Autodesk Gets Into the (Mobile) Game

Autodesk is a name that’s familiar to architects and 3D artists. Its popular software includes well-known tools like AutoCAD, Maya, and Softimage. While the company has a strong reputation with content creators, there’s a good chance that Joe and Jen Gamer will think that Autodesk is a Transformer that hangs out at schoolhouses. The reality is that the company has been a part of numerous big-budget games and has recently been making a push to become a larger part of the mobile-games market.

There’s a good chance that most of you have played a game that was partially made with Autodesk tech. The company’s Gameware line of development tools has helped bring popular titles like Borderlands 2 and Mass Effect 3 to life. Numerous developers use Autodesk tools for advanced UI, pathfinding, lighting, animation, etc.

More recently, Autodesk has been aggressively pursuing the burgeoning mobile games market. To illustrate the power of its Scaleform Mobile SDK, Autodesk released Starforce Battlement for iOS as a proof-of-concept in Fall 2012. It’s a fun tower-defense style game with impressive graphics and entertaining gameplay. Check out the free game when you have a chance. I’m certain that most of you will agree that it’s a slick title that’s indicative of where mobile games are going.

Zynga’s immensely popular Farmville 2 features graphics powered by Autodesk’s 3ds Max product. The software helped bring Farmville from an isometric perspective to a more captivating 3D look. (At least with the mainstream audience Farmville enjoys. I love isometric-POV games!)

So where am I going with all this? Well, as I was thinking about Autodesk’s mobile game efforts, I was also thinking about hardcore gamers that dismiss mobile games as not being any good. Over the last few years, mobile games have improved immensely, both in terms of graphics and gameplay. While some of you might not dig mobile games, there’s no denying that the market is booming. When a company with as much stroke as Autodesk is paying special attention to the mobile market, you know it’s a big deal.

The thing that’s interesting to me is whether Autodesk will enjoy the reach of its other products. Every architect I’ve met uses AutoCAD. Every 3D graphic designer I know has 3ds Max, Maya, or Softimage in their virtual toolbox. The mobile-game developers I know use a wide variety of tools and I’m curious to see how much headway Autodesk will make with that crowd.

While I’m sure that most of you don’t care what tools games are made with, the good news is that you’ll get to enjoy better products. Large software companies like Autodesk, with its powerful development tools, will help game creators serve up the best mobile games yet.

Coffee Talk #558: What 2013 Nerd Movies Will You See?

My friend Paul and I were talking about 2013 movie releases. After spouting out a bunch of movies we wanted to see, we were surprised by the number of nerd movies scheduled for release this year. Fans of comic books, sci-fi, and fantasy have so much to look forward to. Here are some of the films we were talking about:

  • GI Joe: Retaliation
  • Iron Man 3
  • Man of Steel
  • The Wolverine
  • Thor: The Dark Worlds
  • Star Trek: Into the Darkness
  • Kick Ass 2
  • The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

That list doesn’t even count the mainstream movies that are also loved by geeks, such as…more

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the Australian Open, Lance Armstrong’s upcoming confession, or Britney Spears being single again, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

My friend Paul and I were talking about 2013 movie releases. After spouting out a bunch of movies we wanted to see, we were surprised by the number of nerd movies scheduled for release this year. Fans of comic books, sci-fi, and fantasy have so much to look forward to. Here are some of the films we were talking about:

  • GI Joe: Retaliation
  • Iron Man 3
  • Man of Steel
  • The Wolverine
  • Thor: The Dark Worlds
  • Star Trek: Into the Darkness
  • Kick Ass 2
  • The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

That list doesn’t even count the mainstream movies that are also loved by geeks. Anchorman: The Legend Continues, The Hangover Part III, and Fast & Furious 6 are sure to do big numbers. I’m not saying that all of these movies are going to be great or even good, but I’m pleased that there are so many nerd-friendly blockbusters being released this year.

What 2013 movies are you anxious to see? Are there any big-budget films that you’re wary of? Are there any nerd movies you’re high on that I didn’t mention? Let’s plot out our 2013 moviegoing in the comments section (please)!

X-Men Relaunch to Feature All-Female Team (X-Women?)

