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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:10:00 EST
Final, glistening Super Street Fighter IV character revealed
 Capcom has revealed the final new character for Super Street Fighter IV, and he's ... well, he's a giant dude covered in oil. Like, Hakan actually oils himself up before each round. This has the aesthetic effect of being extraordinarily off-putting, and the functional effect of allowing him to slide across the stage as if it were the Crocodile Mile. And since he's a grappling-type character, you get these really great squishing noises whenever he grabs another character.
See Hakan in action after the break, courtesy of IGN, and just try to imagine the design process behind this guy. Suddenly a green guy who can generate electricity sounds pretty low-key.
[Via PS3Attitude, thanks, Vallanthaz!] Continue reading Final, glistening Super Street Fighter IV character revealed  Final, glistening Super Street Fighter IV character revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:00:00 EST
Hands-on: The Path of Go (XBLA)
Ready to frustrate yourself forever? Learn the game of Go. It's an ancient Chinese game that's over four thousand years old, and games can last up to 16 hours in tournaments. Sounds just perfect for an adaptation into the frenetic world of video games, right?! Well, your wish is granted. The Path of Go or How We Came Up With A Proprietary Name For The Public Domain Game of Go is being developed in-house by Microsoft at the likewise excitingly named Microsoft Research Cambridge division.
We played the game briefly at GDC, and it's actually very robust. It includes a tutorial where your avatar has some faux back and forth dialogue with an ancient Go master, in which he really does teach you the game. I tried reading an old instruction manual for a set of Go I found at a thrift shop once, and was so confused by terms like "ko" and proper stone placement that I just re-thrifted the set. Now, I'm ready to take on Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind and kick his ass.
Additionally, the game features single player or two player both locally and through Xbox Live, multiple backgrounds, and full 3D environments where you can control the camera. There's also an actual story mode in here, where you learn the nuances of the game in "beat the situation" scenarios while heading down a path. The ... wait for it ... Path of Go.
Hands-on: The Path of Go (XBLA) originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:30:00 EST
Naughty Dog artists go Unleashed
If you're an artist lucky enough to work on one of the biggest games of last year, what do you do when you're done? Well, besides taking time off and thinking about slipping into a coma. If you're at Naughty Dog, then you create your own unique artwork and show it off at the "Unleashed: The Art of Naughty Dog" art exhibit at The Gnomon Workshop in Los Angeles.
We stopped by on Saturday night to check out the wares and talk to some of the artists, like shader/texture artist Melissa Altobello (you saw her work in Uncharted 2 during the train level, among others). She created this piece, which was inspired by the recent earthquakes and natural disasters. "I have been thinking a lot about erosion and deteriorating earth, which inspired me to do this piece where the ground crumbles away and we are left to build upon, and try to salvage, the remaining earth."
Check out a galley full of the artwork down below, and marvel at the creativity.
Naughty Dog artists go Unleashed originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:15:00 EST
Tweet Defense shambles to iPhone
Defend your eyeballs against some screens
Promethium Marketing -- formerly the Gamerscore Blog crew -- has released Tweet Defense on the iPhone, a tower defense title that rewards players with bonuses for linking up and using their Twitter account. The title features ten different levels, five different enemy types and six different towers to choose from.
Currently, it's available for $.99, though this is only a "limited sale price." The nightmares you'll have about a pregnant zombie giving birth to little zombies are free of charge, of course.
Tweet Defense ($.99) 
Tweet Defense shambles to iPhone originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:40:00 EST
TGS organizers announce plan to expand for 2010
 Attendees of Tokyo Game Show 2010 will have more to see and do -- or, perhaps, more to wish they could see and do while they're in line for a Final Fantasy demo. CESA announced several new additions to the show, which takes place September 16-19.
New segments of the show floor will be devoted to PC hardware, gadgets, and mobile. An International Career Pavilion will help companies recruit foreign talent, and a PC Online Game Business area will "provide opportunities to present and discuss licensing, sales, and partnership regarding PC online games." Also toward the goal of boosting business, TGS will host an Asian Game Business Summit.
