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10 more SK staffers 'knighted' for 10 years of service
In an exclusive studio tour of its St. Catharines, Canada, studio, Silicon Knights lead Denis Dyack revealed to X3F that ten staff members are poised to be honored for ten years of service during an upcoming Too Human launch party. The process of being 'knighted' at Silicon Knights continues a longstanding tradition that hearkens back to the formation of the studio, staffers who reach ten years of service are honored with a unique sword to be placed in their office.Ten more members achieving this goal contradicts rumors swirling around GDC that claimed Silicon Knights staff members were leaving in droves due to development issues with Too Human.Stay tuned at noon for a full studio tour video and image gallery with Denis Dyack.
Silicon Knights' next game not 'Two Human,' but trilogy will continue
For better or worse, Silicon Knights has finally kicked Too Human out of the nest, seemingly not too concerned about whether it will actually fly with most gamers. In fact, while the developer still intends to finish off the planned trilogy, it's not going to be doing so anytime soon.Speaking with CVG, SK boss Denis Dyack confirmed that his studio's next game is going to be "Like nothing else we've ever made before." The dev has been working on a new title for Sega, which not too long ago was allegedly leaked in video form under the title The Crucible. Sega was quick to deny any connection between SK and a game with that name – which would be good for Dyack, since it was clearly a third-person action/horror game. You know, totally unlike Eternal Darkness."We've been lucky enough to make Legacy of Kain, Eternal Darkness, Too Human ... and if you look at all of those they're all really different," Dyack said of SK's plans for its new IP. "We want to continue to do that, to keep fresh. That's really what's important, and making sure that we continue to make new IPs but also continue to innovate in the genres that we try to... create content in." We think it's safe to assume that, whatever this totally fresh new project is, it won't be using the Unreal Engine.
X3F Interview: Five minutes with Denis Dyack
During the Too Human launch signing in St. Catharines, Ontario, Denis Dyack took a few minutes to answer some of our questions. While reserved, Dyack did speak fondly of the community Silicon Knights represents, the success of the demo and misunderstandings within the media.Surrounded by fans awaiting a signature from the Silicon Knights development team, Dyack brushed off our questions regarding the recent reviews of Too Human, message board communities and the future of both the franchise and the studio's next announcement.
Dyack's defense: Too Human haters 'just don't get it'
When Jeff Gerstmann bemoaned Too Human's "monotonous combat and dated approach to cooperative play," he was unknowingly shunted from the group of haves to the considerably less illustrious group of have nots -- as in have not a clue to comprehend Too Human's unyielding explosion of uniqueness and innovation. "I think we took for granted how innovative the game was," remarks the game's humble director, Denis Dyack. Speaking to OXM at the game's UK launch, Dyack explains that a lot of the negative reaction to the game's demo (and presumably, the final version) has its roots in the provocative fear of the unknown. "But what we're also seeing is for the people who don't like it, generally just don't get it. And it's because we've created something so innovative and different," he says. "It's ironic, it just shows that human nature of if you don't understand something, you immediately attack it. It's pretty interesting in that regard."Consider this a plea to game designers everywhere: Please tone down all that rampant innovation, lest we become embroiled in confusion and hostility and ultimately give your game a six out of ten.
