Mike Schramm
Articles by Mike Schramm
DCUO and PlanetSide 2 devs deal with good and bad on PS4 ports
Sony Online Entertainment doesn't have any new games at this year's E3 conference. But the developers behind DC Universe Online and PlanetSide 2 are hard at work anyway, and not just because they're running two live MMOs. Both games, which currently run on the PC (for both) or the PS3 (for DCUO) are coming to the PlayStation 4, which presents both positives and negatives for the developers involved. Adam Clegg, game designer on PlanetSide 2, says he's excited to develop for the PS4 rather than the PC, because it'll make optimization for the game's graphics "1000 times better." Currently, the PC team has countless builds of hardware to optimize the game for, but everyone playing on a PS4 will use the same hardware, which makes things much easier. Additionally, Clegg says improvements should go the other way, too, as optimizing for the PS4 should make the game better for PC users.
Ultima Forever reduces most freemium prices after Canadian beta
Ultima Forever, being made by EA for iOS platforms, has received some major tweaks to its freemium currency prices. The RPG has been available in Canada as a beta for a while now, and producer Carrie Gouskos says the biggest change – besides performance adjustments – has been to the cost of things. In the free-to-play RPG, your character has items that will break over time. You'll need to spend keys of various qualities (that can be earned in game, or purchased with real money) to repair those items. Gouskos says player feedback made it clear that repair costs were too high, and repairs for the highest quality items have been lowered from about 60 keys to around 8 or 10. Additionally, the cost to increase storage space in your stash was lowered, as the team found it was a mistake to charge people an increasing cost for simply wanting to collect more of the game's items. One price went up: The cost to loot the highest quality chests was raised a bit to make up for the decreased costs elsewhere. Gouskos also says that once players had good items on their characters, they tended not to loot as much as when they first started playing. For her part, Gouskos says she's "worked too hard to have people not play" the game, so she's striving to make sure there's a way to play that's both free and fun. The team is still considering providing an optional "buyout" fee to essentially negate the game's freemium elements, but no matter how the final product works, says Gouskos, making the game fun takes priority over the tangled monetization model. If you want to make money from a freemium game, says Gouskos, "you've got to get people to love your game first."
Saints Row 4 elects for even more chaos
When Saints Row: The Third was still in development, we talked about it as "a dinner of doughnuts." The first mission in the game was just as stimulating and over-the-top as the last mission of your average Grand Theft Auto game. But if Saints Row 3 starts on the last mission of other sandbox games, then Saints Row 4 picks up even later than that: in the end credits. When Saints Row 4 begins, you are no less than the leader of the free world, and your first walk through the White House (complete with scantily dressed staffers and chained-up pet tigers) is like a congratulations for a job well done. You get to choose between making healthcare free or ending the deficit, you get re-introduced to a bunch of familiar faces from the series (who now all have cabinet-level positions in your administration), and the biggest prize of all is that you're on a first-name basis with your Vice President, Keith David (yes, the Keith David, brilliantly playing himself). Starting Saints Row 4 feels like you've just finished a long journey, and you've won the day once and for all. And that's when the aliens show up to kidnap your friends. You order the turrets raised from underneath the South Lawn, you get in a fistfight with the alien overlord, and – oh – you get superpowers.%Gallery-191107%
Sony throws down new games, new footage, and the gauntlet at E3 2013
Sony finished day 0 of E3 2013 with a bang, following up on its PlayStation 4 console announcement from earlier this year with some more game teases and reveals, and then laying down one of the most memorable E3 moments ever, with Jack Tretton taking full advantage of the public discontent with Microsoft's Xbox One licensing policies. Here's a post-conference rundown of what exactly took place at the Sony event last night.
Capy flies 'Below' the radar on the Xbox One
Microsoft's E3 press conference yesterday was full of gigantic new titles like Titanfall, Ryze, and Metal Gear Solid 5, but in among the blockbusters, there was one little announce that stood out in a big way. Below is the latest game from Capybara Games, the indie Canadian studio behind Critter Crunch and Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes, who most recently won all the awards with the beautiful iOS title Sword and Sworcery EP. Below is about as far from an early next-generation console title as you'd imagine: Instead of bombastic, flashy, and loud, it's quiet, subtle, and slightly menacing. "You are small," Capy co-founder Nathan Vella says while smoking a cigarette outside a Microsoft E3 showcase last evening. "Death is at every turn if you are not smart about it." Below is "a roguelike like," he says, focusing on sending the player through a series of randomized, one-screen dungeons, with a sword, shield, and some other not-yet-revealed tools and weapons.%Gallery-191148%
PlayStation Plus membership will persist and carry over to PlayStation 4
Sony's Jack Tretton just confirmed that a PlayStation Plus membership would carry over and persist when the PlayStation 4 arrives. Tretton promised that users could pay one price for a PlayStation Plus membership on the PS4, the PS3, and the PS Vita. He also hinted, however, that a PS Plus membership may be required for multiplayer on the PS4, while confirming that single-player content won't require a Plus membership. A membership will also include free access to a beta version of Drive Club and other betas, and give players one free game per month.
