Microsoft Details Xbox 360 ‘Chatpad’ Keyboard at OGDC
May 11, 2007
Microsoft’s GM of Xbox Live, JJ Richards, further discussed the recently announced Xbox 360 mini-keyboard controller, revealing that the keys can be used for gameplay purposes.
During a panel on new opportunities in console technology, Richards showed a slide picturing the recently announced QWERTY thumb-keyboard, which will debut later this summer and is to be used with existing Xbox 360 controllers.
Richards stated “I can have chat in my games; now that it’s a proper keyboard.” OGDC moderator, Jeff Pobst of Hidden Path Entertainment, interjected, “Are those buttons available for gameplay?” Richards confirmed that they would be. “All of the sudden, I can have a controller with mini-buttons, if I want,” said Pobst. “It’ll be very interesting to see how developers take advantage of that innovation,” commented Microsoft’s Richards.
Later in the panel, Richards spoke about Live as the same service across platforms - the 360, and the PC - adding, “I want to kill the word ‘ports.’ Halo will be the first one to do that. Next month, Shadowrun will be the first one that does cross-platform play.”
With Live, Richards hopes that developers will “focus on the story, focus on a great game, everything else will be taken care of.” He concluded with “you build the content, we’ll allow you to ship it on the biggest platform you can.”
Sega Announces 2007-2008 Game Line-Up
Publisher Sega has revealed its 2007-2008 line-up, including Condemned 2: Bloodshot for PS3/Xbox 360, a conversion of arcade gun game Ghost Squad to Wii, Happy Tree Friends: False Alarm for XBLA, RTS Universe At War adding an Xbox 360 SKU, and a new PC RPG deal with Gas Powered Games.
Condemned 2: Bloodshot for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, developed by original franchise creator Monolith Productions, and sporting “an all-new fighting mechanic and online multiplayer functionality”, will debut in early 2008 for the next-gen consoles. According to the firm, “Players will engage in visceral combat using a variety of firearms, blunt instruments and an all-new fighting system complete with defensive and offensive combo chains, [as well as an] all-new set of high-tech forensic tools.” Online multiplayer modes will include hand-to-hand deathmatch playable across the network.
Ghost Squad for Wii is a conversion of the arcade gun game title originally developed by Sega’s AM2 arcade division. The Wii version brings the arcade experience home and adds a number of new Wii-specific gameplay modes and features. The game features the use of the Wii Remote as a multi-purpose tool that allows players to easily control the targeting of on-screen enemies, defuse bombs, and rescue hostages, and will debut for the 2007 holiday season.
Happy Tree Friends False Alarm, based on the popular and gory animated series, Happy Tree Friends, is currently under development by Stainless Studios (Novadrome), and is scheduled for release via digital download on PC and Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade in fall, 2007. Sporting a “physics-based reactive environment”, Happy Tree Friends False Alarm is an action-puzzle game in which you use resources such as concrete, ice, gasoline, and nitroglycerin and “save the Happy Tree Friends from hilarious disaster situations and their own bad luck.”
Universe at War: Earth Assault, the already-announced PC RTS title from the former Westwood veterans at Petroglyph, is now also confirmed to debut on the Xbox 360 in Q1 2008. The title is themed around a near-future Earth under siege by aliens, and is scheduled for a PC release in 2007 for the holidays, before moving onto Microsoft’s next-gen console next year, with “…a control scheme built from the ground up to ensure smooth gameplay and ease of command for console gamers.”
Finally, Sega has announced a new partnership with Gas Powered Games, the creators of Dungeon Siege and Supreme Commander. Under the terms of the worldwide agreement, Sega and Gas Powered Games will collaboratively develop an original, and as yet unspecified role-playing game for the PC. A release date for the RPG is not yet announced.
Xleague.TV Unveils League, Tournament Launcg Lineup
April 24, 2007
Xleague.TV, the TV show dedicated to e-Sports, has unveiled the lineup of games that’ll feature in the launch of its leagues and tournaments. The lineup enables gamers to compete across Xbox 360, PS3 and PC platforms, covering sports, FPS, RTS, and racing genres.
