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DCUO release window announced
Break out the underoos, superhero fans, as another tights-flavored MMORPG is nearing release. Sony Online Entertainment's DC Universe Online is flying your way this November, and will be launching simultaneously on the PC and PS3 platforms. IGN has a preview of the game, including a brief look at DC notables like Harley Quinn, Robin, and Nightwing. If you've ever wanted to take missions from Bruce Wayne, or explore the streets of Metropolis, SOE has your game. They also apparently have some notable voice actors lined up to breathe life into the virtual DC-flavored playground. "A Sony Online Entertainment rep said that the company wasn't ready to announce voice actors yet but that you should expect familiar folks behind the characters you know," IGN writes. Check out the original article, as well as the official DCUO website.
New DC Universe Online video offers up more answers
If you're one of the myriad who have been asking for more information on how DC Universe Online is going to work -- and you haven't been paying attention to their page on the book of face or the main site -- then you're in for a treat. Chris Cao and Jens Andersen have taken some of the questions that curious players have posted on the DC Universe Online group and gathered them together into an excellent new Inside the Studio video Q&A. This time, they answer questions as diverse as if guilds will be in the game [yes], whether or not players will be able to create Teen Titan-esque versions of characters [another resounding yes], the "inspired by" feature at character generation [so cool], PvP and PvE server sets, and more. So if you're hungry for more information on just how things in DCUO will play out, check out the video we've embedded for you behind the break, then pop over to their Facebook video page and leave your questions. Perhaps we'll see them answered in the next video chat.
DCUO reveals the newest character: Black Adam
Anti-hero following a strange ethical code, or power-crazed villain? Either way you look at it, today's unveiling of Black Adam as the newest character in DC Universe Online doesn't bode very well for metahumans on either side. Originally introduced as a character in 1945 and later retconned, Adam was granted his powers by the wizard Shazam during the time of Rameses the second. Once Shazam realizes the enormity of his mistake in unleashing the insanely powerful -- and evil -- Teth-Adam ("Mighty Adam") upon the world, he tricks his evil protege. Having placed Teth-Adam's spirit in a scarab to save the world, the old wizard goes into hiding. He resurfaces over 3,000 years later and decides to try one last time to pass his heroic powers of Shazam on to a young man named Billy Batson -- or Captain Marvel, as you may know him. %Gallery-92999%
Talk with DC Universe Online's team this Sunday
If you're a fan of the upcoming DC Universe Online and wish there were ways to be more directly heard by the developers -- or to hear more directly from the developers -- your ship has just come in. This Sunday, the developers are holding a special live chat via Facebook, allowing fans the opportunity to talk with them and get updates on the status of the game straight from the source. Game director Chris Cao, senior producer Wes Yanagi, creative director Jens Andersen, and art director Mark Anderson will all be available for questions or speculation. The best part? All you have to do is become a fan on the official DC Universe Online fan page (again, on Facebook) to take part in the chat. Running from 6 PM to 9 PM EST (3 PM to 6 PM PST), it should be a great opportunity to chat with developers about the state of the game and how it's coming along. So mark the spot down on your calendars, and keep your eyes on the fan page for more details on connecting as the event arrives.
DCUO travelogue: New Bohemia
Sony Online Entertainment has released a new teaser video for their upcoming superhero MMORPG known as DC Universe Online. The game offers players a chance to experience the world made famous in DC Comics, as well as fight with and against the hundreds of iconic superheroes that have made the license famous since the early twentieth century. The two minute video, sighted yesterday on the game's Facebook page, takes the form of a travelogue and offers the viewer a glimpse into the New Bohemia locale. Chris Cao, DCUO Game Director, walks us through a quick tour of this Metropolis borough, one of several that makes up the city proper and represents a small part of a playfield that spans 1000 square blocks of concrete jungle. Little Bohemia, centered around the University of Metropolis, is rife with villains ranging from the nefarious H.I.V.E to the forces of LexCorp, both glimpsed in the video and both allies of players who choose a villainous path.
DCUO concept art hints at subscription plan?
Our friends over at DCUOSource have unearthed an interesting tidbit regarding the forthcoming DC Universe Online MMORPG. Sony Online Entertainment's superhero extravaganza has been shrouded in secrecy for awhile now, and speculation has run rampant about what's percolating in the depths of their batcave. Fans have questions about everything from game mechanics to subscription models, and some interesting images of a possible DCUO web site re-design may shed some light on the latter. Apparently a web designer has included images of a new DCUO web site in his online portfolio, and as DCUOSource's Vicious points out, one of them contains verbiage relating to a 14-day trial. Could SOE opt for a traditional subscription model for those of us looking to fight alongside the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight? Check out the images as well as the resulting discussion thread. [Thanks Vicious!]
