Archive for March 29th, 2010

The same Unreal Engine that mixed some PlayStation 3 code in with "Mass Effect 2" could do the same for its sequel, as Epic has now confirmed that the Unreal Engine 3 will be used for "Mass Effect 3." While lauding his engine's versatility and praising BioWare's work with it, Epic VP Mark Rein indicated that BioWare picked it up for all three chapters of their sci-fi storyarc.

"BioWare chose UE3 for the Mass Effect trilogy because they wanted to make an immersive third-person perspective shooter game with sci-fi environments," Rein said in a diary entry for Develop.

In a show of mutual support, EA echoed those sentiments and gave no reason to think that the Mass Effect franchise would switch over to anything else in the near future.

"We have a great working relationship with Epic from both the development and licensee perspective," senior vice president of EA Partners David DeMartini explained, "and we're continually pleased with how they keep their game engine technology competitive, which helps us deliver the excellent quality games that EA customers expect."

Whatever level quality you expect to see in "ME3," you can at the very least depend on a nominal level of continuity from its two predecessors. "ME2" looked like a spruced up version of "ME1," so the trilogy finale should get a running start into development as BioWare puts it together.

Are you glad to hear that "ME3" will keep the Unreal Engine around? Do you think BioWare made the right call? Share your opinions in the comment section below.

"Star Wars: The Old Republic" will be one of the highest profile MMO launches of 2011, as well as one of the most expensive projects ever for EA. That budget won't go toward recruiting subscribers on the Xbox 360, however. A leaked retail listing reportedly marked the title with a TBD 2011 release date for the console, but an official response says that just isn't in the plans at this point.

"As to why 'The Old Republic' is on that list, we have no idea but to allay any confusion, we should not be on there," BioWare community manager Sean Dahlberg wrote in a post on the official SWTOR forums.

In fact, don't expect to see "SWTOR" showing up anywhere other than the PC, which is where we've been expecting it to show up all along.

"'Star Wars: The Old Republic' is currently being developed for the personal computer (PC) using the Microsoft Windows operating system," he wrote. "While we recognize that there are other operating systems and platforms available for games today, our development is specific to the personal computer using the Windows operating system at this time."

Pulling off a large-scale MMO like this on the PC alone is a huge enough undertaking. Releasing it on the 360 as well would be quite a shocker. If it hasn't been worth doing for "World of Warcraft" yet, I can't see why a new contender would find it any more lucrative.

Would you like to see "SWTOR" give the 360 a try? Do you think EA and BioWare are making the right move sticking with the PC? Share your opinions in the comment section below.

EA Sports' FIFA team has a big year ahead with momentum from their "FIFA 10" sales numbers and "2010 FIFA World Cup" on its way. Also coming soon, however, are the PlayStation Move and Project Natal, which raise questions for the franchise about what role -- if any -- motion controls will play. At least one voice at EA says that role is still unclear.

"Whenever any of these peripherals come out we think about what they could add to the football experience," "2010 FIFA World Cup" producer Simon Humbler told VG247. "I think the hard thing in respect of PlayStation Move, which has comparisons to the Nintendo Wii device, is that the type of football you can provide for this isn’t particularly authentic."

So while he may not see much potential beyond "mini games with penalties and the like," Humbler and his crew are still looking at options, drawing inspiration for their past work on the Wii.

"As you can see from our Wii version, the game is a lot arcadeier, with the big gestures and actions," he said. "I think there is a different experience there waiting to be uncovered, perhaps, but personally I think it is hard to integrate that into our football game."

As numerous ill-conceived third-party Wii titles have demonstrated, it's usually better to leave motion controls out altogether if you don't have a practical way to implement them. A sport where the ball is mostly controlled with the players' feet doesn't make that gameplay design process any easier.

Would you like to see Move and Natal controls used in the FIFA series? How do you think EA Sports should work them in if so? Share your suggestions in the comment section below.

Even though I was a big fan of the original "Crackdown," I hardly used one of the features that made the game unique: Co-op. Issues with lag and the lack of drop-in-drop-out made playing online co-op a chore, so I mostly spent time leaping from building to building on my lonesome.

