mirrors-edge
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Grand Theft Auto 3 PSN release confirmed for tomorrow
As suspected, Grand Theft Auto 3 is one of this week's PlayStation Network releases. The game first appeared on the Asia PlayStation site last week, scheduled to come to PSN on September 25, and lo, Sony made it so. Sony actually intended to release Rockstar's 2001 classic earlier this year, but hit a delay after a licensing issue with the soundtrack.Mirror's Edge is also doubly confirmed for release tomorrow, after Sony dropped news of its arrival via last week's PlayStation Blogcast. Neither game has a price yet. Also on the way are One Piece: Pirate Warriors, Tokyo Jungle, Marvel vs. Capcom: Origins, Starhawk, Realms of Ancient War, (the brilliantly named) Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit, Table Ice Hockey (for Vita), Turnabout (PSOne), and Final Fantasy III (for PSP.)If you like your anthologies digital and downloadable, prepare for smiles tomorrow at the prospect of the Infamous and Ratchet and Clank collections becoming available on PSN, because they will. If not so much, why not prepare for smiles anyway?
Mirror's Edge jumps onto PSN September 25
Mirror's Edge is coming to PlayStation Network on September 25, Sony announced. The Official PlayStation Blogcast revealed DICE's first-person platformer features in next week's PSN update, although the podcast didn't disclose a price. The game is already available for digital download on Xbox Marketplace ($14.99), Steam ($19.99), and Origin ($19.99).Of course, that's not the 'Mirror's Edge 2' announcement some of you are waiting for. As soon as EA and DICE break out of the 'definitely maybe' shtick, we'll let you know.
How Mirror's Edge gave legs (and more) to Battlefield 3
The dextrous legs of Mirror's Edge heroine Faith helped to shape the movement of characters in Battlefield 3, EA DICE general manager Karl Magnus Troedsson said in a speech today during GDC Europe. No, you don't spend too much time parkouring around the war torn arenas of Battlefield 3, but various animations – Faith vaulting over obstacles, for instance – directly shaped the way BF3's soldiers interacted with their environment."Not just the legs, but the actual movement," Troedsson told us in a followup. "So in BF3, when you jump over something, you can see the vaulting, etc. So the whole animation setup has actually changed quite a bit." Beyond just the animation, he said, it changed how first-person perspective was designed in Battlefield games. "Before in our games – before Mirror's Edge and before BF3 – the camera was actually just something that was floating. Now it actually sits on the animation rig that we have, which is a big difference."When we pressed for more news on Mirror's Edge within DICE and the potential for a sequel, Troedsson was predictably coy. "How many people want it? We'll see. You have to wait and see," he said. "As I mentioned, we want to do other things in Battlefield, so of course making a sequel to a game like that could be an option moving forward." And hey, it if it helps DICE's "core franchise," it could be worthwhile even without the level of financial support Battlefield sees from fans. At least that's what we're hoping.
Battlefield 3 and Bad Company 2 lead designer David Goldfarb exits DICE
Having worked on mostly Battlefield games for the past five years, the man who lead design on both Battlefield 3 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2, David Goldfarb, has left EA's DICE studio. "5 years, 4 games. Grateful to have worked with such awesome people on awesome games. Farewell + Onward," he tweeted yesterday afternoon.Goldfarb told Joystiq of his exit, "I was ready to move onto new things and do something different." He wouldn't tell us where he's headed next.Goldfarb's not the first high profile DICE dev to leave the company in the past few years. Gordon Van Dyke left back in 2010; he's now with Paradox Interactive working on a Battlefield-flavored third-person action game from developer FatShark, War of the Roses. The other third of Battlefield's recent dev leadership, Patrick Bach, is currently serving as company CEO while Karl Magnus Troedsson takes paternity leave.Beyond various DLC plans for Battlefield 3, it's unknown what DICE is currently working on. The studio's Frostbite 2.0 game engine is used in several EA properties (including the other first-person shooter from EA, Medal of Honor: Warfighter), and the only other game it has made outside of Battlefield in recent years is Mirror's Edge. Troedsson told us during GDC that DICE has "ongoing plans" to differentiate its game portfolio, but we've yet to see that promise play out. EA Studios president Frank Gibeau has repeatedly noted his interest in a sequel to ME, but we've yet to hear anything more official than that.EA reps didn't respond to request for comment regarding Goldfarb's exit as of publishing.[Image credit: 'jontintinjordan']
DICE to require 64-bit OS for some 2013 games, that Windows ME box in the den isn't cutting it
We're entering a world of mainstream 64-bit computing -- whether we like it or not. Just weeks after Adobe started requiring 64-bit Macs for CS6, DICE's Rendering Architect Johan Andersson has warned that some of his company's 2013 games using the Frostbite engine will need the extra bits as a matter of course. In other words, it won't matter if you have a quad Core i7 gaming PC of death should the software be inadequate; if you're still running a 32-bit copy of Windows 7 come the new year, you won't be playing. The developer points to memory as the main culprit, as going 64-bit guarantees full access to 4GB or more of RAM as well as better virtual addressing. Andersson sees it as a prime opportunity to upgrade to Windows 8, although 64-bit Vista and 7 (and presumably OS X, if and when Mac versions exist) will be dandy. Just be prepared to upgrade that Windows XP PC a lot sooner than Microsoft's 2014 support cutoff if you're planning to run the next Battlefield or Mirror's Edge.
