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Gazillion VP shares plans for Marvel Universe, Lego Universe, and beyond
If you've been reading Massively over the past few weeks, it's likely you've heard us mention Gazillion Entertainment. They're a company that seemingly came out of nowhere and revealed that they've acquired NetDevil (thus Jumpgate Evolution and LEGO Universe) and have two MMOs based on Marvel Comics IPs in development; Super Hero Squad is geared towards kids while Marvel Universe is aimed squarely at older comic fans. Our parent site Joystiq managed to get some face time at GDC 2009 with Gazillion's VP of Marketing Paul Baldwin who explained a bit about the company and their plans for the MMO industry.
GDC09: How to avoid new legal pitfalls in virtual world design and policy
At last week's Game Developers Conference 2009, we got the chance to sit in on Mark Methenitis' talk on How to avoid new legal pitfalls in virtual world design and policy. You may have noticed the sheer quantity of legal cases, rulings and issues surrounding virtual environments and MMOGs that have direct impacts on users and players lately. We found the talk to be an engaging and interesting one, which certainly went a long way towards clarifying some of the past, present and future problems and we've got a tasty summary of the highlights for you.
Mega64 and special guest use CQC on Metal Gear Solid 4
No matter how many times the Mega64 guys dress as beloved video game characters and go into public, we never fail to be entertained. But their take on Metal Gear Solid 4, which debuted at the GDCAs last week, takes a turn towards the surreal and becomes something far more epic than simple spoof.We want to tell you more, but, frankly, we've said too much already. You should probably just watch the whole thing for yourself right after the break.
GDC09: A candid interview with Age of Conan's game director
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/A_candid_interview_with_Age_of_Conan_s_game_director'; Last week at GDC 2009 was exceptionally busy, but that didn't stop us from talking with Age of Conan's game director Craig Morrison and discussing what went wrong with the game at launch and what's been done since to improve upon it.You're in for a treat, we think.After the jump, you'll also find discussion on free trails for this year, the DX10 client, successful MMOs and upcoming content philosopy for Age of Conan. It's a bounty of information even King Conan would be proud to see!%Gallery-9836%
GDC09: A look at Dead Space's renegade roots
A good 18 months before Electronic Arts even agreed to publish 2008's survival-horror hit, Dead Space, developers at EA Redwood Shores were working on the title. That's just what renegades do. During a presentation at last week's GDC (via Gamespot), senior producer Chuck Beaver pointed out how his maverick team of developers took a decidedly different approach to game design, one involving dusting off old hardware and "an aggressive internal PR campaign."He noted that early in the game's development EA was interested in investing in original properties, though it wasn't exactly sold on the idea. However, from the time Dead Space was pitched in 2006, Beaver and his team worked on the project as if it was already a done deal. With minimal resources they concentrated on "putting pixels on the screen," tossing out EA's game development playbook in the process. While Dead Space was always positioned as a current-gen title, the team instead prototyped a single level from the game on the original Xbox in order to sell EA on the concept before an engine was even available. Besides, who has time to make an engine when there are limbs to be shaved off? Priorities, people!
