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GDC08 Highlights: Eve Online, FusionFall and Lego Universe
EVE Online Eve Online talks new ships and avatarsCCP's Senior Technical Producer Torfi Frans Olafsson had a lot to say about EVE Online's upcoming space station environments. At present, EVE's player characters are little more than still portraits -- in the playable portion of the game you are primarily represented as your ship, which you can use to navigate and explore the game world. Players will one day have the ability to exit their ship and interact with other characters as a human avatar. We still don't have an exact release date, but we scored the details on the proposed gameplay and development process. %Gallery-16525%
GDC08: Cartoon Network's FusionFall
We were invited to check out Cartoon Network's upcoming kid-focused MMO FusionFall, and while clearly still in development, it shows a lot of potential. Developed in part by Korea's Grigon Entertainment, makers of Seal Online, QRing, and Gambledon, this is a title with a great deal of pedigree under the hood. Among the notable names on this project are Sam Lewis, former systems and content designer for Star Wars Galaxies; Robert Knopf, recently of Ultima Online; and Richard Weil, the community relations manager for many MMOs, including City of Heroes/Villains, Lineage I and II, Tabula Rasa, and Auto Assault.With so many experienced and creative people behind it, FusionFall definitely stands to make a splash in the 8 - 14 year old demographic that Cartoon Network is shooting for. This isn't to say they don't have a few challenges ahead of them, however. We'll explore this, and show you the trailer, after the break.%Gallery-16922%
Cartoon Network to enjoy huge TurnOut
Turner Entertainment, holder of the Cartoon Network brand, has announced its partnership with Outblaze Limited, a web infrastructure company, to create TurnOut Ventures Limited. They will focus on leveraging the character recognition appeal of the various CN franchises into online games, virtual spaces, and the like.What would we like to see come from this? How about an MMO based on Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends, where you can create your own monster? Or a Transformers game, where you can unlock the ability to transform to different vehicles as you level up? Or a Powerpuff Girls title where you are a new model of PG, patrolling the world, dispensing cuteness and justice in equal measure? Is the world ready for this? Are you? Am I? No, I'm not. I'd like to keep game development away from established franchises, thank you. Now, mind you, aside from the football-themed MMO, the article under consideration doesn't specifically mention branded game development, so perhaps we'll be spared the further dilution of once-favorite characters via tacked-on plots and shoehorned game mechanics. I'd like to be right about that, but history continues to prove me wrong. I live in hope!
Today's Katamariest video: Cartoon Network's 'Chowder'
It seems that Katamari Damacy continues to roll on, inspiring imitators and homages long after the original title's release. This time, it seem everyone's favorite clump of souls has rolled onto cable television, with the Cartoon Network program Chowder presenting an extended Katamari-esque sequence involving a rather large piece of bubblegum.Chowder is the latest in a long line of original Cartoon Network animated shows, created by the mind behind Spongebob Squarepants and The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy. The show is about an apprentice cook named Chowder. In fact, every character is named after food. There's a girl named Panini. Panini. We think that's just awesome.[Thanks, Mark]
Pet Alien: An Intergalactic Ten-dollar-palooza
Based on the the Cartoon Network show, Pet Alien: An Intergalactic Puzzlepalooza has you controlling five different aliens and managing their unique abilities over 80 levels to save their human friend, Tommy Cadle. The game received mediocre scores when it first hit stores last August, but a couple publications reviewed the Shin'en-developed puzzler favorably (Nintendo Power gave it an 8.0 out of 10). GameStop currently has Pet Alien on sale at its online shop for $9.99, and they'll even ship it for free if you put in "SAVER" as a coupon code. Priced that low, this might be worth trying out. Even if cartoon-licensed games aren't your thing, this seems like a great, cheap gift for a younger sibling/kid/brat. Head past the post break for Pet Alien's trailer.