Here’s the launch line-up in full:
XBOX 360
Pro Evolution Soccer 6
Rainbow Six: Vegas
Project Gotham Racing 3
Gears of War
Halo 2
Dead or Alive 4
PS3
Resistance: Fall of Man
Motorstorm
PC
Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
Quake 4
Xleague.TV’s web site launches next month, and will be subsequently followed by the debut of the TV show itself on Sky in May.
Capcom Reveals New Titles
April 16, 2007
As part of its Gamer’s Day event, Capcom revealed a number of new titles for multiple devices.
Capcom dabbled in PC gaming but never made a strong commitment to PC games, so releasing Lost Planet for PC is cool. Lost Planet will feature DirectX 10 and Shader Model 3.0 support as well, making one of the best looking console games one of the best looking PC games ever made. Lost Planet is a good sign that we will be seeing more Capcom titles coming to PCs in the near future. Also coming to PC (and PSN and Xbox Live) is Talisman, Games Workshop’s hybrid board and RPG.
For many, Wii is making out the best with the new Capcom titles. Lets’s start with Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles. Using the Wii Remote as your boomstick, players will gun down zombies and other monstrosities. Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition might be the best Resident Evil of all time! It includes everything from the previous versions, utilizing the Wii Remote to point and blow apart the armies of the undead. Also coming to Wii is Project Treasure Island Z, a series of puzzles and mini-games centered around the antics of a pirate in training, Zack, and his magical monkey, Wiki. Younger gamers will be entertained.
Newly announced titles for Nintendo’s handheld DS system include the third chapter in Capcom’s cult Phoenix Wright legal adventures, with Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations. Set for release in September 2007, Trials and Tribulations will continue the tradition of the first two chapters of the series, with a new “mysterious hard-boiled” prosecutor named Godot, and a return of the second game’s “pysche-lock” interrogation tool. Also coming to Nintendo DS, in October, is the latest in the decades-long running Mega Man franchise, Mega Man ZX Advent, which includes a new “biometal” system that allows players to change into different forms and utilizes the DS touchscreen to switch between ‘Biometal’ and map navigation screens. Not a bad way to celebrate 20 years of Mega Man, I’d say.
Capcom also revealed that it was working with Cartoon Network to deliver a game based on the Adult Swim original cartoon Harvey Birdman to both the PSP and PS2 by developer High Voltage (Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude), though no further details were yet revealed.
As for PS2, Capcom has announced that the company as acquired PlayStation rights to the motor sport MotoGP, and will be publishing its first PlayStation 2 game based on the sport this year, tentatively titled MotoGP 07.
Capcom also revealed a number of digitally distributed titles coming throughout the year for PC, Xbox Live, and the PlayStation network. Foremost amongst these is the return of Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix coming to all three digital platforms this fall, including newly redrawn 1080p HD graphics from the backgrounds and blocks, handled by developer Backbone and all new character portraits, done by Udon Entertainment (the company responsible for the official US Street Fighter series of comics). The game will also see “improved game balance,” and, most importantly, online play — a feature fans of the cult puzzler have been asking for since it first appeared. The game will also be including the X, Y, and Z-’ism’ modes from the Dreamcast’s “For Matching Service” version.
Also coming are two more original titles, with WizKids’ Rocketmen: Axis of Evil arriving on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network as an arcade shooter as up to four players battle cooperatively through multiple levels in a struggle to ‘free the Solar System.’
Microsoft Hints at Free Live
February 19, 2007
Microsoft has suggested that multiplayer gaming through Live on Windows Vista will be a free service, unlike on Xbox 360, where users need a gold membership subscription to access to multiplayer.