GDC09: Terminator Salvation hands-on
click to enlarge Set two years before the movie bearing the same name, Terminator Salvation's, well, salvation from the realm of mediocre shooter-dom is in the hands of Bionic Commando dev Grin. Embedded within the film's production team from day one, sharing creations back and forth, the Swedish group hopes to set the game apart from every other third-person action game on the market by playing off the toughness and tenacity of the titular robots. When we sat down to play the game for the first time, we found a functional shooter that didn't manage to terminate our generally low expectations of movie tie-ins.While we were assured that the game does indeed look like the film on which it precedes in the series' canon, the wash of browns and greens which made up the first level's scenery, combined with its cover mechanic and even the look of John Connor himself, had us wondering if this really was a Terminator title or if someone had played way too much Resistance: Retribution. (It looks eerily similar at times; check out the screens.)%Gallery-48219%
GDC09: Understanding what Stardock's Goo means to the used PC games market
Stardock's Game Object Obfuscation (Goo) sounds super complex (and it is), but all we -- "the consumer" -- need to grasp is that it could very well open up a "used" PC games market. Although this sounds like something that would make publishers and developers irate, the clever part with Goo is those groups actually make coin off the transactions. Stardock is still being cagey about which publishers it has jumping on-board with this client-free DRM solution, but should be making announcements soon. We finally grasped the big picture of Goo while speaking with Stardock CEO Brad Wardell and using the glasses on the table in front of us to diagram how the system will work:The super distilled basics (use picture above to follow along): Seller: So, you bought a PC game and now want to sell it. You go to the Impulse Marketplace and -- if you accept the "used" price -- your license will transfer back to the publisher and the game can't be played anymore. The game is "sold." Buyer: You want a game, but don't want to pay full price. You go to Impulse Marketplace and will be able to purchase this "used" license from the publisher through the service and download the game from the digital distribution service at a reduced price. That's it. Now you own the license and can sell it back whenever. Publisher: Here's why publishers will probably like this system: The companies receive almost all the money -- minus Stardock's transaction fee -- from the resold license. Essentially, the publishers get to sell the same license several times and have entered the profitable "used" games market. Goo will go live on April 7th. Considering this is all done through digital distribution, it's best to think of this whole concept as a "used license market" instead of a "used games market" -- there is no physical product changing hands. If Goo takes off, it means that consumers can get money for selling their PC games back to the publisher, and those who only buy "used" games have a secure new option. But, no matter what transaction occurs, the publishers are finally empowered and have cash flow in the used market.
GDC09: Punch-Out!! Wii hands-on
click to enlarge Little Mac is definitely back, and he brought Doc Louis with him. He's also hauling a heck of a lot more pixels this time around, and we're happy to report that Punch-Out!! is indeed still fun to play. The Nintendo booth (the largest and lone major gaming publisher on the show floor) was showing off Punch-Out!! on a few stations, although sadly without the Balance Board functionality that's coming to the game.It did show off four of the thirteen total fighters, including Glass Joe, Von Kaiser, King Hippo, and the newcomer, Disco Kid. He looks like what you'd get if you crossed Mike Tyson with Ric Flair, and pulled him through a Disney movie animation wringer. He likes to primp, check himself out in a mirror, and pose for the crowd. Little Mac learned the lesson about the dangers of vanity long ago, so there's no such worry. Head after the break and start training, Punch-Out!! comes out on the Wii this May.%Gallery-33783%
GDC09: Just how many words were in Fable 2?
The answer? A lot....Oh, you were hoping for something a bit more concrete? Well, as we just learned in a GDC session, the talky action-RPG included some 370,000 words, totaling 38 hours of speech. No, really, you can read it for yourself just above. And that, friends, is why Fable 2 was our 2008 Game of the Year: All those words.
GDC09: Best of show (to me)
This year's Game Developers Conference has come to a close, and I just wanted to take a second here to reflect on what I got out of the show. I literally can't count the number of times I've been asked, "So what was the best thing you saw so far?". I was even asked this by a random guy in the Men's restroom at one point. Dude, I'm trying to pee, seriously. So these questions inspired me to write up my thoughts on what I enjoyed the most. This isn't meant to be a complete review of every single panel and every single game company present at the convention. It's an opinionated, slightly biased rundown of the best and brightest from an old jaded gamer who doesn't pay any attention to anything but MMO news. So ... there's that.
GDC09: Miami Law hands-on
Our dirty, dirty love for oddball DS games isn't something we talk about nearly enough. In short: Give us tons of dialog and mini-games that have nothing to do with each other besides playing to the strengths of Nintendo's portable, and we're set. Yes, we're looking at you, Hotel Dusk: Room 215 and Touch Detective.So, with that said, let us welcome our brand-new DS darling: Miami Law.As hot-headed detective Law Martin and analytical partner Sara Starling, you'll keep the peace in Miami with gunplay and some detective work, both represented with really disparate mini-games.
