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HBO's 'Westworld' sci-fi series arrives October 2nd
JJ Abrams' and Jonathan Nolan's TV adaptation of Westworld hit its share of snags on the way to release (it was originally supposed to debut in 2015), but it's nearly here. HBO has confirmed that the robot-theme-park-gone-wrong show will debut on October 2nd at 9PM (both Eastern and Pacific). As before, the TV series isn't really a thriller in the vein of Michael Crichton's 1973 movie. Instead, it's more of a philosophical investigation into both simulated experiences and artificial intelligence. If you can do anything you want in a robotic world, what does that say about you? And how does AI grapple with questions of consciousness and self-awareness?
This short film was written by a sci-fi hungry neural network
Remember when we played with Google's Deep Dream neural network to create trippy visuals that featured a whole lot dogs? The creators behind the short film Sunspring do. Instead of Google's product, however, they turned to a neural network named "Jetson" to do all the heavy lifting. The result? A bizarre nine minutes that you'll remember for quite some time.
'Battlestar Galactica' movie starts coming together
There has long been talk of a Battlestar Galactica movie (supposedly as far back as 1999), but it looks like the flick is becoming more than just a bunch of whispers. Universal has signed on well-known producers Dylan Clark (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Michael De Luca (The Social Network) and Scott Stuber (Ted) to helm a big-screen version of the humanity-versus-Cylon struggle. The X-Men series' Bryan Singer is reportedly involved as an executive producer, but it's not certain that he'll direct.
Software maps the 'Star Wars' universe
You may have a good feel for the scope of the Star Wars universe, but Swiss researchers just took things to another level. They've created maps of the space fantasy series' expanded universe that visualize the connections between 20,000 characters, spanning a period of 36,000 years. The results are surprisingly pretty (you're only seeing a fraction of it above) and help fill in gaps for characters that aren't fully fleshed out, such as where they sit in the timeline. They also turn up facts that might not be readily apparent, even if you're well-versed on the likes of the Old Republic or Grand Admiral Thrawn. For example, just shy of 80 percent of characters are human -- clearly, writers aren't going out of their way to include more Sullustans and Wookiees in their stories.
It's 'Blade Runner' android Roy Batty's birthday
Back to the Future isn't the only big sci-fi movie whose memorable dates are cropping up in real life -- January 8th, 2016 marks the "birthday" of Roy Batty, the leader of the rogue Replicants in Blade Runner. He wouldn't have much to celebrate if he were real (an artificially short life of servitude is nothing to crow about), but it's big for us humans who still want to know what it was like to see attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. Moreover, it's notable that a few elements of Ridley Scott's classic (and by extension, Philip K. Dick's original story) are already surfacing in reality -- although it's very much the product of its time, it's not as outlandish a vision as you might think.
The first official 'X-Files' trailer is out there
The wait is nearly over, X-Files fans! We're just a few short months from the debut of the new X-Files. Like the original series, this six episode mini-season is being produced by Chris Carter. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson reprise their lead roles as Mulder and Scully while many of the show's supporting cast (like the Cigarette-Smoking Man and FBI Director Skinner) will also reportedly be making appearances. The new series launches on January 24th, immediately following the NFC Championship game.
'Star Trek' virtual tour will recreate every deck of the Enterprise
You've probably seen a few attempts at recreating worlds in game engines, but never at this level of detail. Artist Jason B is working on the Enterprise-D Construction Project, an Unreal Engine-based virtual tour that aims to reproduce all 42 decks in the Enterprise from Star Trek: The Next Generation. While it's not quite photorealistic, the attention to detail in this digital starship is already uncanny -- the bridge, shuttle bay and other areas feel like lived-in spaces, just waiting for the crew to return. Jason is drawing on as much official material as he can to get things pixel-perfect, and he's only taking creative liberties in those areas where there's no canonical content.
'Star Wars: Episode IX' gets the director from 'Jurassic World'
Star Wars: Episode VII isn't even in theaters yet, but that isn't stopping Disney and Lucasfilm from providing details about a movie two sequels ahead. They've announced that Colin Trevorrow, the director of Jurassic World, will helm Episode IX. Despite what it looks like, this isn't just an attempt to cash in on the runaway financial (though not critical) success of Trevorrow's dinosaur disaster flick. Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy says that she was "interested" in a team-up ever since she saw the meme-based movie Safety Not Guaranteed in 2012. Whatever you think of the decision, you'll have to wait a while to see how well Trevorrow follows in the footsteps of Episode VII's JJ Abrams and VIII's Rian Johnson -- the ninth title won't reach movie houses until 2019.
