Safety's Off

How Turn 10 sabotaged Forza 3 by running its mouth

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:25:00 +0000

Turn 10 Studios, developer of the highly anticipated Forza Motorsport 3, has begun to foster quite an interesting reputation for themselves as time and time again the developer calls out rival racing studios with ludicrously absurd comments at demo showings and interviews. While it’s certainly somewhat admirable that the studio is confident in the quality of its upcoming racer, the remarks being spewed from game director Dan Greenawalt’s mouth are nothing short of pure and utter hyperbolic garbage. A recent interview with Xbox360Achievements.org highlights this fact all too well, and the consistency with which the studio lashes out indirectly (and sometimes very directly) against other racing developers is just laughable. Here’s a sampling of the truly ridiculous (and hilariously ignorant) quotes from the aforementioned interview to get us started.

I play a lot of racing games, including PC racing games and I have not seen anything that is even within years of what we’re delivering here.

Really? That’s so weird, because I could’ve sworn I’ve heard of this Gran Turismo game somewhere. And what about that GTR2 racer? Supposedly it’s pretty advanced too. Must be just a rumor.

We have lift, bump stops that can create a hell of an unbalance in the car, we even simulate the chassis stiffness that I’ve never seen in another game... where, like a Fox Body Mustang just twists under its own torque and it means that the tires can’t stay evenly attached to the road. We even simulate that.

Wow, that’s really deep. Strange then, that you can’t manage to simulate something as simple as a car hitting a concrete slab? It seems like that would be a more immediate concern than the way a Mustang reacts according to its own power.

I could go on and on with this material, and that’s from just a single interview. While I definitely respect that Turn 10 is trying to reignite the Forza flame so to speak, the fact that it’s effectively ignoring competitors like Gran Turismo 5 and even DiRT 2 is unbelievably bad practice. It’s not like Bungie presents a demo at E3 while ranting and raving about how there’s no other shooter on the market that handles the way Halo does. As a developer, you need to have a certain kind of reverence and respect for your competitors, even if they consistently outsell and outperform you. If anything, this should serve as inspiration to make your next project a labor of love that people can put up with the other guys side-to-side and say something along the lines of: “Wow, they really outdid themselves this time.”

With Forza 3, that is not the case. The hype over the much-improved graphics engine has led to a general feeling of disappointment as gamers finally got their hands on the recently released demo. The lighting model looks strangely “off”, illuminating the cars in a slightly cartoonish fashion that makes colors pop far too much and jaggies far too evident. Leading up to the release of the demo, trailers and gameplay videos never really made this fact apparent, but once I managed to get behind the poorly-rendered cockpit of the demo’s Mini Cooper (I’ve actually driven a Mini a few times in my life, and let me tell you, Forza does NOT represent the interior well) my hopes for a graphical competitor to Gran Turismo were dashed. Gran Turismo 5: Prologue, which released a little over a year ago, still manages to outpace Forza 3, all the while Forza is being heralded by the big wigs at Microsoft and many outspoken members of Turn 10 as the best-looking racer on the market. If the “market” doesn’t consist of DiRT 2 or any of the PS3-exclusive Gran Turismos, then yea, this statement would be 100% correct, but for those of us living in the real world, it’s complete and utter bullshit.

Gran Turismo 5’s graphics easily rival real-life at times.

But wait, you say. Forza is all about the under-the-hood performance calculations and rarely seen physics flourishes! While normally I’d be inclined to agree with you, these have little to no effect on roughly 90% of the driving experience. When you’re racing on the road, your car will handle pretty much like every other racing game out there with asphalt tracks (albeit less exciting because of the poor sense of speed, a recurring problem with the Forza franchise). The only time all these supposed “advanced calculations” come into play is in very, very rare situations, and even then, you likely won’t think to yourself: “OMG! That’s totally what the car would have done in real life!” What’s most disappointing about these physics, however, is the fact that crashing your car in Forza is painfully underwhelming. Even in a game like Need for Speed: Shift, which has comparable damage modeling (meaning it’s terribly lacking) makes crashes interesting by blurring the screen and violently shaking the camera while your car smashing the center divide creates a nasty crunch of bending metal and shattering glass. In Forza, there is nothing exciting or remotely thrilling about smashing your very expensive car into a wall. In fact, there’s nothing to marvel at in any way when your Audi R8 side swipes a reckless driver as he speeds past you, because the damage modeling is almost IDENTICAL to Forza 2’s. A scrape here, some paint removed there. The whole ordeal is so unspectacular it makes one wonder what the hell the team at Turn 10 has been doing for the last couple years. Granted, Gran Turismo 5’s damage modeling isn’t anything to write home about either, but at least bits and pieces fall off after impacts and doors swing off their hinges so that it’s apparent from even the cockpit view that your car has been affected by that 50 MPH head-on collision.

I could go on and on about Forza 3’s shortcomings, namely the absolutely dreadful cockpit view and pitiful sense of speed, but really I’m just going to let Turn 10 embarrass itself further and laugh my ass off when Gran Turismo 5 eventually comes out and Forza is left in the dust. It’s not often that I want a game to fail, and even more uncommon for me to want a developer to get humiliated, but the fact that Polyphony is speaking with gorgeous trailers and screenshots, while Turn 10 retorts with childish remarks and not so subtle insults makes me wonder just how hard the developer is trying to sabotage its upcoming release. Turn 10, you should be ashamed. Well played, Polyphony. Actions really are louder than words.

- Adriaan Noordzij

Love the article? Hate my guts? Check your fanboy rage at the door and leave a comment!

Modern Warfare 2 trailer analysis (with video!)

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 22:44:00 +0000

With the release of the newest Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer trailer, it looks like Infinity Ward has shown off a few, previously unconfirmed features that play on the developer’s past comments on making players “more famous,” as well as revealed some interesting new content that hasn’t been mentioned before. A few of the changes are immediately apparent, while others are not so obvious. Let’s take a look at the more visible changes first, shall we? If you don’t feel like reading, scroll down to the bottom to watch the video, then come back for details!

New Weapons/Equipment

This one is both expected and ridiculously obvious. Right off the bat, the trailer showcases the new SCAR-H assault rifle, complete with default iron sights and stock sand-brown paint job. In front of the player is a teammate with a riot shield leading the way, albeit without a weapon to defend himself with. The fact that the riot shield strips the player of most offensive capabilities will be an interesting thing to watch play out for sure (you can still kill people with riot shield apparently), but from past experiences (Counter-Strike, Rainbow Six) this looks to be a smart design and balance choice for Infinity Ward. By forcing the riot shield user to stick close to teammates, perhaps Modern Warfare 2 will encourage more teamwork amongst players than previously seen in other Call of Duty games. As the trailer progresses, more weapons are unveiled (some were previously announced but never seen in action), such as, in order of appearance, the MP5-K, AUG HBAR, LAW Missile Launcher, TAR-21, AA-12, UMP-45, and of course, Throwing Knives. While the throwing knives are, in my opinion, pretty dumb and out of character with the franchise, their implementation isn’t too bad, and whether or not their usage will be balanced remains to be seen. It does appear that players will only get one for each spawn, so that’s good news. Something else worth noting is the descriptions that appear next to weapons on the ground, but I’ll get to that in a bit. Near the end of the trailer there also appears to be either a new perk, or perhaps new device that disrupts nearby enemies’ radar display. Whether or not this is something you have to activate or merely equip is unknown, but it does not have to be held in-hand as fourzerotwo’s in-game avatar is sniping while the effect continues. While all those things are fairly obvious, let’s look at the less apparent (and more exciting) new additions to Modern Warfare 2, as seen in the trailer.

