Monday, October 14, 2013

News::Five Days, Five MMOs: Day 2 - Rusty Hearts

As gamers, we all get a sense of the doldrums from time to time. Playing our favorite mmo become ho-hum and it starts to be less fun to log in. Because of that, the folks over at MMO-Play thought of trying a different mmo everyday for 5 days and see how it feels playing this way. Their second game is Rusty Hearts.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373240/five-days-five-mmos-day-2-rusty-hearts

News::Watch Dogs Eyes-On Preview Hack the Planet | Techno Buffalo

Here at New York Comic Con, Ubisoft offered up a Watch_Dogs presentation that arrived in two distinct phases. First, Creative Director Jonathan Morin sat in front of the camera and spewed a ton of buzz words and marketing hyperbole about how amazing its going to be to turn the city of Chicago into a weapon. Its the same speech thats surrounded this title since day one, and the fact that it was delivered to us at this show as a pre-canned message made it all the less interesting.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373242/watch-dogs-eyes-on-preview-hack-the-planet-techno-buffalo

News::VideoGamer Portugal Plays, October 12

Come see what games have passed through their systems.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1372934/videogamer-portugal-plays-october-12

News::Montague's Mount Review | GodisaGeek

GodisaGeek: "Montagues Mount isnt perfect. The amnesia trope is getting tired at this stage and its a short journey even if it is only the first part. It falls down is in some technical areas too. Its a little buggy (I got stuck in a wall more than once), and there are some very bad texture-popping issues even with the draw distance maxed out. But these imperfections can be partially forgiven as this is an indie title developed by one man, and they dont detract from the experience that has been created here. Unique and emotional in so many ways, while tackling issues rarely before seen in videogames, it can be safely said without any hyperbole that this is one of the most important artistic creations ever to come out of Ireland."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373251/montagues-mount-review-godisageek

News::The Next-Gen Multiplayer Experience in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag | gamrReview Preview

gamrReview's Chris Matulich: "If you're planning on getting Assassins Creed IV, I would highly suggest the next-gen version. My time with the Game Labs demo, which will also allow players to create their own game modes to be featured by Ubisoft in the game, was a satisfying experience, even if it was a bit finicky."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1372993/the-next-gen-multiplayer-experience-in-assassins-creed-iv-black-flag-gamrreview-preview

News::'Assassins Creed 4' development team spent a year on research and development

Ubisoft is certainly a company that places enormous amounts of investments into the Assassin's Creed franchise, and as far as knowing the time frame goes, part of Assassin's Creed 4's development team spent months researching and learning about the era of pirates. In an exclusive interview with Ashraf Ismail, who is the game director on Assassin's Creed 4, he told us why everything in this game has meaning and that the amount of research and development they've done will help bring an experience with purpose.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373214/assassins-creed-4-development-team-spent-a-year-on-research-and-development

News::FIFA 14 - Some Defending Tips

FIFPlay: It definitely matters how many goals you are able score in a FIFA 14 match, but it is also necessarily to know how to not receive a goal. Lack of defensive skills can ruin a winning game.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373232/fifa-14-some-defending-tips

News::Rumours about The Crew's Beta

The Crew's fansite administrator and russian game community revealed first informations about The Crew Beta version. Revelations are coming from The Crew game developer but they're not confirmed by the officials.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373130/rumours-about-the-crews-beta

News::The Wolf Among Us: Episode One Faith Review | Game Critics

After the amazing success Telltale found with The Walking Dead, many wondered how they would follow that act, and whether they'd be able to match the same level of quality. Their next offering is now here, and wisely, they decided to do something different instead of going straight into a second season of zombies.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373228/the-wolf-among-us-episode-one-faith-review-game-critics

News::Top 10 Horror Games That Arent Scary

"Its the spookiest time of year, aside from the annual Thanksgiving dinner when your uncle Dustin will drunkingly put on a leopard-print thong and ask your family to baste him like one of those French turkeys. October is all about the tricks, treats, and horror! Over the years there have been several horror games that aimed to scare the living hell out of you, but have fell drastically short of their potential. Here are ten of the most disappointing and least scary horror games in recent memory." - Dustin Triplett of Geekenstein



