry Birds ($4), Athena ($3), Guerrilla War ($3), HAL 21 ($3), Ikari Warriors ($3), Marvin's Maze ($3), Me Monstar: Hear Me Roar ($5), Ozma Wars ($3), Sasuke Vs. Commander ($3), and Vanguard ($3).
A full list of the week's deals and new PlayStation Store content, including themes, wallpapers, demos, discounts, and add-on content, is available on the PlayStation Blog.
Modern Warfare 3 Hardened edition spotted
Activision hasn't been satisfied with just a single Collector's Edition option with its most recent installments in the Call of Duty franchise. Modern Warfare 2 and Black Ops have each come in at three different price points: a $60 standard edition, a $80 Hardened edition, and a $150 Prestige edition. Now, it appears this November's Modern Warfare 3 is continuing the online games trend.
A first look at the Hardened edition of Modern Warfare 3.
Infinity Ward creative strategist Robert Bowling recently tweeted an image of the Hardened edition of Modern Warfare 3. The picture was accompanied by text, which reads, "Hardened Edition, literally on the factory line."
Additionally, Bowling said that more details concerning the Hardened edition of Modern Warfare 3 will arrive at Call of Duty: XP, the themed convention landing in Los Angeles in china tours early September. Tickets are currently on sale for $150 each.
If the Hardened edition of Modern Warfare 3 falls in line with what was offered in Black Ops and Modern Warfare 2's Hardened editions, fans can expect to pay $80 for a steel-book casing and pack-ins that have included co-op maps, avatar outfits, and an art book.
Bowling made no mention of a top-tier edition of the game. Activision had not responded to a request for comment as of press time. For more on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3--due out on November 8--check out GameSpot's latest preview of the game.
A first look at the Hardened edition of Modern Warfare 3.
Infinity Ward creative strategist Robert Bowling recently tweeted an image of the Hardened edition of Modern Warfare 3. The picture was accompanied by text, which reads, "Hardened Edition, literally on the factory line."
Additionally, Bowling said that more details concerning the Hardened edition of Modern Warfare 3 will arrive at Call of Duty: XP, the themed convention landing in Los Angeles in china tours early September. Tickets are currently on sale for $150 each.
If the Hardened edition of Modern Warfare 3 falls in line with what was offered in Black Ops and Modern Warfare 2's Hardened editions, fans can expect to pay $80 for a steel-book casing and pack-ins that have included co-op maps, avatar outfits, and an art book.
Bowling made no mention of a top-tier edition of the game. Activision had not responded to a request for comment as of press time. For more on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3--due out on November 8--check out GameSpot's latest preview of the game.
PlayStation Store Update: Move.me App, Section 8: Prejudice
Sony added a host of new content to its online store this week, but the main attraction is not a game but an application.
Leading the pack this week is the $100 Move.me application. Described by Sony as a software server application, the tool is intended for designers to create software using the PlayStation Move controller, PlayStation 3, PC, and PlayStation Eye.
According to Sony, the application is aimed at "academic researchers, university instructors, college students, programming hobbyists, and HCI developers." Move.me hooks up to the PC, which affords users the ability to use the PlayStation Move controller as an input device to "supply sensor data" for a PC application. For more on the Move.me app, check out the user's online games guide.
Section 8: Prejudice fires up today on the PSN.
Also out now on the PlayStation Network is TimeGate Studios' Section 8: Prejudice ($15). Released on the Xbox 360 in April, the game includes two new multiplayer game modes: Skirmish and Assault.
Additionally, those who purchase the game this week will score the Blitz Armor pack and the Overdrive map pack for free. Further, the first 1,000 PlayStation Plus subscribers to purchase Section 8: Prejudice will be awarded the in-game Hunter Armor, as well as a digital copy of the well-received original Section 8.
Gamers looking to add to their copies of BioWare's Dragon Age II can grab the Legacy downloadable content ($10) today. In the content, gamers will suit up again as protagonist Hawke and travel to an ancient Grey Warden prison and uncover additional details about his family history. Additionally, Hawke will visit new environments, battle new and "improved" enemies, craft a deadly weapon, and ultimately come face-to-face with a terrible horror.
Players looking for new environments to battle in inside THQ's near-future shooter Homefront can grab the Fire Sale map pack ($3) today. The DLC includes two new environments set on American soil: Spillway and Big Box.
Also out now on the PlayStation Network is Deadliest Warrior: Legends ($10). A follow-up to last summer's tepidly received Deadliest Warrior: The Game, the new installment adds a host of classic combatants.
In Legends, gamers will control deadly warriors and take on famous figures like Alexander the Great, Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan, Hannibal, Hernan Cortes, Shaka Zulu, Sun Tzu, Vlad the Impaler, and William Wallace.
The last two new PlayStation 3 games out this week are Golden Axe ($5) and Back to the china tours Future: The Game - Episode 5: OUTATIME (free with $20 season pass purchase).
A full list of the week's deals and new PlayStation Store content, including themes, wallpapers, demos, discounts, and add-on content, is available on the PlayStation Blog.
Leading the pack this week is the $100 Move.me application. Described by Sony as a software server application, the tool is intended for designers to create software using the PlayStation Move controller, PlayStation 3, PC, and PlayStation Eye.
According to Sony, the application is aimed at "academic researchers, university instructors, college students, programming hobbyists, and HCI developers." Move.me hooks up to the PC, which affords users the ability to use the PlayStation Move controller as an input device to "supply sensor data" for a PC application. For more on the Move.me app, check out the user's online games guide.
Section 8: Prejudice fires up today on the PSN.
Also out now on the PlayStation Network is TimeGate Studios' Section 8: Prejudice ($15). Released on the Xbox 360 in April, the game includes two new multiplayer game modes: Skirmish and Assault.
Additionally, those who purchase the game this week will score the Blitz Armor pack and the Overdrive map pack for free. Further, the first 1,000 PlayStation Plus subscribers to purchase Section 8: Prejudice will be awarded the in-game Hunter Armor, as well as a digital copy of the well-received original Section 8.
Gamers looking to add to their copies of BioWare's Dragon Age II can grab the Legacy downloadable content ($10) today. In the content, gamers will suit up again as protagonist Hawke and travel to an ancient Grey Warden prison and uncover additional details about his family history. Additionally, Hawke will visit new environments, battle new and "improved" enemies, craft a deadly weapon, and ultimately come face-to-face with a terrible horror.
Players looking for new environments to battle in inside THQ's near-future shooter Homefront can grab the Fire Sale map pack ($3) today. The DLC includes two new environments set on American soil: Spillway and Big Box.
Also out now on the PlayStation Network is Deadliest Warrior: Legends ($10). A follow-up to last summer's tepidly received Deadliest Warrior: The Game, the new installment adds a host of classic combatants.
In Legends, gamers will control deadly warriors and take on famous figures like Alexander the Great, Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan, Hannibal, Hernan Cortes, Shaka Zulu, Sun Tzu, Vlad the Impaler, and William Wallace.
The last two new PlayStation 3 games out this week are Golden Axe ($5) and Back to the china tours Future: The Game - Episode 5: OUTATIME (free with $20 season pass purchase).
A full list of the week's deals and new PlayStation Store content, including themes, wallpapers, demos, discounts, and add-on content, is available on the PlayStation Blog.
Obama issues statement on SOPA
After weeks of brewing controversy over the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA), the Obama administration has broken its silence on the subject. In a statement released today, three administration officials stressed the need to fight online piracy in ways that wouldn't curtail freedom of expression, online games negatively impact cybersecurity, or stifle innovation.
Obama has heard the outcry over SOPA, but stopped short of taking a stance on the legislation.
However, the administration said little about the specific pieces of legislation in question, choosing instead to simply outline its desire that new legislation be narrowly drafted and not open to abuse.
"Any provision covering Internet intermediaries such as online advertising networks, payment processors, or search engines must be transparent and designed to prevent overly broad private rights of action that could encourage unjustified litigation that could discourage startup businesses and innovative firms from growing," according to the statement.
One issue the statement specifically addressed was DNS filtering, a practice by which china tours SOPA would allow the government to block Americans' access to specific foreign sites suspected of engaging in piracy. However, that issue had become considerably less contentious in the preceding days. Yesterday, the bill's original sponsor, Rep. Chairman Lamar Smith (R, TX) said he planned to remove the DNS filtering provision from the law. On Thursday, PIPA sponsor Sen. Patrick Leahy (D, VT) said he would strip the DNS filtering language from his own legislation.
The statement also called on content companies and Internet platform providers to work together on new ways to fight online piracy without undermining freedoms. In a similar fashion, the Obama administration said it would continue working with Congress in a bi-partisan effort to provide content creators with new legislative tools to achieve the same.
SOPA and PIPA have become a point of contention in the gaming world of late, with publishers and developers split in their support for the bills. Though the Entertainment Software Association officially endorses the legislation, a number of studios have come out against it, including Bungie, Epic Games, Riot Games, and Mojang.
Companies that support the bill--including the National Football League and GameSpot parent company CBS--argue that it offers necessary protection to content creators. Opponents of the bill, such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, argue that SOPA infringes upon First Amendment rights and will ultimately deprive the Internet of non-infringing content.
Obama has heard the outcry over SOPA, but stopped short of taking a stance on the legislation.
However, the administration said little about the specific pieces of legislation in question, choosing instead to simply outline its desire that new legislation be narrowly drafted and not open to abuse.
"Any provision covering Internet intermediaries such as online advertising networks, payment processors, or search engines must be transparent and designed to prevent overly broad private rights of action that could encourage unjustified litigation that could discourage startup businesses and innovative firms from growing," according to the statement.
One issue the statement specifically addressed was DNS filtering, a practice by which china tours SOPA would allow the government to block Americans' access to specific foreign sites suspected of engaging in piracy. However, that issue had become considerably less contentious in the preceding days. Yesterday, the bill's original sponsor, Rep. Chairman Lamar Smith (R, TX) said he planned to remove the DNS filtering provision from the law. On Thursday, PIPA sponsor Sen. Patrick Leahy (D, VT) said he would strip the DNS filtering language from his own legislation.
The statement also called on content companies and Internet platform providers to work together on new ways to fight online piracy without undermining freedoms. In a similar fashion, the Obama administration said it would continue working with Congress in a bi-partisan effort to provide content creators with new legislative tools to achieve the same.
SOPA and PIPA have become a point of contention in the gaming world of late, with publishers and developers split in their support for the bills. Though the Entertainment Software Association officially endorses the legislation, a number of studios have come out against it, including Bungie, Epic Games, Riot Games, and Mojang.
Companies that support the bill--including the National Football League and GameSpot parent company CBS--argue that it offers necessary protection to content creators. Opponents of the bill, such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, argue that SOPA infringes upon First Amendment rights and will ultimately deprive the Internet of non-infringing content.
2012年1月14日星期六
GamePro shutting down
GamePro shutting down
By Laura Parker, GameSpot
Posted Nov 30, 2011 3:27 pm PT
Both print and online sections of long-running gaming publication closing down; website to become part of PCWorld.com.
