Gamescom-2013
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Project Spark Xbox One beta arriving in January
The game creation sandbox Project Spark will launch its Xbox One beta in January 2014. A Windows 8 version of the beta is due to arrive in late October 2013. According to Digital Spy, Microsoft Game Studios general manager Dave McCarthy claims everything will be fully playable during the next-gen console beta. You can register for the beta here. "You'll be able to either use that Crossroads mode to build something really quickly through story choices, you can do the blank slate editor, or you can take games that other people have built and then just edit them for yourself," he said. Project Spark is coming to the PC, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. The Xbox One version will include exclusive features, including the recently announced ability to use the software and Kinect as a living room "mocap studio."
Gamescom 2013: DayZ standalone delayed, Hall not worried
DayZ creator Dean Hall told Joystiq that the standalone version of his ultra-popular zombie sandbox mod no longer has a release window. "The awkward thing is the only thing we're waiting on is the core network architecture," Hall said, speaking at this week's Gamescom. "That's the kind of thing only a few people can work on. It's very specialized. It's like, you can't throw more pilots at a plane. You put a thousand pilots in a plane, it's not going to fly any faster." Hall said that art, animation, and design work is ongoing while the network architecture is being ironed out. He also touched on the high expectations for what started as an Arma 2 mod. "If most of the community who maybe thought DayZ was cool a year ago now they think it's lame, I think that's probably good for us," Hall explained. "We don't need to sell that many copies to break even. We want to be a hardcore game and I think if we make a good game people will come back."
Super Joystiq Podcast Special: Gamescom 2013 Day 5
Gamescom 2013 is wrapping up, and the final of five Super Joystiq Podcast Specials closes things out with a bang. Get ready, because it doesn't get much better than this-- we call it a grand finale for a reason. The Gamescom crew is back one more time, and is joined by Xbox's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb, and John Drake and Nick Chester from Harmonix. On the slate of topics: Germany, Microsoft's indie push with ID@XBOX, the features of the Xbox One dashboard, Harmonix, and Fantasia: Music Evolved. All is accompanied by lots of excited yelling. The Great Gamescom Podcast Giveaways of 2013 concludes with another great prize! In today's episode, we reveal the password required to enter to win an Epiphone SG electric guitar. Instructions for how to enter can be found on this post, and after the break. Also, be sure to go back and listen to each episode from the week for a chance at all five different giveaways! Listen to the Super Joystiq Podcast: Subscribe to the Super Joystiq Podcast in iTunes Add the Super Joystiq Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator Download the MP3 directly Details about each segment are available after the break.
Gamescom 2013: Black Desert devs eyeing next-gen consoles
Korean MMO studio Pearl Abyss is talking to the press about its jaw-droppingly gorgeous Black Desert title at this week's Gamescom. According to DualShockers, part of the discourse included the possibility of porting the PC title to next-gen consoles. The website reports that while speaking with Pearl Abyss COO Jaemin Youn and CFO Brian Oh, the duo "enthusiastically answered that, yes, not only [are they] considering porting to the game to both PS4 and X-Box One, but they actually already had meetings with Sony Computer Entertainment." [Thanks Erik!]
Metrico: The Vita game about pie charts, bar graphs and platforming
The developers at Digital Dreams don't hold degrees in mathematics or business, nor are they big statistics nerds, but their first Vita game, Metrico, takes place entirely on a landscape of bar graphs, pie charts, percentages and angles. If anything, CEO Thijmen Bink and Lead Designer Gene Nellen resemble the character jumping around the numerical landscape – a man in a hoodie. Well, it's the silhouette of a man in a hoodie: Metrico is a clean, crisp platformer in a minimalistic art style, with 3D objects shaded in flat, friendly blues, pinks and grays. It's intended to draw focus on the character's movements and how his actions impact the environment. Jump and the platform in front of him may rise with each leap. Walk back and forth and another platform might shrink, making it possible to jump on top and continue. Bink and Nellen want players to notice how often they perform certain actions, such as walking to the left or hopping up and down, and the shifting graphs visualize these motions in ways that can't be ignored, since at times an errant leap can make a section impossible to complete.
