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A sneak peek at Salem
Are you tired of the same Orcs-Elves-and-Dwarves high fantasy in your MMORPGs? Perhaps you're looking for something more grounded in reality? Then Salem might just be for you. Instead of dropping you into another Azeroth, it sticks you in Colonial America during the time of the Salem Witch Trials. Not a whole lot is known about the browser-launched MMO from newcomer studio Paradox Interactive, but MMORPG.com has a scoop that reveals a few details. For one, it's not another themepark MMO. It's a sandbox game with a focus on crafting and open PvP. Oh, and one more thing: When you die, you're dead for good. That's right, Salem will feature permadeath. While your new character will inherit your dead one's belongings, you'll still have to develop that new character from scratch. For full information on this unique new MMO, check out the full article.
Magicka sequel planned, first game and Vietnam expansion sold 'over expectations'
Arrowhead Studios' first game, Magicka, has been a runaway success. Publisher Paradox Interactive told Joystiq in a recent interview that the game "sold over 30,000 copies in the first 24 hours," and the five dollar Vietnam-themed expansion has moved "well over 100,000" copies since launching in mid-April. Even at just $5, that's plenty of extra ducats. Paradox CEO Fredrik Wester also confirmed a Magicka sequel on the books, though the folks at Arrowhead are still hard at work on the first game's PvP, set for a free release in the near future. "When we -- and I'm not saying 'if' -- but 'when' we are doing a sequel to this game, it's going to be done on a totally different technology," Wester explained, airing some of his company's grievances with Magicka's game engine, XNA Studios. "It was super buggy at release," he added, speaking to Magicka's less-than-perfect state at launch. "We addressed most of them in the first week, but there are still issues with laptops and a few other things. It's due to the engine that we produced the game on." As for the oft-requested console version of Magicka, Wester and his company are taking an all-or-nothing approach at this point. "We wanna do XBLA or nothing for the Xbox," Wester matter-of-factly stated when asked about the possibility of the game still heading to Xbox Live Indie Games. Beyond it being a smaller marketplace, he noted, "We looked into that, but it was not as simple as it seemed at first." PlayStation Network, thankfully, is an easier task. "PSN should be a no brainer, and I'm saying should because ... I can't really say anything more at the moment," he coyly added, noting, "I'll let you know as soon as I can say more." ESRB listings discovered earlier this year certainly indicate that something is in the cards.
Magicka: Vietnam dev happy to 'save the world from communists'
You might've thought that the success of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Battlefield: Bad Company 2's Vietnam expansion were what precipitated the tongue-in-cheek Vietnam expansion for Magicka. As it turns out, the folks at Arrowhead just want to save the world from communism!
April Fools: Paradox expands Vietnam theme to King Arthur series
Magicka's Vietnam-themed DLC has apparently been a huge hit with the folks at Paradox Interactive. Such a hit, in fact, that the company is now theming the upcoming King Arthur sequel in the same way -- nothing quite says "Knights of the Round Table" like napalm! Furthermore, the sequel to Sword of the Stars will receive similar treatment. "A wise journeyman once told me, 'Don't stop believing,' and that's exactly what we're doing here," company head Fredrik Wester noted in the announcement. Okay, okay, the folks at Paradox are just having a laugh on this day of days to have a laugh, but you'll excuse us if we stand fully in support of the idea. Heck, it sounds like a much better idea than the publisher's East India Company game themed around the Opium Wars of the 19th century. Who greenlights this stuff?!
Magicka devs say work on PvP starts after Vietnam
Arrowhead already created the funniest premise for an expansion this year with Magicka: Vietnam, and it seems the developer has already decided how it will follow up that triumph: Player-vs-player combat. A pair of messages on the game's official Twitter page read, "How about an achievement for defeating a developer/paradox? A good way to vent your frustration - yes? Wait, we need PvP for that ... we better build it right after#MagickaVietnam then." We knew PvP was in the works, but it's nice to have something approximating a timetable for official support. Here's hoping we'll be accidentally setting ourselves on fire -- in an ill-fated attempt to set you on fire -- soon.