1
Veteran gaming publication GamePro has announced it will be closing both its print and online editions as of December 5, with the November issue to be the magazine's last.
The publication announced the news via its website with the following china tours statement:
"Thank you for your loyalty, support, and participation in the GamePro.com community. At noon on December 5, 2011, the U.S. version of GamePro online will shut down as an independent site. GamePro will become part of PCWorld.com, offering gaming news, reviews, and how-tos from the PCWorld team. Thank you to the entire GamePro staff for their hard work and dedication."
GamePro is a subsidiary of International Data Group. The magazine first launched as a monthly publication in May 1989, and as an online outlet in 1996. An IDG spokesperson told Industry Gamers that the closure of GamePro came as a result of a lack of advertising money, and resulted in a spate of staff layoffs. The spokesperson declined to comment on how many employees had been let go.
GamePro will be no more.
"The US editorial and business staff worked hard to earn a passionate, loyal following for GamePro and I am grateful for their dedication and hard work online games over the years," Mike Kisseberth, head of IDG's Consumer and Small Business media group, told Industry Gamers. "GamePro, like all businesses, must keep up with industry changes and economic realities."
According to Industry Gamers, GamePro will now work on creating "custom content for vendors and events," with the remaining editorial team being absorbed into PCWorld.com, also owned by IDG.
At its height, GamePro was such a recognizable brand with gamers that it received its own line of action figures, where toys of pseudonymous editors like Dr. Zombie and Major Mike were sold alongside game characters like The Legend of Zelda's Link and Sonic the Hedgehog.
While GamePro is folding, it did survive its primary print rival for much of its run, Electronic Gaming Monthly. That publication shut its doors in 2009, just shy of its 20-year anniversary.
By Laura Parker, GameSpot
Posted Nov 30, 2011 3:27 pm PT
Both print and online sections of long-running gaming publication closing down; website to become part of PCWorld.com.
1
Veteran gaming publication GamePro has announced it will be closing both its print and online editions as of December 5, with the November issue to be the magazine's last.
The publication announced the news via its website with the following china tours statement:
"Thank you for your loyalty, support, and participation in the GamePro.com community. At noon on December 5, 2011, the U.S. version of GamePro online will shut down as an independent site. GamePro will become part of PCWorld.com, offering gaming news, reviews, and how-tos from the PCWorld team. Thank you to the entire GamePro staff for their hard work and dedication."
GamePro is a subsidiary of International Data Group. The magazine first launched as a monthly publication in May 1989, and as an online outlet in 1996. An IDG spokesperson told Industry Gamers that the closure of GamePro came as a result of a lack of advertising money, and resulted in a spate of staff layoffs. The spokesperson declined to comment on how many employees had been let go.
GamePro will be no more.
"The US editorial and business staff worked hard to earn a passionate, loyal following for GamePro and I am grateful for their dedication and hard work online games over the years," Mike Kisseberth, head of IDG's Consumer and Small Business media group, told Industry Gamers. "GamePro, like all businesses, must keep up with industry changes and economic realities."
According to Industry Gamers, GamePro will now work on creating "custom content for vendors and events," with the remaining editorial team being absorbed into PCWorld.com, also owned by IDG.
At its height, GamePro was such a recognizable brand with gamers that it received its own line of action figures, where toys of pseudonymous editors like Dr. Zombie and Major Mike were sold alongside game characters like The Legend of Zelda's Link and Sonic the Hedgehog.
While GamePro is folding, it did survive its primary print rival for much of its run, Electronic Gaming Monthly. That publication shut its doors in 2009, just shy of its 20-year anniversary.
Child's Play nears year's goal of $2 million
The Child's Play online games Gala and Auction has become an annual event to encourage end-of-the-year donations to benefit children's hospitals. This year's affair helped raise almost one-fifth of 2011's total goal.
Proceeds from the Sixth Annual Gala and Auction raised $351,000 for sick children around the country, bringing the charity's donation total to $1.95 million for the year. This figure is just shy of the year's donation goal of $2 million and $250,000 short of last year's total.
Child's Play hopes to raise $2 million for children's hospitals china tours this year.
Among the highest bid items in the auction were a Half-Life Gravity Gun replica, which went for $21,000, and a copy of Nintendo World Championships Grey #60 that sold for $11,500. One winner also secured a guest role to be drawn into a Penny Arcade comic strip. The price? $10,000.
Those wanting to donate this year can still do so by texting "GAMERS" to 50555 for a one-time direct $5 donation. For more on the organization or to donate, visit the official Child's Play website.
Proceeds from the Sixth Annual Gala and Auction raised $351,000 for sick children around the country, bringing the charity's donation total to $1.95 million for the year. This figure is just shy of the year's donation goal of $2 million and $250,000 short of last year's total.
Child's Play hopes to raise $2 million for children's hospitals china tours this year.
Among the highest bid items in the auction were a Half-Life Gravity Gun replica, which went for $21,000, and a copy of Nintendo World Championships Grey #60 that sold for $11,500. One winner also secured a guest role to be drawn into a Penny Arcade comic strip. The price? $10,000.
Those wanting to donate this year can still do so by texting "GAMERS" to 50555 for a one-time direct $5 donation. For more on the organization or to donate, visit the official Child's Play website.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 presses on, but studio needs cash - Report
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 presses on, but studio needs cash - Report
By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpot
Posted Jan 13, 2012 10:48 am PT
Game's Facebook page says the team china tours is back at work on postapocalyptic sequel, but GSC Game World still on the hunt for funding.
0
Last year ended on an appropriately bleak note for fans of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series of postapocalyptic action games. GSC Game World founder and CEO Sergei Grigorovich reportedly decided to close the studio, leaving the fate of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 up in the air. After days of silence on the subject, a representative would only say that the team was trying to carry on, but "nothing is certain." This year is off to a somewhat more upbeat start for the studio, as the game's official Facebook page was updated with good news for fans.
What gamers don't want their very own S.T.A.L.K.E.R?
"The Stalker team is extremely happy," exclaimed the post. "Why? Because we are continuing work on Stalker 2 after the holidays."
Despite that, GSC Game World does not appear to be out of the woods just yet. Speaking with Edge Magazine, GSC representative Oleg Yavorsky said the studio was "still in the process of seeking funding to back up the project."
The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games are centered around Chernobyl, which suffered a nuclear reactor meltdown in 1986. In the original game, the town is subjected to a second dose of nuclear fallout, spawning a rash of hideously mutated monsters. To date, GSC Game World has released two follow-ups to the original game: Clear Sky and Call of Pripyat. A full sequel, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, was online games announced in 2010 with a 2012 release window attached.
By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpot
Posted Jan 13, 2012 10:48 am PT
Game's Facebook page says the team china tours is back at work on postapocalyptic sequel, but GSC Game World still on the hunt for funding.
0
Last year ended on an appropriately bleak note for fans of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series of postapocalyptic action games. GSC Game World founder and CEO Sergei Grigorovich reportedly decided to close the studio, leaving the fate of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 up in the air. After days of silence on the subject, a representative would only say that the team was trying to carry on, but "nothing is certain." This year is off to a somewhat more upbeat start for the studio, as the game's official Facebook page was updated with good news for fans.
What gamers don't want their very own S.T.A.L.K.E.R?
"The Stalker team is extremely happy," exclaimed the post. "Why? Because we are continuing work on Stalker 2 after the holidays."
Despite that, GSC Game World does not appear to be out of the woods just yet. Speaking with Edge Magazine, GSC representative Oleg Yavorsky said the studio was "still in the process of seeking funding to back up the project."
The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games are centered around Chernobyl, which suffered a nuclear reactor meltdown in 1986. In the original game, the town is subjected to a second dose of nuclear fallout, spawning a rash of hideously mutated monsters. To date, GSC Game World has released two follow-ups to the original game: Clear Sky and Call of Pripyat. A full sequel, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, was online games announced in 2010 with a 2012 release window attached.
Minecraft going dark January 18 in SOPA protest
The controversial Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) has already pushed Red 5 Studios to shut down the beta and website for Firefall on January 18, but now, an even more china tours prominent game company is readying a blackout to be held on the same day.
Minecraft.net and Mojang.com will be "blocked" next week.
Mojang studio head Markus Persson today announced via Twitter that Minecraft.net and Mojang.com will be taken offline on January 18 in protest of SOPA. Persson did not say how long the blackout will last.
While the browser-based version of Minecraft will be unavailable through Minecraft.net during the downtime, gamers can still play the game if they have previously downloaded it.
Mojang joins Epic Games, Runic Games, Riot Games, and Red 5 Studios as game companies openly professing disapproval of SOPA. However, not all gaming entities are against the measure. The Entertainment Software Association--the game industry's representative online games body--has pledged its support for SOPA. According to the ESA, the game industry requires effective protection against the illegal acquisition of games and those who facilitate it.
Companies that support the bill--including the National Football League and GameSpot parent company CBS--argue that it offers necessary protection to content creators. Opponents of the bill, such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, argue that SOPA infringes upon First Amendment rights and will ultimately deprive the Internet of non-infringing content.
Minecraft.net and Mojang.com will be "blocked" next week.
Mojang studio head Markus Persson today announced via Twitter that Minecraft.net and Mojang.com will be taken offline on January 18 in protest of SOPA. Persson did not say how long the blackout will last.
While the browser-based version of Minecraft will be unavailable through Minecraft.net during the downtime, gamers can still play the game if they have previously downloaded it.
Mojang joins Epic Games, Runic Games, Riot Games, and Red 5 Studios as game companies openly professing disapproval of SOPA. However, not all gaming entities are against the measure. The Entertainment Software Association--the game industry's representative online games body--has pledged its support for SOPA. According to the ESA, the game industry requires effective protection against the illegal acquisition of games and those who facilitate it.
Companies that support the bill--including the National Football League and GameSpot parent company CBS--argue that it offers necessary protection to content creators. Opponents of the bill, such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, argue that SOPA infringes upon First Amendment rights and will ultimately deprive the Internet of non-infringing content.
Star Wars: The Old Republic gets Rise of the Rakghouls update next week
BioWare's massively multiplayer online role-playing game Star Wars: The Old Republic shipped in late December and publisher Electronic Arts was quick to herald it as the "fastest growing subscription MMO in history." Though it may have already notched such lofty figures, today EA announced that The Old Republic's journey is just beginning, with its first content update due china tours next week.
The Rakghouls rise in The Old Republic's new update.
Due out on January 17, the Rise of the Rakghouls update brings two major content additions to The Old Republic: a new Flashpoint and a new Operation. The new Flashpoint is Kaon Under Siege, and it tasks gamers with teaming up to lay waste to a group of Rakghouls. The content is available only for players who have reached the game's level cap of 50, and sports it Normal and Heroic modes.
The second significant addition in Rise of the Rakghouls is new Operation Karagga's Palace. This Operation pits teams of eight or 16 against Karagga and the china toursHutt Cartel, and it is available in Normal, Heroic, and Nightmare difficulty options.
