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Fallen Earth dev diary focuses on introducing new players to PvP
Fallen Earth is one of three post-apocalyptic massively muliplayer online games currently in development that are a far cry from the fantasy titles which have proven most popular in the MMO world. IGN scored an exclusive two part developer diary from Fallen Earth writer and content developer Wes Platt who discusses creating the PvP starter town of Terance. Namely, he explains how and why the Fallen Earth team has been putting so much work into Terance and the challenges and pitfalls faced in differentiating the PvP-centric area from other more standard towns in the game. The first part is "Building the Town of Terance". It paints a picture of a post-apocalyptic aftermath setting where a psychotic artificial intelligence, long since sealed away underground by its corporate progenitors and forced into a century of dormancy, is woken with dire consequences. Now powered up, the AI -- TETRAX -- prepares once again to work towards the extermination all human beings in its vicinity. Human beings in Terance may find themselves on the run, hunted by AI-directed zombies called Diggers, as well as mutants and vermin.
Dead Rising 2 multiplayer not confirmed, Capcom says
Just like every other year, GDC in 2009 brought with it a bevy of new information (and the ubiquitous Pat Benatar rumor). And unfortunately, during the rush to post information, it's easy for publishing outlets (including ourselves) to mishear something, misconstrue a piece of information and/or not have time to follow up with the information source. So when Jeff Haynes of IGN heard Laura Scholl of middleware developer mental mill on a Dead Rising 2 panel speaking about "6000 characters onscreen during multiplayer sessions," he reported on the piece of information just as he heard it.Unfortunately for Mr. Haynes though, Laura Scholl apparently misspoke. We contacted mental mill this morning for comment on the quote -- a quote that would ostensibly confirm an unnannounced mode for Dead Rising 2, mind you -- and Loretta Stevens told us that she was present at the panel when Ms. Scholl misspoke, saying, "She meant multiplatform." And so we went one step further and contacted Chris Kramer at Capcom to find out what he had to say about all of this: "Here's how it is: I believe what one person says about this project, Inafune-san. I don't know anything about this middleware provider." When we asked him straight up if the game will have multiplayer or not, he had this to say, "We have not announced much about the game at this point," remaining clandestine on the subject altogether. So while Dead Rising 2 may contain some form of multiplayer, as of right now, it's officially not confirmed.UPDATE: Laura Scholl has contacted us with further clarification of her statement, writing, "In my 'Making of Dead Rising 2' presentation at GDC this past Friday, while I was describing how Blue Castle is using mental mill technology in character development, I mistakenly referred to the game as multiplayer instead of multiplatform. I apologize for the confusion. The game is indeed multiplatform, and Blue Castle has done an amazing job creating incredibly photorealistic characters – from their skin tone to their clothing – in heavily populated and complex levels throughout the game. Gamers are going to be thrilled with how the game feels, looks and plays."
CrimeCraft trailer gives a brief glimpse into the urban crime MMO
The massively multiplayer online game industry will soon be getting an influx of space-based science fiction titles as well as earthbound post-apocalytic MMOs. Another new realm that is going to be explored by game developers like Vogster Entertainment is the urban crime MMO. Their debut massively multiplayer title will be CrimeCraft. We don't have many details on the game beyond the trailer they released and the info they've published so far on their site, but we do know that it's a persistent world 'next-gen' shooter built on the Unreal 3 engine.We've found another glimpse into what Vogster has been up to, though. IGN Videos has a (very) brief trailer showing the CrimeCraft characters with narration explaining obtaining and modifying your weapons. We weren't inspired enough by the trailer to commit crimes of our own by stealing and embedding it for you here, so you'll have to head over to IGN to check out the video footage. We're hoping to speak with Vogster at GDC this week and find out more about this title, so keep your eyes open for more on this urban crime MMO.
Aion: Ishalgen zone trailer
The folks at IGN tossed up a trailer of the Ishalgen zone in Aion this past Friday. It's some pretty wild stuff; a flyby of the zone to a techno-styled string arrangement, showing off the impressive color scheme and varied landscape within the game. Not much action here, but it's quite the visual smorgasbord. Check out the video after the jump.
