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BioShock, Crackdown win big at BAFTA
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has announced the official winners of its Video Games Awards and the Xbox 360 has a few awards to stick on its mantle. While Wii Sports managed to take home a staggering six of the thirteen awards, it was BioShock that walked away with the coveted Game of the Year. Crackdown also managed to snag 2 awards, one for Best Action and Adventure and one for Best use of audio. We're willing to bet that this isn't he only game of the year award BioShock is likely to earn by year's end, but the award given to Crackdown was unexpected (though certainly not unwarranted). We're sure the folks at Real Time Worlds are mighty pleased. Check out the full list of awards after the break.
BAFTA: BioShock game of the year, Wii Sports wins most awards
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts announced the winners for their British Academy Video Game Awards and BioShock came out on top, with Wii Sports winning most categories. The full list can be found after break. Wii Sports won six of 13 awards, Crackdown won two awards, as did Okami. Crackdown developer RealTime Worlds was the most successful European studio at the event, winning Best Action and Adventure and an audio award. Phil Wilson, producer of Crackdown, said, "BAFTA's are awards that are recognized and respected both outside the games industry and internationally, so we're incredibly proud that everyone's hard work has resulted in not just one but two of the prestigious gold masks." Great, now does that mean you'll finally start working on a sequel?
Sorry, Crackdown sequel isn't in the the works
In an interview with develop magazine, Realtime Worlds producer Phil Wilson chats about Crackdown's growing pains, its somewhat awkward path to market, the game's image and how much they really needed the Halo 3 beta code. Wilson also goes on to talk about how they would love to make the Crackdown community grow by creating tools that'd allow players to share videos and experiences. But the most startling factoid Wilson points out is that they are not working on a Crackdown sequel and are instead focusing their efforts on two other projects, one being the cops and robbers MMO All Points Bulletin. So, sadly, no Crackdown sequel will be headed our way for the foreseeable future. All in all the interview is a good read that showcases a very honest look back at the game and the inner workings of the dev team, but darned if we wouldn't like to see what they could do with Crackdown 2. Maybe someday, just maybe ... [Via Xbox 360 Rally]
No Crackdown sequel in development
By merit of the attached Halo 3 beta, the success of Realtime Worlds' Crackdown was none too surprising. However, the critical acclaim and overall quality of the title turned more than a few heads. Any Business 101 textbook would tell you that the best move would be to release a sequel. Alas, it's not meant to be. Speaking at an Industry All Stars event (via Develop Magazine), producer Phil Wilson said that there is no sequel "Microsoft were a little late in stepping up to the plate to ask for Crackdown 2," he said, "and by then we had already started working on bigger, better things." Those bigger and better things are a cops-and-robbers themed MMO due out next year entitled All Points Bulletin (APB) and an undisclosed project for release in 2009. APB will reportedly focus on customizable characters and vehicles; given the descriptors, we wonder how much of Crackdown's spirit (and re-used assets) will be the online game.
Xbox 360 goes disco at Bonnaroo
The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival can be described in many ways, but gamer's paradise is not the first phrase that comes to mind. Monstrosity of music, perhaps, or neo-hippie nirvana -- these are much more apt descriptions. However, one tiny corner of the farm was in fact an electronic Eden, gamer style, at this year's festival. We were curious about the console's presence at the festival, and the Microsoft rep on hand wasn't shy about answering questions. "Why not Bonnaroo? There are tons of people, it's good exposure for the system, and it's a great chance to demonstrate the 360." From what we saw of the crowds in the tent, she was right about the exposure. The Arcade was never empty, and several of the consoles had small crowds clustered around the screens. The Xbox 360 Discothéque Arcade, like so many of the enclosed structures at Bonnaroo, didn't look like much from the outside. Dust-streaked white walls shielded gamers from the boiling Tennessee sun, and the doorway was perfectly positioned to catch the occasional (and very welcome) breeze. Inside, thick shag rugs and battered sofas turned the Arcade into the perfect chill-out area. While the tent wasn't air-conditioned, the simple presence of shade made the Arcade a big draw for gamers and nongamers alike. %Gallery-4254%
Live Top Ten: Demolicious
This week's live top ten has a third of the list devoted to digitally distributed demonstration content. Of those demos, Shadowrun came all the way in fourth, with Tenchu Z down in 7th, and the Overlord demo rounding out the list in tenth. Without the Halo 3 Beta there to hog the list, Forza moved up all the way to second, behind Gears of War. Crackdown proved it had some staying power without the help of the aforementioned beta, as it maintained the middle ground at fifth. Also, Prince of Persia managed to make the list at ninth. Speaking of the list, you can find that after the break. Enjoy.
