Tag: Videogames

Mass Effect 2 Collector’s Edition Detailed

Mass Effect 2 Collectors Edition

Electronic Arts has announced details on the $69.99 Mass Effect 2 Collector’s Edition. Today’s press release stated:

Available on January 26 in North America (Jan 29 in EU) alongside the standard edition, the Collectors’ Edition of Mass Effect 2 comes in a premium, tin case and includes the full version of the game, a 48-page hardcover “Art of Mass Effect 2” book, Issue 1 of the Mass Effect Redemption comic book, and a bonus DVD with behind-the-scenes and making-of videos. In addition, the Mass Effect 2 Collectors’ Edition will include unique in-game weapons and armor that can only be obtained by purchasing this version.

I’m pretty sure I’ll still be playing Dragon Age: Origins when ME2 comes out, but I’ll be sure to get this game (and really, anything that BioWare puts out). How about you? Collector’s or plain vanilla?

Shigeru Miyamoto Discusses His Design Goals for Zelda Wii

During a recent investor Q&A session, Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto shared some of his design goals for the next Legend of Zelda game for Wii. As you know, the game will likely be significantly different from its predecessors due to its use of Wii MotionPlus. While some of you are down on the game and down on Miyamoto, I’m pretty sure the next Zelda for Wii will be great. Anyway, here’s what the game-design legend had to say:

Of course we are preparing gorgeous graphics for the sake of users’ anticipation for a grand role-playing adventure. But what I believe is very important is the realistic, actual feeling players have experienced themselves; the feeling to have really been on an adventure, to have explored the unknown terrains, to have solved the puzzle through trial and errors, to have themselves grown through various experiences! In that sense, a personal sense of creativity is becoming important among us. We have assembled one of the most creative team for the recent Zelda for DS, and we want to be as creative as possible for upcoming Wii Zelda.

Zelda Twilight Princess 2

A lot of Miyamoto’s design philosophies reminded me of my exchange with Rpadholic “LarcenousLaugh” in yesterday’s Coffee Talk. Miyamoto’s games aren’t about heavy-handed storytelling; they’re about the experience. While many modern games have been successful with strong storytelling, Miyamoto’s games succeed with their transparency, allowing gamers to feel like they’re the star of their videogame adventure. Some players might think this style is old fashioned, but I think it still works today.

As always, I want to know your opinion on Miyamoto’s style and what you expect from the next Zelda Wii. Do you prefer heavy-handed storytelling (Kojima games) or do you like transparency (Miyamoto games)?

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Epic Games Releases Free Version of Unreal Engine

Unreal Engine 3 UDK

Epic Games has launched the Unreal Development Kit (UDK), based on Unreal Engine 3 technology. The company already has the dominant engine this console generation. Releasing a free version should help it expand its reach and get a hold of the booming indie-games market. Today’s press release stated:

Epic Games, Inc. announces the launch of the Unreal Development Kit (UDK), a free edition of Unreal Engine 3 that provides community access to the award-winning toolset like never before. This software release is available to anyone interested in using 3D game engine technology, including game developers, students, hobbyists, researchers, creators of 3D visualizations and simulations, and digital filmmakers. Anyone can start working with the industry-leading Unreal Engine 3 toolset by downloading UDK at www.udk.com, where detailed product features, technical documentation, commercial licensing terms, support resources and more are also available.

This is a huge move for the company, but it’s personally disappointing to me. You see, it used to be an annual goal of mine to get Epic Games president Mike Capps drunk, so that I could get his signature for an Unreal Engine license on a cocktail napkin. A free version of the engine makes my game less fun.

Are any of you aspiring game designers going to give UDK a shot?

Modern Warfare 2 to be Biggest Launch in GameStop History

Modern Warfare 2

Everyone knows that Modern Warfare 2 is going to be huge — certainly one of the biggest games of 2009 — but according to GameStop, it will be the biggest title of the year and the biggest launch in company history. GameStop merchandising and marketing EVP Tony Bartel told Gamasutra:

By all indicators, we anticipate Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will be the biggest entertainment launch of 2009, as well as the biggest video game launch in GameStop’s history.

I’m a little surprised by this. Maybe I underestimated the game due to a lack of interest, but I definitely wasn’t expecting it to be GameStop’s biggest launch ever. Will Modern Warfare 2 really be bigger for the company than Halo or Grand Theft Auto?

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Follow Dark Void on Twitter, Win Jay-Z Tickets

Jay-Z

If you like Jay-Z, Twitter, and Dark Void then you definitely want to get crackin’ on Capcom’s latest promotion. The company has a chance for you to catch Jay-Z in concert this weekend. All you have to do is follow Dark Void’s Twitter page. Here are the official deets:

We scored tickets to the highly coveted Jay-Z concert, featuring N.E.R.D., Wale and J. Cole, at Pauley Pavilion on the UCLA campus for this Sunday November 8, 2009, beginning at 6:30PM. So, what does this mean for the Dark Void Community? Well, we’re offering this pair to one lucky Community member!