Forza 5 director on Day 1 download: 'It depends on what you define as finishing'
According to a previous report, to complete the career mode in Forza Motorsport 5 players will need a Day 1 download. That's based on prior comments made by Turn 10 Studios Creative Director Dan Greenawalt, who happens to be here at Gamescom. We are too, so we caught up with Greenawalt and asked him to clarify just how much players would miss out on without the Day 1 data. "What it comes down to, Forza Motorsport 4 came on two discs, right? So on Disc 1 did you have all the content? Were you able to finish the game?" Greenawalt asked, the answers to those questions being no and yes respectively. "Could you drive all the cars? No, you couldn't," he continued. "Could you drive all the tracks? No, because there were tracks that were Day 1 DLC on Forza 4. So when you say 'Do you have all the content?' - well no you don't, just like Disc 1 of Forza 4 did not, and if you had no internet connection for Forza 4 you didn't get all the content because tracks are downloaded in Forza 4. Could you finish the game? Well, you could get to Level 999, you could race a lot of cars." "So it depends on what you define as finishing. Are you defining it as I raced every track that I deserve because I don't have to pay for these? You're not [paying for these], because you [already] paid for it; if you download it, it's free. So [the reason] you're not playing all this stuff is because you didn't download it; the same thing as Forza 4. If you define finishing as you can level up, you can earn money, you can buy cars, and you can play for 400 hours, yeah, you can do all that." Greenawalt said he understands it's confusing, and until he actually announces the track list, it's not going to be as clear. Hopefully it will be crystal when the game arrives on retail shelves alongside the Xbox One, which will happen sometime in November.
Metro 'a positive experience' for Deep Silver, will 'absolutely continue'
If you're a fan of the "suffocating despair" found in the Metro series, the good news is you'll be able to buy a ticket back to that world in the future. Today at Gamescom, Deep Silver CEO Dr. Klemens Kundratitz told Joystiq the company is sticking with the series beyond Metro: Last Light, which it picked up nearly complete for $5.9 million during the THQ asset auction. "It's been a positive experience," he said. "I'm very glad we acquired that brand. While it launched in a very dry space in the gaming calendar this year, it still got a lot of attention. Our ambition is to absolutely continue with that brand and we will also, in the next phase, look to making it more accessible for a broader gamer audience." Asked whether broadening the imposing, claustrophobic experience would diminish what fans love or create problems with the license holder, Kundratitz clarified. "It is true with a license you have to be aligned with the license holder. In this case it's [Metro 2033 author] Dmitry Glukhovsky who holds the license and he's a great guy. He enjoys the game, the success of the game and we have a good relationship." Kundratitz continued, "He is a great contributor. Also, going forward, as he has been very positive contributing to the last game – I think he can play an active role for whatever comes in the future." Kundratitz politely emphasized Deep Silver isn't announcing a Metro sequel, but he says the brand is part of the future of Deep Silver, and the company has plans to work with Metro developer 4A Games.
Ubisoft evaluating online multiplayer for Fighter Within on Xbox One
Ubisoft's Kinect-em-up, Fighter Within, lets players duke it out in local multiplayer, but the ability to battle online is ... hit-or-miss. Ubisoft is evaluating online multiplayer options for Fighter Within, Associate Producer Nicolas Joye told me during Gamescom. "Since the beginning, [we've noted] online can potentially be an issue," Joye said. "We'll see what we do with it. Xbox One also is something that [Microsoft] is working on, their whole Live system behind it. We're not aware of everything Microsoft is doing on their side, so we can't detail anything right now but we'll see later." After I briefly tried the offline multiplayer at a Gamescom demonstration, International Product Manager Aymeric Evennou said Ubisoft will detail the game's other modes in the months before it hits shelves on Xbox One launch day. The website for the Xbox One game states friends can "compete online against the world to become the ultimate fighter," but Joye's comments suggest nothing is clear cut.