Publishers will now be able to sell games in the Merchandise Sales Area, in addition to swag. The Kids' Area will be expanded into a Family Area, with no restrictions on the number of games on display. Some of the additions seem to be focused on promoting Japan in general: tours will now be available for foreign visitors, along with an Asian Culture Hub. TGS organizers announce plan to expand for 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:20:00 EST
GDC 2010: Facebook hasn't found its Mario
This year's Game Developers Conference has two new tracks for the new kids in town: the Social & Online Games Summit and the iPhone Games Summit. Facebook's Gareth Davis delivered the keynote for the former this morning, titled "How Friends Change Everything." With 400 million users, 200 million of whom are playing games on the service, it's pretty hard to argue with Facebook's bona fides as a seriously huge gaming platform. With components like Facebook Connect, we're even seeing Facebook functionality penetrate the historically isolated game consoles, like Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and even DSi.
While Microsoft trumpets the largely dubious distinction of being the "largest social network on television," it doesn't compare favorably to what most of us consider to be a real "social network." Outside of the Facebook integration, adding friends on Xbox Live is a largely manual process; one obfuscated by aliases instead of real names, the basic litmus test of a social network. Indeed, Davis thinks "real identities" are a major component to Facebook's gaming magic. Playing against real people is "much more compelling than playing against SharkBoy69," says Davis. When it comes to real identity in games, Davis says we're just "scratching the surface." Continue reading GDC 2010: Facebook hasn't found its Mario GDC 2010: Facebook hasn't found its Mario originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:20:00 EST
GDC 2010: BioWare speaks up about Mass Effect 2's localization
"I'm Commander Shepard, and this is my favorite store on the Citadel." - English
"Jestem dowódcą Shepard, a to jest mój ulubiony sklep na cytadeli." - Polish (machine translation)
In a GDC 2010 session entitled "Localizing Large RPGs," which forms part of an ongoing localization summit, BioWare localization project manager Ryan Warden eloquently explored the revered developer's process of adapting a huge, dialogue-driven game like Mass Effect 2 for alternative markets and languages. It may surprise you to learn that BioWare's processes are significantly more elegant than hiring an army of workers to copy and paste lines of text into Google Translate.
With 450,000 words and 30,000 lines of voice-over in the English version, Mass Effect 2 demanded an active approach in its translation to eight languages, including Russian, Czech and Spanish. "Trying to manage this scope is almost unfathomable," said Warden. "For BioWare titles, we don't have the luxury of waiting for the title to be fully complete before starting localization."
The concurrent process was designed to provide as much information and context to translators as possible, allowing them to focus on the job without having to request further information for each new conversation. BioWare compiled a complete localization kit, complete with a pronunciation guide (that's crow-guhn, not kroggin!), an IP glossary, a collection of translator Q&A documents and an extensive character database. "Any time that a translator spends time asking questions and waiting for feedback ... that's wasted time," Warden added. The goal, he said, was to "eliminate any doubt in the confidence of the translator." Continue reading GDC 2010: BioWare speaks up about Mass Effect 2's localization GDC 2010: BioWare speaks up about Mass Effect 2's localization originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST
Tron: Legacy blasts your old-school eyes with new trailer
Boy, Tron is old. That movie came out way back in 1982, and we're finally getting a sequel in 2010. You can see how long it's been if you count the wrinkles on Alan Bradley's (Bruce Boxleitner) face. That's Tron himself, but we've heard that he's hardly in the movie. So what gives? Well, this one is all about Flynn's (the now Oscar award-winning Jeff "The Dude" Bridges) son Sam searching for his dad, who has been missing for years.
Oh, and the Game Grid has received several substantial upgrades. Just look at that Recognizer and the light cycles in this trailer. Looks like someone firehosed a ton of pixels onto everything in the computer world. We're all for that. Tron: Legacy comes out on December 17, 2010, and yes, there will be a video game adaptation. We're just waiting to see if that's been upgraded as well. Tron: Legacy blasts your old-school eyes with new trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:40:00 EST
Eliss creator's next game: Faraway
 Steph Thirion, creator of the early iPhone standout Eliss, has a new game on the way, from a new company. The first game to be released by Thirion's studio, Little-Eyes, will be Faraway, a project Thiron says "will be about constellations and infinite space travel."