Microsoft’s Shane Kim was asked in an interview whether it’d be free for PC users to play against friends, while certain premium-level stuff would be locked behind Gold, to which he responded, “Theoretically speaking, that’s exactly the kind of thing we’d want to do.” PC gaming’s traditional ‘multiplayer for free’ ethic that exists with the platform is a factor being taken fully into account by Microsoft for Live on Windows.
“In the Xbox world when we created Xbox Live, there was no other option. We’re sort of creating it as we go, we established that model and that framework. As we come into the Windows gaming world, there are alternatives that are out there so we have to be cognizant of that,” said Kim. “We do recognize that, unlike the Xbox 360 environment, there’s existing competition in the PC online space. So we have to take that into account as we think about how we’re going to structure our services, what they’ll pay for and what they won’t.”
It’s also possible that Microsoft’s plan for an integrated Live experience across PC and Xbox 360 could be a good thing for Xbox 360 owners in regard to paid-for content. If multiplayer gaming’s provided free through Windows Live, then the company may just see fit to offer the same to Xbox 360 fans.
Atari and CD Projekt to Deliver The Witcher
February 6, 2007
Third-party video game publisher Atari and game developer CD Projekt announced yesterday that they have entered into a publishing agreement for The Witcher. The Witcher is scheduled for release on Games for Windows, the new brand optimized for Windows XP and Windows Vista.
Based on the works of best-selling Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher tells the story of Geralt, a master swordsman and monster slayer who is gifted with superhuman abilities. “The Witcher presents a fresh approach to traditional role-playing, blending an expansive, twisting plotline – in which the impact of individual decisions can drastically alter the outcome of the game – and fast-paced combat against a wide variety of foes. Using advanced graphics and physics systems, The Witcher delivers brutal action, multi-faceted RPG options and an intriguing story to engulf all players who dare,” a press release reads.
“The Witcher is a tremendous game that has been on everyone’s radar since CD Projekt began development,” said Jeremiah Cohn, Product Manager, Atari, Inc. “With this publishing deal, Atari continues its quest to bring highly impressive titles to North America and we have our sights set on making The Witcher one of the most anticipated RPGs of the year.”
The series has already been represented as short stories, novels, comic books, a feature-length movie, a television series, and a table-top role-playing game. This will be the first video game to be based on the series and its characters. The game is currently under development using Bioware’s Aurora Engine and will be strictly single player. The game’s developers have sung the praises of its realistic character movements and fighting techniques, based on genuine medieval sword combat. While the original European release will be out in stores this Spring, look for Atari’s localized version to be out this fall.
Microsoft Talks Games, Live Services For Windows Vista
January 24, 2007
Microsoft’s director for Windows gaming business, Rich Wickham, noted that 2006 was “the best year we’ve ever had” for Windows gaming, and suggested that the launch of Vista and the migration of Live services onto Windows should continue to expand PC gaming’s horizons.
World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade’s gigantic 2.4 million unit sellout in the first 24 hours gave Wickham good reason to smile, and he had hopes Vista will sell at the same or better rate. He went on to praise the role of gaming in shaping the overall Vista platform: “Gaming and DirectX have brought 3D to the [Vista] platform,” and revealing that both Crysis and Age of Conan were running at the event using DirectX 10; other major titles being showcased included Hellgate London and Supreme Commander.
He also discussed Microsoft’s gradual roll-out of the Live service, including Achievement Points and cross-platform play, to Windows Vista over the course of this year. Being shown at the event in cross-playable PC and Xbox 360 forms were Uno (for which Wickham quipped that the casual game “may not be that casual after all,” thanks to its addictive nature) and Shadowrun.
In addition, single-player PC casual titles which will allow Achievement Points, including Geometry Wars, which will ship later in 2007, were also shown. There was also confirmation that Xbox Live Arcade title Crystal Quest is also coming to the PC, presumably with a Live-enabled scoreboard and Achievements.
Wickham also talked about the new marketing campaign behind Windows titles. Retail boxes including the Games For Windows logo will be placed on games that work perfectly with both Windows XP and Windows Vista, and he also discussed backwards compatibility issues for Vista and other PC games. Wickham indicated that over 1,000 games have been tested for backward compatibility, commenting, “I feel better about where we are [on backward compatibility] with Vista today than I have with any other operating system.”
