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Brushing up on Marvel Heroes' super-sized beta update
While we've had several occasions to check out Marvel Heroes' journey through the beta process, Gazillion Entertainment wanted us to know that our previous glimpses are now obsolete. The makers of this superhero action-RPG have implemented a major beta update that has virtually transformed the look, feel, and function of the game. We spoke with Gazillion about the update, which clearly is a major step toward a finalized release version. The most obvious change to Marvel Heroes is a revamp of its user interface. The UI has been streamlined and modernized, with a crisper look and more color overall. The placeholder minimap has been scrapped and replaced with a new radar that functions in perspective, a friends list is now in place, and new arrow icons float around the edges of your screen to direct you to nearby events. And since loot is quite vital to the appeal of the game, the devs made sure to color-code all of the icons so that telling item rarity is an instant and effortless process. There are a few more surprises that were announced today, so hit the jump and we'll walk you through them!
Angry Birds movie tags Despicable Me, Iron Man producers, out in 2016
The Angry Birds movie is happening. Despicable Me producer John Cohen has signed on to produce, and Iron Man executive producer David Maisel is taking the same role in Rovio's feature film. The Angry Birds movie is set to hit theaters in summer 2016, and it's fully funded and produced by Rovio outside of the standard studio system."John's an exceptionally talented producer, and we're delighted to have him join the flock," says Mikael Hed, Rovio CEO. "With John's hands-on producer background and David's expertise in establishing and running his own successful studio, these two are the dream team for making a movie outside the studio system. Both professionals have the ideal skills and vision to achieve incredible things."Rovio held meetings with Hollywood advisers in 2010 and was rumored to have sought funding to the tune of $1.2 billion in 2011 to expand its entertainment offerings. As this film takes off, keep one thing in mind: Cohen is the guy who thought 2007's Alvin and the Chipmunks was a good idea.
'Civil War' table coming to Marvel Pinball
Zen Studios announced standalone DLC for Marvel Pinball called Civil War at a New York Comic Con panel. The theme for this pinball table was taken from a multi-part comic event from 2006 of the same name that pitted Iron Man and Captain America against each other.No specific release date was given for the DLC, though the trailer above teases that it's "coming soon" to PSN, XBLA, Apple's App Store and the Google Play store. %Gallery-168320%
Co-opinion: Avengers: Battle for Earth
.portal-left { padding: 10px; background: #CCC; margin: 20px 0; min-height: 85px; } .portal-right { padding: 10px; margin: 20px 0; min-height: 85px; } .portal-right img { padding-left: 5px; } .portal-left img { padding-right: 5px; } Mike Schramm: I'm sure at some point in this writeup, we'll probably talk about how Avengers: Battle for Earth is a Kinect game, and that means, like most Kinect games, it works much better in theory ("A fighting game where you control Marvel characters by making moves on Kinect") than it does in actual practice. But I don't want to get to that point yet, because here's the thing: I had a lot of fun playing it. There's something awesome about sticking your hand up in the air and then pushing it forward to make Thor fling electricity from his hammer, or crouching down and then bringing your arms up high to make the Hulk chuck some ground at his opponent. These are iconic characters from my childhood all the way up to the popular movie, and this game portrays them in a really colorful and fun way. Jess Conditt: Let it be known that Mike Schramm makes an impressive (nay, an incredible) Hulk. I wasn't so bad either, I think. Especially for rippling-muscle-challenged people like myself it's wonderful to embody the larger-than-life heroes in Marvel's repetoire, as Mike suggested. I played our multiplayer battle as Venom and Iron Man, two of my personal favorite characters, and they didn't disappoint. Most motions are shared by each character – punch, knee up, arms out and clapped together, etc. – but the resulting moves are different. With the same punching move, Iron Man shoots a beam of light from his palm and Hulk rushes the player, fists-first. It's a powerful feeling to throw a punch "at" your friend and watch his hero respond on-screen.%Gallery-160465%
Marvel Cinematic Universe 10-disc Blu-ray box unveiled, Tesseract and all
Just as the listing on Amazon foretold last month, Marvel and Disney today revealed the case for their 10-disc Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase One - Avengers Assembled box set. It features not only a glowing Tesseract cube contained in the S.H.I.E.L.D.-issue containment case, but also six brand-new pieces of art (for each flick - Marvel's The Avengers, Captain America, Thor, Iron Man 1 & 2, The Incredible Hulk) designed to adorn each disc case, Criterion-style. If you're headed to Comic-Con this weekend you'll probably be able to get a look at it yourself, hit the source link for a few more pictures of the case and artwork before deciding whether the current $139 price on Amazon is too much or just low enough to have this sitting on your disc shelf. While you decide between this and the Avengers solo release on the same day, September 25th, don't forget to snag the accompanying iOS second screen app now. %Gallery-160266%
Marvel Heroes whips up Avengers movie costumes
If you haven't seen this summer's Avengers movie, you totally should, and if you have, then you might be interested to hear that the upcoming Marvel Heroes is embracing the blockbuster's wardrobe. The superhero MMO will be including the film versions of Thor's, Iron Man's, Black Widow's, Hawkeye's, Hulk's, and Captain America's costumes. The game's devs assured players that the costumes won't just be for eye candy alone but "will also tie in key game systems in fun and unique ways." Marvel Heroes will offer many costume variants based on both the comics and the films, although the devs say that covering all of them might be a task that only a true superhero could accomplish. "Some of those experimental looks didn't exactly stand the test of time," the announcement explains.