Faraway will be on display at the Kokoromi Gamma IV event tomorrow, and should also be playable at the Gamma IV showcase during GDC. At that point, presumably, we'll know exactly what Faraway is and what platforms we'll be able to play it on.
Our guess: Thirion's note that Faraway "drastically increases the scale of the play area" (compared to Eliss) could be a reference not only to the new gameplay setting, but a new platform: the iPad. It is, however, worth noting that the Faraway preview image on the Little-Eyes site is presented in the iPhone's display resolution. Eliss creator's next game: Faraway originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:20:00 EST
The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Blackish Games
Being a giant, beloved video game blog has its downsides. For example, we sometimes neglect to give independent developers our coverage love (or loverage, if you will) as we get caught up in AAA, AAAA or the rare quintuple-A titles. To remedy that, we're giving indies the chance to create their own loverage and sell you, the fans, on their studios and products. This week we talk with Markus Hofer of Blackish Games. His studio's feeding that dirty little addiction you know you developed during the Winter Olympics with Age of Curling.
Joystiq: How did you or your company get started?
Markus Hofer: I had a pretty good job as a graphic artist, but I always rather wanted to work on my own stuff. I figured it would take me about a year to make my first game and so I saved as much money as I could. I looked into all sorts of tools, talked to a lot of people and once I was confident I had found everything and everyone I needed, I quit and got going ... Continue reading The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Blackish Games The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Blackish Games originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST
Just Cause 2 trailer analyzes anatomy of the 'Rocket Launcher Jump' stunt
Though we've thoroughly enjoyed Just Cause 2's "Anatomy of a Stunt" videos, we're not sure the one you see posted above is accurately titled. Though the name " Rocket Launcher Jump" does capture some of the components of the stunt, it fails to mention a few other important buzzwords; namely "speedboat," "ramp," "explosion," "death," "aerial," and "unimaginably awesome."
Do yourself a favor and check out the video above, which we've chosen to remoniker "Unimaginably Awesome Speedboat Ramp Jump Aerial Rocket Launcher Explosion Death."
Just Cause 2 trailer analyzes anatomy of the 'Rocket Launcher Jump' stunt originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:20:00 EST
Analysts predict hardware, software drops in February NPD
 In advance of NPD sales results for February 2010, analysts are predicting year-over-year declines for pretty much everything. Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter, according to Gamasutra, is predicting that hardware and software sales will decline 10 percent, with Wii hardware sales hit particularly hard (around 40 percent) due to shortages. Beyond the Wii, the continuing decline of the music genre is partly to blame for the reduced sales.
Analyst Colin Sebastian is guessing at a 15 percent decline, despite encouraging early sales for games like Heavy Rain and preorders for games like Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (which, as an early March release, may fit into the NPD February sales period) and God of War III. The fact that high-profile games are likely to show sharp declines after strong first-week sales will prevent software trends from turning for the better. Analysts predict hardware, software drops in February NPD originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:30:00 EST
Xbox Live Marketplace release schedule for March
Though we already know the bulk of the March release schedule for new content on the Xbox Live Marketplace, Major Nelson's blog recently laid out how the rest of the month will play out. Tomorrow, we'll get our hands on Scrap Metal for 1200  ($15), next Wednesday will see the release of Perfect Dark for 800 ($10), and on March 24, we'll get our hands on the (somewhat) free Game Room hub. Oh, and the Games on Demand service got a bit crazier today with the release of Condemned: Criminal Origins for $19.99.
If you're an insatiable value-hound, you should turn your attention to the upcoming Deals of the Weeks: The original Fable will have its price reduced to 800 ($10) from 1200 ($15) during the week of March 15. All of Fallout 3's add-on packs, including Operation: Anchorage, The Pitt, Broken Steel, Point Lookout and Mothership Zeta, will be offered at half price (400 , or $5) during the week of March 22. For the rest of the schedule, including Avatar outfits and add-on packs, check out the list after the jump. Continue reading Xbox Live Marketplace release schedule for March Xbox Live Marketplace release schedule for March originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST
See a cut of Shank gameplay
With Shank now being published by EA, Klei Entertainment is putting the increased development budget to good use -- with a trailer! Well, it's likely there would be a trailer this week anyway, as this week also marks the hyper-violent XBLA/PSN/PC brawler's appearance at the Independent Games Festival.
