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What's yours is mine: How Monaco made player feedback its own
When players first tried out Monaco, the neon-colored heist game by Pocketwatch Games, their feedback was at odds with some of the game's fundamental rules. In a talk today at the Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco, level designer Andy Nguyen illustrated how the developer listened to players without compromising Pocketwatch's vision for a new spin on stealth. To the uninformed observer, it might even appear as if Monaco simply plugged its ears and shook criticism off. Monaco was thrust into the hands of 400 beta testers, some of whom felt obstructed by the strict line-of-sight vision granted to the game's would-be burglars. They wanted to see the whole map, not just what was in front of them, and plan the heist looking from the top down. "When i think about that, it reminds me of the idea of traditional stealth, and what traditional stealth means to people," Nguyen said, drawing a comparison to another breakout hit in the stealth genre, Mark of the Ninja. Unlike that game, however, Monaco wasn't positioned as a game about observation and flawless execution of the plan. Like a heist film, the goal was to foster frantic escapes, improvisation and exciting moments-gone-wrong.
Unity 5 revealed, includes improved lighting, audio
Unity Technologies has unveiled the next iteration of its increasingly ubiquitous cross-platform game engine, appropriately dubbed "Unity 5." Described as a "massive update," Unity 5 features a "completely overhauled audio system," physical shaders and enhanced real-time lighting. Additionally, the update delivers an ad-sharing network that should make it simpler for developers using Unity 5 to cross-promote mobile games. Unity Technologies also hopes to expand the engine's already massive reach with the addition of support for the WebGL graphics API. Unity 5 will be available for pre-order from the Unity Technologies store at some point tomorrow. Helpfully, paying for the engine early also grants users access to Unity 4 and all of that engine's remaining updates. [Image: Unity Technologies]
The Daily Grind: What do you hope to learn from GDC?
GDC 2014 starts tomorrow, and while I'm not making the trip this year, I still hope to learn a thing or two from all the news that's sure to follow. Chief on my want list is some sort of ArcheAge announcement from XLGAMES and/or Trion. What about you, Massively readers? Are you hoping for anything in particular from GDC this time around? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Ouya to show new exclusive games at GDC 2014
The moddable, Android-based Ouya hasn't won over all developers with strong sales from its userbase, but the open-source console still gets the occasional exclusive release. According to Ouya's announced plans for GDC, that trend is going to continue. Six titles planned to launch exclusively on the Ouya will be present at the show, with Whispering Willows and Neverending Nightmares joining the selection in console-exclusive releases. This pair of games will also reach PC, Mac and Linux. Among Ouya's GDC lineup is Glitchnap's LAZA KNITEZ!!, the multiplayer jousting competition in space that's shown in the above trailer. Toto Temple Deluxe also pits up to four players against each other, demanding an answer to the question: "Who can hold this goat the longest?" Players propel themselves into each other to knock the goat loose before sprinting away with it to boost their own score. Reagan Gorbachev might be the oddest of the bunch, though - in the game's universe, ninjas attack a summit between the US and Russia during the Cold War, instigating an unlikely partnership between President Reagan and Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev. Reagan Gorbachev's recent trailer resembles the top-down action of Hotline Miami, albeit with a bit less neon and blood geysers. If any of the involved games interest you but you're without an Ouya, keep in mind that you'll soon be able to find Ouya games elsewhere, starting with Mad Cat's MOJO microconsole in the spring. [Image: Glitchnap]
Rumor: Sony to reveal VR hardware at GDC
Sony will reveal its virtual reality headset at GDC next week, during its "Driving the Future of Innovation" panel, Edge reports, citing developers that have the hardware in-hand (or on-head). The panel takes place on Tuesday, March 18 at 5:45PM PT, and it features SCEA R&D Senior Director Richard Marks, SCEA R&D Senior Software Engineer Anton Mikhailov and SCE Worldwide Studios President Shuhei Yoshida. Marks and Mikhailov worked on the PlayStation Eye and Move controller. The headset doesn't offer much software at the moment, but the developers expect to see a game or demo from one of Sony's first-party studios at GDC, the site reports. Sony has been looking into virtual reality since 2011 at least (that's where the above image comes from), and last year rumors hinted that Sony was preparing imminent hardware announcements. Oculus Rift has recently dominated the virtual reality gaming space, and the company is working with Valve to create better prototypes, such as the LED-laden Crystal Cove, and it's opening an office in Seattle, near Valve HQ. Oculus has ceased production on its current dev kit, after shipping more than 60,000 units. There's no word on a launch date for a consumer version.
