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GDC 2011: Gods & Heroes hopes to give its audience something unexpected
The in-game story for Gods and Heroes begins with a Roman general returning home after his time in war only to be thrust into battle again. The history of the game itself mirrors this journey: In October 2006, the original creators of the game, Perpetual Entertainment, shut down. However, in August 2010, independent developer Heatwave Interactive picked up the rights to develop and distribute the game. Our hero's journey started once more. Just as your character in G&H returns home to an estate in ruins and a craving for revenge, Heatwave developers are fighting back the old gods and attacking the game with renewed vigor. At GDC 2011, our editor-in-chief Shawn Schuster discussed the rise, fall, and rebirth of the game with CEO Anthony Castoro, Lead Designer Tim Schubert, and Community Manager Donna Prior. "I think a lot of people expected us to go free-to-play and microtransact the minions then put it out there. But in early alpha tests and beta tests, people really wanted a full game out of this and expect us to treat it a certain way. We are working really hard to do that," said Castoro, who went on to assure us that he is not just out to make money -- he hopes to deliver a great game too. Follow after the break to find out what is going to make this game victorious in the gladiatorial arena. %Gallery-118322%
Gods & Heroes details classes and releases new screenshots
The devs at Heatwave Interactive have given Gods & Heroes fans a bit more information to mull over as they wait anxiously for the title's debut. In a press release dated earlier this morning, Heatwave detailed the game's four character classes and released an accompanying batch of screenshots. While the classes don't stray too far from MMORPG norms, it's nonetheless instructive to see exactly what the game has in store. First up is the Gladiator, who, as you might surmise, exists to do massive melee damage at close range. The Soldier is your basic tank archetype, responsible for juggling aggro and taking a beating for his friends. The Mystic is Gods & Heroes' answer to ranged DPS, while the Priest is, crazily enough, the main healer. You can get a full rundown on Gladiators, Soldiers, Priests, and Mystics at the game's main website, and don't forget to check out the new screens below. %Gallery-118322%
New Mytheon trailer features the wrath of Zeus
The marketing for UTV True Games' Mytheon MMO is building to a simmering boil, much like the Greek god Zeus' slow-burning anger over the ungrateful disobedience of his mortal children. Mytheon developer Q&As, closed beta announcements, and class trailers are all present and accounted for, and today they're joined by the latest video sneak peek: a new trailer featuring the thunder god himself. Mytheon is an action MMO that mixes strategy with classical mythology, so it's only natural that Zeus take center stage in both the game and its public awareness campaign. The new trailer lacks gameplay footage and focuses entirely on CG elements, but the stage is nonetheless set for what appear to be epic battles between Zeus and his errant spawn (i.e., Mytheon players).
Gods & Heroes lead designer and art team hosting live community chat
Normally, pre-release fan communities are overflowing with questions for a game's developers. Whether they're specifics on combat, crafting, or any of the traditional ingredients that make up our favorite genre, queries and concerns abound during the information void that usually accompanies an MMO's beta stages. Gods & Heroes is looking to rectify this situation with a live Q&A event featuring the game's lead developer and members of the art team. Heatwave Interactive is hosting a USTREAM chat today at 6:00 p.m. CST, and the devs will be fielding live questions from the streaming audience as well as those submitted prior to the broadcast. Get in on all the action by visiting the Gods & Heroes USTREAM channel, and don't forget to submit your questions ahead of time via the game's forum, Facebook, and Twitter pages to increase your chances of being heard.
Gods & Heroes USTREAM: Your chance to chat with the devs! [Updated]
Are you curious about the current state of Heatwave's Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising MMO? Are you desperate for a new MMO world devoid of pointy-eared elves and blobby aliens from another dimension? Are you a classical civilizations anthropologist hoping to see your field of study desecrated in a glorious union of hack and slash? Then join Massively tonight from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. EST as we help host Heatwave's USTREAM chat about the game! We'll be moderating live and forwarding your burning questions to the devs... burning questions like, did Heatwave's Anthony Castoro really shave his head last weekend in response to G&H's stress-test turnout? Log in to the G&H USTREAM page at 7 p.m. EST tonight to find out! And if you have any last-minute questions, add them right here in the comments so we can pass them along! [Updated: The live chat is over, but you can still watch the show after the cut!]
