piranha
Latest
Scope out MechWarrior Online's high-octane action
It's one thing to hear about how exciting an upcoming game might be, but it's something else to see it for yourself. While we were certainly impressed with what we heard and saw about MechWarrior Online from this past week's GDC, we weren't able to show you how the game actually plays. Until now, that is! Piranha Games just released its first public video showing in-game footage of MechWarrior Online. In it, three 'Mechs -- an Atlas, a Jenner, and a Hunchback -- are duking it out in one of the game's wilderness arenas. While the video is short, there's plenty of sweet details to pick out, such as a barrage of missiles arcing toward a foe, battle-damage on enemy 'Mechs, and serious-looking warnings that pop up on the player's HUD. MechWarrior Online is slated for a summer 2012 release. You can check out the gameplay video after the jump!
GDC 2012: Locking on to MechWarrior Online
The notion of strapping oneself into a massive battle robot chassis and duking it out with other 'Mechs appeals to the inner child in all of us (or it should), so it's hard not to feel a tingle of excitement when the makers of MechWarrior Online promise that we'll soon be able to do just that. We caught up with the Piranha Games crew at GDC to become one of the very first non-studio witnesses of MWO's in-game footage and to hear why this is a title that should be on all of our radars. The team is filled with huge fans of the MechWarrior and BattleTech franchises, so the devs were eager to construct a proper MechWarrior title when Piranha got ahold of the license this year. The studio seized upon the free-to-play model early on as the best way to draw in as many potential 'Mech pilots as possible. It also snagged the CryEngine 3 to provide the best possible graphical fidelity for its product. Unfortunately, it's going to be hard to categorize MWO as "massively," as its non-persistent arena maps will host up to only 24 players in 12v12 fights. Setting-wise, MechWarrior Online begins in 3049, but that date will keep tempo with the real-world calendar (so tomorrow it'll be March 9th, 3049, and so on). As events happen in the story according to the game's canon, the game will change to reflect that in real-time. Read on to hear what the devs had to say about two of the game's four pillars: mech warfare and role warfare.
MechWarrior Online kicks off Mech Warfare Month
Driving a multi-ton battle 'Mech isn't like picking your friend up at the 7-11 in your dad's Prius; it's a massive, complicated war machine that has to be understood before it can be wielded against foes. So if you think that piloting one in MechWarrior Online will be as simple as hitting the WASD keys and the occasional 1 or 2, think again. This is why Piranha Games has launched Mech Warfare Month on the official MWO site, giving us a full run-down of how movement and combat is handled in the game. Concepts such as 'Mech "torso twists," jump jets, environmental obstacles, and heat management have to be taken into account from the onset. To bring down the hammer on enemy 'Mechs, players will use a balance of energy, projectile, and ballistic weapons -- and they have to keep track of ammo while doing so. Piranha wraps up the post with a lengthy list of keyboard and mouse commands that will be necessary to learn for safe 'Mech operation. While the full list of controls and HUD details may send some running for their nearest touch-screen device, this level of detail is exactly what attracts such a devoted fanbase to the franchise. We're speaking with Piranha Games at GDC this week, so stay tuned for an in-depth interview as to how this game is shaping up! [Thanks to Nimsy for the tip!]
First official MechWarrior Online trailer drops into action
For some time now, the folks at Piranha Games have been teasing us with 'Mech reveals, Q&As, and steady info drips. Now, finally, we get to see those big badass 'bots in action, as the studio has just unveiled the first official trailer for MechWarrior Online. The short teaser trailer takes fans inside the cockpit of one of the game's monumental BattleMechs as its pilot prepares for an aerial drop. But you know what they say -- a picture's worth a thousand words. We're not sure what a video's worth, but we do know that we don't have that much room, so just click on past the cut and feast your eyes on MechWarrior Online's premiere trailer.
