The "future of PC gaming"? Age of Conan delays DirectX 10 feature until God knows when
May 20, 2008
This week’s MMO media darling is Funcom’s Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures. It racked up some impressive tester attendance and some more impressive pre-order figures, and all this in spite of the fact that the game is incomplete.
Players gagging for Windows Vista’s oft-hyped DirectX 10 textures have a bit of wait on their hands and will have to make do with creaky old DirectX 9 for now.
"As Microsoft’s DirectX 10 is undoubtedly the future of PC gaming, Funcom has decided to ship only the DirectX 9 version at launch, giving the team more time to focus on building a DirectX 10 version worthy of Microsoft’s great vision for the future of PC gaming," an official press statement reveals. "This postponement will let Funcom include even more features in the DirectX 10 version of Age of Conan than originally planned."
Yep, it’s definitely "the future" because obviously it isn’t "the now". Funcom has declined to put a precise date on when it will launch.
Will it matter? Well, it’s probably more of an embarrassment for Microsoft than anything as there’s little doubt in anyone’s mind that it was probably a lot to do with Vista’s incredible capacity to turn a decent spec gaming PC in a sluggish, stuttering mess.
Vista has met with its justified share of criticism already anyway, forcing Microsoft to dramatically rethink its plan to phase out Windows XP. So unless Age of Conan really does transform into a WoW-killing giant of an MMO, it will probably be in the clear.
It just would have been nicer if Funcom could have given more warning to those specifically upgrading to DX10 worthy machines as this would have bought them a few months to play with and time to score a better hardware deal.
via 1Up
WoW killer? Age of Conan celebrates biggest beta sign-up in history, sell out of early access slots
May 15, 2008
Next week sees the launch of Funcom’s latest MMO, Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures. While Funcom isn’t a virgin in the MMO scene - it has already been met with success in 2001’s Anarchy Online - the market for online virtual worlds is still a hostile one in the post-World of Warcarft era.
In the past couple of years, numerous pretenders to the MMORPG crown have tried their luck - Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, Lord of the Rings Online, Pirates of the Burning Sea, Dungeons and Dragons Online: Stormreach and Tabula Rasa, to name but a few - and some have been more successful than others, although all have fallen into the shadow of Blizzard’s domineering title.
Why should Age of Conan be any different? To be honest it probably won’t and even when WoW’s star inevitably begins to wane it seems unlikely that any one game will ever rule the genre so effectively again. However, AoC is off to a remarkably encouraging start. It recently revealed that some 1 million players signed up to its Open Beta test phase.
“Funcom has not been able to find any higher beta numbers for MMOs in the Western world,” boasted Morten Larssen, vice president of Funcom sales and marketing, in a press statement. “We believe it represents the largest ever beta sign-up figure in the history of the genre.”
Furthermore, the makers were also offering a limited number of Early Access slots only to those who had pre-ordered a copy of the game AND who were prepared to pay a small extra fee. Even these spaces have now run out, paving the way to a pretty big launch for the title.
It seems to have captured the imagination of the MMORPG hardcore and its grounding in the superb Robert E. Howard fantasy novels gives it a rich universe from which to draw influence. The final proof of whether it can do what other MMOs have been trying for three years will only be found in the final product. And it will be especially interesting to see what, if any, impact this does have on the leader’s population.
Rather than simply cloning the tried-and-tested MMORPG model, it is trying new ways of creating more engaging combat by introducing combos and directional attacks, and it has strong single player narrative that can take a player to a reasonably high level without even worrying about the multiplayer segments. Will this tip the balance? We’ll find out from May 20th.
Age of Conan (via Wired)
BioWare drops controversial anti-piracy measure from Mass Effect
May 12, 2008
Last week, BioWare managed to kick up a shit storm over its new PC title, Mass Effect.
It revealed that a new security measure, SecuROM, would check the authenticity of the game every ten days by connecting to the internet. The obvious problem being that if you didn’t have a computer connected to the internet, or travel a lot, then presto! No game for you!