On top of the new Flashpoint and Operation, Rise of the Rakghouls includes game updates like antialiasing and player-versus-player bracketing for WarZones.
As for future refreshes, BioWare said the next planned update for Star Wars: The Old Republic will arrive sometime during March 2012. This new update will include new Flashpoints, Operations, WarZones, and unnamed fresh "online games systems."
For more on the Rise of the Rakghouls update, check out GameSpot's video preview, embedded below, as well as an interview with The Old Republic game director James Ohlen.
The Rakghouls rise in The Old Republic's new update.
Due out on January 17, the Rise of the Rakghouls update brings two major content additions to The Old Republic: a new Flashpoint and a new Operation. The new Flashpoint is Kaon Under Siege, and it tasks gamers with teaming up to lay waste to a group of Rakghouls. The content is available only for players who have reached the game's level cap of 50, and sports it Normal and Heroic modes.
The second significant addition in Rise of the Rakghouls is new Operation Karagga's Palace. This Operation pits teams of eight or 16 against Karagga and the china toursHutt Cartel, and it is available in Normal, Heroic, and Nightmare difficulty options.
On top of the new Flashpoint and Operation, Rise of the Rakghouls includes game updates like antialiasing and player-versus-player bracketing for WarZones.
As for future refreshes, BioWare said the next planned update for Star Wars: The Old Republic will arrive sometime during March 2012. This new update will include new Flashpoints, Operations, WarZones, and unnamed fresh "online games systems."
For more on the Rise of the Rakghouls update, check out GameSpot's video preview, embedded below, as well as an interview with The Old Republic game director James Ohlen.
2012年1月13日星期五
League of Legends dev opposes SOPA
Last week, Gears of War and Unreal Engine studio Epic Games stated it did not support the Stop Online Piracy Act, a legislative measure that has caused much controversy as of late. Today, League of Legends developer Riot Games joined the ranks of dissenters, indicating it is also against SOPA, as well as the Protect IP Act (PIPA).
SOPA has Riot Games seeing red.
"We're not usually inclined to comment on politics. We're a game company, and making games is just a whole lot more fun," said Brandon Beck, cofounder and CEO of Riot Games. "But there is legislation under consideration today by the United States Congress that gives us serious concern."
"Riot Games is opposed to SOPA/PIPA in their present form. While we do support efforts to prevent online piracy, the current form of this legislation comes at far too high a cost for us, our players, and online communities across the Internet," Beck said.
In a more League of Legends-centric post on the game's official forums, Riot Games explained how League of Legends players specifically will be affected, should SOPA become law. According to Riot Games' reasoning, if gamers play copyrighted music on their game stream, the entire stream is at risk of being shut down.
Further, Riot Games states that SOPA would threaten independent content creation sites that League of Legends gamers visit and use like YouTube, Reddit, DeviantArt, Own3d, and Twitch. Additionally, Riot Games claims that if SOPA passes, aspects of League of Legends, like official forums and in-game chat, run the risk of either being entirely shut down or having their features reduced.
Riot Games went another step further to explain the situation to gamers. The studio's legal counsel Logan Margulies has opened an Ask Me Anything (AMA) thread on Reddit and is presently fielding questions related to Riot Games' stance on SOPA and PIPA.
Not all gaming entities are against SOPA. The Entertainment Software Association--the game industry's representative body--has pledged its support for SOPA. According to the ESA, the game industry requires effective protection against the illegal acquisition of games and those who facilitate it.
Companies that support the bill--including the National Football League and GameSpot parent company CBS--argue that it offers necessary protection to content creators. Opponents of the bill, such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, argue that SOPA infringes upon First Amendment rights and will ultimately deprive the Internet of non-infringing content.
SOPA has Riot Games seeing red.
"We're not usually inclined to comment on politics. We're a game company, and making games is just a whole lot more fun," said Brandon Beck, cofounder and CEO of Riot Games. "But there is legislation under consideration today by the United States Congress that gives us serious concern."
"Riot Games is opposed to SOPA/PIPA in their present form. While we do support efforts to prevent online piracy, the current form of this legislation comes at far too high a cost for us, our players, and online communities across the Internet," Beck said.
In a more League of Legends-centric post on the game's official forums, Riot Games explained how League of Legends players specifically will be affected, should SOPA become law. According to Riot Games' reasoning, if gamers play copyrighted music on their game stream, the entire stream is at risk of being shut down.
Further, Riot Games states that SOPA would threaten independent content creation sites that League of Legends gamers visit and use like YouTube, Reddit, DeviantArt, Own3d, and Twitch. Additionally, Riot Games claims that if SOPA passes, aspects of League of Legends, like official forums and in-game chat, run the risk of either being entirely shut down or having their features reduced.
Riot Games went another step further to explain the situation to gamers. The studio's legal counsel Logan Margulies has opened an Ask Me Anything (AMA) thread on Reddit and is presently fielding questions related to Riot Games' stance on SOPA and PIPA.
Not all gaming entities are against SOPA. The Entertainment Software Association--the game industry's representative body--has pledged its support for SOPA. According to the ESA, the game industry requires effective protection against the illegal acquisition of games and those who facilitate it.
Companies that support the bill--including the National Football League and GameSpot parent company CBS--argue that it offers necessary protection to content creators. Opponents of the bill, such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, argue that SOPA infringes upon First Amendment rights and will ultimately deprive the Internet of non-infringing content.
Assassin's Creed: Revelations creative director leaves Ubisoft
Assassin's Creed: Revelations was released in November, won praise from reviewers, and helped GameStop post $3.02 billion in sales during the holiday period. If that success motivates Ubisoft to make a sequel, it will do so without a key member of the Assassin's Creed development staff.
The Assassin's Creed franchise will move forward without one of its noted developers.
Canadian marketing company Cossette today announced on its website that Assassin's Creed: Revelations creative director Alexandre Amancio has taken the position of chief creative officer at the Montreal-based marketing firm.
"Video games and advertising have many common elements. In both industries, we are always looking for new ways, more innovative, to engage the consumer to the brand," Amancio said, according to a Google translation.
According to Amancio's LinkedIn profile, he joined Ubisoft Montreal in 2005 to work on Far Cry 2 as art director before becoming creative director on Assassin's Creed: Revelations.
For more on the games Amancio worked on while at Ubisoft, check out GameSpot's reviews of Far Cry 2 and Assassin's Creed: Revelations.
The Assassin's Creed franchise will move forward without one of its noted developers.
Canadian marketing company Cossette today announced on its website that Assassin's Creed: Revelations creative director Alexandre Amancio has taken the position of chief creative officer at the Montreal-based marketing firm.
"Video games and advertising have many common elements. In both industries, we are always looking for new ways, more innovative, to engage the consumer to the brand," Amancio said, according to a Google translation.
According to Amancio's LinkedIn profile, he joined Ubisoft Montreal in 2005 to work on Far Cry 2 as art director before becoming creative director on Assassin's Creed: Revelations.
For more on the games Amancio worked on while at Ubisoft, check out GameSpot's reviews of Far Cry 2 and Assassin's Creed: Revelations.
Xbox Live subscription TV plans on hold?
Xbox Live subscription TV plans on hold?
By Eddie Makuch, GameSpot
Posted Jan 12, 2012 7:30 am PT
High licensing fees reportedly push Microsoft away from bringing its own cable TV competitor through Xbox 360.
0
In November 2010, a report stated Microsoft was keen on becoming a "virtual cable operator," offering a range of cable channels to gamers through the Xbox 360 for a monthly fee. The rumors continued to swell on the eve of the 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo, when a new report pointed to Microsoft unveiling the subscription service during its media briefing. That unveiling never materialized, and now, it appears the service has been placed indefinitely on hold.
The Xbox 360 isn't the cable box of the future, at least not yet.
A new Reuters report states Microsoft has at least temporarily removed itself from talks to bring a cable subscription service to Xbox Live based on high licensing fees it would have to pay. This service was rumored to include voice and motion control, likely through the Kinect.
"They built Microsoft TV, they demoed it for us, they asked for rate cards but then said 'ooh ah, that's expensive,'" said a "senior media executive" reportedly involved in negotiations.
Though Microsoft's subscription TV plans may be on hold, Reuters' source said it is possible negotiations may resume some time in the future.
"It doesn't mean they won't be back in another iteration. We'll have to wait and see," according to the executive.
As of press time, Microsoft had not responded to GameSpot's request for comment.
Despite Microsoft reportedly backing away from its own cable subscription plans, the technology giant is not shying away from adding additional streaming services to its Xbox Live platform. Streaming services currently available on Xbox Live include ESPN3, Netflix, UFC, YouTube, Hulu Plus, EPIX, CNBC, and others.
Additionally, this week at the 2012 Consumer Electronic Show, Microsoft announced it was partnering with multinational media conglomerate News Corporation to bring Fox programming to Xbox Live, and it reiterated Comcast's Xfinity cable service is on the way to the online service.
By Eddie Makuch, GameSpot
Posted Jan 12, 2012 7:30 am PT
High licensing fees reportedly push Microsoft away from bringing its own cable TV competitor through Xbox 360.
0
In November 2010, a report stated Microsoft was keen on becoming a "virtual cable operator," offering a range of cable channels to gamers through the Xbox 360 for a monthly fee. The rumors continued to swell on the eve of the 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo, when a new report pointed to Microsoft unveiling the subscription service during its media briefing. That unveiling never materialized, and now, it appears the service has been placed indefinitely on hold.
The Xbox 360 isn't the cable box of the future, at least not yet.
A new Reuters report states Microsoft has at least temporarily removed itself from talks to bring a cable subscription service to Xbox Live based on high licensing fees it would have to pay. This service was rumored to include voice and motion control, likely through the Kinect.
"They built Microsoft TV, they demoed it for us, they asked for rate cards but then said 'ooh ah, that's expensive,'" said a "senior media executive" reportedly involved in negotiations.
Though Microsoft's subscription TV plans may be on hold, Reuters' source said it is possible negotiations may resume some time in the future.
"It doesn't mean they won't be back in another iteration. We'll have to wait and see," according to the executive.
As of press time, Microsoft had not responded to GameSpot's request for comment.
Despite Microsoft reportedly backing away from its own cable subscription plans, the technology giant is not shying away from adding additional streaming services to its Xbox Live platform. Streaming services currently available on Xbox Live include ESPN3, Netflix, UFC, YouTube, Hulu Plus, EPIX, CNBC, and others.
Additionally, this week at the 2012 Consumer Electronic Show, Microsoft announced it was partnering with multinational media conglomerate News Corporation to bring Fox programming to Xbox Live, and it reiterated Comcast's Xfinity cable service is on the way to the online service.
Binary Domain pushed to February 28
Sega's squad-based shooter Binary Domain was originally scheduled to arrive on Valentine's Day, but the game and its release date have split up.