"Crackdown 2" is hoping to rectify the online issues of the first game with a completely re-written network code which allows for drop-in, drop-out at any time for up to 4 players in the campaign (akin to "Borderlands"). While they were at it, the developers at Ruffian went ahead and added adversarial multiplayer to the mix. Two modes from player vs. player combat were shown off at PAX East, Team Deathmatch and Rocket Tag. TDM is pretty self-explanatory, whereas Rocket Tag is basically "Kill the Carrier" with rocket launchers. Or, if you're a "Halo" fan, "Oddball" with rocket launchers.

Verticality Makes All The Difference
The two modes being shown should be pretty familiar to anyone that's played an online shooter in the last 10 years, but the gameplay of "Crackdown 2" gives them a pretty fresh feel. Put simply, it's all about taking to the air. At any time, you can jump 10 times your height. Anyone that's played "Crackdown" knows how much fun super jumping around the map can be, and the added intensity of 4-on-4 deathmatch means that if you start getting shot, you're probably better off in the sky.

While a standard jump can make you lose a pursuer in a pinch, jump pads offer much more of a boost, sending you hundreds of feet into the air in seconds. The direction you're moving will affect where you end up, so it's important to plan your jump pad maneuvers before you step up to the plate.

Lock-On That Works
I groaned when I heard that "Crackdown 2" would allow players to use lock-on in multiplayer, but having experienced it, it works quite well.

You can only lock on to a target that's within range, and you have to have them in your crosshair for it to work. Once locked on you'll need to keep line-of-sight or you'll lose your target. This makes the gameplay feel a bit more tactical, as you're more focused on keeping track of your target than shooting blindly in their direction. Admittedly it is less twitchy, but you do have some aiming controls while locked on (akin to "Grand Theft Auto 4") which allows you to nab headshots with a push of the right analog stick.

Old School But Effective
The PvP gameplay in "Crackdown 2" feels closer to games like "Unreal Tournament" than "Modern Warfare 2," and not just because of the futuristic setting. Weapon pick-ups are incredibly important and keep the game gravitating around rocket launcher spawns. It's fast (Rocket Tag especially) and doesn't allow for too much planning, but when you're 500 feet in the air and you manage to blast someone with a homing rocket that's halfway across the map, you probably won't care.

Truth be told I can't see the PvP modes in "Crackdown 2" being the main focus of people's time when the game hits. They're popcorn: Good for 30 minutes but lacking in depth. There's no persistent character progression in multiplayer and the points you earn from kills are only used for leaderboard rankings. But damn, they're fun, and should offer a nice break from the campaign.

"Call of Duty 7" will swing the franchise's spotlight away from Infinity Ward and put it back on Treyarch for a turn when game, potentially set in Vietnam, launches. In addition to tackling 'Nam, a new report says the game will be titled "Call of Duty: Black Ops" and return to dedicated servers for a November 2010 release.

Vietnam will be just one of numerous historical settings for "CoD7," including Cuba, South America and Iran, according to a report on MapModNews.com, which cites a story I can't immediately find from Tek9. The story seems a little suspect given the secondhand nature from unnamed sources, but with the number of details it contains, you should know that it's out there.

PC gamers in particular will be interested to know that dedicated servers are part of the rumor package now. "Modern Warfare 2" switched things up with a new matchmaking model that resulted in a heated online petition. Infinity Wards thinks many of those complainers showed up to play anyway, but they may pick up "Call of Duty 7" with a few more smiles if this leak turns out to be legit.

Would you like to see dedicated servers come back for "Call of Duty 7"? What do you think of "Black Ops" as a possible title? Share your reactions in the comment section below.

"Super Street Fighter 4" has a lot of playable fighters. Nearly 30, to be exact. Many of these are returning characters from other "Street Fighter" games, including some pretty obscure additions. Apparently there was one "Street Fighter" character that the game's producer, Yoshinori Ono, would have loved to get into the final game. Sadly, it wasn't to be. That character? The peculiar Rainbow Mika.

"I'm a big Rainbow Mika fan, I don't know if you remember her. So I wanted to put her in 'Street Fighter 4' and I really wanted to put her in 'Super,' so I basically harassed the director constantly, just whispering in his ear, 'Rainbow Mika! Rainbow Mika!' Unfortunately he didn't listen but maybe next time I'll continue my whisper campaign, we'll see what happens."

Perhaps the omission of Rainbow Mika was just to keep the game at its current T rating? After all, have you seen this girl?

"Battletoads" may have spawned spin-offs on multiple platforms and become one of Rare's biggest franchises of the '90s, but that doesn't mean the Microsoft-owned company is itching to bring them back. Asked about his studio's plans going forward, their current boss balked at committing to any retro Rare property revivals in the near future.

