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David Braben is kickstarting a new multiplayer Elite sequel
Elite and its sequel Frontier: Elite II were arguably two of the most influential early space games ever made. They dropped the player into an immense sci-fi sandbox with just a tiny ship and a handful of credits. You could work your way up to larger and larger hauling ships, fight off pirates intent on taking your loot, travel the stars in search of lucrative deals or just wormhole into deep space. If that sounds familiar, it's because Elite was part of the inspiration for sci-fi MMO EVE Online. Space in Frontier was especially deep, with a full-scale galaxy containing 100 billion stars and several empires with their own legal systems and trading outposts. Players could choose to raid other ships or play it straight, mining moons, scooping fuel from gas giants, and landing on planets to survey them for materials. The magic that made this colossal universe possible was procedural generation and some incredibly good programming by developer David Braben. Today David took to Kickstarter to launch possibly the most anticipated sequel in the history of sci-fi sandbox games. Elite: Dangerous promises a Frontier-style sandbox with modern 3D graphics, a ton more content, and a seamless peer-to-peer multiplayer experience with no lobbies. Whether this will qualify as an MMO or not remains to be seen, but the project promises to blur the line between what is and isn't massively multiplayer.
Pac-12 Conference streams come to iPad, fuel that Big Game rivalry on the road
Cal and Stanford fans away from home no longer have to huddle around their laptops if they want to learn who's one-upping who. The Pac-12 Conference has just launched an iPad app for its authenticated Pac-12 Now service: as long as you're with a TV provider that carries the college sports division's games (sorry for now, DirecTV customers), you can tune into 850 live matches spread across a myriad of sports. As you'd hope, going the digital route allows for some on-demand viewing, a dedicated program guide and the social sharing you'll want to rope friends into watching. Only Bright House, Cox and Time Warner Cable subscribers can use the iPad viewer at first, although support should come to BendBroadband, Comcast, Frontier and Suddenlink this fall, right alongside Android- and iPhone-sized apps. Hopefully, they arrive in time for a little ego padding around the Big Game in October.
Why I Play: EVE Online
Sci-fi MMO EVE Online is possibly the most polarising online game in existence. It has some of the genre's most loyal fans and spawns some of its biggest news stories, but most people just can't stand the user interface and gameplay. It's been called boring, overcomplicated, and a griefer's paradise, but even those who don't play it often still watch from the sidelines as each insane story of theft or corruption emerges from the sandbox. Most games can only keep my attention for a few months at a time, but somehow I've played EVE for over eight and a half years. I've heard it said that EVE is a long-term commitment, a statement I find hard to argue with as at only 26 years old I've been playing EVE almost continuously for a third of my life. It's not just been a game to me; at times it's been a way of life, a refuge from stress, a way to stay in touch with friends, and even a place to learn skills that can apply to the real world. Thanks to Massively, my attachment to EVE has even grown from a hobby to a career in writing and games journalism. I've had numerous periods of low activity in EVE and even quit for months at a time, but something always brings me back to the world's biggest sci-fi sandbox. In this article, I look back at what drew me to EVE initially, some of the unusual factors that have kept me playing EVE over the past eight years, and the reason I'm still motivated to subscribe to this day.
Kouziro crafts wired-only, 21.5-inch Android 4.0 mega tablet, makes us think it's compensating for something
We're wondering if Kouziro saw the ASUS Transformer AIO and developed a little Freudian envy. That would certainly help explain the company's FT103 tablet, which at 21.5 inches is one of the biggest devices running Android 4.0 without veering into full-size TV territory. If you're having sudden flashbacks to the Toshiba Excite 13 and dreading the thought of lugging around all 11 pounds of this slab, you'll breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Kouziro doesn't make any pretenses surrounding portability: there's no battery, and a kickstand keeps it upright on a desk rather than crushing your lap. The lackluster 1GHz TI OMAP 4428 processor and 8GB of storage certainly won't do much to draw attention, though. All the same, the HDMI input and 1080p screen resolution could make it a very clever secondary display for another device, and the extra-extra-extra-large size lets it stuff in two full USB ports and Ethernet along with the usual front camera and mobile expansion. The late July release in Japan and the ¥34,800 ($437) price aren't outlandish for what's in the box -- just brace yourself for psychoanalysis from friends and family after taking the FT103 home.
