GasPoweredGames
Latest
Age of Empires Online posts first dev diary video
Cross an RTS game over to an MMO? Madness! Well, OK, maybe it's not madness at all, but this new video dev blog from the team behind Age of Empires Online is pretty crazy! In it, we're treated to an interesting look behind the scenes of this upcoming MMORTS title under production at Gas Powered Games. However, as we learn from CEO Chris Taylor, Producer Dex Manely, and Marketing Manager Justin Kirby, there's a lot of brainstorming and work that goes on when it comes to creating interesting video dev blogs for a game. With fun, stylized graphics, vividly colored environments, tons of action and a pedigree spanning several different popular titles, Age of Empires Online looks like it has a good start. For now, check out the video embedded behind the break, and if the game seems like your idea of fun, head over to the Age of Empires Online site to get signed up for a chance to beta test.
Halo, Battlefield vets form Tyrant Studios
With high-profile projects like Halo and Battlefield to your credit, it's difficult to pin where to exactly there is to go next -- a question no doubt being pondered by Hardy LeBel and Anders Hejdenberg, both of whom have charged headlong into the murky waters of independent game development by jointly founding Tyrant Studios. As the studio's new executive producer, LeBel's resume includes helping design the first two Halo titles as well as working with BioWare and Gas Powered Games on Jade Empire and Dungeon Siege 2 respectively. As Tyrant's lead designer, Hejdenberg's portfolio similarly impresses, having helped develop both Battlefield 2: Modern Combat and Battlefield 2142.Currently the Tyrant Studios' team stands at seven, with individuals having worked on a variety of projects, from Interstate '76 and Tony Hawk, to Spider-man and Crimson Skies. As for the studio's current project, well the Tyrant team is currently playing their cards close to the chest, though a teaser image on the company's official website shows a silhouette of two individuals, what appears to be some kind of crazy hair, and a logo that reads "ESP," sporting a design seemingly more fitting to athletic footwear than anything remotely game related. Speculations anyone?
Space Siege console port is 'definitely' being considered
After our brief hands-on time with the game at CES, we're anxiously awaiting the September release of Gas Powered Games' Space Siege, the interstellar reimagining of Dungeon Siege (the classic RPG series, not the latest box office turd from team Boll/Statham). However, it's a little known fact that four out of every five Joystiq writers don't own computers -- many of our posts are actually published with an intricate system of smoke signals, morse code, and carrier pigeons.Luckily, we, along with the rest of the WASDaphobic world, might not miss out Space Siege -- According to videogaming247, the game's associate producer recently explained that "a console version is something that's being considered right now." While he mentioned that a port of the game is not officially confirmed, the very thought of getting our PC-fearing hands on the spiritual successor to one of our favorite RPG franchises is enough to inspire visions of zero-G Krug dancing through our heads.[Via X3F]
Gas Powered Demigod unearthed
Chris Taylor's Demigod is an action/RPG/RTS mashup built in the spirit of WarCraft III mod Defense of the Ancients, reveals 1UP. While the blowout tell-all is reserved for the pages of the Games for Windows mag, a few hand-me-down details have been passed along describing the basic architecture of Gas Powered Games' latest feat. Players control single units, so-called lesser deities, each armed with variations of brute force (action) and minion-manufacturing powers (RTS). (1UP notes that dude with the ginormous shoulder pads is skilled in dispatching petty units when his arm gets tired of swinging that tower-sized mallet.)Gas Powered has designed Demigod to be a multiplayer game with an emphasis on co-op play, but a single-player mode will be included, to serve as a "training ground" for PvP matches.
Dungeon Siege blasts off, becomes Space Siege
Sega announced today that Chris Taylor and Gas Powered Games will follow up their Dungeon Siege series with Space Siege, an action RPG set for a Q1 2008 release for North America and Europe on the PC. A far cry from leather and swords, you'll be playing an engineer who can sacrifice parts of his humanity for cybernetic upgrades. How much humanity you're willing to give up seems to be one of the game's central struggles, with NPCs reacting to you differently depending on how human you are. You're on one of the last remaining ships carrying humans after an attack on Earth and, as you have probably have already guessed, you'll be attempting to save the human race from being eradicated. Also mentioned in the release: A co-op multiplayer mode for up to four players. More info on the game is due in PC Gamer's September issue and (we would bet) during E3.
Sega and Gas Powered Games working on PC RPG
At their Gamer's Day event today, Sega also announced a collaboration with Dungeon Siege and Supreme Commander-dev Gas Powered Games to develop an as yet unspecified role-playing game for the PC. They didn't announce an intended release date, or title for the project, but seemed content touting the union. Let's see if this Sega-published PC project makes its way to the 360 as well.
Gas Powered Games working on Wii game
During an interview with GameIndustry.BIZ, Gas Powered Games' CEO Chris Taylor confirmed that the company has numerous projects underway, noting that the company is working on a variety of platforms including the Wii. Sounds great to us, considering the company served up some delicious titles including the Dungeon Siege games. Well, those are kind of the only games the company dished out ... Still, more support for the Wii is a good thing. The rest of the interview focuses on what Taylor believes the current state of the console wars are, taking time to point out his love of console development over the PC. Taylor also notes that he likes the Wii most out of the three consoles offered up this generation, mostly due to the Wiimote and price, in his opinion.You can check out the official website for Gas Powered Games here.
PSP Fanboy review: Dungeon Siege Throne of Agony
PSP gamers have been waiting eons for a great system-exclusive RPG. The Untold Legends series did a fair job of satisfying my hack and slash needs, but didn't bring anything new, inventive, or exciting to the table. Enter Dungeon Siege. This beloved RPG series has been considered one of the PC's best. While the original games were developed by Gas Powered Games, this PSP-exclusive sequel is taken care of by newbie team SuperVillian Studios. And unfortunately, it appears this team simply wasn't ready to handle such a large game: although many elements of the game are excellent, numerous bugs, general sluggishness, and a repetitive formula, make it just another game to pass the time.