Now you don't have to decide between flowers or Binary Domain for Valentine's Day.
A new trailer for Binary Domain reveals that the game is now scheduled to arrive on February 28 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in North America. No mention was made of a European release date, and as of press time, Sega had not responded to GameSpot's request for comment.
Binary Domain is set in Tokyo in the year 2080, a time when humans are locked in battle with robots. In the game, players take control of a human peacekeeping team set on regaining control of the city. However, as the peacekeepers continue their fight against the robots, they begin to ponder whether or not they are becoming robotic or robots are becoming human. The game is the latest project from Toshihiro Nagoshi, who is best known for his work on the Yakuza and Super Monkey Ball franchises.
For more on Binary Domain, check out GameSpot's latest coverage of the title.
Now you don't have to decide between flowers or Binary Domain for Valentine's Day.
A new trailer for Binary Domain reveals that the game is now scheduled to arrive on February 28 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in North America. No mention was made of a European release date, and as of press time, Sega had not responded to GameSpot's request for comment.
Binary Domain is set in Tokyo in the year 2080, a time when humans are locked in battle with robots. In the game, players take control of a human peacekeeping team set on regaining control of the city. However, as the peacekeepers continue their fight against the robots, they begin to ponder whether or not they are becoming robotic or robots are becoming human. The game is the latest project from Toshihiro Nagoshi, who is best known for his work on the Yakuza and Super Monkey Ball franchises.
For more on Binary Domain, check out GameSpot's latest coverage of the title.
Kid Icarus: Uprising bundled with new 3DS stand
This March's Kid Icarus: Uprising will not only support the $20 Circle Pad Pro accessory, but it will also introduce an entirely new peripheral: a 3DS stand.
The new 3DS stand and, presumably, Sakurai's hand.
Kid Icarus: Uprising producer Masahiro Sakurai recently announced via Twitter that the game will come bundled with a new 3DS stand. Sakurai tweeted images of the peripheral (available here) indicating that the accessory will allow gamers to set the 3DS down while playing the title.
Unfortunately, it is unclear as to whether or not the 3DS stand will be available as a stand-alone accessory or if it will be released outside of Japan. As of press time, Nintendo had not responded to GameSpot's request for comment.
For more on Kid Icarus: Uprising--due March 23--check out GameSpot's latest preview.
The new 3DS stand and, presumably, Sakurai's hand.
Kid Icarus: Uprising producer Masahiro Sakurai recently announced via Twitter that the game will come bundled with a new 3DS stand. Sakurai tweeted images of the peripheral (available here) indicating that the accessory will allow gamers to set the 3DS down while playing the title.
Unfortunately, it is unclear as to whether or not the 3DS stand will be available as a stand-alone accessory or if it will be released outside of Japan. As of press time, Nintendo had not responded to GameSpot's request for comment.
For more on Kid Icarus: Uprising--due March 23--check out GameSpot's latest preview.
2012年1月9日星期一
Adventure World Treasure Seeker Challenge: Everything you need to know
Adventure World Treasure Seeker Challenge: Everything you need to know
by Brandy Shaul, Posted Jan 9th 2012 7:29PM
Back in the fall of 2011, we saw a new feature added to Adventure World in the form of Treasure Caves. These Treasure Caves have become part of many Expeditions within the game, but aren't open to all players automatically. That is, you need to keep a supply of Rusty Keys on hand to open their locks, and only then can you go inside to claim the treasures that await. Through the game's newest Challenge though, you have an opportunity to win a permanent key that will eliminate your need to ask friends for another ever again.
To be specific, this Challenge is called Treasure Seeker, and it requires you to open as many Treasure Caves as you can within a six day time limit. As with the Snake Tamer or A Friend To Many Challenges released at the beginning of the year, there are different reward levels for this Treasure Seeker event, based on how many Treasure Caves you can actually open up within those six days. For opening just two caves, you'll receive 250 coins and some XP. If you can open five caves, you'll receive three Rusty Keys. Open 15 caves and you'll receive six Rusty Keys, and finally, if you can open 50 Treasure Caves within these six days, you'll receive the fantastic Rusty Skeleton Key. This key will open any Treasure Cave in the entire game, and can be used as many times as you'd like, thereby eliminating your need to ask friends to send you keys in the first place.
While that's a pretty big number of caves to open, keep in mind that you can repeat Expeditions as often as necessary to reach the total. So long as you have the energy, Supplies and other items necessary to access the Expeditions, you can go through them again and again, opening all of the Treasure Caves on those particular maps.
So you think you have what it takes to earn this Rusty Skeleton Key in the Treasure Seeker Challenge? Did you completing finish the first two Challenges released in the game? Sound off in the comments.
by Brandy Shaul, Posted Jan 9th 2012 7:29PM
Back in the fall of 2011, we saw a new feature added to Adventure World in the form of Treasure Caves. These Treasure Caves have become part of many Expeditions within the game, but aren't open to all players automatically. That is, you need to keep a supply of Rusty Keys on hand to open their locks, and only then can you go inside to claim the treasures that await. Through the game's newest Challenge though, you have an opportunity to win a permanent key that will eliminate your need to ask friends for another ever again.
To be specific, this Challenge is called Treasure Seeker, and it requires you to open as many Treasure Caves as you can within a six day time limit. As with the Snake Tamer or A Friend To Many Challenges released at the beginning of the year, there are different reward levels for this Treasure Seeker event, based on how many Treasure Caves you can actually open up within those six days. For opening just two caves, you'll receive 250 coins and some XP. If you can open five caves, you'll receive three Rusty Keys. Open 15 caves and you'll receive six Rusty Keys, and finally, if you can open 50 Treasure Caves within these six days, you'll receive the fantastic Rusty Skeleton Key. This key will open any Treasure Cave in the entire game, and can be used as many times as you'd like, thereby eliminating your need to ask friends to send you keys in the first place.
While that's a pretty big number of caves to open, keep in mind that you can repeat Expeditions as often as necessary to reach the total. So long as you have the energy, Supplies and other items necessary to access the Expeditions, you can go through them again and again, opening all of the Treasure Caves on those particular maps.
So you think you have what it takes to earn this Rusty Skeleton Key in the Treasure Seeker Challenge? Did you completing finish the first two Challenges released in the game? Sound off in the comments.
Pioneer Trail Benjamin's Bare Feet Timed Goal: Everything you need to know
Pioneer Trail Benjamin's Bare Feet Timed Goal: Everything you need to know
Continuing in the game's recent Timed Goal fascination, Pioneer Trail has received yet another timed goal for you to complete on your Homestead. If you're above Level 15, and are up for another challenge, you can now take on "Benjamin's Bare Feet," a timed goal that sees you helping Ben's wife Beatrice gather up new socks, so that she can stop fixing all of Ben's old and torn ones once and for all (that's not a very glamorous task, I must admit).
You'll have until January 31 to accept this one in your game, and you'll have five days to complete all of the tasks therein for your rewards.
Benjamin's Bare Feet
Collect 40 Stockings
Collect 20 Fragrant Insoles
Collect 20 Holiday Shoehorns
The Stockings come from the Stocking Trees that grow in Holiday Hollow. Meanwhile, you'll need to ask your friends for the Fragrant Insoles and Holiday Shoehorns via a combination of individual requests and general news items posted on your wall. When you finish this goal (that is, if you can finish it within the five day time limit), you'll receive a Big Present, 20 Candy Canes and 500 XP.
Sure, it's a little late for Christmas in the game, but since Holiday Hollow is still available to play in, if you've already finished everything there, this will give the area some purpose until it does (if it does) shut down. Good luck!
Have you been keeping up with the many timed goals released in Pioneer Trail over the past couple of months? Sound off in the comments.
Continuing in the game's recent Timed Goal fascination, Pioneer Trail has received yet another timed goal for you to complete on your Homestead. If you're above Level 15, and are up for another challenge, you can now take on "Benjamin's Bare Feet," a timed goal that sees you helping Ben's wife Beatrice gather up new socks, so that she can stop fixing all of Ben's old and torn ones once and for all (that's not a very glamorous task, I must admit).
You'll have until January 31 to accept this one in your game, and you'll have five days to complete all of the tasks therein for your rewards.
Benjamin's Bare Feet
Collect 40 Stockings
Collect 20 Fragrant Insoles
Collect 20 Holiday Shoehorns
The Stockings come from the Stocking Trees that grow in Holiday Hollow. Meanwhile, you'll need to ask your friends for the Fragrant Insoles and Holiday Shoehorns via a combination of individual requests and general news items posted on your wall. When you finish this goal (that is, if you can finish it within the five day time limit), you'll receive a Big Present, 20 Candy Canes and 500 XP.
Sure, it's a little late for Christmas in the game, but since Holiday Hollow is still available to play in, if you've already finished everything there, this will give the area some purpose until it does (if it does) shut down. Good luck!
Have you been keeping up with the many timed goals released in Pioneer Trail over the past couple of months? Sound off in the comments.
Hidden Chronicles Manhattan Alley: Our guide to finding every item
Hidden Chronicles Manhattan Alley: Our guide to finding every item
by Brandy Shaul, Posted Jan 9th 2012 8:50PM
Making our way deeper into Zynga's Hidden Chronicles on Facebook, we can take a look at the second artifact in the Library chapter - the Italian Violin. This Violin has five scenes, one of which is premium, and the final scene in this area is called Manhattan Alley. You'll need eight energy points each time you wish to play it, but you can play the scene an infinite number of times to earn mastery.
We're here with a guide showing you where to find the scene's many items, so if you're working on building up your combo points or just on the scene's individual mastery scale, make sure to check out our images below! Note: The items you'll receive will just be a selection of all of those pictured below.
If you're looking to find a particular item: Hit Ctrl +F (or Command + F if on a Mac) and type in the name of the object you're looking for. This will take you directly to its image.
Super Clue:
Paint and Outline Star (drag Spray Paint Can to Star on wall)
Set 1:
Orange
Spiderweb
Blue Bulb
No Parking
Motorcycle
Watermelon
Set 2:
T-Shirt
Antenna
Hanging Flowers
Pipe Wrench
Set 3:
Moth
Book
Tin Cup
Lost Cat
Floor Lamp
Set 4:
Stepping Stool
Horseshoe
Beanbag
Clothing Iron
Telephone
Volleyball
Set 5:
Security Camera
Raccoon
Heart
Pizza Box
Tire
Set 6:
Lion
Lunchbox
Oil Spill
Tennis Shoes
Broken Record
Set 7:
Smoking Pipe
Shopping Cart
Chinese Take-out
Shovel
Set 8:
Footprint
Mouse
Trash Bag
Set 9:
Twine
Gear
Hammer
There are a handful of items not pictured above, as the game generates each set of items randomly. When we come across those missing items, we'll make sure to update this space with how you too can find them. In the meantime, feel free to start decorating your Manor and working on building up your own mastery of this scene or any other in the game!
