e3 2012
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Augmented story time: A closer look at Wonderbook: Book of Spells
If you're going to demonstrate Wonderbook, it really should be done in a living room. Or, in Sony's case, in a fake living room set up on the second story of an E3 booth. We joined Sony senior producer George Weising – sitting cross-legged on our fake living room rug, naturally – and got a dose of Harry Potter-infused, Move-enabled virtual magic, courtesy of Wonderbook: Book of Spells.
E3 2012: Explore the lore of Neverwinter in two new trailers
Dungeons and Dragons fans who have long wished to see the the lands of that lore come to life are eagerly awaiting the release of Neverwinter, the upcoming MMO set in the Sword Coast and focusing on the Jewel of the North, the city of Neverwinter. Although fans will have to wait until the end of the year to play, they can get a glimpse of the game in two trailers just released by Perfect World Entertainment and Cryptic Studios. The first video offers lore of the Vellosk peaks, sharing how area has fallen to shadow and one barbarian clan caught the attention of powerful warlords. The second clip is part two of the three-part "The Siege of Neverwinter" trailer series; where part one was truly a tease at under three-quarters or a minute, this next part shows more action, following a story of vengeance amid battle scenes. Check out both clips after the break. [Thanks to Paul for the tip!]
Mad Catz unleashes the Wii U accessories at E3, we go hands-on
Eagerly awaiting the launch of the Wii U? You're not alone. Mad Catz is ready, as the outfit has recently announced a set of accessories for the aforementioned console. Here at E3 2012, we were able to get a closer look at the entire family from the charging docks right on down to the TRITTON Kunai headset. While only the set(s) of cans is a finalized design, the outfit says the stands that will recharge your controllers that we saw are nearly complete. However, the FlipCover that we viewed was still a working prototype -- the same goes for the FPS controller that we were able to sneak a peek at. So, what about pricing and availability? The company is only offering that the Kunai for Wii U will set you back $50 when it ships. If you're looking for a quick rundown, hit the gallery below or venture beyond the break for a few impressions. %Gallery-157284%
GAEMS G155 Sentry suitcase for Xbox 360 hands-on
Gamer on the go? Sure, Nintendo's 3DS or Sony's PS Vita might get you by, but neither can quite deliver the full-bore experience of a home console. To get their fix, Xbox 360 gamers with room for one more carry-on will want to turn to GAEMS. The company is showing off its G155 Sentry "personal gaming and entertainment environment" at E3 this year -- a so-called PGE. It's basically a suitcase into which you strap an Xbox 360 before connecting it to the integral LCD and more powerful stereo speakers (complete with Bose-style bass channel). That LCD is a 15-inch, LED-backlit 720p model with pretty terrible viewing angles, just like the older G155. In fact, we're hard-pressed to see many differences here between the currently available G155 and this beyond what looks to be a shinier logo on the back -- which you can replace with custom ones for a bit of customization. It does appear to be very well constructed, a suitably safe way to lug your console about. Check out some more pictures in the gallery below, and tune back in soon when we check out the so-called Project Vanguard, which we're told is a properly all-new design. GAEMS G155 Sentry suitcase for Xbox 360 hands-on Gamer on the go? Sure, Nintendo's 3DS or Sony's PS Vita might get you by, but neither can /quite/ deliver the full-bore experience of a home console. There's nothing like the real thing, and Xbox 360 gamers with room for one more carry-on will want to turn to GAEMS. The company is showing off its G155 Sentry "personal gaming and entertainment environment" -- a PGE, they call it. It's basically a suitcase into which you strap an Xbox 360 before connecting it to the integrated LCD and stereo speakers (complete with Bose-style bass channel). That LCD is a 15-inch, LED-backlit 720p model with pretty terrible viewing angles, just like the older G155. In fact, we're hard-pressed to see many differences here beyond what looks to be a shinier logo on the back -- which you can replace with custom ones for a bit of customization. Check out some more pictures in the gallery below, and tune back in soon when we check out the so-called Project Vanguard, which we're told is a properly all-new design.
Seen@E3: Adventure, it is time for it
I don't know what Adventure Time is, but my compatriots at Joystiq have led me to believe it's quite popular. Here is a giant inflatable balloon of it, as seen in the South Hall of E3 2012.
