MMO Updates

MMO Updates

Massively chats Heaven, Hell and destructible churches with Faxion Online

Posted: 18 Jun 2011 10:00 AM PDT

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It's been only a short time since Faxion Online launched, and despite some issues with performance and balance, the game is already seeing a strong, dedicated playerbase. Perhaps the PvP-centric world, along with its open, skill-based class system, has encouraged this sort of dedication. UTV Ignition Games is fully aware of the issues that are in the game now and has promised that it's on top of them. The game was created with a smaller team, time frame, and budget than most games that we talk about here on Massively, so it's important to note the growing pains.

How do you divide your time between balance and performance? What do you do, as a developer, when the loudest wheels are squeaking about one issue, while others claim they have no issues at all? These are the quandaries of the smaller developer, especially a developer running a game that obviously offers something different.

We took some time to ask Mike Madden, Director of Product Management, and Frank Lucero, Studio Head, about their concerns as well as what they see happening in the future. So click past the cut to see what they had to say!

Continue reading Massively chats Heaven, Hell and destructible churches with Faxion Online

MassivelyMassively chats Heaven, Hell and destructible churches with Faxion Online originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 18 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WRUP: All's fair for love of WAR edition

Posted: 18 Jun 2011 08:00 AM PDT

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Color me surprised. With two days left to go, it looks like my Choose My Adventure poll is all but set, with Warhammer Online coming out as a real dark horse victor. Let this be a lesson to fans the world over: If you want something to win at a poll, posting a link on the official forums and saying "go vote for this" works remarkably well. It's really just that easy!

This week's edition of WRUP contains no further discussion of the game in question, however, instead being solely focused around what games the Massively staff will be playing over the next couple of days. It also details our opinions on flying mounts and how they affect the state of the game worlds we live play in. So read on past the break to see what we'll all be up to, and return the favor by letting us know your weekend activities in the comments.

Continue reading WRUP: All's fair for love of WAR edition

MassivelyWRUP: All's fair for love of WAR edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 18 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: How welcoming should a game be?

Posted: 18 Jun 2011 06:00 AM PDT

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In the old days, games started you out in a few tattered rags, and if you were very lucky, you had a weapon after character creation. The tutorial was "try not to die." You learned where things were by asking other players or blindly stumbling from place to place. In many ways, themepark games like RIFT can be seen as a direct counter to that playstyle, giving players a clear sense of purpose and a direction so reliable it can feel like handholding.

But there's another side to the discussion: the fact that how easy it is to figure things out at the start of a game contributes to how welcome you feel. There's a rush when you realize you're in a hostile world that won't hand you what you need to survive, but there's also a question of whether or not you want to carve out a niche in a world that doesn't seem to want you anyway. So how welcoming should a game be to new players? Should it be gently guiding at the risk of over-protectiveness, or should it throw you in the deep end and let you sink or swim?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: How welcoming should a game be? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 18 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Allods Online reveals more about... Revelation

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 07:00 PM PDT

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Free-to-play favorite Allods Online marches ever closer to Patch 2.0.04. While we got a good look at the interesting Reincarnation system last week, today gPotato is highlighting two of the patch's new areas: Twilight Isle and the Cave of Tka-Rik.

Twilight Isle will be the latest end zone to hit the game, with a height requirement of 46 or above to go on this ride. It's no happy carnival, either; the Isle is populated by the Demonic Cult and its deathmetal decor. Players will be tasked with figuring out why the demons are starting to move through the Astral and to stop them posthaste. Among the many new quests to come with the zone is the ability to take out demons with a portable cannon, which automatically makes it the coolest feature we've heard of this week. So far.

Tka-Rik's Cave is another endgame challenge, wherein lie many deadly trials that are guarding the secret behind the Revelation.

We don't have a firm date for 2.0.04 yet, but the way Allods is promoting it, it shouldn't be too far off!