The irony with these laughable measures is that they only serve to done one thing: to really piss off legitimate players. No one wants to feel like a criminal, but such measures only serve to give that impression - that you’re not good enough to use the product, that you might turn to criminality at any moment. Meanwhile piracy will still be rife; no piracy measure has ever stopped copyright theft and hackers create work arounds within HOURS. Players of the pirated game will get all the benefits of not having a ’secure’ copy either that works exactly how you want it to.
So BioWare has now changed its mind following severe criticism from the gaming community. Instead it has opted to streamline the concept so that now, the game only requires one initial online activation. All subsequent checks will be made when you connect to download new content only.
Further more, the one online activation nets you a sensible benefit - you will then no longer need the disc in to run the game. That means you can keep the game on up to three computers and have disc-less access whenever you want, internet or no.
Sounds good right? I’m still in two minds about this. EA and BioWare seem to have done the right thing and looked at the bigger picture - they are treating gamers sensibly by offering a good reason to adhere to the rules.
On the other hand, has this all been an elaborate ruse? What we have now is a measure just as restrictive as the one that landed Bioshock and 2K Games in hot water last year. And yet we are left faintly grateful for it.
Piracy is a huge problem for PC games, fair enough. However, most anti-piracy measures are lambasted as heavily as they are badly implemented. Could EA and BioWare have pulled off an incredible bit of deception, showing us all the worst possible case scenario and leaving us satisfied with a lesser of two evils?
Crosswords for DS
May 5, 2008
Today we see the launch of the newest “non-gamer” game for the Nintendo DS: Crosswords DS.
Today’s launch of Crosswords DS for the portable Nintendo DS™ video game system puts more than 1,000 crossword puzzles into the palm of your hand. Crosswords DS includes puzzles at multiple skill levels, so anyone from beginners to experts can give it a try. As you progress, the puzzles get bigger and more challenging. Because you write all your answers directly on the touch screen with your stylus, there’s no need for erasers – just write your new answer over your old one. Crosswords DS also includes a sophisticated hint system if you get stuck. Just tap the Hint button with your stylus and choose to receive another clue, reveal a hidden letter or solve the whole word.
So, did you notice something about the cover art? Something very important?
This game lacks Wi-Fi!
How in the world did Nintendo mess up on this one?
There has been some Nintendo news of late that they are looking into entering the subscription business to increase their revenue. What better way than by teaming up with a publisher of crossword puzzles and linking it with this?
The Nintendo DS is the ultimate hand held video game system and it does appeal to the non-gamers of the world. NintenDogs and the Brain Age games are a clear indicator of that.
So tell me Nintendo, how could you allow a crosswords game to be released for the DS without a Wi-Fi component?
Nintendo Has another Banner Year!
April 24, 2008
Nintendo Co., Ltd., has announced record revenues and profits for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2008. Nintendo posted sales of more than 1.67 trillion yen, an increase of 73 percent over the prior year. Nintendo also reported FY08 operating profits of more than 487 billion yen, a year-over-year increase of 115.6 percent.
The company also increased projected shipments of the popular Wii™ home video game console for the current fiscal year. During the 12 months ending March 31, 2008, Nintendo shipped 18.61 million Wii console to its distributors and retail customers globally, bringing the worldwide total to 24.45 million since its debut in November 2006. For the fiscal year that began April 1, 2008, Nintendo forecasts global Wii console shipments increasing to 25 million.
Nintendo also forecasts shipment of 177 million Wii software units for FY09, while the FY08 shipment was 119.6 million units. Through March 31, 2008, Wii enjoys a life-to-date tie ratio of 6.07 games per system worldwide.