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373184/top-10-horror-games-that-arent-scary

News::Dying Light Interview | OnlySP

OnlySP - "The next generation of consoles is incoming, and, with it, comes the inevitable shambling and groaning of zombie apocalypse games. But what do these games have to offer us as we blunder into the future? We recently talked to Techlands Tymon Smektala, producer on the upcoming current and next generation game Dying Light about next gen, single player games, and all things zombies."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373191/dying-light-interview-onlysp

News::City of Titans Interview - Worlds Factory

If you long for City of Heroes, Missing Worlds Media is preparing a nice surprise for you - it's called City of Titans.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373183/city-of-titans-interview-worlds-factory

News::Releases: Week of October 15th Pokemon, Meet Skylanders

Critically Sane takes a look at this week's releases, gives its picks for what should and should not be bought, and makes fun of Pokemon.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373225/releases-week-of-october-15th-pokemon-meet-skylanders

News::FIFA 14 Goals of the Week - Round 2

FIFPlay: FIFA 14 the best goals of the week | Round 2 video.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1372794/fifa-14-goals-of-the-week-round-2

News::Xbox One friend list takes some cues from Twitter


The Xbox Live friend list has evolved over time, starting as a pretty barebones affair on the original Xbox, and eventually becoming the standard to which its competitors are compared. With the impending release of the Xbox One, Microsoft is making some changes seemingly inspired by social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.


In the video above, Larry Hryb takes us through some of the new features. Users will be able to follow other users without necessarily being friends, so Internet celebrities and content creators can more easily reach fans. In place of the old list that showed only a snapshot of current activity, there is now a feed, which updates in real time, showing not only what followees are doing, but when they started doing it. Neat.


Xbox One friend list takes some cues from Twitter screenshot






via destructoid http://www.destructoid.com/xbox-one-friend-list-takes-some-cues-from-twitter-263521.phtml

News::One of the villains hunting the Dark Knight in Batman: Arkham Origins must hate water.

News::Why Call of Duty: Ghosts will crush Battlefield 4 in sales

Digitalwhip - "It sounds surprising to hear that Call of Duty is more popular than Battlefield because anyone who plays Battlefield knows its a great game built on an even greater scale."... "The short answer is hype and marketing."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373194/why-call-of-duty-ghosts-will-crush-battlefield-4-in-sales

News::3Djuegos- The Wolf Among Us: Faith Review

3D:The first chapter of The Wolf Among Us follows the trail of The Walking Dead stylistic and continues to delve into Telltale's interest by adult themes. Based on the comic book Fables, construct a very interesting story in which there is room for dialogue and also abundant for some action scenes. Does the main drawback? It comes in English, which unfortunately hinder the enjoyment of some of this great adventure game that looks back at the future of the genre.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373190/3djuegos-the-wolf-among-us-faith-review

News::Assassins Creed 4 director: Theres a lot of notes from Skyrim and Wind Waker

There are a lot of improvements and changes coming to this newest installment in the Assassin's Creed franchise, and with Assassin's Creed 4, the development team clearly has displayed a certain humbleness in order to make this game as great as they possibly can. In an exclusive interview with Ashraf Ismail, who is the game director on Assassin's Creed 4, he told us about the various improvements the development team has made, and some other great games that provided the team with important inspiration.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373208/assassins-creed-4-director-theres-a-lot-of-notes-from-skyrim-and-wind-waker

News::Smash Hit mobile game Monster Truck Destruction now available on PC and Mac

VVV: "Monster Jam attempted to revitalise the genre for this console generation but ultimately failed, leaving it to developer ODD Games to find a new audience on the mobile market with Monster Truck Destruction, a lovingly authentic replication of the sport for iOS and more recently Android. Fast forward to the present after its successful stint on mobiles, and it's now been ported onto PC and Mac which should hopefully rectify its greatest flaw - the controls. Driving these over-sized American muscle machines was never meant to be easy, but they don't exactly lend themselves well to the limited touch controls on a mobile."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1372949/smash-hit-mobile-game-monster-truck-destruction-now-available-on-pc-and-mac