Creep out other commuters: Kinectimals adds iOS to its mobile roster
With the recent launch of "My Xbox Live" on Apple's iOS platform, not to mention Halo Waypoint, Microsoft seems to have officially embraced the ubiquity of its competition's devices. And with today's release of Kinectimals for iOS (a port of the already released Windows Phone 7 version), that relationship is further solidified, but in a softer, furrier way. Kinectimals for iOS puts you back on the adorably named island of "Lemuria," on which you raise virtual feline cubs. According to the game's iTunes description, it works on both iPad and iPhone/iPod Touch devices, and costs $2.99. Purchasing the game will also net you "five brand new cubs" for the Xbox 360 game (presumably of the feline variety), if you're in the market for some brand new animal cubs. And for those asking, no, we're not exactly clear on how you get the "Cub Handler" certificate pictured above. We have some guesses, but they're all way lurid.%Gallery-141699%
The Game Archaeologist's excellent EverQuest Online Adventures: The blogger
To tell you all the truth, the comments from last week's initial foray into EverQuest Online Adventures bowled me over -- I truly was not expecting so many players to be so passionate about the game! How cool is that? I hope that some of you send me in your EQOA stories to justin@massively.com so we can include them in next week's column. Today I want to welcome Rick "Stoney" Stonebrook to our neck of the Massively woods. I remember finding Stoney's EQOA blog over a year ago and being so impressed that there was someone out there regularly updating a blog about this low-profile MMO. Stoney agreed to an interview about the game from a player's and blogger's perspective, so here goes! The Game Archaeologist: Please introduce yourself and your blog! Why did you start blogging about EQOA? Stoney: Well, I'm 24 and have lived in a lot of places in the past few years. I adopted the name Stoney when I started the blog, eqoa.wordpress.com, in October 2010. The purpose for the blog was simple: compile as much information about the game as I could find using various search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and YouTube. I hadn't played since 2005 and wasn't familiar with any new content. I had always wanted to return to the game. Thus the blog's goal evolved from a collection of memories to an effort to get people to return.
Source: Frontier's canned 'The Outsider' project was actually 'The Bourne Redemption,' and we've got the greenlight video [updated]
It seems that the plot surrounding Frontier Developments' canceled project, "The Outsider," grows thicker. A video sent to Joystiq this morning by an anonymous source reveals that the game was actually a Jason Bourne-based project known as "The Bourne Redemption." But wait, that game footage looks mighty familiar -- is that The Outsider? Sure looks like it, but now it's known as "The Bourne Redemption." Interesting! And given that the clip is interspersed with footage from the third Bourne film, "The Bourne Ultimatum," we're guessing that Frontier was hard at work on "The Outsider" / "The Bourne Redemption" when the project was canned for a variety of reasons. Moreover, the clip we were sent is specifically noted as the "greenlight" for the project, which either means it's moving forward or, more likely, this video was the original proof of concept that got the ball rolling on development. We'd love to tell you more, but other than the clip above, we don't know much else. But perhaps you do? You're welcome to tip us with more info! We've reached out to both EA and Frontier for comment. Update: We've added much more information on the subject, just past the break.
Frontier's stalled 'The Outsider' project seen in action [update: now with more footage!]
Frontier Developments may have put the kibosh on continued development of its open-world action title, The Outsider, but that doesn't mean footage of the game isn't out there. Ex-Frontier sound engineer Kyle Nichol wrangled some of that footage and posted it up on his portfolio site, showcasing the first bit of in-game action that we've seen from the stalled project. The Outsider seems to take a few cues from Ubisoft's Splinter Cell series -- especially the latest entry in that franchise -- though the clip only offers a few brief glimpses of actual gameplay, unfortunately. However, this may not be the last we see on The Outsider, as the developer specifically noted earlier this year that the project was down, but not out. "There is still publisher interest in the project and we haven't canceled it," studio head David Braben explained at the time. It appears support will have to come from outside Codemasters and EA, with whom discussions fell through some time ago. Update: We added a second video of the game in action after the break, found on Alistair Lindsay's portfolio page. He was the former "Head of Audio" at Frontier Developments, ending in April of this year. Update 2: The original video has been removed it seems, but a third video has now been added (via Alistair Lindsay's portfolio page) which shows yet more gameplay. We've replaced the above video (which has been taken down) with the second video from Mr. Lindsay. [Thanks, Daniel.]
Frontier's 'The Outsider' on hold, but not canceled
It seems The Outsider's inability to gel with a publisher has finally forced Frontier Developments to put the game on hold, according to statements made by studio head David Braben to Rock, Paper, Shotgun and Develop. "We have had to change priorities because of requirements on other unannounced projects," Braben told RPS, implying that development on The Outsider had ceased in favor of more promising ventures. "There is still publisher interest in the project," he later clarified to Develop, "and we haven't canceled it." The Outsider was first announced by Frontier in 2005 and billed as an action thriller designed to offer "genuine freedom" in gameplay and narrative. Players would assume the role of a rogue CIA agent in "an immersive, dynamic world and storyline" set in Washington, D.C. "This gives the player genuine freedom to change the story outcomes in a way not seen before," promises an ambitious game description on Frontier's site, adding, "each player will get a truly unique, sophisticated experience." Following a failed courtship with Codemasters, it seemed the title had found its suitor in EA, but the publishing deal fell through, according to RPS's source; who also said that 17 Frontier employees had been laid off this week, in addition to a reported dozen staffers that lost their jobs late last year. "Some people have been moved," Braben confirmed to RPS, "and we are very sad to have made some people redundant." Frontier's other known project, Elite 4, was put on hold last May. In November, the studio released Kinectimals to generally positive reviews, though there has been no indication as to its sales status.