Seen@Gamescom: Don't ask the Hotline Miami 2 devs these questions
Don't ask these questions to Hotline Miami 2 developers Dennaton Games. Just don't. There's a sign that says you shouldn't and we all know that at conventions, it's important to obey signs. Besides, if you break these rules, there's no telling what the developers of Hotline Miami will break of yours. The list of questions banned from Gamescom appointments for Hotline Miami 2, as posted by Dennaton, includes the following: Why is it so hard? Isn't it a bit violent? Do you like hurting people? Why do you call it a sequel when it's pretty much the same? Why is it in pixel graphics? Why are you drinking beer at 9:30 in the morning? If these are really some of the questions people are asking, the answer to that last one is pretty clear. See the full picture below.
Gran Turismo 6 could evolve into GT7 on PS4, says Yamauchi
By the time a PlayStation 4 version of Gran Turismo 6 is developed, it could evolve into Gran Turismo 7. That's according to Polyphony Digital CEO Kazunori Yamauchi, who at a Gamescom panel reiterated that his studio has a PS4 version of its PS3 game in mind, but said that it could take some time to arrive. There's a distinct possibility it would be called Gran Turismo 7 by then, Yamauchi said, adding that he doesn't know if the "vision" of Gran Turismo 6 would carry over to this hypothetical GT7. That's a lot of hypotheticals flying about, but bear in mind we're in a limbo where Gran Turismo 6 on PS4 has been everything but confirmed. The news follows Polyphony Digital stamping a date on GT6's license, granting it access to PS3s on December 6. GT6 will feature concept cars designed exclusively for the game by a number of high-profile manufacturing houses like Aston Martin, BMW, Honda, and Nissan. Polyphony Digital revealed 18 partners for the so-dubbed Vision Gran Turismo project, which will see the free concept come to the game across a year of online updates. Gamescom provided another piece of Gran Turismo news, this time related to the now doubly confirmed movie. Speaking to Destructoid, Yamauchi said the film follows the life story of Lucas Ordonez, a Gran Turismo player who, through GT Academy, went on to race professionally. Ordonez now races for Nissan in the FIA GT Series. If you were wondering how to script a plot for a Gran Turismo movie, you have your answer.
Gamescom 2013: Watch Blizzard's Diablo III presentation
Looking for Diablo III news from this week's Gamescom convention in Cologne? WoW Insider's got it, including a video of Blizzard's presentation and a break-down of the free features the company is giving gamers in its upcoming pre-expansion patch. And speaking of the Reaper of Souls expansion set, there are some fresh screenshots from the update on the Diablo III Facebook page. Head past the cut for the Gamescom video.
Co-Opinion: Titanfall
This is Co-Opinion, where two Joystiq editors play a game and discuss their experience. This edition focuses on a Gamescom 2013 hands-on session of Titanfall, from developer Respawn Entertainment. .portal-left { padding: 10px; background: #CCC; margin: 20px 0; min-height: 85px; } .portal-right { padding: 10px; margin: 20px 0; min-height: 85px; } .portal-right img { padding-left: 5px; } .portal-left img { padding-right: 5px; } Richard Mitchell: So, Alexander and I got to play the PC version of Respawn Entertainment's Titanfall at Gamescom. Let's get one thing out of the way right now: We both had an absolute blast. Personally, I was already very interested in the game, and I was keen to see if its blend of infantry mobility and large scale mech combat would really work. But you, Alexander, went into it without many expectations, right? Alexander Sliwinski: I had no clue what to expect. I'd obviously followed the news and background details on Titanfall, but I knew nothing about the feel of the game going into it. I knew it was a shooter and I knew it had mechs. However, I was not expecting the level of locomotion given to the Pilots and the diversity of experiences available in a match.
