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SXSW 2009: EA Dead Space - A Deep Media Case Study
One of SXSW's panels that showed off the effects of Panelitis Fakeoutitis (where a panel sounds much better on paper than it actually is) was "EA Dead Space: A Deep Case Media Study," which sounded like it would be a dissection of the game and what went into creating it.A closer reading of the synopsis noted that it was all about "the method and the madness behind Electronic Arts' use of cross-platform marketing." Wait? What? Marketing?! Well, we went anyhow, and you can check out the highlights beyond the break.
Sci Fi Channel being rebranded as Syfy
You've got to love those marketing folks, right? In an effort to grab an "ownable trademark" that will be more easily recognized on EPGs and online video portals such as iTunes and Hulu, NBC Universal has decided it best to rebrand Sci Fi Channel as 'Syfy.' Phonetically, everything remains the same, but it's the visual difference that counts. The change is expected to take place on July 7th here in the US, with other regions following suit in Q3. We're still not sure we're hot on the whole MHD-to-Palladia thing, but we kind of dig this change -- agree / disagree?
Joystiq eyes-on: Jumpgate Evolution (PC)
click to gallery hyper-jump Sci-fi fans who love the idea of galactic war and space-age dogfighting will want to have a look at NetDevil's Jumpgate Evolution. In this Massively Multiplayer Online game, players take command of their very own fully-customizable spacecraft in a war against a mysterious alien enemy. The developers describe the game as an MMO version of Wing Commander with the intensity of Battlestar Galactica's fast-paced fighter battles. This war not only has to have grand action, but also has to be set on an equally grand stage. And in that, we can attest that Jumpgate fulfills those duties very well. The artistic direction will be the very first thing that will grab one's attention upon sitting down with Jumpgate. The diverse locales we've been shown are all very colorfully vibrant and lively; there's rarely a spot that's dull or fails to dazzle. Open space is accentuated with swirls of thematic nebulas, while cruising along the backdrop of beautifully rendered planets is an amazing sight on its own. There are various other places to visit including mining colonies, asteroid fields and debris-filled 'space graveyard.'%Gallery-4430%
SciFi channel considering name change to Beyond
Given that the SciFi channel has deviated from showing only, um, science fiction, we suppose a name change may be in order after all. Based on a recent survey about the network, it clearly states that it's considering changing its name to "Beyond." The survey then asks how the respondent would view the change if it were made, specifically asking how we think the channel would change if the name changed. Is that to mean the content would change from its current slate, or are we just reading too much into it?[Thanks, Buttabean]
Battlestar Galactica Cylon Toaster produces fanboy-approved bread
Think you're the nerdiest BSG nerd on the face of this particular planet? Oh, yeah? Then bust out your Mr. Wizard plastic wallet and head on down to the read link, because any true fan simply will not be able to eat breakfast again without the Battlestar Galactica Cylon Toaster. Supposedly the device is limited in quantity, as only one batch is being created specifically for Comic-Con. Those who'd rather get in line now instead of paying 4x more on eBay in a month can plunk down $65 and wait for shipments to begin on July 29th. Mmm, Cylon toast.[Via Register Hardware]
Stargate-themed home theater saves you a trip to space
Hot on the heels of the $150,000 Italian home theater comes one from another galaxy... literally. Designer Phil Chaney teamed up with science fiction addict Andrew Caldwell to create a Stargate-themed lair that could probably lift off at any moment. The room is decked out with stars, ambient lighting, Atlantic Technology in-wall speakers, a Control 4 system and an elusive Blu-ray player to boot. Nah, it won't be easy to recreate this one without some serious cash (and space), but those still waiting to receive SciFi HD can torture themselves further by checking out the slideshow in the read link.
Comic Watch: Backward Compatible ganks the SciFi Channel's MMO
We've featured Backward Compatible here on Comic Watch before, and the hits just keep on comin'. This episode is particularly timely, concerning itself with the recent speculation over the SciFi/Trion project.We have to admit, an episode of any television show spoken entirely in l33t would be difficult to watch all the way through, but would be worth getting through just once. Notice the nice touches in this comic -- the SciFi logo in the lower-right corner, and the references to the two great pulpy science fiction adventure series of all time.
Exclusive video detailing Jedi changes in Star Wars Galaxies Update 3
The team at SOE-Austin has passed us an exclusive video review of the most recent big patch to Star Wars Galaxies: Game Update 3. The update introduced major overhauls to the popular Jedi profession, and this short piece will make sure you're on the right page. You can watch and listen as outgoing Community Events guru Jason "Pex" Ryan talks us through the new Jedi expertise. Light Jedi are now fully supported in their role as tanks, while Dark Jedi have the ultimate in DPS abilities. Click on through below the cut for that video, plus a newly-released video from the official SWG site taking us inside the Exar Kun temple encounter.