Have you finished every trophy of mastery for this Manhattan Alley scene? What do you think of Zynga's take on the hidden object genre thus far? Sound off in the comments.
by Brandy Shaul, Posted Jan 9th 2012 8:50PM
Making our way deeper into Zynga's Hidden Chronicles on Facebook, we can take a look at the second artifact in the Library chapter - the Italian Violin. This Violin has five scenes, one of which is premium, and the final scene in this area is called Manhattan Alley. You'll need eight energy points each time you wish to play it, but you can play the scene an infinite number of times to earn mastery.
We're here with a guide showing you where to find the scene's many items, so if you're working on building up your combo points or just on the scene's individual mastery scale, make sure to check out our images below! Note: The items you'll receive will just be a selection of all of those pictured below.
If you're looking to find a particular item: Hit Ctrl +F (or Command + F if on a Mac) and type in the name of the object you're looking for. This will take you directly to its image.
Super Clue:
Paint and Outline Star (drag Spray Paint Can to Star on wall)
Set 1:
Orange
Spiderweb
Blue Bulb
No Parking
Motorcycle
Watermelon
Set 2:
T-Shirt
Antenna
Hanging Flowers
Pipe Wrench
Set 3:
Moth
Book
Tin Cup
Lost Cat
Floor Lamp
Set 4:
Stepping Stool
Horseshoe
Beanbag
Clothing Iron
Telephone
Volleyball
Set 5:
Security Camera
Raccoon
Heart
Pizza Box
Tire
Set 6:
Lion
Lunchbox
Oil Spill
Tennis Shoes
Broken Record
Set 7:
Smoking Pipe
Shopping Cart
Chinese Take-out
Shovel
Set 8:
Footprint
Mouse
Trash Bag
Set 9:
Twine
Gear
Hammer
There are a handful of items not pictured above, as the game generates each set of items randomly. When we come across those missing items, we'll make sure to update this space with how you too can find them. In the meantime, feel free to start decorating your Manor and working on building up your own mastery of this scene or any other in the game!
Have you finished every trophy of mastery for this Manhattan Alley scene? What do you think of Zynga's take on the hidden object genre thus far? Sound off in the comments.
CityVille takes a trip to Germany with new themed items
CityVille takes a trip to Germany with new themed items
by Brandy Shaul, Posted Jan 9th 2012 9:13PM
Since the holidays are now over, CityVille has gone back to its normal habit of receiving item updates concerning worldwide travel. The game's newest theme, for instance, takes us to Germany, with new homes, businesses and community buildings now being available to purchase. As usual, we'll here with a complete look at these new items, so follow along with us as we take a look at them!
German Parliament Building (Community Building)
Costs: 75 City Cash
Allows: 6,250 citizens
Mueller Mansion
Costs: 65 City Cash
Population: 1,850 - 3,650
Rent: 326 coins every day
Kleist Cottage
Costs: 35 City Cash
Population: 350 - 680
Rent: 242 coins every eight hours
Brecht Theater (Community Building)
Costs: 200,000 coins
Allows: 1,900 citizens
The Bratwurst Barn
Costs: 100,000 coins
Requires: 310 Goods
Earnings: 1,670 coins
Hertzog House
Costs: 400,000 coins
Population: 650 - 1,290
Rent: 99 coins every hour
by Brandy Shaul, Posted Jan 9th 2012 9:13PM
Since the holidays are now over, CityVille has gone back to its normal habit of receiving item updates concerning worldwide travel. The game's newest theme, for instance, takes us to Germany, with new homes, businesses and community buildings now being available to purchase. As usual, we'll here with a complete look at these new items, so follow along with us as we take a look at them!
German Parliament Building (Community Building)
Costs: 75 City Cash
Allows: 6,250 citizens
Mueller Mansion
Costs: 65 City Cash
Population: 1,850 - 3,650
Rent: 326 coins every day
Kleist Cottage
Costs: 35 City Cash
Population: 350 - 680
Rent: 242 coins every eight hours
Brecht Theater (Community Building)
Costs: 200,000 coins
Allows: 1,900 citizens
The Bratwurst Barn
Costs: 100,000 coins
Requires: 310 Goods
Earnings: 1,670 coins
Hertzog House
Costs: 400,000 coins
Population: 650 - 1,290
Rent: 99 coins every hour
2012年1月8日星期日
The 5 Most Bulls**t Mario Appearances in History
Pretty much everyone there ever was knows and loves Mario, that lovable plumber, stomper of mushrooms, mutilator of turtles, and rescuer of princesses. I bet if you Google just the word “Mario”, the first result will have to do with Nintendo’s mustachioed mascot. (I did it and it does.) He’s not just a popular character, he’s an icon. Also, Mario is like a money machine for Nintendo. Put out a game and slap Mario’s name on it, and it sells like hotcakes. He’s like a magic goose that lays golden coins. See what I did there?
Yay! Mario! I like Mario!
Problem is, this makes for more than a few attempts at cashing in on a license without putting forth the effort to create a quality game behind it. Sure, Mario kicks ass when he’s in a legit Mario game, where he does all the stuff I just listed off, but a lot more of the time, Nintendo’s just trying to sneak a stinker past us.
On Sunday, we get the probably-awesome-but-goofily-named Super Mario 3D Land, the first legit Mario game since Super Mario Galaxy 2 in early 2010. The Tanooki suit is back, he gets to throw boomerangs, it’s in 3D, and boy does it look like it’s gonna be great. However, to celebrate this rare occasion, let’s take a moment and look at the five most completely bullsh*tted attempts to cash in on the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom that history has ever seen.
Mario’s Time Machine (NES, SNES, and MS-DOS)
Based on the name alone, this game could be the coolest thing ever. Immediately, I imagine Mario riding a dinosaur through colonial America, with his trusty terra cotta Chinese warrior sidekick, stomping robotic redcoats and burning zombie Hitler to death with a fire flower he borrowed from Jesus Christ. This and only this is what I would expect from a game called Mario’s Time Machine, because anything else would be a total and complete waste of such an incredible title. Instead, however, we get this:
What? Why? Bowser has a museum? Stupid, yes, but that’s not nearly all that’s wrong here. The logic of this game is so flawed! Bowser’s going to keep Yoshi prisoner until Mario steals everything out of his museum and takes it back through time to where it goes. Why would he do this? Why would he like, bait the one dude who ALWAYS beats him into ruining his museum, which he probably spent a bunch of time putting together? I mean, it’s not like he’s stealing these pieces from other museums. He’s literally TIME TRAVELING to get these things, which is basically an impossible task, and the best evil plan he could come up with was to have Mario forcibly take them from him and put them back? And look at this bullshit security system! You’re telling me Bowser was like, “Oh I know! I’ll lay two innocent Koopa Troopa lives on the line by having them protect my artifacts in small, easy to navigate rooms that work just like a shitty version of Mario Bros.!”? Ridiculous.
COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL.
So then, after you walk through the weirdly empty museum, easily defeat a couple Koopas, grab the artifact, and hop in the time machine, you’re probably as sure as I was that the real game was about to begin. WRONG. Like, sure, you go to ancient Greece or Florence or wherever, but really, all you do is jump on a few more shitty Koopas and hit a bunch of boxes that cause paragraphs of text to appear on the screen that say things that are barely facts, but that try and pass themselves off as knowledge that the game is actually teaching you. Ick.
So yeah, basically, what could have been probably the COOLEST MARIO GAME EVER is actually just a really brief, vague encyclopedia that’s hard to read because instead of pages, it’s written inside of a video game that LOOKS like Mario but plays like, oh, I don’t know, a calculator wristwatch. And yeah, I know the SNES version is a little better than the NES one, but that’s like saying it’s better to gnaw off my own hand than to have a dog do it. Bullsh*t.
Dr. Mario (NES and Gameboy)
Now, before I’m disemboweled by basically everybody, let me begin by saying that I enjoy Dr. Mario just as much as anyone else. I probably play it more than I play Tetris, and it’s like, a perfect toilet/bus ride game. In this case, the quality of the game has nothing to do with why it’s bullshit. Instead, it has to do almost entirely with the premise. Take it away, Nintendo!
“An experiment gone awry has unleashed a slew of viruses onto Mushroom Kindgdom Hospital! Help Dr. Mario battle these nasty bugs by throwing multi-colored vitamins at them.”
Huh? Doctor Mario, eh? When did that happen? He wasn’t a doctor before! Did he attend medical school in the Mushroom Kingdom? My guess is “no” for two reasons. One, throwing multi-colored vitamins is absolutely not the way to cure anyone of anything. Second, there is no way that something large enough to throw a vitamin at is actually a virus. I guess we can justify this second part by saying that maybe this “experiment gone awry” has caused the viruses to grow to outrageous sizes, but like, okay, then my second point is that no real doctor puts his first name after his title. Whatever. There’s no way that anyone can explain this premise to me, especially considering what the gameplay consists of, where I’ll be like, “Yeah, okay. NOW I see why this had to be a Mario game.”
The logical next step for the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom
It’s a falling blocks puzzle game, guys. I guess it makes sense to give it a theme, but like, what was that board room like for that meeting? I like to imagine that there was a guy who was spearheading “Team Doctor Theme” and another guy leading “Team No Way Let’s Make It Another Mario Game”, and they fought a bunch, until their boss made them go out and grab a beer so they would arrive at a compromise. That is literally the only reasonable situation I can fathom which results in the creation of this game. Bowser’s not in the game, Peach isn’t in the game, there’s no Yoshi, no Luigi, no Goombas, Koopas, nothing. Why is it a Mario game? The other bullshitty thing is how many times this game has come out. There’s like, ten versions! And they're barely even sequels. They’re really just the same game with better graphics! And they all sell well! Insane!
In a nutshell, Dr. Mario, while fun, could be anything. Nothing about it has to do with the Mario universe, and even less of it makes sense. Great game, dumb premise, all bullsh*t.
Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games (Wii and DS)
Man, remember the 90’s? Remember when Sonic and Mario were bitter rivals, and Sega and Nintendo were always trying to one-up each other for that top spot? I bet someone else did, too, when they absolutely pitched Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games like this: “What better way to honor the message of co-operation and solidarity that the Olympics represent than to bring Mario and Sonic, the US and Soviet Union of gaming, together at last? Oh yeah, and people love mini-games.”
It was this perfect divine mixture of schmaltz and shovelware that shot to the top of the Wii sales charts in Winter of 2007, but who does anyone think they’re kidding? At first glance, one might lump this game in with something like Mario Kart or Mario Tennis, but that would be a mistake. Those games are all set in the Mushroom Kingdom, and beyond just playing as all your favorite Mario characters, they really take steps to integrate that world into the gameplay. This is just the real Olympics with cartoon characters instead of athletes. It’s like they were afraid to just make a straight Olympics game, so they added the Nintendo and Sega characters to ensure its success.
