? Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2BW. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Paper Mario: Sticker Star launch trailer
Future is AOP and PPA Consumer Digital Publisher of the Year.ComputerAndVideoGames is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. We produce content across five core areas:
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Walking Dead: TV show actors provide vocals for Activision's FPS
Terminal Reality has confirmed that actors from The Walking Dead TV show will provide vocals for their respective characters in the upcoming Activision-published game, The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct.
The developer has already casted and recorded lines with actor Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon, and has Michael Rooker voicing Daryl's brother Merle.
"Our goal is to shape Daryl authentically, chronicling everything that happens to him from the initial Wildfire Global Outbreak until he joins with Rick Grimes' group at that quarry near Atlanta," said the game's creative director, Drew Haworth.
"And on the way, we'll reveal a couple of our own interesting backstory surprises that fans haven't already gleaned from the series," he teases.
While Telltale's episodic Walking Dead game channels the spirit of Robert Kirkman's comic series, Activision and Terminal Reality's first-person effort will be based on AMC's TV series.
The game is set before the events of the show and follows Daryl and Merle Dixon as they make their way to the promised safety of Atlanta, battling the zombie horde along the way.
Ninja Gaiden bound for 3DS Virtual Console next week
Future is AOP and PPA Consumer Digital Publisher of the Year.ComputerAndVideoGames is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. We produce content across five core areas:
? Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2BW. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.
Dead or Alive 5 headed to Vita in 'early 2013'
Future is AOP and PPA Consumer Digital Publisher of the Year.ComputerAndVideoGames is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. We produce content across five core areas:
? Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2BW. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
'Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is as good as the classics and more'
On this week's mailbox we've got an e-mail from Ben Hughes, who recently re-discovered PC gaming and got in touch to shamelessly gush about Valve. What do you think about Valve and what are your favourites? Let us know in the comments below.
Over to Ben...
Over the past year I have started to get into PC gaming a lot more than I have ever done before. I've owned Half-Life since as long as I can remember and since I first played it I have been a massive fan of Valve games, my favourites being Half-Life 2 and Left4Dead 2.
Recently I bought Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and was pleased to find out that it was everything the series once was and more but I also noticed that not many new things have been added, which makes me a little angry too. What's your favourite Valve game?
GM says: PC gaming has certainly come on leaps and bounds during the last 12 months, mainly, we reckon, as many console gamers get frustrated waiting for next-gen consoles and turn to their rigs for a more powerful gaming experience.
Here are Team GM's fave Valve games: Robin says Half-Life 2, Matt SG says Portal 2, while Matt P had a massive internal debate (not unlike a malfunctioning GLaDOS) between Portal 1 and Half-Life 2 before settling on the latter.
CVG says: We've been playing a lot more than Valve games on our PCs, most recently Hotline Miami, which is superb. But we're still big fans of Valve, here are our favourite: Tamoor's is Counter-Strike, Rob's is Half-Life 2, Tom Ivan's is Left4Dead and Andy's is Portal.
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Wii U, 3DS trailer
Future is AOP and PPA Consumer Digital Publisher of the Year.ComputerAndVideoGames is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. We produce content across five core areas:
? Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2BW. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.
Ubisoft's 'Uplay' app available now on Wii U
Future is AOP and PPA Consumer Digital Publisher of the Year.ComputerAndVideoGames is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. We produce content across five core areas:
? Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2BW. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.
Friday, December 7, 2012
The 50 best Wii games
The Wii U is released in the UK today with a strong lineup of launch titles to choose from, and thanks to backward compatibility Wii U owners also have access to a back catalogue of over 1000 existing Wii games! We've raided the archives of Nintendo Gamer to being you a countdown of the top 50 Wii games, so you can pick up some classics and avoid the turkeys...
