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Marathon: Durandal's bonus feature: motion sickness
The first person shooter genre has always been synonymous with motion sickness, but when the ol' iron guts here at Joystiq started feeling queasy after playing Marathon: Durandal for Xbox Live Arcade, we knew something was wrong. Sure enough, threads began to pop up all over the place and even IGN noted in their official review that four of their editors felt ill while playing. To find out what's to blame for this poké-esque epidemic, we talked to Freeverse's Bruce Morrison, project lead on Marathon: Durandal. "Marathon's obvious popularity, the sudden forum 'meme' of it making you sick, and the wealth of really excellent hurl jokes ... I think that explains a lot of it." teases Bruce. In all seriousness, he explains, "No one at Freeverse, Microsoft, Bungie, VMC or our testing and localization partners reported any motion sickness issues and many of us have logged hundreds of hours of playtime. So we really don't believe the problem is universal. However, a good number of people will experience motion sickness with any FPS."While Freeverse is planning on investigating this matter, Bruce does have some suggestions. First, try playing with the "camera bob" option set to on as the lack of default motion tends to make things appear smoother than they already are. Also, if your mother never told you better, try adjusting your seating position. You may be sitting far too close to your set for this odd, stomach churning experience.Having taken his advice, we can now enjoy this remastered classic with only a mild headache as the side effect. Thanks, camera bob!
Marathon and Board Games hit XBLA
It's Wednesday and that means it's time for some brand new Arcade goodness. This week, you have two games from which to choose (which often seems to be the case these days). You can bring home a little slice of Bungie history with Marathon: Durandal, or you can enjoy some Vision Cam enabled chicanery with Spyglass Board Games. Both games feature multiplayer fun with Marathon offering splitscreen, system-link, and Live play (both co-op and versus), while Spyglass Board Games offers the aforementioned Vision Cam 1-on-1 play. Marathon will cost you 800 Microsoft bucks and Spyglass Board Games will set you back 400. Which will it be for you? Or, dare we ask, are you crazy enough to buy both?
Marathon and Halo -- Closer than ever before thanks to the gamepad
With the 2001 release of Halo, Bungie proved that not only were high quality, console-centric FPS titles possible, but they could be controlled just as well with a gamepad as with a keyboard and mouse. Since then, just about every FPS title to grace a console has attempted to replicate the precision and familiarity of Halo's scheme. So when it came time to bring a legendary Bungie title, Marathon: Durandal, to Xbox Live Arcade, the folks at Freeverse saw fit to keep it in the family."In moving the original, which was a keyboard [and] mouse game, we had to translate all the original behavior to the Xbox controller -- sticks and range of feedback instead of binary key hits." tells Ian Lynch Smith, president of Freeverse. "What we ended up doing is getting the actual curves and math that Halo 2 uses, so in those respects Marathon Durandal's controls have the exact same feel as Halo 2."We can already hear the collective cry of the Marathon community. "Hold it! Doesn't injecting Marathon with bits of Halo compromise the integrity of the original?" Not so, according to Freeverse's Bruce Morrison as Marathon: Durandal still plays exactly the same."If it took 10 seconds to get from point a to point b on the original it will in ours."Get a feel for the slick new controls yourself when Marathon: Durandal is released tomorrow on Xbox Live Arcade.
This week on XBLA: Marathon and Spyglass Board Games
The days when Xbox Live Arcade releases were few and far between seem to be a distant memory now. Here we are again this week with yet another double scoop of downloadable pleasure. This week we have two surprisingly different games. In one corner, we have Marathon: Durandal, an old school FPS (and Halo precursor) that we had the good fortune to sample at E3 a couple weeks ago. In the other corner we have Spyglass Board Games, which offers classic board games with integrated video chat. The four games included are chess, checkers, Reversi, and our favorite, mancala. Marathon: Durandal and Spyglass Board Games will be available this Wednesday for 800 and 400 points respectively.%Gallery-5348%%Gallery-5349%
This Wednesday: XBLA runs Marathon (and Board Games) in HD
We tried working both of this week's Xbox Live Arcade games into an unbearably witty headline, but unless you're a particularly ill-natured loser, guns and board games generally don't go together. As you may have already concluded, the first day of August will see the release of a newly remastered edition of Bungie's classic first-person shooter, Marathon: Durandal. Aside from updated graphics and multiplayer combat, the AI's Gone Wild epic boasts an 800 MS Point ($10) price tag.If mercilessly blasting aliens doesn't float your cup of tea (why do you hate freedom?), perhaps you'd prefer SpyGlass Board Games, a collection of titles you may have enjoyed playing in the bizarre physical realms: Chess, Checkers, Mancala, and Reversi. All support use of the Xbox Live Vision camera and together require an investment of 400 MS Points ($5).%Gallery-5351%
Marathon: Durandal video takes us back
We like us some Marathon. That is no secret. For many people, however, Marathon: Durandal on Xbox Live Arcade will be their first experience with Bungie's seminal shooter. If you find yourself in such a situation, you may find the video above to be an edifying experience. The game packs some serious action as well as many features that were very new during Marathon's heyday, including reloading weapons, alternate fire, and dual-wielding. Oh yeah, and the ability to look up and down? Well that was just crazy (and something you wouldn't find in DOOM, for example). The fact that it also serves as a basis for many of the weapons, story elements, ideas, and concepts of Halo is just gravy. Watch and enjoy.If you're really inclined to delve into Halo's history, you can grab the entire Marathon trilogy for free.
