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X3F interview: Bungie's Frank O'Connor
In another 4 minute E3 round robin interview (check out our first session with Peter Moore), we got the chance to interview Bungie's Frank O'Connor, better known simply as Frankie to Bungie fans. We made sure to ask him about Halo, of course, but we also asked him about Peter Jackson's project and Bungie's magnum opus, Pimps at Sea.First of all, when did you actually start Halo 3's production? Was it almost immediately after Halo 2?Some of it was even before, you know, some of the concepting and design stuff was done before then, but pretty much three years of development.When you were doing Halo 2, was there a time when you were thinking Halo 1, Halo 2 and that was it, or were you always thinking trilogy?We were thinking of a trilogy. I can't say that we felt that during Halo 1 but certainly during Halo 2. That became very apparent that there was more story to tell than could fit into a 10 hour, 11 hour game.The last trilogy you did for Mac was the Marathon games. And Halo 1 you were originally doing for Mac ...There's some symmetry there, yeah.
Joystiq interviews Bungie's Frank O'Connor: Peter Jackson details
During a late night Microsoft interview session last Friday, we had a few minutes to chat with Bungie's head writer and (handsome) public face, Frank O'Connor. As was the case with our previously mentioned Peter Molyneux interview, we only had four minutes before being shuffled off to the next interviewee. The next interviewee, as it turns out, was Peter Molyneux. We'll let you sort out this blog writing time paradox on your own. For now, it's time to focus on the subject at hand: Pimps at Sea. Oh, and we asked a few questions about Halo as well.First of all, when did you actually start Halo 3's production? Was it almost immediately after Halo 2?Some of it was even before, you know, some of the concepting and design stuff was done before then, but pretty much three years of development.When you were doing Halo 2, was there a time when you were thinking Halo 1, Halo 2 and that was it, or were you always thinking trilogy?We were thinking of a trilogy. I can't say that we felt that during Halo 1 but certainly during Halo 2. That became very apparent that there was more story to tell than could fit into a 10 hour, 11 hour game.The last trilogy you did for Mac was the Marathon games. And Halo 1 you were originally doing for Mac ...There's some symmetry there, yeah.
Lair absent from E3, should we worry?
Unless it was hidden away in some alcove, the upcoming PS3 exclusive, Lair, was absent from Sony's E3 gaming arcade. We had extensive time with Sony's upcoming games, but should we worry that this high-profile shooter from Factor 5 was unplayable on the show floor? Could control issues be plaguing the title? Let's hope not. [Update: A commenter noted that it was playable at Barker Hangar. Unfortunately, we only played games from Sony's arcade in Le Merigot.]Check out some screenshots in our updated gallery:%Gallery-3198%
Videos: Burnout Paradise from GameTrailers
While we didn't get a chance to get hands on here at X3F, you're welcome to check out Joystiq's outlook on Burnout Paradise. In the meantime though, we have a bunch of video from GameTrailers. The first of which is a gameplay trailer that shows what some readers complained that the teaser lacked: crashes. The game runs silky smooth and on top of that eye candy we have a trifecta of videos for you after the break. The first is more gameplay, followed by a developer interview that covers a new feature: "Road Rules". The last one goes over the open world of Paradise City. Enjoy.
Joystiq hands-on: Turok
Dinosaurs, as you may have heard, play an important role in Turok. They are big, scary, and seem awfully fond of the taste of human flesh. Lucky for Joseph Turok (worst. last name. evar.), he just happens to be a badass killing machine (probably as a result of the endless childhood teasing about his stupid name). We had a chance to take Turok's brand of dinosaur destruction for a spin at E3, and we jumped at opportunity like a dilophosaur on Newman.
Surprise! Halo 3 soundtrack on the way
While speaking with Brian "Ske7ch" Jarrard about the chaos that is currently Bungie Studios -- what with all the finishing touches being crammed into Halo 3, you see -- he mentioned that Marty O'Donnell is busy implementing the music (which was missing from our E3 demonstration). Turning to the subject of music, we asked whether or not Bungie had plans to release the Halo 3 soundtrack as a standalone product. "I'm sure that's a safe bet," said Jarrard, adding, "It'll happen. Sure." So there you have it, a Halo 3 soundtrack to listen to on your Halo Zune while you play with your Halo ActionClix, action figures, comics, graphic novels, and maybe the actual game itself.
