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GameTrailers TV previews The Pitt, World at War DLC, The Conduit, Rage
If you haven't already guessed by the circus train of trailers that surfaced today, last night's episode of GameTrailers TV provided a cornucopia of previews for a number of hotly anticipated games and DLC expansions. First on the docket is an interview with Bethesda's Todd Howard, who in addition to revealing a self-surgery minigame that didn't quite make it to the retail version of Fallout 3, gives a few details regarding the upcoming The Pitt expansion, and promises a new trailer for the DLC in the next installment of GTTV.Next, Todd Hollenshead, CEO of id Software, shows off carpocalypse sim Rage, and gives a few scant details on the next Doom title (shockingly, it will be like the last three). Also, High Voltage's Eric Nofsinger drops a few factoids about The Conduit, and the first footage of Call of Duty: World at War's new maps sees the light of day. There's something for everyone -- especially the ladies, courtesy of a sizable dose of Keighley.
Fallout 3's 'The Pitt' dated March 24, new screens
Bethesda just made the release date of Fallout 3's second DLC pack, "The Pitt," officially official: Tuesday, March 24. Like last month's "Operation: Anchorage," the upcoming DLC will come in at 800 ($10) on Xbox 360 and Games for Windows Live simultaneously. Also, Pete Hines from Bethesda confirmed that the recently released patch for the game "is specific to DLC and is required to play The Pitt. It doesn't address anything with the base game outside of that."In tandem with the confirmed release date, Bethesda also dropped a trio of new screens that you can check out below in our gallery.%Gallery-45395%
Fumito Ueda, Suda 51, Fallout 3's Pagliarulo together in GDC panel
This year's Game Developers Conference will feature a presentation by two Japanese game designers who even Atsushi Inaba probably finds noteworthy: Team Ico's Fumito Ueda and Grasshopper Manufacture's Goichi Suda, aka Suda 51. The Shadow of the Colossus creator and the man behind No More Heroes will join Fallout 3 lead designer Emil Pagliarulo and localization company 8-4's Mark MacDonald for the panel discussion "Evolving Game Design: Today and Tomorrow, East and West Game Design."The one-hour talk will discuss "recent trends in modern game design" as well as upcoming trends in games, as they relate to both the Japanese and Western game industries. Of course, the short-sighted hope is that everyone involved will reveal a new game, or at least that Suda will let out a bunch of details about No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle.[Via VG247]
DICE 2009: Todd Howard on Bethesda's 3 rules of game development
Some of us had only just recovered from turning back the Daedric scourge in Tamriel before Bethesda took it upon itself to obliterate the countryside altogether in Fallout 3. Destruction of this magnitude takes planning, and speaking during last week's DICE summit in Las Vegas studio director Todd Howard laid out Bethesda's three simple rules for "making excellent games." According to MTV Multiplayer, Howard's vision for great game design can be distilled down into the following principles: 1) A dev's ability to leave even their favorite ideas on the cutting room floor, 2) the capability to think smaller and keep things simple and 3) being able to define a project "by the experience you want people to have," rather than just a laundry list of features. During his time on stage, the outspoken director also took issue with the importance of the Wii's overwhelming dominance of the console market, with Gamasutra reporting that Howard said "if install base really mattered, we'd all make board games, because there are a lot of tables." True, but we'd still be hard pressed to trade away our railway rifle and head shots for a pricey monopoly built on the smoldering ruins of Boardwalk and Park Place.Source -- The Following Colorful Wisdom Is From Todd HowardSource -- Bethesda's Howard On Supreme Playability
Hines: Fallout 3's The Pitt less combat-focused than Anchorage DLC
Bethesda's Pete Hines has answered a handful community questions regarding Fallout 3's next DLC pack, The Pitt, in a new interview with MTV Multiplayer. Hines confirms that the next adventure will give gamers a much different experience than the combat-intensive Operation Anchorage DLC that was released last month.Unlike Anchorage, Hines notes, The Pitt is not a simulation, therefore all collected weapons and items can be kept. He also explains that The Pitt will take gamers on a four- to five-hour journey, and we are assured that the gameplay "is going to go back to more of the Fallout-type gameplay where you can make choices" and avoid combat. That isn't to say that there won't be any quarrels to face -- and face them with The Pitt's new, terrifying (-ly fun) looking Auto Axe you must. That's a Joystiq mandate, soldier.%Gallery-45395%
Bethesda reveals a few images of Fallout 3's 'The Pitt'
Click image to tour what was once Pittsburgh It all started with the Capital Wastland, then came the virtual battle for Alaska, next Fallout 3 takes players to The Pitt. Bethesda has released a few images of the new DLC, which we have some details about at this point. Players will get the chance to explore the nuked-out remains of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in March for 800. We're looking forward to upping our Melee Weapons to try out that Auto Axe.%Gallery-45395%
GameFly members award Fallout 3 with GOTY
GameFly's sixth annual Q Awards have bestowed Fallout 3 with "Game of the Year" and "Xbox 360 Game of the Year" honors. The winners were selected by tallying over 100,000 votes by the rental service's subscribers. The winners across platforms: PS3 game of the year - Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots PS2 game of the year - Kingdom Hearts: Re-Chain of Memories PSP game of the year - God of War: Chains of Olympus Xbox 360 game of the year - Fallout 3 Wii game of the year - Super Smash Bros. Brawl DS game of the year - Final Fantasy IV To see the runners-up in each category, check out the Q Awards page at GameFly. Looking at the list (and taking into account GameFly's demographic), is anyone surprised?