Sony's Alpha A37 and NEX-F3 pose for the camera, reveal more angles, details
Well, well, talk about déjà vu! It was just yesterday that a corner of Sony's 16.1 megapixel NEX-F3 leaked onto the interwebs and now more photos have surfaced, along with a previously unannounced shooter, the Alpha A37 SLT. The pictures come courtesy of Yang Canggih, which says it had a chance to demo the two devices yesterday at Sony's Partner's Conference in Jakarta (curiously, the NEX-F3 post isn't live as of this writing, but Sony Alpha Rumors has the images up). Starting with the F3, the mirrorless camera has lost a smidgen of the curves found on its older sibling, the C3, adopting a slight bit of the angular edges that once made the NEX-7 the badass standout in the lineup. You'll notice that the shutter button and grip have an uncanny resemblance to the 7's, not to mention that it's clearly gained a pop-up flash -- a first for the lower-end NEXs. Past that, the rumored -- and self-portrait friendly -- 180 degree tilt-screen is also present, which'll likely give the C3 an edge over its siblings when it comes to composing shots. Also worth note, some of the buttons on back have been slightly repositioned. Moving along, those hoping for a successor to the A35 will apparently have their wish granted with the 16.1 megapixel A37. According to Yang Canggih, it features the articulating display from the last generation of NEX cams, Auto Portrait Framing (first introduced with the A57), four more effect modes than the A35 (up from 11) and an ergonomic grip in the vein of the A77. Sadly, that's about all that's currently known, so hopefully we'll get an official introduction to the cameras soon. Head past the break for a shot of the A37 and then check out the links below for even more of both.
Mirror's Edge free on iOS today
Why not start Friday with a string of vertiginous vaults through a sterile cityscape? EA's faithful, well-constructed mobile version of Mirror's Edge is free on the iOS app store today. It's not a universal program, mind you, so you'll have to grab it on iPhone or iPad separately. It's not as thrilling as DICE's original game -- and less likely to make you look up "proprioception" -- but this interpretation of Mirror's Edge is a breezy side-scroller with elegant controls and combat that's less of a show-stopper. It's also the perfect distraction from all those articles about how Mirror's Edge 2 might, won't, could, and can't happen.
Mirror's Edge 2 isn't not a possibility more than ever
DICE knows its Mirror's Edge fans want a sequel with a desperate, craven passion, but with the focus on launching Battlefield 3, we haven't gotten more than vague hints that a second isn't impossible. With Battlefield 3's release around the corner, now DICE is offering slightly less vague comments about continuing the Mirror's Edge story. "I think it's something that people are ready to get into again," producer Patrick Liu said. "We see that there's a huge fan following -- it's almost like a cult. And we know what strengths we had, and what weaknesses we had in that game. If we were to release a new game, we'd know what to improve and how to reach a broader audience. So I definitely think there's a market there." The story here is what Liu isn't saying -- he isn't saying that DICE has given up on Mirror's Edge; he isn't saying a sequel will never happen; he isn't saying Faith will return as a 7-foot male cyborg with tribal tattoos and a pot belly. Not that that's something he would say, but still, he didn't say it.
Rumor: A Mirror's Edge sequel could get cooler with Frostbite 2 engine
The Mirror's Edge and Battlefield franchises are related through more than developer-publisher relations -- they're poised to share digital DNA. If it is made, a sequel to Mirror's Edge may use Battlefield 3's Frostbite 2 engine, according to Official PlayStation Magazine, which writes, "The Frostbite 2 engine will pave the way for Mirror's Edge to make a free-running return." We don't know much more about the potential sequel or OPM's "inside whispers," besides the fact that Mirror's Edge is an "important franchise" to EA. We may have to wait until EA and DICE stop coddling Battlefield 3 for confirmation of another game or details about its engine. For now, dreaming about free-running on Frostbite 2 will have to tide us over. Mmmm...
36 Origin PC games on the cheap until Sunday
When it comes to digital distribution services, EA's Origin is the new kid in school. And who wants to hang out with the new kid? Nobody, that's who, unless the new kid has pockets full of candy. And by candy, we mean really cheap video-games. From now until tomorrow, you can promise to be Origin's best friend forever in exchange for 36 PC games and/or expansion packs on sale for $4.99 each, including Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Spore, Mirror's Edge, Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box, and Littlest Pet Shop. Whether or not Origin's popularity on the playground will last when the candy runs out remains to be seen, but for right now we're willing to trade our chocolate milk for a copy of Sim City 4. [Thanks, Thomas!]
