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Pure dev's new racer 'Split Second' to debut March 6
The teaser for Friday night's (well, Saturday morning's) episode of GameTrailers TV is appropriately laden with gooey, fresh-baked exclusives, though among DLC details for Call of Duty: World at War and info about Resident Evil 5, one segment promises to be especially eye-catching -- the "worldwide reveal" of Pure developer Black Rock Studio's next racing title, Split Second. Or, wait -- did it actually reveal the game in said teaser? It's like, out there now, right? We're pretty sure that counts as a revelation.From the four seconds of Split Second cinematics shown in the teaser (which appears to have come from Black Rock's teaser video, seen above), as well as Geoff Keighley's ominous voiceover which warns, "watch out, Burnout," we're guessing it'll be in the same ludological vein as Criterion's cash cow. We've contacted a Disney Interactive rep for more info, but we're sure to find out more when GTTV airs Friday night (Saturday morning) at 1 a.m. EST.
Toy Cars DLC rolling into Burnout Paradise this Thursday
Following a somewhat embarassing premature release of Burnout Paradise's "Toy Cars" DLC a couple of weeks back on Xbox Live, Criterion has finally set a legitimate release date for the nine-car pack. Keep an eye on your respective system's digital shopping center this coming Thursday morning -- that's when Criterion anticipates the miniature vehicles will be released upon the inhabitants of Paradise City.Surprisingly, with two days between us and shrunken vehicular carnage, Criterion hasn't announced the price of the DLC bundle -- though if it matches the costs displayed during February's accidental launch, we can expect to drop 1,000 ($12.50) for the whole kit 'n kaboodle, or 160 ($2) per car, with the exception of the Toy Nakamura Firehawk motorcycle, which went for 240 ($3) during the early release.
Ghostcrawler suggests we play other games
Boredom and burnout is a common side effect of spending too much time with any one hobby. Still, it was refreshing to see Ghostcrawler, the Lead Systems Designer for WoW, recommend that players spend some time with other games. He points out that if you're feeling burned out, it's "not the worst thing in the world to try out some other games -- the past couple of years has been great for them." Of course, he did take the time to remind everyone that there is more to the game than clearing raid content or completing your latest PvP gear set. There are achievements, alts, questing, and tradeskills, to name a few. While this does indicate that Blizzard is feeling pretty confident in their chokehold on the MMO market, it's also a smart move on their part. There are already enough paranoid conspiracy theories out there claiming that the company merely wants our money, and less concerned with product quality than with elaborate plans designed to trick us into playing longer and shelling out more money. In fact, GC said this in response to one of these inspired theories.This reminds me of one of the loading screen tips that urges players to spend some time with their friends outside of this game as well as in it. As Ghostcrawler says, "just check back in with WoW every now and then."
360 owners granted access to Criterion Games Network
The once PC / PS3 exclusive Criterion Games Network is now accessible to Burnout Paradise owners through the Xbox 360 version of the game.We've come up with two possible scenarios for the new 360 access: A) It's the result of Criterion giving in to the mob of hunger strikers outside it offices; or B) Someone at Criterion finally bothered to flip on the third and final switch (geez, was it that hard, guys?). Whatever the reason, Xbox players now possess a valid ID to gain entry into the Games Network, which includes such perks as the discovery of new DLC before it's "officially" announced.
Massively week in review
Joystiq's sister site Massively.com has all the news you'll need about MMOs. Here's the best, brightest, and most interesting stuff from the last week, all in one convenient place for your MMO minute. Visualizing Free Realms: An interview with Art Director Rosie RappaportIf you've been following the development of SOE's Free Realms lately, you're probably pretty excited about everything it has to offer. If you haven't been following its development, check out our extensive coverage and exclusive interviews with its developers. Ready for even more exclusive interviews? Good, because just last week Massively sat down with Rosie Rappaport, the Art Director for Free Realms, to chat about the game's distinctive art style and the concept process involved. Massively's pre-launch interview with Runes of MagicWith the game set to launch in just about a month from now, we jumped at the chance to have a chat with the folks at Frogster concerning their much-anticipated fantasy MMO. Are they on track with this March launch date? How has beta reaction been so far, and what do they have to say about the growing concern that the game is "nothing more than a cheap WoW clone"?
