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Shivering Isles patch coming Monday for Xbox 360
According to a post on Bethesda production director Ashley Cheng's blog, a patch to fix the "formID" bug in the Oblivion expansion Shivering Isles will be available for download on the Xbox 360 Monday, April 30. The patch has been available for PC since April 12, as well as some fan-created solutions prior to that.There's a chance the patch will not make its purported Monday deadline, but the good news still is that there is a patch and it is complete and coming very soon. The critical bug would essentially appear late in the game and cause items to disappear.Cheng, whose current project is Fallout 3, has also posted a handful of YouTube videos featuring the various introductions from the Fallout series. Maybe they're considering a similar opening for their version? Time will tell.[Thanks, Megen]
Fallout 3 teaser site, forums open
Bethesda has launched a teaser site for their current project, Fallout 3. The website is essentially an enlarged version of the adjacent picture, which was unveiled at E3 last year, and a link to the developer's forums pages.Bethesda has additionally opened forums specifically for the impending sequel and the original two Fallout titles, the rights of which they recently bought from Interplay for reportedly $5.75 million.Let's take a moment to reflect on Fallout 3's current situation. As Tycho from Penny Arcade notes, no one knows what exactly Bethesda will do with the franchise, and since they are their own publisher, they can choose to wait and show material from the game whenever they feel its ready. And that could be years.
Great Geiger! Bethesda buys Fallout IP
According to an SEC report filed today, the revered Fallout franchise has been sold to Bethesda Softworks, currently in the midst of developing Fallout 3. Uncovered by Fallout fansite, No Mutants Allowed, the document states that the radioactive IP was purchased from Interplay for the princely sum of $5.75 million -- roughly a mountain's worth of post-apocalyptic bottle caps. Bethesda had been developing their Fallout sequel as licensee, not property owner.This change of ownership sees original IP-holder, Interplay, becoming a licensee to Bethesda and paying the Elder Scrolls developer a 12% royalty on net sales derived from an upcoming (and still entirely nebulous) Fallout MMO. Interplay's license requires them to begin development within two years of the date of agreement, secure a minimum of 10,000 subscribers and offer a product that complies with "the quality standards of Bethesda." Purchasing the Fallout IP outright certainly reflects positively on Bethesda's dedication to the franchise -- it's their property they risk messing up now -- and highlights plans well beyond "Morrowind with Mutants." (Next, would someone be so kind as to rescue the Freespace IP from Interplay?)[Via Gamasutra]
Video: Shivering Isles gameplay
Shivering Isles, the official expansion for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is now available, but what is it all about? Perhaps this video will help explain that. Apparently, Shivering Isles is about monsters, giants, and unrelenting madness. To be honest, that sounds great, doesn't it? You bet your bag of holding it does! The video showcases some of the expansion's psychotic themes as well as some seriously ferocious beasts, including the giant gatekeeper at the end. If you prefer nothing to be spoiled, you'd best skip this video, because it pretty much lays down the entire beginning to the expansion. As for everyone else, enjoy! Don't forget to tell us what you think in the comments.
Shivering Isles now on Xbox Live -- grab it before the downtime
Just in time to grab before the scheduled maintenance tomorrow morning, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion expansion Shivering Isles is now available for download at the price of 2400 MS points (US $30). The expansion, just under one gigabyte in size (approximately 993.75 MB), promises 30 hours of gameplay.The game was originally scheduled tomorrow, but "the team" (they're related to the "Top Men" we always hear about) were able to get the game up early. The 14-hour downtime is scheduled for 3 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, so go ahead and grab it if you want to get through a good chunk of the game tomorrow.