A whole new world: Nadirim moves into closed beta
When free-to-play browser MMOs are -- seemingly -- a dime a dozen these days, it requires a little something special for a title to stand out. Nadirim hopes that its Arabian Nights setting is enough to do the trick, using the mysterious sands of the desert and the rich mythology of the region as the backdrop to an exciting saga. Nadirim just announced that it is entering the closed beta stage of development, and Twisted Tribe is handing out a number of keys to willing testers. Currently, the closed beta is featuring three of the game's five classes -- Warrior, Ruffian and Sage -- and has a level cap of 15. Other features, such as PvP and guilds, are slated to be patched in later. If you're interested, you can apply to be a tester on the official website. Steel yourself if you do decide to undergo this brutal process, for you will be asked to enter your email address and click "Submit!" We don't blame you if it's too overwhelming.
Gods & Heroes stress test this Saturday
Development on the resurrected Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising MMORPG is moving right along, as Heatwave Interactive has announced a stress test for the beta client this Saturday (November 6th) from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm CST. If you haven't already, head to the official website to apply for the beta and your chance to get a sneak peek at the game as well as contribute feedback to the developers. Gods & Heroes puts players in the role of an ancient Roman hero tasked with braving monsters and directing minions in a colossal battle to save Rome from the nefarious Telchine gods. Minotaurs, cyclops, and other classic mythological monsters will test your mettle as you build a legendary heroic character and seek favor with the Olympian gods.
Heatwave shows off new Gods & Heroes screenshots
Gods & Heroes is one of those rare MMORPGs that get a second chance. The game hasn't suffered through a disastrous launch like Age of Conan or been shuttered like Tabula Rasa, but development on Perpetual's mythology-inspired title was shut down in November of 2008. Earlier this year, Heatwave Interactive announced the project's resurrection, and along with a bit of discussion at the recent GDCO convention, has released some new screenshots. Check out our gallery below, where you can view all manner of classical mythology mobs including a minotaur, cyclops, and various and sundry other creatures doing battle with player characters. %Gallery-105482%
GDCO 2010: Heatwave talks Gods and Heroes
MMOCrunch has checked in with an interesting bit of news from GDCO. The off-again on-again saga of the Gods and Heroes IP was the subject of a bit of show-and-tell at the recently concluded convention, courtesy of Heatwave Interactive. Development on the classical mythology MMO stagnated following the demise of project originator Perpetual Entertainment in early 2008 before Heatwave resuscitated the game. Heatwave confirmed that players will still take on the role of a demi-god, pledging their loyalty to the Roman deity of their choice and following a class-based progression paradigm that includes control over various types of pets known as minions. While Perpetual had initially planned on each player's being able to control up to 24 minions, Heatwave hinted at the fact that the team has scaled this number down considerably to a more manageable four minions per player. Read all about the resurrection of Gods and Heroes over at MMOCrunch, and keep your eyes on Massively for more news about the title as it happens.
Rise and Shiny recap: Mytheon
Each week Rise and Shiny asks you to download and try a different free-to-play, indie or unusual game, chosen by me, Beau Hindman. Some of the games will be far out of your gaming comfort zone, and some will pleasantly surprise you. We will meet each Tuesday and Friday night at 9 p.m. EDT (8 p.m. CDT time) followed by this column the Sunday after. I welcome any suggestions for games, either in the comments or at beau@massively.com. I'm a simple man. I need a strong cup of coffee in the morning, walks with my two dogs, a kiss from my wife -- and giants. Lots of giants. Mytheon is a perfect game for a simple man like me. It installs easily and the controls are basic. It is by no means perfect, but I am not sure that it is trying to be. Like me, it's simple. It wants you to control miniature armies of centaurs, cyclopses and skeletons, and it wants you to kill things while controlling that army. See? Simple.