BioWare CM on community management then and now
If the community is on board with your game and/or message, they will help propel your game toward success. That success can be temporary, however, because if they're not on board, they may turn on you quickly and sharply. Word of mouth travels fast, especially on the Internet and the primary job of the community management team is to keep that voice with you, not against you.How do they do this? BioWare Austin Community Manager, Sean Dahlberg gives us some insight after ten years in the field. The SW:TOR CM explains that in the past, community management mostly entailed administrating game forums and passing developer messages along to the players. Because the job wasn't taken as seriously as it is today, CMs were often the last to know about major game changes or the rationale behind them, which made the job very difficult.While the job is still difficult today, community managers are now informed of major changes in advance and actually given a voice with upper management. They are essentially the liaison between fans, consumers, developers, and the publisher. They also facilitate communication, help retain customers, and even gain new ones. Sean says the field of community management is still in its infancy and that he's interested to see where it will go from here.
Champions Online video delves deep into the waters of Lemuria
We've been waiting for the first video featuring Lemuria to -- pardon the pun -- surface, and now we're happy to report that it's here! On top of the visually stunning fly through of Champions Online's mid-level underwater zone, IGN also has an interview with Bill Roper that covers a good amount of ground concerning the first questions that popped into our head when Lemuria was originally revealed.Namely, Roper answers our burning questions on fire-based powers underwater and breathing mechanics. A pill developed by the in-game faction called UNTIL will allow heroes to breath with ease and for the sake of fun. Who wants to resurface every five or ten minutes, anyhow?And as for the water-unfriendly powers, Cryptic is simply taking the "this is a comic book-based world" approach and not messing with anything. However, travel powers apparently aren't going to work underwater, which makes sense. We only hope there's some way to compensate people who spend some time underwater. Giving out a water propeller backpack after completing the first few quest chains couldn't hurt.
Sony dismisses IGN's PSP2 rumors, disses IGN
Wow, not only did Sony take the time to deny an IGN rumor about the PSP2, but the company took the opportunity to flat out insult the site. IGN recently cited "several credible sources" in a report on Sony's next handheld, allegedly featuring a touch screen, Bluetooth support, hard drive and GPS. MCV then spoke to Sony about the rumor -- that's when the sparks flew."Clearly, being a quiet time of year, many, what we thought to be credible websites, are making up stories about PSP2, and how it allows you to teleport across the globe, travel through time, and will be powered by the horns of baby rhinoceroses," Sony explained. "Hopefully, you can sense a mild tone of sarcasm, which should hopefully indicate how 'on the money' IGN are. Needless to say, we don't comment on rumour or speculation, but this is nonsense." We don't know who to feel embarrassed for right now, but it's certainly going to be awkward if IGN is right.Source - Rumor: PSP2 coming soon. (IGN)Source - PSP 2 Rumors are "nonsense." (MCV) [Image]
Rumor: Sega of America lays off 30
An inside source has informed IGN that Sega of America laid off 30 employees today. We've followed up with the publisher, but calls, emails and IMs for confirmation (even about unrelated stories) have been met with an eerie silence.We'll certainly update when more information becomes available.
ION Conference returns for 2009, changes name to LOGIN
Massively's readers who follow the online game industry may be familiar with Evergreen Events. They're the people who brought us the Online Game Development Conference (OGDC 2007) and the ION Game Conference (2008). The next step in the annual conference's evolution entails gaining a new name -- the LOGIN Conference.LOGIN 2009 will be three and a half days of lectures, panels, roundtables, and keynotes focused on the online game industry. Thus far details about speakers are scarce, but one keynote speaker has been announced for LOGIN 2009 -- Charlie Stross, author of Halting State, a thriller that deals heavily with virtual worlds. The call for more speakers remains open, and if ION was any indication of what to expect, a number of industry luminaries are likely to have a presence at LOGIN.LOGIN will take place in Seattle, Washington, from May 11-14, 2009. Massively will have more info for you about LOGIN as we get closer to the conference.
