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The latest 'Belle' trailer introduces us to the film's dazzling technicolor virtual world
Mamoru Hosoda’s latest movie opening in US theaters this week, Studio Chizu and the film’s distributor have shared a new trailer for Belle ahead of its North American debut on Friday, January 14th.
Netflix dominates Grammy comedy nominations
Netflix has long been establishing itself as the go-to place for stand-up comedy specials. In fact, it might lay claim to having the best ones around after dominating the Best Comedy Album category in this year's Grammy nominations.
Thom Yorke's new album comes with a Netflix short film
The same day Thom Yorke's upcoming album ANIMA comes out, he'll release a short musical film directed by frequent collaborator Paul Thomas Anderson. The one-reeler will be set to three ANIMA tracks, and Yorke is expected to both score and star in the production. Netflix, which released a trailer today, calls the film a "mind-bending visual piece" and says it's best played loud.
ICYMI: Drawing bot, 3M's future plan and an orb with a soul
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-232743{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-232743, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-232743{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-232743").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: Artist Sougwen Chung creates art with help from a robotic arm, take a tour of 3M's exhibit, which visualizes the challenges the earth will face by 2050 and finally, bask in the glow of a large orb with AI that changes its display depending on what the humans around it are doing. There will be one more SXSW-dedicated ICYMI episodes this week, but we'll be back on Thursday from the studio. As always, please share any interesting science or tech videos, anytime! Just tweet us with the #ICYMI hashtag to @mskerryd.
Chaos Theory: Nursery tales and TSW's issue #7
I look forward to a new issue in The Secret World as I do any much-anticipated book release. I can't wait to dive right into it, experience a great story, and come out of it changed somehow. We've been waiting months for a new story arc in this game, and now it's finally here. Warning, massive spoilers ahead! While MJ got an advance tour of the issue, I purposefully remained ignorant of it so that I could experience it for the first time on the live servers. The whole affair begins with Who Horrifies the Horrors? in the Besieged Farmlands in Transylvania. The one-eyed Carmen told me that something's agitating the local werewolves, and when the scary beasties that you know are terrified, then it's probably not good all around. It turns out that the werewolves aren't being agitated; they're being hunted, ripped apart, and slaughtered. The alive ones practically trample over me trying to escape the area, but I'm not going to give them a free pass just because they're scared. A little cleanup with my trusty shotgun and those mongrels won't need to worry about fear any more.
Soul Captor Online goes into open beta, adds two new classes
C'mon kids, those souls won't capture themselves! Soul Captor Online, the MMO that revolves around absorbing and reusing souls for noble purposes, boldly ventured into open beta as of today. To celebrate Soul Captor Online's open beta, the CM team is putting on a series of events. The first of these is an in-game anima hunt that will reward the winners with prizes. In addition to the four classes shown in the closed beta testing phase, Gamania has added two new classes for the open beta: the Celestial Master and Mystic Fighter. The Celestial Master is a strong support class that buffs teammates while debuffing the enemy, while the Mystic Fighter is a melee warrior who relies on evasion to keep the worst hits from landing. You can check out the introductory video for these classes after the jump. [Source: Gamania press release]
Soul Captor Online announced
There's a new cel-shaded sheriff coming to town, and the only question is whether the place will be big enough for a contender this cute and cuddly. Gamania is trumpeting the upcoming arrival of Soul Captor Online, a free-to-play title that revolves around the acquisition and manipulation of monster souls. In Soul Captor Online, players will be accompianied by an Anima, a customized spirit creature that will help them in their journeys. When the player and Anima defeat a monster, the monster's soul can be sucked out to be used for buffs, enchantments, and even mounts. The revealed classes so far in Soul Captor are a diverse bunch: Warrior, Priest, Shaman, and of course, the Onmyoji (mage). There is a pair of unannounced classes hiding in the shadows as well. Currently, Soul Captor is accepting sign-ups for beta. Check out the tongue-in-cheek trailer after the jump and let us know what you think!
gPotato closing Prius Online, compensating players through April 10th
We regret to inform you of the impending death of Prius Online, a free-to-play fantasy title that featured a unique pet system comprised of anima and giga companions. We first got wind of the title at last year's Game Developer Conference, and we covered its launch in the summer of 2011. In the interim, gPotato has decided to terminate the project and has posted a terse announcement on the game's official website with all the details. March 27th will be the final day of service, and all cash shop items have been reduced to 1% of their original price for the last two weeks. gPotato is also compensating players via credit in its other games; you'll want to head to the compensation page to take full advantage of that offer by April 10th. [Thanks to Dweeblok for the tip!]