Trion Worlds introduces Glyph gaming platform
Trion Worlds is getting into the digital gaming platform business, as the studio announced today that it will be releasing its own "lightweight digital hub" called Glyph. Glyph was created to connect developers with audiences, and is purported to be friendly to use from both sides and DRM-free. The platform will take over the responsibility of being the launcher for Trion's titles, including RIFT, Defiance, and Trove (we'll believe ArcheAge when we see it). Trion says that the studio has already handled "more then 10 million gamers" in the past three years and that Glyph will be a great help to pair those players up with current and future titles. Glyph will also handle games from Trion's partners, as the studio has already begun signing on developers. It will launch shortly after GDC 2014. [Source: Trion Worlds press release]
Meander through Wander's new GDC teaser trailer
Where most games only offer some percentage of activity options besides combat (from basically nonexistent on up), Wander eschews combat completely in favor of exploration and collaborative gameplay. Can't imagine how a game like that actually looks? Well you're in luck! The devs have released a teaser trailer that takes a short stroll through a lush part of the land. Of course, it's not quite the same experience as when players will be able to don Oculus Rift goggles, but it still offers a glimpse of the world that's built using CryEngine's FreeSDK. See the clip for yourself below, and be on the lookout for an extended version expected to release at GDC 2014 in a few weeks. [Thanks to Rachel for the tip!]
The year of the octopus continues with Airscape: The Fall of Gravity
Airscape: The Fall of Gravity pulls an adorable yellow octopus from his beachside (see: in the ocean) home and sticks him on a strange, alien planet with dangerous enemies and wacky gravity physics. It's an action platformer that has players leap over and around obstacles such as angry robots, lasers, vast pits and happy little trees. Airscape is a mix of cuteness and devious things. We're calling it now: 2014 is the year of the octopus. Airscape's first three zones are available to play in the new demo, launched ahead of the game's appearance at GDC with the Indie Megabooth. This is Indie Megabooth's first showcase at GDC, and Airscape is one of 15 games hand-picked to be in the premiere booth. Very fancy. Airscape comes from a team of students based around the world: project lead Daniel West in Australia, artist Claudia Starke in Germany and composer Sam Gossner in the US. It's due out this year for PC, Mac and Linux, and it currently has a Steam Greenlight campaign.