Dreamlords: Resurrection launches, Paradox offering free ducats
MMORTS gamers have reason to celebrate, as Paradox Interactive has announced the (latest) launch of its free-to-play Dreamlords title. A German version of the game was published by gamigo in 2007, while a North American version originally debuted in the summer of 2008 under the name Dreamlords the Reawakening. This time around, Paradox is calling it Dreamlords: Resurrection, and the company is also giving away 1000 Paradox ducats (the game's item shop currency) to anyone and everyone who signs up. Dreamlords: Resurrection was developed by Lockpick Entertainment and puts the player in the role of a titular guardian and tasks him with inspiring followers, building an army, and engaging in various defend-and-conquer excursions against the Nightmares that roam the world. The game features cooperative PvE play where the player can team up with other Dreamlords, as well as fast-paced PvP combat and RTS staples such as troop and technology research. Paradox has released a new gameplay trailer to celebrate the Dreamlords launch, and you can view it after the cut.
Magicka on consoles is 'up to Sony and Microsoft' right now
There's been talk of bringing Magicka to the PS3 and Xbox 360 for some time now. Developer Arrowhead Game Studios has been quite vocal about wanting to bring the game to "all consoles," but right now, it would seem there's a considerable roadblack. Speaking with Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt, we asked him what the delay in conjuring a console port was. "We're working on bringing Magicka to consoles -- we are, really. The problem is that it's not up to us. It's up to Sony and Microsoft, really, but we're working on getting it to consoles. That's the way it should be played." It would appear for now, at least, the only way to get that console feeling is to play on PC with an Xbox 360 controller.
Paradox CEO insists Magicka will be fixed
By all the reports we've heard from friends and colleagues, Paradox's satirical fantasy game Magicka is long on charm, but short on polish. Online modes are apparently the roughest, with some completely unable to access co-op, though the kinks in single player seem to be relatively few. Speaking with Ars Technica (which experienced a bevy of issues with the game), Paradox boss Fredrik Wesker pledged that developer Arrowhead Studios would exterminate the bugs as quickly as possible, saying "The development team is working around the clock and we will get this fixed. We will make this right." Wesker also explained how something like this happens in the first place, which is an interesting glimpse into the realities of being a small publisher. Here's hoping that soon, the only freezes in Magicka will be delivered by friends with poor aim.
A wrap-up of the Paradox Interactive MMO conference in NYC
If you're unfamiliar with Paradox Interactive, you could be forgiven -- it's never been a flashy studio. But it does have a very solid track record of producing historical simulations and strategy games, including the critically acclaimed Mount & Blade and the Europa Universalis series. So when the company's New York convention includes two upcoming online games, it's with a background of producing solid games with a strongly simulationist angle. Two titles, Dreamlords Resurrection and Salem, were both on display at the conference, with two very different foci but similar levels of polish. Dreamlords Resurrection is an MMORTS with an emphasis on player armies rather than on city building. Players take on the role of a newly awakened Dreamlord attempting to work with allied players to claim as much land as possible... with the caveat that the game's regular resets will keep any one group of players from becoming too overpowering. Salem, meanwhile, is a sandbox game that plans to include not only open PvP but the threat of permanent death, forcing players to hopefully band together and police behavior. Both sound like interesting takes on the genre that will give players plenty to mull over as they move through development.
One life in the New World: Salem MMO to feature permadeath
Permadeath is a topic that's brought up on a regular basis in MMO discussion circles, usually featuring a cast of characters that span the full spectrum of the debate. Is there a burning desire for the risk and finality of a permadeath system in MMOs? Would players flock to or flee from such a game? And how would it work in such a way to retain players instead of alienating them? Game Designer Bjorn Johannessen is working hard on the answers for those questions in his new MMORPG, with the working title of Salem. Developed by Paradox Interactive, this free-to-play title is set in New England during the early period of North American colonization and features players stepping off the boats from Europe to make their way in uncharted wilderness. Like Wurm Online and Minecraft, Salem will focus heavily on crafting as players forge the tools, buildings and weapons they need to survive. For Salem's aesthetics, Johannessen named H.P. Lovecraft and Tim Burton's gothic horror as sources of inspiration, and the MMO will include magic and witchcraft as potential paths. Over all of this is the specter of permanent death: "When your character dies, he stays dead," Johannessen said matter-of-factly. This is made even harsher by the fact that Salem will allow free-for-all PvP, which means that anyone can attack you without provocation. Player buildings can be razed and their corpses looted, but Johannessen hopes that the players will band together to protect each other and mete out justice. You can watch Bjorn Johannessen's introduction to the game after the jump.