MechWarrior Online delves into the art of role warfare
Last week, we got to take a look at MechWarrior Online's freshly introduced CN9-A Centurion BattleMech. This week, however, the folks at Piranha Games want to give you some insight on what to do once you're seated in the cockpit of your giant robot, so they've dropped a new blog post titled Role Warfare for fans' consumption. The post first introduces players to the various roles available to MechWarrior Online players: scouting, assault, defense, and command. The roles are exactly what they sound like. Scouts gather intel, while assault 'Mechs assault and defense 'Mechs defend. Command mechs, believe it or not, command their respective teams. But how do you customize your 'Mech to fill one of these roles? As players progress through their matches, the BattleMechs that they use in battle will gain XP according to their battle performance. This XP can be spent to unlock upgrades in the BattleMech's tech tree. Each BattleMech will have its own distinct tech tree, and therefore its own distinct upgrade options. At certain points within the Tech Tree, players will receive Pilot Points, which are assigned directly to the player's pilot avatar and are used to purchase pilot abilities in the Pilot Skill Tree. Finally, players can purchase BattleMech modules with their C-Bills, which allows for the final layer of specialization on the customization cake. For the full details on the game's customization and upgrade system, and to get a run down of some recommended loadouts for various roles, click on through to MWO's official site below.
MechWarrior Online unveils the classic CN9-A Centurion BattleMech
Giant robot fans everywhere are getting pumped up for Piranha Games' upcoming MechWarrior Online, but what's a MechWarrior game without lots of badass BattleMechs? Boring, that's what. Fortunately, however, there's plenty of giant robot lovin' to go around in MWO, and today the team is revealing the newest (though we use that term loosely) addition to the roster: the Centurion. The CN9-A Centurion is a long-time favorite of anyone who has hung around in the MechWarrior universe for long enough, and it's easy enough to see why. Armed with weapons suitable for any range, the Centurion is a force to be reckoned with no matter where he is on the battlefield. Whether it's launching LRM-10 missiles across the battlefield or wrecking someone's day personally with its AC/10 autocannon and medium lasers, you can bet the Centurion will be making a triumphant return in MechWarrior Online. For the full details on the newly revealed BattleMech, just jump on over to the game's official site. [Thanks to nimzy for the tip!]
MechWarrior Online Q&A gives you six devs for the price of none
MechWarrior Online continues to unleash a steady barrage of new information with today's newly released developer Q&A. Piranha Games has outdone itself with the latest post, which brings you answers from not one, not two, but six MWO developers. The devs begin by giving fans some insight into how BattleMech modules will work to augment pilot abilities; for example players can sacrifice night-vision distance for higher visual detail. The remainder of the Q&A covers a great wealth of different topics, such as intelligence-gathering, the BattleGrid, and -- most importantly -- hula girls. For the full Q&A, just click on through the link below to the MechWarrior Online official forums.
MechWarrior Online interviews a trio of devs, hilarity ensues
Piranha Games, the studio behind the upcoming MechWarrior Online, has Hposted a new developer interview with not one, not two, but three members of the MWO team: David Bradley, Bryan Ekman, and Paul Inouye.The devs give a short history of their gaming industry experiences before being pelted with a barrage of questions detailing what they bring to the game, what makes MechWarrior Online different from their past projects, what playstyles they prefer, and more. There are a few nuggets of good information in the post, as well as some great humor as the devs banter with and antagonize one another. For the full Q&A, just head on over to the MechWarrior Online official forums.
MechWarrior introduces the DRG-1N Dragon BattleMech
MechWarrior Online's steady media drip continues today with a short lore piece introducing the DRG-1N Dragon BattleMech. This particular 'bot is a result of the work of the Draconis Combine, and through the flavor text, we can pick out a few details about the new addition. The 'Mech is described as a "long-range focussed 'Mech capable of handling threats at all ranges." The Dragon comes armed with "a Telos DecaCluster LRM-10, an Imperator-A Autocannon/5, and two Victory 23R Medium Lasers." The brief states that "the Dragon will be able to bring down most foes before they even get into the range of its two Victory 23R Medium Lasers" through the use of the long-range Autocannon/5 and the "indirect-fire capabilities" of the DecaCluster. To get the full details on this new 'Mech, just head on over to the game's official site.
