Too Human

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  • Joystiq Interview: Peter Molyneux on Fable 2, Too Human, and Lionhead's 'shocking' next game

    by 
    Randy Nelson
    Randy Nelson
    09.15.2008

    var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Exclusive_Peter_Molyneux_Interview'; With the October release of Fable 2 fast approaching, we sat down for a chat with Lionhead founder Peter Molyneux to talk about how his latest game has shaped up. Also, does he still think the first game was all that bad? And what does he really think about a game he's recently found himself associated with, Too Human? It all starts off – as we all do – in childhood ... Playing Fable 2, we noticed that, early on, there seems to be a fair amount of very obvious temptation to do something "good" or "bad."Yes, well, I wanted childhood to contain some fairly easy choices. Once you go through your first real challenge, you'll find that it gets a lot more sophisticated. I want you to just experiment, to just see what happens. What I love is the aspect of, "I wonder if I do this what will happen?" If you do that enough, then you find that the game delivers.%Gallery-4807%

  • Too Human cracks NPD Top 10

    by 
    Xav de Matos
    Xav de Matos
    09.12.2008

    According to the NPD Group the controversial loot-grinder Too Human cracked the top ten sales chart for the month of August. Selling 168,200 units in a ten day period, Too Human landed the number 8 spot beating out Madden 09 for the Nintendo Wii and Guitar Hero: On Tour for the Nintendo DS.While reactions have been mixed since Too Human's release, Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack told X3F in a post game release interview that the team from St. Catharine's, Canada, couldn't be happier with the final product. Controversy aside, Too Human debuted strong and continued sales only solidifies that the previously announced sequels are still in the works. That Valkyrie death animation can still fall in a well and die, though. Just saying.[via GameDaily]

  • Too Human update fixes connectivity, nothing else

    by 
    Ross Miller
    Ross Miller
    09.06.2008

    We turned on Too Human this morning (no, really) and found an auto update. Hoping it might have shortened the Valkyrie death sequence, we immediately unequipped all weapons and armor and ran naked (figuratively) into battle, only to be faced with the same 15.5-second consequence. We also thought the menu screen loaded faster, but that is all apparently just in our heads.In a forum post this morning, Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack revealed that the update "fixed some connectivity issues and was done prior to release. It does not contain any balance or gameplay changes." Better luck next time.

  • 'CliffyB' defends Too Human from critics

    by 
    Kyle Orland
    Kyle Orland
    09.01.2008

    [Update 2: The Giant Bomb user formerly known as CliffyB has changed his user name based on a request from the Giant Bomb staff. Seems this was a case of mistaken/overtaken internet identity. Joystiq regrets the error.][Update: It seems there's some doubt as to whether or not this review was actually written by Mr. Bleszinski or just some Giant bomb user who took his common online moniker. Either way, the review is still an interesting, alternative look at the game. We're looking into it and we'll update as warranted.]After so much hype and so many years in development, many were surprised by the lackluster critical reception for Silicon Knights' Too Human. Count among the surprised Epic Games' Cliff "Don't call me CliffyB anymore" Bleszinski, who defended the game from its harshest critics in a recent Giant Bomb reader review.Bleszinski says he found the game more engrossing than either BioShock or Call of Duty 4, pouring 16 straight hours into it on his first sit down and readying for a second playthrough after a 42-hour quest. While admitting that the story "isn't God's gift to writing," Bleszinski still insists it compares favorably to a lot of other video games. His main beef, though, is with critics who derided the game's combat as too simple simply because they weren't willing to delve into what Bleszinski sees as some complex strategic depth. "It will require some attention to learn," he warns, "If this is too much to ask, do not fret. There is always the Wii." Ouch!The full review goes into an insane amount of detail on Bleszinski's experience with the game. Check it out if you're interested in a well informed, decidedly different perspective on this epic.