WoW Lead Systems Designer tells people to play other games
It must be nice to dominate the MMORPG market so thoroughly that you actually recommend your players try out other competitors to stave off burnout in your game. Ghostcrawler, Lead Systems Designer for World of Warcraft did just that. "If you're just burned out, it's also not the worst thing in the world to try out some other games -- the past couple of years has been great for them. Just check back in with WoW every now and then."To give this quote some context, the suggestion was one of many directed at those players who simply devour WoW content faster than Blizzard can dish it out. Ghostcrawler's other suggestions include rolling an alt, crafting, completing a task list of achievements, or perhaps going back and finishing up all the quests you might have missed. It's a fairly obvious, yet shockingly honest statement to make given the current MMO landscape. It seems most people who leave WoW for other games inevitably return even though the game is over nearly five years old right now. This may not always be the case, but obviously Blizzard remains confident if they're willing to make a statement like that.[Via: Player vs. Developer]
EVE Evolved: How do you handle burnout?
Burnout is something that affects all MMOs and most players experience it at one point or another. Your favourite game stops being as fun as it used to be and you don't feel like logging in. We all handle this in our own way. As a long-time MMO gamer, I've faced burnout many times in games ranging from EVE Online to Everquest 2 and World of Warcraft. I've quit the latter two games several times due to burnout but somehow even after playing EVE for five years (five years exactly on Tuesday 24th), it has never made me quit even when I've burned out. So how do you handle burnout and what makes EVE so special?In this short article, I discuss burnout in MMOs and the different ways I've handled it over the years in EVE Online. Read on as I explain why EVE is the only MMO that has never made me quit.
Breakfast Topic: Raiding: How easy is too easy?
Karthis, a feral Druid from the Garona-US server, wrote a thought-provoking treatise on the current end-game on his blog a few days ago. Of course, he's hardly the first to declare the current end-game far too easy, but he brings a very interesting angle to the discussion -- namely that of the casual.He interviews various casual raid guild leaders in his piece. These are guild leaders who, back in Burning Crusade, mostly ran Karazhan and maybe dabbled a bit in Zul'aman. They certainly were far behind the curve. But they had a dedicated core of 10 raiders who got together, faced the challenges, and overcame them. But now, even these casuals are saying that the end-game is just too easy. One guild leader interviewed is finding that some of their raiders have gotten all the loot they need from Naxxramas and maxed out Northrend Achievements and Reputations, and, for lack of anything to do, are not logging on for days or simply letting their subscriptions lapse altogether, leaving their guild leader to make the painful decision once Ulduar comes to either refuse to give them their raid slots back or kick out their replacements.
Behind the Curtain: On burnout
So, I'm afraid that I'm getting a little close to burnout. Oh noes. zomg. qq. whine. complain. Etc, etc. In the past, I have suffered from serious burnout which resulted in me leaving World of Warcraft for six months or so. I'm still not sure how they survived without me. We've all been there, where the rewards for logging on just one more time aren't enough anymore. I say that we've all been there, of course that may not be true; but you're a rare specimen indeed if you've managed to play MMOs for any significant length of time without burning out for at least a little while. I guess burnout doesn't have to be a bad thing. I only just got a Wii. Don't laugh, I know I'm a little behind the curve on that one. Spending less time on MMOs means that I'd have more time free to play through Resident Evil 4 on the Wii, which makes sense, given that I've already gone through it on the Gamecube and PS2. I could also go back and pick up Resident Evil 0, and the remake of the original. And the Gamecube versions of 2 and 3. And Umbrella Chronicles. Wait, they released Code Veronica for the Gamecube as well, didn't they? Okay. I admit that I need help.
Joystiq interview: Downloading Criterion's thoughts on DLC
Over the course of the 2008, Criterion did its best to win over our hearts, though as fond as we are of Burnout Paradise it was the UK developer's knack for releasing quality DLC that kept us coming back. In a market where most games are shelved weeks -- if not days -- after first spinning up, Criterion managed to keep its open-world racer relevant all year long with a steady stream of downloads, adding night driving, motorcycles and a host of new online challenges. This tradition looks to continue well into 2009, with famous cars, inflated toys, hot rods and now the fuzz all slotted to pull out onto Paradise City streets in the coming months. Now, with a newly released Party Pack under the hood, and PC gamers racing against the flow of traffic with a keyboard and mouse, we spoke with Burnout Paradise senior producer Pete Lake to get his thoughts on why we just can't seem to let go of the steering wheel.