During the 12 months ending March 31, 2008, Nintendo shipped 30.31 million Nintendo DS™ systems worldwide, bringing the total worldwide shipment to 70.6 million. By March 31, 2009, Nintendo forecasts shipments of an additional 28 million Nintendo DS systems. Nintendo also forecasts shipment of 187 million Nintendo DS software units for FY09, while the actual FY08 software shipment was 185.62 million. Through March 31, 2008, Nintendo DS enjoys a life-to-date tie ratio of 5.24 games per system worldwide.
The company announced a full-year dividend for Nintendo shareholders of 1,260 yen per share (including the interim dividend of 140 yen already paid), 570 yen higher than the annual dividend of 690 yen paid one year ago.
All FY09 financial projections are based on an anticipated ratio of 100 yen to the U.S. dollar, and 155 yen to the euro. For complete details, please review the attached financial statement and forecast*.
Nintendo and the Seattle Mariners Team Up to Offer Baseball-related Content via DS
April 22, 2008
Nintendo is giving Seattle Mariners fans a gift at every home game this year: free access to the Nintendo® Fan Network. Fans who bring a Nintendo DS™ to Safeco Field can log on wirelessly to the Nintendo Fan Network to access a wide variety of baseball-related content. Some of the many features include access to player statistics, scores from other MLB games in progress, current team standings, chat with other fans and the ability to compete in trivia and other mini games. Additionally, fans can watch the in-stadium live broadcast video and use the Nintendo DS touch screen to order ballpark food and beverages delivered right to their seats.
The Nintendo Fan Network made its debut at Safeco Field during the 2007 season. Thousands of fans tried the Nintendo Fan Network for a minimal fee during the 2007 season trial, but fans attending Mariners home games during the 2008 season can access an even wider variety of features for free, just by bringing a Nintendo DS to Safeco Field. Fans can download the Nintendo Fan Network at one of the two kiosks located near sections 127 and 143 or at one of the 15 download stations throughout the stadium.
The Nintendo Fan Network will get an additional workout this week, when the Mariners begin a six-game home stand. Nintendo is always adding new features, so every time fans download the service, they might see something new and experience a whole new way to enjoy the game.
For more information about the Nintendo Fan Network, please visit the Nintendo Fan Network kiosks at Safeco Field.
Rock Band Coming to Wii on June 22, 2008
April 18, 2008
When Rock Band came out the hardest system to find it for was the Xbox360. PS3 copies were everywhere. The Wii? It was left out in the cold, until now.
On June 22, 2008 The Wii version of Rock Band will hit stores. Expect it to sell out just as quickly as Guitar Hero did back in December!
Before you get your hopes up about rocking against people all around the world I need to break the news to you. There is NO online play for the Wii version of Rock Band. There is some good news. Well sort of.
Shipping at the same time as the game will be the following:
- Wii Software
- Wii Special Edition (Includes software, guitar, drum kit, USB hub, & mic peripherals)
- Wii Wireless Guitar
- Wii Drums
The Wii version also ships with 5 “bonus” songs and white drums.
Yeah, let’s not all rush the store at once.
DS Preview: My Weight Loss Coach
April 18, 2008
Not to be outdone by Nintendo and its forthcoming Wii Fit title Ubisoft is preparing to release a title for the Nintendo DS to help you loss weight while outside of the house.
While Wii Fit can give you a short regimen to use in the house what do you do when you go out? You can’t exactly take your Wii with you but you can take your Nintendo DS. Now that Nintendo has established itself as the system for non-gamers it makes perfect sense for developers to start catering to that market.
Who would have though when the DS was released it would become a sort of personal assistant device?
Nintendo Talks NPD Data
March 14, 2008
The latest video game industry sales figures reported by the independent NPD Group show that Nintendo DS™ and Wii™ topped the U.S. charts for February. Nintendo DS sold nearly 587,600 units and Wii sold nearly 432,000.
“Our momentum has not let up since the holidays and we expect it to continue throughout the year,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “We have the industry’s strongest lineup of games for everyone from core to casual gamers.”