  • Joystiq Podcast 063 - S.N.A.X. edition

    by 
    Justin McElroy
    Justin McElroy
    08.29.2008

    We've finally harnessed the power of our combined snacking knowledge to create a regular, completely non-game related segment on it. Oh, sure we're still talking about video games like Force Unleashed, Too Human and S.T.A.L.K.E.R., but snacks (S.N.A.X.?) really steal the show. Thanks to Evan Minto, Jordan Wasilka and Max Varenik of the JPAG for the trifecta of photochopping greatness. Get the podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Joystiq Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3) [RSS] Add the Joystiq Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator [Digg] Like the show? Digg it. [MP3] Download the MP3 directly Hosts: Chris Grant, Ludwig Kietzmann and Justin McElroy Music: "Get Ready for Love" by Nick Cave, "Red Eye" by Ben Kweller For fans: Joystiq Podcast Facebook group See all of this week's links after the jump.

  • Fanswag Weekly: Win a signed copy of Too Human [update]

    by 
    Richard Mitchell
    Richard Mitchell
    08.29.2008

    Update: This giveaway is now closed and our winner will be notified soon. Check your spam boxes, kids! After a week covering Silicon Knights and Too Human, it's time to end our special coverage with a special giveaway. Up for grabs we have a copy of Too Human autographed by the team at Silicon Knights. We also have a swanky Too Human cloth bag for you to put it in. You wouldn't want the ink to get all smudged, now would you?). But wait, there's more! We also have an autographed Too Human poster for our second prize winner (check out a photo of it after the break). To enter, simply follow these directions: Every player in Too Human has to make a philosophical choice: Human or Cybernetic. Leave a comment telling us which path you would choose, and why. It doesn't even have to be specific to Too Human, just have fun with it. Only one comment per person will be accepted. Posters of multiple comments will be disqualified. We'll accept entries until 11:00PM eastern time today, August 29th, 2008. You must be at least 18 years old to enter. This giveaway is open only to residents of the U.S. and Canada (excluding Quebec). Later today, we'll pick two winner via random drawing. One grand prize winner will receive an autographed copy of Too Human and a Too Human cloth bag, worth $80. One second prize winner will receive an autographed Too Human poster, worth $20. Complete giveaway rules can be found here

  • Denis Dyack says EVE is better than WoW

    by 
    Mike Schramm
    Mike Schramm
    08.28.2008

    Who's Denis Dyack? He's the outspoken president of Silicon Knights, a company that just finished many years (almost 10, some say) of making a game called Too Human that disappointed widely. And that, of course, qualifies him to be an expert in MMO design, right?Maybe not, but he's going to call out WoW anyway. In an interview with Videogaming 24/7, he claims that while he enjoyed World of Warcraft, EVE Online was for him personally the better game. He claims EVE has more depth than WoW, and is "a lot harder core." And he says that both games made him force himself to stop playing -- apparently they both just took too much time to play.We've played both as well, and EVE certainly is a very deep and complex game (almost too complex for many players' tastes, we'd guess). But we'll leave the question of which game is actually better up to you. We will, however, point out that while lots of people have opinions about which games are best, not all of them are developers. If you have strong opinions about which games to play and not to play, shouldn't you be making even better games than the ones you don't like?[via Massively]

  • Dyack: Nintendo a 'silent partner', Eternal Darkness IP ownership 'complicated'

    by 
    Ross Miller
    Ross Miller
    08.28.2008

    var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/xbox/Dyack_says_Eternal_Darkness_IP_ownership_is_complicated'; In the final part of X3F's interview series, Silicon Knights President Denis Dyack said that the question of who owns the Eternal Darkness IP is, "a complicated question with a complicated answer," while at the same time confirming that Nintendo is still a "silent partner" with the developer."That's a question we've never answered," he said. "At the end of the day, it's not time to even talk about those things for various different reasons. You know Nintendo, who's still our silent partner, a lot of people don't know that, we have a great relationship with those guys. It's not time to talk about Eternal Darkness 2." Dyack went on to say that, despite some reports to the contrary, SK has never announced ED2 to be in development.Dyack also discussed his one console theory, and how the consolidation of the developers and publishers support his claim that the industry is moving towards a one-console future, adding that Silicon Knights is not opposed to being acquired by a publisher. He also said that the company's next game will be "very different" from Too Human, declining to elaborate further.