Avengers Blu-ray preorders listed, including massive 10-disc Marvel Cinematic Universe set
If you left the theater after watching Marvel / Disney / Joss Whedon's The Avengers ready to buy the Blu-ray disc as soon as it hit then get your credit cards ready. As Blu-ray.com notes, Amazon has listings for both a 2-disc Blu-ray edition and a 4-disc Blu-ray 3D version, but the one that's caught our eye is the just updated listing for Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase One - Avengers Assembled. A 10 disc set, it has every movie in this chapter of Marvel flicks -- Avengers, Captain America, Thor, Iron Man 1 & 2, The Incredible Hulk -- with 3D copies where applicable plus collectible packaging and a bonus "The Phase One Archives" disc. The only pic of the casing we have is the promo image shown above which hints at a replica of Nick Fury's Cosmic Cube suitcase from the movie, but more information is promised to be revealed July 15th. Until then you'll have to decide if $153 ($25~ per movie) is worth it for the set, or maybe take this time to finance it by selling off your existing copies on Craigslist. Your choice. [Thanks, Victor]
Avengers Assemble! Transmogrify your own superhero team
Transmogrification isn't just for making your character pretty or wearing old sets. Where's the fun in that? There are thousands of pieces to choose from for your look, and there's no reason you can't make it a distinctive one -- paying homage to video games or popular comics is just as much fun as being pretty. Today, we've got an iconic foursome of characters who have been staples in Marvel comics for decades and recently made a smashing success with the film The Avengers. Though Warcraft's armor doesn't contain exact replica's of Ironman's iconic armor or Captain America's easily recognizable shield, you can still use transmogrification to compile a look that screams Marvel Comics. Just because the Hulk doesn't wear anything more than a pair of pants in the comics doesn't mean we can't capture his look through some well-placed camouflage. And even though we can't get our hands on Mjolnir, there are more than enough warhammers lying around to find a good replica.
If The Avengers ever has a video game tie-in, we hope it's not like this
We're warring with ourselves over the lack of a movie tie-in game for The Avengers, much like Tony Stark and Steve Rogers fight with each other in the beginning of the Avengers initiative, each representing opposing yet valid spectrums of morality, society and technology. And that's the problem – The Avengers movie is so good that we can relate everything in our daily lives back to the most faint of plot points and imagined superhero thought processes. It's also the reason we're disappointed that there's no Avengers video game.But movie games are always terrible, right? It probably would have been rushed, stilted and dumbed-down for a (much) wider audience.Actually, Steve, it probably would have been fantastic, as this pre-alpha footage from a canceled THQ game demonstrates.Well, Tony, that could merely be programmers editing the computer-generated graphics with software and codes to make the game appear better than it actually is.Steve, stop quoting Bruce. You sound like a man who's been frozen for 70 years. Oh wait.Shut up. At least the humorous video at the top of this page isn't real.For once, Cap, we agree on something. And there's always this potential Ubisoft title, Avengers: Battle for Earth. But it's not called Avengers: Iron Man is Obviously the Best, so I'm ignoring that one too. Cheers....Cheers.
