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The Daily Grind: What was your favorite piece of PAX Prime news?
Usually we preface Daily Grind questions like this one with a lengthy preamble. Sometimes it's borne of our personal experience relative to the gaming topic at hand. Sometimes it's for restating an earlier news post or opinion column that we're about to reference with our question. And sometimes it's an unabashed rant or love letter to a game, dev, or mechanic that was inspiring enough to warrant a post. This Daily Grind has no such preamble. In fact, it's basically just some filler text designed to look pretty on the page and provide an easy visual segue into the question that you already read up there in the title. So, let me state it again in case you missed it. What was your favorite piece of PAX Prime news? 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!
Super TIME Force coming 'for sure' in 2013
Super TIME Force from Capybara Games will "for sure" be available to play on your Xbox 360 before the year is out, Capy President Nathan Vella said at PAX Prime. Once Super TIME Force is out in the wild, it will be exclusive to Microsoft platforms for "a period of time." The same timed exclusivity goes for Capy's Xbox One title, Below. So many vague details regarding time and time windows! If only there were some kind of force... a Super Force of Time, if you will, to help us sort this all out. You can check out the latest trailer for the game right here.
PAX Prime 2013: Guns of Icarus Online's new Adventure mode, features, and PS4 version
Guns of Icarus' Online's concept of crewing airships in a steampunk future might be a little strange at first, but it's something that Muse Games is really passionate about. I linked up with founder Howard Tsao yesterday at PAX Prime to talk about the game's upcoming Adventure Mode, which will add new context to battles over the unfriendly skies. The new online mode won't replace Guns of Icarus' current lobby-based multiplayer mode, but it will add new content, including missions and factions to provide a backdrop for actions in the game's steampunk world.
PAX Prime 2013: S2 Games shows off Strife
I was pretty interested to see S2 Games' newest venture into the MOBA genre, Strife, at this year's PAX Prime. It's a more newbie-friendly take on the traditional DotA concept while still retaining high levels of complexity and a high skill cap. S2 Games has learned a lot of lessons from Heroes of Newerth, and I spoke with creative designer Doug Houserman about what the team is bringing to the table to make Strife a better game.
PAX Prime 2013: FFXIV's Yoshida on rebuilding trust and expanding functionality
Apart from Square's public presentation, which was open to both media types and fans at this year's PAX Prime, we were also able to sit down with Final Fantasy XIV producer Naoki Yoshida for a more intimate interview session. Join us after the cut as we talk about classes, jobs, consoles vs. PCs, and a boatload of other Eorzean tidbits.
PAX Prime 2013: Exploring Wander with creator Loki Davison
Wander is an MMO that eschews the primary mechanics of traditional titles and instead relies on what creator Loki Davison refers to as "collaborative exploration." Designed to recreate the feeling you get when you discover something beautiful in real life and rush home to tell your friends, Wander has no maps, checkpoints, or objectives. The only ways to uncover the game's secrets are to discover them yourself or have another player show you the way. Our own Jasmine Hrushcak snagged some time with Wander and its creator at PAX Prime 2013 and managed to ask a few questions in between acrophobic Oculus Rift-induced panic attacks.
Seen@PAX Prime: Nintendo 2DS in 3D
Nintendo had a few of its recently announced 2DS systems at one of its play lounges at PAX Prime in Seattle. Naturally, we cradled the system in our hands, then took a few photos of it, one with our Nintendo 3DS. Check out our 3D photo of the 2DS after the break.
PAX Prime 2013: Final Fantasy XIV's presentation apologizes for a 'rocky' launch
Final Fantasy XIV had a sizable presence at PAX Prime this year. Massively sat in on Square's presentation and group interview, and we also managed a separate session with producer Naoki Yoshida apart from all the hustle and bustle. In this recap, we'll walk you through the highlights from the first session, which also featured sound director Masayoshi Soken and localization lead Michael-Christopher Koji Fox, who handled translation duties.