Shivering Isles on March 27, $30 (2400 Microsoft Points)
Bethesda's Todd Howard has confirmed that The Elder Scrolls IV: The Shivering Isles will be available on March 27 for PC ($29.99 at retail) and Xbox 360 (downloadable for 2400 points). While not unreasonably priced for an expansion -- especially for one that claims roughly 30 hours of gameplay -- Shivering Isles nevertheless will enter Xbox Live Marketplace with an unprecedented price tag. (Good thing Bethesda is no stranger to testing the limits of consumer practice.) No doubt the expansion's price will be met with skepticism when the content arrives on Xbox Live.Xbox 360 Fanboy reports that Shivering Isles might also be included in a future retail edition of Oblivion, providing Xbox 360 owners without Xbox Live access to the expansion. According to statements made by senior game designer Bruce Nesmith during an interview with Gamertag Radio, if sold at retail, the expansion would have to be included with the full game, forcing many fans to re-purchase Oblivion. This is "not really an ideal situation," admitted Nesmith, explaining that current Microsoft limitations do not offer an alternative. Nesmith also confirmed that at least one more piece of downloadable content is being produced for Oblivion. "A fighter stronghold kind of thing", said Nesmith. "It's the one character class that we haven't really dealt with yet, so it'll be something for those guys who are into the heavy armor and the big, big sticks."Bethesda has also confirmed that the PS3 version of Oblivion will release March 20 (Shivering Isles not included).
Elder Scrolls lead designer joins Big Huge Games, developing "console RPG"
Big Huge Games (Rise of Nations) has lured acclaimed designer Ken Rolston out of retirement for one last RPG. Rolston was set to call it quits after his stint at Bethesda, which spawned Morrowind and Oblivion, but instead, the 25-year vet has moved on to another Maryland-based developer, known for its RTS games. "We remain committed to creating real-time strategy games," said BHG President Tim Train, adding, "At the same time, we've explored developing a role-playing game for several years now. Ken is a fantastic fit for us on every level, and gives us the leadership we need to be confident of success in our new venture.""I had planned to retire and rest on my laurels after Oblivion, but Tim and his army of visionary charmers came along with a strikingly original and cunning concept for a console RPG," said Rolston. Further details have yet to be revealed.
Maddening new screens of Shivering Isles
Xboxyde has unearthed some new shots of Shivering Isles, the upcoming expansion pack for Oblivion. The shots show off some of the new creatures and locales. We've also uncovered a video feature from a recent issue of OXM. If you've been raring to learn as much as possible about Shivering Isles without all the pesky reading, we suggest you check it out. Bethesda promises 25 hours of extra gameplay to complete the main quest of Shivering Isles. Should you go after every sidequest, it could take up to three times as long. The expansion will be loaded with new creatures, new locations, and new ingredients for eager alchemists (like me). Hit the "read" link to take a gander at the new screens, and don't forget to check out the video feature, too.
Shivering Isles adds 250 Gamerscore points to Oblivion
It looks like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion will be the first to take advantage of Microsoft's recently-amended Achievement points policy and push past that 1000-point gate of old. Speaking to Gaming Bits, Oblivion developer Bethesda has confirmed that the upcoming expansion Shivering Isles will have 250 Gamerscore points, divided amongst 10 achievements, to unlock.According to the new Achievement point policy, up to 250 points can be added to a disc-based Xbox 360 title via premium downloadable content, which means Oblivion has maxed out its Gamerscore potential.Shivering Isles is set for release via Xbox Live this Spring; it will also be available for PC and PS3. No word on if it will be released before Microsoft's Xbox Rewards contest ending April 12, so plan on augmenting your Gamerscore elsewhere.
Oblivion, Okami top GDC Awards Nominations
The 7th annual Game Developers Choice Awards nominations were announced today, with Okami and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion taking the most number of nods at four each. Wii Sports and Gears of War also earned high honors with three nominations apiece. With Capcom's recent bitterness over the AIAS "snubbing," four Okami nominations and a Technology nod for Dead Rising should satiate their ego. We're also glad that Rayman Raving Rabbids, Dreamfall, and Sam & Max: Episode One are getting some much-deserved kudos.The awards ceremony will occur Wednesday, March 7 at 6:30 p.m. and is being hosted by Tim "Psychonauts owns your soul" Schafer (also known for Monkey Island and Grim Fandango). The nominations are listed after the break.
