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“Beta” is the new “RC8”

Console Gaming, Gaming, PC Gaming No Responses »

Mar 162011

Killzone 3 caught a little game-journalist flak earlier this year for offering a “beta” that was, for all intents and purposes, a polished demo rather than a beta. Discussing plans for Gears of War 3, Epic’s Rod Fergusson recently weighed in on this trend at StrategyInformer.

Money quote: “For me I think it has to do with people moving from PC to consoles.”

Basically, he’s arguing that PCs require some basic familiarity with hardware and software maintenance, but consoles are a black box to most users; console users therefore expect all products to be finished products, even free “betas”. In a literal sense, Fergusson is suggesting that console users are just plain ignorant.

I think it’s obvious that PC owners tend to have more troubleshooting savvy than console owners, but his overall argument is a little too reductionist for my taste. Still, the most interesting part to me is the first line (quoted above). Who is “people”? The PC market is still here, and it’s doing pretty damn well (if recent digital sales figures are any indication). The real problem might be that the developers have moved to consoles – not the users.

Gaming Deals of the Day

Deals, Gaming, Gaming Deals, PC Gaming No Responses »

Mar 102011

A few noteworthy deals to pass along. One thing that’s starting to become apparent is that Amazon is making a serious push into the digital distribution of PC games, and might even try and give Steam a run for their money. For example they’ve matched Steam’s mid-week deal of Mafia II for $7.50. From what I know about Amazon’s download service, is that it’s not all that different than how Direct2Drive works. Download the game as many times as you need to, and they add no additional DRM. Any DRM in the game is from the publisher only. Their selection is still limited, but if anyone can compete with Steam on price, it’s Amazon.

Keep in mind these deals are usually limited so act quickly if you are interested.

Direct2Drive: 20% off of anything (even preorders) with code “hangover”
Steam: Mafia II for $7.50
Amazon: Mafia II (digital download) for $7.50
Amazon: Metro 2033 (digital download) for $15.95

PSN Down for a Whopping 11 Hours Today

Console Gaming, Gaming 1 Response »

Mar 092011

The Playstation Network will be down for what seems to be an inordinate amount of time today — 11 hours — for “maintenance.” Sony says the downtime will start at 8:00am Pacific and will come back online at 7:00pm Pacific. During that time, the Playstation Store, online games, friends and messaging will be offline.

Read Sony’s details here.

Any bets the maintenance window running longer than expected? I’ll take the over.

Crysis 2 Demo Patch

Gaming, PC Gaming No Responses »

Mar 082011

A post on the Crysis 2 Ea Blog alerts us to a new patch for the Crysis 2 multiplayer demo. A few “welcome” changes in the list, the most important being the un-consolification of the demo, by changing the text on the first screen from “Press start to begin” to “Press enter to begin. ” Also, now the servers show no ping at all. Nice work guys.

The patch will auto-update the next time you launch the game, and will also be pushed out via Steam.

“Press Start to Begin” has been changed to “Press Enter to Begin” on the main menu
Ping changes in server browser – no ping for anyone now (all 0)
Fixed crash if getting force disconnected from a dedicated server (although the force disconnect issue has been resolved anyway)
Account creation now works properly
G35 headset fix now implemented
People not able to sign in with certain characters such as “-“ or “numbers” in their username, now can

The servers for this multiplayer demo will only be active for another week, so if you’re planning on checking it out, now’s the time.

Games on our radar for 2011

Gaming No Responses »

Mar 072011

Here’s an unscientific, fairly lazy list of gaming-related titles that caught our eye for 2011. Inclusion in this list is not a stamp of approval. We’ve listed hotly-anticipated titles right alongside games that we absolutely dread, games whose mere prospect may knot our guts in a clenched ball of searing terror.

We do our best to keep this updated as new games or release dates are announced, but feel free to post any corrections – or suggestions of games that we missed.