- February sales, according to NPD, in the United States:
- Nintendo sold more than 1 million hardware units combined, accounting for nearly half (47.6 percent) of all hardware sold.
- Nintendo DS games topped all software sales, with more than 3.6 million units sold. Consumers purchased nearly 2.9 million software units for Wii. Four of every 10 games sold were for Nintendo systems.
- Three games in the top five sellers for February play on Nintendo systems, including two from third-party publishers.
- Nearly 1.7 million accessories were purchased for Wii, more than for any other system. More than 1.2 million accessories were sold for Nintendo DS as well.
Everyone reading this needs to keep in mind that NPD does not track world wide sales data. This information is mainly concerning the American market.
What I find most encouraging is the third bullet point where we find that two of the three Wii games that appear in the top five sellers list were not made by Nintendo. As great as Nintendo is it also has a reputation among third-party developers that only Nintendo owned titles ever do well on their systems.
Rock Band Review
February 20, 2008
“Rock Band”, the pride and joy of Harmonix– the same studio that got the world hooked on Guitar Hero– is here, and it’s going head-go-head with its older sibling. How does Rock Band compare? Will the drums leave you totally enraptured, sticks in hand, eyes unblinking, glassy, and transfixed on the screen as an endless barrage of notes fly down the fretboard in the same way that Guitar Hero zombified millions? Will you be able to make it through singing “Creep” without taking any notice to the snarky remarks of your fellow wannabe-rockers?
Game Mechanics and Controls
The funny thing about Guitar Hero was the way that you could have one person totally veged-out on guitar while the surrounding couch potatoes, wall flowers, and floor dwellers could barely keep themselves constrained as they barked commands, shouted words of both encouragement and discouragement, and nearly jumped the zombified wannabe frontman, his moment of zen never unbroken despite such distractions as the deafening din of “USE YOUR STAR POWER” and “WHAMMY BAR! WHAMMY BAR!” Just so long as the music was louder than the madness, all was forgiven. This is one curious phenomenon that Rock Band has not left behind. If anything, the insanity has only intensified, and from time to time reaches a potentially dangerous fever pitch. My advice to anybody playing Rock Band is this: Keep your drummer isolated. Also, suggesting that he or she should “chill out” will almost invariably lead to even greater carnage.
Back to the original point. Even for those who are not playing, the game still seems to keep them in an inescapable choke hold. It’s not a bad thing, either, as the game does treat spectators to what is surely an unhealthily sweet serving of eye candy. All of the moves that are performed onstage are modeled off of those displayed by actual rockers using the same technology that was implemented in the Lord of the Rings movies for Gollum. Although the characters are a whole lot less static than those of Guitar Hero, I cannot help but notice that the movements seem more than a bit choppy from time to time. Also, the textures sorta remind me of play-doh. Welcome to the next generation! Harumph.
In lieu of Guitar Hero’s Star Power, which is turned on by jerking the guitar a bit, thus enabling you to effectively tune into your inner Jimi Hendrix, dropping you out of reality and sending you careening into a realm of sonic synaesthesia (and score multipliers), Rock Band Harbors “Overdrive” mode, which is basically the same thing. You still accumulate “Energy” (star power) which acts as fuel for your trip. Where the guitar still registers your gyrating with an internal gyroscope, the microphone and drum peripherals require different stimuli in order to kick into Overdrive mode. For both devices, a column of gold may momentarily and unexpectedly materialize, at which point you may either belt out whatever garbled-up gibberish you fancy (personally, I have a penchant for the “Chewbacca” call), or commence jammin’ on the drums (just be sure to hit the green note at the end of the column). While this works well enough, I would greatly prefer it if there were more of a choice as to when you may go into overdrive, instead of having to wait until the right moment.