Everything you ever wanted to know about Marathon: Durandal for XBLA
Bungie has conducted an interview of their own with Freeverse, the folks behind Marathon: Durandal for Xbox Live Arcade. We've already gone hands-on with it ourselves and even gave you a friendly reminder as to how you can experience the original masterpiece. Now it's time to find out exactly what makes this release special.The most prominent of the features is the brand-new 3D engine that allows Marathon: Durandal to run at 60 frames per second, compared to the 30 frames of the original. As you can clearly see in the image above, the leap in quality is tremendous. The jump from using a keyboard and mouse to the Xbox 360 controller has already been bemoaned by some, but the developers at Freeverse have been aided by Bungie in their pursuit of FPS perfection. Online play will have a huge role in Durandal with support for up to 8 players in both cooperative and competitive modes. The new Survival mode is laid out and described by Freeverse's Bruce Morrison as, "a giant truck that pulls up to your house one day, where a platoon of alien commandos jump out, kidnap you, and wail on you until you're dead. And then the truck explodes, just to make sure the job gets done." Expect to be faced with wave after wave of enemies by the dozen in a desperate struggle to conquer the leader boards.One feature from the original Marathon 2 getting the axe is saved films. A prominent piece of the Halo 3 puzzle, saved films simply wouldn't work out in the XBLA release of Durandal due to both the new network code and lack of online storage afforded to a game of its kind.As to why Marathon 2 and not the original, Bruce Morrison from Freeverse gives two answers, though the non-technical of which is easier to digest. Should they have been faced with the worst case scenario of only being able to release one title from the series, Durandal simply made the most sense due to its comprehensive campaign, richer story and technical superiority over the original.
Get to know Marathon: Durandal for free before the XBLA release
When it comes to Joystiq and Bungie's seminal shooter, Marathon, you can always count on two things: unbridled praise from us and someone mentioning it's complete lack of cost. Back in January 2005, the entire trilogy went freeware, opening the floodgates to a whole new generation of gamers enraptured by the seemingly parallel universe of Halo.This past week at E3, Marathon: Durandal was officially announced for Xbox Live Arcade, complete with online co-operative, as well as competitive play. Of course, none of this is actually new to the game itself and there are still folks playing it online to this day. Just last night we casted away the shackles of Santa Monica and stood up well past our bedtime just to "kill the guy with the ball." We blame our need for a Marathon fix on our brief time with the XBLA version.Naturally, the question is still "why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?" Getting Marathon up and running on your PC or Mac isn't the most terribly accessible, nor convenient feat in the world, especially when taking online play into account. And while the community has taken it upon themselves to upgrade the graphics over the years, it's still not as nice as what we're seeing with the XBLA version.So take the ol' girl out for a good time and should you be willing to settle down, you can come courting when it arrives later this Summer on Xbox Live Arcade.
Joystiq hands-on: Marathon Xbox Live Arcade
Being the last day of E3, we were bound and determined to finally lay our greedy little hands on Marathon: Durandal for Xbox Live Arcade. Having been turned away from Marathon's suite thrice yesterday, we were eager to finally get a hold of Bungie's seminal shooter (being developed for XBLA by Freeverse). Seeing as we only had a short time with the game, we decided to set off into multiplayer immediately. There were several maps to choose from, but "Giant Flaming Pit of Lava" caught our eye, so off we went.
Marathon: Durandal confirmed for XBLA
The torrent of Xbox 360 news from the E3 press conference continues as, Microsoft confirmed in an Xbox Live Arcade reel that Marathon: Durandal is indeed heading to Xbox Live Arcade. Given that the game was rated by the USK and subsequently pulled from the USK's database, this should come as no surprise to X3F readers. The brief clip showed off at the press conference revealed improved graphics over its aging PC/Mac counterpart. For those unaware, the Marathon series is something of a spiritual precursor to the Halo series, featuring many similar plot and design elements. In essence, Marathon is the primordial ooze out of which Halo born. No price or release date have been announced.Oh, and, for the record, we totally called it (last year even).