Indie Megabooth makes GDC debut in March with 15 games
Indie Megabooth is busting down the doors of GDC 2014 from March 17 - 22 in San Francisco, with 15 games hand-picked by the Megabooth team, including GNAH!, Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime, Tower of Guns, Assault Android Cactus, Burrito Galaxy and Wayward Souls. Check out the complete lineup below. Indie Megabooth historically makes appearances at PAX East and PAX Prime, and this is its first foray into the mysterious world of other conventions. Indie Megabooth Overlord Kelly Wallick spent part of last year scouting other locations for the project, including GDC Europe and Gamescom. Compared with the almost 100 games Indie Megabooth has previously featured at PAX, the GDC lineup is positively miniscule – but it still hopes to have a big impact. "We're excited to be teaming up with GDC to offer developers additional opportunities to show their games, putting them in front of their peers, and getting them famous before anyone else does," Indie Megabooth Operations Manager Christopher Floyd writes. "This year we're making a concerted effort to extend our reach beyond what you've seen from us before. Our GDC showcase marks just the first of many exciting happenings that we have scheduled for 2014!" [Image: Indie Megabooth]
Destiny, Monaco, BioShock Infinite talks round out GDC 2014 panels
Interesting art talks looking at character customization and animation workflow for Destiny will be hosted by Bungie at this year's Game Developers Conference, which goes down in San Francisco next month. Irrational Games (what's left of it, anyway) will provide a breakdown of how Elizabeth's AI-controlled movements were created for BioShock Infinite and a panel from Monaco designer Andy Nguyen will address how developer Pocketwatch Games completely streamlined its game post-launch after poring over player data. If you've ever wondered how Bethesda created your favorite dungeons in Skyrim and Fallout 3, a panel on iterative level design will attempt to provide insight. A panel from two-man team Vlambeer will offer a behind-the-curtain look at the life of Nuclear Throne, which went from game jam prototype to early access offering and, later this year, full product launch. Another potentially interesting talk, headed up by Sean Vanaman, may finally give us our first glimpse at what Campo Santo is working on. These are just a handful of the dozens of interesting engagements going down at this year's GDC, held in San Francisco from March 17 - 21, 2014. A full list of the panels and workshops have been published online for all attendees – if you're interested in attending, you can purchase passes through GDC's website. [Image: Bungie]
IGF 2014 finalists: Device 6, Papers, Please, Don't Starve, The Stanley Parable, more
Finalists in the Independent Games Festival for 2014 have been announced, running the gamut of creativity and novelty that characterizes the indie games scene. This year in particular saw a record number of student submissions. Simogo's Device 6 – one of our favorite games of 2013 – is up for an award in Excellence in Visual Art, on top of Excellence in Narrative and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize. Lucus Pope's Papers, Please is up for a bunch of awards too, including the Nuovo award as well as Excellence in Design and the Grand Prize. The Stanley Parable, another one of our top selections of 2013, is a finalist in Excellence in Audio and the Grand Prize, while Brace Yourself Games' Crypt of the Necrodancer is nominated for Design. Klei's Don't Starve is up for Design and the Grand Prize, and Jason Roberts' Gorogoa received a nod for Visual Art. This year's grand prize looks to be a heated competition between Papers, Please, The Stanley Parable, Don't Starve, Device 6, Jazzpunk and – deep breath – Dominique Pamplemousse in "It's All Over Once the Fat Lady Sings!" Winners for each category will be chosen on March 19, at this year's Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. For the full list of this year's nominees, along with each category's jury-selected honorable mentions, head past the break.
GDC 2014 opens registration
November's been a really quiet month, hasn't it? Just nothing going on at all ... no notable releases still coming this month, nope. It's a good thing everyone has so much free time though, because potential attendees can now register for Game Developers Conference 2014. This year's event will run March 17 - 21 at San Francisco's Moscone Convention Center. You'll pay $1,475 if you buy an All Access Pass before January 31, which is a decent discount from the on-site price of $2,100. If you're a student aged 18 or older, you may be eligible for the Friday-only, $75 Student Expo Pass. Passes for individual "tracks" of the event, such as the Audio Track or Business, Marketing & Management Track, are also available to be purchased separately. If you're on the fence, the chart on the registration page breaks down what each pass will grant access to. The GDC Summits will precede the main event, offering two days of lectures and panels focusing on specific parts of the gaming industry. Summits are dedicated to topics like localization or narration, but the press release notes that they all will teach through the "experiences and best practices of industry leaders."
GDC 2013 breaks attendance record, GDC 2014 starts March 17
You might still be exhausted from GDC 2013 (or asleep!), but don't forget to mark your calendar for March 17-21 next year just as soon as you can summon the energy to drag your mouse all the way to that browser tab. That's the date for GDC 2014. The call for submissions happens this summer, so you still have time to come up with your talk, or work on the game you want to show off.Chances are, you'll be able to rant and/or demonstrate to more people than ever. This year's GDC broke an attendance record with approximately 23,000 "industry professionals," up 500 from GDC 2012's record-breaking attendance.
