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Trion Worlds treks to NYCC with a trio of games
Trion Worlds has three gaming worlds up its sleeve right now, and it aims to talk about all of them at this year's New York Comic Con. In fact, the company has announced that several of its developers will participate in a panel "to discuss the future of [its] online gaming portfolio." RIFT junkies can look forward to a chat with Design Producer Hal Hanlin and Lore Lead Morgan Lockhart about the studio's upcoming plans for the fantasy MMO, while MMORTS fans will get their PvE and PvP on with Senior Producer Chris Lena from End of Nations. And attendees looking for their shooter fix won't be left out: Rob Hill, Senior Producer for Defiance, will be on hand to cover the MMOFPS and its integration with the Syfy show. The panel takes places on Friday, October 14th, from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. EDT in room 1A24. Tickets for the con are still available on the official NYCC website. [Source: Trion Worlds press release]
Bloomberg: Xbox Live getting Comcast, Verizon access; expects HBO, Crackle, Bravo, Syfy, Lovefilm, and more
A report earlier this month said that Microsoft's upcoming "Live TV" service -- part of the Xbox 360's upcoming Dashboard refresh -- would feature pay television service from the likes of Comcast and Verizon, who have 22.5 million and 3.8 million TV subscribers, respectively. Now, the far more reputable Bloomberg is reporting the same, citing "people with knowledge of the situation." "Microsoft [...] is in talks with almost two dozen providers of music, sports, movies and TV shows in the U.S. and Europe, and may announce an expanded Xbox Live streaming service as soon as next week, said one of the people, who weren't authorized to speak publicly," Bloomberg reports. But it's not just Comcast and Verizon. Microsoft also "expects to sign deals with Time Warner Inc. (TWX)'s HBO cable channel, Sony Pictures Entertainment's Crackle streaming service, NBC Universal's Bravo and Syfy channels and Lovefilm UK, a subsidiary of Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN)," one of Bloomberg's sources says. Overall, Microsoft is "in talks with almost two dozen providers of music, sports, movies and TV shows in the U.S. and Europe" and it could announce the fruits of those negotiations "as soon as next week." Two of Bloomberg's sources say that existing customers of both Comcast and Verizon will only need to prove they are pay-TV customers to gain access to the services on the Xbox.
Defiance drops in new screenshots, artwork
Hot off the press from Gamescom 2011, we bring you a new round of screenshots from the upcoming collaboration between Trion Worlds and SyFy, Defiance. For those of you not up to speed on what exactly Defiance is aiming to be, here's a crash-course. Defiance is set to be the first-ever collaborative effort between an MMO and a TV-show, with actions occurring in each influencing the story of the other. Players will be put in the shoes of the citizens of San Francisco Bay Area, while the TV show takes place in and around St. Louis. Earth is under attack by a mysterious breed of aliens who are looking to terraform Earth until it suits their own needs, and of course this means that all humans must die. Humanity isn't just going to take that sitting down, though, and it's up to players to fight off the alien hordes and reclaim their planet. Savvy? Great. Now hit the gallery below (and if you're new to the Defiance scene, go check out the trailer) for some new screenshots of this innovative title and prepare yourself to fight for the planet. That, or die trying. %Gallery-131087%
Trion's David Reid: 'New era' of premium games inevitable
It's a brutal, cutthroat world in the MMO industry, Trion Worlds' David Reid admits, and he thinks that companies that can't adapt to the rapidly changing scene need to get out of the pool so others can swim. Talking to a crowd at GDC Europe, Reid spoke on an inevitable "new era" of premium games that are being fashioned in the forges of increased competition, challenging business models, higher development costs, and lower social interaction. "It's a lot harder to make your money back in the premium games space than it used to be," he said. Reid used Trion's approach as an example of how MMO studios need to be at the top of their game when developing games, including "AAA ambition and polish, massive scale, persistence, and customization." RIFT, which he cites as having over a million customers and holding the number two spot in the West, made sure that high-quality visuals were a key part of the experience, but also that the team was willing to listen to player feedback when preparing future content. He also pointed to End of Nation's free-to-play model and Defiance's synergy with the Syfy TV show as ways to captivate player interest and stay on top of the game.