Bethesda "several years" into Fallout 3 development
During a Q&A with Gamasutra, Bethesda VP of PR and marketing Pete Hines gave a brief update on the status of Fallout 3. While Bethesda remains shy about showing off its baby, Hines did reveal that "[the development] team has ramped up," perhaps suggesting that our first glimpse at the game is not far away.Indeed, Hines reaffirms that Bethesda is "already several years into the project." So show us something, will ya! Pretty please? [Via CVG]See also: Bethesda: "Fallout 3 is our baby" E3: Fallout 3 appears ... in spirit
Bethesda (finally) confirms Shivering Isles Oblivion expansion
The Shivering Isles expansion pack has been officially announced by Bethesda and will be available on PC through retail this spring. At that same time, the new content will be distributed through Xbox Live Marketplace to Xbox 360 Oblivion owners. The possibility of Shivering Isles releasing on PlayStation 3 has not been addressed, but presumably Bethesda could include the expansion with the forthcoming PS3 release of Oblivion (if there's any space left on the Blu-ray disc) or opt for digital distribution.Today's announcement confirms many of the details that were revealed in PCZone, which published news of the Oblivion expansion several weeks ago. Bethesda's decision to cease its silence is likely tied to an OXM feature article that hits newsstands this week. Bethesda claims Shivering Isles with feature 30+ hours of gameplay, suggesting that the expansion will set a new bar, both in scope and price, for premium add-on content distributed via Xbox Live. Horse armor this is not.
PS3's Blu-ray drive speed could be reason for Oblivion delay
GameSetWatch has singled out a tidbit about the PlayStation 3 version of Oblivion that's sure to ignite fanboy ire. According to comments made by Bethesda's Todd Howard in the latest issue of EGM, the development team is using extra space on the Blu-ray disc to duplicate crucial data and improve load times. "Drive speed matters more to me [than capacity], and Blu-ray is slower," Howard told EGM.This is a sketchy workaround, as it could be susceptible to issues caused by data irregularities; GSW notes, "What happens if you don't have your pieces of data correctly sync-ed and one of them is an old version of an object/piece of code and one is a newer version?" A better, albeit unpopular solution, is to include an option to install a chunk of a game directly onto the hard drive (Genji has this option; so does Ridge Racer). Bethesda's use of the extra Blu-ray disc capacity is clever, but hopefully won't become the standard.Overall, we know that the Xbox 360 drive reads data faster than PS3's. While the Blu-ray drive might consistently read data at the same speed, the 360 drive is faster at reading data on the outer layers of the DVD disc; and that's were devs tend to put the biggest files.While EGM makes no note of it, it's worth considering that drive speed concerns played into Oblivion's delay. Will this become an issue for other cross-platform titles?
Bethesda mum about Oblivion expansion
Call it a formality, but Bethesda refuses to confirm Shivering Isles, Oblivion's first full-length expansion. But the forthcoming content is no myth. After all, Bethesda supplied the details for the scoops that were bought and published by PCZone and PC Gamer, two UK mags. In fact, another Shivering Isles feature will appear in the March issue of Games for Windows (due Feb. 6 on newsstands).This is just the business of embargoes, folks. Once Games for Windows has had its window of opportunity to sell the "exclusive" content, Bethesda will open right up.
Shivering Isles: first full-length Oblivion expansion
The latest issue of PCZone spills the beans on Shivering Isles, Bethesda's first true Oblivion expansion (Knights of the Nine was really just a lengthy quest). The expansion is set in a new realm, the Shivering Isles, a ruined land controlled by Sheogorath, the god of madness and dementia. Players must overcome the god's trials, and apparently, the god itself, ultimately seizing control of its domain.The expansion will include new monsters and a series of branching quests, which allegedly expand Oblivion's freeform gameplay. The description implies that players' decisions will have various visible affects on the transformation of the Shivering Isles.Bethesda has not yet announced the forthcoming expansion, but PCZone suggests a Q2 2007 release window. We assume that, as with all added content to date (barring player mods), Shivering Isles will also be offered for the Xbox 360 and (impending) PlayStation 3 versions of Oblivion.