Rumor: 'Major' online Wii game ditching Friend Codes
Slipped in among the various topics covered in IGN's latest Nintendo Voice Chat podcast was an interesting little rumor: a "major online title" coming to Wii in 2009 won't require Friend Codes. How? Evidently the developer simply realized it could pull it off -- and, like most gamers, doesn't care for the restrictive system.Speculation as to what game IGN was referencing (which, according to the site, has already been announced) quickly brought up The Conduit, the upcoming FPS from High Voltage Software and Sega. Joystiq has confirmed via a source familiar with the title's development that it does, in fact, utilize the Friend Code system, and isn't the game in question. So, what is it then? Let the speculation commence. [Via N-Europe]
Despite rumors, LucasArts is 'committed' to new Indiana Jones game
IGN reports that "multiple sources" at LucasArts and "elsewhere" indicate that the developer's next-gen Indiana Jones game has been canceled; however, Joystiq has contacted LucasArts for an official statement and things don't appear so cut-and-dry. According to a LucasArts representative, "LucasArts remains absolutely committed to the Indiana Jones franchise. While we are aware that fans have been eagerly awaiting additional information on the upcoming game, they can rest assured that details are forthcoming."Well, that doesn't sound like the game is dead, although there's certainly wiggle room in that quote to speculate that the long-in-development title has been killed with another taking its place. Of course, that would just be our old friends Rumor and Speculation stopping by to say hi.
Two delicious DC Universe Online 'preview doughnuts'
We've found two freshly baked DC Universe Online informo-doughnuts for your consumption. Now, while the Crispy Gamer doughnut is a bit smaller, it's also lightly crisped with a pinch of humor and will leave you surprisingly satisfied by the end of your meal. Way to live up to the name, crispy! On the other hand, IGN's doughnut is much bigger overall and even has a few new pieces of information regarding character creation and progression baked right into its creamy center. However, you'll have to chew your way through the slightly stale exterior in order to get to that warm, gooey information.Which doughnut should an adventurous reader pick? If you're like us, just eat both! Don't worry about the dizziness and urge to punch your stomach repeatedly aftewards -- that's completely natural. Did you enjoy this? We've donned our capes and tights to explore SOE's DC Universe Online in-depth. Come explore more of Metropolis and Gotham with your friends at Massively!
Free Realms impressions from CES 2009
Sony Online Entertainment had a presence at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show, and offered a hands-on demo of their much-vaunted title Free Realms. For those who haven't previously heard of this game -- and why it's already caught the attention of the gaming press -- it's a massively multiplayer online game geared towards younger players (E10+ ESRB rating) with parental controls providing another layer of security from evil netizens. Despite this target demographic, and perhaps because of the sweet simplicity of the game's concepts and unique art style shown off thus far, a fair number of adults are eager to play it as well. Added to its appeal is that Free Realms will be playable on both PC and the PS3; it's one of the three upcoming PC/Console MMOs on the way from Sony -- along with The Agency and DC Universe Online. Free Realms will have most of the trappings of your standard fantasy MMO fare -- which might seem like the kiss of death coming from a company already offering multiple fantasy MMO titles -- but Free Realms will have its own unique twists that differentiate it from most other MMOs on the market. Free Realms is slated for release in Q2 2009, free of charge, and will be funded through microtransactions, purchasable extras, and in-game ads. Matt Casamassina from IGN has written an excellent preview of Free Realms and nails down some details which were hazy until CES 2009. While the IGN Free Realms preview is short, it's simply packed with details about the game and worth checking out if Free Realms appeals to you.
Ten 2008 machinima worth checking out
IGN has put together a top ten 2008 machinima movie list that's most definitely great for killing some time, should you have any in need of slaying. The list is surprisingly diverse, with movies created in Age of Conan, City of Heroes, Pirates of the Burning Sea, Guild Wars and of course World of Warcraft.We're not too surprised to see an Oxhorn Christmas Tree and a Snacky's Journal 4 take the top two slots, as both series are always incredibly worth-while -- Snacky's Journal 4 won the 2008 Blizzcon Movie Contest. Although we highly recommend checking out The Return of The Revenge of Dr. Mechanico, as it's an amazingly wonderful use of City of Heroes as a storytelling device. Also, if you've really got some time to pass, take a look at Election Duel if you're in any way a politically-minded type with a sense of humor. Good stuff!
Diary of a game hopper
Are you a game hopper? Do you find yourself continuously dissatisfied with the quality of MMOs, yet continue to jump on the latest and greatest upon release? I think it's safe to say that there are many game hoppers out there, especially as the quantity of games sharply increases.In a recent editorial piece at IGN, Char gives us an idea of what it's like to be a fairly extreme version of a game hopper. As an example, "I have been known to be out in the world somewhere, questing or adventuring when I will just stop, log out then head to the account screen of the particular game in question and just cancel, never to go back." The article goes on to explain reasons that they've left a particular game and moved on to others. If you often find yourself doing the same thing, or feeling the same way about the current selection of MMOs, you may want to take a look at this article. It's entertaining, and brings up some very valid points on how some games can so easily lose their customers.