News::Infinity Wars could well be the best digital card game to date | Digitally Downloaded

Digitally Downloaded writes: "Despite being in closed beta the community seems genuinely committed to the game already, and even when there's only a handful of players online I've yet to struggle in getting a game going. This is a great sign for the game, because it means despite the frequent bugs and interface players aren't deterred. I love Infinity Wars already, and I think this game could be a very big thing. Impressive work from a tiny Aussie startup."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1372990/infinity-wars-could-well-be-the-best-digital-card-game-to-date-digitally-downloaded

News::Connected Digital World - Disney Infinity Review

CDW:Disney Infinity is still entertaining, and thats all that really counts. Each play sets provides a healthy amount of gameplay and is addictive. The Toy Box is exactly the kind of sandbox that players look for, and while it isnt as expansive as Minecraft in terms of creativity, it does the job pretty well in matching the creativity that was in Toy Story 3s Toy Box. As long as youre forgiving about the presentation and are amenable to the game being a money sink, youll have loads of fun. My whole family loves the Disney Infinity world cant wait till Disney Infinity 2 for next generation consoles the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373120/connected-digital-world-disney-infinity-review

News::Bundle Gameplay - Groupees 1C Mega Bundle

GG3 continues the barrage of bundle coverage with their latest gameplay commentary on one of the many games present in Groupees' 1C Mega Bundle. This is a promotion with over 25 games, which are especially interesting for roleplaying and strategy fans. Fantasy Wars is the game of choice to show off.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373122/bundle-gameplay-groupees-1c-mega-bundle

News::Tekken Card Tournament celebrates 5 million downloads

Namco Bandai Games has just announced that its Tekken Card Tournament has reached 5 million downloads.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373162/tekken-card-tournament-celebrates-5-million-downloads

News::Turn 10 on why Forza Motorsport 5′s physics are ‘impossible on last-generation hardware’


Turn 10 Studio’s creative director Dan Greenawalt will talk about the brutal, complicated maths that underlie Forza’s handling model for days, if that’s what it takes to prove the necessity of next-generation hardware for making Forza Motorsport 5 work. “The things we’re doing in physics now are simply impossible on last-generation hardware,” he says. “The amount of power to do the calculations we’re doing was just not available, and we didn’t have the knowhow as an industry to do some of the things we’re now doing.”


Greenawalt offers an example: “We did good suspension in Forza 4, but there was more to be done. We’re adding open-wheel [cars] in Forza 5, like the 1976 Ferrari and McLaren from the movie Rush, so we wanted to reinvestigate what it takes to do a race suspension model, and that benefits all our cars. Now we have more accurate movement as we’re doing a reverse-kinematic model. Basically we’ve measured all movement – the length of the swingarm, the length of the A-arm – we have all that modelled.”


“Tyres,” Greenawalt says, with a full stop. Forza 4 simulated tyre flex using variables ported directly into the game from Pirelli’s own test data, but Greenawalt wanted more.


“I was asking Pirelli, ‘These tyre curves you have, this data… how are you isolating camber from wear from pressure and so on?’” he says. “Pirelli’s take was, ‘We don’t and [you can’t]’. So we found a new partner for Forza 5: Calspan. Calspan is not a name that anybody knows, unless you’re an engineer. The testing that Pirelli was doing on their tyres is called Calspan testing; that’s what all the tyre manufacturers use. [Calspan’s] take was different to Pirelli. It said, ‘We’ll need palettes of tyres,’ so we bought palettes of tyres and sent them to Calspan and [it] did two weeks of testing – morning, noon and night – isolating these variables. We now know things about Pirelli tyres that Pirelli doesn’t know about Pirelli tyres. We know things about Toyo and Yokohama that are going to help write the textbooks in two or three years.”



