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BioShock Infinite PAX panel video explores the importance of relationships, crying in tiny rooms
PAX can be a fantastic catalyst for news and breaking information about upcoming games, but it also provides a unique window into the development process that we as consumers don't often get a chance to see. This year's BioShock Infinite panel, for instance, dove into the art of voice-acting, the challenges associated with dynamic story telling in a first person environment, and the benefits associated with crying in a 5-by-6 closet while strangers viciously berate you. The panel, hosted by G4's Adam Sessler, starred Irrational Games' Creative Director Ken Levine, as well as voice actors Troy Baker and Courtnee Draper, who voice Infinite's Booker DeWitt and Elizabeth, respectively. The group covered a wide range of topics regarding Infinite's lead characters, their motivations, and the somewhat unorthodox techniques used to extract such emotional performances from the actors. Despite being fairly F-bomb heavy, the above video doesn't disclose any information we weren't already aware of, so the spoiler-cautious among you need not worry.
PSA: BioShock: Rapture novel surfaces at retail
Just a quick reminder that the new novel, BioShock: Rapture, is now available from your bookseller of choice (well, maybe not all of them). Penned by sci-fi and fantasy author John Shirley, the book tells the story of Andrew Ryan and the beginnings of his underwater metropolis. If you would (kindly) like to add it to your collection, BioShock: Rapture is available in both paperback and hardcover. In addition, Shirley will host a panel at Comic-Con this Friday. Entitled "Writing in Videogames," the panel begins at 10am in room 32AB. Shirley will also be on hand to sign copies of BioShock: Rapture at the Tor Books booth (#2707) from 12pm to 1pm.
Artist transforms famous games into book covers
Artist A.J. Hateley has spent the last several months creating classic book covers inspired by the themes, characters or iconography of video games. She began the cool project earlier this year and has slowly updated with new pieces. Check out Unreality for larger versions in a convenient column. If you want to view more games reimagined using classic and modern art styles, check out the deviantART "art jam" of classic NES covers and the Koopa propaganda posters.
Levine talks BioShock Infinite's Move functionality, no plans for Wii U
In a recent IGN interview, Irrational Games creative director Ken Levine discussed how he made that demo for BioShock Infinite so very, very good. Of course, we all know the answer to that is "witchcraft" -- however, Levine also talked about the game's Move functionality, a feature first announced at E3. He explains it will be entirely optional to the experience, saying, "my hope is that we'll succeed in the experiment and people will like it. But if they don't like it, they'll never know it's there. And that's cool." As for the franchise's future, Levine reiterated that the BioShock title planned for the Vita will be "a new game," which is going to be "strange and surprising to people." As for E3's other hot-ticket piece of hardware, the Wii U, Levine explained, "I'm not saying it can't happen, but we have no plans to do any games for that platform." That's a shame -- we bet that tiny screen would be perfect for an upsettingly visceral EVE Hypo-injecting metagame.
Brace yourself to watch the BioShock Infinite demo
Just above, you'll find about 15 minutes of BioShock Infinite gameplay that was shown on GameTrailers TV last night. But before you watch the demo ... well, you need to steel your resolve. Keep in mind, this is the Infinite footage that left jaded game journalists slack-jawed at E3 as they fell over one another to heap "Best of Show" awards on it. Do you really think you're strong enough to resist the hypnotic love thrall that so ensorcelled all of game writerdom? Actually, you may be ... we weren't getting enough sleep and green vegetables are hard to come by on the show floor. But you probably won't be. If you're unmoved by our warnings, prepare yourself for some touching moments with your partner and charge Elizabeth, a bizarre journey into an alternate dimension and some of the most impressive, high-flying combat ever rendered. Just don't blame us when that other game you were anticipating (whatever that may be) looks a little less enticing.
Get an early taste of the BioShock: Rapture novel
Announced in a partnership back in 2009, the Tor and Take-Two undertaking of BioShock: Rapture, a novel detailing the events of Rapture prior to the original game, is finally making its way to bookshelves on July 19. Tor, in anticipation of this event, has published the first excerpt of the novel to the public, taken from the book's first chapter. The prequel novel is written by John Shirley, an accomplished screen and songwriter, as well as the Bram Stoker-award winning author of Black Butterflies. He also wrote the script for The Crow, so Brandon Lee fans take note. To read the excerpt, hit up the source link below.