The brutal violence may dominate the trailer, but our eyes were immediately drawn to the acrobatics. There's so much somersaulting, swinging, hanging, and other exciting-looking methods of movement that they even manage to distract us from the usually thrilling shoot-stab-saw combos on display. See a cut of Shank gameplay originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:40:00 EST
2D Boy's Ron Carmel explains Indie Fund
Speaking at GDC 2010, 2D Boy's Ron Carmel discussed the game industry's typical publishing model, why it doesn't work for independent developers, and how the newly established Indie Fund will fix it. According to Carmel, publishers offer too much money to indie developers and take too much in return, relegating developers to the role of "tenant farmers," forced into a constant shift between seeking funding and development "until something goes wrong and you can't find funding and you go out of business."
Still, Carmel recognizes that publishers are taking the financial risk on projects, so it makes sense that they would see most of the profits. However, even with the advent of digital distribution, which removes a great deal of risk for publishers, developers still see traditional publishing deals -- along with the minimal royalties that come with them.
Asked Carmel, "How do we do for funding what Valve did for distribution?" The answer, according to Carmel, is Indie Fund, which will essentially turn the traditional publishing deal on its head. The Indie Fund aims to differ from traditional publishing deals in a few significant ways. The Indie Fund will offer a transparent submission process, make its standard contract details publicly available and provide a flexible development schedule.
Perhaps the biggest bullet point of all, however, is that Indie Fund doesn't seek to own developer IPs or exert any editorial control over the IPs it funds. It's also worth noting that Indie Fund won't actually publish or market the projects it funds. Those tasks are left up to developers, though Carmel noted that the members of Indie Fund would be happy to share their experience in securing distribution deals with services like Steam.
Indie Fund's contract details aren't yet available, though the stated goal is for developers to see a much bigger return on projects than they would through normal publishing channels. According to Carmel, the Indie Fund seeks only to recoup investment costs and receive a slice of profits "much, much, much smaller" than traditional publishing deals. 2D Boy's Ron Carmel explains Indie Fund originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:20:00 EST
Save the date: GDC 2011, Feb. 28 - March 4
This year's Game Developers Conference has barely started and already we're anticipating the inevitable sequel, which promises to feature bigger news, improved visuals (we're all working out for the next year) and dynamic crowd motion. According to event organizers, GDC 2011 will run from February 28 through March 4, 2011 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. That's five days of gaming bliss (six if you're a malfunctioning PS3).
As much as we'd like to express further enthusiasm, we should probably get back to covering GDC ... 2010. Which is going on, like, right now. Save the date: GDC 2011, Feb. 28 - March 4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:31:00 EST
Rock Band 3 out this holiday season
 Rather than, we don't know, a press release or any other professional method of disseminating a message (Twitter, perhaps?), Harmonix took to Facebook to tell friends and friends-of-friends that Rock Band 3 will be released "this holiday season."
The announcement is brief and detail-free, but reveals that EA will distribute the game -- apparently having renewed its Rock Band distribution deal with Viacom. With Rock Band 3, the developer promises to "innovate and revolutionize the music genre once again, just as Harmonix did with the original Rock Band, Rock Band 2 and The Beatles: Rock Band."
If previous comments by Dhani Harrison are to be believed, you may even learn something from playing RB3!
[Thanks Helloimbob!] Rock Band 3 out this holiday season originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:25:00 EST
Mass Effect 2 gets free Arc Projector heavy weapon, courtesy of Cerberus DLC Network
Commander's Log:
Well, whaddya know? I get up this morning and ride down to Deck 2, and the first thing outta Kelly's mouth is that I have a new message at my Private Terminal. About time -- things have been hella boring around here since beating up the Collectors! Anyway, it's from Illusive Man -- who else -- with a tantalizing subject line: "Arc Projector."
So, get this: Mr. Smokey says Cerberus has passed off a new "advanced electrical attack device" to me. It was recently tested on some geth during a "highly successful" skirmish in the Skyllian Verge. (I won't tell Legion that part, but "they" probably already know.)