We’re hosting the contest on our official Twitter page: http://twitter.com/DarkVoidGame. To enter, all you need to do is follow our profile and re-tweet the following message:

“I wanna take @[Twitter Friend] to Jay-Z in LA! Make me a winner @DarkVoidGame. Rules: http://tinyurl.com/JayZinLA”

If you enter, feel free to take me with you. Ha! My Twitter page is here. Jay-Z would be fun, but I’d love to see N.E.R.D.

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Coffee Talk #19: I’m So Excited and I Just Can’t Hide It

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, your awesome World Series 2009 champions, this super expensive Beatles digital set, or your awesome World Series 2009 champions (again), Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Sorry for the lateness. You see, yesterday I picked up Dragon Age: Origins. As you can imagine, I was incredibly psyched to get the game. BioWare is one of my favorite developers of all time — so much so that if the company was snubbed for an award, I’d totally interrupt the winner and pull a Kanye. RPGs are my favorite genre. Fantasy settings are my favorite. This is the most excited I’ve been for a game in years.

Dragon Age Origins 3

It all goes back to Baldur’s Gate for me. I played through the game 18 times. Even though I only played through Baldur’s Gate 2 11 times, I was (clearly) hooked by BioWare’s RPG mastery. I love how the company handles role-playing, storytelling, character development, music, and more.

When it comes down to it, I don’t remember the last time I was this excited to get a game. How about you? When was the last time a new game made you go all fanboy?

Major Nelson Speaks on Banning Pirates From Xbox Live

Pirates

Microsoft’s Major Nelson addressed the issue of banning software pirates from Xbox Live in a recent blog post. The man also known as Larry the Marketing Guy said:

The health of the video game business depends on customers paying for the genuine products and services they receive from manufacturers, retailers, and the third parties that support them. This would also be a good time to remind you that the warranty on an Xbox 360 console is not transferrable and if you purchase a used console that has been previously banned, you will not be able to connect to Xbox Live.

While I have no problem with what Microsoft is doing and I agree with most of that Larry said, it still bugs me that console games in third-world countries have Western prices. Having lived in a third-world country for most of 2006, I was surprised to see that most games cost the equivalent of $50 to $60 while people were making $150 a month. For a lot of people, piracy was the only reasonable way to go.

My little rant aside, what do you think of Microsoft banning pirates from Xbox Live?

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Gamers Defecting From Xbox 360 to PlayStation 3 for Sequels?

Assassins Creed 2

According to research firm OTX, a lot of gamers are planning to buy sequels (Assassin’s Creed 2 and Modern Warfare 2, in particular) on the PlayStation 3 for games that they original played on the Xbox 360. Gamasutra has reported:

New data provided to Gamasutra by OTX’s GamePlan Insights finds that many sequel-buyers might be switching platforms, defecting from Xbox 360 to PlayStation 3 for more than one major release.

“The PS3 seems poised to shift the ratio of Xbox 360 to PS3 sales for most major multi-platform releases in its favor among dual owners,” [analyst Nick] Williams tells us.

This is an interesting trend that I’ve been noticing with some friends. A lot of my gamer pals that are new to the PS3 — mostly players that purchased a PS3 Slim — are buying multiplatform games for their Sony system, simply to build up their libraries. Does this apply to any of you?

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Coffee Talk #18: Do You Believe in Miyamoto Magic?

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, if the Yankees will be Pedro’s daddy tonight, the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time movie trailer, or Josh Duhamel allegedly cheating on Fergie with an Atlanta stripper, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

The other day, I wrote about the next Legend of Zelda game using Wii MotionPlus for swordplay and targeting. The reactions weren’t surprising. You’ve told me why you’re down on the Wii in the past, so I was expecting some of you to roll your eyes at the news. Yes, a lot of Wii games use motion controls in ways that are…less than entertaining, but aren’t you forgetting something in this case? Shigeru Miyamoto is working on this game!

Shigeru Miyamoto

Nintendo’s legendary game designer is responsible for some of the greatest videogame series of all time. His left pinky has more creativity in it than most game developers have in their entire body. Miyamoto has been written off as out of touch and behind the times before, but he’s always managed to come back and prove his doubters wrong.

So what’s different this time? Don’t you think Miyamoto will find a way to make Wii MotionPlus in The Legend of Zelda fun and unique? Don’t you believe in Miyamoto magic?

Super Street Fighter IV Juri Could Have Been a Chubby Ice Skater

SFIV Juri

Super Street Fighter IV’s Juri is a sexy tae kwon do vixen, but she could have been a chubby ice skater according Capcom art director Toshiyuki Kamei. Andriasang translated the official Super Street Fighter IV blog and learned:

The character’s design originally started with orders from producer Yoshinori Ono to make a female Korean character. Not necessarily an erotic female Korean character, though. According to Kamei, taking all hair and clothing variations into account, there were originally some 400 or 500 ideas for the character. Some ideas included an old woman and an ice skater.

The character was originally cuter and chubbier. They gradually thinned her out, with Kamei admitting that they at one point went too far and had to revert a bit.

Having had numerous dating experiences with Korean women, I assure you that chubby-ice-skater Juri would have been as terrifying as sexy Juri. Check out Juri in action against T. Hawk in the video below.

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