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Mike Morhaime speaks at D.I.C.E. 08
The D.I.C.E. Summit's official site describes the event, currently taking place in Las Vegas, as a meeting of "the video game industry's most influential leaders," so of course you know Blizzard's there. Gamesindustry.biz's coverage of Mike Morhaime's presentation today doesn't reveal anything too earth-shattering about the company or the World of Warcraft. It's about the same thing we've heard from him in the past, but hey, if the presentation isn't broke, don't fix it, right? It's still good to hear that Blizzard's on the right track, of course, and it's actually amazing that even with Mike Morhaime about to get his eighth boss, Blizzard's stayed pretty consistent on quality and dependability, as almost anyone who's had to switch bosses can tell you. But it looks like that, even with the Activision merger, we can expect the same tradition of long development cycles leading to quality games, which is, if familiar news, also comforting news.
Pirates creator criticizes Disney's hesitance to jump into games
At the DICE summit in Las Vegas Wednesday night, Pirates of the Caribbean creator Gore Verbinski gave a chat to game creators about movies, gaming, and his perspective of the industry in general. Beyond his generally complementary comments towards gaming, one particularly interesting aside that perked our interest was the displeasure he expressed towards Disney for not adapting the Pirates universe for an MMO more quickly than they did. According to Verbinski, they didn't even think of starting the project until a few years after the release of the original movie, and did so without his input. Of course, as we all know, they did eventually release Pirates of the Caribbean Online this past year, but Verbinski's comments certainly make us wonder if the game is all that it could have been.As we reported earlier today, Disney has ramped up its efforts in the MMO space considerably, putting a significant capital investment into what they see as an extension of the brand immersion seen in their theme parks. This conflicts somewhat with Verbinski's perception that the studios see MMOs in the same way that they see plush toys. One has to imagine that Pirates of the Caribbean Online would have been met with considerably more fanfare if it had the Pirates of the Burning Sea gameplay under the hood, but at what point does this sort of discussion degenerate into armchair quarterbacking? In this case, while I don't doubt Verbinski's sincerity on this issue, it sure seems like was hamming it up for the crowd.
DICE 08: Quirky indie hit 'Juno' to birth a game
Did juno they're making a game based on the blockbuster – and Oscar-nominted – indie hit Juno? Of course, it's not just Hollywood rudely reaching across the entertainment table for video game IPs they can twist and snap into a movie mold (yeah, we're looking right at you Dungeon Siege), game makers are pretty good at it too (now we're looking at you Dirty Dancing: The Game). And now GameSpot brings us news that Juno will be the next lucky film to be rudely dragged across the digital divide, though we're still not clear who the developer is. During a panel at the D.I.C.E. Summit in Las Vegas, "intellectual-property migration specialist" (they have those?) Keith Boesky said, "People are making a game based on Juno just to cater to the [casual] market." While he didn't specify anything at all about the game, another panelist was Minho Kim – director of operations at free-to-play, microtransaction-driven game pub Nexon America – leading GameSpot to wonder aloud "if it would follow Nexon's free-to-play business model." Just brainstorming here, but the property seems ripe for microtransactions ... just look at all those layers. Jeans and a skirt? Cha-ching! [Update: Not so fast, folks.]
DICE 08: Pirates director urges creativity in keynote
While we're often quite protective of our medium – what does some big-shot Hollywood cat know anyways? – Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski delivered a heartfelt keynote speech at this year's D.I.C.E. Summit, asking game designers to "embrace madness" and "to make the suits sh*t themselves." Now, before you lash out and remind us all that this is the same guy who made not one, not two, but three blockbuster movies based on a theme-park ride about pirates, Verbinski was quite candid about his distaste for the conventions of Hollywood ("he noted that some of his Pirates movies actually had release dates before they got scripts"). Indeed, his speech seemed to be more of the "save yourself" variety, encouraging game designers to "pick up the baton" the film industry dropped some time ago.GameDaily relays: "He feels that games are an art form and have far more depth than cinema potentially." That we're in total agreement with. It's when he says "Games will eventually elicit emotional and visceral reactions" that we scratch our heads. Alright, unless you cried during Final Fantasy VII you may not have the traditional "emotional" reaction we presume he's imagining but what about fear? Or excitement? Certainly those are emotional reactions games excel at delivering. And "visceral reactions"? Has he ever played a "video game"?We know he's busy, and maybe that's why he specifically mentioned the first-person genre when bemoaning studios that "phone it in" in a year when first-person shooters excelled – but overall we can't help but get caught up in the excitement and trust that Verbinski has the right message. Now how about some game work, Verbinski? Those Spielberg and Lucas guys are all over it.