MechWarrior Online concept artist Alex Iglesias interviewed
MechWarrior Online has only been recently announced, but already interviews with the game's dev team are beginning to roll out. A Q&A with one of the game's concept artists, Alex "flyingdebris" Iglesias, went up on the forums today. The interview covers how Alex came to work for the MechWarrior team to begin with and grills him on the challenges of redesigning the game's iconic giant robots. For the full interview, head on over to the MechWarrior online official site.
Duke Nukem Forever review: Fail to the King, Baby
The year was 1997, and I'd just begun writing about video games professionally. Like most of my fellow gamers, I was pretty excited when 3D Realms announced that it was working on a sequel to Duke Nukem 3D, the runaway PC hit that it had released just a year before. At my first E3, a year later, I saw the game running for the first time. Now, just as my 14th E3 has come and gone, I'm sitting at my computer having finally played the finished Duke Nukem Forever. Yet it feels like I'm still in 1998. That's because DNF is, for better but mostly worse, perpetually stuck in the late 1990s. For all the delaying, the stalling, the drama surrounding the game, it's tough to say if any part of it has actually benefitted from the more than a decade of development. What has, at long last, been committed to a disc and placed into a box might have been alright a dozen years ago, but by today's standards it simply doesn't hold up.%Gallery-126036%
Inhabitat's Week in Green: crazy concept cars, the Milan Furniture Fair, and new solar technology
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. The world of renewable energy received a jolt of innovation this week as Inhabitat reported on a groundbreaking new solar technology that could render photovoltaics obsolete -- see Engadget's take right here -- and a plan to use common oven rust to generate immense amounts of cheap energy. We also saw green power projects pick up steam around the world as Pakistan announced it will build its first on-grid solar system, Chevron kicked off plans to invest in wind power for Kazakhstan, and Eriksson Architects unveiled an energy-efficient geodesic gemstone city for China. Green transportation tech blasted off as we took a look at the insane 23-passenger electric superbus that can hit 155MPH and the Phoenix roadster - the world's first biodegradable car. Volkswagen also turned heads as it unveiled an all-electric concept version of the classic VW Bus, and we saw sustainable transportation set sail as Zyvex unveiled the nanotech Piranha boat, which is 75% lighter, 40% stronger, and 400% more fuel-efficient than aluminum vessels. Finally, we showcased several hot new green vehicles as the Shanghai auto show began to rev up -- Luxgen's all-electric Neora concept car and Peugeot's Hybrid SXC. In other news, this week we brought you the best and brightest green products from the 2011 Milan Furniture Fair - from an energy-absorbing lamp that never needs to be plugged in to the world's first color-changing OLED panels to a stunning pendant light made entirely from recycled drink cartons. We also showcased several designs for greener electronics - a revolutionary paper alloy that could enclose the gadgets of tomorrow and a gorgeous bamboo MacBook case - and we shared 7 ways to get your kid excited about photography.
Duke Nukem Forever interview: An end in sight
Duke Nukem Forever might actually be completed and released -- but like most everyone, I won't be convinced until the final product is in my hands. During a recent press event, I played through the same demo we saw at PAX and spoke with 2K Games senior producer Melissa Miller, who did her best to reassure me that the game might actually, maybe, seriously come out. "It's really amazing when you think about it, because these guys -- along with everybody else -- thought Duke Nukem was dead," Miller recalled of one of the current developers, Triptych Games, which was founded by nine ex-members of 3D Realms. "And they were a group that just said, 'No, we're not gonna let this stop.'"
Splitfish announces power-saving FragFX Shark controller for PS3, PC and Mac
SplitFish isn't providing a ton of details on this one just, but it has announced that its new FragFX Shark controller for the PS3, PC and Mac will be making its official debut at Gamescon later this month, and it's given us our first look at it. As you can see, it's not all that different from the company's standard FragFX PS3 controller, but the company promises that it will be more "ecology-friendly" thanks to some new power-saving measures that'll let you get 50 hours of gameplay from a single AA battery. Also set to debut at the show are the FragFX Piranha and FragFX Barracuda, although Splitfish isn't still saying anything about those apart from the fact they're also PS3 controllers. Head on past the break for the complete press release.
