Realtime-Worlds
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Interview with David Jones
Xbox.com has a nice interview with Dave Jones of Real Time Worlds about Crackdown. The touch on some cool things like the Achievements in the game, potential downloadable content and how the leaderboard statistics are tracked. When going into detail about the leaderboards and how they worked, it helped shed some light on the way they intend on tracking player activity to decide on the Achievements for the last 100 points. Give it the once over by clicking the "Read" link to help cope with the wait for tomorrow's release. [Thanks, DjDATZ]
Live top ten: Revenge of the Demos
For two weeks in a row now, we've had demos creeping into the Xbox Live activity charts. This week is no different, bringing a forth into the fold, ironically taking the forth spot. Of course, we're talking about the Def Jam: Icon demo. Gears of War and Rainbow Six: Vegas continue to dominate and hold onto their stranglehold for the top spots. COD3 moved into bronze position, pushing Crackdown to fifth behind the aforementioned new demo. Madden, Lost Planet, NBA Street and Oblivion stay put, and GRAW 2's demo replaces its predecessor in tenth place. Take a gander at our handy dandy list after the break.
Shipping this week: no more jokes edition
Ever since it was first announced that Crackdown would contain a golden ticket to the Halo 3 beta, the jokes have been flying. We admit it, we're as guilty as anyone else, even "designing" our own box art for the game. At this point, most of us have made up our minds about the game. The demo has sealed the deal for many who now eagerly await the retail release. Good news then, 360 Fanboy readers, that time is upon us. As such, we are now retiring the "Halo 3 beta with free copy of Crackdown" meme. Crackdown is a good game that deserves its own space. Sure, we know that many are mainly anticipating the beta, but they just happen to be getting it with a fun game. Without further ado, behold the 360 titles shipping this week: North America Crackdown NBA Street Homecourt Europe Blitz: The League Crackdown If your copy of Crackdown does have that golden ticket, don't forget to sign up for our Halo 3 beta leaderboard so the 360 Fanboy community can play together when the beta launches. In the meantime, we'll see you on Crackdown.
Free Halo faceplate with Crackdown purchase
If you are going to be purchasing Crackdown this Tuesday, then you may want to head over to your local Circuit City. Since Crackdown comes with the Halo 3 beta invite, Circuit City is offering a free Halo faceplate (a $20 value) with the purchase of Crackdown. Free stuff always makes us happy, especially free Halo merchandise. And speaking of which, shouldn't it be a mandate that every new Xbox 360 game release has to include a free faceplate? It's a great idea and something we'll be pitching to Microsoft and their lovely marketing team.
MS defends Crackdown/Halo 3 beta decision
Ever since it was first announced that Crackdown would contain an invite to the coveted Halo 3 multiplayer beta, comments have been flying around the intertubes. Some have said that the beta was added in order to push an otherwise lackluster product. That theory, more or less, has been quashed now that the Crackdown demo has won the hearts and minds of the people. Others have expressed outrage at being "forced" to buy Crackdown in order to get into the beta. Frankly, this argument doesn't really hold water, as a beta test is just that, a beta test. In a recent Reuters article, Microsoft's Craig Evans defends the choice. In response to the claim that Crackdown was virtually off the radar before the Halo 3 beta was announced, Evans says, "I can understand why people might think that, but the bottom line is that Crackdown is a game that stands on its own." Referring to the common joke that people are buying the Halo 3 beta and not Crackdown (see image), Evans notes, "People are definitely saying 'I'm getting a free beta with Crackdown', not the other way around," adding, "The Halo 3 beta isn't going to push the game's sales into the millions. Crackdown is going to push its sales into the millions."We certainly won't argue that Crackdown is a good game on its own merits, but it would be foolish to assume that the inclusion of the Halo 3 beta had nothing to do with its quick rise into the spotlight. In the end, it was a slick way for Microsoft to promote a good original game with no franchise history to exploit. Grand Theft Auto, for example, practically markets itself. Crackdown didn't have an obvious marketing hook. The beta put Crackdown in the public eye, and now that we've had a taste, we want more. Halo 3 beta or not, we're picking Crackdown up next week. Anyone want to take bets on how long it takes to become a million seller?[Via HBO]
Ten things to try when you get Crackdown
Next week Crackdown will hit the streets and gamers everywhere will explore the game in all its sandbox goodness. But what can you a person do in Crackdown ... what can one do? The EWoC Team posted a somewhat humorous video of the top ten things they feel you have to try in Crackdown. This video was made using the demo that is available on the XBLM, so if you won't be purchasing the game you can still try out some stunts. We're especially excited about completing a few of these like "walk like an idiot", "get hit by a car whilst holding a skip", and our favorite "kick a friend over a cliff when he's not looking". Get inspired, see a Batmobile, and take a look at the EWoC Team's ten things to do in Crackdown.