  • X3F TV -- Denis Dyack, "Future Knights" Interview

    by 
    Xav de Matos
    Xav de Matos
    08.28.2008

    var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/xbox/Dyack_says_Eternal_Darkness_IP_ownership_is_complicated'; In the final part of our three part interview with Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack we discuss the future of the studio. From genre bending, clarifications and the unanswered question regarding the ownership of the Eternal Darkness IP, this interview covers everything you'd want to know about the future of Silicon Knights.Stay tuned tomorrow for a special giveaway to round out our Too Human coverage.[iTunes] Subscribe to X3F TV directly in iTunes. [Zune] Subscribe to the X3F TV directly (Zune Marketplace link coming soon). [RSS] Add the X3F TV feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [M4V] Download the M4V of the first section of this video directly. Gallery: Silicon Knights: Studio Tour

  • Silicon Knights developer says EVE is better than WoW

    by 
    Samuel Axon
    Samuel Axon
    08.27.2008

    Silicon Knights President Dennis Dyack is apparently a balanced gamer. Sure, he's worked on games like Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain and he's president of the company behind the big Xbox 360 exclusive Too Human. But it would appear that he's also a connoisseur of MMOs.He told videogaming247 that EVE Online is (for him, at least) a better game than World of Warcraft. "I know it's a lot harder core," he said, "but the depth of it's unparalleled and I love it." It's been mentioned again and again how different the EVE and WoW experiences are. They represent two fundamentally opposing game design philosophies. That serves as a reminder that this genre can be potentially achieve more than the treadmill-loving, fantasy RPG style it has become known for.But Dyack had one complaint that applied to both titles. "I have to ... force myself to stop playing those games because it takes too much time," he said. That seems to be a problem with MMOs in general -- especially ones that use the subscription model. Blizzard and CCP want you to invest as much time as possible into the game so you'll stay subscribed, right? Looks like it backfired in Dyack's case. We wouldn't be surprised if it alienated a lot of other potential subscribers as well. One of Azeroth's millions of citizens? Check out our ongoing coverage of the World of Warcraft, and be sure to touch base with our sister site WoW Insider for all your Lich King needs!

  • X3F TV: Denis Dyack, "Too Human" interview

    by 
    Xav de Matos
    Xav de Matos
    08.27.2008

    var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/xbox/Interview_Dyack_addresses_Too_Human_complaints'; In the second part of our three part interview with Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack the conversation focuses in on Too Human. After listing off his three high points and low points from his experiences of the game, Denis discusses his overall impressions of fan response -- refraining to comment on videos from Kevin Pereira and Giant Bomb -- and whether or not the game has lived up to the studio's expectations.Due to length this video split into two sections, the second portion of the Too Human interview can be found after the jump.Stay tuned tomorrow for the final part of our three part Denis Dyack interview. In part three Denis and Xav discuss the future of Silicon Knights, the studios relationship with Nintendo and the genre possibilities for the development team.[iTunes] Subscribe to X3F TV directly in iTunes.[Zune] Subscribe to the X3F TV directly (Zune Marketplace link coming soon).[RSS] Add the X3F TV feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.[M4V] Download the M4V of the first section of this video directly.%Gallery-30370%