Greenawalt only mentions Forza’s most conspicuous competitor when he doesn’t mention it – Gran Turismo 6 uses Yokohama tyres and physics powered by a current-generation processor.


“I don’t know about their physics engine,” he says. “But this is a new physics model that wouldn’t have been possible in the last generation, and not just on Xbox 360. We just didn’t have the power to run all of these isolated variables. We made changes to the aerodynamics, we made changes to the mass block – there are a lot of changes that came in – but it’s the tyres where we’re not just on the cutting edge of racing simulation, we’re on the cutting edge of tyre science.”


But for all the millions invested in handling models and tyre flex, it’s not maths that separates Microsoft’s Gran Turismo from Sony’s Gran Turismo; it’s the push to change, to let players play their way and to exploit new ideas as much as new technology. Polyphony Digital’s Gamescom panel showcased a game of escalating complexity worn as a badge of honour, while Turn 10’s Forza 5 demonstration was about explaining a game that’s playable by anyone, any way.


The massive multidiscipline Forza 4 career has been replaced with 42 90-minute mini-careers, each built around a specific class. The Sport Compact category opens up into a series of campaigns – Modern Hot Hatch, Early Sport Compact, Modern Sport Compact – and lets players take them on in any order, as long as they have the car for it.



You’ll start in a mid-range sports car rather than a Ford Focus, but you can step up or down the classes at will so long as you have the cash for it. Every car is fully articulated and those million-polygon models can be explored in firstperson with an intro from Top Gear’s presenters, detailing the differences between an STi and a GTi or framing it in the history of motorsport, movies or automotive design.


“No matter where you go in the game, you get money and XP and level up,” Greenawalt says. “Whether you’re a five-year-old or a 35-year-old race car mechanic, whether in splitscreen or Free Play, multiplayer, singleplayer… we value everyone’s time equally. I don’t ever want to try to fit someone into a cookie-cutter mould, to say, ‘Oh, you’re not into simulation – get out of here’. I believe that’s poor design. Are there arcade games and sim games? No, there are just poor designers. I believe a good designer can come in and we can have excellent physics and we can have that depth, but if you don’t get it, don’t even worry about it.”


But what about being on the cutting edge of physics? What about a once-impossible degree of variable handling? What about writing the textbook on tyres? What does it mean for the player in a racing game made unique by the chance to play how you like?


“It means a car comes to life,” Greenawalt says. “It’s just more alive. And that’s what Forza is about. We want to bring physics that a race car driver can appreciate and put it in the hands of a five-year-old.”


The post Turn 10 on why Forza Motorsport 5′s physics are ‘impossible on last-generation hardware’ appeared first on Edge Online.






via Edge Online http://www.edge-online.com/features/turn-10-on-why-forza-motorsport-5s-physics-are-impossible-on-last-generation-hardware/

News::USA Pre-Order Chart Week Ending October 12th, 2013

Skylanders Swap Force and LEGO Marvel Super Heroes are on their last week while Call of Duty: Ghosts continues the top spot. Other notable changes include the Xbox One version of Ghosts surpasses the PS4 version and Destiny continues to rapid climb on the chart.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373148/usa-pre-order-chart-week-ending-october-12th-2013

News::China Working To "Fix" Internet Addiction, Whatever That Means

News::Volgarr The Viking Review - Zero1Gaming

Kimo reviews Volgarr the Viking from Adult Swim Games now available of Steam



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1372808/volgarr-the-viking-review-zero1gaming

News::N4G Radio 10/14/2013

The new generation draws near, and sanity is starting to elude the boys. Hosts: Ken McKown Justin Testa Drew Leachman John Whitehouse Games Covered: The Wolf Among Us Episode 1 Faith Skylanders SWAP Force Beyond: Two Souls Montagues Mount Grand Theft Auto V And more



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373139/n4g-radio-10-14-2013

News::The Wolf Among Us Episode 1 Review | TPReview

TPReview takes a spoiler-free look at Telltale Games' new adventure series - The Wolf Among Us - based on the 'Fables' series of comics.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373099/the-wolf-among-us-episode-1-review-tpreview