Marvel Universe Online shows off some (back)sides of its superheroes
Developer Gazillion and Marvel have been showing off some superheroes for the coming MMO Marvel Universe Online, and with the inclusion of Iron Man, we think it's about time you took a good look at these guys. So far, the MMMSociety has released renders of Deadpool, Wolverine, Cable, Captain America, Thor, Thing and Iron Man, all in fairly traditional spandex and ironclad garb. Iron Man, for example, looks a bit like Robert Downey Jr. under that sleek armor design -- trust us, we would know that rear end anywhere. %Gallery-140990%
Marvel Universe Online assembles Iron Man
He's snarky, he's tough, he's got a tank-busting missile, and apparently he's got thigh-high red go-go boots. Seriously, look at that picture above and tell us that Iron Man's not getting his fashion tips from the runway. In any case, Marvel Universe Online is proud to reveal its next major superhero in the game's line-up, and Tony Stark is proud that you're giving him your full attention right now. MUO's Iron Man looks similar to the latest movie version, with the triangle chestpiece and ribbed design. If you're a fan of the character, comics, or movies, then this should be a thrill for you! Just try not to think about how small his waist must be to fit into that techno-armor. This marks the latest reveal of the Marvel lineup for the game by Gazillion, which has been slowly rolling out the classic characters for a couple months now.
Leaderboard: Champions Online's Defender vs. City of Heroes' Statesman
Both superheroes were forged in the depths of Cryptic's MMO factory and both are the "Superman" of their games, but that's where the similarities end. One is the child of an established IP, brought in to anchor the product and establish credible connections to the pen-and-paper version. The other is the ego of Jack Emmert made manifest, an indomitable presence watching over Paragon City. But what if these two heroes did an epic crossover and engaged in one massive PvP session? Let's go to the board. Champions Online's Defender is the Iron Man of his franchise, a gifted man who built a powerful suit of armor and gadgets to fight crime. With it, Defender has the powers of flight, super strength, energy blasts, and portable artillery -- not to mention being incredibly tough to take out. City of Heroes' Statesman, on the other hand, possesses innate powers of strength, invulnerability, flight, super-speed, and the ability to shoot a lightning bolt up a criminal's bum if the whim strikes him. Who would win in this theoretical battle? Hit the jump to vote, and head down to the comments to back your vote up with crazy superhero logic!
You really should have seen this amazing footage from The Avengers video game
Earlier this year THQ shuttered the Australian studio most likely working on The Avengers: The Video Game, and until now we didn't know how far along the game was, or how awesome it was turning out to be. A freshly leaked video shows The Avengers in a pre-alpha build, highlighting the game's sweet FPS mechanics -- unfortunately THQ has pulled the footage from YouTube, meaning you'll never get to see how amazing this thing was. Your life sucks. Not to rub it in your face, but we saw it and boy, was it good. The video showed the first-person perspectives of Iron Man, Hulk, Thor and Captain America, all using unique fighting styles to destroy their enemies -- or get obliterated by them, as was the case against the X-Men and Fantastic Four Super-Skrulls. The art style appeared sophisticated, especially for a pre-alpha build, and it contained just the right amount of superhero violence, including an active input scene where Hulk slowly snapped the neck of a Super-Skrull. Seriously, it's a shame you'll never see this footage. Ever. Unless you see it here. We hope you appreciate it more this way.
The Avengers: The Video Game leaks, cancelled by THQ
Early last month, THQ shuttered a few Australian studios that were working on licensed titles. A leak seems to reveal what one of those titles could have been: A video game tie-in to the upcoming Avengers movie. WouldYouKindly poked around on a few websites of concept artists formerly employed by THQ, and found some concept art and even a test animation (which has since been hidden) showing off Thor, Captain America, and Hawkeye all beating up on some Skrull enemies. One concept also shows Hulk and Iron Man in the mix. The Avengers: The Video Game was at least being pitched, if not actually developed, for PS3, Xbox 360, and the PC. According to the LinkedIn profile of at least one developer, the game has been completely canceled, though we're not sure about the status of the license -- presumably, if THQ isn't making the game, Marvel could try shopping it to another developer or publisher.