Metareview: Too Human (Xbox 360)
It's been almost ten years since we first saw Too Human at E3 1999, at that point reportedly a 4-disc action adventure for the original PlayStation. In that time, the game has jumped to GameCube and then to Xbox 360, re-emerged as a slideshow, became overshadowed by a lawsuit, and later became the most downloaded action demo on Xbox Live in its first week. So, after all the hype and controversy, how does the final game fare? Judging by the reviews, it's certainly not a knockout title, with the general consensus being that it aims for the stars and misses the mark. One thing is for sure: If you like seeking out loot, then Too Human is definitely for you. GamePro (4/5) "Here's an Xbox 360 exclusive that proudly wears its lofty ambitions on its sleeves, and yet sometimes seems bent on self-sabotage. That it's so relentlessly addictive despite its aggravations is something of a minor miracle." IGN (78/100) "What's been delivered in the end is a good game that ultimately falls just short of its promise due to a few questionable design decisions. One thing is for sure, though. If you love collecting random loot drops, you'll find a lot to like here." Giant Bomb (3/5) "If you have an insatiable lust for items with higher stats than the ones you're currently using, or if you get giddy at the mere thought of Diablo-style rare item naming conventions, you'll probably be able to look past the game's issues and have a good time. But even at its best, it's hard to ignore Too Human's monotonous combat and dated approach to cooperative play." GameSpot (55/100): "Too Human is a game of false starts and unrealized potential that infiltrate almost every aspect of the game, from story, to combat, to balance. Its elements feel stitched together, making for a patchwork quilt of a game that's fraying at the seams." 1UP (C-) "At the very least, the cyber-Norse concept of Too Human is a good one that's worth exploring further, just not in this context. The game is simply schizophrenic; it attempts to be all things to all people and never succeeds in executing any of them well. The end result is in dire need of polish and focus, and that doesn't solely apply to gameplay mechanics. There's absolutely no reason why a game released in 2008 should have a bug where characters can fall through solid ground and into some pseudoabyss."
On eve of Too Human launch, Epic dispute resurfaces
It's been quite awhile since we've heard anything about the Silicon Knights and Epic Games lawsuit -- we last reported on it in January 2008 and were all prepared to make jokes about the lawsuit being on the cusp of vaporware like Duke Nukem Forever is and Too Human was. Thankfully, our curiosity has been rewarded; on the eve of the latter game's launch, Silicon Knights President Denis Dyack managed to put the legal proceedings back into the limelight.In an interview with Develop, Dyack said that the trial is proceeding and that he was confident in his claims. "We're hopeful that justice will be done. We all feel really strongly that [Epic Games has] defrauded us, and a major portion of the industry," he said.To recap: In late July 2007, Silicon Knights filed a lawsuit against Epic Games over what it felt was inadequate support for its Unreal Engine 3, thus harming development of Too Human. Epic responded and filed a countersuit. In November, Epic's motion for dismissal was denied. In January 2008, multiple subpoenas were issued to other UE3 licensees. As for Too Human's involvement, we'll be keeping a mental tally of how many reviews mention the lawsuit.
Dyack: Too Human campaign will take "around fifteen hours"
If there was a magic ratio between the amount of time that a game is in development and the length of the final product, many of us would assume that the first installment in Silicon Knight's Norse-inspired trilogy, Too Human, would take roughly ten months to complete. However, Silicon founder Denis Dyack has expressed his concerns with lengthy games in the past, so it should come as no surprise that in a recent interview with gaming site Kikizo, Dyack explained that your first playthrough of his upcoming action/RPG hybrid should take "around fifteen hours".Dyack goes on to explain that in order to hit level fifty (the game's level cap) might take between fifty and eighty hours, and searching for the game's "epic loot" will tack even more time to the title. If the length of Silicon's quickly approaching title doesn't interest you, perhaps Dyack's mad vision of a one-console future, discussed in the same interview, might catch your attention -- if only to make you furiously wonder what a console civil war would look like.