Still clicking: Our exclusive interview with the Mythos dev team
Considering Mythos' stormy post-Flagship past and its relatively low profile over the past half year, we were pleased to see the team at Redbana unveil a website revamp last month, complete with a slew of vibrant new screenshots to tease the upcoming closed beta. The infrastructure revealed in the images suggests that the game has come a long way since we last checked in with the team; although many players might once have pigeon-holed Mythos as "just another Diablo clone," it's now maturing into a hybrid MMORPG that seems to have as much in common with Blizzard's other fantasy game as with the click-fests of yesteryear. Curious, we commandeered the team at Redbana in order to ask about the progress of the game. Meet up with us after the break as we discuss the transition to Redbana, overcoming the Diablo stigma, camera perspectives, map travel, character customization, and the likelihood that Mythos will be free-to-play. Oh, and did I mention you can play satyrs and cyclopes?!
GDC09: The veil lifts on The Secret World
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Funcom_reveals_The_Secret_World_a_new_horror_conspiracy_MMO'; If you've been waiting for a chance to see what lies beyond the curtain and fall into the elegantly dark setting of The Secret World, then get ready for your first glimpse of what lurks beyond. At the GDC we got the chance to sit down and discuss The Secret World with Funcom and lay our eyes on a few cinematics of the game.While we were unable to get our hands around a playable version of the title, we were treated to many of the game's basics and concepts. This may not be the tidal wave of information, but it is a start to the flow of The Secret World's river of fresh ideas.What lies after the break is an explanation of what the game is all about, followed by the first cinematic of The Secret World that we've been allowed to release. Later in the hour, we'll be posting our interview with Ragnar Tørnquist, the game's creator. So stick with us as we lead you through our peek of TSW.
Microtransactions 'way of the future' for Mytheon
One of the newer titles coming to the massively multiplayer online game market is Mytheon, a game that is based on real-world myth rather than pure fantasy, currently in development at Petroglyph. This fresh angle on lore and setting isn't the only difference between Mytheon and its fantasy MMO competitors -- Petroglyph is banking on the hope that microtransactions will prove more successful for Mytheon than the standard subscription model. Edge Online recently interviewed Petroglyph's general manager Chuck Kroegel, who's also the producer for Mytheon. Kroegel spoke with Edge Online's Kris Graft, and explained Petroglyph's outlook on this alternative business model: "This is a serious commitment on our part... we find it intriguing because we do feel there is a notion of how this could be the way of the future. And if not, it's certainly going to be part of the future. It may not be the only way things are done in regards to the model, but right now it looks to be viable."
All the World's a Stage: So you want to be a tauren
This installment of All the World's a Stage is the sixth in a series of roleplaying guides in which we find out all the background information you need to roleplay a particular race or class well, without embarrassing yourself. The first cultural influence you'll probably think of when you see the tauren and walk around in their villages is "Native American." That's fine as far as it goes, but you should remember that they're mainly based on the stereotypical image of what Native Americans are rather than their actual reality. I'm hardly an expert on Native Americans, however, so rather than try and speak for these differences, I'm just going to put the whole issue aside and take tauren as tauren rather than parallels to any human culture. Besides, aside from certain aspects of architecture, music, clothing, and mythology, the tauren are really their own species. They are quite general enough to remind us of all kinds of different cultures around the world, many of whom cherish the earth, revere their ancestors, and try to live in harmony with the world. Some people say that the tauren are the noblest and most peaceful of the races in World of Warcraft, but for most of their history, they have been at war with the vicious centaur -- though not by choice. The centaur have always been very hostile towards tauren, driving them out of their ancestral homelands, slaughtering them and even cannibalizing them whenever possible. In a way, the centaur seem like four-legged versions of the nastier trolls who never joined the Horde. When Thrall came to Kalimdor and encountered the tauren in the midst of their struggle against the centaur, it marked the beginning of one of the greatest changes in tauren history.
