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Scramble now available on Xbox Live Arcade
Scramble is not Lumines Live. Now that we've accepted that, let's consider the once delayed 1981 shooter and why you might be inclined to spend 400 MS points ($5) on it. Clearly, its educational value with regards to the many dangers of spaceship travel (observation: everything is out to kill you) is unsurpassed, but the core gameplay is quite easily sussed out. Scramble is a very basic and very traditional shooter -- more than enough description for shooter fans to show interest and everyone else to write it off as old hat. As with Konami's other Xbox Live Arcade releases (like the excellent Time Pilot from two weeks ago), the download includes updated graphics and sound, online matches, achievements and scoreboards. Microsoft should be announcing the next round of Xbox Live Arcade Wednesdays within the next week. Hold on to your plummeting, musically inclined blocks until then.
That should be on XBLA: Lode Runner
Last week, we gave you Power Stone as a great XBLA candidate. However, after going through the comments, we've decided to revise our rules a little bit. A few of our readers pointed out that they'd rather see a full blown next gen sequel to Power Stone rather than a Live Arcade rehash. You know what fanboys? You're right. From now on we will try and steer clear of games that might actually get legitimate sequels. And with that out of the way, we present this week's pick, Lode Runner (as submitted by BklynKid). A puzzle game of the highest order, Lode Runner has all the right curves in all the right places for an XBLA title. The game is simple, fun, addictive, and easy to play in quick bursts. Read on to find out what makes Lode Runner super special.
Bioware demonstrates digital actors at Austin Game Conference
An intriguing article on Gamasutra details Bioware's visit to the Austin Game Writers Conference and their resulting presentation, "Creating Characters for Games: Writing for Digital Actors." One of the few developers that puts as much, if not more, emphasis on stories and characters versus other elements of their games, Bioware outlined a change in writing methodology required for visually lush next-gen games. Unlike older, less ambitious role-playing games which furthered the story via motionless character portraits or a handful of canned animations, the upcoming Mass Effect has tasked writers with taking things such as body language and subtle physical gestures into account. It's an interesting case where the writer can rely on the graphics to tell a part of the story -- usually it's the other way around.The article also delves into the creation of the story and how the player's choices need to be plentiful while still remaining within the framework of the overall game. Again, the digital actor can be used to guide the player down certain paths, avoiding erratic or non-sensical behaviour that has a character suddenly going from cheery to murderous after the press of a button. There's definitely a tug of war going on between the player (who wants freedom) and the storyteller (who wants to tell a coherent tale). With more realistic graphics and lifelike characters being introduced in the coming years, it's unclear as to who will end up having the greatest grip. See also: Bioware defines Mass Effect Video of E3 Mass Effect demo hits XBLM Joystiq's impressions of Mass Effect at E3
That should be on XBLA: Power Stone
Last week we took a look at Bubble Bobble as a likely candidate for Xbox Live Arcade. This week: Power Stone. One of the first games released for SEGA's ill fated Dreamcast, Power Stone was a gorgeous and innovative fighter in it's day. Part Smash Brothers and part Jackie Chan, Power Stone allowed players to use anything and everything to win a fight. Of course, the eponymous power stones were a big help as well. Read on to see why this overlooked Capcom classic would make a great addition to Live Arcade.