Joystiq impressions: Heavenly Sword (PS3)
No, it's not Goddess of War. Many (including myself) have been quick to pass this game as "God of War with a chick." Although being compared to one of the best action games of the last console generation is far from an insult, it does take away from the qualities of Heavenly Sword that make it so unique.The most important thing to note about Heavenly Sword are its controls: don't start playing the game, expecting it to control like God of War. This is a vastly different beast to tame, and button-mashing isn't as encouraged in this battle system. Expect to be a lot more methodical, and observational, as analyzing enemy movement and stances becomes crucial to true success in the game.Nariko has control over three forms of the Heavenly Sword, each feeling drastically different from the other. In its default state, it forms two separate swords, which give Nariko the best overall speed and range. However, holding either L1 or R1 will change the sword into one of its other two forms. First;y, there's a chain, which is best for keeping large groups of enemies at bay. Secondly, the sword can transform into a massive blade, one which would make Cloud Strife jealous. Obviously unwieldy, this one will attack for massive damage.%Gallery-3174%
Hands-on: Heavenly Sword
No, it's not Goddess of War. Many (including myself) have been quick to pass this game as "God of War with a chick." Although being compared to one of the best action games of the last console generation is far from an insult, it does take away from the qualities of Heavenly Sword that make it so unique.The most important thing to note about Heavenly Sword are its controls: don't start playing the game, expecting it to control like God of War. This is a vastly different beast to tame, and button-mashing isn't as encouraged in this battle system. Expect to be a lot more methodical, and observational, as analyzing enemy movement and stances becomes crucial to true success in the game.Nariko has control over three forms of the Heavenly Sword, each feeling drastically different from the other. In its default state, it forms two separate swords, which give Nariko the best overall speed and range. However, holding either L1 or R1 will change the sword into one of its other two forms. First;y, there's a chain, which is best for keeping large groups of enemies at bay. Secondly, the sword can transform into a massive blade, one which would make Cloud Strife jealous. Obviously unwieldy, this one will attack for massive damage.%Gallery-4886%
Joystiq hands-on: God of War: Chains of Olympus
When Sony said they were unleashing the full power of the PSP for God of War, they weren't kidding. God of War: Chains of Olympus plays and looks gorgeous beautiful amazing gorgeutifulzing. The fact that its a hand-held game on a small screen should not turn people off to this title, it's like a normal PS2 game in a little package and there is no denying it gives the full God of War experience. So much so, that before finishing the demo level in the game, we had to hand it off to somebody else or we'd have ripped the PSP out of the station and walked away to play the demo version until the game released this holiday season -- on the bright side, the demo releases this September.Developer Ready at Dawn has done a great job at capturing the controls of God of War. Thankfully you hardly used the second analog stick (only used for dodging) in the PS2 version, so the PSP's one nubbin along with planned button mashing brings it all together. The animation is smooth -- so very, very smooth. Smooth to the point where we'd almost believe the PS2 GoW titles could hopefully one day come to PSP. All you really need to know about GoW on PSP is that everything you've come to expect from a PS2 version is here. This Kratos ain't watered down and he might even help sell some PSPs. This is a true God of War experience in a hand-held package that no fan can miss.%Gallery-3184%
It's real: Gran Turismo 5 Prologue
At Sony's E3 press conference, Sony showcased the stunning Gran Turismo 5 Prologue trailer. At first, we thought that some parts of the game were pre-rendered. We overheard one Sony developer telling us, off the record, that if any developer can make a game look that good, it's certainly Polyphony Digital.Check out the new screenshots in our gallery:%Gallery-4885%
Hands-on: God of War: Chains of Olympus
September can't come soon enough. That's when the public will be able to get their hands on the incredible God of War: Chains of Olympus demo that we got to play at E3. The game is everything a God of War fan could possible want: beautiful, gory, and utterly exhilarating.The controls are incredible intuitive, and it was within mere seconds that we were able to start pulling off combos and dodges with relative ease. Kratos' basic moves return unchanged, but there are a few new special attacks, exclusive for the PSP edition. We were surprised to see the dodge return, in spite of the second analog stick. In order to jump out of an enemy's way, pressing down on both shoulder buttons whilst using the analog nub will allow Kratos to jump away. It's surprisingly intuitive and easy to use.It should go without saying that the game is beautiful, taking advantage of all 333MHz the system has to offer. It is everything a PS2 God of War game should be ... but on a handheld. And knowing Ready at Dawn, we knew they'd be able to pull it off.%Gallery-3212%