Too Human goes gold; 900k downloaded demo
Silicon Knights and Microsoft announced today that the long, strange development journey of Too Human is at an end, with the game going gold for its Aug. 19 release. Denis Dyack and Silicon Knights now face the Ragnarök of retail to find out if the last 10 years -- not to mention that little lawsuit -- will grant them access to gaming's financial Valhalla.At a minimum, it appears gamers certainly are interested in Too Human, as Microsoft announced the demo was downloaded 900k times, making it the most downloaded action demo on XBLM in its first week. Be sure to check out the demo and try out all the classes (using a little bit of time travel) to see if Too Human is too good to pass over.[Via X3F, GameDaily]
Molyneux: 'I feel sorry for Denis Dyack'
Fable frontman Peter Molyneux has raised his metaphorical fist of solidarity, showing support for fellow game designer and Too Human trumpeter Denis Dyack. "I feel sorry for Denis Dyack because you know, I think a few things were said wrong, there was that really unfortunate showing at E3 a few years ago," Molyneux told VideoGamer.com at E3 last week. "Everyone got on the bandwagon of saying things about Too Human. Now I've played it and, you know, it's a good game. It doesn't deserve a lot of that harsh criticism. But as soon as something starts it's very hard to turn the tide and pull it back again." Molyneux, of course, speaks from experience, having survived a similar "avalanche" of negative criticism after the first Fable game was released in 2004 and failed to meet expectations hyped by Molyneux himself. While Molyneux doesn't offer any sage advice for braving the inevitable storm to come (you don't actually have "something" in your back pocket, do you Mr. Dyack?), might we suggest, sir, that you quietly step away from the computer and out into the open air. Take a deep breath. You'll be safe there. Remember, it's not the whole world that's judging you (just a teeny, tiny nugget of web real estate). And besides, just like your pal Peter, you've always got the sequel to make good on empty promises.
Microsoft bringing home Too Human demo next week
We can go ahead and cross off one square from our press conference bingo. Microsoft has announced that, as part of their annual "Bringing it Home" series, the Too Human demo is coming to Xbox Live next week during E3 (via IGN). No word yet one what else will be available, but expect a usual flock of videos, themes, gamerpics and other random surprises. So how does Dyack's epic stack up to the hype? Find out yourself next week.
Too Human video serves up co-op 'serving'
Serving, it's not just for restaurants any more. As Too Human's Denis Dyack describes it, 'serving' is a gameplay component of co-op found in Silicon Knights' nearly complete mythical opus, whereby one player knocks opponents skyward while the other makes with a mid-air smack down. Think of it as juggling -- with style.It all looks interesting, though like so much of Too Human, we don't think it comes across quite as cool or inspired as it must look through Dyack's eyes. Feel free to check out the video below and let us know if you feel the same way, or if, like Dyack, you think that this makes Too Human feel "very different" from other action RPGs sitting on your shelf.
Too Human 'just days away' from done
Silicon Knight's controversy-fuelled Too Human is nearly finished, as company president Denis Dyack confirms on his IGN blog that the game "is likely just days away" from being completed. Writes Dyack, the team is currently working to squelch a pair of "rare crash bugs" before sending the long-in-development sci-fi Norse action game off for final approval. The exec also notes that "there will be plenty of time for press to critique Too Human as they will receive evaluation copies well in advance of the release date." This means that when scores come rolling in this August they should not be based on rushed play throughs to meet unrealistic deadlines, at least that's the theory. We admit that part of us will miss the roller coaster ride that has been Too Human's road to retail, though we can't help but wonder what Dyack will be up to next.
Too Human video explains co-op mode
Microsoft just sent out a press release stating that a video showcasing Too Human's co-op mode is now available on the Xbox Live Marketplace. Silicon Knights' president, Denis Dyack, and design director, Henry Sterchi, host the video and explain how the four-player two-player co-op will work.Of course, if you don't want to do the whole download thing, we've also conveniently placed the video after the break. Be prepared, it's almost 15 minutes long.
Dyack may step down as head of Silicon Knights [update]
GameDaily has an interview with Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack where he talks about stepping down as head of the studio. He won't leave the company, but merely let someone else take over the business side while he focuses on creative. He admits it'll be a little "weird," but as the company continues to grow, he'd like to stay focused on making new IPs.Dyack having a boss could be just what the company needs. Silicon Knights has notoriously slow development cycles and having an "evil" business director cracking the whip might help. We can only imagine what other projects the studio could have been working on had Too Human come out years ago as planned; instead of stumbling in this August.Update: Dyack told GameSpot, "I was as surprised to see this as everyone else. I am not stepping down." The original quote Dyack gave to GameDaily: "So, in the end as the company grows, for my role I'll probably hire someone to be my boss and help run the company, which is kind of a weird thing, and I actually won't run the company while I continue to work at what is the company's bread and butter, which is original IPs with great stories and game concepts that are provocative to gamers."
