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Report: Wolfenstein multiplayer team struck with layoffs
GI.biz reports that an unspecified number of employees from Wolfenstein's multiplayer developer, Endrant Studios, were laid off today. Adding insult to injury, today just happens to mark the official launch of the game. Making matters even worse, Wolfenstein is the studio's first title. According to an Endrant spokesperson, now that the Wolfenstein development cycle is complete, the studio has "regrettably been forced to make adjustments to staff and headcounts," adding that the laid-off staff members "worked incredibly hard on [Endrant's] latest title." The spokesperson also issued the studio's hope that the former employees "land on their feet quickly." For our part, we hope they do too.
Singularity sucked into Q1 2010
First-person time manipulation news now, with a brief note from Activision alerting us to a delay in the release of Raven Software's Singularity, which was previously slated for a late 2009 arrival. It seems the publisher has wisely decided to push the sci-fi adventure back into March 2010 -- and well out of the way of Modern Warfare 2's commercially crushing tank treads."The level of excitement for Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare 2 coming out of E3 well exceeded our expectations and therefore we have decided to move Raven's upcoming sci-fi first person action title, Singularity, from 2009 to Q1 2010," an Activision spokesperson declared. "We believe that the March quarter will provide a better opportunity to establish the new cutting-edge action IP as a "must-have" title and clears the way for Modern Warfare 2 to dominate this holiday season."Thanks for taking one for the team, Singularity! Now, if you Assassin's Creeds and Splinter Cells and BioShocks could just skooch over a tad ...%Gallery-45668%
Wolfenstein motion comic serves up action with a side of cheese
GameTrailers has posted a new Wolfenstein motion comic. We're not quite sure how to feel about it really. Sure, it's nice to see B.J. Blazkowicz doing what he does best. We also like that Wolfenstein's famous chain gun-wielding Hitler once again gets what he deserves. Still, the whole thing is just so cheesy. If we didn't know better, we'd say that B.J. is trying to fill the one-liner chasm that has been left by the dearly departed Duke Nukem.Don't take our word for it though, watch it after the break and see what you think.[Via BigDownload]
Zipper dev diary reveals the three factions of MAG
Out of all of humanity's social needs and desires, we all love the feeling of belonging the most. People just can't get along without the comfort and support that can be provided by bowling leagues, church groups, family circles or bloodthirsty para-military contractors. The latest developer diary for Zipper Interactive's 256-man melee, MAG, reveals the three PMCs featured in the multi-multi-multiplayer shooter. You'll get to choose between the traditional military forces of Valor, the high-tech armada of Raven or the brutal, low-tech armies of S.V.E.R. (pronounced "sever"). Check out the three outfits in the video above, and let us know who you're thinking about enlisting with.
Wolfenstein includes comprehensive Nazi death stat tracker
Stat tracking is nothing new for FPS games, but we have to hand it to Raven for being thorough. According to MTV Multiplayer, the upcoming Wolfenstein keeps track of not only how many Nazis you kill, but the manner in which they died. Multiplayer asserts that it saw a stat screen at 36 percent completion, which noted that 639 kills had been made. Using some simple math, the blog calculated that a total of 1638.4 Nazis will meet their doom by the end of the game.Now, we hate to criticize, but that's assuming the rate of Nazi influx is constant, which it almost assuredly is not. Still, regardless of exactly how many have fallen by the end, we take comfort in the fact that we'll know exactly how many were dissolved, dismembered, burned and electrocuted. Strangely, the game doesn't appear to keep track of the number that have killed the old fashioned way: with a bullet.
Disintegrate bad people with Wolfenstein's particle cannon
If destroying Nazis is on your agenda, nothing quite gets the job done like a particle cannon. Why futz with bullet-riddled corpses or, even worse, exploded viscera? With the particle cannon, enemies simply disintegrate, making for vary little mess and easy cleanup. You can see it in action in the latest trailer for Wolfenstein. This particular particle cannon is fairly effective, though it does seem to harbor one small design flaw: it disintegrates everything but hats.We're guessing the Allies probably consulted with the ACME Corporation on the particle cannon's design.
Joystiq Review: X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Uncaged Edition)
One thousand three hundred and fifty five people: murdered. Okay, some of them were unfeeling killer robots, but even after eliminating every piece of scrap metal from the virtual cemetery, you're left with a considerable number of motionless bodies by the end of X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Or at least things that, when reassembled, vaguely resemble bodies. Wolverine is a game that exudes excess and revels in recklessness. The design mirrors that of its protagonist, an unhinged brute who lops off limbs, tears apart helicopters and frequently howls at the camera. Oh, and he apparently has a lot of fun, too. Like God of War and its ilk, Wolverine is at its best when it feels like all limitations have been dissolved, along with any possibility of you succumbing to a mere army of opponents. Even distance becomes an ex-factor, with an always satisfying lunge maneuver planting you in someone's chest before they can do something futile -- like shooting you. %Gallery-44056%
Wolverine demo available now on Xbox 360
It appears the demo for X-Men Origins: Wolverine is available now on Xbox 360. Go experience the thrills of watching Wolverine cut bad guys into meaty chunks and shove them head-first into ... well, you'll see. Don't be fooled, gamer parents out there: Activision may have the PG-13 rated movie's title on the box, but this game is certainly rated Mature and likely not suitable for the kiddies. Definitely take Wolverine for a test drive if you're up for an intense God of War experience set in the Marvel universe.