Bomberman, Sonic, Marathon (!), many others confirmed for XBLA
During Microsoft's keynote at E3 2007, a slew of new Xbox Live Arcade titles were announced. Most notable on the list were Bomberman Live, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Marathon: Durandal, the sequel to Bungie's first (but definitely not last) FPS trilogy.The full list of twenty titles, as revealed during Microsoft's keynote, is as follows: Bomberman Live, Undertow, Hexic 2, Sonic the Hedgehog, War World by Ubisoft, Sensible World of Soccer, Every Extend Extra Extreme, Geon by Eidos, Wing Commander Arena, Feeding Frenzy 2, Track and Field, Spyglass Board Games, Golden Axe, Space Giraffe, Super Puzzle Fighter II HD Turbo Remix, Marathon: Durandal, Poker Smash, Switchball, Tetris Splash, and Puzzle Quest.
Marathon: Durandal runs away from German ratings board
Microsoft moved quickly against the Germans and had Marathon: Durandal removed from the USK ratings board site. It is gone, it has ceased to be. Oh no, does that mean it's not coming out for Xbox Live Arcade? Nah, looks like somebody just let Master Chief's grandpa out of the bag a little early and Microsoft wants to stuff the old man back in. We'll promise to still act surprised when the game eventually does come out on XBLA. When Marathon is revealed, it could be another DOOM scenario where they'll just announce it at the same time it goes live. If only there were a major upcoming event where they could pull something like that off. But in all seriousness, the USK, like the ESRB, doesn't just make games up. They've been known to leak info early ... but not make stuff up. Considering it's already been privately rated by the board, we'll see what's going on with Marathon: Durandal relatively soon. [Via Xbox360Fanboy]
USK removes Marathon 2 rating for 360
Either we spoke too soon, or Microsoft's ninjas are pretty damned quick. X3F readers will recall that the USK (essentially Germany's version of the ESRB) rated Marathon: Durandal for the Xbox 360 last week. This led us to assume that our wild speculation from last November was true, and that Marathon was making its way to Xbox Live Arcade. Now, it looks like something is amiss. We checked the USK listing during our weekly Fancast recording session on Sunday, and lo and behold, the listing was gone (gasp!). No, really, check for yourself. So, here's the question: was the USK hallucinating, or has Microsoft demanded that the USK lower the veil of secrecy on what should have been a top-secret project?
Bungie's Marathon for 360 makes the grade in Germany
Our lemonade stand colleagues over at Xbox 360 Fanboy may be one step closer to joining the Illuminati as their wild speculation has finally paid off. Mac gaming legend, Marathon: Durandal, looks to be compromising your Xbox 360 in the near future. The odds in favor of this arriving via Xbox Live Arcade are staggering. Spotted on the USK website (Germany's take on the ERSB, if you will), the spiritual predecessor to the Halo series has received a 16+ rating, meaning that the sale of which is restricted to those under the age of 16, as mandated by the Youth Protection Law. Or Jugendschutzgesetz, as they call it. Curious. Being that Marathon: Durandal is in fact the sequel to the original Marathon, we're more curious as to why this popped up first. Now that we think about it, with Bungie's hands full of Halo 3, one must wonder exactly how they have the time to develop such a title. Suspicious, isn't it?
USK rates Bungie's Marathon for 360
Last November, just prior to Halo's birthday, we (wildly) speculated that Marathon might be heading to Xbox Live Arcade. Obviously, we were incorrect ... then. It seems our precognitive powers were even more potent than we realized, as Marathon, Bungie classic and spiritual predecessor to Halo, has been rated by the USK (Germany's ratings board) for the Xbox 360. To be precise, the entry is for Marathon: Durandal, which is actually Marathon 2. This leaves us to wonder whether the original will make the jump as well. Already our minds are reeling with yet more speculation. Will Marathon: Durandal receive a graphical upgrade? Will we see each game in the series hit Xbox Live Arcade, leading up to the inevitable release of Halo 3? We have no idea, but we hope we'll be hearing more soon. [Via XBLArcade. Thanks, Ankalagon]
Preliminary: Xbox 360 wins holiday sales battle [update 1]
The console sales horse race is more of a marathon than a sprint, but a Register report shows Microsoft edging out the competition in the all important holiday season. The report quotes preliminary NPD numbers mentioned on CNBC to show that Microsoft sold about 2 million Xbox 360s from Nov. 1 through Christmas day, beating out the Wii's estimated 1.8 million in sales. Sony lagged behind with an estimated 750,000 consoles sold through over the two months.A look at last month's numbers and some quick math shows that all three console makers picked up considerable steam going into Christmas, selling two-to-three times as many system in December as in November. The healthy numbers are also encouraging in light of last December's year-on-year decline in the game market as a whole.Consider these numbers to be hearsay until we can verify the actual NPD numbers later this month, but as it stands now it looks like a relatively un-merry Christmas for the PlayStation 3.[Thanks, Tom Stone][Update: Changed to reflect that Christmas may have been fine for Sony and their PlayStation brand as a whole. It only appears to be an un-merry Christmas for the PS3 ... but we won't know for sure until NPD verifies these numbers or releases their final report.]