New details emerge from 'The Pitt,' Fallout 3's 2nd DLC
If the wastes of D.C. and Alaska just weren't enough places for Fallout 3 fans to visit, then the next DLC pack, The Pitt, for the Xbox 360 and PC should satiate the explorer within. According to UK OXM, 'The Pitt' brings the dystopian story of Fallout to 'The 'Burgh,' specifically taking place in Steel City's industrial district. There-in lies an abandoned steel yard, a vaguely-described "dungeon" area, and a settlement divided into "Downtown's" slave dens and "Haven's" upper class community. Other details regarding this March-scheduled DLC include new interactive elements with the wasteland scavengers known as Raiders; it appears you can possibly talk with them as opposed to being shot at upon sight. It also seems that Raiders will play a central role in The Pitt as OXM reveals that one major quest involves investigating a Raider boss who supposedly found a cure for mutation. Lastly, new weapons and items are expected to pop up, including the all new Auto Axe. It's apparently a chainsaw-type weapon. Hopefully, it'll be something a lot like this ... but in Fallout 3-style slow motion.
Game Developers Choice Awards finalists announced
The finalists for this year's Game Developers Choice Awards have been announced, with Media Molecule's LittleBigPlanet adoring judges with nine nominations, including one for Game of the Year. Other titles up for the prestigious award include Fallout 3, Left 4 Dead, Grand Theft Auto IV and, of course, Fable 2. The Joystiq darling is also a shoe-in for snub of the year with Lionhead's opus going overlooked entirely in the Best Writing category. Seriously, what's the deal?Braid, Far Cry 2, Spore, World of Goo, Metal Gear Solid 4 and Gears of War 2 are all up for multiple awards, with winners set to take the stage during next month's gala event as part of the 2009 Game Developers Conference. The show will be hosted by Grim Fandango and Brütal Legend's Tim Schafer, promising a tongue-in-cheek good time even if our personal faves leave empty handed.
Fallout 3 DLC 'The Pitt' and 'Broken Steel' delayed until March, April
Survivors of the Capital Wasteland will need to wait for Fallout 3's next two DLC packs a little longer. GameSpy reports that the follow-ups to Operation Anchorage, The Pitt and Broken Steel, will be delayed until March and April, respectively.A Bethesda spokesperson confirmed to us the information is accurate. Guess this will give us more than enough time to finish the seemingly never-ending Nuka Cola Challenge.
PC gamers report Operation: Anchorage issues
Those of you who prefer to play Fallout 3 on the PC and have yet to download Operation: Anchorage DLC should take note of some reported issues. Forum users at the official Games for Windows site are reporting that the game fails to recognize the DLC in some instances. According to a GFW forum mod, it takes a couple of minutes to validate the DLC (see: boot up your game, go into the Wastelands, wait), but some users are still having problems accessing the content.It's unclear whether the updated GFW Live interface plays a role or if it's just an isolated DLC bug, but we hope that Bethesda and Microsoft step in and clear this up soon.
Todd Howard's 'greatest' lessons from Fallout 3
While on some futile quest to learn more about the inevitable Fallout 4, MTV Multiplayer asked Bethesda's Todd Howard what lessons he learned from the current installment. His answer: "Greatest lesson? Don't let the game end, and don't have a level cap."We're going to have to agree with Howard on both counts. Although it appears PS3 owners won't be getting a reprieve from the game's brick wall ending, PC and X360 owners have the third DLC pack, Broken Steel, arriving in March. The pack allows players to continue past the "end" and raises the level cap to 30. We'd tell Bethesda not to make the same mistake again, but the company is going to make $10 off every Fallout 3 player that cares enough to continue. P.T. Barnum would be proud.