Best of the rest: Ross' picks
Lumines Live! (XBLA) On a big screen with surround sound, Q Entertainment's Lumines Live was easily the most-played game in my library (if you stretch the definition of library to digitally distributed titles). Although I railed against how microtransactions were implemented in this title and still think the extent to which they disclosed the dearth of features was misleading, both the Basic and Advanced Pack got more than enough play time, as did the multiplayer. It is the best Xbox Live Arcade title since Geometry Wars.
Bethesda's Christmas present to all
Tis the season for giving, and gaming companies are starting to get festive about it. THQ has released a Christmas theme pack for Saint's Row ... completely free. How Bethesda is getting into the spirit. Mehrunes' Razor, a 250 point Xbox Live Marketplace add-on, is being offered for absolutely free starting tomorrow through December 31. The quest, which was big jump in quality compared to the infamous horse armor (which we're sure they should have packed in as a freebie as well), is a wonderful way to thank all the loyal customers who purchased Oblivion. We just hope more companies do this next year, since all the new consoles now have some kind of online option available out-of-the-box.
Trek writer encourages more storytelling in games
After Bethesda Softworks acquired the rights to make Star Trek games last year, they hired famed screenplay writer D. C. Fontana (Trek, Babylon 5, Earth: Final Conflict) and her writing partner Derek Chester to script the storylines for Star Trek Legacy and Star Trek: Tactical Assault. Fontana's participation in these projects underscores a growing trend in game development, where top writing talent is being brought in to supplement next generation production values. She believes this is healthy for the industry: "Today, the games have to have more going on in them--story, character, crisis or conflict, goals. Because of that, I believe writers will begin to see the possibilities in this form of storytelling."Fontana also penned Activision's well-received Bridge Commander, and Legacy has promising previews. However, the valuable experience that Hollywood writers and bestselling authors bring to the table doesn't always guarantee a successful game. While R. A. Salvatore's Demon Stone may have been a decent platformer, not even Chris Claremont could save X-Men: The Official Game, and Dungeons & Dragons writer Keith Baker's efforts weren't enough to overcome the uninspired gameplay of Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom. Still, it's refreshing to see a focus on narrative that has served companies like BioWare so well.Star Trek Legacy will be released next week for the PC and Xbox 360, and will feature the voice talent of all five starship captains from Archer to Janeway. Hopefully, it will fare better than its handheld sibling Tactical Assault, which has suffered a Khan-like wrath from gaming critics.
Oblivion Knights of the Nine add-on reviewed
Eurogamer has reviewed Oblivion's largest content expansion to date, Knights of the Nine. The 800-point download ($10) was released this past Wednesday amidst a flurry of Xbox Live content unleashed during Thanksgiving week.Knights of the Nine doesn't stray too far from Oblivion's established mechanics. In that sense, if you found the initial offering to be spoiled by repetition, this pint-sized expansion is unlikely to win back your interest. But Knights of the Nine does offer a sizeable questline and some new content (items, Aurorans, etc.) for those that continue to comb the land of Cyrodiil.[For those keeping score: Eurogamer bestowed an 8/10]
Knights of the Nine screens, availability update
Bethesda's Oblivion download site is listing Dec. 4 as the availability date for Knights of the Nine, the latest mini expansion for Elder Scrolls IV. However, RPGDot is reporting that Knights is now available on Xbox Live. A sneak attack to be sure, given today is the busiest travel day of the year and many 360 owners are away from their precious console. Anyone download it yet? If not, you can still scope out over 20 new screen shots at ElderScrolls.net.