XNA confusing? Get the tutorial
Most of you are probably aware that the beta version of XNA is now available for download. So you downloaded it, and are now staring at your computer, waving your arms at it, trying to make it do something. Lucky for you, the fine folks at XNA Spot have got your back. They posted a tutorial that promises to help you install XNAl, build the included Space War kit, and start making your own creative changes. Now, we won't go into all the technical details because, frankly, we don't understand them and are in fact frightened by them. But you guys go ahead. Go get it and start making the next Live Arcade game all by yourself. Seriously. Go ahead. We'll wait.[Via Let's Kill Dave]
Time Pilot warps onto modern day XBLA
Time-traveling, zeitgeist shooting news now, with Konami's 1982 classic, Time Pilot, hitting Xbox Live Arcade today. Much like Frogger, the game has been given a few enhancements, including Xbox Live cooperative and versus play, enhanced sound and somewhat shinier graphics. The latter feature can be disabled if you prefer to keep things authentic -- we find that the retro visuals give a better indication that you've hit an enemy, whereas the revamped graphics have smoke trails that make it easier to spot incoming missiles. Is Time Pilot worth 400 MS points (or $5 in crazy money)? Well, the answer to that question largely depends on the value you attach to the score leaderboard. If you actively visualize your friends and their pitiful scores sitting in the cockpits of the biplanes, jets and UFOs (from the futuristic 2001 level) you're currently blasting to smithereens, the game is an absolute and horribly addictive blast. In terms of length, however, you'll find that Time Pilot takes very little time to complete, with only one of the achievements posing much of a challenge. The decision's easier if you fondly remember (or scornfully loathe) the game from your earlier, possibly emulated days, but we've been told that today's young people are generally enamored by games that involve shooting things until they spectacularly explode (as depicted in the following screenshots).
That should be on XBLA: Bubble Bobble
One of the absolute best features of the Xbox 360 is undoubtedly the Xbox Live Arcade. We've already seen some great games for the service, some originals (Cloning Clyde) and some retro classics (Street Fighter II). Naturally, we're all over original content. Castle Crashers just may be the most anticipated title at X360F (according to Chris Grant after it was announced, "I mean, Castle Crashers? How f*cking cool is that?" So, yes, XBLA will surely be a font of great original content, but there are still those among us who pine for more companies to sell us our youth. As such, we've decided to pick a game that's ripe for XBLA: Bubble Bobble. For those unfamiliar with the game, Bubble Bobble puts you in the shoes of two boys (named Bub and Bob, natch) who've had their ladies stolen away. As if that weren't enough, the boys are subsequently turned into dragons, and not kick ass fire breathing dragons either. Nope, these dragons blow bubbles. These bubbles, as you might imagine, are the primary gameplay mechanic. They're used to trap and kill enemies, and also as platforms. The game has a very strong puzzle dynamic and gets insanely difficult as you progress through the 100+ levels. And, of course, like all great games, Bubble Bobble features cooperative play -- and the most annoyingly catchy music ever to grace a videogame. In short, it's a simple, fun game that's easy for anyone to pick up and play. Make sure it has local and Live multiplayer, add leaderboards and some sweet achievements, and you've got the perfect candidate for XBLA. Do you, our loyal readers, agree? What other great games would you like to see on XBLA? Give us some ideas in the comments and we'll post a new candidate every week or so. Try and keep them realistic, obviously we won't be seeing any Mario on XBLA. Believe or not, companies do read our blog and they keep track of what people are saying. So, join us and we might even influence a little Live Arcade history.
Marble Blast updated, free maps!
Mike from K1lla's Xbox Domain sends us news of his super spiffy interview with Pat Wilson, lead programmer of Marble Blast Ultra from Garage Games. The topic of the interview: the impending update. The update promises to fix lots of little bugs found in Marble Blast, including some kind of fix for people who drop out of games to keep their stats from going down. The really big news is that the update will include 11 (eleven!) new multiplayer maps. Garage Games is planning on releasing themes and gamer pics on Marketplace as well. Unfortunately, there is still no concrete release date for the update. Hit the read link to check out the whole interview.
SNK Playmore unleashes the Fury on XBLA
As if Xbox Live Arcade wasn't already a menagerie of two-dimensional creatures, Gamespot reports that it's about to become home to fighting wolves and geese. Using less obscures references, SNK Playmore has revealed that one of their titles to be shown at this year's Tokyo Game Show is none other than Fatal Fury Special (Garau Densetsu Special in Japan) for the Xbox 360. Terry Bogard and his punching pals join Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting, which was released several weeks ago to brisk sales. It's wonderful to see 2D fighting games making the rounds on our fancy, next-gen consoles (especially, you know, good ones), and with enough player interest, it may even spur on the creation of some brand new entries in the genre. For now, however, SNK Playmore is sticking with the classics -- the rest of their TGS lineup is comprised of The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match, Garou Densetsu Battle Archives 2 (both for PS2) and Metal Slug Complete for PSP.