Perfect World International beta test opens up to pretty much everyone
Perfect World International, the English-language version of the popular Chinese MMO of the same name sans "International" and plus a "2," has moved into its open beta testing phase. The beta test features two servers -- one PvE and one PvP -- and characters created in the testing period will be kept through the live launch of the game.Like most Chinese games, PWI is a microtransaction-based MMO, but it was originally slated to be a subscription-based game. It got all the subscription-based-game-type triple-A graphics and game design treatment, so it should appeal to Western users more than most Eastern free-to-play games. At least, that's the company line.Features include mounts, marriage, PvP territory wars, and pretty much every other staple, all in a Chinese mythology setting. It's been in closed beta testing for only a few weeks. There's no official word on the live date for the post-beta version yet.[Via 1UP]
Perfect World International's closed beta starts August 19th
The official English version of the Chinese-developed MMO Perfect World has been announced. It's called Perfect World International, and the closed beta will begin on August 19th, according to the new teaser website.The game was originally subscription-based, but later moved to a microtransaction model. The publisher asserts that this "established a level of quality not found in other free-to-play titles." Visually, that seems to be the case, although we haven't spent too much time exploring the gameplay. We have spent a little, though; check out our first impressions from way back when if you're curious.Features include most of the usual MMO trappings -- crafting, quests, world PvP. Chinese mythology-inspired setting. We don't get enough of that setting in microtransaction MMOs, do we? Oh, and apparently the game has like, a crapload of mounts.[Via MMORPG]
Perpetual delays Gods and Heroes, cuts jobs
Clash of the Titans fans take heed, as Perpetual Entertainment has once again postponed the release of its upcoming Roman mythology MMO Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising, laying off 30-40 employees as the project transitions from development to playtesting. The announcement marks the second such delay the game has suffered, the first coming in late 2006 when budget concerns resulted in 35 of the San Francisco-based MMO developer's employees losing their jobs. Explaining the rational behind the layoffs in a recent interview, Perpetual CEO Chris McKibbin cited a need for "a much smaller, more focused and agile team," rather than the larger team required for the game's actual development. In a positive spin, the executive notes that Perpetual plans to help those impacted by the layoffs in finding new positions with other developers, or working on the studio's other MMO Star Trek Online.In addition, while Gods & Heroes was originally planned for release this fall, McKibbin downplayed the delay, noting that "we have been targeting a fall launch and we are extending the time in beta to focus on quality and polish ... from our standpoint we want to give our game more time to get to [that level] of polish, rather than rush to a ship date."
Shifting Perspectives: The human druids
Every Tuesday, Shifting Perspectives explores issues affecting druids and those who group with them, brought to you by Dan O'Halloran and David Bowers.Druids weren't always night elves and tauren, you know. Well, in World of Warcraft they were, but centuries before the first snowflakes started to form in the clouds of Blizzard's creative minds, the authentic human druids actually walked around casting regrowth, shapeshifting, and spamming moonfire.Or did they? How much of the class that we know and love in WoW is actually based on the real life druids of old? How did the word "druid" come to refer to our fantasy fighters rather than some ancient wise men in robes?
Indian mythology inspires new game
Canadian-based studio Syncere Arts is working on an action-adventure game based on the Mahabharata, an epic tale in Indian mythology. Mahabharata: The Dawn of Kaliyuga aims to let players feel as powerful as the ancient gods while still providing a good challenge. You play the role of warrior prince Arjuna (try not to think the Prince of Persia) whose destiny is, obviously, to save the world. The game will let players choose between various schools of combat, and nearly 100 weapons and Vedic powers. Syncere hopes to publish Mahabharata in April 2008 and plans to release both PC and Xbox 360 versions.Greek and Norse mythologies have long been sources for video game material in the west, so it's great to see Syncere stirring some fresh Indian-inspired content into the pot. The non-violent first person Hindu shooter project was another promising effort in the same vein, though unfortunately it never came to fruition. With gaming gaining popularity in India, this certainly won't be the last we'll see of Arjuna.[Via Good News]
Analyzing Medusa in gamer mythology
In his recent Retronauts feature, 1UP's Jeremy Parish examines the disparate interpretations of Medusa throughout early gaming. Discarding most of the intricate histories of the Gorgon sister, most game designers chose instead to focus on the two (obviously most important) aspects of Medusa: her serpentine hairdo and (sometimes) her stone-inducing gaze.Pariah gives a number of examples, with pictures, of Medusa in gaming before transitioning into a discussion on the Castlevania series and its insistence on making Medusa a flying head maneuvering in a sinusoidal pattern.One of the tales of Medusa that we haven't seen game designers capitalize on: when Perseus beheaded Medusa, Pegasus the winged horse and Chrysaor the giant sprang forth, presumably the offspring born of an night of passion between Poseidon and Medusa. [Via Wired]