EA 'figuring out' how to continue Mirror's Edge
Like the Gap and cargo shorts, EA is "trying to figure out how to bring Mirror's Edge back." EA Games label president Frank Gibeau told CVG that the Mirror's Edge franchise is unequivocally not dead. "I greenlight the games. I did not kill it -- as God is my witness," he swore. According to Gibeau, the publisher is looking for ways to bring back the franchise in "a way that fans will be excited," while still reaching a larger audience. "We need to go from version one to version two so that it sells two to three times as many, it finds a much bigger audience." DICE, developer of the first game, is currently working on Battlefield 3. According to earlier reports, EA requested that the developer focus exclusively on that game, instead of a Mirror's Edge sequel. A EA spokesperson later commented that Mirror's Edge is an "important franchise," but there was "nothing further to announce."
Report: Mirror's Edge 2 rejected by EA (oh, and Happy Valentine's Day!)
In late 2008, EA released two new intellectual properties; while both failed to break sales records the world over, they went a long way towards proving to the world that EA was serious about changing its image. The more successful of the two games just saw a sequel released: Dead Space 2 opened to strong reviews and is outselling its predecessor two to one. The other game, however, hasn't had such an easy time of things. According to a Press 2 Play TV report – translated by Eurogamer – "EA was shown a prototype" of a Mirror's Edge sequel but "declined" to pursue it, ostensibly opting to focus all of developer DICE's efforts on the upcoming Battlefield 3, as previously reported. Nearly two years ago, EA's Patrick Soderlund said, "You will see another Mirror's Edge for sure. It's just a matter of when that time is and what we do with it. We have a small team on it and I'm excited about what we do." While Soderlund could have been talking about EA Mobile's better-than-it-should-be Mirror's Edge for iOS, the name Mirror's Edge 2 popped up on a DICE lighting artist's portfolio a few month's later. EA CEO John Riccitiello even said "it's a game that deserves to come back," and we don't think he was referring to mobile. So has Mirror's Edge 2 been rejected by EA? We'll have to wait for EA to get back to us before we know anything for sure but, if it has, we just wanted to say thanks, EA. For breaking our hearts. On Valentine's Day. [Update 3:05pm:An EA spokesperson got back to us with this: "Mirror's Edge is an important franchise built by the DICE studio in Stockholm. DICE is currently producing Battlefield 3. Nothing further to announce." With just one full title under that name, and the aforementioned mobile game, franchise sounds like an awfully strong word for Mirror's Edge. With that in mind, we'll try to keep our hopes up.]
Judge strips Langdell of trademarks, doesn't award EA damages
Tim Langdell and EA have been bumping heads for a while now. As suggested last week, Judge William Alsup has approved a move to cancel Langdell's collection of "Edge" trademarks after he lost a legal battle with EA, concerning "Mirror's Edge." All parties must furnish their own court costs and EA will receive no damages, GamesIndustry.biz reports. There's also a special stipulation: Langdell must inform "all persons and entities with whom a licensing agreement has been obtained involving the trademarks asserted herein that the marks have been cancelled and provide these persons and entities with a copy of the order denying plaintiff's motion for a preliminary injunction and the final judgment." In layman's terms, it means that Langdell must contact these firms and individuals and inform them he no longer holds any of these "Edge" trademarks. By Friday, Langdell or his representatives must provide a sworn statement to this effect. As for EA, it looks like the company is ready to move on from the affair. In a statement, an EA representative stated, "We're pleased that we've reached a settlement and can put this behind us."
Mirror's Edge coming to the Mac later this year
A mobile version of the first-person platform game Mirror's Edge is already available for the iPad and iPhone, but the original version hasn't made it to the Mac... yet. Court documents from a lawsuit filed against Electronic Arts by Edge Games state that "a Mac version of the original 'Mirror's Edge' video game is currently under development and is slated for release later this year." Mirror's Edge has been available for the Xbox 360 and PS3 for almost two years now, and the Windows version came out in January of 2009. Like Portal and a few other high-profile games that have recently released for the Mac, the availability of Mirror's Edge for OS X is definitely a case of "better late than never." Having recently played through the iPhone version of the game, I'll be curious to see how it runs on the Mac... as long as the price is right for a game that's been available on other platforms for so long. [via Macgasm]
Spiritual Guidance: Priest changes in build 12984 and Life Grip video
Every Sunday at WoW Insider, you'll find Spiritual Guidance, a guide to healing as a discipline or holy priest. Priestess Dawn Moore will bring you the latest in news, discussion and advice for priests in the World of Warcraft while simultaneously battling her shadow priest rival, Fox Van Allen. This week, Dawn has been training an infantry of super-perceptive aerial assault sheep to counter the Dark Shrine she spotted Fox warping into WoW Insider HQ earlier. The latest build for the Cataclysm beta was the big news yesterday, thanks to ol' B at MMO-Champion. The news hit sometime in the night while most priests were nestled all snug in their beds, but High Priest Matticus and I were up late drinking chocolate malts and playing wall ball, so we got a head start on the information ... which we promptly used to write about pets and shaman. Last week, I said I'd be finishing my Cataclysm roundup this weekend, but since there were quite a few changes in this latest beta build (which I'm guessing will affect the release of patch 4.0.1), I think it's better if we discuss the details of the changes before we try to summarize them. There was also a super-exciting (though entirely superficial) change with this patch as well ... Leap of Faith, also known as "Life Grip," got a brand new animation! Check out the video after the jump.