Lumines Live to charge for unlockables
First they charged for horse armor. Then they announced plans to sell one-time use "consumables." Now, even additional levels for a puzzle games will need to be purchased on Xbox Live.A review in the latest issue of Official Xbox Magazine reveals that the $15 (1200 MS points) purchase price for Lumines Live on Xbox Live Arcade will not include the entire game. Advancing past a certain point in the game's Mission and Vs. CPU modes will require the purchase of additional level packs for $5 (400 MS points) and $3.75 (300 MS points), respectively. Regular readers may remember rumors back in June that Lumines Live multiplayer would require an additional purchase. While those rumors were denied, these single-player packs may have been the source of confusion. In a way, this is nothing new -- multiplayer maps for game like Call of Duty 2, Ghost Recon and The Outfit have always cost money on Xbox Live, and players have had to pay for new missions in Oblivion and new cars in Project Gotham Racing 3. But charging to progress in a puzzle game seems different somehow. Success in classic puzzle games of the past was limited only by the player's skill. Now, it seems, it may also be limited by the player's pockets.
Xbox Live Aracade to get Settlers of Catan & other Euro board games
Microsoft has announced plans to port European tabletop favorites like The Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne and Alhambra to Xbox Live Arcade. Price details and release dates have not been revealed, but the Catan port is likely to appear first as MSN Games has been hosting an online version of the German board game for nearly two years.
Leipzeig: Microsoft unveils wireless PC controller, 2 mice, and not much else
Microsoft's Leipzeig Gams Convention 2006 media briefing was underwhelming, but did provide details on a trio of PC peripherals, which could interest Windows gaming folk. The announcement included news of a wireless Xbox 360 controller configured for PC (December; $59.95), which features an integrated jack for PC headsets -- the controller will also be compatible with the Xbox 360 console. Microsoft also unveiled two new mice: a new version of the IntelliMouse, IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0 (October; $39.95), and the Razer Precision powered Habu (October; $69.95), featuring a 2,000 DPI laser engine.Microsoft also finalized Xbox Live Vision camera details, making official two separate bundles: 'Xbox Live Vision' (September 16; $39.99), which includes the camera, UNO & TotemBall, and a 1-month Xbox Live Gold Membership; and 'Xbox Live Video Chat Gold Kit' (September 16; $59.99), featuring everything in the $39.99 edition plus a 1-year Xbox Live Gold Membership, Robotron: 2084, and 200 Microsoft Points.
360 gets a retro arcade stick
Ludwig over at Joystiq passed this little gem onto us today. Looks like the 360 will be getting an arcade stick after all, courtesy of Mad Catz. While it's obvious that the stick should be perfect for old school favorites like Galaga, certain elements are rather curious. First of all, the controller has both a joystick and a D-pad, suggesting that the stick is in fact analogue. Also, the triggers and shoulder buttons don't appear to be on the face of the controller at all. As such, hopeful Street Fighter purists may still be left without a suitable control. The original item on EB Games has since been yanked from the internet, but we managed to snag a shot of the page, which lists the controller for $69.99 (ouch) with a release date of October 1st. That's a pretty hefty price for a decent game of Pac-Man.
Xbox Live Arcade Stick priced at $50, includes games
Contrary to what the recently deceased EB Games page indicated, the newly revealed Xbox Live Arcade Stick from Mad Catz will actually retail for $49.99 and will come bundled with extras. Several full Live Arcade games are to be included with the purchase, simultaneously enhancing the stick's value and implying that someone working for the prolific peripheral producer does, in fact, have a functioning brain. We're rather fond of those.The leaked (and still very small) sales sheet was promptly yanked because Mad Catz is still gripped by the process of finalizing which games they'll be tossing in. If we weren't barred entry from metaphorical casinos, we'd place our brightly colored chips on Frogger, Galaga and Pac-Man being the survivors of a rigorous selection process. It's unclear as to what kind of an endorsement would make the Arcade Stick itself survive the retail world, though a sticker reading "Not the standard D-pad!" would probably suffice.
