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Marble Blast Ultra rolls right off of XBLA
Marble Blast Ultra, one of the earliest Xbox Live Arcade games, has been removed from the service. The game is no longer listed on the Xbox Live Marketplace, though its DLC packs are still currently available. The delisting, according to XBLA Fans, is the result of developer GarageGames' recent and rocky history. Between the closure of GarageGames' InstantAction service in 2010 and the company's revival earlier this year, it seems the IP rights to Marble Blast Ultra have been lost in the shuffle. GarageGames, now a subsidiary of Graham Software Development, only owns the rights to the Torque game engine, which powers Marble Blast Ultra. Rights to its games are still property of InstantAction Holdings. As such, GarageGames stopped offering its old titles after its transition to new ownership in February. In a February forum post, GarageGames CEO Eric Preisz said that it was "unlikely" that the studio would reacquire the rights to its games.
GarageGames relaunches with $99 Torque engine offer
GarageGames is back, with its Torque game engine license reacquired from the defunct web games distributor InstantAction. Now funded by Graham Software Development, GarageGames is ready to start helping with the development of, well, garage games. For a limited time, all Torque development products, including engines for 2D, 3D, iOS and console games, are available from GarageGames' website for $99 each. In addition to temporarily shrinking prices, the new GarageGames is looking to grow Torque-based development. "Relaunching GarageGames provides us with a unique opportunity to redouble our efforts into art, execution and customer service," said COO Dexter Chow. "The team is committed to bringing a new level of quality to Torque which will make the product easier to use, more stable and intuitive. We're energized by our new direction and hope to attract top level, like-minded talent that can help us realize our goals." So, really, the reformation of GarageGames is good news for both "top level" talent looking to make games on their own and "top level" talent looking for a place to make tools for the other top level talent's games.
Torque Game Engine comes to the iPhone
We've mentioned the Torque gaming engine from GarageGames here a few times before -- it's a pretty powerful 3D engine that makes developing great games on the Mac that much easier. And now, they've released a version of it for the iPhone, complete with support for multitouch input and even screen gesture recognition.I am hardly a game programmer, but my understanding is that this sits on top of the OpenGL ES system in the iPhone -- you use the Torque engine to develop, and then the iPhone runs the games developed without any other special software. The benefits are that you can use the Torque Game Builder software (which is also available for many other platforms) to put together iPhone specific games, which makes it not only easier to develop native games, but to port games from those other platforms as well.At any rate, this is good news for both iPhone game developers and players -- the easier it gets to create quality software on the platform, the more games we'll have to choose from.[via IMG]
Fallen Empire: Legions open beta begins in one week
Just like a cartoon character barreling its way through a brick wall, body contorted in a character-shaped chalk outline pose – there's a peculiarly Tribes-shaped hole in our collective heart left when the classic team-based shooter was passed over by a newer, fancier generation of team-based shooters. But while those games have filled all sorts of other random holes in our heart (the thing was a perforated mess!), we find ourselves still Tribes-less.Our best hope for a full recovery comes a week from today, when Fallen Empire: Legions – a spiritual successor of sorts from the original Tribes developers, formerly of Dynamic and now at GarageGames – begins its open beta at InstantAction.com. If you want to get a quick taste of the browser-based FPS, check out our video from GDC embedded after the break or hit up the galleries below.%Gallery-25416%
Open-source MMO engine updated
The Torque MMO kit, first published last year by Prairie Games and GarageGames, has recently announced their newest version of the open-source engine which developer TalentRaspel describes as "completely revised". In this version 1.1 SP3 of the engine, TalentRaspel is proving that their continued support of this product since they took it over late last year promises a step in the right direction for independent game developers.Not only that, but this could be good news for those smaller companies looking to spend more resources on other aspects of running an MMO, and kicking it off with an established, well-maintained engine. The Torque MMO kit engine was first responsible for powering Minions of Mirth, which is said to have 70,000+ users. Plus, with a price tag of $199 to $999 (depending on sales expectations) for the kit combined with Faust Logic's Arcade FX effects library, you just can't beat that.