EVE Evolved: Controversy brewing over removal of shuttles
On February 20th 2008, EVE Online's economist Dr Eyjo published his fourth quarter economic newsletter for 2007. The newsletter discussed issues ranging from deflation to what ships players use and methods for estimating the total production of Eve. Among the pages of the economic newsletter was a small section commenting on the purchases of shuttles relative to tritanium prices and the ensuing discussion seemed to focus on this. In his more recent devblog, Dr Eyjo informed pilots that following a recent patch, the infinite NPC supply of shuttles was being removed from the market in order to alleviate what he calls "an artificial price cap of 3.6 ISK per unit".It's no secret that shuttles and tritanium prices are linked. The effect that the supply of shuttles on the market has had on tritanium prices is a well-known and well-documented phenomenon that was even included in the second economist dev-blog back in September of 2007. If prices of tritanium ever increase above 3.6 per unit due to the laws of supply and demand in action, it becomes profitable to buy shuttles at 9000 ISK per unit and refine them into tritanium for sale or industry. The fact that there are people with perfect refine skills willing to do this for profit means that the price of tritanium can never rise any more than fractionally above 3.6 per unit before the shuttle-refiners push it back down. Read on for a breakdown of the controversy and to find out how this change has affected the EVE markets.
Battlestar Galactica XBLA price frak-ed on Saturday
This Friday marks the debut of the final season of Battlestar Galactica, and while we have no delusions that the 60 minutes of commercial interrupted TV will leave us any more stupefied than we were at the end of last season wondering what in the frak is going on, we nonetheless cannot wait to pick our jaws up off the floor. To celebrate the premiere, Sierra has chopped the price of its casual BSG-themed XBLA shooter in half to 400 points, and while playing the game still just serves as a painful reminder that we still lack a real Battlestar Galactica game, the new price is nonetheless a welcome treat. But get it while it's hot; the toasters are going to jack the price back up to 800 points 24 hours later. So say we all! Gallery: Battlestar Galactica (XBLA, PC) [Via Press Release]
Yascombe: Haze's script is over 1,000 pages long
We've all heard quite a bit about Haze, the next big (and easily-swappable) FPS coming exclusively to the PS3 sometime in May, but during a recent tour through Free Radical Studios led by lead writer Rob Yascombe (who is, in fact, a bona fide, bug-eyed madman), it was announced that the script for the nectar-enriched shooter is over 1,000 pages long. As a point of reference, the script for "Gone With The Wind" clocks in at a crisp 650 pages. Probably.Before you linguaphiles begin frothing at the mouth in anticipation of a Bioware-caliber dialogue extravaganza, Yascombe explains that a lot of the script is composed of mid-battle NPC retorts -- some of which, he adds, will be delivered by none other than the Royal Shakespeare Company. We wonder if those dandy artistes will be able to deliver their bullet-riddled screams of agony in iambic pentameter.
GDC08: Cryptic's secret project
Jack Emmert, Chief Creative Officer at Cryptic Studios, gave an interesting talk about using episodic content (read: patches) in the morning's (yes, it's still morning in California!) first round of GDC sessions. While we'll be posting a detailed write-up of the session later today, Emmert dropped a tidbit that, like any good piece of gossip, we simply must share. Talking about what Cryptic was working on, Emmert mentioned the recently announced Champions Online as well as what he called "a secret sci-fi project." We could hardly resist squeaking with glee as this bit of information might lend some credence to rumors that Cryptic might be acquiring the Star Trek Online license. Of course, this is all speculation -- it's entirely possible Cryptic is working on an original IP or other sci-fi license. Right now we know: STO developer Perpetual closed up shop and announces the Trek license had been given to an unnamed developer in the Bay area. Cryptic was in talks with Perpetual for... something. We presume they were after some of Perpetual's development team, but no one would confirm or deny whether the STO license was involved. Cryptic is now working on a sci-fi project. This may not be proof, but if you put these pieces of news together it seems highly likely that they've become involved in STO's development in some way.
Comcast beefs up HD lineup in DC Metro area
We could certainly get used to hearing all these HD expansion stories, but the ones most excited about Comcast's latest additions are housed all around our nation's capital. According to tipster Casey, customers in and around Baltimore, Maryland and Northern Virginia are just now receiving six new high-definition channels: Discovery Channel HD, CNN HD, TLC HD, USA HD, Animal Planet HD, and yes, Sci-Fi HD, too. Interestingly, it's said that subscribers in Washington, D.C. have yet to see the newcomers, but feel free to toss a comment in below if that status changes.[Thanks, Casey B.]
Comcast gives Twin Cities 11 new HD options
It is the season to give, you know, and while we've heard that Comcast will be on the receiving end of things when it hikes rates in 2008, at least users across the nation are receiving a boost in their HD lineup before having the family over this holiday season. Up next on Comcast's list is St. Paul / Minneapolis, Minnesota (and western Wisconsin), which is receiving 11 new channels to complement the 22 already available. Among the newcomers are CNN HD, Animal Planet HD, Discovery HD, Food HD, Sci-Fi HD, TLC HD, Universal HD, USA HD, TBS HD, History HD and FSN North HD. Reportedly, customers in the area are already able to view USA, Sci-Fi, Universal and Food, and the rest of the gang is slated to go live on or before December 17th.[Thanks, Ed]
USA HD / Sci-Fi HD launching on Dish Network?