Rock Band also features dedicated solo sections, which I love. For these portions, the fretboard is highlighted by a semi-transparent blue overlay. At the end of each solo, the percentage of notes hit is displayed, accompanied by “Solid Solo!”, “Great Solo!”, “Perfect Solo!” et cetera. I prefer to leave my digits perched atop the main keys, though not everybody seems to agree. “USE THE SOLO KEYS, JOSH!!!”
What will undoubtably be the most alien feature of Rock Band (at least to Guitar Hero veterans), is the vocal support. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to somehow lure a specimen of the narrow-shouldered, wide-hipped gender into your humble abode should you desire to take the position of vocalist seriously. I.E., if you don’t want to fail the world tour, get a girl to sing. A room full of guys will only result in disaster. No matter how talented you or your buddies may really be should they take singing seriously, I can guarantee you that it’s not going to happen. Remember the aforementioned Chewbacca call? Yeah. On the flip side, you would-be-Wookies are in luck, for as long as you sing in pitch, you may just have a chance. Heck, you could do nothing but hum if you want to. The only other advice that I have is this: Make sure that your premiere chanteur is over the age of 14.
Also, NEEDS MOAR SONGS WITH FEMALE VOCALS.
Character Creation and Accessories
Of the two games, another feature that is exclusive to Rock Band is the ability to create and customize your own performers. No more are you constrained to using a few cliche characters based solely on the ideal archetypes of certain sub-genres of rock n’ roll. That’s right, instead of being forced to play as a generic Jimi Hendrix clone, you can instead create your very own true-to-life Jimi Hendrix! Or, like me, you can finally play as any and all of the different permutations and alter-egos of David bowie throughout his 40-year career. Elvis Costello! Freddy Mercury! Billy Corgan! The possibilities are truly expansive. there are even certain items in the Rock Shop that lend perfectly to this flavor of rock-star roll playing. For instance, take the “Costellos”, which are the signature thick-rimmed specs of everybody’s favorite miracle man. Other items include the “Mighty Mercurys” pants (which, for some utterly inconceivable reason, are filed under “Goth Garb” along with bondage pants and skeleton slacks), and “Ziggy’s Mullet”, just to name a few of the holy rock relics that are available for purchase.
One thing that I loathe regarding character creation is that, even if you have all of your characters under the same profile, all the money earned, clothes bought, and songs unlocked only count towards the little replicant that you used to attain all of that swag. For everybody else you have to repeat the exact same process. Though, doing it all over again as Alice Cooper does take the edge off a bit.
The hardware, should you buy the whole shabang
The Axe
The guitar, made to look like a gen-u-ine Fender Stratocaster, is fantastic, and really an big improvement over the new GHIII axe. First of all, it’s probably about 10% larger, which is great because the increased size really increases the believability of the already incredibly accurate instrument. Most noticeably, though, is the bare fret board. The headstock, complete with metal machine heads, is a nice touch, too. It really shows some great attention to detail, further reinforcing the whole role-playing aspect. The keys ARE indeed color coded, albeit on the edges as opposed to the entire keys, or the borders. This makes sense, since when the guitar is plastered to your stomach, you are naturally going to see the side first. So, really, the sacrifice of fully-colored keys does nothing to hinder the intuitiveness of the instrument, and has the added bonus of making the whole thing look a whole lot more authentic from a front-on vantage point. So far as how the buttons actually feel, I’ve got no beef with ‘em. They’re really just as good or better that the traditional Guitar Hero controllers. I’ve saved my favorite improvement for last, and that is the removal of the pesky clicky strum-button of the Guitar Hero controllers. It really does away with what was, to me, a huge annoyance. The new strum-button feels a lot more solid, and is totally silent.