Latest Wolverine vid picks at Sabretooth
We remind you to repeat a special mantra as you watch yet another behind-the-scenes video from X-Men Origins: Wolverine. That mantra is very simple: It's only a licensed game. Just say it over and over again. It's only a licensed game. It's only a licensed game. It won't be any good. Keep repeating that while watching the video above, which focuses on the game's story, particularly that of Sabretooth. In the upcoming film, Sabretooth is actually portrayed as Wolverine's brother, which makes for some ... interesting family dynamics. The video also takes a quick look at both Gambit and The Blob. So, again, just remember to keep repeating the mantra ...
Wolverine devs: Every other game is 'some pansy'
Apparently realizing it's become de rigeur to claim that your superhero game is practically perfect in every way, the developers at Raven Software seem pretty confident in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The latest behind-the-scenes video goes a step further than just claiming that the title will be the best Wolverine game ever made, Raven actually calls out all other games. Senior Producer Jeff Poffenbarger lays it on the line at the end of the video saying, "Every other game is like ... some pansy." Oh, no he didn't. Watch the video and see just what Raven is talking about. Be warned though, the video contains some pretty graphic violence against melons.
Joystiq hands-on: X-Men Origins: Wolverine
When we first got our hands on X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the fiercest of Charles Xavier's mutant do-gooders was carving his way through South America in a game that played like a mix of God of War and Uncharted. And we liked it. We've now played a near final version -- once again starting out in the jungle -- and, well, we still like it. Luckily we got to see a lot more of what players are in for and found that, while Kratos probably has grounds for a civil suit, there are definitely plenty of unique elements to help Wolverine's adventure stand on its own. %Gallery-49406%
Achtung! Wolfenstein website is live
click to enlarge The official website for the latest iteration of Wolfenstein is now open for business. The site contains everything you'd expect from a game site, including screens, videos, forums and a blog. A handful of the screens are new, and there is also a hefty load of concept art, all of which we've compiled in the galleries below. Be sure to check out the concept art, as it contains a sneak peak at some of the game's multiplayer classes. The site also promises some upcoming webisodes, so stay tuned.Activision has also announced that this week's episode of GameTrailers TV will be dedicated to Wolfenstein. The episode will feature a new trailer, plenty of gameplay footage and a look at one of the game's bosses. The episode is scheduled to air this Friday on SpikeTV.%Gallery-48157%%Gallery-48158%
Video: Wolverine is one angry, awesome dude
Apart from being a bit on the short side, Wolverine is pretty much the ideal male hero. He's fast, strong, mean [Get a room! - Ed] ... and he has an adamantium skeleton complete with kick-ass adamantium claws. Judging by the latest trailer for X-Men Origins: Wolverine, if the game is even half as good as it looks -- which seems to be the case, incidentally -- we're in for a treat. There is no stealth here. There is only running, jumping and killing. Even better, it appears that the running and jumping are there purely to facilitate the killing. Oh, and Wolverine deflects a rocket with his claws. With. His. Claws. That is all.
Singularity spawns multiple screenshots, first trailer
click to enlarge In Raven Software's latest FPS, Singularity, you play as a salesperson for Cingular Wireless, now AT&T Wireless. No, that's not right. Oh yes. You play as a character who, unlike a Cingular salesperson, can manipulate time -- travel through it, use it to make folks age to death ... y'know, the usual. Anyway, the game's publisher, Activision, has released the first trailer for it and a couple dozen screenshots. The game looks mighty good, but we won't be totally convinced until we confirm players can use time to grow beards quickly. That and play it at E3. The trailer's hanging out just after the break or skip the lame Flash-vid and download it in glorious HD from Big Download.%Gallery-45668%
SilverStone Raven's unique case design highlights cooling, not to mention "ugly"
Those crazy kids over at bit-tech got their hands on SilverStone's new Raven RV01 PC case and have been kind enough to give us their impressions. The big news here is that the motherboard's been rotated 90 degrees clockwise, so that your expansion cards are slotted in vertically (they face up, not out the back). This is intended to facilitate cooling -- cool air is taken in at the bottom and exhausted through the top of the machine -- but as the reviewer points out, although this "seems the most logical orientation for a high-end PC," the actual case design is poor enough to rate as fairly frustrating. "For every welcome piece of design," he writes, "there's another to annoy." Cable management is described as nigh on impossible, especially with drive trays and mobo in such close proximity that there isn't any wiggle room. Judging by all this -- and by an appearance that betrays not one wit of "innovation" -- you might want to hold off on this bad boy. Someone is sure to take another stab soon, hopefully with a package that is nowhere near as goofy looking. Available now in the UK for £171.35 MSRP and Stateside for $249.99.