Dyack: 'Strong chance' that Eternal Darkness will return
You know, it's a funny thing about adjectives in the video game industry. Final Fantasy is never actually final, the company that made Cabela's 4x4 Off-Road Adventure III was called Fun Labs and with its one appearance on GameCube, Eternal Darkness seemed to be anything but. Silicon Knights boss Denis Dyack provided some hope however yesterday, while speaking at Microsoft's Spring Showcase.TVG reports that Dyack said "We don't want to be pigeon-holed [into a genre], we want to be known for strong content...There's a strong chance we'll return to it, but there's no announcements yet." It's not much, but if you've played the game we know that's enough for your day to be officially made. If you haven't -- what are you waiting for?
Too Human dated August 19 for North America, Aug. 29 for Europe
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Too_Human_finally_gets_official_release_date'; The end of a decade long journey will finally come on August 19 this year as Too Human finally hits store shelves. Well, we mean, probably. It seems pretty concrete, but we're not ruling anything out with Too Human. We won't believe it's actually been released until we're a good two or three hours into playing the final disc.
New MS leak shows Too Human co-op
So, just how many leaks have sprung from the S.S. Microsoft Gamer's Day '08? Well, let's put it this way: A string quartet has started solemnly playing their final song and a person with priority issues has started rearranging the deck chairs. Yesterday it was Banjo Kazooie 3 and Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise, now, Shacknews has some new screens from Too Human.They appear to show some co-op gameplay from Denis Dyack's baby, which we imagine we'll be getting an earful of at the event (alongside a boatload of information about some of the other titles). Our anticipation has slacked a bit, what with all the leakage, but we're still dying to know what "Lips" is. Expect to hear more soon.
Mass Effect, Too Human devs justify their trilogies
Dear developer, does your game need to be a trilogy? MTV's Multiplayer blog decided to make two developers -- Too Human's Denis Dyack and Mass Effect's Ray Muzyka -- justify their trilogy ambitions. Dyack responds that their three-part epic is already mapped out, story-wise, and that each iteration has a specific theme: discovery, revenge and enlightenment, respectively.As for Mass Effect, BioWare co-founder Muzyka was more vague in his reasoning, citing how "great science fiction arcs often occur in trilogies" and that they allow for a different pacing. The feeling we get is that BioWare isn't as interested in the story aspect so much as it is in the building of a virtual world, akin to what Will Wright discussed at this year's GDC.
Gamestop's Too Human placeholder moved from May to August
When a game's development began sometime in the Nixon administration, does it really matter exactly what month it's going to be released? As gamers, you naturally know the answer to this question: Of course it does. It matters to the month, the day, possibly even the minute. It is in that spirit that we bring you this interesting tidbit: Too Human's placeholder release date on the Gamestop website has been moved from May to August. So, what does that mean? Well, we'd like to think it means a release date is firming up, but it could just as easily mean that Jimmy the Gamestop intern is tasked with moving the Too Human release date back every few months like he's pruning some sort of cybernetic topiary. So file this one under interesting, but not terribly helpful.
GDC08: Hands-on with Too Human
As I violently disassembled insectile robots into their constituent sparks and parts, someone asked me which game Too Human reminded me of. Without pause, I pointed towards Devil May Cry, Capcom's over-the-top display of acrobatic swordsmanship and stylish oneupmanship. It made perfect sense -- the dual pistols, the melee mashing, the juggling of enemies and the utter disregard for the forces of gravity made it a close match, with the exception of whimpering demons having been replaced by spidery robots. I don't think the comparison is inaccurate given Too Human's wonderfully chaotic encounters, but I've since come up with one that more closely conveys my somewhat conflicted opinion. Too Human is very much like Mass Effect, and not just in terms of technology, grand science fiction settings and heroic bald men, but in how it presents a role-playing game within the shell of an action game. %Gallery-16464%