Video: breaking up with Crackdown
Alright folks, this is it. Last stop. End of the line. Now that the Halo 3 beta is officially over, the Crackdown/Halo 3 jokes must cease. Right after this video, that is. In this video, we learn the perils of dating playing a game under false pretenses. Now maybe it's just the fact that we watched Hannibal Rising last night, but we suddenly find ourselves frightened by the thought of our most hated games coming to life. We can only hope that Bomberman Act: Zero never hears all the awful things we said about it.
X3F Achievements 101: Bots, Bosses and Babalities
X3F Achievements 101 is back, and on its regularly scheduled time slot of Sundays. Initial response to our first edition was rather positive, so we're glad you like the concept and hope you enjoy reading, and even participating in the column. Emails with Achievement tips also came in at a good pace, and I look forward to playing and trading with you. One particular email stood out, which came from Casey over at brains-N-brawn.com, and the steps he took to get Achievements in one of the most time consuming Arcade games, Bejeweled 2.
Today's saddest video: Breakin' up with Crackdown
It's a sad day for Crackdown discs everywhere as the Halo 3 beta expires ... will there be a mass exodus to the used bins at game stores, and tons of listings appearing on eBay? If this video leaves you with a single lesson, it's that you should treat everything as if it might become anthropomorphized with a keen sense of revenge. Now, if we could just get that creepy image of the dressed-up Crackdown case out of our heads, we'd be ok.
Crackdown earns 7 nominations for Develop Awards
Crackdown developer Realtime Worlds have been nominated for seven Develop Industry Excellence Awards, part of the Europe-centric Develop Conference. The studio was a finalist for best new console/PC IP, best use of online and innovation, among others. Rare (Viva Pinata), Evolution (MotorStorm) and SCEE Studio Liverpool (Formula One Championship Edition) all earned three nominations apiece, as well as indie darlings Introversion (Defcon). The awards ceremony takes place July 25 at the Hilton Metropole in Brighton. Registration for the Develop Conference is currently open.
Live Top Ten: Betacular
This week's Live Top Ten shows a trend that will continue on through to the 10th. The Halo 3 Beta is being played a lot, by way of our actions Crackdown. Not enough to knock Gears of War of its top spot, but certainly enough to give the retail game second, and the beta in accesses in third. Of course, there is more on the list worth noting other than those three worth mentioning, such as the DiRT demo, or the free XBLA title, Aegis Wing. Full list can be found after the break, or you can just go back to playing the beta. We'll encourage you in your habit.
Crackdown: just try and take our keys
The newly released Keys to the City mode in Crackdown is awesome, because it allows us to create the explosive fantasies we've always dreamt about. But what if there was a limit to the fun? What if our city keys were suddenly taken from us? Well, Ctrl+Alt+Del played out that very scenario in their latest comic and came away with a pretty good conclusion. Let's just say that anyone who tries to take our Keys to the City will feel the pain. The pain of flying hundreds of feet through the air attached to a vehicle on fire. Yup, that's how we roll.
Crackdown: Climbing high with ramp trucks
Today's Crackdown video of the day uses the new Keys to the City cheat mode and some knowledge learned in the previous skydiving video. RobHoliday66 decided to use a whole bunch of ramp trucks to create an artificial climbing surface and make his way from the an ocean view to high atop the Agency Tower. And after about five minutes, he was successful. The only way we can think of one-uping this video is to challenge someone to use a smaller vehicle or object and replicate the same climbing success. So, that's what we're doing. Pick an object, make a wager, and get to work agent.
Live Top Ten: It's the demos stupid
This week's Live Top Ten features the same big hitters that have been around for the past few months, but it is also sprinkled with a few demos that hit the Marketplace this past week. Both the Forza 2 and Area 51: Blacksite demos made it on the list at number two and four beating out games like Rainbow Six Vegas and Guitar Hero II. Also spurred into action was Crackdown which jumped to the number three spot probably due to its new content and the Halo 3 beta fanfare. Speaking of the Halo 3 beta, it didn't show up on the Live Top Ten list due to it being released later in the week, but you can nearly guarantee it'll be making an appearance next week. The complete top ten list is posted after the break for your viewing pleasure.