Brian Wood’s upcoming X-Men relaunch will not have any men, making the book’s title a bit curious. Instead, it will feature an all-female cast. Initially, Jubilee will be the star of the show. Longtime Marvel readers will recall that Wood was the last writer for Generation X, which was a very Jubilee-centric book. The sparkly mutant will be supported by  Kitty Pryde, Psylocke, Rachel Grey, Rogue, and Storm. X-Men #1 will hit comic book stores and digital services in April 2013.

Wood spoke with USA Today about his decision to go with an all-new, all-different, and all-female team:

I feel like as far as the X-Men go, the women are the X-Men. Cyclops and Wolverine are big names, but taken as a whole, the women kind of rule the franchise. If you look at the entire world as a whole, it’s the females that really dominate and are the most interesting and cool to look at. When you have a great artist drawing them, they look so amazing and always have.

Any thoughts on Wood’s female furies? Some fanboys are already going nuts about the decision. Personally, I don’t see what the fuss is about. There are so many X-Men books that you can easily ignore one if you don’t like it. The bigger issue, to me, is going with Jubilee as the centerpiece. I never really liked her and wish Wolverine would bring her back to the shopping mall where she was discovered. Oh wait, he can’t. Wolvie is a total puff these days.

Source

Coming Soon: Greg Zeschuk’s Beer Diaries

Shortly after he announced that he was leaving the gaming business, BioWare co-founder Dr. Greg Zeschuk revealed his next project: The Beer Diaries. The site has announced that the first season of the show will launch this month and released the teaser video below. If you’re in close proximity to The Alamo Draft House then you can stop by a special event on January 30, 2013 that will feature the first three episodes (tickets here). Fans of craft beer, Dr. Greg, and BioWare should definitely stop by. Craft beer is awesome. Greg is awesome. Ergo this will be an awesome event and an awesome show.

Now for the trailer!

Let me know what you think of The Beer Diaries when you have a moment. When you have another moment, be sure to subscribe to the show’s YouTube page…and also mine while you’re at it (please)!

Path of Exile Preview and Video Interview

Yesterday, I caught a demo of Path of Exile by Grinding Gear Games. The game is a free-to-play action-RPG that reminded me of an ultra-hardcore version of Diablo. The game also has features the reminded me of Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy X. The developer cites Magic: The Gathering and Call of Cthulhu as influences. Check out the video interview by Paul Semel above, as well as the screenshot gallery below.

One of the most striking things about the game is how customizable everything is. As you’d expect, armor and weapons can be upgraded. What’s really unique is that items like potion bottles and maps can be upgraded as well. In the case of potion bottles, the effectiveness and potency can be manipulated. As for maps, they lead to portals to secret areas; they can be upgraded to increase monster level and difficulty, as well as to give your character a gameplay advantage.

Armor, accessories, and weapons can be adorned with different gems that grant various spells and boosts. The developer noted that the materia system in Final Fantasy VII was an influence. Gems can be stacked for more powerful attacks at the expense of more mana (generally speaking). For example, a fireball gem can be armed for a basic projectile attack. It can be accompanied with a “fork” gem, which causes the fireball to split in two after it hits an enemy, allowing a single fireball to potentially hit three foes. The spell can be further enhanced by a “multishot” gem, resulting in three forking fireballs (say that five times fast).

The skill tree is a massive map of powers, passive abilities, and boosts, with each section of the tree specializing in certain types of powers. It reminded me of a much more flexible and diverse version of the sphere grid used in Final Fantasy X. While I wasn’t able to explore the intricacies of the skill tree during my short demo, I was impressed by its size and the amount of choices it gives players.

Another curious facet of the game is that there’s no gold. The developers eschewed currency in favor of a barter system. As armor, accessories, items, and weapons are modified, they become more valuable. Players can choose to stash items for future use, trade them to a generic in-game trader, or trade them with other players. I was told that in the closed beta, some players got so into the crafting and trading elements of the game that they spent more hours on selling goods than slaying monsters.

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Path of Exile hits open beta on January 23, 2013. The full release should be some time in Summer 2013. Be sure to watch the video interview for more details, including the Kickstarter-like system the developers used to fund the game. Find out why 176 gamers spent $1,000 to get cool and unique in-game items. Lastly, let me know what you think of the game. Do you think the hardcore gamers that were disappointed in Diablo III will find what they’re looking for in Path of Exile? Are you interested in trying the game?