Ask Massively: Sort of like literary criticism edition
For those of you not familiar with Irish literature and the nonsensical ditherings of some more famous examples of same, you might not realize that today is Bloomsday, a day celebrating the novel Ulysses. If you've never read Ulysses, you're in for a treat... if your idea of a treat is a phone-book sized tome whose plot leaps and bounds like an inert lump of granite. It's a heartwarming tale of a man's growth into boyhood, a boy's growth into surrogate sonhood, and an author's growth into the sort of man who would submit Finnegan's Wake as a serious literary work with a straight face. Now that we've gotten that out of the way, it's time for this week's edition of Ask Massively. And today's questions aren't going to lie down and take it, since we're fielding questions about Defiance as well as the sometime-this-year-probably release of Star Wars: The Old Republic. As always, if you've got a question you want answered next week, you can send it along to ask@massively.com or aim it toward the comment field.
Defiance bringing MMO third-person shooting to PC, 360 and PS3
For as many games as we physically play at E3, we hear as many ambitious, high-concept pitches for games that are still quite a ways out. One presentation at Trion Worlds for the upcoming Defiance is about as ambitious as they come. Ready? Deep breath: Defiance is an MMORPG/third-person shooter set to launch simultaneously on PS3, PC and 360 that's being created in conjunction with the SyFy network which will develop and launch a TV series of the same name, the events of which will bleed into the game and vice versa. ...Yeah, it's a mouthful.
E3 2011: Trion Worlds talks Defiance
Straight from E3, we have some brand-new information on the upcoming project Defiance from Trion Worlds and Syfy. Three members of Trion Worlds got up on stage to demo the game and answer questions from the audience (which included our own Rubi Bayer), and there's a wealth of new information to cover, so let's dive in, shall we? Follow on past the cut for all the Defiance goodness you could ask for.
The Daily Grind: Do cross-media tie-ins interest you?
Trion Worlds is taking on a big new project with Defiance, linking a television show's ongoing plot developments with an MMO. In many ways, this seems like an ideal mix -- players who care about the ongoing story can enjoy the show, and the rest of the time you can just play the game without being shoehorned into a developer's pre-scripted story. On the other hand, this also means that you know your player character is unlikely to be a major player in the game's storyline. You'll just be some guy (or girl) without any sort of major impact. City of Heroes tried a similar tack with the comic book that launched with the game, showcasing several player characters in each issue and trying to marry an ongoing story with an MMO structure. Do you like the idea of tying together passive and active entertainment in this way? Are you excited to see how Defiance manages it? Or do you want your MMO's story contained within the MMO itself rather than tied to the needs of a television series? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
E3 2011: Trion updates official Defiance site with teaser trailer
We've known that Defiance would be getting its first serious showing this year at E3, but it looks like the team at Trion Worlds couldn't wait quite that long to show the fans the interesting stuff just around the corner. The official site has already been updated with a brand-new teaser trailer showing off the barest glimpse of what players will be able to expect... and judging by the ruined landscape within the trailer, we can report that this looks to be a very different post-apocalyptic take than other offerings in the genre. E3 will also see more information about the corresponding television series, which will be written be Rockne S. O'Bannnon of seaQuest DSV and Farscape fame. Billed not only as the first fully persistent online shooter but the first time that a game and a television show will be co-existing at the same time, Defiance could prove an interesting look at what can be done with MMOs. Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 6-9, bringing you all the best news from E3 2011. Whether you're dying to know more about Star Wars: The Old Republic, RIFT, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!
Trion Worlds and Syfy to debut Defiance at E3 2011
Three years ago, Syfy announced that it would be teaming up with RIFT creator Trion Worlds to construct the world's first MMO that would actively intertwine with a live-action TV series. This project became Defiance, which will be making its debut at E3 2011. The groundbreaking project will create a shared universe for the game and TV series, with each influencing the other through actions the characters and players take. The game -- an action-based shooter that will be released on PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 -- will be set in the San Francisco Bay Area, whereas the TV series will take place around St. Louis, Missouri. Both, however, take place on the same conflict-torn future Earth where humans and aliens coexist, though whether they do so peacefully or not remains to be seen. Lars Buttler, CEO of Trion Worlds, has this to say about the project: "This is essentially the convergence of the television and gaming industry into one fully-developed cohesive property. Syfy is creating a television show that takes place in the fictional universe that the game is set in. The game and the show will constantly [influence] each other from the moment they simultaneously launch." If done properly, Defiance could bring a new level of persistence and player influence to the genre. Keep an eye out for more on this upcoming title as E3 draws ever closer, and be sure to head over to Hollywood Reporter for the full article.