Prius Online's Stronghold of the North expansion coming October 26th
Remember Prius Online? No, it's not the game where you're a corporate lawyer helping Toyota dodge a bunch of brake-related lawsuits. It's the one where you're the hero of a fantasy world, possessed of a Giga pet and a strange companion called an Anima (the latter of which has a dark and mysterious past that you must unravel as you battle your way through the game world). Yeah, it's that Prius, and gPotato has just issued a new press release for the game's Stronghold of the North expansion content. New dungeons, new quests (500 of them), and a new level cap (70) are on tap, and the company promises more details to follow before the patch's October 26th launch date. Head to the official Prius Online website to learn more. [Source: gPotato press release]
Prius Online changes up servers, entices players with contests
Big changes are in store for Prius Online this month, particularly in regard to the fledgling game's servers. The dev team announced that the two existing PvP servers -- Requiem and Aurora -- will be merged into a single PvP server called Raven and that players will have their Karma reset. In addition, gPotato is launching a PvE-only server for the game: Primus. The team hopes that this move will accommodate both types of players in what they're seeking. To celebrate the server restructuring, gPotato is throwing a few fun events for Prius players. On the Raven server, players who hit level 50 by October 4th will be entered into a special raffle for spiffy prizes. Other prize packages are avilable for those who amass the most Karma points and teams that succeed in the Coliseum Tournament. Over on Primus, gPotato is rewarding the first player who tames 11 specific Pero with a Special Event Pero. More rewards are in store for adventurers who complete specific dungeon quests and take screenshots to prove it (remember kids: screenshots or it didn't happen!), players who cultivate certain items, and outfitters who complete the Yellow Tulip set for their Anima. All players can benefit from a bonus event in the in-game store, where spending $10 or $50 will net the purchaser additional items. This promotion will continue until October 4th.
Prius Online open beta starts today
Set your alarm clocks for 5:00 p.m. EDT, Prius fans, as today marks the start of the title's open beta. gPotato has issued a press release detailing what players can expect during the final testing phase. First up is a level cap increase from 25 to 50, followed by the introduction of second classes for all races and finally the new female Ayin race. New dungeons are coming, too, as are the bounty system and the ability to summon Gigas at level 30. Explorer types will be happy to note the lifting of various regional access restrictions, and PvP fiends can check out the two new unions in the Coliseum Battle System as well as take part in week-long guild battles. You can learn more about Prius, and download the client, via the official website. Be sure to check out our in-depth coverage from this year's GDC as well.
GDC 2011: Prius Online and the evolution of MMORPG pets
The closed beta countdown for Prius Online is in full swing, and the new MMORPG from gPotato is targeting a spring 2011 North American launch window. Prius is a new free-to-play fantasy game (new to the American market, at any rate), and no, it doesn't have anything to do with Toyota automobiles. We recently sat down with the guys from gPotato to talk about how they've spent the last little while working hard to localize Prius and how it differs from your average F2P MMO. The game has been out in Korea for a couple of years now and was one of the more unique titles we saw at this year's GDC on account of its three-character control system and an unusually elaborate narrative focus and pet mechanic. Join us after the cut for the full scoop on Gigas, Animas, and all things Prius.
Prius Online teaser website, beta signup countdown go live
There's a new free-to-play game from gPotato on the horizon, and the company is leading into the Prius Online closed beta with a spiffy new teaser website. In a press release earlier this morning, gPotato touted the upcoming title as the "first free-to-play cinematic MMORPG," and said it "pushes the boundaries of free-to-play gaming" by virtue of its storyline, gameplay, and a three-playable-character system that enables gamers to control Adventurers, Anima companions, and a mysterious third party called a Giga. The full (and forthcoming) Prius website will play host to lore features, artwork, and videos, while the current countdown timer heralds the coming of closed beta signups which will be available between Friday, March 4th and Sunday, March 13th.
Gala-Net enters agreement to publish Prius in North America
It sounds either the opening line or the punchline for some sort of car-related MMO joke, but it's true. Prius Online is a popular free-to-play game in Korea, and Gala-Net has worked out a deal with CJ Internet, the game's Korean publisher and developer. Not much is known about the NA version of Prius Online, but Gala-Net describes it as a "3C" or three-character fantasy game. The three characters consist of you and two AI-controlled companions, the Anima and Giga. The Anima is your companion, who grows and advances alongside you. The Giga is a sort of mercenary called forth in battle. Gala-Net promises more information coming to the gPotato site very soon!