Well, I'd sure like to test it myself, but the galaxy's awfully quiet these days -- still waiting on that Hammerhead delivery. I guess I'd better just start up that New Game+ ...
-Shepard
P.S. I've been feeling really homesick for Cali lately. That's where I grew up before enlisting in N7, fool. Continue reading Mass Effect 2 gets free Arc Projector heavy weapon, courtesy of Cerberus DLC Network Mass Effect 2 gets free Arc Projector heavy weapon, courtesy of Cerberus DLC Network originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:57:00 EST
Tiger Woods 11 to support PlayStation Motion Controller
 Much like the star it's named for, it seems the Tiger Woods PGA Tour franchise isn't adverse to trying new things. EA has announced that the next iteration, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11, will support the PlayStation Motion Controller to "give gamers an authentic interactive swing experience."
There aren't any other details about Motion Controller implementation at the moment, but the game is slated for release on June 8 -- well before the Motion Controller's projected fall release. (And before you ask, no mention has been made of support for Microsoft's Project Natal.)
It may be less flashy, but series fans may be interested to hear the game will also feature the Ryder Cup, allowing for two 12-man teams to face off against each other.
We say 12-man, but we guess it could be 12 women against 12 men, right? Heck, maybe even 12 women against one man. Can you imagine, one guy trying to keep up with all those women? We sure can't.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 will be available on June 8 for Wii (with MotionPlus support), Xbox 360, PS3 and iPhone.
[Editor's Note: EA's press release only included a box art asset for the Xbox 360 version. Go figure.] Tiger Woods 11 to support PlayStation Motion Controller originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:26:00 EST
Jagged Alliance 3 due in 2011 from bitComposer
 Jagged Alliance fans have been waiting since 1999 for a new game in the tactical role-playing series -- well, those Jagged Alliance fans that are still fans after all these years, anyway. bitComposer Games has acquired the rights to the series from Strategy First, announcing plans to release Jagged Alliance 3 sometime in 2011. The last time anything newish was released from the franchise was last year's DS port of the first game.
Though bitComposer has taken over development on the series, the announcement doesn't make it sound like the new studio plans to make drastic changes to the Jagged Alliance formula: " Jagged Alliance 3 will build on the strengths of its famous predecessors and, set against the backdrop of a gripping story, will again deliver the much-loved combo of turn-based strategy gameplay with roleplay elements."
[Via Gamasutra] Jagged Alliance 3 due in 2011 from bitComposer originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:58:00 EST
Rock Band Weekly: Lady Gaga, Cartman's 'Poker Face'
Don't even lie! You're just as excited as any club kid that boundary-pushing pop sensation Lady Gaga is coming to Rock Band next week. So, in the privacy of your living room, break out the tight-fitting pleather and get your jam on (to the tracks you, publicly, tell everyone you hate).
Of course, you could pretend you "accidentally" bought the Gaga Track Pack, when you actually meant to purchase South Park chubby charmer Eric Cartman's rendition of "Poker Face." Yup, that lil' ditty will also be available. See, now you can cover up that undeniable desire to go goo-goo for Gaga with a veil of irony!
Check out the full release list after the break. Continue reading Rock Band Weekly: Lady Gaga, Cartman's 'Poker Face' Rock Band Weekly: Lady Gaga, Cartman's 'Poker Face' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:28:00 EST
PS3 Final Fantasy XIII includes 'XIV' bonus item, chance for beta access
Last night, during the -- super awkward -- Final Fantasy XIII launch party in San Fransisco, Sony's Rob Dyer took a big shot across the bow of any Microsoft representatives in the audience by promising a pending announcement of exclusive content for the PS3 version of the game.
Today, on PlayStation Blog, Dyer revealed that the PS3 version includes a "secret in-game item" for Final Fantasy XIV -- a similar, or perhaps the same promotion offered in Japan. Additionally, PS3 players can enter for a chance to beta test Final Fantasy XIV, which has only been announced for PS3 and PC.