MassivelyAllods Online reveals more about... Revelation originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Betawatch: June 10 - 17, 2011

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 06:00 PM PDT

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Welcome to Betawatch, Massively's weekly report on the state of MMO betas. In each installment, we'll report everything from the latest open betas, closed betas and even alphas in one convenient place. Plus, we'll make sure to include as much info on each game's current status, including projected release dates (if known) and links to the sign-up forms to get yourself into that beta you've been seeking.

Gods & Heroes, Eden Eternal, and Black Prophecy all move to open beta this week, so if you haven't had a chance to try one or all of those games, the doors are open to you now! Our closed beta list gets a little longer as well thanks to the addition of World of Planes and Dragon Nest.

Follow along after the cut for the latest Betawatch list!

Continue reading Betawatch: June 10 - 17, 2011

MassivelyBetawatch: June 10 - 17, 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ra's al Ghul's Revenge goes live for DC Universe Online

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 05:00 PM PDT

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Are you ready to face off against a nearly immortal enemy? That's what DC Universe Online players will be up against starting today, as the latest game update throws Ra's al Ghul at the players. The eponymous terrorist and assassin is embarking on his latest scheme to wipe humans from the planet with biological weapons, forcing players to brave the League of Assassins' Stronghold with the possibility of earning several new rewards. But there's more to the latest update beyond just the new villain for players to oppose.

Poison Ivy is also hitting the scene in a big way, trying to strengthen her connection the mystical plant realm known only as the Green. That puts her at odds with the elemental Swamp Thing, forcing heroic and villainous players to team up with the faction-appropriate character and either aid or thwart Ivy's goals. DC Universe Online players can begin downloading and playing the update immediately, just in time to get some solid play in for the weekend.

MassivelyRa's al Ghul's Revenge goes live for DC Universe Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SWTOR dev diary steps beyond story

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 04:30 PM PDT

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Star Wars: The Old Republic separates itself from other MMORPGs by introducing the element of -- say it with me -- story. But how deep exactly is this wormhole? BioWare Writer Ian Ryan explains to us in the latest developer diary that a TOR writer's work is not done once the last word is penned. "Armed with [our] knowledge, we set out to provide feedback on each planet's art as it relates to story," Ryan reveals. The writers log into the game and play the levels they created story for. It is a collaborative effort. The writers attempt to give the environmental artist a clear picture of what best sets the scene for the stories they have created.

In the gallery below, we have some before-and-after renders of the Promenade on Nar Shaddaa and the Blastfield Shipyards on Corellia. Both of these areas received major overhauls after the writers witnessed the first incarnation of the environments.

Following the before-and-after pictures is a new piece of concept art of Corellia released for the fans. Lastly, we have featured some new pieces of art created by the SWTOR fans Micah_Vale, CuriousOne, and SkinRuder77. Enjoy.

Gallery: SWTOR Fan Friday

MassivelySWTOR dev diary steps beyond story originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wasteland Diaries: Weapon balance

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 04:00 PM PDT

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Rock, scissors, paper. It's not quite that simple when referring to the three weapon classes in Fallen Earth. You have the two ranged disciplines: rifles and pistols. And then you have melee weapons. They all have distinct advantages in combat, and they are all viable in PvP and PvE when played properly. There is a lot of debate about weapon balance on the forums and in the game (gotta love global chat) about weapon balance.

I come from the school of thought that believes the weapons are currently as balanced as they have ever been. Many people will disagree with me on that point. But the vast majority of people who agree that the combat is well-balanced in Fallen Earth's current system are my contemporaries who have been PvPing since alpha, beta or launch. Many newer, less experienced players feel that certain weapon classes are overpowered or useless. I say that is not the case. Continue past the cut and I'll explain why I feel that way.

Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: Weapon balance

MassivelyWasteland Diaries: Weapon balance originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Get RIFT for $9.99 this weekend

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 03:30 PM PDT

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Trion's got a couple of weekend deals in store for all you last-minute Father's Day shopping slackers, provided of course that the gaming dad in your family plays RIFT.

First up is a $9.99 special that gives you the full game client. Gameplay time will cost you extra, though, so assuming you go with the standard monthly fee, you're looking at around 25 bucks for full access to Telara.