Bigpoint announces two million player mark for Battlestar Galactica Online
Bigpoint announced today that its sci-fi MMOG Battlestar Galactica Online, based on the immensely popular Syfy series of the same name, has reached two million registered players in its first three months of service. The free-to-play game has been under constant construction since its launch, with the addition of new ships for both the Colonial and Cylon factions, the introduction of the Merit system (which "enables the purchase of high-value items like nuclear missiles"), and even the ability for players to pilot their factions' trademark capital ships. What's next for BSGO? Rob Ollett, managing director at Bigpoint International, has this to say: "With BSGO continuing to achieve new benchmarks and receive such a strong positive response from the fans, we're excited to take its development to the next level. At just three-months in we're at a point now where we can shift the majority of our attention to adding new content and addressing the community's wish list." To join the exciting, paranoia-fueled (ohgodohgodohgod who's a Cylon!?) universe of Battlestar Galactica Online, head on over to the official site.
Red Faction: Origins trailer defies our expectations
So, the very first trailer for SyFy's upcoming original film, Red Faction: Origins is posted right after the jump. It seems like it might present a fairly true-to-its-source story to bridge the canonical gap between Red Faction: Guerrilla and Red Faction: Armageddon -- of course, we knew that before watching the following video. What we didn't know was that the trailer would surpass the quality bar we set for the film in our mind's eye when the Volition/Syfy collaboration was first announced. However, seeing as how this is a SyFy Original movie which is also a video game adaptation, our expectations were that upon watching the film, our eyeballs would be instantly incinerated. We might -- might -- just be safe from that fate.
Red Faction production stills look very, very surly
The SyFy press site recently added a handful of production stills for its upcoming original film adaptation of the Red Faction franchise, posted in the gallery below. Did you know that, in addition to being composed of red rocks, Mars is also made out of frowns?
SyFy prepares Red Faction: Origins movie for June 4 release
NBC Universal held a "Summer press day" last Friday in Pasadena, California, and among the various panels was one for the SyFy Channel's new Red Faction: Origins movie. In cooperation with THQ, SyFy is bringing out a two-hour movie on June 4 that covers the story of Jake Mason, son of Red Faction: Guerilla's Alec Mason and father of Red Faction: Armageddon main character Darius Mason. Alec (played by Robert Patrick) makes an appearance, though Brian J. Smith, who plays Jake, says "he's fallen off a little bit as a hero." Given how closely related to the games the movie will be, you'd think director Michael Nankin (second from right, above) would want to get in and play Guerilla at least. But the director of a few Battlestar Galatica episodes has no interest in technology. "I have a book that's a calendar," he says, "and I take notes on index cards."
Battlestar Galactia Online gets a face-lift and more
Battlestar Galactica Online has already made headway in the MMO community because of its quality, yet it is completely playable in-browser. In an announcement today, the team at Bigpoint decided to give the players a taste of what is to come in the next update -- and it's all about rewards. First up, the developers apologized for taking so long with the update; the delay is due to their upgrades to the Unity engine. In the update blog released today, they said, "This was a big step forwards for the game, and Battlestar Galactica Online is now better looking, smoother and more stable than ever before." Unfortunately, as a result of all the time spent on upgrades, not all the big bugs have been addressed, but the team promises to get right on those. So what was implemented? Merits are the PvP currency for BSGO, and with them you can buy either the Viper Mk VII or the Cylon War Raider. You can also gain the much-desired ability to command a Battlestar or Basestar. Secondly, you may now exchange water for cubits. The team is certain this one will be a hit among players. Lastly, rewards such as XP and loot have been scaled according to player level: higher-level players will now receive fewer rewards for low-level "easy" kills. For the full story, jump to the developer update on the official website.