Sony starts extensive PSP campaign on adult swim
Cartoon Network's adult swim website is being plastered with ads for the new PSP. Good thing -- the adult swim demographic is exactly what Sony needs to target to keep PSP momentum strong. Check out Bertrum's Almanack, which provides some "fun facts" to listeners. Unfortunately, the site says that "Bertrum's Almanack not available on PSP system." But, games like NBA 08 and Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow are. Hopefully, this campaign is one of many Sony's planning to promote their handheld.
Sirius delights the kiddies with SCV1 backseat TV tuner
Sirius is seriously on a roll today. Clearly not content with debuting its Stiletto 2 and Sportster 4 portable receivers, the satellite powerhouse has officially announced its SCV1, aka Backseat TV, aka The Child-Silencer (our name). If you've ever been on a road-trip with a couple of bundles of joy, you'll understand how helpful this particular technology could be. The new receiver is able to grab both radio and TV signals, allowing it to pull down Nickelodeon, the Disney Channel, and Cartoon Network on TV screens in the backseat (for the joy bundles) while it streams music or talk up front (for you). The system offers a "kid friendly" remote for controlling Backseat content, while the "adult" section is operated by a separate, wired remote. The radio can also be controlled via Sirius-compatible aftermarket headunits. The SCV1 will be available in the 4th quarter of 2007, and will run you $299.99 for the unit, plus an additional $6.99 for TV service each month -- but hey -- that's a small price to pay for a quiet drive.
Cartoon Network targets consoles via the internet
Why make retail games for consoles when you can make Flash games that also happen to work with consoles? That's the attitude Cartoon Network seems to be taking with their recently-announced MEGA series game service developed by AFI's Digital Content Lab. The MEGA series will feature games based on as-yet unannounced Cartoon Network and Adult Swim shows, and it's going to be fully compatible with the Wii browser (oh, and the PS3 also).
Cartoon Network develops web-based games for consoles
Cartoon Network recently announced plans to begin developing flash-based games specifically for the web browsers included with the PS3 and Nintendo Wii. The MEGA series games will be more than just simple puzzle games, inviting the player to "stream movie clips to mesh together the most realistic cartoon experience ever." We're intrigued. After all, the MEGA series will be free, flash-based games and utilize the often-overlooked simple capabilities of the PS3. We're actually surprised no one has yet catered to our whims through this method before. However, as is typical with free content, pay-to-play content will likely follow if Cartoon Network's test run with the MEGA series games proves potentially lucrative. Nonetheless, it will be interesting to get a taste of what Cartoon Network has to offer once the MEGA series games begin finding their way to a PS3 web browser near you.
Ben 10: Protector of Earth, coming to PSP
A popular Cartoon Network series is getting a videogame adaptation, courtesy of the same team that brought you Family Guy. High Voltage Software is developing Ben 10: Protector of Earth, detailing the everyday trials and tribulations of an average boy-turned-superhero named Ben Tennyson. The game will include favorites from the show, including Grampa, Ben, Max and more. According to Careen Yapp, playable characters will include, "the Omnitrix most popular alien heroes" and, "all new locations and content." A release date is expected this fall, so stay tuned for more information.
Saturday PSP background explosion
Every week, PSP Fanboy brings you new backgrounds to keep your PSP safe from unbackgrounditis. Remember, you can save these images directly to your PSP by accessing the site wireless at m.pspfanboy.com. This week, we have a Cartoon Network themed set of backgrounds. Yet, all three are still game related. What cartoons will you be able to set as a background? Continue to find out. Backgrounds after the jump ...