Next up is the trial upgrade collector's edition special, which will set you back $16.99. You get the full client per above as well as a tartagon mount, a collector's satchel, and a bogling wastrel pet. Both deals are digital only, so if your dad, husband, or baby's daddy wants a box, you'll need to check out the brick and mortar or online retailers listed on Trion's website.

MassivelyGet RIFT for $9.99 this weekend originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Road to Mordor: Packing for Isengard

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 03:00 PM PDT

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Isengard. Isengard. ISENGARD. It's all I can think about since last week's E3 reveal, and I know I'm not the only one. For some reason, having a firm launch date for Lord of the Rings Online's third expansion feels like a starting pistol's gone off, and we're beginning the race to the expansion in earnest.

Of course, we're not in that much of a hurry at this point. We still have well over three months to go, the beta has yet to begin, and something tells me that Turbine's got a few more tricks to pull out of its top hat before all is said and done. Still, I'm officially in "Go!" mode, and I bet I'm not the only one.

While I can't make September 27th come any sooner, I can think of six ways that we can prepare for our upcoming journey into Dunland and beyond. Seven, if you include putting together the absolute perfect outfit to slay Saruman in, but that's a given.

Hit the jump and I'll walk you through everything you should be doing this summer to get ready for Rise of Isengard!

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Packing for Isengard

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Packing for Isengard originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gods & Heroes releases estate system screens

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 02:30 PM PDT

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Current-gen MMOs that ship with player housing options are seemingly a dying breed. Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising, debuting next week courtesy of Heatwave Interactive, is bucking that trend by launching with something the devs are calling an estate system.

In a nutshell, your Roman hero will inherit his very own ancestral estate. Unfortunately you'll take possession of the place after it's been razed to the ground by the evil machinations of the Telchinist cult. Part of the Gods & Heroes progression experience involves rebuilding your home, which in turn affects the power and quality of your NPC minions as well as other as-yet unnamed benefits.

The rebuilding process takes the form of various quest lines throughout the game, and you'll get a glimpse of what's in store by checking out our new estate system gallery below.

Gallery: Gods and Heroes

MassivelyGods & Heroes releases estate system screens originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: Everyone has pants edition

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 02:00 PM PDT

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Today's One Shots image comes from the APB community with a little twist: nobody in his or her underwear!
"Carnage is a criminal clan in All Points Bulletin: Reloaded. We think that we are the biggest French Canadian (Quebec) clan. We all play together to destroy those Enforcers, but we enjoy having fun with some events."
Are you ready to show off your guild? Gather up your best group shots of you and your guildmates. Whether you're hanging out, enjoying guild housing, taking out a huge enemy, or throwing a party, send a screenshot of your guild in action to oneshots@massively.com along with your name and the name of the game, and tell us about your guild!

Gallery: One Shots: 2011

MassivelyOne Shots: Everyone has pants edition originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall possibly headed to Asian market

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 01:00 PM PDT

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Darkfall's brand of FFA PvP and sandbox-style fantasy elements may be headed to the Asian market, according to a new post on Aventurine's weekly dev blog. Tasos Flambouras reports that company staffers recently traveled to the Far East for discussions with "several of the Asian majors." What became of those discussions is still shrouded in secrecy, but Flambouras does hint at more news in this regard down the road.

"This will be good for the game overall since we'd be tapping into some vast development resources. Unfortunately I can't be more specific but there will be announcements when we can," he explains.

Today's Epic Blog entry also talks a bit about some new PvE dungeons in the works, and there are some interesting pieces of concept art as well as a screenshot or two of the new Cairn dungeon. Read all about it at the official Darkfall site.

MassivelyDarkfall possibly headed to Asian market originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A look at Luvinia Online's Berserker and Watchman

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 12:00 PM PDT

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As Luvinia Online's heading toward closed beta testing here in the states, Outspark is trying to pump up interest in the title by highlighting the game's classes. Two of the revealed classes are the Berserker and Watchman, subsets of the Fighter and Scout roles.