No Gods or Kings, only Blocks: BioShock's Rapture made out of Legos
And here we thought our AT-ATs and 55 Central Park (you know, the Ghostbusters' building) Lego diddies were neat ideas -- not even close. Turns out Lego sculptor Imagine Rigney has the game on lock, evidenced by this amazing recreation of Rapture, which can be seen in full past the break.
Lead artist Shawn Robertson talks the aesthetic evolution of BioShock Infinite
It doesn't take long looking at screens or video from BioShock Infinite for you to realize it looks like nothing else on the market. We talked with lead artist Shawn Robertson about how the game's unique aesthetic evolved. When you were building the world, what were some of your aesthetic influences? For me, I kept flashing back to Main Street at Disney World, you know, when you first walk in? Good call, that's the period, that Gilded Age of America, the early 1900s when everybody's so full of hope and optimism. We didn't start there, it's definitely a journey. When we started, when we had the idea of a city in the sky, we were looking a lot at Art Nouveau, and Art Nouveau is kind of a dark, goth movement of the time, swirlies, very organic. The first few maps we built might as well have been Rapture. We brought the clouds in, it was dark and stormy, the clouds had a greenish tinge to them, it was very claustrophobic. Then we started pushing the clouds out. %Gallery-126035%
BioShock Infinite features Move functionality, free BioShock 1 on PS3
Ken Levine from from Irrational Games has just revealed that the latest in the alternate-history, deeply narrative-focused BioShock series will add a bit of hand-waving to the story -- because the PS3 version of BioShock Infinite will support PlayStation Move motion controls. "We're gonna have PlayStation Move on BioShock Infinite," he said clearly. But the team is still working on exactly how that will be implemented. Another nice bonus implemented in the PS3 version: a free copy of the first BioShock, right on the Blu-Ray!%Gallery-125548%
BioShock 1 and 2 prices take a dive to $5 on Steam today
If you've got a fiver, a decent computer and the steely nerves required to navigate a subaquatic, mutant-filled labyrinth, you should turn your eyes to Steam today. The digital retailer has both BioShock and BioShock 2 on sale for $4.99 a piece as part of its "2K Week" promotion.
The many hats of Demiurge Studios
Shoot Many Robots is Boston-based Demiurge Studios' first original game, and my hands-on with it at GDC was the first time that anyone at the developer ever gave a press demo. Studio head Albert Reed was, unsurprisingly, excited to delve into the studio's origins. "We got our start doing mods for Unreal Tournament. It was me and two other college buddies doing mods in the frickin' computer cluster at Carnegie Mellon. I'm not kidding!" Reed told me before showing off Shoot Many Robots last week. "Then one thing lead to another and those companies that were licensing Unreal Engine started hiring us," Reed added humbly. It turns out that the folks hiring Demiurge were developers like Gearbox Software, Irrational Games, BioWare, and Harmonix. "We did some work on the first level -- the lighthouse and that sort of descent into Rapture," Reed told me, casually explaining that his studio clandestinely assisted with one of gaming's most iconic openings: the beginning of BioShock.
OnLive's all-you-can-eat PlayPack now available for $9.99 per month
OnLive, meet subscription services. It's not the January 15th date we had initially marked, but that's no matter now, the time has come. The company has introduced PlayPack, which for $9.99 each month gets you unlimited access to a selection of titles. There's no long-term commitment required and your saved games will stay on servers for at least a year after cancellation, should you change your mind and decide to come back. There's 38 games to choose from at first, including BioShock, Prince of Persia, and Alien Shooter, with more titles promised "on a regular basis." The previous plans -- free demos, multi-day rentals, and purchases à la carte -- are also still around. It's not inaccurate to think of this as early-day Netflix Instant Watch, but drawing from the same analogy, it's gonna take an ever-expanding library of strong titles (both big and small) to keep the momentum going. And make no mistake, we're really rooting for ya. Press release and list of titles after the break.