EVE Evolved: The art of tanking - Shield tanking
In part 1 of this series on the world of tanking in EVE Online, I introduced the concept of tanking as it applies to EVE and explained how to select which type of tank to use with your ship. I then went on to give a complete overview of armour tanking, including the equipment and skills you'll need to succeed. In this second part of the guide, I explore the art of shield tanking. Shield tanking: In addition to the differences mentioned in the previous article, shield tanking differs significantly from armour tanking. Shield boosters can repair damage a lot faster than armour repairers due to their faster cycle time but are less efficient and will use up a lot more capacitor. An active shield tank is characterised by the use of hardeners to resist damage and a shield booster to repair damage that makes it through. However, since shield naturally recharges over time, it's possible to make a completely passive shield tank that relies on a high recharge rate rather than a shield booster. Different sets of equipment are used for these two different types of shield tank. Read on and find out all you ever wanted to know about shield tanking, including what modules and skills you can use to boost your combat performance.
New Wolfenstein game will not feature Hitler
When we think back on our proudest achievements throughout our video gaming careers, a few notable moments come to mind -- for instance, the first time we caught 'em all. Or when we topped our friends' high scores on Pac-Man Championship Edition. The first time we beat the wretched wind tunnel level in Battletoads. Oh, and how could we forget -- that time we shuffled robo-Hitler off this mortal coil in Wolfenstein 3D. That guy was a jerk.Unfortunately, the satisfaction one feels after putting the kibosh on a genocidist won't be present in Id Software and Raven's next installment in their Nazi-stomping franchise, Wolfenstein. In an interview with Eurogamer, Id lead artist Kevin Cloud confirmed that the Fuhrer will not be present in the upcoming title, claiming that the developer needs to "save something for future Wolfensteins." Who could possibly replace him as the game's nefarious evil boss, though? Eva Braun? Bowser, perhaps?
Wolfenstein will probably be at E3
Wolfenstein fans rejoice because it looks like the next entry in the fabled franchise is set to debut at E3 this year. The news comes from a press release covering Spike TV's E3 plans (of all places). So says the press release: "Geoff Keighley is on the E3 show floor to give Spike viewers the inside scoop on the sights and sounds of the show. Also, tune in for more world exclusive surprises including something special from id Software and Raven Software." The time listed for this particular bit of programming is "Tuesday, July 15 and Wednesday, July 16 (11:59 PM - Midnight, ET/PT)."Considering the next Wolfenstein is Raven Software's current project, it sounds like that's what we'll be seeing. Strangely, this is listed for GameTrailers TV's E3 Minute program which, as noted above, is only a minute long. With id Software's E3 plans still very hazy, it's looks like things may be starting to take shape after all. Let's hope we wind up with more than a minute's worth of Wolfenstein when all is said and done.
Rumor: Wolfenstein will likely appear at E3
We thought it was important to comb through Spike TV's E3 coverage plans, if only so we could plan our walking paths to put us in front of the cameras as much as humanly possible. But imagine our surprise when we actually found news hiding within our ticket to stardom. Check this listing:"Geoff Keighley is on the E3 show floor to give Spike viewers the inside scoop on the sights and sounds of the show. Also, tune in for more world exclusive surprises including something special from id Software and Raven Software. -- Tuesday, July 15 and Wednesday, July 16 (11:59 PM - Midnight, ET/PT)"Something special from id and Raven, huh? Could it be the 2-and-1/2-years-in-development Wolfenstein follow up that's supposed to arrive this year? Yeah, we think that's a pretty safe bet. Here's hoping we get to hear more about another return to the castle next week.
New textures for Lore-master pets
The Book 11 content update for Lord of the Rings Online has been dubbed, among other things, the month of the Lore-master. Among the new spells, new pet (go Lynx!) and other goodies is a little surprise for our nature loving friends: new textures for their animal servants.Using new amulets crafted by Jeweller's, Lore-masters can now summon their animal companions in darker and lighter colors. Confirmed so far on Roheryn, the Preview server: Black Lynx: must be wearing Amulet of Supreme Black Lynx, Neck, BoE, +15 Agility, +29 Might, +15 Fate, Min Lvl 48. Crafted from 4 Misty Mountain Ingots and 2 Polished Beryls. Snow Lynx: similar to Black Lynx amulet Frost Raven: must be wearing Amulet of the Greater Frost Raven, BoE Neck, +7 Will, +4 Vitality, Min Level 23.
