Hype
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Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR hype in hyperspace
The Hyperspace Beacon is a weekly guide and discussion by Larry Everett about the yet-to-be-released game Star Wars: The Old Republic. In a world where MMOs are now commonplace, it seems as though he who has the hippest hype wins. E3 was all about convincing the media that your game or toy was the latest and greatest thing to hit the electronics industry since Pac-man. The media, being the attention-fiends they are, ate it all up. Even Massively wasn't exempt from basking in the spoils of temporary celebrity. I mean, really, did we do a featured news story on Gaia? Yes -- one. But we did no less than ten articles featuring SWTOR coming out of E3. According to some, we're now "Massively: Your daily news about SWTOR and some of these other games over here." So with all this hippity-hype everywhere, pouring from all the latest sites popping up and just longing to be the your best source of SWTOR news, how do you determine which is the best? What do you read? What do you ignore? Which is rumor? Which is truth? Who is that masked man? And did you find the Sith Inquisitor in the midriff top as cute as I did? I know, right?! The answers to these questions aren't easy. Sometimes you need a guide to help you through the hype, a hype(rspace) beacon, if you will. This Beacon is here help you calculate the jump. So strap yourself in, kid. It's going to be a bumpy ride.
iPhone 4's resolution resolved
When Steve Jobs introduced iPhone 4, he claimed that its "Retina Display's" tiny pixels exceed what the human eye can differentiate. "It turns out there's a magic number right around 300 pixels per inch, that when you hold something around to 10 to 12 inches away from your eyes, is the limit of the human retina to differentiate the pixels," Jobs said. Raymond Soneira, president of DisplayMate Technologies, refuted the claim in a Wired article entitled iPhone 4's 'Retina' Display Claims Are False Marketing. Meanwhile, Phil Plait of Discover magazine's Bad Astronomy column responds by saying that Soneira is (mostly) incorrect, while Steve Jobs is (technically) right. Begun this week the war has.
The Daily Grind: Tired of TOR?
How, you might find yourself asking, can one be tired of a game that is still a year away from release? Well, hype works in mysterious ways, and, while I'm probably in the minority around these parts, the constant buzz surrounding BioWare's Star Wars The Old Republic is starting to stick in my craw. Don't get me wrong, the Canadian RPG deities have churned out a ton of great games, three of them on my short list for best ever (Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, and Knights of the Old Republic), but I continually boggle at the blind optimism which causes fans to proclaim that TOR will pwn face simply because of its perceived pedigree. I say perceived because I find it more than a little ironic that BioWare Austin employs several refugees from Star Wars Galaxies, a game that is almost universally despised by both Star Wars fans and MMORPG players alike, and represents the polar opposite in design philosophy from BioWare's World of Warcraft competitor wannabe. It's also interesting to note the news out of an EA investor meeting that indicates TOR will not break even unless they manage to conjure up a million subscribers (something only one other MMO has ever done). If nothing else, BioWare picked the right IP with which to break into the MMO space, as it's been repeatedly proven that Star Wars fans will buy absolutely anything with a lightsaber on it, regardless of quality. What about you, dear readers? Are you weary of the 800-pound hype wookiee otherwise known as The Old Republic?
Chaos Rings and Sonic 2 out, Square Enix games on sale
Square Enix has released their Chaos Rings game that we heard about a while ago. At US$13.99, it's one of the most expensive iPhone (not iPad -- yet) games you'll find, but the reviews are terrific so far. The game appears to be a classic Square Enix title, complete with great graphics, a deep storyline and a tight battle system. I haven't gotten a chance to try it yet, but it definitely looks intriguing, and if the game matches up to the hype, we could have a new bar set on Apple's handheld platform. To celebrate, Square Enix is putting all of their other games on sale, including dropping Final Fantasy 1 and 2 down to $7 each. If you've been waiting to pick up one of their other titles, now's your chance, and maybe you can add the money you save into the price of the new game. And finally, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is now out from Sega for the iPhone. Unfortunately, the game uses the same Sega emulator as all of their other games, so it's not exactly glitch-free or polished gameplay. Still, it's playable, and it's definitely the second Sonic game, recreated on the smaller screen. You can pick it up for $5.99.
