steven spielberg
Latest
Spielberg talks future of gaming, believes in virtual reality
We would never dare think of crossing Steven Spielberg. The man is made of pure magic, and has the power to erase firearms from existence, cause you undeniable fear of the water, and create currency out of toy planes and paper. When he talks, we listen. And recently, he did just that with The Guardian's podcast, Tech Weekly.Spielberg had some insight as to where the gaming business is headed, with his hopes for the immediate future residing in 3D gaming, much like his colleague James Cameron. Spielberg says the reemergence of 3D in film -- something Hollywood tried and failed at back in the 1950s -- is a prime example of how we'll see the technology make its way into games. Spielberg envisions "3D games developed where with a good pair of glasses we get a real three-dimensional experience in front of an appropriate monitor that is designed just for 3D." Also, he thinks we're not too far off from a future void of console platforms altogether, where we'll soon be playing games directly from our TV sets.As for the long-term future, Spielberg sees the technology going toward virtual reality, and sees it as the industry's inevitable future. "I really think virtual reality -- which experimentally came and went in the eighties -- is going to be redeveloped, just like 3D is being redeveloped today," he said, further adding, "and that's going to be the new platform for our gaming future."That's all well and good, Mr. Spielberg, but these virtual reality games better be more enjoyable than that Grid Busters game we played down at the Jersey shore back in the '90s.
Joystiq hands-on: Boom Blox Bash Party level editor
Boom Blox Bash Party will feature the same level editor that the developers used to make all of the game's 400-plus levels. Anyone can design and share levels online (no Friends Codes attached), but an approval process is in place to prevent submissions with "boobies" spelled out in blox reaching the public. Although, if you prefer to sidestep the Man, you'll be able to share your more "mature" levels with friends ... privately. The community will also be able to rate public levels, à la LittleBigPlanet, so, when you go searching, you won't be randomly selecting ones that suck (spelled out in blox). User-created levels can be preview-played before downloading, too.%Gallery-43419%
GDC09: Boom Blox Bash Party hands-on
click to enlarge A couple of years back, Steven Spielberg picked up the phone and called EA. After absolutely no time on hold, he told (insert random executive here) all about his idea for a Wii game about throwing blocks at other blocks. Although it had received similar proposals in the past -- mostly from third-graders -- the mega-publisher immediately drafted up a contract and made Steve a bona-fide game designer. That, dear readers, is how the original -- and now classic -- Boom Blox came to be. Well, more or less.Mr. Spielberg is once again credited on the sequel, Boom Blox Bash Party, though we're pretty sure he didn't have to go to similar extremes to get it made. Anyway, for whatever reason, the dev team decided to build a new level editor -- the same one that's in the game for players to use -- and design all its levels with the thing. Oh, and set it underwater and in outer space, for starters.%Gallery-43419%
Boom Blox Bash Party trailer makes our pitching arm sore
We don't regret the radiant, blinding love we developed for Boom Blox the First, though the physical toll it took on our ball chuckin' arm was nigh-unbearable. Therefore, the latest trailer for Boom Blox Bash Party, EA's follow-up to the highly enjoyable tower toppler, has left equally intrigued and terrified. We can't wait to get our hands on the new slingshot ability and gameplay modes shown in the video, but the very real possibility of irreparable dislocation is ever-present in our minds. Check out the trailer after the break as we call our dear pal Roger Clemens for tips on post-game rehabilitation.