TUAW's Daily App: Mirror's Edge
Usually, we like to use this space to highlight developers and apps that could use a little more exposure, not call out big-budget titles from developers like Electronic Arts. But this one's worth it -- Mirror's Edge is a pretty terrific, completely original translation of the plaforming game that arrived on consoles last year. It was out on the iPad at launch earlier this year, and now the game has made its way to the iPhone, bringing Retina Display graphics and the same well done gameplay. Out of all of the "major" game publishers, EA has shown Apple quite a bit of love in the past, and this is probably the company's best original (in mechanics, if not actually name or premise) title for the iOS platform. It's a real shame that it took so long for this one to make it around to the handheld, but now that it's here, it is worth the $4.99 purchase price for those looking for a premium iPhone experience. And heck, if that's too much, just be patient another eight months or so and you'll probably see the game on sale. If you're interested in this gameplay at all -- basically a complicated Canabalt, with heroine Faith running, sliding and shooting her way across rooftops -- definitely give it a look.
Mirror's Edge and Puzzle Agent slide and sneak onto iPhone tonight
According to a report from Touch Arcade, the previously iPad-only Mirror's Edge will become available for purchase this evening on iPhone and iPod Touch, alongside Telltale's first "pilot program" release, Puzzle Agent. Given Faith's reduction in size from iPad to iPhone, the price for Mirror's Edge will be dropping accordingly from $9.99 to $4.99. Puzzle Agent will also carry a $4.99 price point, staying in line with the pricing for other Telltale Games on iDevices. Both games are confirmed to be available via the iTunes App Store right now in some international territories and are expected to arrive in the US App Store around 11PM ET tonight.
Dead Space, Mirror's Edge and Spore on sale at the EA Store this weekend
Wanna dodge the sun's harmful rays and get some gaming in within the air-conditioned comfort of your home? EA's been offering discounts on its PC lineup every weekend; a revolving door of its best and brightest for a pittance. Through Sunday, Dead Space, Mirror's Edge and Spore share the spotlight -- you can get each game for $10, $5 and $20, respectively.
Overheard@GDC: Seeing red in Mirror's Edge
Did you ever stop to think that red was an odd choice for the guiding Runner's Vision in Mirror's Edge? Well, the first-person parkour game's level designer, Elisabetta Silli, used to think so. At the "The Tao of Level Design" panel this morning, she said, "Red is an odd choice because it means danger or stop." She mentioned that when she first played the game she got to a red door and stopped. Of course, now she can't imagine it being any other way: "Red is perfect for Faith, I wouldn't change it." Silli is currently working on the Battlefield franchise, but she couldn't get into specifics when asked about which title (hmmm). When asked about a potential sequel to Mirror's Edge, she said she "can't talk about it, sorry." Asked how she would change the design for a sequel, she opened up to say that she'd focus on navigation and letting the player get a better idea of what's coming next, instead of relying on the red flashes to point the way. She would like the path of the player to be clear from the beginning. On whether she'd like to work on a sequel, "Yeah, I would love to work on a sequel." You want it, we want it – let's just do this thing, EA. %Gallery-17126%
Your first five iPad games
You weren't going to be that guy. Your friends could fall in line all they wanted, but you were going to be strong. You didn't need an iPad, after all, you had your iPhone! Besides, the thing can't even make calls, what's the point? But then, your friends started coming around, magically flipping through USA Today with a swipe of their fingers like news genies, and you cracked, guiltily sliding your last $500 bill across the Genius Bar and walking out of the Apple Store defeated, but one iPad richer. It's OK, could have happened to the best of us. But now that you have the thing, what do you play on it? We've tried dozens of apps specifically made for the device and have culled a list of the top five you should buy without hesitation. Don't have an iPad yet? No problem. Just bookmark this page and come back later, we'll be updating with the new hotness whenever it sweeps us off our feet.