Maybe Nier comics will help us understand Nier
Want to understand what Nier's all about, you know, besides yelling at books? Square Enix is giving us all a chance to study the backstory of Cavia's action RPG, with a Nier comic series produced by DC's Wildstorm Studios. The three-part series will tell three separate, but overlapping, stories in the Nier universe before the game's April 27 release date. In addition to introducing the main characters -- including Nier himself, his "disease-stricken" daughter, Yonah, a "conflicted" companion in Kaine, and the talking book "with an attitude," Grimoire Weiss -- the comics will reveal what caused the "Black Scrawl" disease and the cataclysmic event that led to the condition of the world (as it is in the game). The Nier comics will be available on the Nier website, and through the Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Store. See the cover of the first issue after the break.
iPad in the family: What it'll take
When Steve Jobs announced the iPad, I thought it was neat, but I didn't see how it would really fit into my life. What could it do for me that my iPhone or MacBook Pro couldn't? It seemed like that gap Steve Jobs said the iPad filled was targeted at a group of people I didn't belong to. So I asked the TUAW readers if you'd be getting one. Then I began talking to my family about the iPad and discovered some surprising things: the very people I thought would never buy one plan to, and the people I thought would jump at it are holding off. So here's a rundown of four very different people in my family and if/why they will be getting an iPad: Person: My mother. 62. Queen of the Luddites. Computer proficiency: Absolutely none. Will she be getting the iPad? Yep. The 16GB 3G model. Why? My mom has never owned a computer. She doesn't have an internet connection. She couldn't explain to you what Facebook is. And she refers to my iPhone as "that information device."
Dante's Inferno comic descends into retail
In case you were wondering what Dante's Inferno would be like if it were made into a book, EA has just announced that the first issue of the Wildstorm comic book based on Visceral's upcoming action game has shipped to retailers. The first installment of the six-issue miniseries, for which the full cover art can be seen after the break, provides the background for Dante's demon-slayin': the murder of Beatrice, and Dante's subsequent trip into the abyss to rescue her soul. If the concept is something you're into, and if the cover art captures your attention, why not swing by your local comic shop on the way to Hell?
DC Universe Online creative director answers questions from the fans
One of the upcoming SOE titles we're hoping to hear more about is DC Universe Online -- the superhero MMO that will build on the DC Comics legacy. DC Universe Online's Creative Director Chris Cao recently did a video interview with DCUO Source that explains how the devs have approached the game's design. Cao fielded a number of questions posed to him by the fansite's readers -- How will player feedback impact the game's development? Will there be voicework in DCUO from the actors who've voiced characters in the various DC animated series and video games (specifically, Kevin Conroy)? How will DCUO handle secret identities? All good questions. For the answers, check out the video interview with Chris Cao at DCUO Source.[Via MMORPG.com]
Ihnatko says Apple tablet could play hero to comic books
Speculation based on rumor can be frustrating. But when the rumor is of Apple's fabled tablet, and the speculation is of a new golden age for comics, the 13-year-old kid in me comes alive. Writing for the Chicago Sun-Times, Andy Ihnatko says there are hints that Apple is getting into the digital comic book market, a statement he likens to saying "Apple is helping to create the digital comic book market." Digital comics today, he argues, are where digital music was in 2002. Legitimate businesses are so fractured, clumsy, and behind the times that pirated comics (online illegally one day after hitting store shelves) provide the best user experience. Enter LongBox, a company that has made the rounds at comic book conventions this year pitching an iTunes-like store for buying and selling digital comic books. Ihnatko talked with LongBox CEO Rantz Hoseley, peppering him with questions and looking for reasons that LongBox was doomed to failure. What he found instead was a company that respects the comic book as a medium, that has made publishing to the LongBox format (.LBX) as simple as adding a plug-in to the software publishers already use, and that has plans for outfits as big as Marvel or DC all the way down to the lone artists publishing on their own.
The Green Arrow unveiled in DC Universe Online
SOE have released oodles of concept art and screenshots for The Green Arrow in DC Universe Online. In case you didn't know, he's green and uh, well he shoots arrows. He's also known as Oliver Jonas "Ollie" Queen and was originally created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp back in 1941.He may not be Batman or Superman, but Ollie can toss punches with the best of 'em. Plus, he's a crack shot who can land an arrow directly between your eyes at unprecedented ranges. Plus, and we're sure some of you will find this amusing, he's a billionaire and former mayor.%Gallery-34118%%Gallery-50201%
Alpha and beta status updates on DC Universe Online
There hasn't been a lot of new information flying about on DC Universe Online, which is probably just a sign that the SOE team over at Austin, TX are keeping their collective noses to the grinder and pushing for beta sometime in the coming months.Actually, according to a Gamasutra interview with Wes Yanagi that very much seems to be the case, although he doesn't out and say as much. It sounds like cross-platform and controller/UI iteration are probably giving SOE the most grief. We take it as a good sign that they're not rushing it, though, as it shows their seriousness at making this 'massively multiplayer action game' work.As for alpha and beta? According to Wes, "We're still pre-alpha. We're really close to hitting our alpha goals, so hopefully in the next several months, we'll start talking about it." Seems like the game is still a ways off into the future. So long as SOE doesn't release near a World of Warcraft expansion, we think they'll do just fine.