Top 10 things we all want in a KotOR MMO
The Knights of the Old Republic MMO concept has been laid out there, despite no "official" announcement, and excitement is brewing everywhere. What would this MMO bring to the table? How would they successfully create another Star Wars-based online world and make it at least competitive in today's crowded MMO market? Enter IGN's "Top 10 Things We Want in a KOTOR MMO" list. This list was compiled by the folks on IGN's PC Team to let us know what they think would make the game exciting and successful. Some of the features they've cited include space combat comparable to TIE Fighter, player-run territories (planets?) and no over-saturation of Jedis. Check out the complete list at their site for more, and let us know what you'd add to that list.
Warhammer Online CE head start launches, revs up the buzz
The first day of the Warhammer Online head start is over and several servers are already full of players picking sides and clashing foreheads. Another thing that's already started is the reaction around the wider web. The buzz is strong with this one. Here's a round-up of news bits relating to Mythic's newest MMO that you may find a bit surprising: Something Awful's Goon Squad takes to Warhammer Online like Chaos flies to a smoldering pile of Orc poo. Is this a good or a bad sign? For the extreme completionists out there that need to know how to unlock everything in the Tome of Knowledge, you may want to check out the newest Allakhazam site. It should be interesting to see how/if Mythic evolves the ToK to compete with websites like these. If you bought the Collector's Edition and gotten your head start code, then you were part of the group who got in today. Wondering where that special racial head for your character is at and how you can get it? Mythic would like to tell you. The ever-vigilant Mythic community reps have posted a bit more information on the how and where of getting your CE quests, which come with special titles and other rewards. GOA sort of makes up for earlier slip-ups by getting EU players into their CE head start nice and smoothly. Let's hope this is the start of a pattern for the EU WAR service. Mark Jacobs writes letter of thanks and excitement to everyone involved in the official beginnings of WAR.
Earthrise lore features clash between utopian idealism and anarchy
Earthrise is a new title that we haven't seen much of thus far beyond screenshots and concept art. Still, it's one that's holding the interest of a small but growing community, waiting to see if the game will offer an experience that's a far cry from a fantasy MMO. In making the game a departure from the fantasy genre, the Earthrise creators at Masthead Studios have been fleshing out the game's lore and relaying it to potential fans through its own newsletters and some media exclusives, at IGN's RPG Vault in particular. IGN continues its series of Earthrise previews, focusing on the lore of the post-apocalyptic setting. That is to say the old world is dead, wiped out in World War III. Those who weren't part of the Continoma-selected elite are either ash or reduced to slavering mutants prowling Enterra in search of their next meal. The previous piece titled Continoma: The Beginning focused on the corporate entity that rose to power and came to rule what was left of the earth following the near-annihilation of human society. IGN now looks at what happened after the burn in "Continoma: The Rebirth." Check out their piece for the full story on the pioneers of Earthrise who work to rebuild society to utopian standards, and the anarchists who resist the order of this new establishment.
Activision thinking of charging subscription fee for Guitar Hero?
There's an interesting tidbit over at IGN. At the bottom of one of their articles on the Xbox 360 version of Guitar Hero: World Tour, you'll notice a little blurb with an asterisk. It reads: "*Online gameplay is only available for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and Wii and may require an additional subscription." Subscription? Part of us thinks this ties into the whole music-sharing thing that was revealed during GC 2008. Remember, there Activision commented on paying for the ability to upload more of your own custom tracks. So, is this something to do with that? Or, are Wii owners going to need to pay a bit extra? We're thinking it'll have something to do with the music creation, but until we hear definitive word, this one's going to be left open for debate.%Gallery-23491%[Thanks, Robert!]
Rumor: Konami's Rock Revolution may occur in 2009
An associate producer for Konami's Rock Revolution confirmed that the game would be delayed until early 2009 during the company's Leipzig press conference, IGN reports. We've contacted Konami to find out if the representative meant that the title will be available for Europe in 2009 (this is a European press event after all), or if the game has actually been delayed from its original Fall '08 release in North America as well. We'll update as soon as we get the official skinny from Konami.[Via Wii Fanboy]