Review: Burnout Paradise Party, Criterion's first 'premium' DLC
Many gamers are incredibly grateful for Criterion's exceptional handling of DLC for Burnout Paradise. Over the course of the last year, Criterion has added a day/night system to its game, new online multiplayer modes, and motorcycles -- all for the price of nothing. However, it looks like the free ride is over, and today's update marks the first "premium" downloadable content for the game. The Party pack adds a new offline multiplayer experience to the game, but is it worth it?Unfortunately, we'd say no. At $9.99 (800), the Party pack is not a very cheap add-on (it's half the price of the full game!). At such a steep price, we'd expect a bit more than a simple retooling of menus. There's no added content in the Party pack: you will not see any new parts of Paradise City, nor will you unlock any new vehicles. The challenges featured in the Party pack are, quite frankly, not very different from what's already available in Online Freeburn.%Gallery-35782%
Rumor: Police cars, pursuits returning to Burnout Paradise via DLC
Click image for more evidence It seems the lazy and inattentive police officers of Paradise City have begun to frown upon the frantic racing and wreckage filling their city, with rumor indicating the return of police cars or possibly pursuits to Criterion's racer. Some scenes depicting the blues in red-hot chase have already spilled onto the internet, as you can see in our gallery below.You can see the potential pursuit mode that showed up in the new Burnout Store right here, as well as images for a new cop car in the game. Will these become available as DLC in the future? We've asked for comment and we'll get back to you as soon as we get word.%Gallery-43378%[Thanks, Eric]
Burnout Paradise Ultimate Box trailer shows Party footage
Criterion Games has earned a lot of street cred for the amount of content they've added to Burnout Paradise. The upcoming Party pack is the first premium (read: not free) DLC coming to the game, and many gamers are eager to show Criterion their support. However, while we know the Party pack adds new pass-the-controller modes, we're not exactly sure how it will play, or what it will look like. This newly released trailer for the Europe-exclusive Ultimate Box shows a few seconds of the DLC pack -- but it's still not enough to get a good feel for how the expansion will play. It's not too long until the DLC will be released. We're hopeful that Criterion will make something that justifies the asking pice.
Report: EA's Criterion, Bright Light studios safe from layoffs
At least two studios appear to have sidestepped the torrent of layoffs that have loomed over the game industry in recent months. Develop reports that UK-based Burnout dev Criterion and Bright Light, Electronic Arts' casual game studio in Guildford, have been given immunity from EA's recent round of layoffs. That sound you hear is a collective sigh of relief.Staff cuts at EA have been particularly deep, with numerous employees at its Mythic, Black Box and Tiburon branches given their walking papers in just the last week. With news of Bright Light's amnesty, it seems certain that EA is looking to casually dig itself out of its financial hole. Then again, maybe once Criterion gets its time circuits working we can all go back to a time when money was easier to come by.
Behind the Curtain: What keeps you going?
This week, I have been mostly killing Baron Rivendare. I'm now sitting with 65 kills under my belt, with no Deathcharger to show for it. We are not amused, and are now convinced that Blizzard hates us. Precious. Sss. I have the run down to a science now – dodge one pack of mobs, step aside from that pat, kill this group, spank the boss, rinse and repeat. Then repeat it again, and again, and again, and again, and again. I'm sure you get the idea.I was talking with one of my colleagues at my 'real' job just the other day, when he asked me if I had anything planned for the evening. I started to plan my response in my head, trying to come up with an easy way to translate, in non-gamer terms, what I'd been doing with my time of late. I ended up going with, "Not much" because I just couldn't figure out how to explain it without taking half an hour.
Super-sized Burnout Paradise update detailed, coming Feb. 6
Burnout Paradise's first-ever premium content pack is coming February 6, and even if you aren't willing to dole out the dead presidents, Criterion's giving you another reason to mark that date. Coming alongside the Party Pack DLC is a rather hefty title update ... and it's free!Highlights include an in-game store, in-game access to the Criterion Games Network website (details to come; PC and PS3-only), enhanced visuals, a restart event option (yay!), easier barrel rolls and some vehicle and game mode tweaking. Hit up the developer's site for full details, and check out PS3 Fanboy for a full list of the new Trophies. Gallery: Burnout Paradise - Feb 2009 update
What's in the upcoming free Burnout Paradise patch?