2011 hardware!
Nintendo 3DS: 3/27

Confirmed
Released:
Lost in Shadow (Wii): 1/4
Little Big Planet 2 (PS3): 1/18
Dead Space 2 (PC/PS3/60): 1/25
Breach (PC/360): 1/26
Magicka (PC): 1/26
You Don’t Know Jack (PC/PS3/60): 2/8
Dungeons (PC): 2/8
Bulletstorm (PC/PS3/60): 2/22
Killzone 3 (PS3): 2/22
Dragon Age 2 (PC/PS3/60): 3/8
Shogun 2: Total War (PC): 3/15
Yakuza 4 (PS3): 3/15
Homefront (PC/PS3/60): 3/15
Okamiden (DS): 3/15
Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (PC): 3/17
Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime (PC/360): 3/18
Crysis 2 (PC/PS3/60): 3/22
Battlefield Play4Free (PC): 3/31
Darkspore (PC/PS3/60): 4/1
Hoard (PC/OS X): 4/4
Magicka: Vietnam (PC): 4/15
Sanctum (PC): 4/15
Portal 2 (PC/OS X/PS3/60): 4/19
IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover (PC): 4/19
The Conduit 2 (Wii): 4/19
SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs (PS3): 4/19
Section 8: Prejudice (XBLA): 4/20
Outland (XBLA): 4/25 (and to be released for PSN once service is restored)
Mount and Blade: With Fire and Sword (PC): 5/3
Section 8: Prejudice (PC): 5/4
Hydrophobia: Prophecy (PC): 5/9
My The First Templar (PC/360): 5/10
Brink (PC/PS3/60): 5/10
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (PC): 5/17
Fable 3 (PC): 5/17
L.A. Noire (PS3/60): 5/17
Dirt 3 (PC/PS3/60): 5/24
Dungeons and Dragons: Daggerdale (PC/PS3/60): 5/24
Hunted: The Demon’s Forge (PC/PS3/60): 5/31
Red Faction: Armageddon (PC/PS3/60): 6/7
Infamous 2 (PS3): 6/7
Operation Flashpoint: Red River (PC): 6/7
American McGee Presents American McGee‘s Alice: American McGee’s Madness American McGee Returns (PC/PS3/60): 6/14
Outland (PSN/XBLA): 6/14
Duke Nukem Forever (PC/PS3/60): 6/14
Dungeon Siege 3 (PC/PS3/60): 6/17
Might and Magic: Heroes VI (PC): 6/21
F.E.A.R. 3 (PC/PS3/60): 6/21
Shadows of the Damned (PS3/60): 6/21
Air Conflicts: Secret Wars (PC): 7/1
Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon (PS3/60): 7/5
Panzer Corps (PC): 7/11
Bastion (XBLA): 7/20
From Dust (PC/XBLA): 7/27
Limbo (PC): 8/2
Section 8: Prejudice (PSN): 8/2
Bastion (PC): 8/15
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron (PS3/60): 8/16

Upcoming:
Deus Ex: Human Revolution (PC/PS3/60): 8/23
Tropico 4 (PC): 8/30
Rock of Ages (PC/XBLA/PSN): 8/31
Dead Island (PC/PS3/60): 9/6
Resistance 3 (PS3): 9/6
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine (PC/PS3/60): 9/6
Rage (PC/PS3/60/iPhone/toaster): 9/13
Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad (PC): 9/13
Sengoku (PC): 9/13
Saint’s Row 3 (PC/PS3/60): 9/15
Defenders of Ardania (PC): 9/27
Gears of War 3 (360): 9/30
The Darkness 2 (PC/PS3/60): 10/4
Dark Souls (PC3/60): 10/4
The Cursed Crusade (PC/PS3/60): 10/11
Batman: Arkham City (PC/PS3/60): 10/18
Battlefield 3 (PC/PS3/60): 10/25
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception (PS3): 11/1
Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (PC/PS3/60): 11/11
Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii): 11/20