Phoenix Wright, step down. Capcom's bringing Harvey Birdman
The popular DS lawyer-ing game, Phoenix Wright, proved to be a fan favorite around the world. Now, Capcom is trying their hand at yet another lawyer game, but it's going to be unlike anything you could've ever expected. Capcom and Cartoon Network are teaming up to bring Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law to PSP (and PS2). We're hoping that Harvey Birdman will have all the fun of Capcom's other series, but with a hipper, edgier tone.Unfortunately, details and screenshots have not yet been released. Although the premise has us a excited, we can't help but look at developer High Voltage's track record, and get a little worried. (The Family Guy and Leisure Suit Larry games don't really offer much street cred.) Capcom better get this one right, or it won't be too long before PSP fans are screaming "Objection!" ... for all the wrong reasons. [Via Joystiq]
Discordianism + Wii = Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy
Discordianism can be explained most simply as "a religion disguised as a joke disguised as a religion," or, religion for hippies. Followers of Discordianism greet each other with animal sounds, can only eat hot dog buns on Friday and hail the Greek goddess Eris. Eris is known to constantly brew chaos. Such is why she is the divine image of Discordianism. In their eyes, she is ever present and frequents bar where Zeus makes her drinks. Not only will you find her running amuck in the everyday life of her followers, she can also be found doing her normal chaos causing thing in The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy. Whether it is dropping buckets of water on Mandy's head or summoning mind-controlling Teddy Bears, she always finds a way to make things worse. Lucky for us, she is bringing her chaotic ways to the Wii. Wielding her Apple of Discord, who knows what trouble she will cause you. By the look of the image after the break, it could be quite a bit. Check out the screenshot after the break. You can see the chaos in her eyes ....
Bleach's 33 characters of kicking butt
Bleach: Heat the Soul 3 came out in Japan a few weeks ago, and the import reviews are slowly trickling in. PSP411's KageNaruto had nearly nothing but praise for the fighter, praising the game's great cel-shaded graphics and excellent voice acting, ripped straight from the anime. It goes into almost nosebleed-inducing detail about the gameplay (2960 words!). Of particular note are the visually intense specials that all 33 characters have (featured above). I'm a pretty serious Bleach fan, and after watching that video, and reading this review, I feel like I have no choice but to import this game immediately. Hopefully, Sony will bring the games out here one day, especially once the show starts airing on Cartoon Network this September.
OMG! Yu-Gi-Oh! tag teams the PSP
With approximately 27 Yu-Gi-Oh! games on the Game Boy platform, you'd think that the PSP would get with the trend fad program with its own version of the mega-popular children's card game. Well, in September, Japanese gamers can partake in some widescreen card dueling set in the GX universe. Anyone that remembers finding link cables for the GBA will breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Tag Force will feature four player battles wirelessly. American gamers will only have to wait until November, and the game will feature voice acting and animation from the series, now running on Cartoon Network.
Foster's Big Fat Awesome House Party
Call us childish, but Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends is a cartoon we can not help but love for its creative character designs and enjoyable (if not simple -- it's a Cartoon Network show) storyline. Our friends at TV Squad informed us about a new online game based on the show, Foster's Big Fat Awesome House Party, which we are finding surprisingly fun. After registration and an incredibly long load screen (that goes to 112%*), you are taken to a simple character creation screen. Do you like our imaginary friend? We call him Mr. Bearry Rotund.The rest of the game is more adventure-oriented -- doing different tasks to advance in level and make new friends. It is an amusing time-waster, and we totally dig it.[via TV Squad]* "Invention my dear friends is 93% perspiration, 6% electricity, 4% evaporation, and 2% butterscotch ripple" -- Willy Wonka
More networks suing Cablevision over networked DVR
Trouble is brewing in TV land, and the stakes couldn't be higher for consumers, as a lawsuit filed by many of your favorite content providers against industry giant Cablevision could determine the future of networked DVR services. Two Time Warner networks (disclaimer: Engadget's parent company's parent company's parent company is Time Warner), CNN and Cartoon Network, have joined Disney, Universal, Paramount, and 20th Century Fox in fighting Cablevision's plan to offer subscribers the option of recording their programming to the company's servers, arguing that allowing at-will remote access to stored content constitutes a re-transmission, and therefore violates copyright agreements. What makes Time Warner's entry into the fray particularly interesting is the fact that another one of its divisions, Time Warner Cable, has publicly expressed interest in the concept of networked DVR, meaning that either outcome of the lawsuit would be potentially beneficial to the company. Way to go guys, you can never go wrong playing both sides of the fence.