Killzone: Shadow Fall multiplayer opens its arms to all players
Killzone: Shadow Fall has a few big ticket features in its multiplayer mode. The most significant is probably that all character classes, weapons and abilities are unlocked right from the beginning. According to game director Steven ter Heide, developer Guerrilla Games set out to make sure that all players could log into Shadow Fall's multplayer and start having fun immediately. The game still features the sort of progression system we've come to expect from most modern shooters, but it focuses on unlocking weapon attachments and ability upgrades. Rather than slowly doling out an arsenal of deadly weapons and perks, players will earn things like scopes, flashlight attachments and different ammunition types. Player freedom is also emphasized in Warzone, Shadow Fall's multiplayer mode. As in previous Killzone games, a Warzone match is basically a mash-up of several traditional multiplayer game types. These are doled out periodically during the match, and you never know what might be coming up next. One moment, you'll be fighting to defend multiple control points, and the next you'll have to plant explosive charges on key targets. Killzone: Shadow Fall's Warzones are different, however, because players will be able customize nearly everything about them.
Super Joystiq Podcast Special: Gamescom 2013 Day 4
Gamescom 2013 is in full swing, and we are back with number four of five Super Joystiq Podcast Specials. Today, the regular Gamescom crew is joined by Pete Hines of Bethesda, and Gordan Van Dyke and Shams Jorjani of Paradox. With the Swedish publisher Paradox on-hand, the group takes the opportunity to discuss the different approaches of EU vs. US publishers, and how cultural differences affect game releases in Germany. Pete Hines also talks The Elder Scrolls Online and the decision to go subscription-based, and Alexander and Richard get into an intense Titanfall love-fest. The Great Gamescom Podcast Giveaways of 2013 continues full steam ahead! In today's episode, we reveal the password required to enter to win a framed The Walking Dead painting (for above your fireplace-- naturally). Instructions for how to enter can be found on this post, and after the break. Be sure to catch each episode every day this week for a new giveaway. See you back here tomorrow, for the grand finale! Listen to the Super Joystiq Podcast: Subscribe to the Super Joystiq Podcast in iTunes Add the Super Joystiq Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator Download the MP3 directly Details about each segment are available after the break.
Gamescom 2013: Roberts demos Star Citizen's hangar module
Star Citizen's hangar module will be available to backers a week from today, but if you can't stand the wait, have a look at some footage of Chris Roberts' Gamescom demo. The presentation runs for about 10 minutes, and it offers a preliminary glance at the game's ship interiors, avatars, and associated functionality. Cloud Imperium is rolling out bits of Star Citizen in a modular fashion reminiscent of Minecraft's staggered release. Roberts and company are reminding everyone that next week's hangar bay represents a tiny portion of the game in a pre-alpha state, but the firm is nonetheless excited to offer its crowdfunding backers a hands-on progress report. Star Citizen's hangar module will initially be available in basic, business, and deluxe versions depending on customer ship pledges. Roberts says that eventually CI will add additional types including pirate hangars. For the first release, SC pledgers will be able to walk around and inside each of their ships. In other Star Citizen news, Roberts recently told Eurogamer that he no longer needs traditional investor money to make the game. "I'm actually not taking money from investors now. The budget for what we're delivering is about $20 million, and we're almost there [via crowdfunding] -- we'll probably be there before the end of the year," he said. Don't forget to click past the cut to view the video!
Gamescom 2013: New dev video discusses Destiny's world, weapons, and characters
Bungie has just pushed live an all-new Destiny video that offers a deeper look into the game's universe, characters, and weapon selection, along with developer commentary on key features such as public events, competitive multiplayer, and Destiny's wide open world. The video includes a fair bit of previously unseeen game footage and is worth a look if you're excited or curious about Destiny. Check it out after the break.
Watch Blizzard's Gamescom 2013 Diablo 3 presentation
Recorded by someone up nice and close to the stage at Gamescom 2013, you can watch the entirety of Blizzard's Diablo 3 presentation on YouTube. This is not an official Blizzard video, so there's a chance it'll be taken down (although this isn't an official Blizzard event either, so who knows -- either way watch I'd watch it soon). One of the big things that stood out for me was when they were talking about the end-game; Blizzard wants there to be something for everyone in the end-game of Diablo 3, not just for the hard core players. This feels like a departure, somewhat, from previous paradigms; and is certainly an echo of what WoW's end-game has become. You can watch the trailer for Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls over yonder, and also read up about what we heard will be coming in a pre-expansion patch to Diablo 3.