Wildman By Gas Powered Games on Kickstarter

The excellent people at Gas Powered Games are looking for $1.1-million in funding on Kickstarter for the upcoming game Wildman. Set in prehistoric times, Wildman blends action-RPG and real-time strategy, a combination that Gas Powered Games has shown a penchant for time and time again. Here’s some of what you can expect from the game:

Going to War: Build your army and fight against opposing champions armies for great rewards in hand-crafted War Zones.

Exploring the World: Go on RPG Adventures in amazing and epic environments; discover secret dungeons; fight battles against rampaging hordes of monsters; find and equip new weapons and armor.

Evolving or Dying: Steal technology from your defeated opponents and use it against them in future battles.

Smashing and Destroying: Advanced physics and destructible environments deliver highly visceral (and bloody) combat.

Soule Music: Wildman will feature a score from the legendary Jeremy Soule, composer for Total Annihilation, Dungeon Siege, Supreme Commander, Skyrim, Morrowind, Oblivion, Icewind Dale, Neverwinter Nights, Dawn of War, and pretty much every other game with an epic score.

I’m super-psyched for this game. The setting is unique and I dig Gas Powered’s gameplay style. I’m especially interested to see more wild women in Wildman. There’s just something sexy about women covered with small strips of exotic animal skin (see Shanna the She Devil and Jungle Girl).

Gas Powered Games is a fantastic studio and its founder, Chris Taylor, is one of the coolest (in that nerd-chic way) people I’ve met in gaming. Dude once gave me a present that came from the future (I’ll make a video about it. Promise.)! I’m rooting for the company to obliterate its Kickstarter goal and hope that some of you will consider backing this project. For more information on the game, head on over to the official Wildman site.

Naturally, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the game and Gas Powered’s Kickstarter gambit. Does this look something you’d enjoy playing? Any of you considering backing the game? Do you think the company will be able to reach its goal?

NPD Group’s Top 10 Games of 2012

After 12 months of heated battle, the results are in! Here are the 10 best-selling videogames according to the NPD Group. This list counts for console games sold at retail in the United States.

  1. Call of Duty: Black Ops II
  2. Madden NFL 13
  3. Halo 4
  4. Assassin’s Creed III
  5. Just Dance 4
  6. NBA 2K13
  7. Borderlands 2
  8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
  9. LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
  10. FIFA Soccer 13

There are several fascinating takeaways here. First, it’s awfully impressive that there are two Call of Duty games on the list, which is a testament to the franchise’s immense and enduring popularity. LEGO Batman 2 is one of the few videogames that stars Hawkgirl, proving once again that Hawkgirl equals mad sales. I was happy to see Borderlands 2 on the list. Remember when a prominent videogame analyst said the original was “sent to die”? If videogame series could talk, Borderlands would be saying, “How do you like dem apples, Pachter!!!” (Just kidding, Michael.)

Did America’s most popular videogames pan out the way you thought they would? Please leave a comment with your thoughts on NPD’s top 10 of 2012.

Today’s Poll: Project Shield vs. Razer Edge vs. Steam Box

Although CES 2013 lacked many of technology’s heavy hitters (Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, etc.), the show’s gaming content was getting lots of buzz. Nvidia’s Project Shield took many gadget geeks by surprise. More details were revealed about Valve’s Steam Box, which many pundits feel has the potential to radically change the gaming landscape. Lastly, Razer’s Edge tablet (which started out as Project Fiona) got a lot of attention from gamers looking for a powerful and versatile Windows 8 solution. (Personally, I can’t think of the product without thinking of Scott Hall’s finishing maneuver.)

Now that you’ve had a week to think about it, which CES 2013 gaming device impressed you the most? Which one has rocketed to the top of your wish list? Kindly vote in today’s poll and discuss in the comments section.

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Wookiee Wear: Marc Ecko Chewbacca Jacket

The latest addition to the outstanding Marc Ecko Star Wars clothing line is this Chewbacca-inspired reversible-jacket. The smooth side has a look that will help you blend in with the normals while proudly displaying a Rebel Alliance logo. The furry side is pure, unadulterated Wookiee awesomeness topped off with Chewie’s signature bandolier.

While Ecko’s X-Wing Pilot, Storm Trooper, and Boba Fett hoodies were fantastic, the Chewbacca jacket takes things to a whole new level. This is quite possibly the coolest jacket ever made by man, don’t you agree? Continue reading “Wookiee Wear: Marc Ecko Chewbacca Jacket”