Parrot unveils the AR.Drone, an iPhone-controlled microcopter, at CES
Probably the coolest iPhone-related product to come out of the festivities at CES so far this week is the AR.Drone, created by a company called Parrot. It's a little working microcopter that's remote-controlled by an iPhone app, and it's decked out with all sorts of interesting gadgetry, including an accelerometer, gyroscope, and two cameras. A key feature is Wi-Fi integration, so the AR.Drone can actually be controlled by any Wi-Fi device, not just an iPhone. Release is rumored to happen as early as March of this year, although the product itself is still somewhat surrounded in mystery -- we don't know a price, and even some of the features sound a little fantastical. Apparently the drone has an "autofly" setting, in which it'll follow certain visual stimuli in the environment, and it apparently also watches the floor for flight stabilization. The features go even further than that, with the cameras on the real-life drone providing an augmented reality game feed (like shooting robots around your house as you explore with the drone) back to the iPhone. Like I said, the features are fantastical. Parrot hasn't actually been able to show off controlling the copter with the iPhone in anything but the video above -- apparently there's too much Wi-Fi permeating the air around CES. But this is the most-hyped item coming out of the first few days of CES for sure. It'll be interesting to see how the actual product looks and works as we get closer to the expected release. Boy, a price would be nice to hear, though it'll probably be high!
The Daily Grind: What game do you watch the most, but don't currently play?
Sometimes we all take a break from an MMO, even if we're still enjoying parts of it. Other times, we're deciding on a purchase or wondering whether or not to come back, and it requires a lot of observation and research. It can be hard to know if it's time to come back to an old game or give a new one a chance, and often we've all got that upcoming title to obsess over. The biggest chore can be time management, where that wonderful thing known as life makes you choose just one game from a couple potentials. So what game are you watching patiently while hoping for a patch or expansion to fix issues preventing you from being able to subscribe to it? Or for that matter, what upcoming game can't you stop reading up on and obsessing over because it looks like the very thing you've been wanting from your MMOs.
The Digital Continuum: SWTOR turns up the heat
E3 2009 has come and gone, with it came new information on Star Wars: The Old Republic -- and fresh concerns. To call BioWare ambitious would be an understatement of vast proportions. Every NPC receiving full voice acting ratcheted up my curiosity as much as it did my eyebrows. We may need a new word to describe the depths of this game's ambition.As if the voice acting news wasn't enough, BioWare revealed a cinematic trailer that reminded me how powerful this property can truly be, in the right hands. The excitement was so immediately potent that it caused some people to cry "over-hyped!" in the few short minutes between the trailer's beginning and ending.I think it's time to asses the current situation, and maybe ponder a few things about Star Wars and BioWare.
Is SWTOR hype peaking too early?
We were bound to get juicy new details about Star Wars: The Old Republic at E3 2009 and we surely haven't been disappointed thus far. In this week alone we have learned about the new Smuggler class, fan art ownership policy, full in-game voiceovers, and an amazing cinematic trailer. Hype is definitely in full swing, but is it peaking too early?MMO blogger, Tobold, believes it is. He suggests players have seen very little of SWTOR's in-game substance at this point and BioWare is raising expectations to unrealistic heights by hyping the game so early. He cites Mythic and Funcom as examples of companies that built early hype based on fancy words, design concepts, and trailers and then experienced a fan backlash when players perceived that they did not meet those targets.Darren of the Common Sense Gamer disagrees and believes that the Star Wars lore is being over-hyped, not the game itself. He also argues that anything Star Wars-related traditionally hypes itself and that a great trailer about the game's history and story should be appreciated for what it is and set apart from the game itself.
Details on next GTA IV DLC 'coming soon'
With E3 2009 just a scant 17 days away, the hype machine has certainly started to build for quite a few game companies. And Rockstar Games is apparently no exception, teasing its upcoming GTAIV DLC via Twitter of all places. Stating as vaguely as possible, "Details on 2nd episode of GTAIV downloadable content coming soon," Rockstar has officially started the ball rolling on wild speculation. Though it's possible the company will bust out details on the next expansion to Liberty City pre-E3, we're not betting anyone's baby on it. But then really, who bets a baby? You monster!