Watch Dogs gets exclusive outfit, hour of content on PlayStation 4
Ubisoft just showed a quick demo of Watch Dogs at Sony's E3 press conference, featuring some new police-escaping gameplay by hero Aiden Pearce, and a hacking ability that allows him to apparently blackout all of Chicago, if only temporarily. Sony also announced that Watch Dogs would have exclusive content on the PlayStation 4, including a new outfit for Pearce, and a full hour of content exclusive to the platform. You may remember this deal from Ubisoft's other series, Assassin's Creed. Watch Dogs is set to arrive on November 19.
Kingdom Hearts 3 announced, coming to the PlayStation 4
Sony announced Kingdom Hearts 3 at its E3 press conference as the latest sequel in the long-running Square Enix/Disney series. The company showed off a short trailer, which traced the history of the Kingdom Hearts series, and then revealed some gameplay footage from the title. The game will arrive on the PlayStation 4, but no date for release was given yet.
Diablo 3 on PlayStation will have exclusive Sony-related items
Sony has announced that Blizzard's release of Diablo 3 on the PlayStation 3 and 4 will boast some exclusive, Sony-related items, including something called Drake's Amulet (named after none other than Uncharted's Nathan Drake). A few of these items will be available when the game launches on the console, but Sony said more items would be coming in the future.
Don't Starve coming to the PlayStation 4
Sony just announced at its E3 press conference that Klei Entertainment's Don't Starve would be arriving on the PlayStation 4, as an exclusive console debut. No word on date yet, but we'll be in touch with Klei soon and find out for sure.
Sony offering GTA5 PS3 bundle, with branded headset
Sony has just announced here at E3 that it will be offering a PlayStation 3 console bundled up with a copy of Grand Theft Auto 5, along with a specially-branded headset, for $299. The bundle will be available with the game itself right away on September 17.
Just Dance 2014 will have you moving and shaking this October
Ubisoft has announced Just Dance 2014, previously revealed through the Xbox Live Marketplace. The game will include six-player dances, DJ functions (where you can wave a hand around to move through songs), and a special "Party Master" mode coming to the Wii U. The tunes will be provided by pop artists as usual, including Pitbull and others. Just Dance 2014 will be available on all next-gen consoles this October. Ubisoft tells us the game will be available in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa on October 1, October 4 in the UK, and then October 8 in the US.
Battlefield 4 will feature Commander Mode [Update: First multiplayer footage]
Battlefield 4's multiplayer will feature a Commander Mode, EA has announced at E3, similar to the one seen back in Battlefield 2142. The mode will allow players to send commands out or deliver intel or artillery fire to five-man squads from tablets and other devices across Battlelog, in maps that will support up to 64 players at a time. EA showed off a demo of the mode on a map called the Siege of Shanghai map, and will have gameplay streaming live from the show on Battlefield.com all this week. %Gallery-190958%
Microsoft announces Crimson Dragon is exclusive to Xbox One [Update: Trailer added]
Microsoft has announced that Crimson Dragon, a planned XBLA Kinect title from Yukio Futatsugi, the creator of Panzer Dragoon, will release as an exclusive on Xbox One. The company showed a quick video of the game during today's press conference, and it looks very similar to the original build, with dragon-riding, Kinect-controlled shooter gameplay. Stay tuned for more, including a release date, when we hear it.%Gallery-191150%
The iam8bit Entertainment System's homemade console premieres in Los Angeles
The iam8bit gallery in Los Angeles premiered its latest video game-related art show last night, called the iam8bit Entertainment System. The centerpiece of the show was Travis Chen's homemade two-player console, which is a custom-made PC running MAME encased in natural bamboo, with two homemade controller boxes playing three different indie games: Canabalt's two-player version, the Sportsfriends bundle's BaraBariBall, and Chen's own Adventure Time game jam game, Bad Atticube. Chen is a former Neversoft developer who now works on both iOS games with Scopely and his own indie creations, including the recent Typing Karaoke. iam8bit pitched the new show to him as "being kind of like a mock release of a game console" (in the shadow of next week's E3 and its two new consoles), and Chen said he emailed iam8bit co-founder Jon Gibson to say, "Jon, I'm building the console." Chen's work is impressive: The "iES" wood case was laser-cut (though Chen says some sanding was needed to bring it all together), and the front of the console has an LED screen that shows various ASCII text. There are colored buttons on the top of the main unit, and pressing those changes whatever's shown on the screen, from crazy visualizers to a running dialogue between the console and its player. The console is being offered for sale in the gallery, and Chen says if it does sell he wants to customize it for the buyer. But if it doesn't sell, Chen has other plans in mind. "I want to enter it into Indiecade and maybe even the IGF," he says. "Not too many guys are entering hardware, and I think that's really interesting; the idea of indie hardware." The iam8bit Entertainment System, and the rest of the work in the show, will be on display through June 30 at iam8bit.%Gallery-190691%