Quantum Phantom prototype lets you control your computer screen with a webcam (video)
A guy named Ben Wu sent us this video recently and it sort of blew our minds. Wu, an engineer and self-described dreamer, has spent the past year developing a program he calls Quantum Phantom -- an Iron Man-inspired system that allows users to control a computer's cursor using only an ordinary webcam. With his Windows software onboard, Wu can draw, write and move onscreen icons or widgets, simply by waving his camera in front of a set of dual monitors. The prototype is even sophisticated enough to recognize his own webcam-produced handwriting and automatically convert it to rich text. In most cases, the sensor relies upon an ordinary cursor to navigate a screen, but Wu has also developed a pointer-free solution, as demonstrated toward the end of the above, three-part video. Be sure to check it out for yourself and get lost in the magic. [Thanks, Ben]
You'll be way into this custom Shy Guy figure
As if there weren't enough Shy Guy permutations in various Mario games haunting your dreams as it is, custom action figure crafter Jin Saotome has gone and created an even more terrifying one than normal. As seen above and more thoroughly on his personal site, Saotome's interpretation of Shy Guy is just a tad darker than Nintendo's version. Naotome's site details the figure's composition, a careful combination of a PVC Shy Guy character mask, the body of DC Comics' Desaad and the hands of The Spirit, and a gatling gun composed of an Iron Man weapon and a Spawn weapon. The piece is currently up on eBay, fetching around $60 as of midday Friday EST, but it's also really sweet and one-of-a-kind, so you may wanna jump on that soon if Dark Shy Guy is for you.
Galaxy Indulge microSDHC card regularly reports back to MetroPCS (but hey, you get Iron Man 2 for free!)
If you're the kind of person who buys phones based on Hollywood tie-in deals (and for your sake, we hope you're not) you'll be pleased to know that the Samsung Galaxy Indulge comes pre-loaded with Iron Man 2. That's right, a sequel to a movie you only ever saw half of, once, while it was on the TV over the bar at Armand's on Liberty Ave. (assuming that you're a certain Engadget editor, and for your sake we hope you're not) is coming pre-loaded on the world's first Android-packing, LTE smartphone. And if that wasn't enough, the SanDisk microSDHC card that the movie is stored on regularly reports back to MetroPCS with usage statistics: This intelligent SanDisk mobile memory card provides specific, real-time network data to MetroPCS to measure customer interest in digital content. Details of aggregated, anonymous consumer usage will allow MetroPCS to determine the impact of its movie offering, which in turn allows them to provide customers with more customized content and services in the future. We're sure everything is on the up-and-up here, but for some reason we don't think most consumers will be comfortable with storage that reports regularly to a carrier -- for any reason. Still, things could be much worse: you could be stuck with the pre-loaded Iron Man app on an LG Ally.
Raytheon revamps Sarcos exoskeleton, creates better, faster and stronger XOS 2 (video)
When we first laid eyes on the Sarcos XOS military exoskeleton three years ago, its sheer power and dexterity left us in awe... but as you can see immediately above, that wasn't enough for Raytheon. Today, the defense contractor's unveiling the XOS 2, a lighter, stronger robotic suit that uses 50 percent less power for dropping and giving us several hundred pushups. Video and a press release after the break don't specify the suit's military duties (they're focused on instilling the notion that the XOS 2 is a real-life Iron Man) but we can definitely imagine these causing some serious damage if Hammer Industries decided to weaponize that high-pressure hydraulic frame. Update: We previously stated that the suit didn't need to be tethered to a power source for operation, but that information was incorrect. [Thanks, SmoothMarx]
Iron Man Xbox 360 escapes Stark Industries, heads right to eBay
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/xbox/Iron_Man_Xbox_360_escapes_Stark_Industries_heads_right_to_e'; Halo-inspired Xbox 360? Check. Xbox 360 laptop? Seen it. Xbox 360 fused with a PS3? Yep. A Tony Stark-approved Xbox 360? Thanks to one Zachariah Perry Cruse, we can now add this beaut to the list. This here design student managed to use his summer vacation for a little more than weekend jaunts to Gary, putting an awful lot of blood, sweat and fear into his very own Iron Man Xbox 360. Naturally, it's the older, less slimmer 360 console, complete with a 120GB hard drive and an HDMI socket. There's a video of the LEDs doing their thing after the break, and that eBay link will get you where you need to be if you're a prospective buyer. And let's be honest here -- you are a prospective buyer.
Iron Man fanatic crafts his own repulsor, shows you how to do likewise (video)
It's certainly not the first homegrown Iron Man repulsor to surface, but it's definitely one of the best. And frankly, we're fond of any mod where the modder details the build process to the rest of the peons in attendance (us included). Granted, this still pales in comparison to the one on Tony's own arm, and never mind that the LEDs won't actually level anyone on command. Truth is, you're still going to have a peek at the video just below, and you're going to love it.