Also, Kart and Tennis stick to one thing each, and do it very well. The racing in Mario Kart is probably the best of any kart racing out there, and Mario Tennis is arguably one of the best multiplayer titles for N64. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games, however, is just a collection of mini-games. It’s so crappy when you get a game like this, where you can tell that they spent a bunch of time making a few of the games fun, and filled in the rest with sh*tty little poops of content that actually objectively suck. It’s like a scheme, bros! And it’s not even a clever one! It’s like a magic trick that your nine-year-old nephew does that’s really just him throwing a card over his shoulder, but you have to pretend it’s amazing, but instead of pretending its amazing, you have to spend fifty bucks on a lame game.
How dare they use Mario for something like this! And Sonic, too! I don’t care what they do with someone like Vector, because he’s a horrible character and represents everything that’s wrong with the Sonic franchise, but it’s still a bunch of bullsh*t.
Mario Paint (SNES)
Mario Paint is like, neat. Actually, “neat” is the perfect way to describe it, because it perfectly captures the legitimate interest I have in it as a concept without implying any sort of excitement. People make all kinds of fun sh*t with it which you can see all over youtube (type “Mario Paint ANYTHING” and it’ll probably exist), but it’s basically a glorified, proof-of-concept tech demo for the weird SNES mouse peripheral. Like, what can it even do? It’s barely a game!
DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPE.
Alright, so let’s see. You can do some basic drawing, make and place stamps, and make SUPER sh*tty animations with SUPER sh*tty music. That sounds a lot like this awesome game I used to have call MS Paint, but mixed with this other incredibly deep game on my mac called Garageband. Those are my two favorite ga-GAH! SHUT UP! IT’S NOT A F**KING GAME! IT’S NOT! AHHH!
So where does Mario come in? I’ll tell you where. Whoever it was who was tasked with selling this ga-NO! NOT A GAME! ...selling this “thing” to the people was probably having a hard week, and instead of doing anything else, he was just like “Meh, slap a little Mario on there.” , and they did, and voila, a cherished classic is born, regardless of whether any gameplay was present or not.
An unaltered screenshot from “Gnat Attack”
In fact, the only part Mario Paint that actually IS a game is a little mini-game called “Gnat Attack”, and Mario isn’t in it at all! It’s like, you swat flies and then you fight a big fly, and then it starts over, and that’s it. I’ll say it again. The game in Mario MARIO MARIO!!!!! Paint is the part where you SWAT FLIES. BULLSH*T.
Alleyway (Gameboy)
So this is the number one entry, and let me tell you the exact and incredibly personal reason why. The other day I was browsing the eShop on my 3DS (I know, I know, LOL, blah blah blah), and I was excited to notice a tab marked “Mario Games”. I tapped on it, and was happy to go on a little nostalgia trip looking at both Super Mario Lands, Dr. Mario, Mario’s Picross, Mario vs. Donkey Kong, all the Game and Watch games, and...Alleyway. ALLEYWAY?
What? It’s just a Breakout clone! The only thing I could remember connecting Mario with Alleyway was that the blocks sometimes looked like a giant Mario sprite in the bonus round, but surely that wasn’t the only reason they had it listed as a Mario game, was it? I didn’t think so. So I bought it and began to scour it for any sign of our silly Italian hero. Then I looked at the box art, and I noticed something tiny, just visible inside the paddle. “What is that? Is that...? No! No way! With his back turned to us? What’s he doing? Is he...? Oh, WHAT THE F...”
Also, this game apparently takes place in the bathwater of a sad clown.
There’s a tiny little Mario on there at the controls INSIDE the paddle! I was stunned! I booted up the game and sure enough, right as I was about to start, a tiny little Mario flashes onto the screen for half a second, and hops into the paddle! No wonder my lives icon was in the shape of Mario’s face! In like the shittiest way ever, Alleyway is actually attempting to be a game where you play as Mario! And it’s only on the first stage! That’s like, obscene!
I mean look how quickly he just jumps in there, and then how fully the game proceeds to have literally nothing to do with Mario. It’s not even like the game benefits from it. It’s just like, Nintendo was like, “Hey, guys. You know how we own the rights to Mario? Let’s just like, get him in there for a minute. Why not? It’s 1989! We’re on the top of the world! Pass me a Tab soda!” Like, they just did it because they could, like they’re just pretty much throwin’ Mario around willy-nilly at this point. He just jumps in, it closes, and that’s all you ever see of him. You could literally play that game for one hour, and only see Mario for one second, and Nintendo sold it to me as a Mario game. Bullsh*t.
Conclusion:
So, I can see how, after reading all this, someone might be convinced that maybe I just hate Mario. I promise that’s not the case. I love Mario. Believe me, no one is more excited than I to play Super Mario 3D Land when it comes out this Sunday, but maybe I do treat Mario a little too harshly. I mean I grew up with the little guy. It’s tough for me not to see his likeness as a stamp of quality and a long tradition. For me, Mario’s presence means something. That’s why it’s hard for me to see all these games that are basically jokes.
FFFFFFUUUUUUUUHHHHHHH....
But I mean hey, maybe it’s no coincidence that Nintendo’s reputation, at least among hardcore gamers, is kind of not so good right now. Maybe I’m not the only one who’s miffed about all these weird games. Maybe it’s just as simple as that. Put out less video games, all of which are good, and people will respect your franchise. I mean shoot, Nintendo, look within your own catalog for a shining example of exactly this, guys! Zelda’s been killin’ it for 25 years! Oh shit, Skyward Sword, you guys.
Two A-List games in one month, Nintendo? No wonder I’ve got a rock hard bone-daddy.
Leave a comment
Comments
Yay! Mario! I like Mario!
Problem is, this makes for more than a few attempts at cashing in on a license without putting forth the effort to create a quality game behind it. Sure, Mario kicks ass when he’s in a legit Mario game, where he does all the stuff I just listed off, but a lot more of the time, Nintendo’s just trying to sneak a stinker past us.
On Sunday, we get the probably-awesome-but-goofily-named Super Mario 3D Land, the first legit Mario game since Super Mario Galaxy 2 in early 2010. The Tanooki suit is back, he gets to throw boomerangs, it’s in 3D, and boy does it look like it’s gonna be great. However, to celebrate this rare occasion, let’s take a moment and look at the five most completely bullsh*tted attempts to cash in on the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom that history has ever seen.
Mario’s Time Machine (NES, SNES, and MS-DOS)
Based on the name alone, this game could be the coolest thing ever. Immediately, I imagine Mario riding a dinosaur through colonial America, with his trusty terra cotta Chinese warrior sidekick, stomping robotic redcoats and burning zombie Hitler to death with a fire flower he borrowed from Jesus Christ. This and only this is what I would expect from a game called Mario’s Time Machine, because anything else would be a total and complete waste of such an incredible title. Instead, however, we get this:
What? Why? Bowser has a museum? Stupid, yes, but that’s not nearly all that’s wrong here. The logic of this game is so flawed! Bowser’s going to keep Yoshi prisoner until Mario steals everything out of his museum and takes it back through time to where it goes. Why would he do this? Why would he like, bait the one dude who ALWAYS beats him into ruining his museum, which he probably spent a bunch of time putting together? I mean, it’s not like he’s stealing these pieces from other museums. He’s literally TIME TRAVELING to get these things, which is basically an impossible task, and the best evil plan he could come up with was to have Mario forcibly take them from him and put them back? And look at this bullshit security system! You’re telling me Bowser was like, “Oh I know! I’ll lay two innocent Koopa Troopa lives on the line by having them protect my artifacts in small, easy to navigate rooms that work just like a shitty version of Mario Bros.!”? Ridiculous.
COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL.
So then, after you walk through the weirdly empty museum, easily defeat a couple Koopas, grab the artifact, and hop in the time machine, you’re probably as sure as I was that the real game was about to begin. WRONG. Like, sure, you go to ancient Greece or Florence or wherever, but really, all you do is jump on a few more shitty Koopas and hit a bunch of boxes that cause paragraphs of text to appear on the screen that say things that are barely facts, but that try and pass themselves off as knowledge that the game is actually teaching you. Ick.
So yeah, basically, what could have been probably the COOLEST MARIO GAME EVER is actually just a really brief, vague encyclopedia that’s hard to read because instead of pages, it’s written inside of a video game that LOOKS like Mario but plays like, oh, I don’t know, a calculator wristwatch. And yeah, I know the SNES version is a little better than the NES one, but that’s like saying it’s better to gnaw off my own hand than to have a dog do it. Bullsh*t.
Dr. Mario (NES and Gameboy)
Now, before I’m disemboweled by basically everybody, let me begin by saying that I enjoy Dr. Mario just as much as anyone else. I probably play it more than I play Tetris, and it’s like, a perfect toilet/bus ride game. In this case, the quality of the game has nothing to do with why it’s bullshit. Instead, it has to do almost entirely with the premise. Take it away, Nintendo!
“An experiment gone awry has unleashed a slew of viruses onto Mushroom Kindgdom Hospital! Help Dr. Mario battle these nasty bugs by throwing multi-colored vitamins at them.”
Huh? Doctor Mario, eh? When did that happen? He wasn’t a doctor before! Did he attend medical school in the Mushroom Kingdom? My guess is “no” for two reasons. One, throwing multi-colored vitamins is absolutely not the way to cure anyone of anything. Second, there is no way that something large enough to throw a vitamin at is actually a virus. I guess we can justify this second part by saying that maybe this “experiment gone awry” has caused the viruses to grow to outrageous sizes, but like, okay, then my second point is that no real doctor puts his first name after his title. Whatever. There’s no way that anyone can explain this premise to me, especially considering what the gameplay consists of, where I’ll be like, “Yeah, okay. NOW I see why this had to be a Mario game.”
The logical next step for the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom
It’s a falling blocks puzzle game, guys. I guess it makes sense to give it a theme, but like, what was that board room like for that meeting? I like to imagine that there was a guy who was spearheading “Team Doctor Theme” and another guy leading “Team No Way Let’s Make It Another Mario Game”, and they fought a bunch, until their boss made them go out and grab a beer so they would arrive at a compromise. That is literally the only reasonable situation I can fathom which results in the creation of this game. Bowser’s not in the game, Peach isn’t in the game, there’s no Yoshi, no Luigi, no Goombas, Koopas, nothing. Why is it a Mario game? The other bullshitty thing is how many times this game has come out. There’s like, ten versions! And they're barely even sequels. They’re really just the same game with better graphics! And they all sell well! Insane!
In a nutshell, Dr. Mario, while fun, could be anything. Nothing about it has to do with the Mario universe, and even less of it makes sense. Great game, dumb premise, all bullsh*t.
Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games (Wii and DS)
Man, remember the 90’s? Remember when Sonic and Mario were bitter rivals, and Sega and Nintendo were always trying to one-up each other for that top spot? I bet someone else did, too, when they absolutely pitched Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games like this: “What better way to honor the message of co-operation and solidarity that the Olympics represent than to bring Mario and Sonic, the US and Soviet Union of gaming, together at last? Oh yeah, and people love mini-games.”