Mad Max story is standalone because 'movie tie-in games tend to be bad'
Back at E3, Avalanche Studios said the story in its Mad Max game is "standalone," which seemed a bit strange given the existence of upcoming Mad Max film Fury Road. At Gamescom we asked senior game designer Emil Kraftling to clarify the relationship between game and movie, and why Avalanche Studios went with its own standalone story. "We aren't limited as such by the contents of the [new] movie," Kraftling told us. "But we are able to use whatever contents of the movie that ties well into the games." The game is Avalanche's own interpretation of Mad Max's manic, post-apocalyptic universe, and the studio wants to stay true to its core aspects. That said, the thought of doing a movie tie-in clearly didn't appeal to Kraftling. "It is a standalone experience," Kraftling reiterated. "From the get go that's how we wanted it, because movie tie-in games tend to be quite bad, and we really want to be wary of heading there. We wanted to create the game with a game experience as the primary focus, and we want core gamers to be able to enjoy this game. We want to enjoy the game ourselves. We want to make a game that we want to play."
Gamescom 2013: Firor says ESO's sub will ensure players get '100% of the game' (except for the parts in the cash shop) [Updated]
ZeniMax Online's (or Bethesda's) decision to make The Elder Scrolls Online a subscription-based game certainly drew the ire of a few Elder Scrolls and MMO fans, but game director Matt Firor believes a sub-based payment model ensures the best possible experience for all players. Speaking with Eurogamer, Firor walked through ZeniMax's reasoning in choosing subscriptions as TESO's primary method of generating revenue. He listed two primary motivators: one, to ensure monetization did not interfere with the traditional Elder Scrolls experience, and two, to keep money flowing for future content. When you're in an Elder Scrolls game, you're in a world. We don't want players to hit monetization fees when they're in the world. It's like, I go into a dungeon, if I don't have access to the dungeon it pops up a window: you don't have access to this, go buy 50 credits. We didn't want that experience. That's not an Elder Scrolls experience. Instead, Firor believes charging a monthly subscription ensures players have "100% of the game" and never run into payment walls. He also explained that the forecastable revenue stream created by subs helps the team better plan for content updates. ZeniMax is aiming for new content releases "every month or six weeks, for as long as people want to play the game." Firor mentioned the addition of the Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood quest lines as examples of content players can expect, saying, "And those are 15 hours of content a piece. We're talking major new stuff, which is going to be coming out constantly." Make of that what you will. In the meantime, check out new screenshots from Gamescom in our TESO gallery: %Gallery-168863% [Update: Reader Pavel points out a German-language interview from Gamescom that claims Firor indicated there will be a cash shop selling at least "fun items and character services like character renames" in the game. Here's the exact sentence untranslated: "Laut Matt Firor wird es in The Elder Scrolls Online einen Itemshop geben, wo ihr Spaß-Items und Charakterservices wie eine Umbenennung des Charakters kaufen könnt."]
Four virtual reality game ideas from the creator of Oculus Rift
According to Oculus VR founder Palmer Luckey (pictured left), there are about 20,000 Oculus Rift developer kits out in the wild. That means there are an awful lot of developers who are certainly hungry for fascinating virtual reality game design concepts. Luckey knows a thing or two about VR, and he was happy to share a few game ideas he's had. "You talk to developers, right?" I told him that I do. "Some ideas. I'm going to give you some ideas. You can give them to whoever you want." So here we go: Four ideas for VR games straight from the man who created the Oculus Rift. If you happen to be a developer, feel free to take one. Oh, and with the exception of Crazy Cops 2, all the title suggestions are mine. Just remember, credit where credit is due.