Magicka trailer adorably announces game's delay
Few games have announced their own delays as cheerfully as Arrowhead Game Studios' Magicka. The latest trailer for the game -- the first we've seen in many moons -- tells a cute tale about why it's been pushed to "Q1 2011," alongside a handful of gameplay clips. See for yourself below the fold.
PAX 2010: How to build LEGO Universe, piece by piece
The world of LEGO is being destroyed by the mighty Maelstrom. Imagination is being sucked into its evil vortex, and only you and your friends can stop it! Customize your minifig to fit your personality, choose your favorite faction, and launch into battle against Maelstrom and its minions. Save imagination! LEGO Universe Online is the LEGO brand's first leap into the MMO genre. After LEGO's success with single-player games, such as the extremely popular Star Wars and Indiana Jones series, it only seems natural for the company to jump into the massively multiplayer universe. The design team of over 150 people has built a wild and whimsical world, Brick and Knob by Brick and Knob, and the crazy thing is, you can add to this world, too. At PAX, LEGO was kind enough to give me a personal guided tour through this universe of adventure and creativity. Follow me after the break as I guide you through my hands-on with LEGO Universe Online.%Gallery-101842%
XBLA Lead and Gold isn't happening, says Paradox CEO
In a recent conversation with Paradox Interactive's Fredrik Wester, the CEO told Joystiq that while he'd like Lead and Gold to shoot up Xbox Live Arcade, in addition to PSN and Steam, he doesn't think it's going to happen. "It seems like we have to put it on the backburner," Wester said. "We're not really putting any more effort into releasing on XBLA, so I would say if you want to play the game, you should do it on PC or PSN, because we're not really sure that we can ever release it on XBLA. Or that we're ever gonna release it on XBLA. It's unfortunate, but you know, things happen. We love XBLA and would love to be on it, but with Lead and Gold, we just have to move on." And that's unfortunate, as Wester (no, not Wesker) said DLC is in the pipe for L&G, and early issues with lag in the game have been amended. He's also excited for the next console release that Paradox has planned: Magicka. "When I first played it, I was like, 'Shit, this is a great game!' So we put more effort into it and we're gonna make it into a really good project," Wester told us. While the game is built using XNA and intended for an XBLA release, Wester's not sure where it'll end up (though he offers up the XBL Indie Marketplace as another possible destination). Wester also teased something new coming from Paradox -- Paradox Connect -- a service he recently talked about with Gamasutra. While he wouldn't get too specific, he did tell us, "Steam has a few elements which Paradox Connect is gonna have as well, and a few other services do as well. Stuff that gives the players more options to connect with each other and gain bonuses online." So, it's DRM then? "The first thing people said was 'Oh! It's DRM! It's DRM!' And I'm like 'Come on, people! It's not DRM.'," Wester corrected us, laughing.
Paradox and Southpeak settle lawsuit
It's not exactly good news for SouthPeak but, given the ironically rocky year it's had, the company will probably settle for lukewarm. Said news is this: Paradox Interactive and SouthPeak have settled their lawsuit. Last month, Paradox filed against SouthPeak to the tune of $585,382, allegedly revenue that SouthPeak had failed to pay to the developer (a claim that seems to haunt the publisher). According to IndustryGamers, the two companies have amicably settled their differences, with SouthPeak agreeing to "satisfy all of its payment obligations to Paradox Interactive." Both parties issued statements regarding SouthPeak's financial status, with SouthPeak itself noting that the settlement "has demonstrated its financial stability," while Paradox CEO Fredrik Wester notes that the speedy conclusion "is a tribute to their professionalism and their sound financial integrity." One can only hope that SouthPeak manages to foster this sense of conviviality among all its developers. We're sure the company has had its fill of lawsuits by now.
Turbine makes more money by giving its MMO away for free
Here's a story that you're probably going to see a lot over the next few years: A company started giving away its game for free, and now reports that it's making more money than before. That's what happened to Turbine, maker of the Dungeons and Dragons Online MMO. Last year, it decided to move from a subscription model to free-to-play, instead earning its revenue off of in-game transactions, and now it's announced that income has increased by 500% and the game is making more money than ever. DDO is sort of a special case here -- the game was already developed for a subscription model, so the content might be a little more in-depth (not to mention officially licensed) than you'd find on most free-to-play properties. And since the game still does offer subscription plans, the number of subscribers has actually doubled since the changeover (there's no information about whether more money is being made from selling in-game items or from new players who have decided to subscribe). But you can be sure other game developers are closely watching this model, and it's not a stretch to think that, in the next few years, we'll see many more publishers -- of MMOs and otherwise -- try to pull off the paradox of making more money by giving their games away for free.