OnLive's flat-rate PlayPack plan is live for all, debuts with 38 games
After a couple of months in beta, OnLive's PlayPack plan, which offers unlimited access to a selection of titles on the service for $10 a month, has officially launched. Saying that "the meteoric growth of Netflix reflects the enormous consumer demand for flat-rate instant-play media," company CEO and founder Steve Perlman made no secret of the company's inspiration for PlayPack when commenting on its official debut. OnLive hopes to grow the PlayPack selection with "premium, indie and classic games" on "a regular basis," with new additions being selected in part based on feedback from subscribers to the plan. The day one lineup of 38 games can be found after the break, and includes some titles that are entirely new to the service, most notably the original BioShock.
Extra, Extra: Big Daddy marries Little Sister in Toronto!
Perhaps the underwater utopia was already booked when Anna and Jon decided to get married in the backyard of his aunt's (really nice) place in Toronto. Nevertheless, the couple tied the knot last May with plenty of inspiration taken from their "favorite video game," BioShock, in a totally geeky hip wedding. The cupcakes served at the celebration featured edible blue morpho butterflies, "a reference to the game," Anna confirmed in a recent account of the wedding on Offbeat Bride. "Topping the tower of cupcakes were two figurines from the game" (pictured). The ceremony programs, designed by Jon, also featured nods to the Art Deco shooter, though the choice in music -- "We walked in to 'Strangers' by The Kinks, played 'Loving Cup' by the Rolling Stones while we signed the register, and walked out to 'Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,'" recalled Anna -- was a bit unorthodox. Congratulations, you two! May you love, honor, comfort and rapture each other in splicing and in health. [Image credit: WyseVegan]
Eve Hypo sales sure to shoot up after fan-made commercial
One of the most puzzling moments of BioShock was when our new-to-Rapture hero jams a Plasmid into his arm with little-to-no prompting. Now, had adorable Vampy (Linda Le) been urging him to inject the power goo as she does in the fan-made ad after the break, we might almost have bought it. Almost.
Direct2Drive lights a fire sale on 2K titles this week
Direct2Drive has launched a promotion in which it designates a "Publisher of the Week," and then takes a different game from said publisher and cuts its price in twain (or more) each weekday. This week, it's 2K's turn, resulting in mad price cuts on gems like Borderlands and BioShock 2.
BioShock marked down to two freaking dollars on Games For Windows today
This is just silly. If you're a PC Gamer who has brought immeasurable amounts of shame upon yourself and your immediate family by having not played BioShock yet, then you can rectify your terrible mistake for just $1.99 today, thanks to a Games for Windows weekend sale.
Stunning BioShock PC case mod proves utopia is not underwater
Most people who order 5 gallons of mineral oil are looking to help a constipated horse make a BM. Not this dude: He used the stuff to create one of the most impressive PC case mods we've ever seen.
BioShock Infinite propaganda implores your patriotism
What will you say when little Sally asks, "Daddy, what did you do during the Siege of Columbia?" Will you tell her that you stood with your Ultranationalist compatriots against the foreign hordes, or that you rejected your floating paradise in favor of the common man? BioShock Infinite proposes just such questions with the recent release of a handful of propaganda art pulled directly from Columbia's walls. Game Informer has them exclusively as part of coverage of the game leading up to the Saturday Evening Post-style cover story in its next issue. We absolutely suggest you check out the pics, but try not to be swayed by the WWII-esque sentiments.
Irrational interviews Marvel's Brian Michael Bendis on writing
Moving from game development to multidisciplinary writing, Irrational Games' Ken Levine and Shawn Elliott chat with Amazing Spider-Man writer Brian Michael Bendis on the second episode of Irrational Interviews, released this week. Did you know that what became BioShock was heavily seeded by a trip Levine and his wife took to Rockefeller Center? You would've if you'd already listened to the episode! What're you waiting for, dummy? Direct Download / iTunes Feed / Irrational Interviews RSS Feed [Image credit: Pinguino]