We've seen two reports now leading us to believe that Dish Network subscribers can tune in to two new HD channels as early as tomorrow. Apparently, the satellite provider has already uplinked Sci-Fi HD and USA HD, and according to Scott Greczkowski over at SatelliteGuys, the two channels could go live to customers Friday -- as in, tomorrow. If all this pans out, it should be quite a nice weekend in front of the set for Dish customers.[Thanks, Daryl and Matt]Read - SatelliteGuysRead - HighDefForum
Breakfast Topic: Is WoW science fiction?
Yesterday we talked about similarities between World of Warcraft and other fantasy franchises. Commenting on that post, Baluki noted that "Warcraft is also somewhat unique in mixing some sci-fi elements into its fantasy universe." But not everyone thinks that's a good thing: back around the time that Burning Crusade previews were coming out, the draenei and the naaru caused quite a bit of stir among lore fans who felt that "space pallies" and "interdimensional ships" like Tempest Keep were going too far.One poster to the forums linked to this screenshot and said, "When did this turn into a friggin space game... Draenei, Exodar... hell this battleground feels more like UT Facing Worlds map than an RPG..." Drysc replied: "I believe you may be creating your own idea of what Warcraft is and has been, while it's been anything but a traditional medieval fantasy setting. The lore and history is full of interstellar travel and themes one may consider 'sci-fi'. There are warp gates that link various worlds together, planets blowing up, space traveling demons who enslave entire planets, inter dimensional ships, time travel, etc. "You say '[this] feels more like UT Facing Worlds map than an RPG... ', when RPG simply stands for Roleplaying Game. Warcraft has and always will be beyond a singular tolkienesque world, and I think those who know and understand the lore and history are more apt to recognize and accept how the story is progressing as 'clearly Warcraft'."What do you think? Are the "sci-fi" elements minimal enough that WoW still doesn't count as "science fiction" or even "science fantasy?" Or do World of Warcraft and The Burning Crusade launch the lore off the Tolkienenque fantasy homeworld and into the anomalous nebulae of Stargate, Alien, or even Transformers? Personally, I think WoW gets the balance right -- I'm happy to see some creative mixing of different themes that breaks the traditional fantasy molds. I'd like to see more sci-fi elements in future expansions too, though I doubt that's likely. WTB more WoW Lightsabers!
NetDevil to revive sci-fi MMO as Jumpgate Evolution
NetDevil, the folks behind the LEGO MMO, recently announced it will bring "substantial updates" to the company's 2001 space combat MMOG, Jumpgate: The Reconstruction Initiative. The game is to receive a complete graphics overhaul as well as new, more intelligent AI, more weapons, advanced social aspects such as player-owned stations, and a fully controllable economy. Beta registration has opened, so if you're ready for some sexy-looking sci-fi shooting action, Jumpgate Evolution could be your fix.%Gallery-4430%
Former WoW and EverQuest programmers working on sci-fi MMOG
Colony Studios, a new development studio comprised of former World of Warcraft and EverQuest staff, recently announced a new space-themed MMOG in the works. Instead of throwing yet another MMOG on the market, Colony is centering the game around a dynamic, living world that will allow players to log on and react to a constantly changing world. The game's history is provided, but the players are the driving force behind current events. The game will also feature a "unique approach" to warfare, PvP combat, character advancement, and territory control, although exactly what that means is anyone's guess at this point.Colony's aim is to "not be afraid to take chances outside the normal MMO design", and with experience on their side, they could be on the fast-track to MMO fame. They could also be on the fast-track to "here's a load of hype, hope you guys get excited enough to pay attention to what turns out to be a mediocre game". IGN's RPG Vault has a full interview with Colony CEO Mike Wallis, who we assure you isn't Mike Wallace.
Prominence, a 3D sci-fi adventure game announced
Indie studio Digital Media Workshop has just announced an ambitious 3D sci-fi adventure titled Prominence. The game will be story-driven with multiple endings, voice acting, and a completely original soundtrack. Puzzles will be both environmental and graphical-based to put the game's pre-rendered panoramic 3D visuals to work.Sounds like an intriguing combination of Myst and Dreamfall: The Longest Journey. No screenshots or videos are available at the moment, just some concept renders and a lot of marketing hype. Without working proof that these ideas are coming to fruition, we can't help but raise an eyebrow of suspicion. It's easy to set lofty goals early in the game, especially when you're a small indie developer, but making those a reality could prove a difficult undertaking.
Mass Effect prequel novel announced
Mass Effect lead writer Drew Karpyshyn has been working overtime, penning two novels that will tie into the Xbox 360 action-RPG trilogy. The first, Mass Effect: Revelation, is described as a prequel novel following Alliance Commander David Anderson as he uncovers a "sinister conspiracy" that spans a galaxy of uncharted worlds. Ooh, nothing like a lil' cliché sci-fi lit to get you in the mood...The Mass Effect novels will be published by Del Rey, an imprint of Random House. Revelation is due in May, followed by the second book Mass Effect: Revolution (TBD).