The Game Archaeologist and the Quest for Camelot: Your journeys
These days just about everyone thinks he has what it takes to be a Knight of the Round Table. It takes more than a shiny shield and a sharp sword, as the Game Archaeologist discovered. It also requires a $14.95 credit card charge. Former and current knights poured out of the woodwork to offer up some of their very favorite memories of Dark Age of Camelot. It is, in a way, a better testimony to the game than an objective history and developers' opinions. For some, DAoC was their first MMO love, and more than a couple people said it was the single best MMO experience they've ever had. While many players have moved on, these memories burn bright, and it didn't take much prompting for DAoC vets to wing a quick word of praise our way. Blink twice to clear out any eye irritants, and prepare yourself for a marvelous trip back in time to an era of hodgepodge PvP and fierce realm rivalries.
The Road to Mordor: Frolicking in Forochel
Call me weird, but I am an absolute sucker for winter zones in MMORPGs. For me, the season of winter always evokes a lot of powerful feelings as the landscape is transformed, homes are a sanctuaries for warmth, and hardiness becomes a desirable trait. A zone filled with ice and snow screams to me desolation and death -- more so than a fire or volcano one -- but in a beautiful way. It's no wonder, then, that I've become entranced with Forochel in Lord of the Rings Online. Added to the game in April of 2008, Forochel became a bit of an anomaly in the LotRO experience. It was a (then) max-level area that was off the beaten path, created to cater to solo players seeking adventure. In fact, if the epic story hadn't taken us to Forochel in Volume 1 Book 13, I doubt many players would have sought it out on their own. It's a shame if that's the case, because Forochel offers both breathtaking vistas and a unique questing experience that should be encountered at least once in your LotRO career.
FiOS customers moved to Frontier getting Copy Once DRM
Verizon's FiOS is literally at the top of its industry in customer satisfaction and it isn't just the fiber running to the outside of its customer's houses that makes it so great -- although no one is saying FiOS is perfect -- it is the total package including how FiOS doesn't mark any content as Copy Once or marry CableCARDs to 3rd party hardware. Well here is the first bad news for the 69,000 FiOS TV subscribers in Arizona, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin that are now Frontier subscribers. You see although the company promised regulators that customers would continue to receive the same great service, on June 10th TiVo Community members started to notice they couldn't watch recordings in another room or on the go. After some discussion, and many a call to customer service representatives, it became apparent that Frontier is purposely setting the CCI byte to Copy Once, which for all intents and purposes locks down the content to being played on one TiVo. Not much anyone can do since the FCC does allow the Copy Once CCI byte to be set on non-broadcast TV, but still, it sucks for those who are affected.
MMOrigins: Life's funny like that, page 2
What started as simple forum posts on tanking and a little number crunching bloomed into a full guide in Issue 2 of EON, EVE's official magazine. When the article was finally in print, EON editor Richie 'Zapatero' Shoemaker came to me with a work proposal. After writing several more articles for EON and acting as editor on countless others, university work began piling up and I had to stop.
MMOrigins: Life's funny like that
We all got started gaming somewhere. For a lot of people, it was the Sega Mega-drive, the Atari 2600 or the NES that signaled their first steps into gaming. For me, it was the Commodore Amiga, a machine that was more a complete home computer than a games console. It was on the Amiga that groups like Team 17, Ocean, Electronic Arts and Blizzard first really made their mark on gaming and it was a great time of innovation in the industry. I recall long nights spent playing Frontier: Elite II, scooping hydrogen fuel from the corona of a star or wormholing into deep space. Another favourite that I still play occasionally was K240, an early space 4x game and still one of the best I've ever played. It was the public domain market on the Amiga that really caught my attention. It's one thing to play a game, but here was the opportunity to make one and sell it via a page in CU Amiga magazine or a PD order disk. I've always been more interested in making games than playing them but being young with no programming experience, I was limited in what I could do. I tooled endlessly with the "Shoot 'em up Construction Kit" and "Reality Game Creator" packages, making countless primitive prototype games that only I ever played.