The Drum Kit
For some odd reason, despite my showing them numerous pics of the drums before my purchasing of the kit, my parents really doubted the quality of the drum set– that is, up until I had unboxed everything and set it all up, at which point they were quite impressed. The build quality is really great considering the price of the set, which, considering all the stuff that was squeezed in, really seemed like quite a measly $170. Be warned, everybody, I repeat, EVERYBODY, no matter what, always feels compelled at first to hit those drums like the fist of an angry god. I’m really surprised that they held up alright– truly, this is testament to their durability. I did have a bit of a problem with the blue drum at first- sometimes it would just conk out and not register much of anything at all. Luckily for me, the problem seems to have subsided. Also luckily for me, and all other Rock Band owners, the game does come with a 60-day warranty, so that “In the unlikely scenario” that any accessory fails, I would imagine that you would be able to exchange the busted peripheral for a new one without much of a hassle.
Let’s now discuss the actual fun factor of the drum peripheral, now that the build quality has been dealt with. I don’t know if I mentioned it before or not, but the most difficult task presented by the drums is that presented by the foot pedal. It really does take some getting used to, as the game notifies you that the pedal is needed by a thin orange line that spans the fret board. Sometimes you pass it over entirely, as such a small indicator fails to break through the distraction of everything else around you. If you do notice it, your timing has got to be just right. If you’re not the most coordinated rocker-wannabe under the sun… well, that’s probably part of the reason as to why you’re a ‘wannabe.’ It also means that the drums will take more that a little getting used to.
Like the guitar, the drums are fully compatible with any other aspect of the XBOX 360, limited only by some missing buttons here and there. This actually proves useful for some games, specifically Boom Boom Rocket. It’s so much more fun playing that game on the drums than with a controller, and I highly recommend it. The only catch is that the arrows no longer correspond with the actual drums (red and green switched around a bit), but once you’ve gotten used to it it’s pretty freakin’ cool.
The red-headed step child of the bunch Microphone
Once again, not the most desired role, but still admittedly fun. In order to navigate through the menus, you’ll have to use the controller (don’t see how it could work out otherwise, really). This aspect of the game works similarly to games like Karaoke Revolution. You’ve got a little bar that scrolls to the left, which presents you with these little marks that you have to hit, which is accomplished by adjusting the pitch of your voice. Works just like it should, and I have no really qualms regarding it.
The World Tour
World Tour mode is something that my fellow band mates and I have yet to master. It’s not something that we’re really taking all that seriously right now, as we utilize the “Band Quick Play” mode far more frequently than World Tour mode- the only reason that we really care about WTM is because it’s kinda necessary to unlocking more songs. You know, I’ve never been one to obsess over high scores and whatnot, so it really doesn’t appeal to me. What I look for in Rock Band is a good time that doesn’t take forever to set up and figure out. Call me simple if you will– it’s true that my VCR still blinks 12:00, so you won’t be wrong in saying so. Maybe it’s simplicity, maybe it’s just laziness. Either way, you decide.
While WTM doesn’t do it for me, for those of you who do give a damn will find that there is a LOT there for you to explore, and it truly is incredibly involved. If you’re the type of person who like that kinda thing, you’ll be generously rewarded. There’s really a lot of micro management to be had, from creating your own setlist to managing the band itself, which is perhaps the greatest challenge of all. Things can get quite rowdy very quickly indeed.
The Verdict
Rock Band is without a shadow of a doubt one of the, if not THE best party games EVAR (or more realistically, up to this point in time). Do away with any doubts as to the game’s value, as the hours upon hours of straight-up playtime with a bunch of good friends are truly priceless. Like all great games, Rock Band cannot be fully appreciated until you’ve wrangled up a bunch of your best mates, some snacks, a large area to play in, and a big TV. Especially the big TV. You know what, to hell with your friends, the bigass TV is without a shadow of a doubt the most important factor in the equation that equals a great jam session with Rock Band. If there’s one problem that I have with the game that overrides everything else… it’s that the game does not include the “Ronery” song as made famous by Kim Jong Il. It would have fit Harmonix’s sense of humor to an absolute T! Ah, well. There’s always the Download Center route! Who knows, it could surface someday.
Images courtesy of Harmonix.