Video: go skydiving in Crackdown
Crackdown is the sort of game that's just as much fun to goof around with as it is to actually play. As proof of that, we present you with this skydiving tutorial video. If you'd like to get some serious height in Crackdown without all the fuss of actually climbing, all you need is to enable cheat mode and experiment with ramp trucks. Using these trucks, you can rocket your vehicle skyward and then jump out for some killer free fall. According to the creator of the video, some amazing heights can be reached, even higher than those shown in the video apparently. Have any of our readers figured out any other cool glitches using cheat mode?
It's fixed! Download Halo 3 beta via Crackdown
We got off to a rough start this morning, but everything smells of roses and fresh baked cookies now. Bungie sent word that the Halo 3 beta is finally available to download for those of you who are getting access through Crackdown. Simply pop in Crackdown, make your way to the main menu, select Downloads, and then Download Halo 3 beta. It's easy as pie! And yes, we know the public beta is going live a few hour later than promised, but can't we just forgive, forget, and get to fragging already? Or just take your anger out on the unsuspecting foes that you meet in the beta and unleash the fury! Have fun guys. PS: They've extended the beta a few days longer until June 10th. How nice ...
Halo 3 beta problems being fixed in 3-6 hours
Golly gee willikers, it looks like the Bungie team has finally posted an update on this whole Crackdown slash Halo 3 beta fiasco. According to SketchFactor, Microsoft has pinpointed the download problem, implemented a fix, and is doing some final testing as you read this blog. So, with any luck, the Halo 3 beta will be available for Crackdown downloaders in roughly 3-6 hours which is only like ... 15 or so hours later than expected. But don't worry, Bungie cares about your feelings and apologizes for the minor (some say major) inconvenience, because they really do feel bad. Keep your eyes peeled and your Crackdown disc at arm's length, we're in for one long night of extremely slow downloading. [Thanks, to everyone who sent this in] Check out all of the X3F Halo 3 beta coverage
Crackdown's temp game deletion prevention
As reported earlier, with the new Crackdown update being rolled out some players have been experiencing a total game reset, wiping out all game saves. Well, the dev team over at Realtime Worlds has acknowledged the problem and has a temporary workaround until they get things permanently fixed. And, in brief, this is their quick fix. When you pop in Crackdown download the auto update, start a single player campaign, once loaded choose the quit option, and either exit to the dash or restart your console. Now, you should have no weird progress deletion and can download the other free or paid content. See, not so hard. Realtime Worlds is looking into a fix and will notify everyone when they have a permanent solution to the update problem. Happy gaming. [Via Gamerscore Blog]
Crackdown DLC resetting progress?
If you've been playing Crackdown co-op lately, you may have run into a serious problem. Forum goers (and X3F reader, DualCORE1) have discovered a major issue with the new Crackdown downloadable content. It seems that under the right conditions, the DLC can cause your progress to be reset. In other words, remember all those agility orbs you've collected? Gone. Start over. The issue seems to occur when players join co-op games and then return to single-player. Agent G, a Real Time Worlds employee has made it clear that Real Time Worlds is aware of the issue and is working on it. In the meantime, you might want to stay away from co-op. [Via Joystiq]
Crackdown DLC resetting progress for some [update]
Add one feature to the extensive list of new additions in the recently-released Crackdown downloadable content: Making the game forget you ever existed. Reports started emerging on the game's official forum soon after the new content became available that players were logging on to Pacific City to find their progress (agility orbs collected, etc.) completely reset. Though reports vary somewhat, the problem appears to affect players who participate in the game's online co-op mode and then return to single player. "Agent G," a staffer for developer Realtime Worlds had this to say in the forum: "hey guys - just so you know, we are aware of the situation and working on it." Hopefully we'll hear something soon, but as there's no guarantee you'll be able to retrieve your old data, we're calling this a case of "downloader beware" at the moment. Stay tuned. Update: Realtime Worlds has detailed a method (posted after the break) for preventing the problem until the game receives its next update. If you've already been struck by save file calamity, however, there's not much you can do besides scold the Xbox Live certification process.