Reminder: Win a $100 InstantAction account
While we were at GDC, we got a special one-on-one tour of the InstantAction platform from GarageGames CEO Josh Williams. He walked us through much of the site's functionality and answered some questions on the service. Lucky for you, we filmed the whole thing. If you're still not sure how InstantAction is different from other web gaming portals, watch the above video tour, then leave a comment here if you're interested in winning one of five $100 InstantAction accounts, courtesy of GarageGames.
Joyswag: Win a $100 InstantAction account
click for screenshot tour GarageGames wants you to reconsider the way you look at "web gaming" and it's hoping its InstantAction platform will be the lens that shifts your perspective. In short, InstantAction is a free web-based gaming platform with the requisite friends lists, chat rooms, and multiplayer; however, unlike web gaming sites of yore, InstantAction games sport impressive 3D graphics and similarly impressive exclusive games (like the excellent Marble Blast Online, Wideload Shorts' Cyclomite, and the upcoming spiritual successor to Tribes, Fallen Empire: Legion). While the gamesa rare free, everything won't always be; after the beta period, you'll be able to purchase additional maps, levels, weapons, et al for many of the games, and that's where our latest giveaway comes in. GarageGames is already generously dropping 100 ActionTokens (the platform's virtual currency) into every new account sign-up, but they wanted to do a little better for five of our (luckier) readers. You'll have five days to leave comments on this post – one each day – for a chance to win one of five $100 InstantAction accounts (that's more than 10,000 ActionTokens). If you're the cautious type, check out our screenshot tour of the service before you get commenting. To enter this giveaway, tell us your thoughts on InstantAction.com (you're in the beta, right?) You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec; excuse-moi Quebecers). Limit 1 entry per person per day. If you enter this giveaway more than once each calendar day you'll be automatically disqualified and forced to play internet solitaire! This entry period ends in five days at 12:00pm ET Saturday 3/15/08. We'll randomly select 5 winners at that time (please check your email!) For complete rules you can play in a web browser, click here %Gallery-17941%
GarageGames' InstantAction beta open to the public, c'mon in
Though it doesn't "officially" launch until tomorrow, the fine folks at GarageGames let us know that you can sign-up for their InstantAction "platform" immediately – great for those of you eager to secure your precious gaming nom de guerre – and then sign-in to check out the service in beta. If you're not familiar with InstantAction, you can check out our preview of the service from last year, or settle for the following description: 3D "console quality" games in a web browser (note: PC only for now, though Mac and Linux compatibility is under works). Hit up InstantAction.com and click the giant red "Sign Up" button to get going. We just made an account for ourselves; we'll have a tour of the service up shortly, as well as a giveaway for you starting tomorrow. If you sign up, share your Username with us.
New Torque Engine aims to boost Wii Ware
GarageGames has announced a new version of the Torque development engine for Wii, with added 2D drag-and-drop game creation functionality. Torque 1.5 features elements of the Torque Game Builder, a tool designed for easy development of 2D games. In addition to the Game Builder functions, the new version of Torque for Wii features "extensible Wii Remote support, Wii optimized skinned mesh rendering, compressed texture, interior support, and hardware blending for terrain textures. Developers will also find a powerful WYSIWYG tool chain for designers, scripting language support, a comprehensive Lot Check compliance component, and Wii graphics and audio abstraction layers."Torque's "zero-royalty, flat-fee structure" and reduced pricing for Wii Ware developers should be a boon to the download service, making a low-cost, easy-to-use design tool available to prospective developers. [Via press release]
Torque Game Builder 1.7 helps indie game developers
Good news for indie game designers on OS X -- GarageGames has released version 1.7 of their Torque Game Builder, which allows programmers to create games for almost any platform from within an OS X interface. This latest release improves the editors for link points and collision polygons, as well as a new editor for vector objects and new t2dSceneObject methods. If you know what all that means, then you could probably program a better game than I could.But the good news here is the one of the cheapest and best tools for game developers is now better than ever. Demos and trials of the tool are available on GarageGames' site, and licenses are as cheap as $100 for independent game developers. You've got the tools-- now go make us some great Mac games![Via Macminute]