50. Madworld 
49. HOUSE OF THE DEAD: OVERKILL 
48. NEW SUPER MARIO BROS Wii 
47. TATSUNOKO VS CAPCOM: ULTIMATE ALL STARS 
46. Wii SPORTS RESORT 
45. THE LAST STORY 
44. RED STEEL 2 
43. TRAUMA TEAM 
42. RABBIDS GO HOME 
41. DISNEY EPIC MICKEY 
40. SONIC COLOURS 
39. LEGO HARRY POTTER: YEARS 1-4 
38. DE BLOB 2 
37. FAMILY SKI & SNOWBOARD 
36. SIN & PUNISHMENT: STAR SUCCESSOR 
35. KIRBY'S EPIC YARN 
34. METROID: OTHER M 
33. DONKEY KONG COUNTRY RETURNS 
32. DJ HERO 2 
31. SUPER PAPER MARIO
50. Madworld Pub: Sega
No 'hardcore' or 'mature' games on Wii? Platinum's orgy of mayhem is bloody and brilliant. 84%
49. HOUSE OF THE DEAD: OVERKILL Pub: Sega
The bestest lightgun game on Wii (and there's stiff competition). 85%
48. NEW SUPER MARIO BROS Wii Pub: Nintendo
Tremendous 2D Mario action. Almost a new game when you sync extra remotes. 85%
47. TATSUNOKO VS CAPCOM: ULTIMATE ALL STARS Pub: Capcom
It's Ryu vs Battle Of The Planets. 85%
46. Wii SPORTS RESORT Pub: Nintendo
A fab intro to MotionPlus, and a great minigame compilation too. 85%
45. THE LAST STORY Pub: Nintendo
This gorgeous RPG finally arrives in the UK. The plot's a little generic, but it's plenty of fun. 85%
44. RED STEEL 2 Pub: Ubisoft
MotionPlus fixes Red Steel 1's slight issues. Only Skyward Sword offers better swordplay. 85%
43. TRAUMA TEAM Pub: Atlus [US Import]
Who knew being a surgeon / paramedic / forensics expert could be this difficult (and this enjoyable)? 86%
42. RABBIDS GO HOME Pub: Ubisoft
The Rabbids ('Les Lapins Cre?tins' in France) hop into a shopping trolley for a collect-a-thon. 86%
41. DISNEY EPIC MICKEY Pub: Disney
A real treat for Disney historians. A floaty nightmare for anyone else. 86%
40. SONIC COLOURS Pub: Sega
Bright, breezy and very, very fast, this is easily the best 3D Sonic on Nintendo formats. 86%
39. LEGO HARRY POTTER: YEARS 1-4 Pub: Warner Bros
Addictive family gaming. Star Wars and Indiana Jones sets also available. 86%
38. DE BLOB 2 Pub: THQ
Painty-rolly sequel fixes the first game's wonky jumping. The result? Platforming heaven. 87%
37. FAMILY SKI & SNOWBOARD Pub: Atari
Be honest, you'll never play Wii Fit again. So why not try this one instead? 87%
36. SIN & PUNISHMENT: STAR SUCCESSOR Pub: Nintendo
Sequel to an obscure N64 classic sees Treasure back to their blasting best. 87%
35. KIRBY'S EPIC YARN Pub: Nintendo
It might be a little woolly at times, but HAL have knitted together a fine platformer here. 87%
34. METROID: OTHER M Pub: Nintendo
Team Ninja merge first-person and third-person space exploration. 87%
33. DONKEY KONG COUNTRY RETURNS Pub: Nintendo
Retro platforming worth beating your chest about. 87%
32. DJ HERO 2 Pub: Activison
Plastic turntables make concrete DJs of us all. Cheaper than a flight to Ibiza and some DJ classes. 88%
31. SUPER PAPER MARIO Pub: Nintendo
'2D Mario in a 3D world' has been bettered on 3DS, but still a funny RPG. 88%
WIN: 25 Days of Christmas - Your gaming Advent calendar
Forget those nasty chocolates and pictures of shepherds: this is the only Advent calendar you'll ever need. Over the next 25 days we'll be amassing a pile of gaming goodies that would have Father Christmas himself stroking his beard and pondered the evils of consumerism. You name it, we've got it; collector's editions, art books, arcade sticks...the lot.
Here's how it works: every day we'll be uploading a new video to this page, showcasing the prize that we'll be adding to the pile. Each video will contain a letter, and putting all of the letters together will form a sentence or phrase.
All you need to do is make a note of the letters, solve the phrase and send us your answer via the text input form below. Don't forget you'll need to watch all the videos to get the correct answer.
The winner will get the overflowing Santa-sack of 25 goodies we've stockpiled, but there will also be prizes for a number of runners up, too. Magical.
The competition will run from December 1, 2012 and the closing date December 31, 2012. Entrants must have a UK postal address and the winner must be over 18 after January 1, 2013. Good luck!
Wii U: The launch verdict
Targeting the untapped potential of casual gaming masses made the Wii the best selling home console in Nintendo's decorated history. In the process, core gamers shifted attentions away from the Japanese giant - but Nintendo wants them back. Or, at least, we think it does.