Customized “Namecards”

The first time the player gets a kill in the trailer, a small “namecard” appears at the bottom of the screen, detailing the enemy’s name, rank, and what looks to be some customizable tags and “gamer pictures” that make the card unique to that player. Think Street Fighter IV’s icon and status customization, and you’ve got a good idea of what to expect from Modern Warfare 2’s namecard system. It looks like ranking up as well as completing challenges will unlock new tags to use for players, and hopefully there is a wide variety of these that will allow individuality to flourish. This is probably what Infinity Ward were referring to when they discussed the prospect of making their players “more famous” in an interview some time ago. While it remains to be seen how far this system goes and how deep players can get into it, it’s still a nice way to identify yourself amongst hordes of players. Next up is something that should make a lot of people happy (including myself), and that would be…

More Attachments/Multiple Attachments

Oh yes. This is something that Call of Duty 4 was sorely lacking, and it looks like Infinity Ward answered the siren’s call for deeper customization of individual weaponry. Near the end of the trailer, the gun the player is holding has both a silencer and a red dot sight affixed to it, and although this could be a perk, it would be awesome to see players experimenting with different combinations of attachments while still maintaining their favorite three perk setup. Also seen in the trailer are new weapon attachments, such as an extended magazine, and “bling” which probably means golden or (let’s hope it isn’t) diamond-encrusted weapons. This last bit is pretty stupid. I know 50 Cent is doing some voicework in the game, but can we keep the flashy jewelry out of the game? This is Modern Warfare 2, not Blood on the Sand. Golden weapons are fine, rhinestones and diamonds are ridiculous. Although “bling” might be a little lame, the last thing gleaned from the trailer is pretty cool.

Different Killstreaks/New Killstreaks

We all know that customized killstreaks are in Modern Warfare 2, but what we didn’t know up until today was that there would be an Airdrop streak, or a Predator Missile streak. What’s even more interesting is that the Airdrop streak is rewarded for a 4-kill streak, rather than one of the previous 3, 5, or 7 killstreaks. From the looks of it, Infinity Ward is probably going to be letting players customize more than just the odd numbered killstreaks, and if I may be so bold to say so, perhaps even double kills or triple kills will yield additional rewards for players to exploit. What additional killstreaks will be available is yet to be revealed, but rest assured most of them should be pretty useful.

While there were some other things that the trailer revealed such as true host migration and a new HUD layout, these are most of the things that Infinity Ward has only hinted at in the past, and it’s pretty interesting to see how they’ve implemented them in this trailer. While some of the features are a little bit out of character, such as the throwing knives and “bling” weapons, most of the concepts look to improve the overall feeling of investment that players gain after being rewarded with tangible items for their in-game accomplishments. Modern Warfare 2 looks set to light the online multiplayer community ablaze this November, but only time will tell whether or not the new features are woven into the fabric of the gameplay seamlessly or not. Until we get our hands on it, it’s pure speculation from here on out. Check out the video below for proof of all the info mentioned in the post!

Enjoy!

Like what you read or saw? Leave a comment!

Xbox 360 price cuts not enough to best PS3 this holiday

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:41:00 +0000

With the recent rumors of Microsoft cutting the Xbox 360’s price confirmed today, it would appear that Microsoft has preemptively stolen the spotlight from the new PS3 Slim’s introductory price matching the reduced tag on the “fat” Playstation models. In all honesty, Microsoft is only setting itself up for failure this holiday season by not pricing it lower than the PS3, which sports an arguably better feature set. In addition, the news that Microsoft is cutting HD cables out of the retail box for the Elite is stirring up a storm on the internet, and raising questions of whether or not $300 for the slightly outdated system is a decent price when pressed against a $300 Blu-ray player.

Of course, Microsoft expects to prey on the unwitting customers who see the inevitable new marketing campaign for the 360’s price cut to rush out and buy the new console without much thought or research on the current gaming marketplace. When looking at a spec sheet, the PS3 bests the 360 in nearly every checkbox. Blu-ray? Check. Free online services? Check. Wi-Fi? Check. The list goes on, and while LIVE may or may not be worth paying $50 a year for (depending on your perspective and how much you use the service), to the raw, uninitiated consumer this looks like a bargain compared to the inevitably more expensive 360. What’s more is that the new PS3 Slim has the same allure as the PS2’s slim offering, in the fact that it’s essentially a rebirth of the original system. Sleeker, sexier, and definitely smaller, the PS3 slim is going to stand out in the crowd of consoles this holiday season, even if it isn’t to gamers looking for their Uncharted 2 fix, but rather entertainment enthusiasts eager to see what the latest Blu-ray Bond movie looks like in 1080p.

The Arcade model for the 360 isn’t helping matters much either, considering that to get a piece of hardware that rivals both the Elite and the PS3 costs, in the end, more than just buying one or the other right off the bat. Microsoft’s insanely inflated prices on their first-party accessories are so insulting to anyone who knows anything about technology that most people end up going with third-party devices that either work just as well (in the case of wireless adapters), or a whole lot worse (in terms of Mad Catz controllers vs. official Microsoft ones). With the price cut of the Elite, the only way that the 360 could have a remote advantage in a direct price-point comparison is to lower the cost of all accessories to match their “real-world” value (I’m looking at you Wireless Adapter). The official HDMI adapters for the 360 offer one advantage over standard HDMI cables, and that’s the optical audio port, but the retail price for these is so horrifically high that most people won’t even bother, opting instead to just use cheap cables (that, for the record, work just as well) that they can easily find online for under $5.

The only effective way for Microsoft to beat out the PS3 this holiday season is to really market, and I mean REALLY market, the new social networking features such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as the Instant-On 1080p video technology rolling out later this year. Instant-On could very well be the 360’s saving grace in the HD movie department, granted it works as advertised (you can check out an impressive demo of the tech here). Unfortunately, most of the big name exclusives happen early on in the holiday season, and the rest of the heavy hitters (Modern Warfare 2, this means you) are multiplatform. And if I may do a little speculation, why not ditch the practically worthless Arcade model altogether and replace it with the Pro, not the other way around? Hard drives are cheap, and you can’t possibly tell me that the chrome disc tray is costing upwards of $50. Microsoft’s multiple SKU strategy is wearing thin every year, and it would at least be nice if the most accessible, cheapest model was also a fully capable one, not a gimped machine missing core components.

In the end, I love my 360 as much as the next guy (maybe even more!) but Microsoft is doing a horrible job of keeping up with the Jones. The PS3’s got a better feature set on paper, the Wii is still a mainstream sensation, which puts the 360 where exactly? An overpriced console with few truly advantageous abilities over the other guys? It’s time to wake up Microsoft. I miss the company that launched a year early to prove to its fanbase that it was more than capable of delivering the premium console of choice for gamers with all the fixings. While it still has a ton of redeeming qualities and features some of the best exclusives, I can’t help but feel that Microsoft is playing its cards a little too close to its chest when it really needs to lay down the chips in preparation for the big game this holiday season. Lower the price of accessories, make the Pro model the entry-level system, and market the hell out of the new dashboard features and the aging system will stand a chance against the much newer-looking PS3.