Charlie Brooker's 'Black Mirror' could become a Netflix exclusive
Only seven episodes of Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror have been made, but their dark and unsettling depictions of the future have garnered a sizeable cult following. Now, Radio Times is reporting that the show has attracted the attention of Netflix, and that the streaming service is keen to pull the show away from British broadcaster Channel 4. The show debuted in the UK in 2011, but it wasn't until last December that it landed on Netflix in the US. The last six months will have exposed the series to a massive audience -- at the same time, the streaming service is looking for popular shows to add to its growing "Originals" initiative. Charlie Brooker has previously confirmed that a third series is in the works, but so far we've only been treated to a Christmas special. If Netflix can persuade Brooker to switch allegiances, it would be another critically acclaimed show to slip in between seasons of Daredevil, Orange is the New Black and House of Cards.
Four of the best 'Star Wars' games just landed on Steam
You've had the option of playing X-Wing and TIE Fighter (aka some of the finest Star Wars games ever) on modern PCs for a while, but let's face it: you've been waiting to buy them on Steam, haven't you? If so, you now have your chance. X-Wing, TIE Fighter, X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter and X-Wing Alliance have reached Valve's store, complete with their expansion packs. In the case of the first two spaceflight titles, you even have your choice of playing the DOS-based originals or their Windows re-releases. They normally cost $10 each ($30 as part of a bundle), but a promo will knock 10 percent off the price if you pick any of them up by May 7th.
The beautiful cyberpunk game that turned two brothers into developers
Tim and Adrien Soret, brothers from Paris, were quietly developing a Studio Ghibli-inspired dark fantasy game when the Cyberpunk Jam digitally rolled into town in early 2014. They took a break from their existing development schedule to build a completely new experience, a pixelated, neon-infused, sci-fi homage to some of their favorite childhood titles -- Another World, Flashback and Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee. They were new to game development and unknown on the indie scene, but in six days they coded, animated and designed their entry, The Last Night, and then threw it online for voting. They didn't expect much. "When we discovered that we won out of 265 games, we were totally stunned," older brother Tim Soret says.
An 'Alien' movie is coming from the creator of 'District 9'
District 9 creator Neill Blomkamp gave sci-fi fans a brief glimmer of hope in January, when he teased that he had secretly been working on an Alien sequel that had (apparently) been scuttled. Well, it might be back on again -- Blomkamp is now claiming on Instagram (with support from Variety sources) that the project is "officially [his] next film." There's no word on the movie's plot or when it might hit theaters, but his sneak peek showed concept art that included Ripley in an alien-like suit, Weyland-Yutani's headquarters and the return of Aliens' Corporal Hicks.
The Repopulation drops its first patch for the new build
It's more possible to play The Repopulation now than it has ever been, and that means the design team is shaking up how it handles updates. Instead of the monthly recaps of the past, the team is putting forth notes for each individual patch, such as the first major one to hit the current testing build. It's focused on improving several areas of the game, starting with a polishing of textures and performance in Plymouth City and a few other smaller points. Several combat improvements have also been rolled out, although the next patch will hit most of the major combat issues players have brought up. Skill gain rates have also been adjusted, as have the Auction and Work Order systems in hopes of keeping the economy lively. If a few lingering issues had kept you from fully enjoying The Repopulation or you just want a picture of all the changes that have come down the pipe, check out the full walkthrough of the latest patch.
WildStar launches the Protogames Initiative
WildStar players have fought off the machinations of the Entity, the depravities of their enemy faction, and the vicious wildlife of Nexus. Yet they've never had to face the centerpiece of the newest patch, the Protostar Corporation. Admittedly, taking part in the all-new Protogames isn't quite the same as taking on an ancient evil, but the two new dungeons added with this patch are both meant to test player abilities, with a low-level run through Protogames Academy conveying gameplay concepts while the Ultimate Protogames provide an assortment of new challenges. Not that there aren't plenty of other things for players to experience as well. The patch also contains new housing options, allowing you to edit the terrain of your home, and the character chop shop to let you re-edit facial details and the like. Players can also take on a brand-new Shiphand mission or run the Veteran difficulties of existing Shiphand missions, earning valuable Renown to take to the new Renown vendor. There's plenty to be done with the latest patch, so get in there and enjoy the games.
Hyperspace Beacon: Seven things I learned while writing about SWTOR
This travel through hyperspace cannot be compared to anything else. Not many people get an opportunity to work on something they love professionally, like my writing about Star Wars: The Old Republic. With Massively as we know it coming to an end, it's time to say goodbye to this passenger. Before I actually say my final farewell to Massively, I'd like to leave you, fans of Massively and the Hyperspace Beacon, with a list of things that I've learned from writing this column.