  • Interview: Dyack addresses Too Human complaints

    by 
    Ross Miller
    Ross Miller
    08.27.2008

    var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/xbox/Interview_Dyack_addresses_Too_Human_complaints'; Continuing with their week-long series, nos amis at X3F talked with Silicon Knights President Denis Dyack over some of Too Human's biggest perceived faults. Part 1 of today's video interview is embedded above. Some highlights: On the community's early judgment: "People are trying to understand a game that's inherently interactive [by watching a video] ... All I can say is try the demo." On clipping and texture issues: "There's glitches in all games. It's really interesting to me because, as an example, there's gonna be things you can always improve. To me, framerate's not really that essential in cutscenes and it never has been for us ... I don't think Too Human's inconsistent from any of our previous games ... So there's clipping. Oh noes. Bottom line is, does it affect gameplay and by how much? Are there ways to improve Too Human? For sure, but the overall big picture? Happy, extremely happy." On the Valkyrie death scene: Dyack estimated it was a 15 and a 1/2 second scene. "If it's a sign that people love the game so much that they just want to get back in and play, could we make it skippable? Sure, it's an easy change. Is it something we ever would have anticipated since we thought it was faster than going to get your body or losing experience [which does not happen in Too Human] ... is that a change we can make in the future? Sure." On comparisons to Diablo: "There's this tactical element. People think, 'oh, this is like Diablo with a bit of action. In Diablo I can just go up to an enemy and pound him away [until it dies] and move on to the next one, if you had the better loot, you usually win. In Too Human, if you don't use your tactics, it is a new kind of genre-bender, you're gonna die. And we're looking at some of the feedback and a lot of people are dying. [laughs]" On future downloadable content: "I think that's gonna be unique to people who pre-order it, that's a one-time thing. But we've got tons of ideas that will far exceed the pre-order bonus." Check out part two of the interview after the break.

  • Dyack: Valkyrie scene faster than load times, corpse runs

    by 
    Xav de Matos
    Xav de Matos
    08.27.2008

    In part two of our three part exclusive interview with Denis Dyack during a studio tour of Silicon Knights the subject of much debate was pointed out in the room like a 300 ton gorilla. Whether you're on the Too Human hate train or defence camp nearly everyone agrees the unskippable Valkyrie death animation breaks the flow of the game and gets downright boring. When asked why the animation was not skippable, Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack was quick to compare the animation with loading a save file in other titles or an MMO corpse run reiterating that the Valkyrie scene is the only real penalty for death. "If you're getting frustrated with the Valkyrie cinema, you might be dying a little too much," Dyack joked. "The bottom line is ... If it's a sign that people love the game so much that they just want to get back in and play, could we make it skippable? Sure, it's an easy change. Is it something we ever would have anticipated since we thought it was faster than going to get your body or losing experience [which does not happen in Too Human] ... is that a change we can make in the future? Sure." While Dyack makes a valid point, many detractors and even fans - ourselves included - agree the scene feels dated and while he told us it could change, X3F was never told that that it would. Stay tuned for the full interview at noon today where Xav and Denis discuss Too Human.

  • Introducing the Too Human page on X3F

    by 
    Richard Mitchell
    Richard Mitchell
    08.26.2008

    As part of our week long coverage of Silicon Knights latest release Too Human, X3F presents our brand new Too Human page. The Too Human page includes all the latest news on the game, including each of our special features that we will be debuting this week on X3F, as well as image galleries and basically anything you need to know about the game. The page will be updated throughout the week to include every day's feature and we will also update it in the future as news develops. Click and enjoy. Also, keep your eyes out for more pages covering major releases in the future. Check out X3F's Too Human page

  • Denis Dyack talks to X3F on the origin of Silicon Knights

    by 
    Ross Miller
    Ross Miller
    08.26.2008

    Our friends at X3F have posted the first part of their 1-on-1 interview with Denis Dyack, where he talks about the history of Silicon Knights, from its previous legal entanglements with Crystal Dynamics over the Legacy of Kain IP, through the prerequisite Eternal Darkness discussion (Spoiler: There's no talk of a sequel) and how they found themselves developing a Metal Gear Solid port for GameCube.In case you missed it, check out the Dyack-guided studio tour from yesterday. You can catch up on all things Baldur on X3F's Too Human page.