Time Warner Cable iPad app adds channels to replace pulled ones
I never thought I'd be writing about Time Warner Cable as an advocate for consumers getting more content, but sure enough, that's what the cable provider has become. After being forced to remove some channels from its newly-introduced streaming iPad app, TWC has added a whole list of new channels into the app for viewing at no extra charge, including A&E, Disney, Bravo, SyFy, Travel Channel and USA. TW even gets a little confrontational on its official blog, going poetic on the channels that they were forced to remove from the app: "Instead of rowing down the river of history and into the future, these programmers have chosen to sit on the bank and kick rocks." Them's fightin' words, and it's pretty impressive to hear from a company that has traditionally gotten a bad rep from even its own customers. Of course, all of this is great news for iPad owners with a Time Warner cable subscription, and it's good news for the rest of us anyway, as more choices in content for Apple's devices benefits most everyone. If you've got the iPad app and the service, you can get started watching right now. [via Engadget]
SyFy-Trion project revealed as Defiance
Trion Worlds may be big with its RIFT mojo these days, but the studio isn't looking to be a one-trick pony. We've known that it's had a number of other projects in the works, including an action science-fiction MMO created in conjunction with the Syfy channel. Today we've learned the name of this project: Defiance. Described as a "new entertainment franchise that will seamlessly pair a primetime series with an online video game," Defiance is scheduled for release sometime later this year. We first heard about this MMO a few years ago, although Trion's been fairly mum on the specifics. Video games and TV series working together offer a unique prospect for synergy and cross-promotion, something that hasn't escaped the attention of Trion CEO Lars Buttler. Defiance may also appear on the Xbox 360 if Trion's hiring practices are any indication.
Bigpoint's Battlestar Galactica Online just the beginning of its master plan
In the Battlestar Galactica TV reimagining, the Cylons were infamous for having an overarching plan for their domination of the galaxy. Likewise, Bigpoint's plan for the newly-launched Battlestar Galactica Online is far more than it might first appear. For starters, the SyFy channel -- which is hosting the game on its website -- plans to aggressively run commercials promoting BSGO to the public. According to Gamasutra, Bigpoint itself is in a state of rapid growth with the recent acquisition of the former employees of Planet Moon for its relatively new San Francisco office. This newly combined workforce numbers over 80, and CEO Heiko Hubertz has them all mostly working on two major IPs: "We didn't acquire the company; we just took over the employees. So almost 40 of them are now working for us, and they're working mainly on Battlestar and The Mummy." Bigpoint's plan to tackle the North American market diverges from its European strategy by focusing on high-quality, multi-million dollar budget browser titles -- and so far, it's paid off, as the company is in the black. Hubertz thinks this was a smart move: "It was very quick -- the decision, 'Okay, if we want to be successful in the U.S., we have to change our thinking about this industry.' And that's the reason why we developed games here in the U.S., that's the reason why we picked a technology like Unity to develop games of high quality." You can read up on Bigpoint's plan over at Gamasutra, and don't forget to check out our first impressions of Battlestar Galactica Online.
PSA: Battlestar Galactica Online now in open beta
Just because the show concluded back in 2009, it doesn't mean you've seen the last of Adama, Leoben and the rest of those zany survivors and the Cylons who chase them. As expected, an open beta for Bigpoint Games' space combat MMO Battlestar Galactica Online is currently underway and anyone can play. The beta's available exclusively on SyFy.com for the next six weeks. Battlestar Galactica Online takes place during an unspecified time in the television drama's run, where both Cylon and Colonial forces are trapped in a sector of space, vying for military and resource dominance. Lolcats not included. [Image credit]
Battlestar Galactica gets an open beta date
Are you ready to step into the world of Battlestar Galactica Online and have a frakkin' good time blowing Cylons into the next century? Perhaps you're more the type of person who feels a certain affinity with the toaster-people and instead would prefer to play on the side of the Cylons themselves? Whatever the case, if you've been waiting for Bigpoint Games' upcoming free-to-play SyFy Channel space dogfighter, then you're in luck. According to a post by Husker on the Battlestar Galactica Online forums, the game's open beta is right around the corner: February 8th, to be exact! Initially, three servers will be launched for open beta: Caprica for the U.S. West coast, Scorpia for the U.S. East coast, and Tauron for players located in the EU. However, all players will be expected to use English in common chat channels, even on the EU server. The only exception is in Squad and Wing chat, which is left up to players. Any other language used in open channels will cause you to be ganked with a GM banhammer and be sent to appeal on the forums. Bigpoint also states that if more servers are needed, the company will be adjusting accordingly. In the meantime, you can check out Beau's First Impressions of the game or watch the red-hot trailer Bigpoint just released to get an idea of what this very ambitious Unity-engine-based game will be like.