The Berserker is your typical barbarian-who-unleashes-his-inner-Hulk character, utilizing rage to increase his damage, hit multiple targets, and pump up critical strikes. As Outspark says, "The heavens hath no fury like a Berserker scorned!"

On the flip side of rage is the Watchman's cool, collected poise. She uses ranged skills, traps and tricks to frustrate and kill enemies from afar, preferring the use of a bow over melee weapons. An interesting mechanic to the class is that the farther the Watchman is from her target, the more damage she does.

You can take a peek at the many classes of Luvinia Online, including the class grid, in the gallery below!

Gallery: Luvinia-Online

MassivelyA look at Luvinia Online's Berserker and Watchman originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Empires Online dev diary is all about the goods

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 11:30 AM PDT

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Using tongue-in-cheek stick puppets, the folks at Age of Empires Online have emerged to give us a quick overview of the gear system in a new dev diary. Yes, even empire-building titles rely on good ol' fashioned MMO gear to equip armies.

Once attached to an army, gear changes the appearance and stats of your troops. The more rare the gear, the tougher they become. Gear can be found, purchased, and crafted as you may expect. You have to purchase the civilization with real-world money in order to be able to equip the very best items, however.

And if you're curious about Age of Empires Online's pricing structure, ShackNews has the full skinny. Some of the purchases are merely cosmetic, although it looks like there's bad news for those looking to avoid a "pay to win" scenario: "Unfortunately, Microsoft's approach to monetising Age of Empires Online seems to be one of placing non-paying players at a significant disadvantage."

Age of Empires Online is slated for an August 16th launch. You can watch the dev diary on gear for a chuckle or two after the jump!

Continue reading Age of Empires Online dev diary is all about the goods

MassivelyAge of Empires Online dev diary is all about the goods originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CCP and White Wolf celebrating Vampire's 20th anniversary with new rulebook, fan gala

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 11:00 AM PDT

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Vampire: The Masquerade is gearing up to celebrate its 20th birthday (20 years!?), and while two decades may be a drop in the proverbial bucket to your average vampire, it's quite a chunk of time for mere mortals. White Wolf (which MMO aficionados probably know as a subsidiary of CCP) is celebrating the milestone with a limited-run anniversary edition of the RPG's core rulebook.

The tome is available via pre-order and will set you back a hefty $99.99. The book's release will coincide with The Grand Masquerade 2011, a fan event scheduled for September 15th to 18th in New Orleans that will feature, among other things, "the next look at the future of the World of Darkness MMO."

MassivelyCCP and White Wolf celebrating Vampire's 20th anniversary with new rulebook, fan gala originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World of Tanks invades LA in new videos

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 10:30 AM PDT

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Get out of the way! Tanks are invading Los Angeles? Wait, what? That was at E3? Oh, OK. Well then, I suppose you're safe... for now! That's right, those wacky cads over at Wargaming.net took the opportunity during E3 to invade LA with some very large, very real tanks. In case you weren't at E3 to see the madness first-hand (the team even brought a tank into the convention center to guard its booth), the team was kind enough to post a few videos outlining the (completely and utterly insane) task of invading Los Angeles with three different kinds of tanks.

Having chronicled World of Tanks' ongoing plans for world domination at E3, we can think of no better way to celebrate but to bring out some real heavy artillery. So strap on your helmets and Kevlar and army-crawl past the cut for some tanks-on-the-road madness.

Continue reading World of Tanks invades LA in new videos

MassivelyWorld of Tanks invades LA in new videos originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Shri Krishna

MMO updates

MMO updates

Duke of Mount Deer - Development costs breakdown

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 09:48 PM PDT


In order not to overshot the frame size, the game's title has been cut short from the full name, "The Duke of Mount Deer Online". Developed by Chinese MMO giant ChangYou over a period of 4 years, "industry veterans" have taken the unusual step of announcing rough estimations of the various costs required to develop the game. I wonder if it is just a PR thing though as this article wasn't posted on the official website. Over the past few day, I have been playing for a few hours in the Closed Beta. I thought Forsaken World has tons of features. I was wrong, so stay tuned for a short preview tomorrow. Let's get back on topic!


