Tag: Videogames

Binary Preview of Dragon Age: Origins Awakening

I stopped by BioWare’s suite at GDC 2010 to check out Dragon Age: Origins Awakening. Most of you know that Dragon Age was my favorite game of 2009 and I played through that sucker four times. As much as I love the Final Fantasy and Pokemon series, those games will have to take a backseat to this expansion pack. I already know that I’m going to love it, but in the spirit of my friend Augustine’s binary system, here’s a preview of the expansion using two categories: good and bad.

Good: Accompanying Awakening is a title update that will fix several issues with the original game. One of the biggest glitches it will patch is the dreaded dexterity bug in dagger-damage calculation. This bug made dexterity-based rogues far less effective than they should have been.

Bad: Players that went with cunning rogues will be steamed that their carefully crafted thieves will not be able to exploit the dexterity fix out of the box.

Good: Thankfully, the expansion has tomes that will allow you to redistribute character stats and specs. Keebler, my city elf rogue, will be deadlier than ever by the end of the week.

Bad: I don’t care if intelligent, talking darkspawn are supposed to be menacing. They (pictured in the header image) still look like evil raisins to me.

Good: Several characters will make cameo appearances in Awakening. Those of you keeping up with the expansion’s trailers already know that Alistair takes a break from ruling Ferelden to check up on your party.

Bad: Only Oghren returns as a playable character. I understand that new blood needs to be introduced and I’m looking forward to adventuring with the new characters, but I got super attached to Leliana, Shale, and Dog. I’m sure that those of you that worked hard to avoid the Leliana romance glitch will be disappointed that the sexy Orlesian bard will not playable.

Good: Fans of the original game will want to play the expansion at least twice. If you play as your original Dragon Age character, you’re viewed as the hero of Ferelden. People will treat your favorably and there should be some nice perks you can enjoy during Awakening. You can also start from scratch and play as a grey warden from Orlais. Some people will view you as an outsider, remembering the harsh treatment Ferelden received during the Orlesian occupation.

Good: There are loads of new talents and skills to enjoy. Characters will be able to craft their own enchantments (enchantment!). Bow slingers will get to abuse a new area-of-effect attack. As a rogue fan, I saw some outstanding defensive and offensive skills that left me drooling. Realizing that mages were ridiculously powerful in the original, BioWare wanted to beef up the other classes in the expansion.

Good: Enchantments (enchantment!) can be used in armor now!

Good: The dialogue seems well done. The characters had lots of great banter, with Oghren and Anders providing excellent comedy to Mhairi’s straight woman.

Good: Speaking of Mhairi, she was apparently requested by Dragon Age fans. All the tanks in the original were male. Mhairi will show that women can tank with the best of them.

Good: Each class has two new specializations to learn. It’s the same deal as the original; specializations can either be learned from other characters or through tomes.

Good: You have a new base of operations called Vigil’s Keep. No more crappy campsites for you and your party!

Bad: Vigil’s Keep requires some management. You can fortify its defenses or keep the local peasants happy. Sure, you can let your seneschal take care of things, but you really ought to do this yourself. It’s cool that it adds another activity to an already deep game, but it’s bad because it takes time away from killing evil raisins that are threatening the land.

Good: Since you’re the new commander of the grey wardens, you’ll be able to recruit new members to the cause. This includes busting out the right of conscription.

Bad: As you know, becoming a grey warden requires a ceremony that some of your recruits will not survive. I’m not even attached to the new characters in Awakening and I’m already sad that some of them will not make it to the end.

My binary preview is over, but I’ll be writing about the game a ton (not reviewing it!) as I play through it. I’m sure I’m going to have a blast and I hope some of you play it too so that we can chat it up. Is it Tuesday yet?!?

This Week’s Videogame Releases

There are so many great games coming out this week! PlayStation 3 owners have God of War III to devour. Nintendo DS fans have Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver to suck up hours of their lives. Although Final Fantasy XIII has been the only game I’ve played since I came back from GDC 2010, I’m going to drop it like a bad habit when Dragon Age: Origins Awakening comes out.

But wait, there’s more! If you can’t get enough RPG excitement then you ought to check out Resonance of Fate from the fine people at Tri-Ace. Wii owners have Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon to keep them up at night. I’ve been saying this since last year, but my March is totally screwed. I have no idea how I’m going to be able to write for the site, work on Secret Project 2010 #1, play games, and sleep this month. Sheesh!