Skyrim's Dawnguard DLC 'tentatively' scheduled for June 26
Following a demo of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim 'Dawnguard' DLC, Bethesda's Todd Howard said that the game's first content will arrive in June."Tentatively," Howard explained, "it's coming on June 26." According to Bethesda's Lord of the Dragons, the DLC will hit that date as long as nothing goes wrong.To ensure the DLC is ready, Bethesda is offering a beta for the Dawnguard DLC on Xbox 360. Dawnguard and Skyrim's second DLC pack is set to launch on the Xbox 360 first.
Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition takes us on a virtual tour
You may be wondering what exactly is so special about Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition, the Wii U port of Rocksteady's excellent 2011 game. Well, this video overview should be able to answer most of your questions, so long as you're asking whether you can control a batarang with the WiiPad or not.Yes, young ward, you totally can.%Gallery-157243%
Seen@E3: An actual Elder Scroll, imminent doom
The good news: On the way to see the Elder Scrolls Online, we spotted an actual, real-life Elder Scroll. The bad news: We may have opened a portal to Oblivion and cursed all of humanity (and E3 2012 in particular) for all of eternity. The unexpected extra good news: A Daedroth just ate Ubisoft's press conference planning committee.
This is what Final Fantasy might look like on next-gen tech
Square Enix may not be showing any new Final Fantasy games this year at E3, but that isn't stopping the company from giving fans a glimpse at what's next for the acclaimed role-playing series. "Agni's Philosophy" is the title of a fancy new "real time tech demo" of what Square Enix is calling "cutting edge game development technology."We're taking that to mean "next-generation," and apparently so is Square Enix. "Agni's Philosophy was produced with Luminous Studio, Square Enix's game production environment (engine) for creating next generation quality games," reads the press release. Take a look for yourself at the (admittedly gorgeous) video, just above.%Gallery-157273%
Sleeping Dogs E3 video, screens prove once again it's no wuss
Square Enix's Sleeping Dogs has a classic storyline -- tough guy with tattoos gets mixed up with the wrong sort, visits some strip clubs, drives fast cars and punches some dudes -- but as its E3 trailer shows, Sleeping Dogs has something more to offer: Power drills to the thigh. Ouch.%Gallery-157127%
Lego City Undercover demystified in E3 launch trailer
Lego City Undercover is pretty much exactly what its title says it is: Legos, in a city, starring an undercover cop. This may explain the name change, but we'll just let the above E3 video do the explaining for us.%Gallery-157225%
Nintendo 'readying the system' to transfer WiiWare, VC and Wii saves to Wii U
During a developer roundtable discussion at E3 today, Nintendo said that it's currently working to figure out how Wii owners will be able to transfer their content to the Wii U. The fact that this is even a possibility is pretty amazing to us."We are readying the system, yes, to transfer saves and everything you've bought," designer Katsuya Eguchi. So it looks like the idea of transferring WiiWare, Virtual Console and save data content from the Wii to the Wii U is not the crazy pipe dream we once thought.[Note: Image taken from today's Nintendo liveblog.]
Microsoft's Xbox 360 E3 keynote video is now available for replays online
The pre-E3 briefing is crucial for all major videogame companies, and if you missed Microsoft's noontime keynote yesterday you can relive it live and in HD on Xbox.com. The stream is up on Xbox.com for your viewing pleasure to be shocked (again) that Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Halo 4 are going to involve shooting things, or marvel at how much time Microsoft spent highlighting the Xbox 360's non-gaming prowess with fitness or video applications. Check in with Major Nelson and the crew at the source link below, although we're sure it could use some SmartGlass tie-ins with our liveblog coverage.
E3 2012: Razer reveals concept controller for MechWarrior Online
Atmosphere is important in a game. Sure, when you get behind the cockpit of a 'Mech in MechWarrior Online, you can control everything just fine with a mouse and a keyboard, but that doesn't feel quite right. No, you should have something that feels appropriately like a set of controls for an enormous walking battle tank. Something like the Razer Artemis, in other words. The peripheral manufacturer has just unveiled its concept controller specifically targeting the upcoming game, and like most Razer concepts, it certainly looks right on the money. The demo unit on the show floor is unfortunately non-functional, as it's meant as a proof-of-concept rather than a retail product. Currently the team is looking at the best ways to implement the functionality needed, with the final product in flux as feedback is taken into consideration. If it sparks your imagination, however, you can certainly take a look at the trailer for the upcoming controller just after the break. [Thanks to Space Cobra for the tip!]