Agree? Disagree? Sound off in the comments!

Rage is what Fallout 3 Should’ve Been

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 21:11:00 +0000

Rage is id Software’s latest foray into the video game world, and after watching the recently released trailer from QuakeCon 2009, it’s looking like it might be a game that id’s never done before. Sure, there are shooter elements (which id is obviously no stranger to), but the entire trailer seemed to reflect aspects of open-world RPGs and an overall Bioshock-like approach to combat. What struck me most about the trailer however, was just how gorgeous and vast the environments were, and how the game’s story seemed to reflect that of Fallout 3’s post-apocalyptic theme. However, the difference in Rage is in how the world is realized: the game isn’t just brown and grey, there’s a genuinely unique art style bringing the world to life amidst what appears to be some widespread explosive destruction, and most of all, the shooter elements look incredibly solid from the brief glance seen in the trailer.

Fallout 3, for all its shortcomings, was not a bad game. Yet, the praise it received is something that I’ve always felt was misdirected and unfounded. The combat was dull, the environments were even more so, and the characters you interacted with, although interesting, had such archaic animations that the overall experience felt stiff and uninspired. Rage proves that these flaws are not a prerequisite for the open-world RPG hybrid genre, simply based off the trailer alone. What stood out to me the most was the sheer scale of the game and yet how utterly captivating the visuals were. Fallout 3 never managed to wow me despite its large and moody Wasteland, and I chock this up to the fact that the game was running on very old tech. Although Rage is sporting id’s latest engine, id Tech 5, it only goes to show how much the game proves that there is no reason why an open-world game cannot be both big and beautiful, especially in this console generation.

While its graphics are important to an extent, it’s the art style of Rage that really makes Fallout 3’s environments look sloppy and rushed. From the QuakeCon trailer alone, it looks as if id has created a world that appears both destroyed and beautifully-conceived in the studio’s realization of what a bombed-out nation would look like. The color palettes are much more tangible and appealing, which only enhances the creativity seen in the unique architecture and shanty towns teased briefly throughout the trailer. Where Rage really beats out Fallout however, is in the “wasteland” design. Bethesda felt satisfied in creating a relatively flat environment, punctuated every so often with small, makeshift towns or wandering enemies, and as a result the world felt sparsely populated and in all honesty, pretty boring to roam about in. Rage looks to put an end to that type of design with its wasteland looking much more geographically diverse. Canyons and hills dot a sprawling landscape, and the towns that you do run across are incredibly detailed, fairly populated, and as far as we know, varied. One look at the bar scene in the QuakeCon trailer (embedded after the break) versus Moriarty’s bar in Fallout 3’s Megaton city says a lot about the quality of the atmosphere in Rage compared to Fallout’s.

Take a look at the QuakeCon trailer for Rage.

I could really go on forever about the things Rage offers that Fallout 3 doesn’t: fast-paced combat, excellent character animations, a world that looks and (hopefully) feels alive, but instead I’ll leave you with these screenshots and ask you a very simple question. Which looks more like the kind of game you would want to explore?

Agree? Disagree? Sound off in the comments!

Genre Bending: RPG elements in shooters

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:35:00 +0000

To kick off the reimagining of Safety’s Off, we’ll start with a new section called Genre Bending, where we discuss the game design practice of incorporating multiple different elements of genres that often aren’t integrated with one another. Without a doubt, the genre bending trend of including RPG elements in shooters is growing increasingly popular, with games such as Call of Duty 4 and Gears of War 2 featuring aspects of “XP” gains based on in-game accomplishments such as killing enemies or completing objectives. Typically, experience is awarded in RPGs for winning battles or defeating bosses, and it is this aspect of the typically slower-paced genre that is arguably the most addicting. Certain developers are taking notice of this kind of gameplay and infusing the concept with games that are of a completely different genre. How can developers further stretch the boundaries of typical RPG elements finding their way into shooters?

The answer isn’t as straightforward as some might think, considering that both RPGs and shooters often attract two very different types of gamers. It would be all too easy to copy and paste the best each genre has to offer into the other, yet the results would likely be nothing short of disastrous. Developers need to ignore the obvious gameplay elements of each genre and instead focus on the presentation and gimmicks that RPGs thrive off of, such as the XP system. Call of Duty 4 is, so far, the only game to truly capture the addictive essence of leveling up in a shooter, and the sales don’t lie; people love it. It would seem all too obvious that every game should feature some sort of incentive to play aside from basic, fundamental enjoyment, but there is much more to be considered for this particular aspect of genre bending.

A good start.

One of the things that shooter developers still haven’t crossed over from RPGs is the general sense of improvement in a game which a player has spent many, many hours in. While the subject of balance and fairness comes up almost instantly when this subject is presented, there are ways to make this work. The general idea that rewarding players with better weapons and armor gives them a leg up on the competition is true, but why shouldn’t a player’s dedicated time investment yield some sort of advantage over newcomers or at the very least, a deep-rooted connection and satisfaction with the time spent? Balance is important, but it shouldn’t take a whole lot of brainstorming to come up with a solution to create a level playing field for everyone while maintaining a persistent upgrade system. For example, let’s pretend that Call of Duty 4 allows players to upgrade their weaponry like in Resident Evil 4 and 5. The XP earned goes to both their individual skill level as well as an XP “bank” for spending on weapon upgrades. The skill level remains, but the XP in the bank depletes with each upgrade bought. Now, supplement this with a matchmaking system that matches players up with other similarly skilled gamers and suddenly you have a game with unique user upgrades and a level playing field, because every player has earned close to the same amount of XP to use on their weapons. The balance therefore must be dictated by the developer in making each upgrade available at any particular level worthwhile and useful, so that players don’t feel screwed for not choosing things like increased power over a faster reload speed for example.

While flaws may certainly arise from a system such as the one mentioned previously (slow matchmaking times from lack of players at a certain level, etc.) the foundation is there to be fleshed out, and with a little more brainstorming, these issues could be ironed out to create a smooth, balanced system where everyone feels as if they are in control of their play style’s particular needs as well as providing an addicting experience reminiscent of an RPG’s “just one more battle” mentality. The possibilities are there, all it takes is a little out-of-the-box thinking to make them work.

- Adriaan Noordzij

Agree? Think there are other issues not presented? Sound off in the comments!

Zune HD officially announced, coming this fall

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Wed, 27 May 2009 03:11:00 +0000

Ever since the Zune HD was rumored, people have been speculating on what Microsoft was trying to create. A response to the iPhone? Something to rival the iPod Touch? It appears now that there is maybe a little more to just sheer competition, but even something that Microsoft has been discussing for years with its Xbox Live Anywhere concept: synergy. Microsoft has had the benefit of a wide range of products that all could interact with each other in consumers’ homes, and now it appears that the company is ready to capitalize on that promise, albeit several years late. Below is the first high-res shot of the upcoming Zune HD, ready to hit retailers this fall for an unannounced price. Expect more info at E3 ‘09, including showcasing of the new Xbox Live integration features. Check it out for yourself.