Former Blizzard devs at Booyah plan iPhone app
Booyah is a company put together by former Blizzard devs (makers of classic games like World of Warcraft and Diablo) and funded by the iFund, and they've been keeping fairly mum on what they've been up to. Until now, that is -- they've updated their website and dropped a press release, and it looks like they're working on some iPhone software. What kind of software, exactly? Well, we're not quite sure -- it sounds like a game, because there's playing involved, but they're also using phrases like "life companion" and "social experiment," which makes it sound like a social networking app with some sort of game or virtual pet mechanics involved. And they are also hinting at a larger pattern of charity or cause-based action -- they told Kotaku that they want to tap into people's "life passions," and Gamasutra was told that the app itself is a "kernel miniproduct" that they plan to expand into a larger movement.Blizzard's own Rob Pardo is an advisor to the team (and the product was originally pitched to Blizzard), but really that's the only clue here that this is anything more than startup hype -- we've seen social networks flash and fizzle already on the iPhone, and even game-based social networking tools like Foursquare haven't really found their tipping point yet.But we won't judge fully before we've seen it -- Booyah says they'll be showing their cards "this spring" (so before June 21st?). We'll be watching.
Second Life's hype is dead (again)
For now, anyway. Linden Lab's virtual environment Second Life attracts a heck of a lot of hype, which comes and goes in cycles. Hype -- you may recall -- is exaggeration whether positive or negative (not to be mistaken for buzz). Whether it's exaggeration to express unwarranted praise or exaggeration to express unwarranted criticism, it doesn't matter. If it's true, then it cannot (by definition) be hype. At the moment we seem to be entering an off-cycle, and that can only be a good thing for Second Life. Hype can be used in poetic or artistic ways to reveal underlying truths but that really isn't much done anymore.
Tracking the iPhone hype generator
Fortune's Apple 2.0 got a nice little graph up of just where and when the iPhone's hype machine went into overdrive. There's no question it was a gigantic brand last year, but what's interesting is just how manufactured and "by design" each of those spikes are. B on the chart above is the actual iPhone launch, and E and F are the 3G debut and store launch. Fortune relates point A to the Cisco lawsuit against Apple over the "iPhone" name, but let's be real: that was just part of the story of the gigantic iPhone reveal (which took place one day before, not two). So the real story here isn't necessarily that Apple masterfully created a smartphone that revolutionized the industry and made tons of money doing it, but that they coordinated a hype machine that marched to their tune whenever they wanted. The red line above, as you can see, is Palm, and while there are a few spikes along that line (probably interest in various new products and releases), there's nothing like the excitement and hype that shoots up around a big Apple event. The iPhone is a feat of engineering in itself, but the hype machine behind it is pretty well-built, too.