Cause for celebration: Boom Blox Bash Party won't use Friend Codes
MTV Multiplayer's Stephen Totilo spoke to Amir Rahimi about the new features in the just-announced Boom Blox Bash Party, learning exciting new details that make the sequel sound much more tantalizing than a simple collection of new levels would be.First off, no friend codes. Players will be able to download and upload new levels, and rate others' work, without being hindered by Nintendo's overblown security measures. Finally, other games are catching up with Blast Works! Totilo suggested that Spielberg should "direct" a level for download, and Rahimi told him to "Consider the request scheduled".In addition to downloadable levels, Bash Party features a new move: the slingshot. Players will be able to pull the Wiimote back, then release (a button, most likely) and launch items forward. What it won't feature is MotionPlus, because the team didn't get access to the tools soon enough. But it's EA -- just wait a year for the next sequel. Update: Hey, remember that one rumor about a major game that wouldn't use Friend Codes? Ding!%Gallery-43440%
EA invites Wii owners to a Boom Blox Bash Party this spring
EA has revealed the known -- but never officially announced -- sequel to Boom Blox for Wii. According to the press release, EA's Boom Blox Bash Party will be out this spring, featuring 400 new levels and a greater emphasis on multiplayer -- as evidenced by the "Party" in the title. (As well as the "Bash" -- which is a kind of party, we believe.)"Boom Blox Bash Party is a wild social gaming experience," said Steven Spielberg, who is involved in the new game in whatever nebulous capacity in which he was involved in the first title. "We know families and friends really enjoyed playing the original Boom Blox together, so we designed more explosive multiplayer experiences with Boom Blox Bash Party."Even more exciting, BBBP now has online integration for its level editor, allowing players to share their destructible Mario sprites with the community at large. EA will offer its own downloadable levels as well.%Gallery-43419%
Spielberg drums in Rock Band, doesn't like cutscenes
Now that the dust has settled on Boom Blox, Yahoo got a few minutes with creator (and, we're told, film director) Steven Spielberg to discuss his take on the industry. What's that? You want a few of our favorite facts, nuggetized for simple consumption? Fair enough. The Spielberg family is a Rock Band family, and Steven's the drummer. He's not such a fan of cutscenes, especially ones you can't skip. Spielberg's first game experience was playing Pong with Richard Dreyfus on the set of Jaws, as it is for most of us. There're your bullet points, you jackals. No go read the rest of the piece.
Oblong's g-speak: the 'Minority Report' OS brought to life
If you've been waiting for that Minority Report-style interface to really come to fruition, you can finally exhale. One of the science advisors from the Steven Spielberg film -- along with a team of other zany visionaries -- has created an honest-to-goodness, real-world implementation of the computer systems seen in the movie. Dubbed g-speak, the mind bending OS combines "gestural i/o, recombinant networking, and real-world pixels," to deliver what the creators call "the first major step in [a] computer interface since 1984." There are some things that need to seen to be understood, so watch the video after the break, and prepare to have your mind thoroughly blown to bits.[Thanks, Jamie]
EA denies rumored Spielberg Project LMNO layoffs
Electronic Arts has dismissed rumors that the staff of Steven Spielberg's next-gen project, codenamed LMNO, has been let go. In a statement (via EuroGamer), the publisher said reports of the firing are "categorically not true."Following news that EA is cutting back on 6% of its workforce, VG247 reported that it was told by an anonymous EA employee that the dev team behind LMNO had been let go. "Almost everyone on the team has gone," according to the source. The last we heard about the project, coming to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC, was that it "focuses on a touching and ever-changing relationship between you and a mysterious female character who holds the key to many futures." His other secret project, PQRS, turned out to be Boom Blox for the Wii.
Dreamworks (& Steven Spielberg) sign distribution deal with Universal
Finally separate from Paramount, DreamWorks doesn't appear to have wasted any time inking a seven year distribution deal with Universal. While we shouldn't expect anything to change too drastically -- the deal kicks in next year, with the first Universal-distributed DreamWorks flicks likely hitting theaters in 2010, while Paramount hangs onto sequel and remake rights for films it's already distributed -- it does mark one change that could have an effect on the high definition landscape: the return of Steven Spielberg (quoted saying "Universal has always been my home base, so this agreement starts a new chapter in what has been a long and successful association") to Universal. After several Spielberg movies were erroneously listed as Coming Soon to HD DVD, we're still waiting for Jurassic Park, E.T. and Jaws on high definition discs. If they're not already in the works, lets hope someone (where is Michael Bay when we need him, since Jeffrey Katzenberg's never going to bring it up) thinks to mention this to Mr. Spielberg before the ink dries on the new deal.
EA: Boom Blox not a bomb after all
We're not entirely clear on how all this cultural bomb terminology works. Last month, after we'd heard that Boom Blox had toppled with 60,000 in North American sales, we were more than willing to wittily label the game as "a bomb." However, EA's post-earnings conference call has now revealed that Boom Blox has sold 450,000 units since launch (no region specified). Since it's no longer a bomb, do we imply that EA and Steven Spielberg's collaboration -- considered by many reviewers to be the bomb -- has been defused? That doesn't sound like a good thing.