GDC09: Massively previews Earthrise
The futuristic game Earthrise is one of the upcoming sci-fi massively multiplayer games that we can see on the horizon. It's the first MMO developed by Sofia-based Masthead Studios and features the post-apocalyptic setting of a world divided between utopian idealism and revolution. Massively had a chance to sit down with Masthead Studios CEO Atanas Atanasov at the Game Developers Conference 2009 where he gave us a walkthrough of Earthrise, shedding some light on what this new title may bring to the MMO world.%Gallery-48760%
GDC09: Massively previews Earthrise page 2
The struggle for dominance Earthrise will be a very PvP-centric title, with open PvP and full looting adding greater risk to combat. How long will players have to loot fallen opponents (or allies)? Atanasov says, "There will be a time limit. Right now we're planning for 30 seconds, which means that once you die nobody can pick up your inventory for that first 30 seconds. So you have the time to choose whether or not you want your inventory back," at a cost, of course. A key game mechanic that's central to Earthrise's combat is a player's "battle rating" which is a numerical ranking of how tough you are (as presently skilled/equipped) and conversely how tough your opposition is. Your own battle rating and that of your opponents determines the experience you can gain from defeating them, or how juicy a target you are to them. Your battle rating is determined by a few factors. The armor and weapons you equip and the abilities you've learned largely dictate battle rating. A target's battle rating will be visible to you and determines how much experience you'll get from taking down a mutant or other opponent. The battle rating system will also give players flexibility in how quickly they advance. For example, you may be very strong but if you want greater experience gains from taking on weaker opponents you can choose to use weaker gear to match. In effect, you lower your own battle rating but earn more rewards by facing a greater challenge. The battle rating system isn't just a system that determines individual gains, it will also carry over to groups. Atanasov says, "I would say it's very unique in the MMO field. Nobody has tried it so far. I hope it will work well and will bring some new ideas to the future of MMO games."
GDC09: Impressions of Love ... the game
First, a note for clarity's sake: Our impression of love is that it's a beautiful emotion and the best thing in the world, except for cough drops.Now, impressions of Love, the game.
GDC09: Designing a Mass Effect 2 level, in video
Here's your first look at a level from Mass Effect 2! And if it's anything like the first Mass Effect, you'll see it on every planet you visit. We kid, sort of.This footage comes courtesy of the "Iterative Level Design Process of Bioware's Mass Effect 2" panel at GDC 2009, showcasing the process involved in designing levels for the upcoming RPG. Of course, don't expect any major spoilers or megatons in the videos (embedded after the break). With a planned 2010 release, this footage is far from indicative of anything that'll be in the final game.[Thanks, Crusty Magic!]
GDC09: Havok demonstrates behavioral tool v6.5 (with ninjas!)
With so many fantastic panels and discussions happening at GDC, how does a company make its message stand out? The answer: Use ninjas. Apparently the guys and gals at Havok got the "What's awesome?" memo and did just that, showcasing version 6.5 of its new behavioral tool set during the conference. Admittedly, video footage of the tech (found after the break) isn't going to smoke your shorts and knock your socks off, but the event-driven character behavior system hopes to make realistic reactions easier for game developers. Havok's behavioral tech demo (featuring wacky ninjas) demonstrates animation "tells," allowing characters to properly react to what is about to happen or is in the process of happening. The tech -- which uses the very technical sounding system of Hierarchical Finite State Machines and Blending Trees -- hopes to empower game devs to create realistic scenarios that are easily transferable between artists and designers. What does that mean for the gamer? When a dude gets punched, it looks like that dude done get punched fo' reals. See, we can be technical too ... we have a doctorate in Awesomology.