Battlefield Heroes brings WW2 action this Summer
While there isn't a lot of information on their website, Electronic Arts has announced Battlefield Heroes, an MMO featuring the popular World War 2 milieu. Created by Dice, the team that made Battlefield 1942 and Battlefield 2, this will be EA's first attempt at a microtransaction- and advertising-based revenue model. Judging by the look of what images do exist on their site, BH's graphics will likely appeal to certain players, but others might be put off by its cartoony style. Its being free-to-play, though, will no doubt make more willing to try it than not. However, after playing in all manner of fantastical, imaginative worlds, with characters of radically vast ranges of appearance and abilities, will people be interested in the thematically-limited (some might say 'pure') WWII genre?[Thanks, Boltar!]
Bad news for Bad Company, it's delayed
EA and DICE sent out an email and have made it official. Their extremely explosive and over the top Battlefield: Bad Company has been bitten by the delay bug. Awww ...The delay will push Bad Company back from its original release of "early 2008" to a a more general 2008 release. That means there will be no Bad Company next month or the month after, but there's a possibility it could hit retailers later this Spring, sometime in the Summer or even this Fall. We'll keep an eye out for an official release date when EA confirms one, but while we wait for that, we advise twiddling your thumbs. It'll not only make the time go by much quicker, but it will also prepare you for the thumb twiddling Olympics. Seriously.
EA to release free, online-only 'Battlefield Heroes'
That would be the modern definition of "free," mind you, the one that means you pay nothing unless you want to equip your avatar with a particularly snazzy hat. Or beret, as it is in the case of EA's newly revealed Battlefield Heroes, a continuation of the popular Battlefield franchise sans gritty atmosphere and retail package. BBC News reveals that the game will be distributed online only and supported through advertising (a la Quake Zero) and micro payments.Counting on the cheap cost of entry (reminder: nothing) and a new cartoon-like aesthetic to airdrop the masses into Battlefield, developer DICE reckons you'll "be able to play this game on Grandma's laptop." Said Ben Cousins, senior producer at DICE: "We're removing all barriers to entry and we hope there is broader audience for the title."Cousins noted that adverts will never appear in the game itself ("They wouldn't work inside the fictional world.") and that micro purchases would be limited to players' appearance and not their weaponry. In fact, EA expects 95% of players not to spend any money at all. So, why bother? "If you look at Korea and Asia this is a model that works," said Cousins. "Given the enormous explosion in web-based gaming products, this is going to be a real source of growth in the industry and Battlefield Heroes is the first step towards doing that in [the] West." Expect it to leave a footprint on your hard drive in Summer 2008.[Thanks, Rich]Read -- BBC NewsRead -- NY TimesRead -- Official Battlefield Heroes website
BioShock nabs 'record-breaking' 12 nominations from AIAS awards
Not content with manhandling the Spike VGAs, the BAFTA awards, the AP game of the year (and we're sure other acronym-determined awards), BioShock has dominated the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences' list of nominees for the Interactive Achievement Awards, to be held at next month's D.I.C.E. Summit. The underwater corridor crawler racked up a reportedly "record-breaking" 12 nominations, with Call of Duty 4 bringing up a close second place.Though we doubt the winners will be announced to the world via a lineup of bare-chested women (ahem), the IAAs will be hosted by Jay Mohr for the third year running and broadcast by both GameSpot and Comcast (through their video-on-demand service). Previous Game of the Year winners have included the GoWs, God of War and Gears of War. [Via Gamasutra]
Video: Bad Company is fully destructible
Okay, this video may come from the December video archives, but we just came across it and it's worth mentioning. IGN posted an exclusive alpha build tech demo with Battlefield: Bad Company devs and we all agree that it's explosively destructive good times. Seriously guys, watch the video as it just may increase Bad Company's appeal ten fold. The video schows off the game's interactive environments which include everything from walls being destroyed, buildings falling apart, trees falling into buildings which in turn fall apart, doors being shot off of vehicles and an explosion so big ... it'll make your eyes water. Go, watch, enjoy and tell us what you think. [Via Sarcastic Gamer, Thanks Daren]