First, the cost of the China-based team working on the title. This team is responsible for translating the original novel by Louis Cha into the online world and adding some original ideas to it as well. Top talents are recruited in various departments, including art, programming, production and more. The average annual salary is 120,000 Chinese Yuan, hence the 400-strong development team over the period of 4 years costs around 192,000,000 Chinese Yuan (USD 26 million). Factoring in other benefits including insurance policies and bonus, the amount could rise up till around 210,000,000 Chinese Yuan (USD 32.5 million). We are still missing the facilities and equipment costs here!


Second, the cost of the ChangYou Korea team. An additional 200 staff, they are responsible for creating the new elements in Duke of Mount Deer Online, which means the content not found in the original novel in order to expand the game world and lore. Headed by NCsoft's former art director, members of the team hail from various developers including NCsoft and Nexon having worked on huge titles including the Lineage series and Aion. The average annual salary is thrice that of China's at around 360,000 Chinese Yuan. Hence, over the last 2 years, a total amount of 144,000,000 Chinese Yuan (USD 17.7 million) was spent on human resources. Adding in facilities, equipments and other misc costs, the final amount is around 160,000,000 Chinese Yuan (USD 24.7 million).


Third, industry veterans hired to produce up till 260 hours of in-game 3D animations, mostly serving as cut scenes in quests etc. ChangYou's CEO commented that the animations found in the cut scenes are comparable to those found in console games such as the Final Fantasy series. The price tag in China is around 5,000 Chinese Yuan for every minute, hence 260 hours will cost around 78,000,000 Chinese Yuan (USD 12 million).


We are not done yet. Next is the post-development costs. Tasks such as implementing new systems and hiring a renown martial arts master for motion capture were done. Factoring in the costs of equipments, the fee for the overall motion capture stands at around 8,000,000 Chinese Yuan (USD 1.2 million). Not forgetting the hiring of some of China's biggest entertainment stars to contribute to the game's voice overs and theme songs, the cost here is around 10,000,000 Chinese Yuan (USD 1.5 million).


The cost for developing Duke of Mount Deer Online stands roughly at USD 71.9 million now! Adding in various other miscellaneous cost factors, the total amount could rise up till USD 80 million. Some costs not added include the massive amount poured into marketing the game. An example includes the upcoming movie based on the game, Dreaming of Duke of Mount Deer where one of China's biggest period actor, Hu Ge, is roped in to helm the titular character, Wei Xiaobao aka Duke of Mount Deer.


It does not end here! There are also several partnerships with various companies involve, in this instance Hewlett-Packard (HP). The official Duke of Mount Deer themed laptops were just revealed recently, with even more licensed merchandise bound once the game starts officially.


I am actually stunned at the development costs of the game! While the English version is imminent (the teaser website seems down at the moment), the Chinese server has gone into Public Closed Beta (with no more data wipe) recently after prior to a 2 months testing period. You can read up more about the game in my previous posts. Once again, a short preview will be shown tomorrow (if I manage to upload all the footage to YouTube), so stay tuned!

Wizardry Online - A brief walkthrough Part 2

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 10:07 AM PDT


(Source) Yeap, there is a Part 2 for this brief walkthrough of Wizardry Online. The main reason being me not wanting to cluster all the screenshots into 1 single post. Separating them into 2 will give me more post counts as well... Jokes aside, here is the continuation for Wizardry Online, currently sending fear through gamers' spine due to it permanent death system. Once again, this is translated online based on the original article posted on Japanese gaming website, 4Gamer.

↑ Rampaging through a skeleton on the ground...
↑ ... gives a chance for player to get some helpful items. In this case, a half-portion map of the dungeon.
↑ There will be many traps as players advanced. In this case, fire traps players have to dodge.
↑ As hard as the tester tried, but he eventually ran into one of the tougher mobs around...
↑ And died. This time, he failed to resurrect at level 2. Apparently this is just for the test version. I can't imagine how players will feel if the failure rate to revive starts to get tough at this level in the live servers...
↑ Back to the character selection screen, only the information of the dead character can be seen.
↑ Players will have to manually delete characters which failed at reviving (meaning permanent death).
↑ A rather "fun" feature. PKers will be sent to this prison facility if caught in town by the NPC guards. Normal players may pay the guards to visit this prison. Once inside, players may activate the switch show above to trigger an explosion inside the holding cell. This does damage to the PKers and might kill them too. No specific mention on how this feature will be balanced.