Let me know what games you’re planning to pick up this week. If you’re picking up a few, let me know what order you plan on playing them.

Coffee Talk #105: Do You Want Products or People From GDC?

After GDC 2009, I got in trouble for complaining about the type of coverage provided by the site I worked for at the time. Almost everything was about product — previews written off of demos shown outside the show. I thought there should have been more of an emphasis on the GDC panels, game developers, and what it’s like to attend the show.

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, exotic dancers at videogame parties, one developer you’d love to have dinner with, or TiVo Premiere, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

After GDC 2009, I got in trouble for complaining about the type of coverage provided by the site I worked for at the time. Almost everything was about product — previews written off of demos shown outside the show. I thought there should have been more of an emphasis on the GDC panels, game developers, and what it’s like to attend the show.

The argument against me is that readers are most interested in games. I completely understand that point of view and it’s definitely the way to get the most traffic. Still, as someone that was supposed to be writing about GDC 2009, I wanted to emphasize the “big D” — developers. Publishers can give a game demo whenever, but the opportunity to attend amazing talks given by the top talent in game development is rare, as is the opportunity to give that kind of information to you.

As always, I want to know what you think. Do you like to read GDC stories about developers, trends in game creation, and the wonderful creators in the business? Or are you happy reading game previews that put the focus on products rather than people?

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

*sigh* Game Developers Conference 2010 is coming to a close. I’ve really missed San Francisco (except for the cold-ish weather). It has been amazing catching up with friends, developers, PR people, agents, and game writers. The trip has been super fun and very productive (potentially huge story coming soon!). As much as I want to stay for more catchup and partying, part of me really wants to open my copies of Final Fantasy XIII that are waiting for me in my apartment.

I’m going to be all about FFXIII this weekend. How about you? What’s on your weekend playlist?!?

Coffee Talk #104: Is EyePet the Key to Sony’s Future in Motion?

Sony has been getting mixed reactions on its GDC 2010 press conference for PlayStation Move. Some writers and gamers are greatly intrigued by Move’s fidelity and tremendous creative possibilities. Some are dismissing it as “stupid Wii games…in HD”. Developers will determine the immediate future of PlayStation Move, but there’s one product that could shape Sony’s motion-control future for decades — EyePet.

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, tonight’s IGDA awards at GDC 2010, Buddha Bar in San Francisco Chinatown, or Sting’s shoulder injury, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Sony has been getting mixed reactions on its GDC 2010 press conference for PlayStation Move. Some writers and gamers are greatly intrigued by Move’s fidelity and tremendous creative possibilities. Some are dismissing it as “stupid Wii games…in HD”. Developers will determine the immediate future of PlayStation Move, but there’s one product that could shape Sony’s motion-control future for decades — EyePet.

EyePet is already a success in Europe and I think it’ll be huge in North America. During yesterday’s Sony presser I tweeted that EyePet could be Sony’s Pokemon. While I doubt it will have the ridiculous success of Pikachu and friends, I do think it has a chance to be a hugely popular fad in its own right. More importantly, with PlayStation Move integration, there’s a chance that million of kids will use PlayStation Move with EyePet and get used to playing games that way.

Gamers like you and me were brought up on gamepads. Sure, there are more buttons these days, analog sticks have been added, and they rumble to match the onscreen action, but the basic concept has been the same for decades. Most gamers are used to playing with a gamepad and are uncomfortable with anything else. With EyePet, a whole generation of gamers will start their gaming lives with PlayStation Move. As they get older, they’ll adapt to future motion-control products. The same way you’re used to a gamepad, they’ll be used to motion devices.

Of course that’s just my theory. Do you agree or disagree with me? Do you think EyePet will help condition young gamers to motion controls? Or do you think it’ll just be an insignificant drop in the bucket?

GDC 2010 Pictures: Sony PlayStation Move Press Conference

Here are a bunch of photos from Sony’s Game Developers Conference 2010 presser on the PlayStation Move. Check out oodles of shots from the presentation and a few from the open demo area. There’s also a shot of the funky dancer chicks that appeared when the event transitioned into a God of War III launch party. Hmmm…what’s up with GDC 2010 and all the exotic dancers?!?

GDC 2010 Pictures: Pole Dancers at Activision’s True Crime Party

GDC was pretty interesting last night. I thought it was just going to be coffee, friend chatting, and sleep. Instead, this hottie producer from the Bioshock team took me out to a fancy dinner. Chris Taylor and Kellyn Beeck from Gas Powered Games were at the same restaurant and we caught up with them after an excellent meal. I remembered that I promised my friend at Activision that I’d stop by her party, so Sugar Mama and I left the excellent GPG people to check out the True Crime event. I was expecting the flowing libations, but I was surprised that there were pole dancers at the event. Here are some photos for your viewing pleasure.