Mad Catz goes retro with Xbox Live Arcade Stick [update 2]
Peripheral manufacturer capitalizing on gaping market hole news now, as an EB Games listing reveals a Mad Catz product that's sure to raise more thumbs than eyebrows: a retro arcade stick for the Xbox 360. The sole available image reveals the face buttons, guide button and right analog stick to have been retained in the design, though the fate of the triggers is somewhat less clear. It's likely safe to assume that they're cowering somewhere behind the mighty joystick. Another safe assumption one can make is that the Arcade Stick will make a far more adequate (and authentic) tool for guiding our pellet-munching Pac-men through mazes and our amphibious allies across deadly divides. Then again, strapping a rabid badger to you lap and randomly shoving your fingers into its mouth is already a few steps up from playing XBLA games with the 360 controller's squeaky directional pad. The current retail listing has the Mad Catz stick releasing on the first day of October for an anti-retro, better-be-wireless $69.99 $49.99. We've contacted Mad Catz for further details (and a larger picture!). [Thanks Master X 24.][Update: We suspected EB Games might yank the page, so we made sure to save a copy. The post now links to a screenshot of the original page.][Update: It's been indicated that the price is actually $49.99 and that several Live Arcade titles will be included the stick. More details here.]
Your mom plays Xbox 360 games
The elusive "casual market" has recently become quite the sought-after prey for game publishers, each one attempting in its own way to hunt down those who would normally shy away from complex and scary video games. Nintendo isn't the only company to have Grandma firmly set in a Zapper scope -- the other major players are also taking aim, Microsoft with Xbox Live Arcade and Sony with Singstar microphones. With this in mind, Alex Petraglia decided to test whether or not Microsoft in particular was actually hitting their target. After all, he had the equipment necessary to conduct such an inquest: one Xbox 360 console, several Xbox 360 games and one willing female parental unit. Alex introduced his mom to a wide variety of XBLA and full retail titles, documenting her performance and struggles. The article places his thoughts alongside those written by his mother and it makes for some very interesting reading. It seems the most difficult acclimations involved controls and finding the correct path through a level. The 53 year-old Mrs. P notes that "the biggest problem is a simple lack of experience. It seemed like, in a game such as Prey, you [Alex] knew exactly where to go after looking at a puzzle or roadblock, whereas it'd take me an exorbitant amount of time to move onto the next task or area. And it took me a very long time to develop the ability to move freely in the game and feel comfortable with the controls, to some extent." Other points of interest include her first interpretation of Geometry Wars ("she flew directly into the first target, thinking maybe that was the point of the game") and her eventual favorite, Condemned (!). "I think strong dramatic elements, like story and visuals and music, would be a bigger draw to older generations than unique gameplay mechanics or what have you." [Thanks Alex P!]
Microsoft to take a bite out of "consumables"
Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade and Marketplace have been hot topics this week, especially following the announcement of XNA Game Studio Express on Monday. Speaking at Gamefest 2006, Microsoft has further clarified some of their plans to enhance their online nexus of downloadable demos and managed microtransactions, most interestingly annoucing their intention to make a meal out of Marketplace "consumables." As enticing as the prospect of downloading a slice of lemon meringue pie might be, the experience is considerably dulled when you have to watch your in-game character devour it. Items that would be considered as consumables would be ones that you could purchase multiple times and whenever you needed them, and the example cited by the 1UP article points to this being a potentially ludicrous concept. Let's say your level 54 sorcerer (call him ... Tim) is in need of a Phoenix Down, but your party doesn't have enough gold to purchase one. Solution: rather than traipsing through a dungeon and obtaining items from slain beasties (why was that dinosaur carrying a potion?), you could be hitting the Xbox Live Marketplace and buying more gold.So, let's see if we understand how this goes. Use your real money to buy Microsoft's fake money to buy fake gold in order to buy fake potions from a fake in-game marketplace. Obviously, this is a rather extreme way of looking at consumables, but it certainly provides food for thought -- especially so should you consider the fact that by purchasing the game, you've ostensibly purchased the entire game world, marketplaces and overpriced inns included. Thankfully, just as with any marketplace transactions, it's still up to you to decide when something is worth the extra money and when it isn't (hint: equine items of protection).