Ken Lobb thinks Crackdown is the best game EVAR
Of course, being involved with the game's development may have swayed his opinion just a tad. Speaking to Newsweek's N'Gai Croal, Microsoft design director, Ken Lobb, drunkenly divulged that his very own GoldenEye 007 had been surpassed by the fun presented in Crackdown. Since Ken previously considered James Bond's N64 outing to be among the best games ever, it follows that Crackdown is among the bester games ever. It's not an unreasonable opinion to have; certainly not with all those supercops leaping over buildings and kicking crooks in the head. Then again, Mr. Lobb once described Perfect Dark, which he also worked on, as "the best FPS ever, for any system, period." It's all very confusing, but if you want to extract a key piece of information here, it's that Ken Lobb is constantly working on the best game ever. Though we say that with tongue planted firmly in cheek, a positive mindset like that would probably be quite motivating in our rough games industry.
Remaining Crackdown Achievements determined by observation
Realtime Worlds will be watching next week as you hit Crackdown's Pacific City for the first time, and for the weeks following. Shipping with only 900 Gamerscore points, the developer will decide how to implement the remaining 100 points by observing how players are interacting with their virtual sandbox. It's not like Realtime has installed cameras into the game world; no, the developer will apparently gather most of its information by monitoring the most popular Achievements. If players are focused on unlocking the juggling Achievements, Realtime would likely up the ante with a new juggling-based challenge. But activities without existing Achievement tie-ins -- like building towers out of stacked objects -- might be harder for Realtime to observe (unless there's an internal stat-tracker we're not aware of...).
Fans to decide missing Crackdown points
Some time ago, we reported that Crackdown will ship with only 900 gamerscore points available. It was later revealed that Crackdown's missing 100 points would be made available via downloadable content. This week, Major Nelson's blogcast reveals the way in which those points will be doled out. During an interview with Aaron Greenberg, it was revealed that Realtime Worlds, developer of Crackdown, will be monitoring what people do while playing the game. They'll be keeping track of the most popular achievements to see what players are doing in Crackdown. Realtime Worlds will then create new achievements based on what they observe. For example, if everyone playing Crackdown is going for the rocket launcher juggling achievements, Realtime Worlds may add another achievement that expands on that. We love the idea of adding achievements based on how people play the game. It would be interesting to see other developers take this approach as well. Are there any Achievements you'd like to see added to Crackdown?[Via DarkZero. Thanks, SoonerBill]
Crackdown patched on arrival
When you pop in your Crackdown disc next week to download the Halo 3 beta (we kid ... the beta won't be live until at least March) you'll be momentarily stalled for a title update. Noticing some considerable lag during co-op matches, both online and off (system link), Realtime Worlds cracked open the gold copy and got back to work. The update should address these issues. Phew, last minute patchwork sure beats a recall...
Video: Crackdown's first 10 minutes
Xboxyde has a video showcasing the first 10 minutes of Crackdown. The opening cinematic takes a comic book style similar to XIII or Ultimate Spiderman did on the original Xbox. That makes sense, given that all three titles used a form of cel-shading. The video doesn't do much except show the difference in the rate your attributes level up from the demo. None the less, it's interesting enough for those who can't wait until the 20th. It is available as torrents in High Definition (346 MB WMV), Standard Definition (106 MB AVI), and Streaming. It looks to be a blast, and now you feel like you have to earn those 4 star attributes, rather than being spoon fed your skills. Speaking of, which attributes do you plan on power leveling, if any? We think that getting four stars for driving out of the way first, then grabbing agility orbs as you progress through the story seems like an interesting way to start.[Thanks, SoonerBill]
Crackdown the world over
Sometimes the best Photoshop work is the simplest and most subtle. Flickr user Agent G has "scoured the earth" and unearthed agility orbs at world's greatest architecture. (There's two at Easter Island waiting for you.) Also revealed were Secret Orbs that developer Realtime Worlds have placed in the most inconspicuous of locations, from Viva Pinata all the way to old episodes of Knight Rider. If Halo 3 was not advertising enough for this game, perhaps Microsoft Games Studio might think of a clever television marketing campaign based on this Flickr gallery. [Via Xbox 360 Fanboy; thanks, Jonah Falcon]
Crackdown disc required to play Halo 3 Beta
On Monday, we showed you a screenshot of the Halo 3 Beta download screen in retail copies of Crackdown. Today, we have a picture of the invite card, which confirms how the process works. In short, you need to have the Crackdown game in your Xbox 360 to play the Halo 3 Beta. It does NOT show up in your "Demos and More" tab on the dashboard after downloading it through Crackdown. This coincides with the original press release, which stated you had to load the game to download the beta. Check out the invite card after the break.
Crackdown creator's ego intact after Halo 3 boost
Buy the Halo 3 beta and receive a free copy of Crackdown! That was the joke that hurtled across the chattering landscape of the internet, as soon as it was revealed that Microsoft's supercop-in-a-sandbox game would ride the coattails of a ruthlessly marching Halo 3. But that's okay, according to Crackdown creator, David Jones. "It's really scary to think you could make a really great game that nobody has ever heard about," he notes in an insightful interview with Stephen Totilo of MTV News. The main problem, Jones states, is that Crackdown simply doesn't look good in screenshots. Perhaps a "snapshot" makes for a better word, as he feels that the game's qualities are conveyed far better when it's in motion -- the seamless world, the explosive physics and the player character's constant evolution. Since it takes a while for Crackdown's protagonist to build up his attributes and start leaping over buildings, the game can't be readily grasped in the first five minutes or indeed, in a snapshot. As Totilo aptly puts it, it's a "gradual sell." The Real Time Worlds developer goes on to explain how his desire to reward players resulted in a lifting of Microsoft's achievement limit from 50 to 80 per game, and that "90 percent of the fight is just getting people to try something." Though the Halo 3 beta business may have inadvertently made some gamers doubt the game's quality, the demo currently available on Xbox Live should do much to help allay any GTA fan fears.