News::GTA V reclaims pole position in UK software sales chart

GTA V has reclaimed the number one spot in the UK software sales chart after tussling with FIFA 14.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373069/gta-v-reclaims-pole-position-in-uk-software-sales-chart

News::Dogs of War Online Enters Closed Beta

Dogs of War is a free to play Turn Based Strategy game developed by Cyanide Studios. Your able to form a mercenary company from 3 different races, light, darkness and destiny.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373047/dogs-of-war-online-enters-closed-beta

News::Reality Check - Why Do We Care About Fictional Characters?

Ever felt moved by the plight of a video game character and wondered why? Cam investigates in this weeks Reality Check.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373063/reality-check-why-do-we-care-about-fictional-characters

News::Strife Interview with Pu Liu and Ryan Shackelford of S2 Games

October 11, 2013 marked an important event in the MOBA history in the Philippines as the second generation free-to-play MOBA, Strife finally hits our shores. We were lucky enough to be one of the first to experience the game on a secured server before its grand launch worldwide. Were also given the privilege to sit down with the Director of Monetization at S2 Games and Lead System Designer for Strife, Pu Liu and Ryan Shackelford, Creative Game Designer for Strife.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373043/strife-interview-with-pu-liu-and-ryan-shackelford-of-s2-games

News::'NBA 2K14' Review |AnalogAddiction

AnalogAddiction writes, "Sports games are always striving to capture the atmosphere and action of a real sporting match. In the early years, it was all about gameplay and changing it to be more like the sport in real life. In the past few years, there has been more focus on getting the little things right and making minor changes that improve the gameplay in ways that make it feel like the real deal. NBA 2K14 makes changes to its mechanics, but the search for realism does not come without a few hiccups."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373106/nba-2k14-review-analogaddiction

News::The Walking Dead: Game of the Year Edition Rated by ESRB

ESRB has revelaed its rating summary for upcoming "The Walking Dead: Game of the Year Edition" for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. For those who are unaware of, The Walking Dead: GOTY Edition will include the additional episode "400 Days".



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373088/the-walking-dead-game-of-the-year-edition-rated-by-esrb

News::Kill Streak Media - Resident Evil Revelations Review

Kill Streak Media - Capcom has done it again by releasing another Resident Evil game to the franchise with Resident Evil Revelations.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1372946/kill-streak-media-resident-evil-revelations-review

News::Watch Dogs preview: The power of a modern day vigilante - MSN NZ

The every day liberties we so often take for granted can be so easily compromised under the blanket of security: to maintain our liberty, we must sacrifice it.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1372947/watch-dogs-preview-the-power-of-a-modern-day-vigilante-msn-nz

News::Outlast - Lots of poo

AWESOMEoutof10's Fraser Brown is back with a final episode in his play through of Outlast.Can he stop himself from screaming like a wee girl? Will his pants be unsoiled at the end of the video? Watch and find out!



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1372882/outlast-lots-of-poo

News::FIFA 14: Can The Beautiful Game Get Any Better?

"Footballs a funny old game. Steeped in history, a fanbase of billions and the governing bodies maintaining a vice like grip on the rules and regulations, its not like EA can go and dramatically overhaul its perennial FIFA title each year, is it? Yet fans of the series continue to buy it, knowing that the latest iteration will be much like the last except for a few tweaks here and there. Worry not though. While the latest update oozes familiarity, aficionados will instantly notice some distinct changes and novices will relish the FIFA experience."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1372726/fifa-14-can-the-beautiful-game-get-any-better

News::Leaked Call Of Duty Ghost Multiplayer Maps Video Commentary

YouTube user ABRDrummer goes through the names of some multiplayer maps coming out for Call Of Duty Ghost with pics included.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1372731/leaked-call-of-duty-ghost-multiplayer-maps-video-commentary