Dragon Age Inquisition includes time-disrupting 'tactical view'
Dragon Age: Inquisition will feature a familiar method for calling out actions for your party, BioWare's Mike Laidlaw and Mark Darrah revealed during a panel at PAX Prime. The game will include a "tactical view" function, which has players shifting seamlessly to a top-down view at any point above a battle, similar to Dragon Age: Origins. With the game frozen in place, players can then issue commands for their companions at will before shifting back to the game's traditional over-the-shoulder, third-person perspective and resuming action. The in-game action demonstrated during the panel took place in a location called Crestwood, which Darrah said is "bigger than all of Dragon Age 2 put together." The game's delay to fall 2014 allowed the developers to bring multiple playable races back to the series, and it was revealed during the panel that both male and female horned Qunari characters would be among those playable races.
PAX Prime 2013: EverQuest Landmark screens and video
EverQuest Next Landmark is a prime (get it?!) focus for Sony Online Entertainment at this weekend's PAX Prime 2013 (now you get it) and the studio has released some new videos and screenshots showing off what players can expect from the title's sandbox of world-editing tools. On display is a time-lapse of player creation in a lava-filled cave, with a closer look at EverQuest Next's dwarf race. There's also a quick look at EverQuest Next's parkour-inspired free running in action. Check out both videos after the break and hit the gallery for the latest images. %Gallery-195288%
PAX Prime 2013: Guild Wars 2's anniversary bash
It seems that more and more studios at PAX are electing to avoid the convention hall altogether and go for off-site venues, especially when it comes to parties and fan events (I was told that even a small booth on the exhibit floor can cost a company $100,000). So while Guild Wars 2 was notably absent from the PAX Prime exhibit hall this year, it was quite a different story a few blocks away at the Renaissance Hotel in Seattle where ArenaNet set up camp for the title's anniversary bash. Players began lining up for the panels, playthroughs, and party hours in advance, all sharing the same glow of enthusiasm for the game they've enjoyed over the past year. By all accounts (I wasn't there a year ago), the launch party for Guild Wars 2 at last year's PAX was far more insane. Yet I think that this year there was a better feel to it. It wasn't about hype and anticipation for the fans but about experience and shared affection for the title they'd been enjoying since last August. So join me as I recap the anniversary bash, step by step, and perhaps we'll learn a thing or two about where this game is going in the near future.
Takedown heading to XBLA and Steam on September 20
Takedown: Red Sabre will launch on XBLA and PC via Steam on September 20, Creative Director Christian Allen told Joystiq at PAX Prime. The tactical shooter will cost $14.99, and will see an early release for Kickstarter backers. Takedown developer Serellan received funding on Kickstarter for the game in April 2012, prior to finding a publishing partner in 505 Games in February. Takedown is a squad-based, tactical first-person shooter, billed as a spiritual successor to the original Rainbow Six and SWAT 4. It will feature six-player cooperative and 12-player competitive multiplayer modes, as well as mod support for Steam users looking to create their own battle arenas.
PAX Prime 2013: The strange case for EverQuest Next Landmark
It's early on the first day of PAX Prime and I haven't had my coffee yet. The coffee is necessary to catch me up to the boundless enthusiasm of the ponytailed dev who sits across from me gesticulating wildly. With each wave of the hand a new image pops on the large monitor to the right of us, showing off another captivating snapshot of a fantasy world and its potential inhabitants. It's one thing to watch Dave Georgeson be giddy about EverQuest Next and its slightly-more-sandbox-than-thou EverQuest Next Landmark from afar. It's another thing to be close enough that his hand gestures threaten my full cup of joe. And either near or far, it's hard not to ride the wave of enthusiasm to the shores of hype, hopes, and dreams. Georgeson and company are strongly pushing EverQuest Next Landmark these days, possibly because it's coming out in a couple of months and possibly because it's a strange game to explain to players. Just what is it? Sandbox? MMO? Real estate simulator? Parkour paradise? Capitalistic haven for up-and-coming designers? According to him, it's all of the above and then some.
PAX Prime 2013: Guild Wars 2's story, boss revamps, LFG, and the next big update
Not many MMOs can say that they've done as much in their first year as Guild Wars 2. The team at ArenaNet is rightly proud of what it's accomplished over the past 365 days, but the devs also know that all of what's come before is just a drop in the bucket compared to their plans for the future. At PAX Prime yesterday, Lead Game Designer Colin Johanson brought us in for an overview on Guild Wars 2's progress and upcoming direction. It's not just living story, although there is a lot of that; the team has ambitious plans that are only beginning to be revealed to the playerbase after months of preparation and build up. We've got the full scoop on where the game's headed in both PvE and PvP (or WvW if you're nasty). You know you want to know. Go ahead. Click. Let's do this.