Wii U's road to reality has been long and baffling, with mixed messaging and occasionally bizarre press conferences. At times we've wondered whether even Nintendo knows who its next-generation games console is aimed at.
The machine is the firm's long overdue debut in the HD era - but that's not its main selling point. Wii U's tablet-esque touch screen controller is said to allow for innovative "asymmetrical gameplay" and portable Mass Effect 3 sessions from the solitary comfort of your toilet.
By focusing its console around the GamePad, Nintendo's gambling that it can form a new market position, half way between the casual world of iPad gaming and established core titles such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, FIFA 13 and Assassin's Creed 3 - all of which are available for Wii U at launch.
Crucially however, Wii U isn't all about games: for the first time Nintendo's presenting a dedicated online offering with its new console, with features surrounding entertainment services such as Netflix and LoveFilm.
The Wii's legacy is how it succeeded in expanding the audience that plays games. By striving to maintain a deep relationship with this casual market while reengaging with the core, Wii U faces a unique and puzzling challenge.
Can Nintendo revolutionise gaming twice in a decade? Here's our launch verdict.
1 x Wii U console1 x Wii U GamePad1 x AC adapter1 x GamePad charging AC adapter1 x HDMI cable1 x Wii sensor bar (Europe and US only)1 x Wii U GamePad charger1 x Wii U GamePad stand1 x Wii U console stand feet1 x Free copy of Nintendo Land (Europe and US only)Wii U is available in two models; the ?250 ($300 USD / $350 AUS) Basic version and the ?300 ($350 USD / $430 AUS) Premium model. The Basic console comes in white and carries 8GB of storage, of which about 3GB is reserved for the player.
Meanwhile the Premium version carries 32GB of storage, comes in black, and bundles in a GamePad charger, a GamePad stand, as well as console stand feet. Europe and US versions of the Premium model also come with a free copy of Nintendo Land, as well as an original Wii sensor bar.
The minimalist design of the console itself feels like a continuation of the original Wii, with a glossy finish, large disc slot and extra ports hidden behind a discrete chamber on the face of the console.
As is the norm for most Nintendo consoles, the Wii U's plastic finish feels cheaper than it looks and is prone to fingerprint smudges, although the system itself is sturdy.
Wii U games run on new 25GB optical discs and while original Wii titles are supported (and can upscale to HD), GameCube discs will not run on the new console.
Given the real lack of memory space in the Basic version - the 3GB available to the player isn't even enough to download NintendoLand - it's difficult to recommend anything other than the Premium model, even though it can look as smudgy as a toddler's iPad.
Up to 2 terabytes of data is supported via external USB hard drives, however the drive must be specifically formatted for Wii U and games cannot run from them.
Even if you're not interested in the bundled game, NintendoLand acts as an excellent demonstration of the console and its GamePad features. Read our full NintendoLand review for more on that.
Unit size:1.8 inches high, 6.75 inches wide, 10.6 inches deepUnit weight:3.5 poundsUSB 2.0 ports:Four (two hidden at the front, two at the back)SD card slot:One hidden at front. Supports AD up to 2GB, and SDHD up to 32GBPorts:HDMI 1.4 out, Wii Sensor bar out (compatible with old Wii version), AV Multi Out (compatible with old Wii version), power out.
At the center of the Wii U experience is the GamePad, a wireless tablet-controller hybrid with a plethora of inputs including analogue sticks, motion sensors, shoulder buttons and of course, a touch screen.
At 10.2 inches wide, 5.3 inches tall and 0.9 inches deep, the GamePad is much larger than a traditional controller and feels more akin to a portable console, albeit one that's more concerned with functionality than convenience.
Even though its 6.2-inch, 16:9 screen is larger than anything we're used to, the Wii U GamePad feels comfortable and light, weighing just over a pound.
Your hands wrap perfectly around two nicely-shaped bulges at the far ends of the controller, giving you defined points of grip and allowing your thumbs to rest naturally over the face buttons and analogue sticks.
Like the console itself, the Wii U GamePad feels cheaper than it looks, a necessary trade-off for its sturdy build quality and light weight. It's also begging for your fingerprints (especially the black model), although thankfully the back of the unit adopts a different matte plastic finish.
Wii U ships with a single GamePad - although future Wii U titles will support two GamePads - and they're not currently sold separately.