News::Eurogamer - Camp Keepalive Review

EG:Few could deny that the recent boom in indie development has revitalised horror gaming. Free from the blockbuster expectations that too often see terrifying tension replaced with bombastic action, it's the independent PC games that have brought vulnerability and unease back into vogue, enabling players to be genuinely scared by games once again.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373114/eurogamer-camp-keepalive-review

News::Eurogamer -Strider's revival could be the classic's best sequel yet

EG:Be careful what you wish for. Kouichi Yotsui's Strider series burnt short but bright, and ever since its technically challenged but mechanically exquisite sequel came out in arcades 16 years ago, those still basking in its afterglow have been pining up for a follow-up.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373116/eurogamer-striders-revival-could-be-the-classics-best-sequel-yet

News::When it comes to storytelling and getting emotional responses from games, sometimes less is more


When we consider the advancement of games and the maturation of their storytelling, we always assume that more tech, more tools and more space will be what lets us refine the experience into something more mature, complex and sophisticated. Something more affecting.


Whether or not the videogame is a good medium in which to tell stories is one of the discipline’s most common debates. There seems to be some acknowledgment that play can create feelings, and that those feelings can be meaningful. We see that games can provide scores of fans with the opportunity to enter fantastical worlds and meet new characters.


Meanwhile, it’s generally agreed that as a basic principle this needs to happen through game design, and not in conflict with or at the expense of game design. Not all games need stories, and trying to imitate the conventions of cinema or pushing the abstract values of ‘realism’ or ‘immersion’ hasn’t borne fruit.


Still, while the particulars continue to make excellent fodder for fan debate and developer forum discussions, let’s agree that games can be a good medium for telling some kinds of stories. And that under some circumstances, they can tell those stories in ways other media can’t, by letting players inhabit events, control worlds or even touch elements from some peculiar distance mediated by a designer.


Recently, though, we’ve seen some games that have things to teach us about how games can tell stories, while still using the familiar language of game design. And contrary to some widely held ideas, these games achieved their impact, their sense of maturity and grace, through restraint and constraint. In other words, maybe games benefit most from taking things out, rather than piling more things in.



The Fullbright Company’s Gone Home is a lovely example of what can be achieved by reduction within constraint, rather than the conventional ideal of bigger-better-more. A small team, comprised mainly of 2K Marin veterans with experience in environmental design, gave itself an interesting task: to find out what happens when you don’t have the resources, the combat, the triple-A values.


The result is an eloquent, spare story about teenage love in a complicated time, told simply through player exploration. On one hand, the four-person development team didn’t have the scope or budget to render realistic faces with extensive dialogue and extensive game system. On the other, the constraints – partly necessary, partly intentional – let them focus on innovating with minimal resources. The delicate human story at the game’s core was able to come to the fore because of the things they didn’t add.


A reductive approach to design seems to lead to better storytelling. Many of the games with a place in the canon of videogames’ most affecting experiences focus on a simple system, or a single mechanic: consider Portal, whose witty humour and character was delicately whittled out of a puzzle-solving game.


Ico and Shadow Of The Colossus are both beloved for having illuminated touching fantasy and provoked thought by not fully explicating their universes, and by keeping the player focused on a single task or ruleset. The less stimulation and information you provide to the player up front, the more opportunity you have to surprise them and subvert their expectations.



Papers, Please is a recent game that is alternately funny, political, thought-provoking and chilling – rooted in a concept that sounds so mundane you might assume it’s boring. Yet through the simple concept of processing documents at border control, the game creates one of the most nuanced and complex narrative experiences I’ve played this year.


In Papers, Please the player experiences an incredible range of emotion and decision-making opportunities, because the systems are elaborate while the narrative is restrained. One might presume that a game about immigration policy would benefit from details about the world in which it’s set, extensive context or pathos-heavy character stories, or explicit real-world references, but the reverse is actually true.


Because the game’s engaging element involves making quick mechanical (and ethical) decisions with minimal information, the fact that so many elements go unexplained makes the experience stronger.