PAX Prime 2013: WildStar dungeon preview
WildStar's dungeons won't be for everyone. They're a bit tougher, a bit wilder, and a bit longer than the standard MMO crop today. If you're looking for a breezy PvE experience, you might not even want to consider running one. However, Carbine hopes that you'll look past the increased difficulty and run-time to be intrigued by some of the most unique encounters and locales in the game. This was the word from WildStar Design Producer Stephan Frost at PAX Prime. Frost ran us quickly through a pair of dungeons -- The Ruins of Kel Voreth and Stormtalon's Lair -- to give us the lay of the land and an idea of what we'll be in for when we timidly step over these thresholds. These dungeons might not be everyone's cup of tea, but those who appreciate a challenge will find it and the rewards to match.
Win a Xbox One via Doritos, Mountain Dew promotion online, at PAX Prime
Microsoft has partnered with the Doritos and Mountain Dew brands to give away thousands of Xbox Ones in exchange for the longevity of your health, a press release revealed last week. Specially-marked packages of Mountain Dew and Doritos will contain codes to be used as currency in online auctions for Xbox One consoles beginning on November 5. Participants can begin to stockpile codes on the contest's website on September 30, but nothing's stopping anyone from stockpiling the snack foods for the next two months. PAX Prime attendees can also scan QR codes hidden in the convention center to bid on Xbox One systems in an auction on Sunday from 9 p.m. til midnight PST. The QR codes can be scanned with the PAX Guidebook App to bid on one of 30 Xbox One consoles, as well as subscription cards, gaming headsets and general merchandise. The press release notes that some codes "are worth more than others," so scrounging for as many as you can find might be worth your time.
PAX Prime 2013: A first-timer's impressions of WildStar
Sometimes you just know that an upcoming game is going to be perfect for you. You know this because the art style sends shivers of delight down your spine, the video previews send you salivating for more, and the news that it's adopting a sub-only model doesn't quite faze you as much as you would've expected. Still, even though you know it'll be right for you, you don't really know until you get your hands on it for the first time. And even then, you don't really know until you've played it for a good, long while to see whether it sticks or not. While my total playtime with WildStar is a few sessions spread over two days at PAX Prime, I have seen nothing that makes me regret being interested in this title as both a super-professional video game press dude and as a humble player. I can recall letting out my breath in relief in the first zone once I saw and felt how it handled. WildStar may not be for everyone -- and that's fine -- but it left me happy, satisfied, and smiling. That's what the Chua said.
Octodad: Dadliest Catch will include PS Move support on PS4
Octodad: Dadliest Catch will feature PlayStation Move support on PS4, developer Young Horses announced during Sony's PlayStation Indie Arcade event at PAX Prime. Players opting to use motion control when guiding the game's octopus father will only need one Move controller to do so. The game will still be playable with the Dual Shock 4 controller, if waving your arm to control virtual tentacles isn't your idea of fun. Octodad: Dadliest Catch was announced for PS4 during Sony's E3 press briefing in June. The first Octodad launched on PC in 2010.
VVVVVV heading to VVVVVVita
Terry Cavanagh's challenging platformer VVVVVV is heading to PlayStation Vita, Sony announced during its PlayStation Indie Arcade event at PAX Prime. VVVVVV first launched on PC in January 2010, then showed up on the 3DS eShop in December 2011. No release date was given for the Vita version of the gravity-flipping, chiptune-infested game.
Road Not Taken takes road to PS4, Vita
Road Not Taken will come to PS4 and Vita, developer Spry Fox announced during Sony's PlayStation Indie Arcade event at PAX Prime. The developer behind Triple Town plans to launch the game in 2014. Road Not Taken is described as a "puzzle roguelike," in which players set out to rescue children from forests and solve ever-changing puzzles along the way. The game includes permanent death upon failure, and with each entry into the forest, the woods will regenerate to keep the challenge going. Road Not Taken will also launch on Windows and Mac via Steam.