What are you playing: Old School edition
This is an interesting week. We are fast approaching the hectic holiday season, the PS3 finally launched today, and the Halo 3 hype train is at full steam. I was a little disappointed that my wild speculation about Bungie's Marathon coming to Arcade was wrong, so I decided to download it for PC. It is free, after all. It takes a tiny extra step to make it run on PC (it was originally a Mac title) but it's worth it for a piece of Halo history (does that hand in the screenshot look familiar?). If you're having trouble installing, go here.Back on 360, of course there is Gears, I'm still collecting gold bricks in Lego Star Wars II, and chasing after the "Bulletproof" Achievement in Contra. Frankly, winning with one credit is hard, but I won't be satisfied until I can do it in one life. How 'bout the rest of you? What are you playing this weekend? Hit me up if you want to play some Gears or the Vegas demo. (Any 360 fanboys brave enough to admit they're hoping to play Resistance?)Leaderboards (time for Mk. III?):Xbox 360 Fanboy LeaderboardXbox 360 Fanboy Leaderboard Mk. IIWhat were you playing (WRUP archive)
Halo b-day gift: H3 demo, Marathon arcade?
The internet and wild speculation are like peanut butter and chocolate; they just go together. Today's wild speculation began when I ran across this entry on Phuze (which actually looks like a cool ezine). The speculations goes a little something ... a-like-a this: Bungie reported in their most recent update that there was a special "BIG" Halo announcement coming this week, in celebration of Halo's fifth anniversary on Wednesday, November 15th. 1UP's Halo 3 page lists a "Special Halo Announcement" as part of tomorrow's coverage. Phuze speculates that this announcement is probably something along the lines of an official release date -- and we agree -- but proffers the tantalizing possibility of something more. What if, wonder of wonders, it's an actual playable Halo 3 demo? Is it possible? Very slightly, yes. After all, as Phuze notes, all these game journos were playing a multiplayer build as early as last month, so it's possible (not to mention it's a great way to make 360 owners forget about the PS3). Allow us to add even more fuel to the fire. Tomorrow, as most of you are no doubt aware, is Wednesday. Wednesday typically marks the release of a new Xbox Live Arcade title. Could Bungie have an Xbox Live Arcade title lined up for the anniversary of Halo? If they do, what better way to celebrate Halo's birthday than by releasing its spiritual prequel, Marathon? So there you have it. If Bungie releases Marathon on XBLA tomorrow, you heard it here first. If they don't ... well then why the hell were you listening to us in the first place?
BioShirt to monitor temperature, heart rate of athletes
Some of us here at Engadget enjoy spending our off-hours going for a run (believe it or not, we actually do have them on rare occasion) . While our routines don't quite compare to runners who train for marathons and other such intense sporting activities, we're nonetheless interested in the cool gadgetry that these hard-core types get to use. Earlier this week, a team of South Korean researchers debuted the BioShirt at the National Sports Festival, currently ongoing in that country. The BioShirt is specifically designed with athletics in mind and monitors the runner's temperature, heart rate and speed; it then sends that data to a wrist-worn monitor via Bluetooth. Kim Seung-hwan, the leader of the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute team that built the BioShirt, told The Korea Times that the shirt could also have similar applications as a monitoring system for elderly or infirmed patients who need constant attention -- an idea we've seen before. Still, for some this runner's tech can't come too soon, especially after the loss of former Wired editor Bill Goggins earlier this year, who passed away from heart failure while running the San Francisco Marathon this past July.
Many think Marathon on XBLA is a "good idea"
If you're done watching the Bungie guys cursing on video, you may find yourself with a renewed interest in getting your mitts on Marathon, their ground breaking FPS that out-doomed Doom. You could always download the entire trilogy for free, straight from Bungie, and give it a spin on your Mac and/or PC, but if you're more of a console gamer, there is a tiny flicker of hope ... wrapped tightly in a whisper ... carried on a pillow of desire: In Bungie's Weekly Update Spenser asks, "Marathon and XBLA: is it at all possible?" Frankie responds, "Of course it's possible, it's just not on any current agenda. If it's any consolation, many, many people think it's a good idea." Alright, so there's barely enough hope there to keep our blackened gamer-souls from consuming us whole, but it's comforting to know we're not alone. There are "many" of us who think this is a "good idea." You know what you have to do Bungie ... wrap up this Halo business and give us some Marathon! [Via TUAW]