The main feature of the GamePad is the 854 x 480 (158 ppi) touch screen which, although not quite HD, displays an image comparable to that of most modern televisions, with only the odd pixelation when viewed up close. Anyone who's used a Retina Display iPad will notice the drop in quality, but otherwise Nintendo's done an excellent job with its display.
Unit size:5.3 inches high, 10.2 inches wide, 0.9 inches deepUnit weight:Approximately 500gTouch-screen size:6.2 inches (diagonal measurement)Touch-screen aspect ratio:16x9Touch-screen resolution:854 x 480Touch-screen stylus:Housed within padAudio:Two stereo speakers, and 3.5mm headphone jackPower input:Two separate proprietary charging ports (at top and bottom)Wii U GamePad Battery life:Lithium Ion battery lasts about 3-5 hours (depending on brightness etc)Wii U GamePad Battery recharge time:Full recharge in about 2.5 hoursBattery lifespan:After 500 uses, battery capacity may reduce by about 30%Wii U GamePad Battery accessibility:Can recharge when docked in Wii U charger stand, or can be recharged while being used via an AC cableThe touch screen technology is less impressive. Like the Nintendo 3DS, Wii U's GamePad touch screen is based on resistive and not capacitive tech, which means it's less sensitive to touch compared to Apple's devices - and multi-touch isn't supported at all.
This means that while the screen responds fine to the odd jab of a finger, it will require a stylus for any actions requiring more fidelity such as scrolling down a menu or drawing routes on a map. This can be annoying when you're trying to leisurely browse through the console's interface, but the upside is an online service stuffed full of stylus doodles.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Splinter Cell Blacklist video demonstrates take downs
Future is AOP and PPA Consumer Digital Publisher of the Year.ComputerAndVideoGames is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. We produce content across five core areas:
? Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2BW. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.
ZombiU launch trailer attempts to sell you a Wii U
Future is AOP and PPA Consumer Digital Publisher of the Year.ComputerAndVideoGames is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. We produce content across five core areas:
? Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2BW. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD hits Vita in December in US
Future is AOP and PPA Consumer Digital Publisher of the Year.ComputerAndVideoGames is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. We produce content across five core areas:
? Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2BW. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.
Dead Island: Riptide blocked from release in Germany
Dead Island: Riptide will not be released in Germany due to the country's notably strict censorship laws.
So confirmed the game's creative producer Sebastian Reichert in an interview with PCGamesN. "We have no censored version of the game so we cannot release it in Germany," he said.
It'll come as no surprise, since the first Dead Island was also blocked, but that doesn't stop Reichert from harboring ill feelings about it.
"It feels fucking awkward to have one of the most successful games in years and nobody in your country knows it," he commented.
As with most games banned in the region, Riptide has fallen victim to the country's strict view of games containing violence against 'human-like characters'.
"It doesn't matter what [the enemies] are, as long as they're human-like then you have a problem," said Reichert.
"For Dead Island in particular it was a problem that you could attack the zombies when they are dead, because that's mutilation of corpses," he added, before questioning the consistency of Germany's censorship.
"At the moment I'm really confused that you can buy Gears of War 3 in stores in Germany, but not Dead Island. Because where's the difference? I mean, [the enemies in Gears of War] are human-like," he notes.
"That flamethrower finisher; he rams the flamethrower into the body, pulls the trigger and the flames come out of every body part. That's in stores."
Check out a CVG's Dead Island: Riptide preview for all the details on what the zombie-filled follow-up will bring.
"Digital domination is a marathon, not a sprint"
This article originally appeared in Xbox World magazine.
Life was so much more straight-forward six years ago. Fancy a pick 'n' mix? Pop into Woolworths. Fancy blowing ?50 on a designer whisk? Habitat has your back. Need to know if your studio's brand new videogame will break even or not? Take a gander at HMV's shelves in seven days time and you'll have your answer.
The gradual death of brick and mortar shopping may be a disaster for fans of pick 'n' mix and fancy whisks, but for gamers it has been something of a revelation. The shift to online retail - and increasingly, digital download - has benefited us in numerous ways: a more competitive pricing structure, quicker delivery (sometimes), a wider spread of choice and, of course, convenience.
But there's one other way in which our change in buying habits has worked to our advantage. One more important than all the others put together. It's actively going to encourage people to make better games.