Grab some real-life Boom Blox with the game
... if you're in France. Despite much frantic hunting on the internets, we've only been able to locate this neat little piece of Boom Blox merchandise at a French outlet, where it's being given away to those who purchase the game early (Boom Blox launches across Europe tomorrow).Although it lacks a ball to knock your blocks down with once you've finished building, assembling this puzzle is probably the perfect way to pass the time while your family plays on Boom Blox and you stubbornly refuse to admit that you might have been wrong. Bah. Oh, one word of advice, though: handle with care.%Gallery-15446%
Metareview -- Boom Blox (Wii)
They're tiny, they're toony, they're all a little looney, and in this video game they're exploding your TV. Steven Spielberg's first foray into video games brings us Boom Blox for the Wii. Reviews have been pretty glowing or just good. Don't expect some Spielberg epic here, it's definitely a casual title designed for the Wii, which apparently uses the Wiimote quite competently. 1Up (100/100): "Boom Blox is simply a laundry list of great features and options wrapped around an incredibly fun, expertly designed, and well-tuned puzzle game. Sure, its cute veneer won't do it any favors with the more intense console crowd, but I found it charming and refreshingly cheery. It's a casual game made for a casual crowd, but it's far and away the best one I've ever played. Buy this game." IGN (81/100): " If you're looking for a game you can play with friends and family - - one that everybody will be able to pick up and enjoy in a matter of minutes -- look no further than EA Boom Blox. It's a fun puzzler and also a game that really puts Nintendo's controller to great use." GameTap (80/100): "In Boom Blox, however, you might complete one level that is pretty challenging only to unlock a new level that's strangely simple, which is particularly odd in a game that requires you to finish one level in order to move on to the next. ... Nevertheless, Boom Blox is still a worthy purchase for Wii owners. It's one of those rare family games that doesn't fall into the genres of minigame collection or rhythm title, and your seven-year-old kid will have as much fun as you do." %Gallery-15449%
Metareview: Boom Blox
Gamers these days seem to be obsessed with the divide between what's "casual" and what's "hardcore." Often, software is immediately labeled for one group or the other. That's why it's nice to see games that bridge this gap, like Steven Spielberg's Boom Blox. There's nothing better than a title that everyone can enjoy. Did people enjoy it, though?The answer to that question is a resounding yes: 1UP (100/100) loved the game so much that they gave it an A+: "Boom Blox is simply a laundry list of great features and options wrapped around an incredibly fun, expertly designed, and well-tuned puzzle game. Sure, its cute veneer won't do it any favors with the more intense console crowd, but I found it charming and refreshingly cheery. It's a casual game made for a casual crowd, but it's far and away the best one I've ever played." IGN (81/100) enjoyed a lot of the game's features, but felt that the title's biggest strength was its addictive multiplayer: "EA has really capitalized on the Wii remote to give you pinpoint accuracy as you make throws with real, calculated velocity -- throws that interact with block formations encased in genuine physics. You will find the single-player offering robust and varied, but the multiplayer mode -- compatible for up to four gamers -- is tantamount to crack cocaine in its ability to addict. And while there are hundreds of levels to keep you busy, there's also a full-blown stage creator that works hand-in-hand with WiiConnect24." Wired (80/100) praises the game's mass appeal: "Boom Blox does what so many Wii titles wish they could, by splitting the difference between casual players and lifelong gamers. You can pass the Wiimote to your grandma or a 5-year-old and they'll have a ball with its clever mix of brainy puzzles and satisfying explosions. But hard-core players like me will find a surprising amount of depth to the gameplay and a satisfying, addictive challenge." Gallery: BOOM BLOX
Spielberg's Boom Blox could be headed to 360