Smedley announces SOE is no more, becomes Daybreak Game Company
In a surprising move, CEO John Smedley just announced on Reddit that Sony Online Entertainment is leaving behind its Sony roots and becoming Daybreak Game Company after being acquired by the investment firm Columbus Nova. This change allows the company to publish online games on multiple gaming platforms, including the XBox. Smedley also assured players via Twitter that all of the games in the company's portfolio are staying and will continue to be a part of the new company. Here's the full announcement plastered on the official forums of each of the company's games: Dear Players, Partners and Friends, Today, we are pleased to announce that we have been acquired by Columbus Nova, an investment management firm well known for its success with its existing portfolio of technology, media and entertainment focused companies. This means that effective immediately SOE will operate as an independent game development studio where we will continue to focus on creating exceptional online games for players around the world, and now as a multi-platform gaming company. Yes, that means PlayStation and Xbox, mobile and more! As part of this transition, SOE will now become Daybreak Game Company. This name embodies who we are as an organization, and is a nod to the passion and dedication of our employees and players. It is also representative of our vision to approach each new day as an opportunity to move gaming forward. So what exactly does this mean for you? It will be business as usual and all SOE games will continue on their current path of development and operation. In fact, we expect to have even more resources available to us as a result of this acquisition. It also means new exciting developments for our existing IP and games as we can now fully embrace the multi-platform world we are living in. Our games and players are the heart and soul of our organization, and we are committed to maintaining our portfolio of online games and pushing the limits of where we can take online gaming together. Thank you for your continued support. See you in game! The Team at Daybreak
EVE Evolved: The end of EVE Evolved
By now, you will have heard that Massively is being shut down along with Joystiq and countless other blogs run by AOL. That unfortunately means this will be my final article for Massively and marks an end to the nearly seven-year run of the EVE Evolved column, which now holds over 350 articles on topics ranging from ship fittings and opinion pieces to guides and expansion breakdowns. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your readership and to express just how much playing EVE Online and writing for you really have impacted my life. I've been asked by so many people over the years for tips on breaking into the games industry as a journalist or MMO blogger, but the truth is that I lucked into this gig. When a post on the EVE Online news page said that some site called Massively was hiring an EVE Online columnist, I almost didn't bother applying. I was a prolific forumgoer back then and had written some guides for EON Magazine and my own blog, but I wanted to get into game development and had very little confidence in my writing ability. What I didn't know then was that writing for Massively would help improve my writing skills immeasurably and even help give me the confidence to launch my own game development studio. Massively gave me a platform on which to talk about EVE Online and an eager audience to share my game experiences with, but it turned into something much more profound. There have been low points dealing with trolls and organised harassment and tough times with budget cuts, but there have also some incredible experiences like attending the EVE Online Fanfest, investigating monoclegate, watching CCP redeem itself in the eyes of players, and collaborating with some of the best writers in the games industry. In this final edition of EVE Evolved, I look back at the start of the EVE Evolved column, break down my top ten column articles of all time, and try to put into words how much this column has meant to me over the years.
FACTIONS: Origins of Malu opening early access in 'a couple weeks'
After Origins of Malu got the green light on Steam, developers went to work getting the sci-fantasy sandbox ready to release to players on that platform. All that work is about to come to fruition: Producer Michael Dunham told Massively that the early access release for the game's PvP build is only a couple of weeks away. FACTIONS: Origins of Malu is launching an invite-only closed release to ensure the systems are in check as far as user capacity, client integration, and the like today, February 1st, 2015; the EA will follow shortly after. Dunham anticipates early access to open before the 15th. To learn more about FACTIONS and future plans, read our exclusive interview with Dunham, then check out MassivelyTV on Monday, February 2nd, at 9:00 p.m. EST for a special Stream Team sneak peek of the game with devs.
WildStar outlines its plans for the future of PvP
Do you want to smash faces on Nexus? Do you not give the smallest toss about being able to unravel ancient mysteries so long as you can find the opposite faction and crack their collective skulls? Then good news, cupcake: WildStar still has PvP on its docket. A new post outlines the game's plans for PvP in 2015, starting with new daily and weekly PvP quests in the next major patch to the game. What else is coming in 2015? How about gear sets that can be purchased with gold, a removal of rating from higher-tier PvP sets, the end of season 1, and same-faction battlegrounds? Because those are all in the pipeline, along with bigger improvements for later in the year. If you just can't get enough of that factional warfare, check out the full post and get ready to carve up the other side. [Thanks to Cap for the tip!]
SWTOR dishes out punishment for a major exploit
Last last week, BioWare community manager Eric Musco wrote a detailed post regarding a recent exploit that's plagued the PvE endgame for Star Wars: The Old Republic, explaining the planned punishments and the team's reasoning behind them. "We didn't take these actions lightly," Musco posts, "and reviewed every account to determine where we could be lenient. From our end, this was a no win situation. We feel responsible for allowing the exploit to occur and remain in the game for an unreasonable length of time, but we also cannot and will not condone cheating." Penalties applied to the affected accounts ranged from a warning and one day ban to even full and permanent suspensions. Musco finished up the post by encouraging players to continue to report potential exploits as soon as they are found.