GDC09: Joystiq interviews Nintendo's Denise Kaigler about Nintendo and 'the core,' DS coexistence
We first met Nintendo of America's VP of Corporate Affairs Denise Kaigler at a Super Smash Bros. Brawl tournament in Worcester, Massachusetts, shortly after she accepted the job with the company. At the time, she had just left Reebok and was a little defensive (probably because she didn't really know all the details yet) of her role at the house of Mario. Our initial impression of Kaigler was that she was a little different, there was something we couldn't quite pin down at the time. Here we are now, a year later, and she certainly is comfortable in her role. Sitting in a big comfy armchair -- barefoot, mind you -- in a San Francisco hotel during GDC, we spoke with the executive about Nintendo's relationship with the core audience, its plans with the two DS models and its relationship with third-party publishers. Reading our transcription of this interview, it can be interpreted that there was some hostility in our conversation; however, it's worth noting, that in context, it was a mixture of sass and smiles. She certainly is a different type of executive than the other public figures we've gotten used to in this industry.So, is the SD storage solution a sign that Nintendo is paying attention to the core gamers? Was that development part of feedback? How did that happen?Kaigler: We have never stopped listening and caring about the core gamer. Ever. As you know, a year ago when I got to the job and reading your site, reading some of the other sites, and reading most of all the message boards -- what folks are saying about it. And they are saying, you know, Nintendo doesn't care. It's never been about that, right. So what I think - I am going to answer your question in a second - but how I like to explain it: So, there is the core, who have been so faithful to Nintendo for so many years and we absolutely appreciate it and recognize that. ... You guys are still right there dead center, we've just brought in more gamers. We've shared the fun that you guys (the core) have had to yourselves and enjoyed for so long. We are sharing it with many, many more people. So our focus has never gone off the core, we have expanded our focus to include others. So I want to first say that.
GDC09: Paper prototype of Aperture Science + Left 4 Dead
Game designer Stone Librande works at EA/Maxis as a game designer, and we mean he designs games quite literally. Whenever developers run into problems, they'll bring Stone in to create paper versions of the project in order to solutioneer a fix. He worked on Spore in the early days of the Cell Stage development, and had so much stuff rattling around in his head that he created a cell level game on the side of his refrigerator. For free.He said they might not always turn out to be fun, but they do aid as a tool in the development process, especially since it's hard to get everyone to gather around a computer screen to check a problem out... but they'll actually come out of hiding to check out paper gaming pieces. We want to design a board game to fix issues at Joystiq, and then fight over who controls the pewter Justin McElroy gamepiece. Check out his "Aperture Science meets Left 4 Dead" board game above, and a gallery of more of his creations below. Just imagine what his board game collection must look like.%Gallery-48716%
GDC09: Disneyland's 'The Haunted Mansion' is a first-person shooter
Scott Rogers is a creative manager at THQ, and a former game designer who worked on titled ranging from God of War to Maximo, and he held a panel at GDC called Everything I Learned About Level Design I Learned From Disneyland, and one of our favorite quotes was "Well, the Haunted Mansion is basically a first-person shooter if you think about it. You're directing what the guest sees and has access to, and that's what we're doing with level design." If Walt only knew! Although not apparent at first glance, once you look at amusement park design and game level design, there are a ton of similarities. We have a lot of goodies coming to you from Rogers' talk which we'll be bringing to you next week. In the meantime, you can reimagine your favorite rides turned into FPS titles. Or you could take the obvious route and just combine a ride and shooter, like Disney already did with Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters.
GDC09: Leaked Uncharted 2 gameplay shows urban gunplay, acrobatics
You might want to stop reading this now, and check out the video posted after the break. You see, when dealing with leaked gameplay footage posted on content-removal-friendly YouTube, time is seriously of the essence -- particularly when that footage was shamelessly yoinked (no, not by us) from a closed-doors GDC panel showing off the highly anticipated Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.In case it gets pulled before you can lay eyes upon it, here's a brief recap: The footage shows the familiar gunplay and monkey-esque environment navigation from the original, though this particular clip eschews the jungles and tombs of Uncharted the First in favor of a war-torn urban locale. The series' sleek animations are even sleeker, and the gunshootery looks a bit more responsive. Also, Nate's apparently developed the ability to survive point-blank explosions. We can't wait to see how this invulnerability factors in to the game's story.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