The in-game item might be interesting (baby chocobo vanity pet, please), but we're not really enthralled by a "potential opportunity" to get in on the beta. A potential opportunity? So there's a chance that there's a chance we'll be able to get into the beta? Well that's slightly better than no chance of a chance, we suppose. PS3 Final Fantasy XIII includes 'XIV' bonus item, chance for beta access originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:01:00 EST
EA to publish 38 Studios' first project, developed by Big Huge Games
Electronic Arts will publish 38 Studios' first game -- which will not be the studio's interminably tardy MMO Copernicus -- the company announced today. The game has been codenamed "Project Mercury" and is being developed by Big Huge Games, acquired by 38 last year. The mysterious, "epic single-player" RPG is under the stewardship of Ken Rolston, former lead of the last two Elder Scrolls titles.
"Project Mercury" is set in the Copernicus universe, created by fantasy author R.A. Salvatore, with artistic direction by Spawn creator Todd McFarlane. Salvatore is expected to speak later this week at GDC. The game is scheduled for release on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC when it's done. EA to publish 38 Studios' first project, developed by Big Huge Games originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:46:00 EST
Sony's free PhyreEngine expands to PSP
In what's becoming a GDC tradition, Sony today announced an update concerning the PhyreEngine, a free, cross-platform middleware tool offered to developers interested in creating PS3 games. First introduced in 2008, the PhyreEngine has since been utilized in games like Critter Crunch, Shatter and Flower. Today, SCEA has announced the expansion of PhyreEngine compatibility to the PSP.
"We're very happy to see the continued popularity of PhyreEngine with the global game developer community," SCEI senior VP of technology Teiji Yutaka said. "PhyreEngine for PSP was developed in response to requests from the game developer community, and we hope that the release of the PSP version demonstrates our commitment and support for game developers on all our platforms." The engine will be demoed at GDC this week.
The PS3 version of PhyreEngine has been praised by studios like Capybara and Sidhe. Perhaps the PSP iteration will be met with an equal amount of enthusiasm and help bolster the portable development community. Sony's free PhyreEngine expands to PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:31:00 EST
Ryan Kesler is the NHL 2K11 cover athlete
 First he won a silver medal at the Winter Olympics, and now he'll be on the cover of the Wii-exclusive NHL 2K11. Vancouver Canucks forward Ryan Kesler sounds genuinely excited about the opportunity, telling The Canadian Press that the only way he thought he'd ever end up on a game cover was "if I put my own picture on there."
"It's a dream come true for me," Kesler, ever the good spokesplayer, said. "I grew up playing, and to be on the cover of 2K is unbelievable."
Kesler confirmed that he got in his motion capture time for the game last year with 2K10 cover athlete Alexander Ovechkin. "I'm not a flashy scorer like Ovechkin, by any means, but I think I'm exciting in my own right," Kesler observed, suggesting that his Olympic performance was what attracted publisher Take-Two to his game ... face.
Hopefully, for Kesler's sake, there's no equivalent " Madden Curse" for NHL games. Hockey players are already doomed to lose all their teeth anyway. NHL 2K11 will be out this fall. Ryan Kesler is the NHL 2K11 cover athlete originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:06:00 EST
God of War 3 'right within budget' -- a $44 million budget
Anger management simulator God of War III cost $44 million to create, according to director of production development John Hight, which is "right within budget." Speaking with Giant Bomb, Hight revealed that the team of 132 staff required to finish the third installment was more than double the crew (of about 60) on hand to wrap up God of War II, with the biggest growth occurring in the graphics and art departments.
Considering the ultimate Kratos adventure will likely go on to become a phenomenal sales hit, the $44 million budget isn't as ridiculous as it might seem. Consider that Gran Turismo 5's budget, at last count, had reportedly ballooned to around the $60 million mark. On the other hand, Ken Levine previously put the first BioShock's budget at about $15 million. With such variation in current-gen development costs, in the end, the price is just a number -- and in the case of God of War III, it was certainly worth the dough.
[Via Edge] God of War 3 'right within budget' -- a $44 million budget originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:32:00 EST
Dragon Age 'TidBits' drop stats like a Fluffy punch
Game Informer's latest "TidBits" column features a a glorious list of "inside baseball" stats from Dragon Age: Origins. Some of the numbers are simply cute, while others are positively frightening: "QA analyst Bruce Venne played 1,957.55 hours of Dragon Age PC in 5,352 games." Consequently, "The Bruce" was awarded to staff that played more than Venne in any given month -- the honor was bestowed only once.