Joystiq review: Fallout 3's Operation: Anchorage (DLC)
For the uninitiated, Operation: Anchorage sees players on a VR mission to infiltrate an Alaskan military installation, with a heavier emphasis on being stealthy than the main game. Yes, what we've just described could very well be the premise of the original Metal Gear Solid, but this is Fallout 3, right? Well, not exactly as you know it.Operation: Anchorage is a 4-5 hour campaign (we got through it a bit quicker) that calls the game's FPS element into play more than we'd anticipated. In fact, the scenario is a linear one in the vein of Call of Duty and is very focused on action. Sure, the trademark V.A.T.S. targeting system is still present, but, most of the time, we found ourselves playing in a purely run-and-gun mindset. Still, there's a depth of story and uncanny attention to detail that very much manages to keep this DLC rooted in the Fallout universe. %Gallery-39191%
Fallout 3's Operation Anchorage available now
Fallout 3's Operation Anchorage DLC is now available to scav from the Xbox Live Marketplace for 800 ($10, 50 caps or 100 pieces of scrap metal). The VR mission takes place in the land of Palin, as a force attempts to liberate Anchorage from the Chinese. Once downloaded, keep an eye out for the "Outcast Distress Signal" to find the new content.If you're sitting on the fence about the purchase, bear in mind that we'll have a review available later this week. And don't forget, the next couple of months will feature two more DLC packs for the post-apocalyptic adventure. The big change arrives in March with Broken Steel, which will increase the game's level cap and get rid of that pesky (abrupt?) ending.%Gallery-39191%
Bethesda: No plans to patch Fallout 3's PS3 ending for end-game play
When the third DLC scenario for Fallout 3, "Broken Steel," hits Xbox 360 and PC in March, it will replace the game's current ending, which doesn't allow players to keep on exploring the Capitol Wasteland post "end-game." This is something we've known since last November; what we didn't realize is that PS3 players -- already missing out on any DLC action -- will continue to be stuck with the current "brick wall" ending.When asked by MTV Multiplayer if there were plans to patch the PS3 version of Fallout 3 for end-game play, Todd Howard, the game's executive producer, responded, "Not at this time, no." Howard has also remarked that Bethesda "really underestimated how many people would want to keep playing [past the ending]," and that Fallout 3 was "probably the last time we'll do something like that."Source - Bethesda Won't Commit To PS3 Fallout 3 Getting Ability To Play Post-Ending [MTV Multiplayer]Source - Bethesda Reacts To Three Major Fallout 3 Criticisms [MTV Multiplayer]
LittleBigPlanet leads in AIAS award nominations
The game industry's closest approximation of Hollywood's Academy Awards has to be the Interactive Achievement Awards. The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) has revealed its nominees for 2008, and LittleBigPlanet has managed to run away with ten category nominations, the most of any game this year. Ahem. And the nominees are: Overall Game of the Year: Fallout 3 Grand Theft Auto IV Left 4 Dead LittleBigPlanet Metal Gear Solid 4 Console Game of the Year: Fallout 3 Gears of War 2 Grand Theft Auto IV LittleBigPlanet Metal Gear Solid 4 See the rest, after the break.
Video: When Halo 3 met Fallout 3
The charming video which you'll find just below the break is an expert blending of Halo 3 and Fallout 3 and it holds within it two very basic truths. One: It's fine for Fallout, but Halo probably wouldn't be better if it stopped every 10 seconds to let you select which body part to aim for.The second truth? Apologies to Marty O'Donnell, but Halo would be much, much better if set to the melodious vocal stylings of Roy Brown. Sorry if that's hard for you to hear.[Via X3F]
Cue the groaning: Writers Guild announces video game nominations
The Writers Guild of America has announced five nominees for best video game writing in 2008. This will be the Guild's second year giving out the award, with last year's nod going to Dead Head Fred. Hmm, well, this year's nominees are certainly an interesting group and are sure to generate some conversation about what constitutes good writing in a game ... provided said game was written by an eligible WGA member, that is. Fallout 3 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Tomb Raider: Underworld Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3 Dangerous High School Girls in Trouble! Although most of those titles are instantly recognizable, Dangerous High School Girls is an indie title that's (clearly) gaining some recognition. Are you betting on the dark horse? The winner will be announced Feb. 7.[Via Big Download]
Fallout 3 patched today, Operation Anchorage DLC coming Jan. 27
Bethesda just sent us word that the first Fallout 3 DLC, Operation Anchorage, will officially debut on Xbox Live on January 27th for the aforementioned price of 800 ($10, 50 caps or 100 pieces of scrap metal), which will hopefully give us just enough time to plow through the new content for Mirror's Edge and Fable 2.Additionally, the developer has also pushed out a patch today for all platforms, which, among other fixes, finally keeps those pesky, murdered NPCs dead. Sure beats them coming back from the grave all bitter and willing to give you directions to the nearest hotel. It's the same patch PS3 owners got in mid-December, so check out the full patch notes here.%Gallery-39191%
CES 2009: The Microsoft outer hub of booth games
Situated in the exact opposite corner of the CES Central Hall, Microsoft must have been strategically placed so that no wars would break out between the two juggernauts. Although Justin McElroy thinks it's so that an employee from Microsoft won't fall in love with an employee from Sony and cause complete chaos. That's definitely more plausible.However, just like Sony, Microsoft only had a tiny section devoted to gaming. You could get some hands-on time with Fallout 3, Lips, the new Scene It, Gears of War 2, Dawn of War II and Halo Wars. The rumor we'd heard that Fallout's upcoming Operation: Anchorage DLC would be there turned out to be untrue, so we spent most of our time beating young girls at karaoke with Lips. Okay, we kid. We geeked out on Dawn of War II. More on that soon. Meanwhile, enjoy the gallery below for you booth addicts.%Gallery-41641%