I should point out that this isn't going to be another discussion piece about the reduction of overheads and how it allows small-scale devs to take greater creative risks, although that is one of digital distribution's more attractive qualities. It's difficult to imagine current-day indie darlings such as Super Meat Boy, Fez or even Braid getting the greenlight during the creatively-stifled Xbox era, where every new release had to justify a print run.
But the ramifications of what I'm talking about stretch much further than the indie scene. Going forward, the rise of digital distribution will have to raise standards across the entire spectrum of games - from 'AAA' blockbusters such as Call Of Duty on down. And the reason is this: if you can potentially continue selling a product forever, then the best and most enduring sellable trait it can have is its quality.
To illustrate my point, let's go back to the aforementioned PS2 era and look at some of the critical darlings of that period. We're talking about games such as Okami, Beyond Good & Evil and Psychonauts - names that have become synonymous with commercial failure. But is that fair? Psychonauts ended up selling over 400,000 boxed copies worldwide after a sluggish start, and is still selling for a pretty penny today on digital services such as XBLA, GOG.com and Steam.
Sign up for the God of War: Ascension beta now
Future is AOP and PPA Consumer Digital Publisher of the Year.ComputerAndVideoGames is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. We produce content across five core areas:
? Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2BW. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Steam Greenlight approves 13 more games for distribution
Valve has announced 13 more games given Greenlight approval for Steam distribution.
This latest list of titles - classic fantasy quest, Dragon's Lair, among them - brings the total number of Greenlight-approved games up to 50 since its launch in August this year.
The firm has also revealed the first non-game software to be approved via Greenlight, listed below.
Valve says Greenlight is doing great things for the indie games market. "With the help of Greenlight, the indie games market share of games sold on Steam has increased by 50 percent for a third consecutive year," said Valve's Alden Kroll.
"That's a stat we are proud of, but one we also hope to increase as we learn more about Greenlight and continue to refine it in the new year."
Here's the full list of approved games and software packages:
New Steam Greenlight Games
Blackspace
Darkfall Unholy Wars
Dawn of Fantasy
Dragon's Lair
Euro Truck Simulator 2
Gear Up
Kinetic Void - Space Adventure
The Light
No Time To Explain
Primordia
Sang-Froid : Tales of Werewolves
StarForge
Waking Mars
First Steam Greenlight Software Titles
Action! Screen Recorder
Bandicam: Game Recorder
Construct 2
Display Fusion
HitFilm 2
You Need A Budget 4
"Games won't get the same respect as movies by selling more copies"
This article originally appeared in Xbox World magazine.
Games don't get the same respect as movies, claims Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg, who'd be wise to listen to '80s action icon Bruce Willis: "If you don't respect yourself, ain't nobody gonna give a good cahoot." Which, er, might owe something to Aretha Franklin, but you take the point.
Let us explain. Late last year, Hirshberg deflected Call Of Duty's role in glorifying violence by focusing on the 'free pass' given to movies. "There's a sense that games are more exploitive in a way that The Hurt Locker isn't," says Hirshberg. "The producers didn't create The Hurt Locker as a public service; they did it to tell a story that they thought needed to be told. And, yet, that's not viewed as exploiting current events."
In short, games don't get the same respect as movies, Hirshberg argues. It's a fair observation, but the worrying part, is how he thinks games will become more accepted. Rather than try to contextualise violence, or say something more important (or indeed, anything), Hirshberg suggests games will gain respect by... selling more copies.
"I don't know if there is a way for us to accelerate that process [gaining mainstream acceptance] through content," Hirshberg says. "There's a way to accelerate it through continued success, through continued engagement and commitment to quality, by making great games that people want to play. The more people play, the more mainstream and accepted games will become."
So, let's get this straight: games shouldn't try to earn respect - but wait until they're ubiquitous and no one's left to complain? Sorry Eric, but that's where Mr Willis was ahead of the curve. Respect, as any middle class street hoodlum will tell you, isn't given, but earned.
However you slice up any of Modern Warfare 3's many, many noisy levels, its most astonishing insight is 'war is bad' or - and prepare to have the very nature of your existence questioned - 'war is confusing'. You could play the levels in any order and the plot wouldn't make a lot less sense, and an hour after finishing it, all you remember are the explosions and the Eiffel tower, as opposed to that bit with explosions in that street, or in the tunnel...
No, wait, was that MW2? Even the 'shocking' bits are legacy inclusions from the genuinely provocative Call Of Duty 4 - its devs reduced to ticking the 'controversy' box like sad industrial robots riveting imaginary doors years after the factory's closure.