New MechWarrior a reboot, called ... MechWarrior
Teased earlier this week, a new MechWarrior is currently being forged by Smith and Tinker (founded by FASA co-founder Jordan Weisman) and Piranha Games. IGN was informed that this is not being considered MechWarrior 5, but a reboot of the series. The title will release on PC and Xbox 360, and should include a full single-player campaign, "as well as support for four-player co-op campaign" and multiplayer.There is currently no release window scheduled for the game, nor is there a publisher -- those two things are typically co-dependent. Check out the MechWarrior reveal trailer after the break.
New MechWarrior teased by IGN site [update]
With the subtlety of a grand piano falling down the stairs, IGN's Voodoo Extreme is teasing that a new MechWarrior title will be announced shortly. Allegedly in development by Piranha Games, it would be the first "official" MechWarrior game in nearly a decade. The site teases that Piranha may have a full trailer up later this week.The last time MechWarrior popped up on radar was when the property was licensed to Jordan Weisman after the dissolution of FASA. If Piranha is actually developing a true Mechwarrior sequel, it would appear to be the studio's first mega solo project. We're currently attempting to get in touch with Piranha Games for more details.Update: A representative for Piranha replied to our inquiry, "We can't share any details right now, but will get in touch with you as soon as we are able." "Can't" ... or won't? Weird. Still following up.[Via ShackNews]
Nokia "Piranha" touch smartphone, others coming to AT&T? (Updated: probably just the E71x)
We've just been graced with a new trunkload of tentative -- very tentative -- release dates on AT&T, and while most of the devices were already rumored for launch, one is definitely sticking out here: the Nokia Piranha. We're assuming that's a codename, but the device is described as a "thin" smartphone with a touchscreen -- which can only mean S60 5th Edition -- and what's more, it's currently slated for a March 24 release. (Updated: see note below.) Speaking of touchscreens, a Samsung Impression touch slider with a 3 megapixel camera is due on March 26, the Propel Pro should hit a bit earlier on March 19, and the LG Xenon -- which is once again being spelled "Xenon" instead of "Zenon," so who knows -- is expected on April 9 with a 3 megapixel cam in tow. Speaking of LG, that Neon we've been hearing about (notice a noble gas theme here?) apparently won't be dropping by until May 9, and it'll only be EDGE, just like its Rogers-based cousin. On Samsung, we've got a device here that's being called the "BJ 2" with a 3 megapixel camera also launching on May 9, which we're assuming is actually the BlackJack 3 or something to that effect seeing how there's been a BlackJack II on the market for a hot minute now. Finally -- drum roll, please -- that AT&T-branded Sony Ericsson C905 we saw a ways back is currently slated to come around on June 9. Let's hope this one doesn't get canceled, eh?[Thanks, Kal]Update: Sadly, AT&T almost certainly screwed up the description of the Piranha -- it's likely just the E71x. We're weeping quietly to ourselves over here. Not to say the E71x won't be a fine phone, but it would've been awfully nice to randomly see a crazy touchphone from Nokia on AT&T out of the blue, wouldn't it?
Razer announces Lycosa keyboard, Piranha headset
If Belkin's new Razer-powered SpeedPad keyboard is a bit too unfamiliar for you, then perhaps Razer's own new Lycosa keyboard will be more to your liking. As you can see, it boasts a full complement of keys to handle those odd non-gaming tasks, although its not without its share of gaming-minded amenities as well. Those include backlighting on the all-important WASD key cluster, a non-slip rubber finish on all the keys, and support for up to 10 different software profiles which you can switch between on the fly. Those looking to stick with Razer for all their gear will also soon be able to get their hands on the company's just-announced Piranha headset, which boasts a noise-filtering microphone, an in-line remote with volume and microphone-muting controls and, of course, that trademark blue glow. Look for it to be available sometime this month for $80, with the keyboard set to follow in November for the same price.Read - Razer LycosaRead - Razer Piranha