Hands-on: Folklore
The English language version of Folklore (known as FolksSoul elsewhere) is getting prepared for its upcoming US release. For those unfamiliar, the game is an intriguing adventure game where a girl named Ellen must travel to the netherworld to find out the truth behind her mother's mysterious disappearance. Ellen will be able to collect the spirits (known as Id) from the creatures in the game (Folks). When a Folk is weakened, its Id becomes exposed, allowing players to shake the Sixaxis controller and capture the Folk's soul. Once an Id is captured, it can be used in battle as a summon for Ellen to master.Each Folk can be upgraded by capturing more Id from each monster, or by accomplishing certain tasks. Each creature has five levels to attain, and as the beast continues to grow stronger, Ellen's abilities with the Folk will increase as well. For example, with one creature, Ellen might be able to do a two-hit combo, but when fully leveled up, she'll be able to do a five-hit combo.Ellen isn't the only one to traverse through the Faery World: a reporter by the name of Keats is also an integral part of the story. Unlike Ellen, Keats is like a brawler of sorts. His journey provides a unique look on the events of the story. Between each chapter, you'll be able to change characters, and the producer notes that you will not get the complete story if you only play as one character. Although Keats is usually one step behind Ellen, they're both working towards the same resolution.%Gallery-3196%
Joystiq impressions: Folklore (PS3)
The English language version of Folklore (known as FolksSoul elsewhere) is getting prepared for its upcoming US release. For those unfamiliar, the game is an intriguing adventure game where a girl named Ellen must travel to the netherworld to find out the truth behind her mother's mysterious disappearance. Ellen will be able to collect the spirits (known as Id) from the creatures in the game (Folks). When a Folk is weakened, its Id becomes exposed, allowing players to shake the Sixaxis controller and capture the Folk's soul. Once an Id is captured, it can be used in battle as a summon for Ellen to master.Each Folk can be upgraded by capturing more Id from each monster, or by accomplishing certain tasks. Each creature has five levels to attain, and as the beast continues to grow stronger, Ellen's abilities with the Folk will increase as well. For example, with one creature, Ellen might be able to do a two-hit combo, but when fully leveled up, she'll be able to do a five-hit combo.Ellen isn't the only one to traverse through the Faery World: a reporter by the name of Keats is also an integral part of the story. Unlike Ellen, Keats is like a brawler of sorts. His journey provides a unique look on the events of the story. Between each chapter, you'll be able to change characters, and the producer notes that you will not get the complete story if you only play as one character. Although Keats is usually one step behind Ellen, they're both working towards the same resolution.%Gallery-3178%
The Joystiq Reader Meetup: Santa Monica, CA E307 edition
After rushing out of our own party at 9pm to catch planes to wherever it is we're from – and subsequently napping for twenty-four straight hours – we're finally ready to share pics from the first evar Joystiq Reader Meetup in Santa Monica, CA (sponsored by Mahalo.com). First, in a word: unmitigatedsuccess. Yes, we know that's two words, but we really wanted that adjective in there. Over 160 of you showed up with two days notice, ready to hang with your fellow 'stiqers, play some Guitar Hero II and Wii Sports, win swag (some good, some ... not so good), and remind everyone at Joystiq why we do what we do (whatever that is). Seriously, we were bowled over (and not in a Wii Sports kinda way).We'd really like to thank Mahalo (of course) for loaning us their awesome space, helping arrange the entire shindig, and making sure you guys didn't go hungry or thirsty. We'd also like to thank Mojo for providing energy drinks, Activision (hey, Frankie!) for bringing Guitar Hero II and an awesome poster signed by Slash, and Nyko for a ton of swag that wasn't totally disposable -- they gave us real products to give away!Most of all, we'd like to thank every single person that came. We met readers whose names we'd only read; we met readers who avoid the comments at all costs ("Comment name? Oh no, I don't go in there."); we met readers who are totally famous; we met readers whose work we ourselves read; and we met readers who actually make some of the games that we play. It was, to be sure, a humbling experience. It was also gobs of fun.Even if you avoid the comments, make an exception to say hi on this post. And if you've got any really good pics, you can get them to us by sending a note here and we'll assemble them all in a gallery. Again, thanks. And let's not wait another three years to do this again, k?%Gallery-4883%
Wii Warm Up: E3 -- your thoughts
This year's E3 had a lot of ups and downs. First and foremost, of course, there was the changed format ... and second, Nintendo's presentation and news seems to be pretty polarizing among fans. Some people thought the show was a win, and others are less convinced. We're interested in knowing how you feel about the show over all, and your favorite news and video items from the coverage. Go ahead. Spill. After all, we showed you our ending thoughts.