Battlefield: Bad Company trailer takes stab at humanity
Wait a minute, we're confused. We watched this entire trailer for Battlefield: Bad Company and saw not a single instance of shooting, radical explosions or particle effects. There was also no disembodied voice growling about how tough/what a rebel our character will be, nor were there any searing metal guitar solos. How are we supposed to know if we like the game or not? All that's here is a clearly defined, well-written, well-acted character named Haggard who seems enamored with explosions. As we watched, we began to get the oddest sensation. We weren't sure, but we think that's what it's like when other emotions are engaged besides the emotion that likes to see things blown up. ... Yuck. We need a shower.
Rumor: Battlefield 3 info leaked
A PDF has been leaked to game news site Digital Battle that reportedly contains some of the first details of the next game in the Battlefield series, appropriately titled Battlefield 3. According to the PDF, the modern day game pits two factions, NATO and MEC (Middle Eastern Coalition) against each other, arming them with 48 different vehicles and 56 different weapons.The site reports the game will ship with eight maps in late 2008, and a teaser trailer will emerge early next year. Perhaps most exciting in the short term is that a public beta is rumored for next summer.Though it's impossible to vouch for the validity of the info (EA is staying predictably mum), we thought it would at least make some good discussion fodder for fans of the series. Check the site for a full list of rumored features.
Bad Company trailer now on XBLM
The Battlefield: Bad Company teaser trailer that was released to the interwebz earlier this month is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace. The trailer (which we've conveniently embedded above) highlights plenty of gameplay as well as exposing some of the overall storyline. We haven't quite figured out if the game is promoting war profiteering or not, but it's certainly promoting excessive destruction. Watch the video closely for plenty of real time destruction as environments crash down from an explosion. If you get the chance, download the HD version on Marketplace. It's real purdy.
Destructible environments in new Battlefield: Bad Company gameplay
There's nothing quite like destructible environments and this new Battlefield: Bad Company gameplay shows off just that. It's one thing to be in an all-out brawl against a ton of different people, but what to do when you're cornered in some house? Just blow up the wall and make your escape! Topple some trees if you'd like (if you're particularly good with your timing, perhaps it could land on a vehicle and make it explode or something else really dramatic). The action in the game seems pretty intense, but we'd expect nothing less from this franchise. We'll keep you up to date when it gets closer to release!
Battlefield: Bad Company Images
Gamersyde has a slew of new images of Battlefield: Bad Company. We haven't heard much on Bad Company short of a few screenshots since the trailer hit Marketplace back in February. These new shots are all pretty slick, showing off the characters, hum-vees, helicopters, weapon models, and some spiffy explosions and destructible environments. It's looking very pretty and we can't wait until we get more details on how well it plays. Check out the screens after the jump. [Thanks, Brian LQbano]
Parkour-based FPS in the works
In development by Digital Illusions Creative Entertainment (DICE), the upcoming PS3, Xbox 360, and PC title Mirror's Edge hopes to bank on the success of the Prince's acrobatic abilities in Prince of Persia in a first-person 3D environment. You play the role of Faith who climbs, sprints, and leaps around a utopian metropolis fighting the corrupt authoritarians in power. The main character's moves were inspired by parkour and have been kept deliberately simple. Mirror's Edge aims to give players a better sense of being in a body, forcing you to pay attention to things like acceleration and the way your head moves as you walk or come to an abrupt stop.While the game will be packed with action, don't expect shooting to be the central focus, as realistic physics play a huge role in the gameplay. Ever try bouncing off a wall holding a heavy assault rifle?