Wait. Tell a lie. There's one bit of Modern Warfare 3 that we do remember. The bit at the end where you wear the heavy-duty bomb disposal suit that was made famous in... The Hurt Locker. Oh.
There's a place for dumb, noisy, games, but it's not their place to complain if they're not taken seriously. Movies are often 'excused' of their violence, as part of a wider message or context, but one recent example suggests the same could be true for games. 2K's daring, Spec Ops: The Line - with its scenes of torture and killing innocents - passed through the notoriously strict German censors uncut, who described the game as 'anti-war'. 2K's game makes players confront their role, not as soldiers, but killers, and the true impacts of their actions.
PS2's Shadow Of The Colossus is a largely plot-less game about stabbing sad giants in the head, but in a breathtaking final half hour makes a serious point about the unwavering commitment of true love - and what happens when that love dies. 2001's MGS2 predicts the rise of the internet, and its effect on pervading societal systems and personal liberties. BioShock critiques the underpinning Objectivist philosophy of Ayn Rand that inspired ex-US Federal Reserve chief Alan Greenspan, leading to the collapse of the free world economy.
These games at least try to say something, and if they're not being taken seriously, the bigger issue concerns how inaccessible they appear to people who might appreciate their message, but might not appreciate watching half-hour cutscenes, or lightly squeezing LT + X to hold up guards in MGS2.
COD4 broke the shooter rules, presenting a war of grey areas and intrigue. Five years on, the series is too scared to risk breaking a sales formula by daring to challenge people. It needs to prove it has something to say, rather than watch its CEO point fingers elsewhere.
Ouya dev kits ship December 28
Future is AOP and PPA Consumer Digital Publisher of the Year.ComputerAndVideoGames is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. We produce content across five core areas:
? Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2BW. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.
Monday, December 3, 2012
PS Access TV episode 60 stars Far Cry 3
Future is AOP and PPA Consumer Digital Publisher of the Year.ComputerAndVideoGames is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. We produce content across five core areas:
? Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2BW. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.
Pre-order Castlevania: Mirror of Fate in US, get free 3DS case
Future is AOP and PPA Consumer Digital Publisher of the Year.ComputerAndVideoGames is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. We produce content across five core areas:
? Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2BW. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.
Head 2 Head: Does Kickstarter do more harm than good?
kickstarter is 100 percent BS.
Now, this is coming from someone who is actively supporting 5 projects.
Would it suprise you to know that the first sentence is a quote from a guy who had his project APPROVED?
According to him just about 25 percent of game projects are funded. Of those funded he says, less than half will ever see the light of day.
In fact as of typing this we really havent seen anything yet, and already multiple projects have been cancelled.
The idea is great, the execution is bad
For me personally, harm.
I've been trying to kickstart a Radar Rat Race sequel but so far I've only managed to get 80p in coppers, Under Siege 2 on dvd, half a packet of prawn cocktail Wotsits and a smack in the mouth from the local vicar.
Ok i have to be careful on this post because of the over sensitive nature of CVG staff but here goes....... And again its all in good jest.
After listening to Tamoor trying to convince anyone that the WII U launch was Nintendo's best launch ever i first have to ask exactly how old is this man? Im wondering if he was of a sensible age when consoles like the SNES and N64 launched, the original GAMEBOY and even the GAMECUBE launch, no matter how objectively i look at this point of view my head hurts from how a console with no truly stand out must have above all else game can possibly beat consoles that launched with games such as Mario 64 or Super Mario world or that little known global hit Tetris???? Games that are even today still benchmarks for their genres.
Upon viewing this weeks debate i got to the point where Tamoor argues that Kickstarter opens the doors to people who shouldnt make games and at this point i couldnt believe my ears, theres no way unless this is a joke that this statement can even be argued, its a completely un-defendable statement to make.
If it wasnt for people making games from places like bedrooms etc this industry would in fact have no industry, the era of BBC Micro's, Spectrum 16/48/128k, Amstrad cpc's Commodore C16/C64 through to Amiga 500/1200/600 and Atari ST/Falcon gave us people like the Oliver Twins, Richard and David Darling, David Braben, Peter M, Jeff Minter, Will Wright and franchises that helped define everything.