Coffee Talk #103: Your Silly Gaming Quirks

Last week I went out to lunch with a friend that’s in the gaming business. He mentioned that he only plays scary games during the day and saves the lighthearted stuff for night. For example, his recent gameplay sessions included Dead Space in the afternoon and Band Hero at night (I play my Band Hero at night, so I can so I can?).

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, Pinoy power prevailing on Saturday, your favorite bit of GDC news, or pole dancing, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Last week I went out to lunch with a friend that’s in the gaming business. He mentioned that he only plays scary games during the day and saves the lighthearted stuff for night. For example, his recent gameplay sessions included Dead Space in the afternoon and Band Hero at night (I play my Band Hero at night, so I can so I can?).

I was totally prepared to lean into him and call him a wussy gamer…but then I remembered that I only watch scary movies during the day or with every light in the house on at night. Ha!

Do you have any quirky gaming habits similar to my friend’s? Do you play survival-horror games at night? Or are they something you have to experience during the day? Leave your gaming quirks in the comments section (please)!

EA Signs 38 Studios’ (Curt Schilling) First Game, Project Mercury

Electronic Arts has announced that it has partnered with Curt Schilling’s 38 Studios to publish Project Mercury for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Here’s a clip from the press release:

Electronic Arts Inc. today announced an agreement with 38 Studios, LLC to publish the company’s first video game, an epic single-player role-playing game codenamed Project Mercury. 38 Studios is the creative enterprise of World Series MVP and avid gamer Curt Schilling. Project Mercury is being developed at Big Huge Games, a wholly-owned subsidiary of 38 Studios, under the leadership of Ken Rolston, former lead designer of the critically acclaimed hits, Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. The game marks the first entry into the company’s vast universe created by New York Times best-selling fantasy author R. A. Salvatore, with artistic direction by Todd McFarlane, renowned artist and creator of Spawn.

The game has a chance to be huge for the business. Rolston will bring the quality that he’s known for, but it’s the other creators that will get mainstream press for Project Mercury. Obviously Schilling is known for being one of the best pitchers in MLB history, R.A. Salvatore has millions of fans from his fantasy novels (Drizz’t rules!), and McFarlane buys really expensive baseballs (okay, he makes cool comics and toys too). I’m definitely interested in the game, but I’m more interested to see how mainstream outlets cover it.

What do you think of Project Mercury’s dream team?

Final Fantasy XIII Launch Party: The Search for Reona Rewis

As promised, here are some photos from Square Enix’s launch event for Final Fantasy XIII. The company took advantage of the GDC setting by having numerous high-profile developers in attendance. People like Tim Schafer (Double Fine), Corrinne Yu (Microsoft’s Halo Team), Mark Cerny (Cerny Games), Yoshinori Ono (Capcom), and Chris Taylor (Gas Powered Games) were in the house. The venue was super cool, decked out in all sorts of FFXIII decorations. Naturally, my mission was to find Leona Lewis, aka Reona Rewis singer of the FFXIII theme song “My Hands”. Here’s what I saw.

I got to the party late, due to a short flight delay. Reona Rewis was not at the entrance.

Just in case you forgot what company was throwing the party and which game it was for, Square Enix had these handy reminders.

Here’s some cool FFXIII art and a poster autographed by the development team.

I still couldn’t find Reona Rewis, but Shacknews‘ Garnett Lee is always fun to hang with.

Danny Masterson from That ’70s Show was spinning. I had to ask a friend, “Who the hell is Danny Masterson?”

The excellent Joseph Olin, president of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, is always fun to catch up with.

To the window…to the wall, the venue was decked out in cool FFXIII decorations.

I want to play games on a large screen with a DJ spinning and two girls dancing in front of it.

The girl on the left was definitely getting funky. I reviewed her — 8/10.

Still no Reona Rewis, but I found 1Up’s Alice Liang and 343’s David Ellis.

I decided to head to the VIP area. Maybe Reona was hanging out there.

VIPs got to play the game too.

1Up’s Sam Kennedy was hanging out with a woman that might have been Reona Rewis.

The chick had a L’Cie tattoo on her leg…as opposed to “My Hands”. *snicker*