Anti-Aliased: The Darkfall prophecies pt. 2
The double-edged sword to this is that the player is going to require a time investment. It's going to take more than stats and big numbers to win battles in these parts, and those things take time to learn. Knowing the environments, knowing how to gauge enemies, and knowing where to go in case of emergency are going to be things that are learned through use and not by giant pointing arrows or help boxes.But, when you do learn them, you'll probably find that you'll enjoy this game more than other games on the market. Once again, talk to any EVE player who's ever killed another player or destroyed a player-owned station, or done anything of note. They'll talk excitedly and smile the entire time they tell you the story.Epic is more than just purple text, it's a philosophyThe number one reason to get your hands on Darkfall seems to be the environment itself. Exploration is finally a viable option, as exploring can lead you to some amazing discoveries and treasures. Cities seem to be well designed and crafted from the limited view we've been presented with. And, of course, some of the scenes are amazingly gorgeous and worthy of a fantasy novel.All of this is heightened by the tension that an ambush can happen at any moment. Things could go from blissfully calm to deadly in a heartbeat. Player action is the root of the game, and not an incidental item left outside of the menu. The design is set up so that players drive what the game has to offer, a page taken directly from EVE Online's book of plays.Games should stop telling their players that things are epic, and instead make players feel like things are epic. Darkfall seems to understand this, and incorporates it into as many aspects of their design as possible.So, what's the final word?Even with all of these good things in store, even with the looks we have of the game, I'm going to be bluntly honest. Darkfall's hype is bigger than it's bite. We're not looking at the savior of MMOs or anything like that. Players are going to walk away feeling disappointed not because Darkfall is a bad game, but because they may not understand what they're getting into.Darkfall will be a good, solid game that will follow up on amazing concepts, but those concepts are not made for the general population of players. Let me stress that this is not a bad thing. Darkfall will certainly have a home amongst the well made games of our time. But players who are buying into the hype and not researching what they're getting into may find that this may not be the game for them.Players with backgrounds in Lineage II, EVE Online, and Ultima Online will find things to love here. But players with more modern MMO experience, like World of Warcraft or Lord of the Rings Online, may find that the game world is too harsh and unforgiving.But if you can get through that harshness and stick it out, you're going to find experiences in this game that you will be completely unable to find in other games. You will walk away from Darkfall with tales to tell your friends, I guarantee it. Colin Brennan is the weekly writer of Anti-Aliased who is interested, yet cautious, about Darkfall Online. When he's not writing here for Massively, he's over running Epic Loot For All! with his insane friends. If you want to message him, send him an e-mail at colin.brennan AT weblogsinc DOT com.
Wired's vaporware column adds Hero's Journey next to Duke Nukem Forever
And everyone at the Massively offices scratched their heads at the same time and said, "Huh?" All right, so Hero's Journey has been in production for, well, forever, but just because the game isn't coming out anytime soon doesn't exactly warrant it on the vaporware list at position number 8.Especially as the game's engine, the now well-known HeroEngine, has been licensed by BioWare for this Star Wars game you might have heard about. The HeroEngine development has caught on like wildfire, and even Simutronics's own Neil Harris has said to Massively that the game is on the back burner while the engine development is in the forefront.But, they still haven't left the game entirely in the dust. They've said that the game still has a long way to come in terms of content and polishing, but they're still letting people log in and play -- even when they're not around. The website even features in-game footage and screenshots, a bit more than Duke blowing some smoke at the camera and uttering a classic Duke-ism.With all that said, Hero's Journey hasn't been pressing for release or gaining undue hype. It's a game that has been sitting in the corner, lurking, waiting for the right moment to strike. Plus, with most vaporware, we're usually left hanging -- wondering what exactly those developers have been doing with their time when they should have been developing. With Simutronics, we know exactly what they've been doing -- making a great engine. So that leaves the question, is it still vaporware if we know we shouldn't expect it?
Midway working on top-secret title that looks 'better than Gears 2'
Hyping up your upcoming titles that everyone already knows about is an ancient, outdated P.R. maneuver -- the apparent wave of the future is boasting about your top-secret hits of tomorrow. Midway, who desperately needs one of these aforementioned "hits", recently began following this up-and-coming trend -- in an interview with VideoGamer.com, Wheelman creative director Simon Woodroffe dropped hints of a heretofore unannounced Midway title that "looks as good if not better than Gears 2."The secret title, which has been in development for three months, is reportedly "similar to Gears, but a totally different set up." We're not exactly sure what to make of that. Will the game follow a quartet of burly, foul-mouthed space marines as they spend a summer dispersed throughout their war-torn planet, sharing a pair of magical blue jeans that somehow manages to fit them all? C'mon, Midway! The suspense is killing us![Via Big Download]
The Daily Grind: Does hype turn you away from new games?
When you hear about a game that promises to be the best thing since World of Warcraft, do you die a little bit inside? When you hear about the newest superpower developer hired by Curt Schilling for his Copernicus project at 38 Studios, do you find yourself screaming at your RSS feed? You may not be alone.Often times, over-hyping a game can easily become its downfall. Yesterday's The Daily Grind touched on this very subject in regards to one of the most widely-hyped games in recent years: Warhammer Online. While the hype certainly didn't hurt the highly successful launch of WAR, the hype backlash may have come back to sting the game a month after launch, according to some recent polls. So where's that happy medium? Developers need to inform and advertise to get any respectable retail sales figures, but with MMOs it's much more than selling that box. You want to make sure your customers are satisfied with your product for a long time. Tell us some examples of games that you think reached that happy medium between a successful advertising campaign and delivery of promised game features.