Many game designers know well that constraints make for more creative games – groups of designers doing one-button game design challenges a few years ago came out prepared to better understand the touchscreen age that followed, and weekend game jams often spawn incredible ideas from the combination of a single concept and limited time.


Perhaps, as a general approach, restraint and reduction better serve storytelling in games as well. It’s certainly something to consider as the next generation of hardware promises more lifelike facial animations, real-world actors and more emphasis on the ever-nebulous concept of ‘immersion’. Rather than think about what else we can pour into a game, let’s think about how we might enhance the experience by taking things out.


The post When it comes to storytelling and getting emotional responses from games, sometimes less is more appeared first on Edge Online.






via Edge Online http://www.edge-online.com/features/when-it-comes-to-storytelling-and-getting-emotional-responses-from-games-sometimes-less-is-more/

News::Warlock 2: The Exiled Interview (Strategy Informer)

From Strategyinformer.com: "Ill admit, this is one game announcement I didnt see coming. The original Warlock was a fun civ-like game that mixed in high-fantasy and an element of exploration. It wasnt perfect, but it had its own charms, but it never felt like a game Paradox would want to do a sequel for. Guess I was wrong about that. At this years Ignomir Games Fair in Russia, Paradox Interactive officially pulled of the veil on Warlock 2: The Exiled. Not wanting to be behind the times, we sat down with Producer and Paradox Veteran Jörgen Björklund to find out all we could.".



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373098/warlock-2-the-exiled-interview-strategy-informer

News::Asus PQ321Q review - eyes-on with the first 4K PC display

Eurogamer:While the next generation of consoles are finally set to deliver 1080p gaming to the masses, the consumer electronics industry is rapidly gearing up for a full-scale push towards 4K - the next standard in high definition viewing. 4K, or 3840x2160 Ultra High Definition as it is officially called, delivers four times the resolution contained in the current standard of 1080p, approaching the maximum amount of video information resolved in a high-quality 35mm film print. The result is not only the potential for a staggering increase in detail, but also a smoother image and the complete elimination of the screen door effect visible when sitting closely to large HDTVs and PC monitors.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373026/asus-pq321q-review-eyes-on-with-the-first-4k-pc-display

News::Steelseries Sensei RAW -Heat Orange Review (Invision Game Community)

Since the release of our first mouse, we have been using Japanese-inspiration in our naming of them. Our mice are built for performance and tournament-style play; Ikari means anger, Xai means talent, and the list of product names goes on. The Sensei is our version of the grand-master in our Do Jo. It is the teacher. The Sensei [RAW] Heat Orange is that master in his pure and focused form.



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1372773/steelseries-sensei-raw-heat-orange-review-invision-game-community

News::Superfrog HD Review | GamingLives

GamingLives takes a look at Team17's remake of their 1993 classic platformer, Superfrog, to see if it stood the test of time. "On first release in 1993, Superfrog was a solid platformer that earned respect in the industry. Superfrog HD, however, comes to us unchanged some twenty years later and is surrounded by better games and this, sadly, makes it feel more like its aimed at the casual gamer rather than taking its rightful place."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373051/superfrog-hd-review-gaminglives

News::Watch Dogs Designer Talks Safe Houses, Cars, Economy, Weather, Interiors and More - AusGamers

AusGamers caught up with Ubisoft Montreal's Kevin Shortt to talk about how their open-world ticks. The full interview discusses a range of things such as hard-fail scenarios and dynamic play, collecting cars, building a HQ with safe-houes, the in-game economy, side-missions, interiors, weather and much more. From the interview: "Wind is definitely a part of the game. Whats cool about this engine (Disrupt) is we have a full wind simulation. Now it doesnt change the way you play, but what it does is it really brings some extra like, the wind is dynamic, right, and it just helps to pull you in."



via N4G: pc news feed http://n4g.com/news/1373054/watch-dogs-designer-talks-safe-houses-cars-economy-weather-interiors-and-more-ausgamers

News::Chinese Building Looks Like a Golden Penis