It was this perfect divine mixture of schmaltz and shovelware that shot to the top of the Wii sales charts in Winter of 2007, but who does anyone think they’re kidding? At first glance, one might lump this game in with something like Mario Kart or Mario Tennis, but that would be a mistake. Those games are all set in the Mushroom Kingdom, and beyond just playing as all your favorite Mario characters, they really take steps to integrate that world into the gameplay. This is just the real Olympics with cartoon characters instead of athletes. It’s like they were afraid to just make a straight Olympics game, so they added the Nintendo and Sega characters to ensure its success.
Also, Kart and Tennis stick to one thing each, and do it very well. The racing in Mario Kart is probably the best of any kart racing out there, and Mario Tennis is arguably one of the best multiplayer titles for N64. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games, however, is just a collection of mini-games. It’s so crappy when you get a game like this, where you can tell that they spent a bunch of time making a few of the games fun, and filled in the rest with sh*tty little poops of content that actually objectively suck. It’s like a scheme, bros! And it’s not even a clever one! It’s like a magic trick that your nine-year-old nephew does that’s really just him throwing a card over his shoulder, but you have to pretend it’s amazing, but instead of pretending its amazing, you have to spend fifty bucks on a lame game.
How dare they use Mario for something like this! And Sonic, too! I don’t care what they do with someone like Vector, because he’s a horrible character and represents everything that’s wrong with the Sonic franchise, but it’s still a bunch of bullsh*t.
Mario Paint (SNES)
Mario Paint is like, neat. Actually, “neat” is the perfect way to describe it, because it perfectly captures the legitimate interest I have in it as a concept without implying any sort of excitement. People make all kinds of fun sh*t with it which you can see all over youtube (type “Mario Paint ANYTHING” and it’ll probably exist), but it’s basically a glorified, proof-of-concept tech demo for the weird SNES mouse peripheral. Like, what can it even do? It’s barely a game!
DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPE.
Alright, so let’s see. You can do some basic drawing, make and place stamps, and make SUPER sh*tty animations with SUPER sh*tty music. That sounds a lot like this awesome game I used to have call MS Paint, but mixed with this other incredibly deep game on my mac called Garageband. Those are my two favorite ga-GAH! SHUT UP! IT’S NOT A F**KING GAME! IT’S NOT! AHHH!
So where does Mario come in? I’ll tell you where. Whoever it was who was tasked with selling this ga-NO! NOT A GAME! ...selling this “thing” to the people was probably having a hard week, and instead of doing anything else, he was just like “Meh, slap a little Mario on there.” , and they did, and voila, a cherished classic is born, regardless of whether any gameplay was present or not.
An unaltered screenshot from “Gnat Attack”
In fact, the only part Mario Paint that actually IS a game is a little mini-game called “Gnat Attack”, and Mario isn’t in it at all! It’s like, you swat flies and then you fight a big fly, and then it starts over, and that’s it. I’ll say it again. The game in Mario MARIO MARIO!!!!! Paint is the part where you SWAT FLIES. BULLSH*T.
Alleyway (Gameboy)
So this is the number one entry, and let me tell you the exact and incredibly personal reason why. The other day I was browsing the eShop on my 3DS (I know, I know, LOL, blah blah blah), and I was excited to notice a tab marked “Mario Games”. I tapped on it, and was happy to go on a little nostalgia trip looking at both Super Mario Lands, Dr. Mario, Mario’s Picross, Mario vs. Donkey Kong, all the Game and Watch games, and...Alleyway. ALLEYWAY?
What? It’s just a Breakout clone! The only thing I could remember connecting Mario with Alleyway was that the blocks sometimes looked like a giant Mario sprite in the bonus round, but surely that wasn’t the only reason they had it listed as a Mario game, was it? I didn’t think so. So I bought it and began to scour it for any sign of our silly Italian hero. Then I looked at the box art, and I noticed something tiny, just visible inside the paddle. “What is that? Is that...? No! No way! With his back turned to us? What’s he doing? Is he...? Oh, WHAT THE F...”
Also, this game apparently takes place in the bathwater of a sad clown.
There’s a tiny little Mario on there at the controls INSIDE the paddle! I was stunned! I booted up the game and sure enough, right as I was about to start, a tiny little Mario flashes onto the screen for half a second, and hops into the paddle! No wonder my lives icon was in the shape of Mario’s face! In like the shittiest way ever, Alleyway is actually attempting to be a game where you play as Mario! And it’s only on the first stage! That’s like, obscene!
I mean look how quickly he just jumps in there, and then how fully the game proceeds to have literally nothing to do with Mario. It’s not even like the game benefits from it. It’s just like, Nintendo was like, “Hey, guys. You know how we own the rights to Mario? Let’s just like, get him in there for a minute. Why not? It’s 1989! We’re on the top of the world! Pass me a Tab soda!” Like, they just did it because they could, like they’re just pretty much throwin’ Mario around willy-nilly at this point. He just jumps in, it closes, and that’s all you ever see of him. You could literally play that game for one hour, and only see Mario for one second, and Nintendo sold it to me as a Mario game. Bullsh*t.
Conclusion:
So, I can see how, after reading all this, someone might be convinced that maybe I just hate Mario. I promise that’s not the case. I love Mario. Believe me, no one is more excited than I to play Super Mario 3D Land when it comes out this Sunday, but maybe I do treat Mario a little too harshly. I mean I grew up with the little guy. It’s tough for me not to see his likeness as a stamp of quality and a long tradition. For me, Mario’s presence means something. That’s why it’s hard for me to see all these games that are basically jokes.
FFFFFFUUUUUUUUHHHHHHH....
But I mean hey, maybe it’s no coincidence that Nintendo’s reputation, at least among hardcore gamers, is kind of not so good right now. Maybe I’m not the only one who’s miffed about all these weird games. Maybe it’s just as simple as that. Put out less video games, all of which are good, and people will respect your franchise. I mean shoot, Nintendo, look within your own catalog for a shining example of exactly this, guys! Zelda’s been killin’ it for 25 years! Oh shit, Skyward Sword, you guys.
Two A-List games in one month, Nintendo? No wonder I’ve got a rock hard bone-daddy.
Leave a comment
Comments
Five Reasons to Get Excited for Super Mario 3D Land
The announcement of any solo Mario title is news enough to get us excited. From Super Mario Galaxy to New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Nintendo knows how to keep the short plumber in red and blue overalls a goomba-stomping, block-punching force of entertainment. This month, everyone's favorite video game Italian travels back through green pipes of yesteryear, connecting the old and the new of Mario games. In case you need 'em, here are five reasons to look forward to Super Mario 3D Land.
The Rainbow Road Between 2D and 3D
Super Mario 3D Land might, as its name implies, take advantage of Nintendo's latest handheld innovation in 3D gaming, but it also returns the series to its 2D side-scrolling days. Nintendo has pumped a lot of effort into building this 3D Mario game from scratch, a first for a handheld game in the series, and the attempt could serve as the perfect middle for both fans of the older side-scrolling gems and the more modern iterations.
super mario 3d land super leaf
So why is this exciting? Imagine the open world nook and crannies of 3D Mario games like Mario 64 stitched together with the branching but linear paths of 2D wonders like Super Mario Bros. 3. The potential for environmental and gameplay depth is immense. As anyone can see from the 70+ screenshots Nintendo has shared in anticipation for the game, the scope of the levels in promises to make the player feel as though Mario is running around a continent-sized Kingdom, with the land and sea fading into the horizon. You can even spot Peach's castle twinkling in the background.
As Super Mario Bros. 3 proved, you don't need fully realized 3D castles and gardens to conceal dozens of secret areas and treasures.
Playful Environments and Enemies
3D Land is, simply put, a rush of color. The Mario games have always experimented with color palettes, from the night scenes of Super Mario Bros. to the chalk drawings that make up Yoshi's Island. Super Mario 3D Land looks especially lush and bright, and it's filled from top to bottom with excitement.
super mario 3d land goomba tanooki
We really like the fake, cardboard goombas—a tactic that gives the real goombas a little more credit, proving they aren't the lowest of the low in the Mushroom Kingdom. Some of them have even grown to jumbo size, sweeping the ground with a Tanooki tail. It's creativity like this—not fancy 3D graphics—that will make Super Mario 3D Land feel much larger than the little screen on the 3DS can hold.
Old Scenes and Staples
Super Mario 3D Land marks the return of a lot of old favorites. Flagpoles, time limits, and even jump blocks (the ones with music notes) are all back in the Mushroom Kingdom. For some of these, like the jump blocks, this game marks their first appearance in a 3D Mario platformer. Nintendo truly is combining the best of both 3D and 2D worlds. Speaking of worlds, players have eight to explore (not counting the specials). Prepare to head underground, swim underwater, and revisit the pyramids. Even with its themed worlds, Super Mario 3D Land offers plenty of variety in its levels, from airships to tropical islands and haunted houses.
super mario 3d land airship
The Suits
Another old favorite that deserves a category all to itself is the Tanooki Suit. Any buzz that's been heard about Super Mario 3D Land has almost always included the word "Tanooki," followed by happy exclamations. And who wouldn't be excited? Some modifications have been made, though. For instance, Mario now turns into Tanooki Mario by obtaining a Super Leaf, an item that in Super Mario Bros. 3 transformed Mario into the flight-ready Raccoon Mario.
Mario will also squeeze into at least one new suit, also a twist on an old costume. Introducing the Boomerang Suit, which is donned when Mario grabs a Boomerang Flower. This suit is similar to the Hammer Suit power-up from Super Mario Bros. 3.
super mario 3d land tanooki bee
Good Enough to Buy the 3DS
Any game that's worth all this hype and bears this good of credentials is worth buying a 3DS for. Nintendo has made a lot of mistakes over the past six months, but at least fans can count on Super Mario 3D Land to raise their spirits. If only Christmas had come six months ago.
The Rainbow Road Between 2D and 3D
Super Mario 3D Land might, as its name implies, take advantage of Nintendo's latest handheld innovation in 3D gaming, but it also returns the series to its 2D side-scrolling days. Nintendo has pumped a lot of effort into building this 3D Mario game from scratch, a first for a handheld game in the series, and the attempt could serve as the perfect middle for both fans of the older side-scrolling gems and the more modern iterations.
super mario 3d land super leaf
So why is this exciting? Imagine the open world nook and crannies of 3D Mario games like Mario 64 stitched together with the branching but linear paths of 2D wonders like Super Mario Bros. 3. The potential for environmental and gameplay depth is immense. As anyone can see from the 70+ screenshots Nintendo has shared in anticipation for the game, the scope of the levels in promises to make the player feel as though Mario is running around a continent-sized Kingdom, with the land and sea fading into the horizon. You can even spot Peach's castle twinkling in the background.
As Super Mario Bros. 3 proved, you don't need fully realized 3D castles and gardens to conceal dozens of secret areas and treasures.