Wizardry Online - A brief walkthrough Part 1

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 10:07 AM PDT


(Source) I am sure by now most of the people visiting my blog would have heard of Wizardry Online developed by Gamepot Japan. It was also on show earlier at E3 2011 with a really neat press conference. Top Japanese gaming website 4Gamer was given a sneak preview just before its next test phase starts later and here is a brief walkthrough of the game. The text is translated online, not by me (I just improvise the words for better understanding).

↑ Race selection screen. As you can see, most races are crossed out and unavailable for this test phase. I am skipping the customization phase as there is nothing to be wowed about.
↑ After choosing a class (Warrior here), there will be 3 different stat builds to choose from.
↑ The first glimpse of town. I shall be skipping the tutorial quests and head straight to the dungeon.
↑ Entering the very first dungeon in Wizardry Online.
↑ And the very first death. Rofl.
↑ The dreaded permanent death system. Luckily, the force is strong (pun intended) and being a newbie entitles players to 100% revival chance. But the rate will drop as the character gains levels.
↑ Can you see the glow at the far-end corridor? It might be a trap for all you know.
↑ There are recovery fountains in the dungeons. Pretty much like Diablo 2.
↑ A shallow drain. If the drain is any deeper, players might suffer damage if they fall below. Or death if it is located at a higher position in advanced dungeons.
↑ There will be pedestals like this to give players hints.
↑ Pressing the "F" key will allow players to open closed doors. But be prepared on what kind of horror is hiding behind...
Posted by Shri Krishna

General gaming

General gaming

InFamous 2 Review

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 07:07 PM PDT

InFamous 2 is the game where Cole MacGrath finally conquers his greatest obstacle. I'm not talking about The Beast (a titan of ash and fire that literally stomps its way across the Eastern seaboard throughout the course of InFamous 2's plot), nor am I talking about the multitude of mercenaries, militia, and mutants that populate the streets of New Marais. In the same way that Professor X's (of X-Men fame) greatest foe is actually different than the safe assumption of Magneto, Cole's greatest foe turned out to be: chainlink fences. They provided the "I can climb everything except this?" paradox in the first game, and so it's eminently satisfying to press X near a chainlink fence, watch Cole grab onto it, and see the "Don't Fence Me In" Trophy pop up on your screen.

The above is a little example of the kinds of tweaks and changes that InFamous 2 brings with it to improve upon InFamous. Developer Sucker Punch, for the most part, has made sure that InFamous 2 still retains many of its predecessor's qualities while tidying up its weaknesses. Not only can Cole climb up chainlink fences, but he can do things like string together melee attacks to rebuild his energy meter; swing in the air via a lightning tether (a la Spider-Man or Nathan Spencer -- pick whether the influence comes from comics or games) to scale vertical spaces much more efficiently; and finally even upgrade his radar/minimap to see where a far-off blast shard is. The D-Pad can be used to quickly cycle through a huge array of powers rapidly (which is useful, since many foes require specific types of attacks to deal with). Heck, your inane sidekick from the previous game, Zeke, is actually less annoying (and part of a somewhat agonizing moment depending on your alignment at the end). And it even rewards me for swinging my Amp (a powered-tuning fork that Cole uses for melee combat) at those annoying street performers who spend their days pretending to be statues.

Former Infinity Ward Heads' Activision Lawsuit Likely Headed to Trial

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 05:07 PM PDT

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2

After being fired from their positions at Call of Duty developer Infinity Ward early last year, Jason West and Vince Zampella filed a lawsuit against Activision for wrongful termination. They were allegedly let go for insubordination, among other things, but the two claim Activision was scheduled to pay them "substantial" royalties shortly after they were fired. Activision has its own lawsuit that describes the duo as "self-serving schemers who attempted to hijack Activision's assets for their own personal gain." EA was later added to Activision's complaint, calling the rival publisher a "co-conspirator."