Various questions from the small group assembled at San Francisco’s Dogpatch Studios included a query about Xbox 360 vs. PC ‘exclusivity’ or staggered release dates for any of the big titles coming out this year for both systems. Wickham commented that, for third parties, “It’s for them to decide…we’ve made it much easier to make simultaneously shipping games.” He also commented that he believed a number of the major titles coming out for PC and Xbox 360 this year will ship at the same time on both platforms.
Entropia Banks Tie to Real Ones
January 11, 2007
Entropia Universe, an online role-playing game with a distinctly economic twist, is going to let players start up banks with the authority to lend money that’s convertible to real-world dollars.
Sweden-based MindArk PE AB, Entropia’s parent company, said it would auction five banking licenses, each valid for two years. The holders will be able to set up bank buildings on the science-fiction-themed planet of Calypso, charge interest on loans, and advertise on in-game billboards.
Previous auctions by MindArk for virtual “real estate” have yielded bids of up to $100,000.
The Project Entropia Dollar is convertible to U.S. dollars at a fixed rate of 10:1, making it unique among virtual currencies, as most game companies shun links to the real-world economics.
Last year, MindArk made ATM cards available to players so they could withdraw game funds. Its payment-processing company, however, has run into difficulties, and it’s no longer possible to transfer money to the card accounts from the game.
In 2005, players in EVE Online, a science-fiction game published by an Icelandic company, financed a virtual space station through an “initial public offering” of stock. The following November, Ailin Graef claimed to own virtual property worth more than $1 million in Second Life, a world whose currency is convertible to the dollar at a fluctuating rate.
Halo 2 to Support Direct X 9, not 10
December 6, 2006
Despite reports from several game media outlets, Halo 2 will not support Direct X 10 visual effects, according to an update from Microsoft. Though the Windows Vista version of Halo 2 will be based on Direct X 9 graphics technologies, owners of Direct X 10 hardware can expect to see “certain performance benefits.” What those benefits are remains to be seen, though faster frame rates seem likely. Halo 2 for Windows Vista is expected to be released in early 2007.
The confusion apparently stemmed from the fact that Halo 2 will only be released for Microsoft’s upcoming Windows Vista platform, which is the only operating system to support the new Direct X 10 graphics standard. Currently, the only video cards to support Direct X 10 are Nvidia’s Geforce 8800 line, and their Direct X 10 functionality won’t be unlocked until Windows Vista’s consumer launch.
Direct X 10 is the long-awaited API enhancement that will allow for more spectacular visual effects, such as wide-scale shaders and bump mapping. It will only be released via Windows Vista. The consumer edition of Vista is expected to happen in the beginning of 2007.
Oct. 27 Kickoff for Pro Evolution Soccer 6
September 29, 2006
Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer 6 for Xbox 360, PS2, and PC will hit stores on October 27, with the PSP and DS versions to come “shortly after,” says Konami. The latest version of the much-loved soccer title is still boasts its realistic gameplay and has undergone significant enhancements. Series creator Shingo “Seabass” Takatsuka has successfully refined the game’s shooting system, and the AI has been upgraded; players wihtout possession of the ball now run into and point to a position where they could receive a pass and continue the attack. In addition, players must now work to turn defenders upon receiving the ball, and the defender, in response, must back off a bit to prevent being turned.
Other new features include the following:
- international rosters now feature official kits for the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Italy
- more balanced, animated referees
- International Challenge: lead your home country through entry and tournament rounds
- Random mode: players engage in quick games with randomly generated match day settings
- full 11 vs. 11 play means 22 individually controlled players
- improvements to Master League mode
- far more realistic ball physics than ever before
- more physical play between players
- increased player animations: players pound grass after a missed shot, defenders appeal for offside calls, incredibly accurate player-specific dribbling styles
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