Apple among "10 most overrated brands"
Boston.com has produced a list of the 10 Most Overrated Brands. Apple is at number nine. How so? According to Boston.com, it's the hype that sustains us."...while Apple has made its name combining sharp design with great technology, the brand's true appeal comes from the fact that consumers are hooked on the hype."Us? Succumb to the hype? It's not like we post pictures of empty boxes, sleep on the street or buy Steve Jobs Lego figures. I agree that the fanatical devotion of what Boston.com calls "the iCult" gets way out hand. Is any phone worth three nights on a New York City street? Of course not. But ask those folks why they're there, and they'll tell you it's the fun of hanging out with like-minded Mac geeks. While Apple hypes their products, it's often the fanboys who push it over the edge. For me, that doesn't detract from the fact that they deliver great products.
LucasArts: Star Wars MMO will be bigger than WoW
You may have missed this story last week (we wouldn't blame you if you were busy fighting off the living dead), but there was a big announcement in the world of MMO games. BioWare, makers of Neverwinter Nights, Baldur's Gate, and last year's terrific Mass Effect, announced in conjunction with EA and LucasArts that they were going to make their first MMO, set in the same universe as their critically acclaimed Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic game. Massively's got tons of news about it if you're interested (and even though we won't see it for years and years, I definitely am).But LucasArts didn't stop there -- years before the game is even scheduled to come out, they're ready to say the game will be bigger than WoW. Now, we get it -- WoW's the 800 lb. gorilla of MMOs, and thus they make the biggest target you'll find. But please, can we see some actual gameplay before the hype machine gets rolling?If they don't actually release the game until WoW's servers are turned off, then sure, they'll be bigger than WoW, and hey, maybe if BioWare is able to make their game casual and accessible enough (we're looking at you, Mass Effect inventory system), they'll be able to come close to WoW's current peak of almost 11 million players. But LucasArts, let's get the game working before we start bragging about how big it's going to be.
11 unannounced PS3 titles being shown at TGS
TGS is going to be a pretty big show for Sony. The PS3 has gone from strength to strength this year, with great showings at E3 and Leipzig, but it looks like the best might be yet to come. Sony Japan has sent out a press release detailing its show floor lineup for the Japanese event, which takes place between the 9th and the 12th of October. In addition to this year's big releases, such as LittleBigPlanet, Resistance 2 and Home, Sony are listing 11 unannounced games.Nine of these are being published by SCEJ, one is by Irem (R-Type developers) and one is from Konami. While we suspect some of these games will be ones we've heard of before (White Knight Story and some PSN titles, for example), there's little doubt that there will be new games being announced at the show. Maybe Team ICO will finally reveal what they've been working on? As for Konami, we've no idea what they've got planned -- it could be a DDR title, it could be Metal Gear Solid Existence. We'll be there to let you know as soon as we find out. Check out Sony's full exhibition list after the break.[Via Siliconera]
Wii Warm Up: The (new) hype machine
57 days divided the announcement and Japanese release of Wario Land: Shake It!. For Captain Rainbow, the gap between unveiling and launch was just 50 days. Disaster: Day of Crisis is a slightly different case. While it was originally revealed at E3 in 2006, it was only late last month that Nintendo acknowledged it still existed, before announcing this week that Disaster would strike ... next month.We don't recall it always being like this. We still remember the agonizing wait for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (period from announcement to store shelf debut: 35 months), and the constant brooding over screenshots and tidbits. This still happens with some Nintendo releases, but increasingly the company is announcing titles close to release. It may sound bizarre to criticize this tactic (because hey, less waiting time is better, right?), but now we barely have a chance to get excited. In fact, we nostalgic old fools sort of miss the days when we'd get hyped up for a game for years. Are we weird?