A California judge allowed Activision's lawsuit to continue in March, and the same happened this week with the lawsuit against Activision. The Hollywood Reporter reports a Los Angeles Superior Court judge made the decision on Tuesday deeming that West and Zampella have "sufficient claims against Activision." This means the case is likely to go to trial at some point, although that probably won't happen for at least several more months. There's also the possibility of a settlement being reached before that can ever happen.

West and Zampella's attorney, Robert Schwartz, told USA Today, "That can't be good for Activision. They can't be happy about this."

Xbox 360 Skype Support Now Just a Matter of Time

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 03:31 PM PDT

Skype

Microsoft announced in May that it would acquire VoIP service Skype for $8.5 billion. In order for the acquisition to actually go through, it first needed to receive antitrust approval from the Federal Trade Commission. Sure enough, the FTC announced today that said approval has been granted, giving the two sides the go-ahead to complete the deal.

Part of last month's announcement made mention of Skype support for both Xbox and Kinect, along with other Microsoft devices. Now that the company is allowed to make the purchase, it's only a matter of time before Skype is integrated with the Xbox 360's dashboard.

Skype support is currently offered on the PlayStation Portable. "Microsoft will continue to invest in and support Skype clients on non-Microsoft platforms," a statement said last month, presumably indicating that PSP support will continue. It's the sensible thing to do, as it would only hurt Microsoft and Skype to start removing supported devices for a service that's currently losing money.

Crysis Developer Denies Knowledge of an Xbox 360 Successor

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 03:06 PM PDT

Crysis 2

Contrary to a report earlier this week, Crytek claims it doesn't have any details on the successor to the Xbox 360 or when it will be announced. A source within Crytek had reportedly indicated Microsoft's new system would be revealed in the next year, "likely" at E3 2012.

"Relating to the recent rumours, Crytek do not have any next generation hardware from Microsoft, nor do we know when Microsoft may announce future hardware or what that hardware will entail," a statement from the company reads.

The source also said Crytek UK (formerly Free Radical Design) was working on a CryEngine 3-powered TimeSplitters 4. That particular point wasn't addressed by Crytek, which instead highlighted what it's already known to be working on.

This Week in the 1UP Community 6/14/11

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 02:53 PM PDT

It's been a crazy week of E3 2011 postmortems and Duke Nukem Forever debates, but let's step away from those topics and see what else has been going on in the community.

I'm glad to report that this week has been full of original content in terms of art and musical pieces. Also, 1UP members have written telling blogs analyzing the progression of technology in society and fighting games, including a strategic tell-all about choice Pokemon to use in White/Black. There's much more interesting content to catch up on, so check it out for yourself and read on.

Transformers Dark of the Moon Review

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 02:45 PM PDT

Gamers were treated to a decent Transformers video game last summer. Seriously, it was pretty damn fun and entertaining with a deep multiplayer mode as well as offering three player online co-op through the single-player campaign. High Moon Studios, the developer that made Transformers: War for Cybertron (WFC), was again tasked with creating another Transformers game -- this time for the upcoming movie Dark of the Moon. I won't kid you, though: it's not that good of a game, and the results bear the markings of a title rushed through development to coincide with the movie's release. It's a shame too, because beneath the graphics clipping, long load times, lack of features, and lag-filled multiplayer, one could almost see the inklings of another decent Transformers game in the making. They just ran out of time to make it a worthwhile experience.

As one could surmise from the title, Transformers: Dark of the Moon is related to the upcoming movie and is designed to chronicle the events that lead up to the film. The game's mash-up of a story never amounts to anything meaningful or groundbreaking, and the single player campaign is pretty short -- clocking in around five hours or less. Additionally, the level design is rudimentary. For most of the game you guide your Transformer down a linear path to a small arena, fight waves of nameless enemies, and then continue down to the next arena -- rinse and repeat. There are a few times in which the game tries to mix this up with instances like a stealth section of a level when playing as Laserbeak, or an air combat level with Starscream, but these are brief and against the norm of the game's overall simplistic design. It's worth noting that there is no online co-op, but seeing how the levels are structured, it's hard to imagine it working well even if it this feature did exist.