LostWinds sequel to be Europe's 100th WiiWare game this Friday
In North America, Bit.Trip: CORE was the hundredth WiiWare release. Today, Frontier Developments announced that LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias will receive that honor in Europe -- which also happens to mean the game will be out tomorrow! As the sequel to the standout WiiWare launch title, Winter of the Melodias is a good choice for the spot, although we don't discount the possibility that it just happened to work out that way. Winter of the Melodias includes a new cyclone ability and a mechanic that allows main character Toku to change the environment from summer to winter and back instantly; in turn manipulating bodies of water or even clouds. We hope Frontier and Nintendo don't wait until it's actually winter to give Americans the chance to play it. %Gallery-71588%
Found: LostWinds 2 screens and video
About 20 seconds into this video of the freshly revealed sequel to Frontier's sleeper WiiWare platforming wonder, you'll probably be asking yourself, "Hey, where's the 'winter' in LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias?" Then, before you know it, BAM! It's winter. This seasonal manipulation is clearly a core game mechanic this time around, but the trailer does little to explain exactly why and how. For now, we're content simply knowing a follow-up to LostWinds is coming at all. %Gallery-71588%
Edge reveals LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias
WiIWare aficionados, brace your hind quarters. UK gaming mag Edge has revealed (via N-Europe) that a sequel to Frontier's LostWinds is in the works, titled LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias. While most of the core gameplay elements in the sequel remain unchanged, Toku returns with one new ability: he can now change the seasons, turning Summer to Winter and vice versa. There's no word on when the game will hit WiiWare right now, but if you live in the UK, you may want to check out the latest issue of Edge. The preview on LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias is apparently pretty extensive and, if you're wondering what all of the fuss is about, you still have time to check out the first game (which some of us think is quite excellent). [Via Go Nintendo; thanks, Fernando!]
David Braben: most game interaction involves killing (unfortunately)
Though political alarmists and misguided cultural crusaders will savor the admission, it's true that killing is something that takes up much of our pastimes. It's a shockingly simple act, easily repeatable and often very rewarding. There's certainly a modicum of skill required -- the right hack here, the well-timed slash there -- but even we've become a little desensitized and unmoved by our daily murder of random human beings. And the same holds true for what's happening in games. In a recent discussion with Eurogamer, Frontier's David Braben observed, "In games, most interaction involves killing, unfortunately." The Elite designer noted that while killing felt realistic "for better or worse," interactions with characters, be they NPCs or online pals, fail to be fulfilling. "It's either stealing stuff from them, killing them and then stealing stuff, or having a bit of voice chat, if you're lucky," he said.While we'd argue that that plenty of gamers have been killing time with non-violent titles (think Flower or Rock Band), it's hard to dispute Braben's point in the context of player-character interaction -- or to overrule his optimism. "Where it gets interesting is when you can't distinguish AI from a real character, and I know that's still a long way away, but we were saying 10 years ago, when will you not be able to distinguish computer graphics from the real world?"That's something we'll have to ask Milo! [Image: The Onion's Close Range]
Lost Winds dev: Reviewers are a problem with low Wii metacritic scores
Apparently, for the Nintendo Wii (according to Lost Winds developer David Braben), the folks reviewing Wii games are the wrong people for the job. Responding to comments made by EA Sports' Peter Moore earlier this month regarding low metacritic scores for Wii games and its less than serious effect on sales numbers of said games, Frontier Developments head David Braben told Eurogamer that, "Most reviewers are what are often called 'core gamers' - and these family-focused games tend to appeal less to them." And he makes a good point. If Joystiq's readership is primarily "core gamers," what's the point in covering casual fare meant for more mainstream crowds? Braben continues, "It throws up a difficult dilemma for those reviewers ... are they reviewing the game for those people likely to play it, or for those people who form the bulk of their readership?" We put it to you, Joystiq loyalists: Continue to cover games intended for a "casual," more mainstream audience (as well as more "hardcore" titles), or focus on "core" games coverage exclusively? [Image credit]
Verizon FiOS TV contractions: May 13, 2009
This is uh....odd. We've gotten so used to FiOS TV creeping into new areas that we've had to create a weekly roundup just to keep track, but today the company announced it is pulling out of rural areas in 14 states, turning over operations to Frontier Communications. The transition should take place over the next year, and includes around 69,000 FiOS TV subscribers in Arizona, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin, plus some in California (Note: FiOS wasn't yet available in all the areas affected by the switch, so this only applies where it was.) Fiber to the premises and video will still be provided after the merger, and the 11,000 Verizon employees in these areas will transfer over as well. The real questions is if affected subs can expect the same packages and level of service they've come to expect, but really it seems we'll just have to wait and see.