You should probably click that.

(Thanks SuperDunner and CPaladino)

MW2: Rinse, recycle, repeat?

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Tue, 26 May 2009 21:53:00 +0000

Call me jaded, call me crazy, call me whatever you’d like, but something about the new Modern Warfare 2 trailer gives me a very familiar, slightly bitter taste in my mouth. The trailer, finally unveiled last Sunday, gave the world the full glimpse at what the heavily anticipated sequel to last year’s most popular game was bringing to the table in November 2009. Now, one would imagine the teasers would have benefited the full trailer’s official unveiling with a steady hype train following Infinity Ward’s every move, but instead I felt as if the full trailer was a bit of a letdown. Truly, it appears that the teasers took away from the shock value of the final reveal, but let’s examine it a bit closer.

At first glance, Modern Warfare 2 is about on par with COD4 graphically, which really shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone, although it is a tad disappointing to see that a noticeable graphical leap wasn’t really evident. Textures look nearly exactly the same, and I noticed that the animations appeared to be recycled wholesale. While it would be unrealistic to expect a complete overhaul of the graphical appearance of MW2, it remains a moot point on whether or not this is a reflection of the level of effort going into the final product that will hit store shelves later this year. It’s nice to know that the game still hasn’t sacrificed its now standard 60FPS frame rate, and to expect anything less would be a little bit ridiculous, but in all honesty, when it’s this evident that things are being reused, one becomes a little concerned about the innovations that might come along with the not-so-shiny-anymore graphical appearances.

Not quite what I was expecting.

What I mean by that is, well, is Infinity Ward going to put all of its eggs into the singleplayer basket? The recent Game Informer article that uncovered some key information about the game shocked me in more ways than one. The announcement that player customization and experience would be completely omitted from the campaign mode was a huge missed opportunity to correct the Call of Duty franchise’s lack of replayability on the singleplayer front. COD4 had an extremely fun singleplayer story mode, but it was over way too quickly and the lack of co-op hurt. Guess what? That’s exactly how it’s going to be for MW2. Expect a 6-8 hour campaign (less if you’re good) and a story that feels like it’s plucked straight out of a Tom Clancy novel. While that isn’t bad, it seems as if Infinity Ward is playing it safe and giving more of the same rather than innovating in several key ways that it did with COD4. The FPS landscape has changed since 2007, and seeing as co-op is the new hotness (Left 4 Dead is based wholly off this concept), it’s really a shame to hear that IW deems it an unnecessary factor that kills immersion. If I were playing Bioshock and I heard a friend whispering in my ear about something completely irrelevant while I tried to put together the pieces of an epic story that played out like an A-list movie, yea, I’d be a little bit disgruntled, but we’re not talking about Bioshock. This is Modern Warfare 2, and in this day and age, you make co-op work in the framework of your story. You put the extra narrative effort in to create a secondary, important character that makes the campaign immersive, and exponentially more fun as you blast Russians (again) with a friend. I can understand leaving out character customization in the singleplayer realm, but eliminating the meta-game experience of an XP system/leveling up is a foolish mistake. Maybe the briefly mentioned Special Forces mode will touch upon this, but even then, it’s not in the same context as blasting through a thrilling (although likely somewhat generic) singleplayer mode with a friend.

Guess who you fight this time? MORE RUSSIANS!

Speaking of story, it’s pretty much a guarantee that MW2 will be an enjoyable romp through several different countries in pursuit of some sort of Russian ultranationalist leader, which, while serviceable, isn’t exactly original. Although it’s unclear whether or not players will be taking on the role of different perspectives throughout the campaign mode, it would sure as hell be a nice change if gamers had some sort of attachment to the characters they’re playing as. In previous Call of Duty games, just when you were starting to like the guy you were playing, something either: 1.) Totally fucked up happens to him (i.e. Dies in a crashed helicopter after a nuke goes off) or 2.) Kills a shitload of bad guys and calls it a day. Where the hell is the immersion in that? Honestly, if MW2 is told from multiple perspectives, I’m going to pretty damn skeptical of Infinity Ward’s intent when designing the singleplayer story. While I’m not expecting Oscar-level quality here, it would be nice to see a little more sophisticated than: “This guy bad. Go kill bad guy. Oh bad guy not here. Go to other place where bad guy is and kill him dead.” At its most basic level, Call of Duty games’ stories are but hollow shells for the action that follows. Give the player drive and motivation, and to do that make him/her give a damn about the player he is controlling and those around him. Camaraderie that doesn’t center entirely on witty British jokes is a beautiful thing, and if you can have a likeable cast of characters with a solid story and a playable being that doesn’t feel like a camera with a gun attached to it, Modern Warfare 2 might actually surpass my expectations.

At this point, it’s too early to tell what’s going to happen to the multiplayer, which is where the real action is. I’m very worried that we may just get the same thing from COD4 with a new lobby interface and a few new maps/perks/guns and that’s it. With the foundation Infinity Ward has here, it’s almost impossible not to see the possibilities available. As I mentioned in my other post, customizable weapons/characters would add a hell of a lot more personality to the online sphere of Modern Warfare 2, and it’s really the next logical step in the sense that it’s what everybody seems to want. Infinity Ward introduced awesome customization options with COD4, and now people want more. People want more depth, more guns, more attachments, more everything. However, that doesn’t mean weigh down the game with needless excessive realism and such, but there should be some fine-tuned additions to the game that make it feel like more than just COD4 v2.0. If the company is going to make claims that Modern Warfare 2 has become something entirely different on its own, we better see some evidence to back it up.

It’s likely that Infinity Ward will dispel these fears with time, but on the same token, I can’t help but suppress that sinking feeling that what I am expecting to be included is something that Infinity Ward might just consider wishful thinking. It’s a hard pill to swallow, but it’s worth pointing out these early flaws so that maybe, just maybe, someone at IW reads this and (hopefully) agrees in such a compelling manner that he/she finds himself implementing such ideas into the final product. Hey, it’s an idea.

ZOMG: New Modern Warfare 2 footage!

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Mon, 11 May 2009 02:32:00 +0000

Even though it’s only about ten seconds long (sad panda) the latest teaser trailer for Modern Warfare 2 looks to confirm several of the previous assumptions about the initial teaser released at GDC ‘09. It looks like we’ll be seeing that scuba level that was hinted at back for the trailer. Other than that, there’s not really a whole lot to glean from this early look, but the graphics look smooth, the action appears to take place on a larger scale, and overall, c’mon it’s Modern Warfare 2. It’s going to be badass. Duh.