13 LEGO Games We Want to See

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 02:27 PM PDT

ACTIVITY

13 LEGO Games We Want to See

LEGO Harry Potter, Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean aren't enough! We want more.

By Janine Dong, 06/17/2011      

Page 1 of 13  

VIEW AS: SLIDESHOWLIST

Remember we asked the 1UP Community what they'd like to see turned into the next great LEGO game? Well, we had a point in doing that and now we can finally share with you the results. Here are some of the titles 1UP members would like to see get the LEGO treatment.

"Lego Voltron...nuff said.
- RojeSmith

 

Call of Duty Elite Announcement Timing Questioned by EA Chief

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 02:25 PM PDT

Call of Duty Elite

The way in which news was made public on Call of Duty Elite has resulted in a great deal of confusion within the community. Even though it's been made clear what it offers for free, there are still people who seem to be under the impression that they're being asked to pay to play online or for freebie services like stat tracking and social networking. We still don't have final details on how much the subscription service will cost or everything it will offer, which doesn't help the situation. Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello has stated he's unsure that Activision made the right move in announcing Elite so early.

"I don't know what's in Elite right now," he told Industry Gamers, "but based on what I've seen, I think they might've been better off holding the Elite thing and been a little more careful and show up a month after they've launched Modern Warfare 3. 'Hey, we've got an expansion pack. It's going to be x amount of money, but if you give us y amount of money, you get extra stuff.' As opposed to leading with their chin."

Subscribers will get access to all playable downloadable content for free. Map packs will still be sold independently, as they are now, but getting every new map is one perk that's been confirmed for those willing to pay a monthly fee.

Games We Wanted to See at E3 Drawn in MS Paint

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 02:24 PM PDT

Feature

Header

Games We Wanted to See at E3 Drawn in MS Paint

Our crack artists offer concept renders for E3's MIA games.

By: 1UP Staff June 17, 2011

E3 has come and gone, but where was Half-Life 3, Doom 4, or Beyond Good & Evil 2? There were dozens of games that we wanted to see at the show that were conspicuously absent. We know for a fact or have good evidence that all these games are in development right now, and their absence in LA broke our hearts. We've waited long enough -- time to make them ourselves. 1UP commissioned its top artists and most advanced tech to create target renders for our most anticipated games that weren't at E3. 1UP users, submit your own creations in the comments below and you may be included in our next MS Paint gallery!

Doom 4

Tomb Raider and the Reinvention of Lara Croft

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 01:15 PM PDT

This year's E3 stage demos were a particularly excruciating lot. Their wretchedness had nothing to do with the presumed quality of the games themselves, mind you. I mean, Battlefield 3 looks nothing short of excellent, but watching some guy drive a tank in a straight line through the desert for two minutes was quite possibly the most boring thing I've ever been forced to watch at a video game press event. Yet no press conference demo missed the mark quite like the one Microsoft hosted for Tomb Raider, next year's reboot of the series that catapulted heroine Lara Croft to fame. It's not that the demo was technically poor or that the game looked bad; rather, the five minutes Microsoft dedicated to Tomb Raider gave an incredibly poor impression of what the team at Crystal Dynamics is hoping to accomplish with the game.

In the course of the Tomb Raider stage demo, Lara Croft was bound, burned, dropped, injured, assaulted, and generally abused by unknown (and seemingly violent) stalkers. Unlike the fearless Lara that most gamers know, she was clearly terrified out of her mind by the situation she found herself in and spent most of the demo trying to soothe her own anxiety by nervously talking to herself. There was no combat in the E3 stage demo for the game. Lara could only struggle desperately to break free of her captors, screaming in fear as filthy-looking men leapt from the shadows to drag her away to an unknown fate.

Posted by Shri Krishna
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