While the list is mostly packed with numbers, there are some notable non-numerical did-you-knows, like the staff's affectionate nickname for the Ogre, "Fluffy," and, unsurprisingly, the revelation that one of the BioWare crew makes chain mail "from scratch."
Check out the full list of Dragon Age tidbits on Game Informer. Dragon Age 'TidBits' drop stats like a Fluffy punch originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:06:00 EST
Modern Warfare 2 enlists 25 million unique players, Bowling says
It's not so surprising, really, that Modern Warfare 2, arguably the world's most popular video game, would recruit such a staggering amount of bodies for its perpetual online war. But, there it is: 25 million unique players, as revealed in a tweet from Infinity Ward's community guy-at-large, Robert "fourzerotwo" Bowling. We've contacted Infinity Ward for specific platform numbers, but in the meantime, Bowling offers a bit more to chew on:
He confirms the majority of players are taking the fight to Xbox Live, but he says the PS3 comes in at "a close" second. That puts the PC space in third, though it's still enlisted "millions," according to Bowling. But, what about that boycott? Oh, right.
Now, it should be noted that Modern Warfare 2's reported 25 million players aren't necessarily all on active duty. Surely, more than a few steadfast soldiers have taken up positions in DICE's Battlefield: Bad Company 2. No rest for the weary, eh? Modern Warfare 2 enlists 25 million unique players, Bowling says originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:17:00 EST
ModDB presents Desura: an indie take on digital distribution
As Steam shows no signs of slowing its dominance of digital distribution for PC ( and Mac!), it's only natural that more niche services would arise; not really to oppose, but to compliment Valve's service. Enter Desura, a distribution platform similar to Steam, save for one important aspect: It's focused on independent game developers.
Primarily, Desura will try to give a home to those games turned away by Steam. Though the service won't just open the floodgates to everything, its creator (and indie mod site) ModDB says it hopes to make acceptance or rejection much more transparent than Valve's process. Desura is described as a community-based service, intended to foster better, more symbiotic relationships between developer and fan.
Desura isn't slated to go live until April, but you can get an early look over at Rock Paper Shotgun.
[Thanks, Ramy] ModDB presents Desura: an indie take on digital distribution originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:30:00 EST
Currently (un)folding: GDC 2010
Nothing says, "We're at a serious gaming event where developers tell us about their innovations and upcoming creations," like a papercraft Wario from WarioWare D.I.Y. And nothing says, "Hey, we're about to write a bunch of news stories about all that stuff," like posting a photograph of a papercraft Wario from the Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco. We'll be here all week putting our hands on games, talking to people, sitting in panels, and bringing you all the news.
What sort of news, you ask? Expect some LucasArts announcements, a new look at the Sony Motion Controller, and even more Fable 3 news. Stay tuned!
Currently (un)folding: GDC 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST
Impressions: Power Gig: Rise of the Sixstring
Can the music genre be revitalized? Can gaming newcomer Seven45 Studios -- a combined publisher, developer and hardware manufacturer -- sway current fans of Guitar Hero and Rock Band to try yet another music game, and one that focuses only on guitar? The odds are undoubtedly against them.
At the very least, Seven45's Power Gig: Rise of the Sixstring isn't destined to become another Rock Revolution. It's true that Power Gig isn't fundamentally different from the other band games out there, offering four-player support with guitars, drum and vocals; however, Seven45's twist is the guitar: a fully-functioning electric guitar with real strings and the ability to create real music.
At first glance, Seven45's peripheral won't look very different from a standard guitar. In fact, were it not for the colored labels that run along the side of the instrument, and the Xbox jewel embedded on the face of the guitar, it'd be hard to tell it apart from a proper instrument. When not connected to a game console, it can be strummed with a standard pick (or your hand), and it will even connect to standard guitar amps.
Continue reading Impressions: Power Gig: Rise of the Sixstring Impressions: Power Gig: Rise of the Sixstring originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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