GameTrailers shows what it's like to be Batman's roommate in Home
In short, being Batman's roommate is kind of a sucky gig.That's the feeling we came away with after watching GameTrailers' video preview (posted after the jump) of the Batcave Home space that's bundled with the PS3 version of Batman: Arkham Asylum. Seriously, he keeps all of his sweet toys in inaccessible display cases, he hangs all his vehicles precariously over the kitchen, and makes it so all the TVs in the place run footage of him beating up insane people.We don't know how Robin put up with it for as long as he did.
Review: Batman: Arkham Asylum
Hyperbole can be venomous to a review's credibility. Any insightful merit which a video game critique may possess seemingly goes out the window as soon as the reviewer starts dropping bombs like "best game ever" or "literally mindblowing" or "it will birth you anew in its magnificence." Perhaps it is because we've all heard these phrases -- save for that last one -- so many times that they've lost their currency with us. Rest assured, I'm not being hyperbolic when I say that Batman: Arkham Asylum is unquestionably the best licensed game I've ever played. At the end of the day, however, that's a fairly low hurdle to clear -- it better reflects the game's quality to say it's one of the best stealth-action games ever made, and easily the best video game 2009 has had to offer thus far. %Gallery-31781%
Wildstorm publishing Modern Warfare 2 comic mini-series (update)
DC Comics subsidiary Wildstorm is about to add another notch to its "video game-to-comic book adaptation" belt, if such a thing weren't too preposterous to exist. The etching can be attributed to its upcoming illustrated stab at Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare 2 in a six-part comic mini-arc, which will be aptly titled Modern Warfare 2: Ghost. David Lapham, writer and illustrator of the fantastic Stray Bullets series, will reprise these roles for the Ghost-ly comics. Robert Bowling revealed the first piece of Lapham's art on his Twitter yesterday (posted above), but has yet to announce a street date for the comic. Our prediction? Around the same time as the game. Our other prediction? All other comics that were supposed to come out in November will be delayed until Q1 2010.Update: Bowling just sent over a friendly message expounding upon a few Modern Warfare 2: Ghost details. The cover art was actually done by Federico Dallocchio, who worked on WildStorm's Gears of War and StarCraft comic adaptations. The rest of the art is being handled by former Guardians of the Galaxy artist Kevin West. Lapham has been tasked with writing the actual story of the mini-series. Thanks for the details, Robert!
Ratchet & Clank action figures pop up for pre-order
Those DC Unlimited Ratchet & Clank figures we first told you about back in March have been dated for December release by Amazon, as relayed by Insomniac Games on Twitter. Four sets will be available on December 9: Ratchet & Clank; Armored Ratchet with Mr. Zurkon; Dr. Nefarious with Zoni; and Captain Quark with Scrunch.Each set carries a price tag of $19.99, so they're not cheap. But, if they're anything like the rest of DC's collectible action figures, they won't be cheap looking or feeling, either. Oh, and did we mention that Clank transforms and attaches to Ratchet's back? Maybe they could even teach Michael Bay a thing or two about remaining faithful to your source material.[Via VGBlogger]
Jim Lee and Marv Wolfman speak on DC Universe Online experiences
When you are making a game based on some of the best comic book heroes of all time, it only makes sense that you bring in some of the best talent from the comic industry to help you in your endeavors. Enter Marv Wolfman and Jim Lee, two men who know their DC Comics. Marv has written for the New Teen Titans and the current iteration of Robin while Jim Lee started his art career with Punisher: War Journal and Alpha Flight. Currently, Marv Wolfman is writing for DC Universe Online while Jim Lee sits in the creative director's chair.Carolyn Koh from MMORPG.com recently caught up to both Marv and Jim and had the opportunity to ask them some questions about what will be seen in the game, how closely it will tie into the current run of DC Comics, and some of their favorite gaming experiences. If you're looking for a sneak-peek into what may be in store for DCUO and what goes on in the minds of these two men, look no further than these interviews hosted over at MMORPG.com
Batman: Arkham Asylum dev diary has English sensibilities
Has your recent playthrough of the Batman: Arkham Asylum demo left you wondering exactly how the sausage got made? Lucky you -- Warner Bros. and Rocksteady recently released a behind-the-scenes look at the stealth-action superhero sim, which keen-eyed readers have probably already noticed is posted above.The game's creators do a great job of explaining what makes the game so successful -- elements such as the intensive mocap work done to bring the animations to life, story contributions from DC's Paul Dini, and of course, Rocksteady's own "English sensibilities." We're pretty fond of our American sensibilities thankyouverymuch -- but if that's the secret ingredient that makes Arkham Asylum so rad, we guess we can't complain.
DC Universe Online creators talk about S.T.A.R. Labs and game storylines
Comic-Con International is underway in San Diego, and we're already hearing some news about the superhero MMO genre. The latest info about DC Universe Online comes from a Wired article by Frank Rose which focuses on S.T.A.R. Labs, the futuristic glass and steel location familiar to anyone who grew up reading DC comic books or watched the Superman animated TV series. S.T.A.R. Labs, short for Scientific and Technical Advanced Research Laboratories, will be a hub of storyline activity in the MMO. It's fitting, as this is a place where great scientific advances are made, but also a place where things can go horribly wrong. This means it's perfect neutral ground to be incorporated into DC Universe Online, and the location will tie in with the respective storylines of the game's heroes and villains.