"There isn't a need to, I mean, it’d be nice to go back to these projects that have been successful in the past – but that doesn’t mean we will," Rare boss Mark Betteridge told Develop. "We'd only go back to older franchises if we saw an opportunity to make the product in a different way that would do justice to that, not just for the sake of it."

That doesn't necessarily mean he dislikes the idea of a "Battletoads" Xbox 360 title any less than you do, but he doesn't seem to see a compelling reason to make it right now. In describing Rare's role under Microsoft, Betteridge sounded much keener on looking ahead to new concepts, particularly with Project Natal.

"A first-party’s job should be to define the Xbox 360 platform, and that’s what we are looking to do here," he explained. "You can imagine something like 'Halo 3' required an enormous amount of content work, and other times it’s more to do with the design and balance and approachability of a project and I think Natal is going to be key with that."

That means if you're a longtime "Battletoads" supporter, now may be your window of opportunity to launch a letter-writing campaign to Betteridge and let him know how great a "Battletoads" Natal game would be. The worst Rare can do is not make it.

What old Rare properties would you like to see revived? What titles have defined the studio for you? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

With the DSi XL in stores now, you may be wondering whether it's the handheld device for you. Well, you've come to the right place. Just answer five simple questions and you'll know if you should head on out and pick one up or leave the giant handheld gaming to those more enormous than you.

1) Do you already own a DSi?
If yes, you do not need a DSi XL. The larger screen is nice, but to spend nearly $200 on a new handheld device that does exactly the same thing as your old one is not exactly fiscally responsible. It's also worth noting that you can't transfer DSiWare purchases made on your old handheld, so you'll have to re-buy all those games.

If no, move along to #2.

2) Are you looking to carry it around with you on a daily basis?
If yes, I'd recommend going with the DSi (or even the old school DS Lite) instead of the DSi XL. The heft of the XL is notable, especially when compared to previous incarnations of the hardware. If you like traveling light, the XL is a no go.

If no, move along to #3.

3) Are you looking to buy the XL for a young person (son/daughter/niece/nephew)?
If yes: Returning to the size issue, I had a hard time holding the DSi XL up for an extended period of time. Granted I have zero upper body strength, but I could see a small kid having a tough time dragging this thing around.

If no, move along to #4.

4) Are you looking for a couch-side device to play while you're watching TV or chilling out?
If yes, this is where the DSi XL shines. The heft makes it not super portable, but the big screen means you'll get a lot more visual eye candy out of some of the graphically intensive games (like "Zelda: Spirit Tracks" and "New Super Mario Bros."). In addition to being bigger, the larger screen real estate makes drawing mini-games (as in "Spirit Tracks") a lot easier. The large pen stylus packed in helps facilitate this.

If no, move along to #5.

5) Are you fine with the possibility of your new handheld being obsolete in a year?
If yes, you probably have more money to spare than most people.

If no, you should know that Nintendo announced that a new handheld is in the works and will launch sometime in 2011. It'll feature "Avatar"-style 3-D graphics without the need for glasses and, presumably, some better hardware to support improved visuals. The Nintendo 3DS will be demonstrated at E3 this year, so you may want to wait for that reveal before you make a decision.

When you get right down to it, the DSi XL is an interesting addition to Nintendo's handheld gaming family, but I don't really think there's enough of a market to justify its creation. In Japan, where older DS owners are more prevalent, it makes a bit more sense, but in the US I think most people will be happier buying a standard DSi.

On Saturday night of PAX, a handful of journalists went out to dinner with Ken Levine and some other members of Irrational Games. We were told beforehand that Irrational's next game wouldn't be revealed and it would really just be a good excuse for a nice meal that doesn't involve mini burgers.

But, towards the end of the dinner, those in attendance were presented with a limited edition Andrew Ryan figure. It's about 8 inches tall and has a sort of art deco color scheme that would fit perfectly on the desk of any splicer in Rapture. Or my desk. That works just as well.

Irrational only made 200 of these and presented a few of them to fans during their panels throughout PAX, so if you got one, count yourself lucky! And if you stick it on eBay, you have no soul.

Here's a full shot of Mr. Ryan going all "A man chooses..." on you.

www.nintendowiigames.com for great deals on Nintendo products. These are just some ideas that would make for funny Wii Play Games. I did not make this. For all your harry potter needs, visit www.squibweb.tk