Sure, the Xbox 360 gets Peter Jackson to helm its games, but EA nabbed Steven Spielberg, which is nothing to sneeze at. Undoubtedly one of the biggest stories in gaming over the last year is his involvement with Electronic Arts to produce Boom Blox for the Wii. Inspired by good old-fashioned toy blocks, the game has players manipulating blocks in a 3D environment complete with impressive physics ... and explosions apparently. It's a puzzle game, see? Anywho, word on the street, according to VideoGamer.com, is that Boom Blox -- which began solely as a Wii project -- may find its way onto other consoles as well. The news comes from the game's senior producer Amir Rahimi, who said at a recent event in London, "there's definitely the possibility of going to other consoles."Sure, it's not an explicit confirmation of a 360 version, but given EA's history, we'd say it's a safe bet assuming the game actually does go multiplatform at some point. The only question now is how the game would work without a motion controller ... oh wait.[Via Joystiq]
Joystiq impressions: Boom Blox (Wii)
In our previous coverage of Boom Blox, we highlighted the basic way you toss baseballs, bowling balls, and other objects at the blocks. But this casual game has even more game modes that have gotten less coverage. I sampled some of the lesser-know variants at the Nintendo Media Summit.The game's adventure mode introduces other mechanics. Players move through successive levels, trying to initially knock down structures with as few throws as possible. But following levels give gamers unlimited baseballs to toss at a pack of bears, for example; these cranky creatures try to amble off with your gem blocks, and you have to knock them down. Another change on later levels forces you to protect an advancing group of sheep. Monkeys throw items from their own block-built castle, and you need to knock them all down before the sheep are wiped out.%Gallery-15449%
Boom Blox dated May 6th
EA previously had the entire month of May blocked off for the release of its Steven Spielberg collaboration Boom Blox. They put a finer point on things during a presentation at Nintendo's Media Summit in San Francisco today, knocking 30 blocks off their May calendar, leaving a proud May 6th standing tall. We'll be checking out the game in, what we can only assume is, a near final state and have our impressions up as soon as we can, okay?%Gallery-15449%
GDC08: Boom Blox to include head tracking. Seriously.
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Head_tracking_in_Steven_Spielberg_s_Boom_Blox_no_really'; At the end of the "Creating Boom Blox" session at GDC, executive producer Lou Castle revealed that you can use two Wii remotes on your TV (and some form of do-it-yourself LED headset) to control the camera in Boom Blox with your head. Seriously. Speaking briefly to Joystiq after the session, Castle explained that it was more of an easter egg inclusion and they weren't planning to actively promote the feature. We'll have more from the Boom Blox session later this week. After the break, a video of do-it-yourself head tracking.
Joystiq impressions: Boom Blox ... a Steven Spielberg game
"It's feels like a Miyamoto game," someone observes. "Yeah, it's very first-party," agrees another. Flying sheep-blocks and all, Boom Blox is destined to earn Spielberg some street cred (or whatever form of kudos it is that gamers bestow). Just what is Spielberg's involvement? It's his idea, EA insists.An idea so simple, it's really only plausible for Wii. You just pitch a baseball at blocks -- that's it (well, sometimes it's a bowling ball, bomb, or shotty blast ... you get the idea). But where so many mindless motion farts dissipate into the foul heap of Wii "mini-game" crap, Boom Blox stands tall, as a tangible actualization of what Wii games should, no, are supposed to be!%Gallery-15449%
EA, Spielberg break out Boom Blox for Wii, mobile
Electronic Arts has announced the initial details surrounding Boom Blox, the first collaboration between movie mogul Steven Spielberg and EA Los Angeles. Revealed last December, and expected to be featured during a panel at this month's annual Game Developer's Conference, the "high-energy" family-friendly puzzler is scheduled to debut this May for the Wii, with a version for mobile phones expected to drop sometime in the spring.While details are light, EA notes that Boom Blox will boast more than 300 levels, a cast of more than 30 "wacky" characters, "full real-time physics model," and an in-game level editor that promises to let players "remix any level," which include Tiki, Haunted, Medieval, and Frontier, themed backdrops. EA also promises that once created, players will be able to share their masterpieces with their friends over the Wii's online service. While we may all have grown weary of the Wii's casual focus, it's hard not to get at least a little excited for this game given Spielberg's involvement. Then again, he did make A.I.[Update: GameDaily has an interview up with the game's creator at EA, Louis Castle – along with the exclusive trailer embedded just after the break.]%Gallery-15449%