Time-traveling RTS Achron now playable, available for pre-order
Indie developer Hazardous Software has announced that you can now preorder its still-in-development time-bending RTS, Achron, on its website. "Pre-order" in this case means something a little different than usual: By giving Hazardous $29.99 now, you'll get access to the game's current alpha version, which includes five single-player levels. According to the release calendar, you'll get access to the rest of the game later this year, with a multiplayer beta in February, a level editor around April and a full game release a year from now in January 2011. We spoke with the developer's rep, who tells us that it's hoping to stick to the release calendar like glue -- he even says the dates there are slightly "conservative." Dear readers of this post in 2011: If time travel does exist in the future, could you maybe come back here to the past and tell us if this complicated little game is any good?
Europa Universalis dev offers up game engine for free
There's only one thing better than getting something for nothing. However, since it's unlikely that someone is going to deliver us a life-size Toblerone, we'll settle for Paradox Interactive's news that the Swedish game company is releasing its game engine into the wild as a free download over GamersGate.Codenamed "Europa," the engine was the same used to develop games in Paradox's Hearts of Iron series and Europa Universalis II (pictured). According to Paradox, the company plans to set "a few minimum criteria" for the engine's use, and games created using the technology will be made available for sale over the GamersGate download service -- meaning that for those indie devs looking for a 'cheap as free' solution to make their hard-core PC strategy game dreams a reality, this could be it.
Forum Post of the Day: How did your undead die?
Yeah yeah, lolRP, but even though I'd never seriously do an emote with my character (though I do enjoy /coughing at inappropriate times), I do kind of enjoy thinking of what my characters did before I started playing them in the game. As I've said before, my Orc Shaman was actually a prisoner in Durnholde Keep along with Thrall (and though I've tried to find him among the Orcs down there, I don't look too hard -- wouldn't want to cause a paradox).But for my Undead Rogue, I've never thought about this questions: What did he die of? Whether it was choking on a gnome, one too many enchantments (never knew those could kill you), or the old standby of, y'know, cancer, every Undead character out there used to have a life (and now they just play WoW, ha!). So how'd your Undead lose theirs?I'd like to think mine was something poetic, like his family was murdered by roving noblemen, and he arose from the afterlife and became a backstabbing rogue to avenge his lost ones. But it's probably more pathetic: like most of the Forsaken, he probably just got trampled underneath the onset of the Scourge. Of course, that'll make an appointment with Arthas more interesting...
Another Vista activation bypass: for reals this time?
Considering that as recently as a couple of days ago lots of people (including us) were potentially duped into believing that someone had created a keygen utility that churned out working serial numbers for Windows Vista, you'll forgive us for being a little hesitant to recommend the latest Vista crack on the block. Apparently the result of a combined effort by an application cracking group called "Paradox," the utility is actually a "BIOS Emulation Toolkit" that skips the activation process entirely. As always, these kind of programs are an extremely gray area, so we're not going to maintain any illusions here: this utility will be used by individuals to pirate copies of Vista. That said, these kinds of hacks -- if this one actually works -- does a service by pointing out the ineffectiveness of "activation," a process which has caused an enormous amount of annoyance to a lot of consumers that have purchased software legally. Just like every other form of piracy prevention, the only people that really suffer in the end are the innocent users stuck in the middle. [Via digg]
Paradox hacks Red Steel, releases the ISO into the wild
With Xbox 360 and PS3 games getting ISO-dumped right and left, it's about time the Wii got a little taste of hacker-dom. The famed "Paradox" group of hackers did the honors this time, and went so far as to upload the ISO of Red Steel for your DVD burning pleasure. Of course, you still can't actually play such burned discs on the Wii -- though Paradox seems to think such a hack is right around the corner -- and then there's always the whole illegal part of this equation, but if you already own a copy of the game and are just looking into modding your Wii for, erm, educational purposes, we don't really see what's stopping you. There is the fact that you'll probably need an in with these folks to get ahold of the torrent at the moment, but that shouldn't be too terribly hard to do.[Thanks, Bob T]