Sony PlayStation Move Racing Wheel hands-on (video)
After Sony's PlayStation keynote last night here at E3, PlayStation.Blog made a sort-of-surprise announcement when it officially detailed the $40 Move Racing Wheel -- something we only caught passing glimpses of during our liveblog. Naturally, we decided to drop by Sony's booth to find out whether the peripheral might potentially pass muster for you serious virtual racers out there. Our verdict after some racing in LittleBigPlanet Karting? Definitely not, but it sure is interesting despite a few quirks. Join us past the break where we'll break it down with text and video. %Gallery-157252%
Why it's called Lost Planet 3 despite being a prequel
It must be hard to maximize your reach to gamers when there's a "3" in the title of your game. What if I've never played the first two games? How am I expected to understand all of the references and deep, established lore? It's quite the pickle for those looking to come into any established franchise without prior experience.In the case of Lost Planet 3, it's a pretty interesting prospect. It's the third installment in a fairly polarizing series – either you love Lost Planet or you don't – from a relatively unknown developer who hasn't shipped that many games.%Gallery-156930%
Sony PlayStation Wonderbook hands-on (update: video added)
Last night, we caught a demo of PlayStation's new Wonderbook during the company's E3 press event. Today, we grabbed a few moments of hands-on time with the new PS Move peripheral at the Sony booth. As we learned last night, the first title for the new tech is a collaborative effort with J.K. Rowling, entitled Book of Spells. The kit makes use of an augmented reality book in tandem with the Move hardware to project images and animations (basically the game itself) right on the pages. Consisting of only six spreads (12 pages), the software will track your progression through the chapters, and beginning a new quest simply means heading to back to the front of the book. We got a closer look (free from last night's demo fail), so have a peep at the gallery below and head on past the break for some impressions. Update: We've added a video of the hands-on just beyond the break for your viewing pleasure. %Gallery-157207%
Razer unveils Artemis prototype controller for MechWarrior Online, we go eyes-on
Over that past couple years, we've found that Razer's usually good for a surprise or two at any trade show it attends, and today at E3 we got to lay eyes on the latest product to emerge from the company's skunkworks. Called Artemis, that lovely bit of kit you see above is a prototype Razer's cooked up for MechWarrior Online aficionados. It features modular construction with one section housing 12 mechanical keys and sliding throttle input, a central unit housing an 8-inch LCD display (to serve as a secondary screen during gameplay) and an adjustable force-feedback flight stick module.%Gallery-157237% Naturally, what we saw on the show floor wasn't functional, but Razer told us that all of the controls are integrated and will be fully customizable -- so key/button combos can be used -- when it hits the market. Razer informed us that, while they do plan to sell Artemis in some form, for now they are simply soliciting feedback on this initial design so that it can be tailored to player preferences before being sold. The prototype took around five months to construct, so with the iterations that are likely to ensue after E3, it's safe to say that Artemis won't go on sale anytime soon. But, the game it's built for isn't even out of closed beta yet, so it makes sense for Razer to take its time and get it right. While you wait for version 2.0, check out our gallery of pics above and the press shots and promo video after the break.
Nintendo clocks Wii U controller life in at three to five hours on a charge
Nintendo wasn't particularly forthcoming with the specs at its keynote earlier today -- and, well, some things are probably best not mentioned when attempting to hype up your new console. Like, say, the three to five hour battery life on the Wii U GamePad. That's the word coming from a spec sheet posted by the gaming giant. Of course, that usage depends on factors like the brightness of the screen, and Nintendo warns that things may end up being shorter in the end. The slightly better news here is that you can plug the controller in to charge while playing, so that's something, right?
Star Wars 1313 in two formats, four segments and 1,000 feet
Don't hold your breath for these Star Wars 1313 videos and gallery. Not that you won't see them soon -- they are the point of this post, after all -- but that's the advice our supposed bounty-hunter-in-training gets as he descends 1,000 feet into Coruscant, and we think it's pretty wise.All we're saying is this: Keep breathing and watch these three Star Wars 1313 videos (one of which you may have seen already), and then peruse the screenshot gallery below.In and out. You're doing great.%Gallery-157221%
