minimum
Latest
Joystiq Streams: Minimum with Human Head and Steam code giveaway
Human Head Studios had a turbulent decade. The Wisconsin-based developer kicked off the HD console generation in 2006 by finishing Prey, a first-person shooter with some interesting ideas about portals released well before cake memes took over the web. After Prey's success, Human Head turned around and started work on a wildly ambitious sequel, but that game met with a rather grisly, obscure end. After lighter projects on Android and Wii U, Human Head is back with Minimum, an appropriately named third-person shooter with a spare aesthetic. How has the team's development process changed in the era of early access? What's it like making a shooter in 2014 compared to 2006? We'll find out when Human Head sits down with Joystiq for a look at their latest. Starting at 4:00PM EST, Joystiq Streams will be playing Minimum on Joystiq.com/Twitch. Project leader Norm Nazaroff and art director Jim Sumwalt will join Anthony John Agnello (@ajohnagnello) and Alexander Sliwinski (@Sliwinski) to discuss the game. Plus: We'll be doling out free copies of Minimum to folks that come out to watch. That's Joystiq.com/Twitch at 4:00PM EST. Joystiq Streams broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 4:00PM EST, but we go live other times as well so follow us on Twitch to catch every show. [Images: Human Head Studios]
Arena shooter Minimum's Early Access price minimized
Updates are to be expected when a game is on Early Access, but patches that also halve a game's price are a little more rare. The latest addition to Minimum, Atari and Prey developer Human Head's third-person arena shooter, is among those rarities, dropping the price of Minimum's Early Access admission from $19.99 to $9.99. Those that have already enlisted as blocky, gun-wielding soldiers on Minimum's minimalistic battlefields still have something to enjoy from the update: Path of Lanterns supplies a new zone to sprint through in the 5 vs. 5, assist-your-team's-base-stomping-robot Titan Mode, with Zen Garden serving as a fresh Team Deathmatch locale. The update expands Minimum's arsenal, too: Proximity mines and sticky grenades can now be set or lobbed to thwart opponents. It's a given that sticky grenades cling to anything your accuracy allows, but Minimum weapon designer TJ notes "your teammates" as a possible host for proxy mines, so don't limit your placement strategies to immobile objects. If you'd rather hone your technique before wildly hurling explosives, the update also adds AI bots, which are just as capable of crafting armor and gathering powerups as human players. [Image: Atari]
Atari's item-crafting MOBA Minimum makes Early Access debut
Atari and Human Head's stylized third-person shooter Minimum is out now on Steam Early Access, giving players an early look at the project's current state as development progresses over the coming months. Created by the now-shuttered TimeGate Studios, Minimum was picked up by Atari last month, with Prey studio Human Head taking over development duties. Minimum features five-on-five strategic gameplay bolstered by a blueprint crafting system that allows players to build and customize their own unique armor and weapon loadouts. The Early Access version of Minimum is priced at $19.99. [Video: Atari]
Atari, Human Head resume development of shooter Minimum
Atari has partnered with Prey developer Human Head to resurrect Minimum, a free-to-play online shooter presumed lost following the closure of its creator TimeGate Studios. Announced last year, Minimum is a third-person shooter with strategy and progression elements, featuring competitive gameplay bolstered by a weapons-crafting mechanic. Gameplay is partially similar to Respawn's Titanfall, as players can equip traversal-enhancing jetpacks and summon gigantic Titans during battle. A beta version of Minimum will launch for PC platforms this spring. [Image: Atari]
Xbox One Kinect shrinks minimum distance requirement to 4.6 feet
Microsoft said it improved Kinect on the Xbox One, and now a leaked setup manual indicates how little space it requires to operate. The PDF NeoGAF spotted notes that a minimum 1.4 meters (just over 4.5-feet) between the user and Microsoft's new do-all sensor is all that's required. For those of us with cozy living quarters, this could be a bit more generous than the last one's recommended six to eight-foot gap. We've reached out to Microsoft for an official comment and will update this post if we hear back. Until then however, we're hoping that November 22nd will mark the end of us rearranging our living room to play the latest Dance Central.
Amazon UK adds £10 minimum spend for free delivery, except for movies, books, music and games
From today, Amazon customers in the UK will be required to shell out a minimum of £10 ($15) before they're entitled to free Super Saver delivery -- but there are some big exceptions. Purchases of DVDs, Books, Blu-Ray discs, CDs, video games and software won't be part of the new scheme, and in an email, Amazon specifically suggests that you pick up a paperback alongside a new HDMI cable to get around the rule. There's no word on if we'll see a change in the company's US policy, but if you see some delighted accountants wandering around Amazon's Seattle HQ, let us know.
Minimum: a free-to-play shooter from TimeGate [update]
Texas-based developer TimeGate Studios has announced that it's working on a new free-to-play, third-person match-based shooter called Minimum.Minimum boasts a simplistic look, and has you building a character up during each life, adding more and more power-ups to your weapons (ranging from ice-powered sniper rifles to flaming katanas) as you go. In Titan, the "signature" game mode according to the FAQ, players support two giant creatures fighting each other during the match.TimeGate also says it hopes to bring "everyone to the development table to influence how the game grows and changes." Minimum will be in closed alpha soon, and is set for a Steam release whenever it's ready.TimeGate is probably best known at the moment for its work on Aliens: Colonial Marines, but the company also made Section 8 and Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns in the past, so Minimum is coming from a substantial history of development experience for PC.Update: The game will be available through Steam's Early Access channel on April 16 in North America.
Star Trek Online system requirements revealed
It looks like most people won't have a whole lot to worry about when it comes to the system requirements for Star Trek Online, unless of course you couldn't play Champions Online. Actually, that's a pretty good measuring stick in one way, since both games run on the Cryptic engine. Although, there is a useful rule of thumb when considering performance. The lower your display resolution, the higher your graphics settings. Or in other words, if you're running a laptop and float somewhere between the minimum and recommended specs then it's likely your game will look rather good. Why? Most laptop displays have native resolutions lower than what you'll get on a 21 inch desktop monitor. If you are running a desktop and find yourself wondering what your most important upgrade is when preparing for an upcoming game, the answer is usually a new videocard. Find the full system requirements after the jump.