Kickstarter is only a problem when companies that already have funding in place abuse it for cheap PR moves such as the new Dizzy Project which although very welcome is laughable in its budget considering every piece of technology needed to make it is already in Blitz Games dev studio and that a similar project from one individual also trying to get started on Kickstarter is asking for a fraction of the price. If you need 350,000 to make a dizzy game you have some really bad financial project managers guys!!!!
Anybody should be allowed the chance to make or help design a game, its the loss of the individual ideas that have brought us to the level of triple A only franchises that exist today, the endless sequels, the tired old genres etc. To combat Tamoors statement that only companies or established developers should make games i simply answer with the following........ X-Men Destiny!!!
When history looks back on this generation im hoping that it remembers games like Journey and Limbo and the countless Indie games you can pick up for pennies instead of just listing all the yearly EA and Activision fodder. Kickstarter is helping keep small devs and individual coders going and for that alone im truly grateful.....Roll on next year and Ouya.
Rob wins this round without even opening his mouth, he could have sat there and licked a wall and won.
I honestly mean no offence, im shell shocked, if nothing else im just extremely concerned about Tamoors mental health, does he hear what he is saying???? Somebody put him up to this didnt they? Tamoor if your being instructed against your will blink 4 times in a row next week and i will call the police.
Kickstarter wasnt even imagined at the start to be a platform for developers to try and gain funding in order to help development of a game, sure it can cause harm if it is treated in such a way..
But with the projects that we have seen (and projects that I have backed myself) you are pretty much giving a developer that chance, the chance that publishers are not prepared to give as it may seem outdated, different, outlandish, cant sell enough units for them or is simply a "risk" which in todays gaming industry "risk" is a lot of the reasons why most games dont come through, you have stupidly amazing titles that dont make it because there is just a little ounce of risk that it may not be liked.
You are potentially giving a developer the opportunity to create his idea, based on their presentation.. Granted in a lot of my pledges i have pledged based on who they are within the industry and what they have done for this industry. But if we cannot place our trust as people, into a developer - then surely the industry is flawed much more then what had been thought..
If we cant trust a developer, how could a publisher - for example.
Some of the projects that I have backed: Double Fine Adventure, Broken Sword: Serpents Curse, Project GODUS
Can anyone really say that without Kickstarter these projects would not of existed?? Chances are, they wouldnt have. Because they would of clashed with so many things in the industry so far, and simply deemed too risky by publishers. However looking at those kickstarter pages, you would be thankful (or atleast I am thankful) that these guys are given sound and solid opportunities to create these games and bring back some of the much loved gaming that we once had.. Broken Sword, the game that started the entire Point&Click Adventure for some.. Project GODUS from the guy who created the God Genre!
You just dont get that anymore, and that is the reason why Kickstarter does more good then harm, It is giving the choice and power back to the people who play the games, and missing out the publisher part - who seem to decide what games are right for us.
Tamoor raised something along the lines of.. "If the community wanted multiplayer midway, then they'd have to do multiplayer, cause thats what they want." This simply is not the case, if it wasnt in the presentation and it wasnt in a stretch goal or design document, or it wasnt from a direct question from the team - they do not have to bend over for the people asking for such a feature.. They said what they wanted to create, they have pledged based on that, they then create what they have said they would.. Community are here to support, advise on features and all that - but they are not entitled developers.
I'm all for Kickstarter.
I've also backed only two Projects so far - ELITE: Dangerous and Ouya
I don't understand what is "dangerous" about giving crowd-funding to a group of developers who want to short-circuit traditional development and do it themselves OldSkool. It is expensive to create decent games now compared in the 80's when a kid could come out with Elite or Manic Miner or Flying Llamas. Most studios turn their back on risky original ideas in favour of carbon copy guaranteed titles/sequels that are known to sell well.
I see Kickstarter as something similar to XFactor but for a wide variety of people to be given a chance that they might normally have not been given. It was hardly dangerous when Little Mix won XFactor 2011 was it? Didn't stop 1D taking over the world or scare other professional artists 
I like the altruistic nature of Kickstarter a lot but I would prefer if there was a concept of being a shareholder as a reward, rather than some gimmicky things on offer 
Was surprised to see Braben asking for money for Elite: Dangerous as it is a game many have wanted for a long time.
However I'm cool with whatever it takes to get me back into the cockpit of my own Cobra Mark III 
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Comments of the Week: 'This man knows cheese when he sees it'
No, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you. Comments of the Week is back, and back by popular demand no less. We're currently in the midst of figuring out if we can bring you this weekly feature in an exciting new format but until we figure out if it's viable we'll be sticking to the tried-and-true words on a page format.