How Crackdown's Halo 3 Beta Works [update 1]
That screen pretty much sums it up for how the "specially marked boxes" of Crackdown are going to allow downloading the Halo 3 Beta. Simply navigate to the "Downloads" section in the menu, and there's an option to get the Halo 3 Beta. We presume that an Auto Update will take place on the beta's launch and then the message at the bottom of the screen will change appropriately. So, while a bunch of fanboys eagerly await halo3.com to allow them to register, at least they can get a glimpse of their next and final option available in just of 2 weeks.Update: The hosehead blogger responsible for crediting the wrong source has been reprimanded accordingly. Not only was he subjected to 360 lashes by strips of Canadian Bacon, but his following paycheck will be using an embarrassing 1:1 USD/CDN exchange rate.
Crackdown Demo climbs up Top Live Titles
Yesterday, Major Nelson released his weekly report regarding the Xbox Live activity, and the results caught us off guard. No, Halo 2 didn't beat out Gears of War due to the Halo 3 beta's Rule of 3 phase. Crackdown's demo came in 2nd for unique users on Xbox Live. It even toppled Rainbow Six Vegas, which is equally surprising. Obviously the game is a lot of fun and people are enjoying the demo, and doesn't need a marketing ploy to sell copies. The thing that we're curious about is how the Crackdown demo compared to Halo 2's unique user count? Then again, perhaps the Rule of Three kept Halo 2 as second overall between Xbox and Xbox 360 combined. So, obviously, some of you must have been playing the demo, have you done anything cool this past week in Crackdown?
Badass Crackdown Physics Video
Sometimes words can't quite describe something just the way you want it to. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words, and extrapolating from that, 30,000 words per second of video. In any case, the above clip leaves us speechless. YouTube's seemore10 has taken some clips from the Crackdown demo, and exhibited the physics engine's capabilities in regards to explosions added to nearby vehicles. Combining a pile up with some remote mines, he got devastating results that remind us of the Crashbreakers from the Burnout series. He's got some other gems available on his user page worth checking out. If you get a little creative in Crackdown with the camera rolling, give us a shout. [Via Digg]
Japan invited to Halo 3 Beta, will anyone RSVP?
Siliconera reports that copies of Riot Act (a.k.a. Crackdown) will contain download codes for Halo 3 Beta, extending Microsoft's promotion to Japanese gamers. Peter Moore recently reiterated to IGN that Microsoft is "not going to back down" in its aggressive campaign to popularize the Xbox brand in Japan. Including the download code inside Riot Act retail boxes is a friendly gesture, but it's not going to generate as many sales as the promotion will in North America or Europe, where Halo is a dominant franchise; and FPS in general, a leading genre. Still, Moore insists that the beta promotion isn't about boosting Crackdown's exposure, but rather, is simply an opportunity to pair potentially M-rated Halo 3 with an M-rated title. Guess that explains why Viva Piñata didn't include keys to the beta. Riot Act will be available on February 22 in Japan, two days after the game is released in North America. Halo 3 Beta download codes will also be included with the European version of Crackdown.
Halo 3 Beta invite guaranteed in every 'initial' copy of Crackdown [update 1]
While previous sources have stated otherwise, IGN claims to have received information from an unnamed Microsoft rep who has confirmed that every copy of Crackdown will include an invitation to Halo 3 Beta. If you're not interested in Crackdown, playing Halo 2 (you do own a copy of Halo 2, right?) for a few hours is still the best way -- and only other way -- to gain access to the beta. But it's good to know that a golden ticket, albeit an expensive one (if you plan to throw away the "chocolate bar"), will be sitting on the shelf at the local retailer, accessible at your leisure. Update: Microsoft sent along word that "every copy in the initial shipment" of Crackdown will have the download code for Halo 3 Beta. Each box will be specially marked. Microsoft did not specify how large the initial shipment would be. Don't cancel those pre-orders just yet... [Thanks, dork]
Crackdown: more fun than a bag of grenades
We just spent the last 2 hours playing the Crackdown demo and so far we're impressed. Crackdown immediately offers players with several possible objectives, and multiple paths to complete them. We played through the demo twice and found new and different things each time, even with objectives that we had completed before. The gameplay is fairly simple, it's your job to take out local gang leaders and eventually each gang's kingpin. In what manner and in what order you do this is entirely up to you. There are multiple weapons and skills available to you, and each one of them is useful (though we were particularly fond of the agility and explosives skills). The demo tasks you with eliminating leaders of the Los Muertos gang.