Joystiq impressions: InstantAction (PC)
Do gamers need yet another platform? GarageGames hopes so. The company's latest project, the InstantAction "platform" -- that word was specifically used -- sits inside a web browser, creating a new environment for gaming. And unlike Flash's 2D limit, InstantAction will support a variety of developer-driven technologies and engines, scaling up to first-person-shooters that even utilize video hardware acceleration. (GarageGames had its hand in the Tribes games after all.)Like other browser plugins, InstantAction has cross-platform intentions. It's first launching for PCs in early 2008, Mac support will be coming as soon as possible, and a Linux version is under consideration. Gamers will be able to download several titles at launch with pricing to be determined. (Free content may be an option, while paid titles could follow subscription models, multi-game package sales, or single purchases.)We recently explored an in-development version of InstantAction to wrap our heads around the platform-in-a-browser concept. The execution impressed us, but we're still unsure if InstantAction attempts to solve a problem nobody has. Will 3D and developer-driven environments be enough to displace Flash, as GarageGames hopes?%Gallery-9494%
Taking part in the Great Games Experiment [update 1]
"Great games deserve to be played, regardless of budget or bureaucracy." That particular thought seems to be at the core of the Great Games Experiment, an online community that revolves, or rather, obsessively spins around, our favorite industry and pastime. The urge to call it the "game developer's MySpace" is definitely present, but doing so wouldn't really do the site justice. For one thing, it's shockingly devoid of awful MIDI tunes and pasty individuals who desperately want to cut themselves.The website's creator, GarageGames, envisions a networked utopia of game players and game developers discussing and contributing to various projects. Anyone with an interest in games can join and post reviews or commentary, even based upon the works-in-progress of game developers. Independent studios should be able to keep the community updated on their projects, incorporate external suggestions and, once their games are complete, have access to an informed audience. The Great Games Experiment is currently running a series of contests to encourage gamers to join and try out the site's beta features -- the final version launches this March. If you're interested in a more open form of game distribution and development, be sure to give it a bash.Update: Joystiq readers can use the referral code "joystiqgge" to obtain a Beta account. Thanks Eric!
XNA Creators Club: see your game on XBLA
Announced months ago, the XNA Creators Club officially launched today. Available on Marketplace as a four month subscription for $49 or a yearly subscription at $99, the Creators Club allows programmers of all stripes to share their game ideas over Xbox Live. Subscriptions provide access to game assets, white papers, tech support, and even starter kits for aspiring programmers. Combined with Microsoft's free XNA Game Studio Express, the Creators Club allows almost anyone to create and share their game ideas with the world.In celebration of this ground breaking launch, Microsoft is hosting the "Dream-Build-Play" competition starting this January. Open to all XNA Game Studio Express users and Creators Club members, the winner of the competition will receive a chance to have his or her game published as an Xbox Live Arcade title. We were jazzed about the idea of a community arcade when the Creators Club was first announced, and it seems to be getting closer to fruition. XBLA really is an innovative platform and we hope that lots of people out there (including our readers) will participate in creating some new ideas. Is there anyone out there dabbling in XNA that wants to enter the contest? Send us a link to your game and we'll pimp it to the world. Also, if you'd like to streamline the development process, you might want to sign up for the beta of Garage Games' TorqueX tools.Full press release after the break.
Marble Blast updated, free maps!
Mike from K1lla's Xbox Domain sends us news of his super spiffy interview with Pat Wilson, lead programmer of Marble Blast Ultra from Garage Games. The topic of the interview: the impending update. The update promises to fix lots of little bugs found in Marble Blast, including some kind of fix for people who drop out of games to keep their stats from going down. The really big news is that the update will include 11 (eleven!) new multiplayer maps. Garage Games is planning on releasing themes and gamer pics on Marketplace as well. Unfortunately, there is still no concrete release date for the update. Hit the read link to check out the whole interview.