Unconfirmed dates (roughly in order)
Amy (PSN): September 2011
Hard Reset (PC): September 2011
Trine 2: September 2011
Nuclear Dawn (PC): September 2011
Warp (PC/PSN/XBLA): Q3 2011
Serious Sam 3: BFE (PC/PS3/60): Q3 2011
Sword of the Stars 2 (PC): Q3 2011
Orcs Must Die! (PC/XBLA): Q3 2011
Star Wars: The Old Republic (PC): Fall 2011
Dyad (PSN): Fall 2011
Assassin’s Creed: Revelations (PC/PS3/60): November 2011
Need For Speed: The Run (PC/PS3/60): November 2011
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (PC/PS3/60): Winter 2011
Ghost Recon: Future Soldier (PC/PS3/60): TBA 2011
Final Fantasy Tactics (iPhone): TBA 2011
Torchlight 2 (PC): TBA 2011
Dungeon Defenders (PC/PS3/60): TBA 2011 (“First Wave” already out for Android and iOS)
Toy Soldiers (PC; XBLA already out): TBA 2011
Elemental: Fallen Enchantress (PC): TBA 2011
Dear Esther (PC): TBA 2011
The Shadow Sun (iOS): TBA 2011
Tribes: Ascend (PC/PS3/60): TBA 2011
Renegade Ops (PC/PSN/XBLA): TBA 2011
ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection (PS3): TBA 2011
Scivelation (PC): TBA 2011
The Witness (PC/PS3/60): TBA 2011
Jagged Alliance 2: Reloaded (PC): TBA 2011
Lego Star Wars III: ~~Begun~~ These Clone Wars ~~Have~~ (PC/PS3/60): TBA 2011
I Am Alive (?): TBA 2011
X: Rebirth (PC): Q4 2011
Trenched: TBA 2011
Red Orchestra 2: Rising Storm (expansion; PC): TBA 2011, after RO2 (duh)
Half-Life 2: Episode Three (PC/360): TBA 2011…or 2012…or…
Alan Wake (PC): Never – unless you think MS is full of hot air and will end up releasing a shoddy PC port for extra cash monies in 9 months, after they’ve convinced everybody possible to buy the 360 version

Confirmed for 2012 or later
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning (PC/PS3/60): 2/7/2012
Mass Effect 3 (PC/PS3/60): 3/6/2012
XCOM (PC/360): 3/12/2012
Planetside 2 (PC): Early 2012
Max Payne 3 (PC/PS3/60): March 2012
Secret World (PC): April 2012
Aliens: Colonial Marines (PC/PS3/60): Q2 2012
Bioshock: Infinite: TBA 2012
Far Cry 3 (PC/PS3/60): TBA 2012
Dishonored (PC/PS3/60): TBA 2012
Spec Ops: The Line (PC/PS3/60): TBA 2012
God of War 4: War Harder (PS3): TBA 2012
Mirror’s Edge 2 (PC/PS3/60): TBA 2012
Beyond Good and Evil 2 (?): TBA 2012
A Valley Without Wind (PC/OS X): TBA 2012
Age of Decadence (PC): TBA 2012
The Last Guardian (PS3): TBA 2012
Blackout (PC/PS3/60): TBA 2012
Prototype 2 (PC/PS3/60): TBA 2012
Silent Hill 2 and 3 HD (PS3/60): TBA 2012
Hitman 5 (PC/PS3/60): TBA 2012
Dead State (PC): TBA 2012
Zone of the Enders 1 and 2 HD (PS3/60): TBA 2012
Metal Gear Solid Collection HD (PS3/60): TBA 2012
Assassin’s Creed: Revelations (PC/PS3/60): TBA 2012
Darksiders 2 (PC/PS3/60): TBA 2012
Metro: Last Light (PC/PS3/60): TBA 2012
Fallen Frontier (PC/PSN/XBLA): TBA 2012
Prey 2 (PC/PS3/60): TBA 2012
STALKER 2: TBA 2012
Diablo 3 (PC): TBA 2012
Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm (PC): TBA 2012

Lost in Shadow (Wii): 1/4

Optimizing an indie game

Gaming No Responses »

Mar 072011

I’ve been following Iron Tower Studio’s Age of Decadence for a few years, and the game looks increasingly like it’ll land sometime in 2011. The lead artist recently posted an account of optimizing AoD’s adaptation of the Torque Engine for higher performance, complete with screenshots reflecting the iterative steps their team followed. The post offers an interesting look at tuning performance with Torque, but it’s also a reminder that indie teams often have to spend as much time on the nuts-and-bolts as big commercial projects do. There’s a lot of talent out there, working on promising smaller-scale projects like this.

If you’re new to AoD, check out Iron Tower Studio for screenshots, videos, and a general introduction to the game. Keep an eye on ITS – they’re also the group supporting Dead State, the upcoming turn-based zombie/survival RPG from industry vets Brian Mitsoda and Annie Carlson.

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