1 vs. 100 Beta glitch reveals Primetime features

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Sat, 09 May 2009 03:27:00 +0000

For those who heard about the 1 vs. 100 beta release exclusively in Canada and sighed because they were a member of some other part of the world, a glitch in the system allows all gamers to bypass the regional requirements and download the beta, but not quite play it. However, you will get a sneak peak at the upcoming Xbox LIVE Primetime setup that appears to be getting ready for an E3 launch. After looking through my friends list, I saw a friend who was playing the 1 vs. 100 beta, and noticed that the “Join Game” dialogue was enabled. I hit A on the option, and surprisingly, a prompt popped up asking me if I wanted to download the game. Curious, I gave it a shot, and it appears that while you won’t actually be able to play 1 vs 100 (an error declaring your console invalid pops up) you can get a sneak peek at the “secret” Primetime menu. If you’re a gamer not in Canada (they have free access) here’s what you do:

Find a friend who is playing the beta.
View their profile and select “Join Game.”
Let the 360 sit for a second, then a prompt should appear saying that the game couldn’t be found.
Select “Download” from this pop-up menu.
Once finished, find your friend again and select “Join Game” once more to see the secret menu.

The Xbox LIVE Primetime channel.

If you have problems getting this to work, feel free to leave a comment! Remember though, that this is a glitch and is prone to not work for everyone. Let me know if you have success with the aforementioned method.

New Prototype trailer, awesomeness included

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Fri, 08 May 2009 22:26:00 +0000

Up until now, I haven’t really paid much attention to Prototype, writing it off as another GTA, open-world clone. Early gameplay footage did little to sway my opinion, but this CGI trailer looks so phenomenal that I really can’t wait to see how the developers make it all turn out. Do yourself a favor and take look, then marvel at just how far CGI has come since the PS1 days.

E3 ‘09 Predictions: Microsoft faults, Sony wins?

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Fri, 08 May 2009 02:45:00 +0000

If you’ve been keeping track of the recent gaming news regarding this year’s E3, you wouldn’t be out of place in assuming that Microsoft is looking to work off the casual gaming mantra it set at last year’s show. With E3 ‘08 featuring releases such as LIPS and Wii Music, it seems that the casual crowd is the subject of most attention for the Big 3. With E3 ‘09 right around the corner, what should you expect? Will Sony finally get that “year” it’s always been hailed as having? Can Nintendo impress the hardcore this time around? Read on to see what we think.

Microsoft has a long-running habit of spreading itself too thin when searching for a target audience. As last year’s E3 clearly demonstrated, the software giant is increasingly clouting its own demographic with a misguided and slightly ridiculous gaming lineup that doesn’t really seem to fall under any one category. While diversity is always a good thing, and the gaming industry is a business, it’s a tad absurd to think that the audience that enjoys games like LIPS is in touch with E3 at all. With the recent acquisition of BigPark and the recent news of a more “mainstream” game coming out of the studio, it seems that Microsoft either has a dastardly trick up its sleeve, or is going to squander a perfect opportunity to quell the naysayers’ comments of Microsoft having a weak 2009 lineup. Hopefully this year Microsoft will ditch this casual, mainstream-friendly attitude that is steadily alienating its current fanbase and focus on things that its core players would be interested in. Show more Halo 3: ODST footage, perhaps a demo, and hopefully an exclusive from a big developer. Maybe we could see some more dashboard features in the form of Xbox Live Primetime’s official unveiling, and it would be a wonderful surprise if one of Capcom’s mystery games was a 360 exclusive. Forza Motorsports 3 will definitely be showing its face at E3 ‘09, and hopefully the team can replicate the success of the last game. Mass Effect 2 also seems like it might appear at E3 ‘09, but only rumors so far. Hardware-wise, the casual trend looks to continue with the potential reveal of the long-rumored motion controller for 360. While the potential for this to be good is there, unless there is an awesome game shown along with, I can only imagine how horribly this would be perceived. Only time will tell whether or not Microsoft’s hand is a royal flush or a pair of twos. They certainly know how to talk up a good show and hopefully the comments aren’t all fluff.

Pretty much the best summary of E3 ‘08.

As for Sony, things are looking much brighter. Although there have been some similar things said from Sony’s end of the fence, one can’t help but think that they at least have some fantastic upcoming titles to back it up. God of War 3, Uncharted 2, and Gran Turismo 5 are probably just the tip of the iceberg, and things are looking considerably more substantial on Sony’s side. Expect to see some more Home information, as well as more details on future Killzone 2 DLC. Uncharted 2 looks pretty polished after the release of the latest trailer, and it’s likely there will be a demo on display for press to give hands-on impressions of. If Sony’s smart, there will be a new trailer for God of War 3 showing off some impressive new features outside of the incredible new sense of scale they’ve implemented. Heavenly Sword 2 is a potential announcement, but it’s unlikely there will be any demo or gameplay footage just yet. Whether or not we’ll see any new exclusives is anyone’s guess, but it’s a safe bet that Sony is being more guarded this time around. Still, Sony seems to be staying with its mantra of having a core audience, and its unwavering dedication to that audience is admirable. Hopefully this year the company can introduce a strong lineup that will promote some stronger competition amongst the three.

As for Nintendo, it’s probably going to be the same ol’, same ol’. If you’re a hardcore gamer, expect more shit that you don’t care about, and maybe if you’re lucky a mention of a new Zelda or Metroid game. Regarding that, however, don’t hold your breath. It’s painfully apparent that Nintendo is staying steadfast in its current marketing strategy, and as far as hardcore gaming goes, the only thing you can really expect is more Dead Space: Extraction info and the latest Umbrella Chronicles game. Maybe a new Mario game or accessory, and you’ve got the general gist, if not the entirety, of Nintendo’s E3 ‘09 setup. What might be surprising is if Nintendo makes a more enthusiastic stride towards getting members of its current install base to keep playing the games that they already own.

Honestly, this E3 is definitely going to be an interesting one. It doesn’t look like there will be a clear winner until the very last game has been shown. I’d keep a close eye on this one if I were you. Stay tuned for more info regarding the biggest unveils and info.

New Lost Planet 2 Footage

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:21:00 +0000

The original Lost Planet was a game that resonated with a very core group of players, all of which loved the epic gameplay and strong multiplayer options. Unfortunately, I was never one of the Lost Planet fanatics, but now, with the interesting footage being leaked week after week, my curiosity has been sufficiently piqued. Lost Planet 2 looks like a stellar game, and hopefully Modern Warfare 2 doesn’t completely overshadow what looks like a very promising sequel.

Raptr: Facebook for Gamers

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:12:00 +0000

Are you a Facebook nut? Unsatisfied with the lackluster video game applications available on the popular social networking site? Raptr is the solution, and no I’m not spelling that wrong. Raptr is a new Facebook-like service that enables gamers around the world to connect with each other on a unified networking system that spans across multiple gaming platforms. Currently, the service is in beta form, but the site is looking sharp, sporting an impressive feature set that allows you to publish or track your gaming stats with ease. Some of my favorite features include the time logs, which let the world (and yourself) know just how much time you spend playing Resident Evil 5 or Left 4 Dead. Interested? Read on.

Some of the more impressive, Facebook-like features stem from the compatibility systems in place, which attempt to pair you up with other gamers who have similar tastes in games. Each individual profile is rated relative to you, taking into account things like achievement scores and games, which gives the service a unique twist that other wannabe gamer networks have failed to really implement. Daily updates and constant status changes make the process mostly automated and painless, which adds to the appeal of Raptr. A lot of this stems from the intuitive interface, which feels like Facebook’s user-friendly environment and behaves like it as well. That’s a compliment, by the way.

The Raptr profile page.