  • X3F TV: Denis Dyack, "Origin of the Knights" interview

    by 
    Xav de Matos
    Xav de Matos
    08.26.2008

    In the first part of our three part interview with Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack we discuss the origin of the studio from an Atari, Amiga and PC developer of RTS titles to the GameCube remake of the classic PS1 title, Metal Gear Solid. How did Silicon Knights get tapped to create the remake, when did the studio's relationship with Nintendo begin? Part one of the interview gets to the bottom of things from the games that Silicon Knights develops to the people and culture that make up the studio.Stay tuned tomorrow for part two of our three part Denis Dyack interview. In part two Xav lists the top three things he likes and dislikes about his experience with Too Human - discussion ensues.[iTunes] Subscribe to X3F TV directly in iTunes.[Zune] Subscribe to the X3F TV directly (Zune Marketplace link coming soon).[RSS] Add the X3F TV feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.[M4V] Download the M4V directly.%Gallery-30370%

  • Dyack on the corporate culture of Silicon Knights

    by 
    Xav de Matos
    Xav de Matos
    08.26.2008

    In our exclusive three-part interview with Denis Dyack, the Silicon Knights president revealed the company is built much like a guild. "We do games differently than other companies," Dyack told X3F. "We're not saying we have it right and everyone else has it wrong but we do it our own way."With ten staffers soon to be added to the, already long, list of decade long employees at Silicon Knights, Dyack told X3F that he hopes the company continue to support the industries most vital resource: People. "Everyone at Silicon Knights realizes that we're a knowledge based company and in a knowledge based company computers are $5,000 pencils -- the only value is the people."Check out our exclusive studio tour and stay tuned at noon for the first part of our three-part interview with Denis Dyack.%Gallery-30370%

  • X3F takes tour of Silicon Knights' studio

    by 
    Ross Miller
    Ross Miller
    08.25.2008

    click for the pic-tour-ial var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/xbox/X3F_Presents_Silicon_Knights_studio_tour_video_gallery'; Our compatriots over at X3F visited Too Human developer Silicon Knights last week and were welcomed with a big, friendly bear hug from president Denis Dyack, who proceeded to drink from a bottomless coffee mug as he gave them a tour of the Ontario-based studio. Check out video of the guided tour (after the break) as well a pic-tour-ial gallery. X3F has an entire week of Silicon Knights coverage planned. Tomorrow: Part 1 of their 1-on-1 interview Dyack. Gallery: Silicon Knights: Studio Tour

  • X3F Presents: Silicon Knights studio tour

    by 
    Xav de Matos
    Xav de Matos
    08.25.2008

    var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/xbox/X3F_Presents_Silicon_Knights_studio_tour_video_gallery'; After launching the controversial title Too Human, Silicon Knights invited X3F for a full tour of its studio and a one-on-one interview with company president, Denis Dyack. In the first of four videos, Dyack walks X3F through its St. Catharines, Canada, based studio showcasing the company culture and the process of creating its latest release.Stay tuned tomorrow for part one of our three part Denis Dyack interview. In part one Dyack describes the "Origins of Silicon Knights." [M4V] Download the M4V directly.%Gallery-30370%

  • Dyack on '10 years of Too Human' misconception

    by 
    Xav de Matos
    Xav de Matos
    08.25.2008

    In an exclusive studio tour and interview with X3F, Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack discussed his frustration regarding the common misconception that Too Human has been in development for over a decade."I cannot dispel that rumor enough," Dyack told X3F. "That is a bad way to talk about Too Human because that is factually incorrect."Too Human is commonly noted as being in development since it was first showcased as a PlayStation title in 1999 but, according to Dyack, production on the game did not begin until sometime after Silicon Knights shipped Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes for the Nintendo GameCube. "People think, 'Oh the game has been in development for 18 years plus...' it isn't possible," Dyack told X3F.Stay tuned at noon for a full studio tour video and image gallery with Denis Dyack.