This week's you fine readers have been talking mostly about the Wii U; loving it, hating it, calling it names we'd rather not repeat, but also putting your sharp wit to use on taking the mickey out of the Fuse box art, teaching Nintendo a thing or two about online and much more.
Here's the comments of the week:
"This guy knows what he is talking about! Seriously this man knows cheese when he sees it and he knows a bit about this electronics entertainment malarkey too." - Cult
I bet telling the ladies he's the founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese makes the girls weak at the knees.
"I'm really not that excited about the idea of moving onto the next generation of consoles as its just going to cost me more money to keep up. Too many developers act like New hardware is the answer to everything, but maybe they should invest more time into designing more innovative software instead. Hardware might make games seem better graphically or change the way we play with new peripherals, but the game design often remains similar through each generation. I'm more interested in design than hardware, so I'm happy to play a game on a dated console as long as it has a solid design". - wallcat
While I'll be the first to admit I'm excited for the next-generation of consoles, what you've said about the same design just carrying over to more powerful hardware is very interesting. Delaying new consoles could give developers the kick they need to start innovating again.
"Nobody wants your side order, Fries." - budge
You are a mature 25 year old. You are a mature 25 year old. You are a mature 25 year old. Ah, screw it. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
"A new premium quality game" What does that even mean?" - TheLastDodo
I think it means you'll be paying at least ?40 for it
"That's awful. It looks like someone spilt lucozade on a Mass Effect cover." - TheLastDodo
Nailed it!
"What a pile of old rubbish. Of course Nintendo should copy Xbox live, its an amazing online network and offers so much for the modern gamer, the fact PS3 has no party chat is the reason i hardly ever play the thing anymore, for me its such a hollow play experience it reminds me of when i played games in the 80's on my own in my bedroom, Xbox live allows me to chat with people all over the world regardless of what game we are each playing, its fantastic." "For me the enthusiasm for the WII U died when there was no game i had to have for it day one and when I found out there's no universal chat system or achievements, I'm now spoilt by and used to these kinds of things and anything else for me personally is a backwards step."
"Nintendo never have liked online gaming, they still continue to fight it and its just plain dumb, long term well into the next true generation its going to harm them, its not going to kill them but it will definitely be something they come to regret."
"Considering how every company in the world has copied Nintendo at some point surely they have the moral high ground to do a bit of copying back right?" -Megatrons_Fury
PREACH BROTHER MEGATRON. Always wanted to say that.
Sony patents hybrid DualShock/Move controller
Sony has patented a hybrid DualShock/Move controller.
Titled Hybrid Separable Motion Controller, the patent was filed in May 2011 and published yesterday, November 29.
Images attached to the patent show what looks pretty much like a PS3 DualShock pad with PlayStation Move orbs attached to each shoulder.
The device can be separated into two pieces, with each half housing its own magnetometer, accelerometer, gyro, vibration function and even a speaker,
The Sixth Axis reports that a PDF slide attached to the patent also shows a Cell/RSX configuration on one slide, suggesting that the device is likely to be related to a current platform, if it is in fact even planned for release.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Molyneux appeals for donations as Curiosity woes continue
22 Cans studio director Peter Molyneux is seeking donations from fans of his troubled iOS experiment Curiosity.
It is reported that as many as one million people have downloaded the application from both the Android and iOS store - an unexpected swell of demand that has ignited numerous networking problems.
As uncovered on CVG's Curiosity live blog, many players have been unable to log on to the service for days while others are seeing the cube in different stages of decomposition. The idea of the experiment was that everyone could chip away at the same cube at the same time, and earn coins in the process. But due to server bugs, players' coin collections are disappearing randomly.
22 Cans, which is based in Guildford, has been working long hours to solve the issues, though now it is seeking donations from players to purchase better network infrastructure.
"We may need help to make the experience truly wonderful, our server costs are going to ramp up with our new fix," Molyneux explained.
A statement on the group's website reads: "We are a small independent developer and due to popular demand we now offer the option for kind people to donate, so that we can make Curiosity the best possible experience it can be. However big or small the donation; it will really help us make Curiosity better."
The studio has also acknowledged the server problems in a video message to its fans.
On the Curiosity Live Blog, users have told CVG that all six sides on fourth layer are coming clear, with images of fruit and scissors emerging.
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