Tying the whole thing together is the well-designed Raptr client, which is a free download that automatically scans your computer for installed games to upload to your profile. Again, the automated process keeps things insanely easy, and building your profile takes all of about 10 minutes of your free time. The downloadable program also acts as a friends list, and if you’re familiar with Xfire, Raptr is about what you’d expect. Although I’m not exactly sure if there is support for joining PC games via the client (although if there isn’t already, there should be in the future), there are free games available in the “Arcade” tab. Raptr also keeps all your games in one organized place, and are only a click away. Rather than hunt down your .exe for WoW, you can simply have Raptr load on startup, then boot it up straight from the client. The whole process is something that most other clients haven’t done with this level of simplicity and effectiveness. The stats aspect is also carried into Raptr, displaying useful information on the games you own, such as how many players are currently enjoying CS: Source (that use the Raptr client anyways) and what the usernames of those players are. Perhaps one of the best features of the client however, is the built-in file downloader, which claims to automatically download the latest patches and files that you request it to. In addition to that, there’s the obvious inclusion of an instant messaging system across the client users, which is just the cherry on top.

That being said, there are a few issues I take up with Raptr, most of them stemming with the site’s lack of design options. The customization is there, but it’s not entirely fleshed out yet. There are a few themes (which will probably get more plentiful as the service works out of beta) and simply not enough gadgets to add to your profile. The Xbox LIVE gamercard and other standard assorted goodies are included, but there is a ton of potential in this area. Should Raptr implement an online database similar to the gadget database on Google’s Blogger service or Apple’s App Store, Raptr could explode onto the networking scene with full force. Open up the API to allow developers to design their own gadgets to add to users’ profiles, and suddenly you have a never-ending site functionality that allows individual customization without the ugly side effects of clutter and slowdown. Fundamentally, however, Raptr is incredibly solid for how early it is in its lifecycle, and the feature set only looks to continue building.

This would all be a humongous waste of time if the site was ugly, and fortunately, Raptr is anything but. The design team has done a fantastic job of creating an original layout that is both intuitive and pretty, which makes navigation fun and stress-free. Although it takes awhile to fully learn the site, discovering the little nooks and crannies is rewarding in and of itself. Just recently I was thinking about how Raptr needed to implement Twitter or Facebook support, and through a little exploration, I discovered these exact features in the account settings page under the “sharing” tab. Things like this make users understand the face value of the page while at the same time providing “depth” for the user to explore. Essentially, the service is like a good, accessible video game: easy enough to learn and explore, but deep enough to “master” and understand. Raptr is a smartly designed site with enough functionality on the surface to entice new users, yet enough features to keep them.

In its current beta stage, Raptr is shaping up to be a stellar networking service. To have discovered it relatively early has been a treat for me, and the only real problem is that not enough gamers use it yet so it’s hard to use the clever networking features available. I highly recommend at least registering for the site and giving the features a go, because once you realize the potential Raptr has, you’ll begin to spread the word just as I have. Give it a look, and be sure to add me as a friend!

-Adriaan Noordzij

Reminder: SFIV Championship mode Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 06:35:00 +0000

In case you haven’t heard the news, Capcom’s latest installment in the Street Fighter franchise is getting an interesting update tomorrow. Championship mode releases for both PS3 and Xbox 360 tomorrow, bringing an all-new set of features to the online realm of Street Fighter IV. Prepare for replays (downloadable on the 360, “vote-able” on the PS3) as well as the new Championship mode setup, which allows players to compete in tournaments around the globe. Players will be awarded GP for their performance in tournaments, as well as other incentives that we’ll all have to discover tomorrow. The update is free on both the PSN and Xbox Live.

Click to make big.

Left 4 Dead’s Survival Pack DLC: Download it.

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:42:00 +0000

In case you didn’t read the title (and shame on you!) Left 4 Dead’s free Survival Pack DLC is available now, adding a hefty amount of gameplay to Valve’s frantic co-op zombie shooter. The pack includes two new Versus maps, which are the maps seen in the campaign mode of the game that needed some extra balancing before they could be used for Versus, as well as the brand spankin’ new Survival mode (along with Last Stand, a lighthouse map designed specifically for Survival). Survival mode is, in a word, insane. The already fast-paced style of gameplay in Left 4 Dead’s other modes is ratcheted up considerably in Survival mode, often times throwing multiple hordes of zombies at you all while Tanks and other special infected rip you and your teammates to shreds. Survival allows you infinite time to build up a game plan, and provides ample amounts of ammo, medkits, and best of all, propane and fuel tanks. After you’ve elaborately planted your impromptu explosives, you can trigger the horde and fend them off as long as you can. Good luck with that part, because Survival mode usually wipes every human out in less than ten minutes. Think you’re hardcore? Just wait until you’ve got one Tank after the other bursting through the walls while three or four hordes of zombies are smothering you.

What’s even nicer is that Survival mode adds a unified Leaderboard, allowing you to pit your best times against others. Judging by some of the scores I’ve seen so far, there are some insanely skilled L4D players, with some of the scores ranging past the 15 minute mark. On the negative side of the Survival Pack DLC, there are no new achievements to provide that extra bit of incentive for getting a gold medal. Aside from that, the Survival Pack is a great extender to your Left 4 Dead playtime. Plus, it’s free. Get to downloadin’!

Newsflash: Video gaming isn’t just for nerds

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 02:12:00 +0000

Ever since Pong became one of the first mainstream video games to hit the market, gaming has been viewed as the preferred pastime of social outcasts, nerds, and undesirables. The mainstream media never really began to embrace video games until the last generation of consoles, when things like online gaming became overwhelmingly popular. Suddenly, gaming possessed a previously unseen social aspect, one that even the mainstream struggled to deny. Gamers have long considered themselves social creatures, whether it’s amongst themselves or over the internet with other like-minded players, but never has society fully accepted them as “normal”. Even today, gamers suffer from instances of social discrimination, and although there are some that take their hobby to an obsessive, unhealthy level, it’s worth mentioning that in this day and age, gaming isn’t just for socially awkward males who live in their mom’s basement.

When did this paradigm shift occur? It’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment at which the gaming industry became culturally accepted by both mainstream society and the media. While games are rapidly growing in popularity and the industry has reached astronomical levels of commercial success, the respect for video games has never really followed suit. Ignorance of gaming as an entertainment medium has lead to incidences such as the FOX News Mass Effect “scandal,” in which FOX abruptly cut Geoff Keighley’s respectful explanation of the sex scene in Mass Effect on live television. While these occurrences are becoming increasingly rare, gaming has faced such incredible opposition in its induction as an “official” entertainment medium it’s miraculous we still have M-rated games and online gaming. The disrespect for gamers has been absurd, and it’s refreshing to finally see a change of pace in both the maturation of the industry as a whole, as well as the expansion of people who like playing video games.

Part of the reason more and more people are jumping on the video game bandwagon today is almost entirely due to the handsomer face of gaming. As unfortunate as it may be, America is materialistically obsessed with its pastimes’ appearances, and until recently, gaming has always been viewed as an “ugly” hobby. Today, however, game designers and gamers alike are disproving the stereotypical gamer’s appearance. People like Cliff Bleszinski of Epic Games are exhibiting their extroverted personalities in public events, something that the majority of people thought to be unlikely given the “typical” personalities of people like programmers and graphic artists. Hell, even Tim Sweeney gets up in front of a crowd of eager games journalists to discuss the exciting new features of their latest gaming engine. Some people have a hard enough time stepping in front of their English class to deliver a 5 minute presentation.