Click for high-resolution image. You thought Criterion was done adding content to Burnout Paradise? Wrong! On February 6th, PS3 owners of Burnout Paradise will be able to download a free patch that adds a whole lot of content. In-Game Store (PS3/PC only) - An in-game browser will connect to the "Criterion Games Network." From here, you'll be able to see all the game's updates and purchase any of the upcoming premium DLC. Tweaked vehicle handling - The earlier cars are now tweaked to be easier for newcomers to use. "These cars are now slower, harder to crash and less likely to spin out at low speeds." Junkyard sorting - You'll be able to compare the stats of cars, and you'll be able to filter out cars, bikes, and upcoming DLC vehicles. Stunt Run timer changed - Stunt Run will now have a different timer that starts much slower than before. This allows beginners more wiggle room to start a combo. Experts will still be challenged: the larger your combo, the faster the timer runs out. Events rebalanced - All events have been modified to accommodate the new car speeds. Road Rage tweaked - Players no longer get additional time once they reach the target score. This is great, because we usually intentionally crash in order to end this mode. Enhanced visuals - In-game items, like billboards and smashes, are now easier to spot. The lighting has been tweaked to be "more vibrant." Driving at night will be easier. Restart - Yes, you can restart races now. Easier barrel rolls - Barrel rolls are now automatic. However, to do more than one at a time, you'll have to use the analog sticks. The upcoming premium DLC packs (Party, Toy Cars, Legendary Cars) add additional Trophies into the game. We've included them after the cut.%Gallery-42989%
Officers' Quarters: Not peons, but just as lazy
Every Monday Scott Andrews contributes Officers' Quarters, a column about the ins and outs of guild leadership.There's an old adage in sports that's often bandied about whenever someone gets confused about their role on the team: "Players play, coaches coach." It doesn't really work for us ("Officers office, members . . . memb"?). However, it's true that officers are officers and members are members. Members can slack, but officers have to maintain, support, and improve their guild. This week's e-mail comes from a guild leader who's tried everything (short of giant hammers) to motivate her lazy officers, but to no avail, and she's at the end of her rope.Dear Scott, I'm a co-GM of a mid-sized, fairly stable guild that has been remarkably stable and solid over the years. We have a solid group of core members who are active, we've progressed steadily through the WoW raiding content, and we have an active social calendar as well. As far as the day-to-day business and guild harmony go, from where the members sit -- things are really great. The problem is, our officers have been getting less and less responsive in taking leadership, and because of it, most of the work seems to be falling more and more on myself and my co-leader. And as more and more of the work falls on us, and the staff we delegated to help us with it doesn't give us that help, we are burning out badly.
Burnout: Ultimate Box dated, exclusive to PC in North America
Click to embiggen. Players who missed the offramp to Paradise City can take the next exit early next month. Electronic Arts announced that the "Ultimate Box" edition of Burnout Paradise will ship in North America on February 5 as a PC exclusive, while players in Europe will be able to pick up the compilation on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC on February 6. As previously revealed, the box will bundle together all of the game's previously released DLC, from patches to two-wheeled mayhem, in one easy-to-crash package. Also included will be a pass-the-pad multiplayer mode, promising dozens of "quick-fire, turn-based challenges" for up to eight players. This mode will also be released to console drivers as a premium (read: not free) "Party" pack, adding new Achievements and Trophies to the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions when the DLC rolls out in both North America and Europe on February 5.Both Amazon and GameStop list the PC bundle for $40, though no official pricing for the DLC nor "Ultimate Box" edition have yet been announced. Gallery: Burnout Paradise Party
Burnout Paradise Party Pack coming 2/5, Europe to get Ultimate Box
Click for high-resolution image. We have a lot of fans of Burnout Paradise here at PS3 Fanboy. In fact, it won PS3 Fanboy's award for Best Racing Game and Best DLC. Those that have experienced everything Burnout Paradise has to offer can look to more fun in the upcoming multiplayer-focused Party Pack. This premium DLC will be available on the PlayStation Store on February 5th. Not only does it add new modes to your game, it will also give you access to a new batch of Trophies.If you don't have Burnout Paradise yet, there's never been a better time to pick it up. In the US, the game has officially dropped in price to $20. Europeans will be able to purchase Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box, which includes the game and every add-on released so far. Expect that in retail stores on February 6th.Update: In addition to the premium DLC, Burnout Paradise fans can also expect a FREE patch which, according to the Criterion blog, "includes the introduction of our all-new in-game website and awesome in-game store. We've also worked on changes to game modes, visuals, the entire vehicle dynamics system. Oh, and we've added a restart !"%Gallery-35782%