If you like parkour, you'll like Mirror's Edge
For those not in the know, parkour is essentially the running around a city and using buildings as stepping stones. The art of movement? Freerunning? Hmm, it's a bit complicated to sum up, so perhaps a video of it would explain it better. Or a fantastic movie. Regardless of our inability to describe the street acrobatics of parkour, know that it's awesome and DICE's upcoming FPS, Mirror's Edge, wants to capture the feeling of the human body doing such stunts. It's essentially moving Prince of Persia into first-person and we can dig that.The game wants to pay attention to the body like no other FPS, taking note of acceleration and deceleration, head movements whilst running, and motion while you climb or jump. To pull off the parkour-inspired moves, you've got to set in a sequence of button-presses, utilizing some sort of "reaction time" slow motion feature. The game, you can infer, isn't about shooting people so much as it is about knowing your way around the huge levels and being able to pull off these escape stunts. Gunning someone down is the ultimate goal, but in multiplayer at least, chase sequences are going to be the fun part. We're excited to see how this one turns out!
Superstitions in WoW
The Daedelus project recently posted an article dealing with MMORPGs and the superstitions we build as we play the games. Seeing as how we as people love to finding meaning in seemingly random events, World of Warcraft has its fair share of superstitious players. I might even go so far as to say we all are superstitious about some things within the game. Despite the prevalence of superstitions in game, we always seem to see others' quirks as crazier than our own. Now we're not talking about religion or spirituality here, we are talking about how players create meaning where there is none. Here are just a few examples that Daedelus brought up: The spawn dance There are many players out there that subscribe to the particular belief *cough* Maelis *cough* that a special dance will help mobs spawn faster. I have never myself attempted to use a spawn dance, but I have found that I tend to run in a clockwise direction when I am farming because somehow the mobs seem to spawn faster. Or perhaps it's just because I can't turn left.
New Bad Company screens are looking good
Today, DICE released four new Battlefield: Bad Company screenshots and from what we can tell, they're pretty. All the screenshots are in game and showcase the Battlefield destruction in all its glory. Previously, we've been on the fence with the direction those trailers were going, but we can safely say we'll be watching for this game. Maybe the blend of comedy and war will be a welcome change to the genre or it could just get annoying. But, whatever happens, these screenshots show the visual potential Bad Company has. All four screenshots are viewable after the jump.
Lowenstein's 'final' interview: Game reviews influence industry
Doug Lowenstein, former president of the Electronic Software Association, left the industry and gave one "final" interview to GameDaily clarifying some former statements and the future of the industry. The four-page interview was conducted at the D.I.C.E. summit in January, apparently the transcription took over a month.Lowenstein says he was a bit harsh on the gaming press in his final D.I.C.E. speech, but he thinks game reviews are on the right path, "I don't think there's any other critical entity in entertainment in either music or film or television that has the power of the game press to affect the direction of its industry. Look at how many movies get crappy reviews that are top hits at the box office and how many get great critical acclaim and are commercial flops. And I don't read a lot of movie reviews anymore because they're so self important and I don't even understand what the hell their saying. So I don't want game criticism to start looking like that, because you start taking yourself too seriously and start trying to find meaning in things that isn't ever intended to be there; God no, let's not go there."Lowenstein leaves behind the legacy of the ESA, including the creation of the Entertainment Software Rating Board, the creation of E3, an anti-piracy program and all the advocacy he did on behalf of the gaming industry on the federal, state and local level.
Today's hottest video: New Battlefield teaser
A new EA/DICE Battlefield game is in production for release this year, and a GameTrailers video of the title scores our pick for the day. The self-referential machinima of Battlefield: Bad Company features two soldiers verbally sparing with an announcer, dodging enemy fire while trying to stop the "In a world..."-style announcements. But behind this gimmick, the video shows a few gameplay elements, like how buildings crumble when shot.See the video after the break.