Cliff Bleszinski chainsaws Major Nelson. Oh noes!

In addition, gaming is beginning to receive ample representation through television, whether it’s through ads or the popular Sci-Fi special WCG: Ultimate Gamer. Either way, gaming is getting positive exposure, and it only benefits gamers in general. Another part of the wider adoption of gaming is also due to the wider audiences that games are catering to. Nearly every Wii game targets the mainstream “non-gamer” and even then the console acts as a kind of gateway drug for newcomers to get hooked on and discover the other things that gaming has to offer. Girl gamers are becoming more prominent, the average age of a typical gamer is on the rise, and the industry as a whole is maturing to a point that is beginning to rival that of the mammoth movie industry.

That being said, some consider the gaming industry to be taking itself too seriously. For a business that is centered around aliens getting pulverized by space marines and spiky-haired, sexually-ambiguous characters taking turns slashing each other, some find the analysts and critics to be a bit too much. The mere fact that some consider game design to be an art form is enough for some to immediately discredit the entire practice without a moment’s hesitation. Roger Ebert, an esteemed movie critic, has gone on record saying that video games aren’t art, even with sophisticated games such as Bioshock on store shelves. While there are still a number of trigger-happy, shoot-this-because-it’s-ugly narratives in games, the medium’s story-telling has increased in quality exponentially since the days of Donkey Kong. Morals, underlying metaphors, and other advanced literary devices are making their way into games, and to deny that the artistic styles of certain games is art is unbelievably ignorant.

Who says games aren’t art?

As the video game industry matures, so do its supporters and participants. Gamers today are different than the gamers of five or ten years ago, and things are only looking up. With each bold new step gaming takes towards earning its stripes as a legitimate entertainment medium in the eyes of the mainstream, gamers can begin to proudly admit their favorite hobby and the time they put into it. Whether it’s a new graphical leap, innovations in presentation, or even a new way of immersing the player in an interactive experience, gaming is constantly raising the bar for entertainment. It’s been a long haul, but we’re finally there. Here’s to the fantastic men and women who made my favorite pastime into a legitimate form of entertainment that I can constantly learn from and admire. Hell, I can even make a living out of it!

-Adriaan Noordzij

MOTD: Final Fantasy XIII demo videos

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:26:00 +0000

Do I even need to say anything? It looks fantastic, the battle system is intriguing, and the cinematics are gorgeous. What are you waiting for! Watch!

Rumor: New Zune HD to feature touch-screen

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 05:39:00 +0000

You read that right. Rumors are swirling around that Microsoft’s new Zune PMP will feature a touch-screen and better XNA support. Ever since a few pictures from an anonymous “tipster” were sent to Engadget, people have been speculating on whether or not Microsoft is readying a media player to rival Apple’s iPod Touch. While it remains to be seen what the “HD” phrase even stands for, or if there will be any touch-screen action involved, the pictures say a thousand words. The sleek design is sure to catch eyes of those who have ignored Zunes in the past, and if Microsoft can maintain it’s superior software and user-interface it’s stuck with in the past (with a few noteworthy improvements of course) we could be looking at the device that tips the scales in favor of Microsoft a bit. Think about the possibilities for the XNA games that the Zune utilizes as well. With a touch interface and strong XNA software integration, your favorite Community Games could go portable! Here’s to hoping that Microsoft takes advantage of the synergy present between its numerous development platforms and delivers something truly special with the hopefully-not-just-a-rumor Zune HD.

Not to speculate or anything but, *ahem* maybe that new Halo mobile project will start here?

Click to enhance awesomeness.

via [Engadget]

MOTD: More Fight Night Physics

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 03:03:00 +0000

Don’t you just love when a developer commentary points out all the flaws of the last game in the series and then says: “Hey! Look! We’ve fixed all that!”? I know I do. Fight Night Round 3 was a fantastic game, and Fight Night Round 4 is looking like it’ll follow suit with all-new immersive physics and graphics. My favorite? Dynamic blood splatters. Sign me up.

DLC: Hurting or helping gaming?

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 00:09:00 +0000

Is DLC a good or a bad thing? That depends on who you ask. While some might love the fact that their favorite games can be expanded through a simple download, others see the practice of releasing new modes and maps as an excuse for leaving content out of the retail copy. While DLC certainly is a double-edged sword, a lot of the content that developers release is met with unadulterated scorn and hatred. While there are a number of content add-ons that fully deserve this treatment, it’s unfortunate to see worthwhile paid DLC receive backlash from angry gamers.

Some noteworthy offenders of the DLC system are fairly well-known, such as the infamous Horse Armor download for Oblivion back when the Xbox 360 was first gaining traction with the DLC model. Everyone can agree that paying a few bucks for completely worthless skins for something that most people don’t even use (who rode horses in Oblivion when you had every location unlocked anyways?) is a complete waste of money, and such downloads are picketed by gamers’ wallets. Accordingly, many developers have been wary of the DLC model, worried that if they offer new content for their games, their reputation will be tarnished by the gaming press and forum-dwellers who pick apart any new content that hits the virtual marketplace. Not only that, but sometimes DLC goes too far, offering unfair benefits to players who plunk down the extra cash. While it hasn’t been done yet (the recent Prince of Persia DLC isn’t quite that extreme), some also speculate that eventually DLC will become such a nickel and diming process that we’ll be forced to purchase and download the final level in our favorite games. It’s extreme, but a possibility nonetheless. Gamers who oppose DLC also point to the opportunities it offers for developers to slack off, omitting certain aspects of a game that could very well have been included in the retail copy. Patches slip into this pitfall as well, allowing developers an opportunity to rush their titles out the door and fix the bugs after the mass audience has logged hundreds of hours of playtime and effectively beta-tested the final copy. Again, however, incidents of this type of misconduct have been few and far between, and do a few bad apples really ruin the bunch?

Bad DLC.

I say nay (see what I did there?). DLC may have a dark side, but the potential it adds to games is undeniable. Singleplayer games are no longer completely finished after you’ve slain the final boss. Multiplayer modes find expansion in downloadable map packs and modes. The pros of DLC far outweigh the cons. Many gamers take up arms when new DLC is announced for a fee, arguing that they already spent their hard-earned cash on the $60 game a few months ago. A valid point, but in the end, not very realistic. While there are some exceptions, DLC costs quite a bit of money and time to make, and the sooner gamers accept the video game industry is a business and not a charity, the sooner we will see more developers taking the extra effort to expand their hit titles. One of the most common examples I get in response to that argument is: “Every developer should take a page out of Valve’s book, they release everything for free.” Keep in mind however, that Valve owns the Steam platform, and makes money off of every game that they host on their servers. That means that Valve is making money off its own games, as well as other developers’ games, effectively giving them a continuous revenue stream all year round. Other, smaller developers don’t quite have that luxury, relying on commercial, brick-and-mortar sales of their products. It costs more money to print out thousands of discs than it does to load a game on a server somewhere. Although Valve deserves its recognition of being a developer for the people, it’s also important to not throw the blinders on and ignore the business logistics involved. If that means paying for my new content, I’ll gladly pony up the extra $10 to get some extra playtime out of my favorite games. One of the best examples of DLC is Harmonix’s Rock Band 2 platform, which offers up new songs weekly for a measly $2 a pop. It’s hard to argue that playing the same songs over and over again doesn’t get boring, and Harmonix almost single-handedly proves with its DLC business model that a company can put in a little extra effort and be rewarded while satisfying the general public. Everyone’s happy. Yet, when Resident Evil 5 receives a Versus mode DLC that was priced at $5, the world explodes. What a strange world we live in.