Playful Environments and Enemies
3D Land is, simply put, a rush of color. The Mario games have always experimented with color palettes, from the night scenes of Super Mario Bros. to the chalk drawings that make up Yoshi's Island. Super Mario 3D Land looks especially lush and bright, and it's filled from top to bottom with excitement.
super mario 3d land goomba tanooki
We really like the fake, cardboard goombas—a tactic that gives the real goombas a little more credit, proving they aren't the lowest of the low in the Mushroom Kingdom. Some of them have even grown to jumbo size, sweeping the ground with a Tanooki tail. It's creativity like this—not fancy 3D graphics—that will make Super Mario 3D Land feel much larger than the little screen on the 3DS can hold.
Old Scenes and Staples
Super Mario 3D Land marks the return of a lot of old favorites. Flagpoles, time limits, and even jump blocks (the ones with music notes) are all back in the Mushroom Kingdom. For some of these, like the jump blocks, this game marks their first appearance in a 3D Mario platformer. Nintendo truly is combining the best of both 3D and 2D worlds. Speaking of worlds, players have eight to explore (not counting the specials). Prepare to head underground, swim underwater, and revisit the pyramids. Even with its themed worlds, Super Mario 3D Land offers plenty of variety in its levels, from airships to tropical islands and haunted houses.
super mario 3d land airship
The Suits
Another old favorite that deserves a category all to itself is the Tanooki Suit. Any buzz that's been heard about Super Mario 3D Land has almost always included the word "Tanooki," followed by happy exclamations. And who wouldn't be excited? Some modifications have been made, though. For instance, Mario now turns into Tanooki Mario by obtaining a Super Leaf, an item that in Super Mario Bros. 3 transformed Mario into the flight-ready Raccoon Mario.
Mario will also squeeze into at least one new suit, also a twist on an old costume. Introducing the Boomerang Suit, which is donned when Mario grabs a Boomerang Flower. This suit is similar to the Hammer Suit power-up from Super Mario Bros. 3.
super mario 3d land tanooki bee
Good Enough to Buy the 3DS
Any game that's worth all this hype and bears this good of credentials is worth buying a 3DS for. Nintendo has made a lot of mistakes over the past six months, but at least fans can count on Super Mario 3D Land to raise their spirits. If only Christmas had come six months ago.
Improving Rock-Paper-Scissors Based Gameplay
If you read my review of the recently released Fate/Extra for PSP (go ahead, take a minute), then you know how undesirable the battle system sounds. Turn-based fights in RPGs nowadays are practically doomed to criticism as people continue to favor real-time encounters more and more. A game that combines a slow grind with the chance laws of rock-paper-scissors is even less appealing to prospective players, who'd probably prefer rigid but reliable combat rules to random odds. Fate/Extra is a hard sell, even if it does offer constant challenge.
Calling yourself a master of Fate/Extra is like professing to be the ultimate master rock-paper-scissors (RPS) player. Few people are because RPS operates on random selection, which requires unbiased input and no premeditated thought. Since humans aren't very good at this, the World RPS Society (yes, such a thing exists) suggests all sorts of psychological tricks and deceptions to fool your opponent and all but ensure a win.
fate/extra battle
An RPS-based battle system might sound simple and accessible in theory, but considering how miserable we actually are at adapting the principles of the game, it's a bad choice for a primary mode of combat. The developers of Fate/Extra could have and should have implemented additional rules to tip the odds in our favor. Even if players did, as the World RPS Society recommends, use strategies to predict their opponents' moves, the enemies and bosses of Fate/Extra are artificial intelligences, not human competitors. Their inputs are truly random, and as everybody knows from challenging the computer in any digital board game, beating the AI is exceedingly difficult.
Fate/Extra could have compensated for its AI in a number of ways. For one, after the player character's servant executed its combination of six Attacks, Breaks, or Guards, the game could have preserved those inputs for convenience in the next round. In other words, while players can determine the proper inputs—whether their choices were successful or whether they should have used a different move—as they watch the combat occur, there are times when spectating alone fails to give a clear impression of how to win. If your character's servant uses Attack and the command succeeds, then you know the enemy servant must have used Break—since Attack beats Break, Break beats Guard, and Guard beats Attack. If your character's servant uses Attack and the command backfires, then you know the enemy servant used Guard. But if the two servants clash, both having used the same move, the game doesn't show on screen whether Attack, Break, or Guard was chosen. Unless you can remember your original six inputs while also keeping track of the results mentally, you're out of luck and you've failed to discern the entirety of the combination. Since enemies and bosses can employ over a dozen combinations, an incomplete observation of their six moves in any given turn translates to wasted effort.
fate/extra battle
And considering players have no more than a second or two to figure out whether a move was successful (and if not, what move should have been used) and then repeat the process five more times before the round ends, confirming the right combination takes split-second thinking and a lot of marking moves down on paper. Nobody wants to do that much work and still call it playing a game for fun. If the game would keep the player's previous inputs or even highlight successful and unsuccessful ones in corresponding colors, the amount of work involved would decrease significantly and players would find more enjoyment in battles.
Maybe the game could simply recall the successful hits and record each combination in a pop-up list, distinct to each enemy type. As mentioned in my review, enemies and bosses have more combinations at their disposal than is manageable, so limiting the number of move sets (fewer for enemies and more for bosses) could make battles less complicated, as well.
However the developers of Fate/Extra chose to give players an advantage over the AI would have been fine as long as they were given an advantage at all. Having auto-recorded combinations to use against enemies would take some of the pressure off players and even speed up battles.
legend of legaia battle
One older, more successful example that comes to mind is the original PlayStation RPG from Contrail, Legend of Legaia. Like those of Fate/Extra, its battles functioned on a turn-by-turn basis, and players selected different inputs to create a combination of moves. As the three characters leveled up, players could select more commands to execute longer attacks. These commands, or inputs, corresponded to the parts of the body—right arm, left arm, right leg, and left leg—as a series of punches and kicks. The battle system wasn't exactly straight RPS, since enemies and party members took separate turns, but enemies were occasionally vulnerable to high or low attacks, and players could put together random inputs to discover a new move. These moves, or attack combinations, were recorded in a viewable list and were unique to each character. When able, players could string them together with other combinations to deal more damage.
As with Fate/Extra, which uses three commands, the four-command-based Legend of Legaia used RPS principles to add more depth to its gameplay. Unlike Fate/Extra, however, Contrail's game only applied one side of the equation. Instead of having both enemies and player characters simultaneously execute inputs, inputs that would prevent one side from dealing or taking damage or end the turn in a tie, each battle participant had the chance to perform random inputs or predetermined combinations, the latter of which resulted in special, more powerful attacks.
Legend of Legaia compensated for the human player, who is by nature helpless against the random, artificial intelligence of a rock-paper-scissors game's opponents. The developers of Fate/Extra could have also made RPS innovative, improving upon the primitive concept in whatever ways they could think of. Lack of foresight, however, cost them an audience for what is otherwise an amazing game.
Calling yourself a master of Fate/Extra is like professing to be the ultimate master rock-paper-scissors (RPS) player. Few people are because RPS operates on random selection, which requires unbiased input and no premeditated thought. Since humans aren't very good at this, the World RPS Society (yes, such a thing exists) suggests all sorts of psychological tricks and deceptions to fool your opponent and all but ensure a win.
fate/extra battle
An RPS-based battle system might sound simple and accessible in theory, but considering how miserable we actually are at adapting the principles of the game, it's a bad choice for a primary mode of combat. The developers of Fate/Extra could have and should have implemented additional rules to tip the odds in our favor. Even if players did, as the World RPS Society recommends, use strategies to predict their opponents' moves, the enemies and bosses of Fate/Extra are artificial intelligences, not human competitors. Their inputs are truly random, and as everybody knows from challenging the computer in any digital board game, beating the AI is exceedingly difficult.
Fate/Extra could have compensated for its AI in a number of ways. For one, after the player character's servant executed its combination of six Attacks, Breaks, or Guards, the game could have preserved those inputs for convenience in the next round. In other words, while players can determine the proper inputs—whether their choices were successful or whether they should have used a different move—as they watch the combat occur, there are times when spectating alone fails to give a clear impression of how to win. If your character's servant uses Attack and the command succeeds, then you know the enemy servant must have used Break—since Attack beats Break, Break beats Guard, and Guard beats Attack. If your character's servant uses Attack and the command backfires, then you know the enemy servant used Guard. But if the two servants clash, both having used the same move, the game doesn't show on screen whether Attack, Break, or Guard was chosen. Unless you can remember your original six inputs while also keeping track of the results mentally, you're out of luck and you've failed to discern the entirety of the combination. Since enemies and bosses can employ over a dozen combinations, an incomplete observation of their six moves in any given turn translates to wasted effort.
fate/extra battle
And considering players have no more than a second or two to figure out whether a move was successful (and if not, what move should have been used) and then repeat the process five more times before the round ends, confirming the right combination takes split-second thinking and a lot of marking moves down on paper. Nobody wants to do that much work and still call it playing a game for fun. If the game would keep the player's previous inputs or even highlight successful and unsuccessful ones in corresponding colors, the amount of work involved would decrease significantly and players would find more enjoyment in battles.
Maybe the game could simply recall the successful hits and record each combination in a pop-up list, distinct to each enemy type. As mentioned in my review, enemies and bosses have more combinations at their disposal than is manageable, so limiting the number of move sets (fewer for enemies and more for bosses) could make battles less complicated, as well.
However the developers of Fate/Extra chose to give players an advantage over the AI would have been fine as long as they were given an advantage at all. Having auto-recorded combinations to use against enemies would take some of the pressure off players and even speed up battles.
legend of legaia battle
One older, more successful example that comes to mind is the original PlayStation RPG from Contrail, Legend of Legaia. Like those of Fate/Extra, its battles functioned on a turn-by-turn basis, and players selected different inputs to create a combination of moves. As the three characters leveled up, players could select more commands to execute longer attacks. These commands, or inputs, corresponded to the parts of the body—right arm, left arm, right leg, and left leg—as a series of punches and kicks. The battle system wasn't exactly straight RPS, since enemies and party members took separate turns, but enemies were occasionally vulnerable to high or low attacks, and players could put together random inputs to discover a new move. These moves, or attack combinations, were recorded in a viewable list and were unique to each character. When able, players could string them together with other combinations to deal more damage.
As with Fate/Extra, which uses three commands, the four-command-based Legend of Legaia used RPS principles to add more depth to its gameplay. Unlike Fate/Extra, however, Contrail's game only applied one side of the equation. Instead of having both enemies and player characters simultaneously execute inputs, inputs that would prevent one side from dealing or taking damage or end the turn in a tie, each battle participant had the chance to perform random inputs or predetermined combinations, the latter of which resulted in special, more powerful attacks.
Legend of Legaia compensated for the human player, who is by nature helpless against the random, artificial intelligence of a rock-paper-scissors game's opponents. The developers of Fate/Extra could have also made RPS innovative, improving upon the primitive concept in whatever ways they could think of. Lack of foresight, however, cost them an audience for what is otherwise an amazing game.
订阅：
博文 (Atom)