XNA: community arcade revealed
Doubtless, most of you caught this news over on Joystiq but it deserves mention here. Microsoft has announced the release of XNA Game Studio Express, a consumer version of its XNA development tools -- a beta version should be available on August 30th. This will allow homebrew developers to create games for both Windows and the Xbox 360, though a fee will be charged for the 360 functionality. The upshot of all this (surely, most of you are already there) is the ability of the 360 community to actually create the games we'll be seeing on Xbox Live Arcade.This initial XNA pack -- available for a $99 annual subscription -- will be followed next year with a professional version. The professional version should cost well under $1000 dollars, putting PC and 360 development within the grasp of even the smallest of would be game makers. Users of the XNA platform will also be given access to sample games (and perhaps allow users to trade?) to get the creative juices flowing.It will probably be a long time before we see your garage game hit the real Xbox Live Arcade, but the possibilities are very exciting. Any adventurous coders out there looking forward to this?[Via Joystiq. Thanks to everyone who sent this in.]Related Items:Will Xbox 360 XNA succeed where Sony failed?XNA Game Studio Express FAQ not entirely worthless
XNA Game Studio Express FAQ not entirely worthless
Ever since Microsoft announced their intentions to open up the stage and let any tonedeaf buffoon grab a microphone and engage in the game developing equivalent of drunken karaoke, gamers and hobbyists have been asking questions. Frequently. That's largely the reason the delectable acronym sandwich and informative document, XNA Game Studio Express FAQ, exists for all to peruse and to briefly summarize on video game blogs. The important questions with matching answers:What's in the XNA Game Studio Express package? We'll tell you. XNA Game Studio Express is comprised of the XNA Framework, a stash of managed code development libraries which is intended to increase productivity, and the XNA Framework Content Pipeline, a collection of tools designed to aid in adding 3D content to games. Included documentation, how-to's and starter-kits help you come to grips with the basics.Can I make a commercial Xbox 360 game with it?Only if said game is actually about commercials, possibly a Joe in the Fast Lane take on the exciting life of a marketing mastermind. In fewer words: no. You can sell Game Studio Express titles for Windows, but you'll need Game Studios Professional (available next Spring) to hawk your goods on the Xbox 360. Isn't this just another annual Xbox 360 fee I have to pay?You and your entitlement complex don't have to do anything. XNA Game Studio Express for Windows is free. If you want to create, share and play custom Xbox 360 games, however, you need to sign up to a "Creator's Club" subscription through Marketplace for $99 annually or $49 for four months. It's your choice.Speaking of choice, I just switched to Mac OSX.No.I haven't even asked the question yet!XNA Game Studio Express will only be available on the Windows and Xbox 360 platforms.
Will Xbox 360 XNA succeed where Sony failed? [Update 1]
When Microsoft allows would-be developers to develop Xbox 360 games from their own homes, it won't be the first time a major console company has opened up its hardware to consumer coders. In 1997, Sony released the Net Yaroze, a system of coding tools that allowed consumers to develop for the original PlayStation.Roughly translating to "let's work together" in Japanese, the Net Yaroze was available directly from Sony for $750 in the U.S. (European and Japanese versions were also available). Games were coded on the PC or Mac, and could be transferred to a special Black region-free PlayStation for play, or distributed on the Internet for use by other Net Yaroze users. The goal, according to Sony's Phil Harrison, was to "go back to the golden age of video game development, which was at home, on your own or with a couple of friends, designing a game yourself."The system's impact was severely limited, though. While some Net Yaroze demos were made available through PlayStation Underground and Official PlayStation Magazine demo discs, none of the Net Yaroze games were able to break out into wider distribution on their own. [Update 1: Apparently one game, Devil Dice, did make the jump from Net Yaroze to wider development. Thanks Coollead]Keep reading for more about Net Yaroze's failure and what Microsoft can do to avoid the same fate.