Good DLC.

If you don’t like DLC, you don’t have to buy it. The age old argument has its shortcomings, but it’s hard to deny that it’s true. Gamers that don’t want the extra playtime aren’t being forced to read about the DLC, buy the DLC, or even think about the DLC, so why complain? Perfectly satisfied with the stock Call of Duty 4 maps? I’m sure that you didn’t drop $10 on the Variety Map Pack, and you felt damn good about it didn’t you? Yet, others like myself decided that the retail maps were growing a bit stale, and DLC with the phrase “variety” didn’t sound half bad. Halo 3 is another example of the “don’t want, don’t buy” mantra, offering new playlists for the ones who want to play the new maps while still offering a hefty amount of options for those who opted to hold onto their cash. DLC is only as evil as developers and gamers make it out to be, and so far, it’s mostly the gamers that are giving it a bad rep. If you would rather kill every single NPC in Oblivion with your time than spend money on an all-new expansion pack (Shivering Isles), then that’s your thing. I, on the other hand, will support the developers that took the time and money to extend a game that I found truly special, and that’s the beauty of DLC.

Seacrest out.

- Adriaan Noordzij

MOTD: First Bioshock 2 footage

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 05:06:00 +0000

While there is no official MOTD yet, there will be tonight at 12:30 AM PST, when GameTrailers TV reveals for the first time footage of Bioshock 2. Are you excited? You better be. The footage will be bringing the new “Big Sister” into the spotlight, as well as showcasing the graphics and any other cool secrets 2K Marin has in store for us. Here’s to hoping that Bioshock 2 will live up to the hype and precedent set by its predecessor.

~~Check out the~~ ~~promo show~~ ~~if you absolutely cannot wait to see this stuff. I’ll be posting an embed code as soon as is available.~~

UPDATE: The footage leaked early! Check it out:

MOTD: Muppet Resident Evil 5

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 05:07:00 +0000

Just when you thought you weren’t going to get a MOTD, BAM! Right there. This is one of the funniest videos I’ve seen from Black20, who does some great web videos. If Jim Henson had made a Resident Evil 5 movie featuring muppets, I’m positive that this would be the awesome (read: horrific) outcome. Enjoy!

MOTD: RE5 Versus vids

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:13:00 +0000

In light of the recently released RE5 Versus mode, it’s time for a little footage to accompany the writing. Still on the fence even after reading the review? Watch the videos and head on over to IGN.com’s video page for more zombie/human killing action.

Resident Evil 5 Versus Review

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:29:00 +0000

For the past few weeks, the announcement of Resident Evil 5’s Versus DLC has created a sharp divide between gamers. Some screamed “scam” while others defended Capcom for expanding the game. Now that the DLC is finally upon us, which group was “right” in their assumptions? The claim that the game was a $5 unlock code is unfounded and incorrect, as the DLC clocks in at about 1.86MB. While this isn’t a huge file by any means, it’s important to understand that much of the assets Versus uses were already on the disc. This does not mean Versus itself was on the disc. The $5 you pay for Versus adds a bit of code (1.86MB’s worth) that includes a new menu item, an intro screen, Leaderboards info, a new lobby, and that’s about it.. Everything else can be accessed from other aspects of RE5, with Mercenaries being one of the primary sources of in-game assets. To the uninformed, this makes it seem that the game included Versus to begin with, but in reality Capcom was simply resourceful with its implementation of this particular DLC. With that clarification out of the way, let’s touch upon the mode itself.

While a competitive online multiplayer mode for a Resident Evil game sounds like a disaster, it’s not as bad as you might think. The stop and shoot gameplay is very much intact here, but there are a few safeguards in place to ensure that once one guy gets the first shot, you’re not repeatedly stumbling from the damage you’re taking. You will continuously take damage, but you won’t stumble like you do when hit by a Majini. During the time you’re stunned, your assailant can either punch you in the face, or you can recover, run away, and try to get a bead on your opponent from another angle. Close combat is, as just about everyone expected, pretty awkward. In order to play the Team Survivors mode (which has players fighting against each other directly), you really need to ignore all the things you do in other multiplayer modes, and not go running in guns blazing. Hunt or be hunted is the name of the game here, and whoever has the better shot will usually come out on top. One of the more interesting aspects of Versus is that powerful weapons are scattered throughout the levels (all of which are the same as the Mercenaries modes) and are designed to give you a leg up on the competition. What’s important to note about Team Survivors is that it’s not all about killing the opposition. Hitting an opponent racks up points, whether or not your opponent stumbles from the hit. So while the damage and stumble are applied to ensure that you’re not just shooting each other for hours on end, the more important task at hand is dealing damage with different weapons for points. Survivors is a battle royale consisting of up to 4 players facing off against each other much the same way as they do in Team Survivors. Is it fun? Yes, but it has its flaws. One on one battles tend to be a bit awkward, usually involving one party running away for what seems like forever, followed closely by the other player until a Majini interferes. Also, like I mentioned, shooting each other at close range can be a bit obnoxious, but overall, the gametype works really well. This is mainly due to the addition of the Majini while fighting other players. Honestly, this is the game’s saving grace. Without the random Majini mixing things up and distracting players, Team Survivors could have been a real disaster.

Then there’s the Mercenaries spin-off, Slayers, which comes in both team and free-for-all flavors. If you like Mercs, you’ll love this one. Slayers has two teams (or you and a single opponent) competing against each other for more kills in what is essentially Team Mercenaries. There is a twist however, in that you can damage your opponents to distract them, which adds considerably to the intensity. This mode will surely be a hit with the Mercenaries crowd, provided they plunk down the extra $5 to get it.

As it stands, Versus is a blast if you can accept it for what it is. It’s not the next Call of Duty 4 in terms of multiplayer components, nor is it even close, but it provides a fun and exhilarating new gameplay style that should greatly extend your play time with Resident Evil 5. Personally, I enjoyed Team Slayers a little more than Survivors, but both gametypes are definitely worth your $5. Plus, the music is just badass. Let’s hope that this isn’t the last DLC Resident Evil 5 receives.

The Verdict: Although a little awkward at times, Versus is well-worth the asking price. Plus, new achievements!

RE5 gets new Versus achievements

noreply@blogger.com (Adriaan) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 05:46:00 +0000

This is fairly old news, but as of right now, the 360 version of RE5 has just received its new achievement set related to the Versus mode DLC. You can take a look at the new achievements on the dashboard or visit Xbox360Achievements.org to see details and pretty pictures. Come back tomorrow to see whether or not Versus is worth your 400 Microsoft points or not.