Saturday PSP background explosion E3 edition
Every week, PSP Fanboy brings you new backgrounds to beautify your PSP. Remember, you can save these images directly to your PSP by accessing the site wireless at m.pspfanboy.com. This week we have an E3 themed background explosion. So if you're still coming off an E3 buzz, these should help keep you company. If you already requested a background and it hasn't appeared, check the archive. It may have been previously created. Keep reading to see this week's background collection. Backgrounds after the jump ... New for PSP: Get selected wallpapers delivered automatically to your PSP via our new RSS feed.
PS3 60GB doesn't represent a price drop, it's a clearance sale
Anger, frustration, confusion, denial, shock ... these are all words that can be used to describe the emotional state felt by the gamer community after Sony went from officially announcing a price drop on Monday, to essentially making it all a moot point by Friday because the 60GB is being discontinued. The mainstream media still hasn't picked up on the story and we haven't seen anything from the Associated Press or Reuters* yet. You know, this may be considered a price drop, but the real phrase is "clearance sale."That's what it is. We'll be right back to the $599 price we started at in a few months once the 60GB units sell, only with some "added value" thrown in (with a little something taken away). Is going back to the old price worth it to consumers for an extra 20GB and Motorstorm? Is that what Sony executives really think is going to move units at the magical $599 price? Of course, there is also the possibility that once the 60GB units sell out, the 80GB model will drop down to that price after Sony squeezes a little bit more cash out of having a premium model. If the 80GB takes the place of the 60GB the moment stock runs out, there will still be a PS3 model at the new $499 price. As the story played out on Friday, there were many people at E3 scrambling to get what the real story was and comparing notes on the madness we had heard the night before. Most conversations regarding the subject started with, "There's no way it could be true." But here we are -- if the 80GB model doesn't receive a similar price drop, we'll be stuck with a new package for the PS3 at the old price of $599.*Update: Reuters caught on and impresses with proper attribution.
Joystiq impressions: Mario & Sonic at the Olympics (Wii)
Despite being one of the largest competitive events in the world, the Olympic Games can essentially be broken down into a series of smaller games. If you're so inclined, you may even refer to their relative individual size as "tiny," "diminutive or "mini," with an enthusiastic vocabulary producing an even more effective title in the form of "minigame." Clearly, the Olympics and the Wii are going to get along famously. If you're hoping that the union of once archrivals Sonic and Mario has somehow yielded a profound celebration of human competition and spirit, you'd be mistaken and rather disappointed. The equivalent of gaming chewing gum, Mario & Sonic at the Olympics shows no pretense of being anything other than a collection of miniature games, and beyond the initial burst of flavor upon discovering the Wii motions needed to complete an event, it's likely to degenerate into a bout of repetitive motion. You should know exactly what you're getting into here.%Gallery-4863%%Gallery-4864%
Fable 2 seafaring nixed, ninjas added?
Whilst chatting with Peter Molyneux during a lightning fast, round robin interview session (8 tables, 8 Xbox luminaries, 4 minutes each: more at X3F), we learned two surprising things about Fable 2. First of all, we have bad news for all the would-be Fable 2 pirates: seafaring has been cut from the game. Molyneux told us that Lionhead had intended to allow players to become ship captains and sail the ocean blue, but eventually made the decision to cut the concept from the game. According to Molyneux, it's part of his job to cut things out of Fable 2 so that what is left -- the combat, for instance -- is really polished. Molyneux did inform us that the game will still contain pirates though, so that should serve as some consolation. As for the (possibly) good news: since we were on the subject of pirates, we cheekily asked Molyneux if Fable 2 will have ninjas. Molyneux responded, "Ninjas? Well, we aren't saying anything about that. It's funny you should ask that question." Why, Peter? Why is it funny that we should ask that question!? Tell us more!So then, for those keeping score on Fable 2:Death -- NoSeafaring -- NoPirates -- YesNinjas -- Mmmm ... could be.
Joystiq hands-on: Viva Pinata Party Animals
As a game designed to appeal to a younger audience, Viva Piñata had one fault that probably stood out the most: other than the cutesy characters, it wasn't really designed to appeal to a younger audience. The game is fairly complicated and requires some pretty intense micromanagement in later levels (at least it does if you want to advance). Furthermore, VP does almost nothing to capitalize on the children's property around which it is centered. The various piñatas, which are wacky and wisecracking characters on the children's program, are little more than grunting, mindless animals in the game. With Viva Piñata: Party Animals, Microsoft looks to take on all these problems at once. We took it for a spin at E3 to see what sets it apart.