Deus Ex: The Fall is a cyber Renaissance faire for touchscreens
Deus Ex is, by nature, a complicated game. You can start by simply moving around a level: There's cover to move in and out of, and stealth movement requires good timing and precision. Then, there's all of the abilities you have, from using various gadgets and weapons to choosing your bio-implants and playing the hacking mini-games. That's a lot of buttons. In making Deus Ex: The Fall for iOS devices, Square Enix Mobile was given the task of putting all those functions into a device that has only one button. In that respect, the most exciting news about this game is that it works. For the most part, that is. You can't hide bodies, for one thing.%Gallery-190427%
Ron Gilbert's Scurvy Scallywags sings a salty sea shanty
This is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go. Ron Gilbert's Beep Games has a new game out on iOS called Scurvy Scallywags (subtitle: In the Voyage to Discover the Ultimate Sea Shanty), and it's a match-three puzzle game with light RPG elements and plenty of pirate humor. It's only 99 cents in the App Store right now, and that's probably all of the inspiration you need to go and download it, right matey? Oh all right, ye lousy landlubbers, I can put an X on yer treasure maps for ye. Scallywags is a bit of pirate-infused joy. It's a simple game with mechanics that don't always light the cannon fuse, but it's got enough charm, depth, and solid fun to justify the very cheap cost of admission. Plus, there are real sea shanties included.%Gallery-188719%
How game licensing works on the Xbox One (yes, it supports used games)
You will be able to give your Xbox One games to your friends, but only once and only to friends you've known for more than a month. That's according to the new rules shared today about Xbox One game licensing by Microsoft. All games will be available new in both disc or digital form, and will need to be installed on your Xbox One while logged in. From there, you'll be registered for the game on the cloud, so you'll be able to play it wherever you're logged into an Xbox One, even if you happen to be at a friend's house. You will have the option to resell that game back to a retailer, but that retailer will have to sign up with Microsoft to allow you to do so. Microsoft won't charge fees to do that, but it does say that "third party publishers may opt in or out of supporting game resale and may set up business terms or transfer fees with retailers." You can give the game away, but only once and only to someone who's been on your friends list for that required 30 days. Microsoft also says that the ability to loan or rent games "won't be available at launch, but we are exploring the possibilities with our partners." All of the information about game licensing on the new console can be seen on the official Xbox One site.
Steam weekly deals: Anna, Retro/Grade, The Journey Down
Valve has posted new weekly deals on Steam this week, and you can pick up some excellent indie titles for the low price of cheap. The atmospheric horror puzzler Anna is on sale for only $3.39, 2DEngine's Chains is only $1.24, reverse music shooter Retro/Grade will cost you $3.40, the sticky sweet Sugar Cube: Bittersweet Factory is $2.37, and indie point-and-click The Journey Down: Chapter One is $2.80. That's a whole lotta great indie gaming for not a lotta bucks. The whole deal's good until June 10, despite the official Valve post date being off by a week again. You're just messing with us now, right Valve?
Lionhead launches new Fable forums with suspicious timing [update]
Lionhead Studios has launched a brand new set of Fable-related forums, now available on the developer's website for users to discuss and dissect the popular series of role-playing games. Lionhead's also giving away virtual founders' medals to anyone who signs up in the forums' first two weeks of existence, and you can log right in using your Xbox Live ID. The last game in the series, Fable: The Journey, arrived back in October of 2012, which raises the question of why the Microsoft-owned developer would announce brand new forums for an IP that's all but fallen off of the radar. Don't forget, though, that E3 is next week, and Microsoft has $1 billion worth of games coming to the Xbox One. The fates may dictate a return to Albion very soon. Update: That didn't take long. Lionhead is teasing a Fable HD remake.