Posts Tagged ‘2010’
The Console MMO’s Are Coming – Part One
The biggest revelation of this generation from a console point of view has undoubtedly been online play.
From communication, to digital distribution, to online store fronts like the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live, to good old fashioned online frag-fests, Microsoft and Sony have put their online strategies at the front lines of the ongoing console wars.
And yet there’s something missing. Where are the MMO’s? With Sony Online Entertainment’s John Smedley admitting that MMO’s will become a selling point for the PS3, we decided to take a look at a few MMO’s desitend for consoles in the near future.
Star Trek Online:
Developer: Cryptic Studios
Release Date: March 2010
What is it?: It’s kind of remarkable that we haven’t already seen at least one massively multiplayer online game based on a franchise as big and as popular as Star Trek.
It’s true the franchise has suffered through some harsh times over the last decade or so, what with the lackluster critical and viewer reception of series like Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise, (the former of which inspired a couple of surprisingly good single player first person shooters) but it’s experienced a renaissance under the stewardship of Lost creator, J.J Abrams. No, the reason we haven’t seen a Star Trek MMO yet lies with a troubled development cycle that dates back to 2004, under the auspices of the new defunct game developer, Perpetual Entertainment.
In truth it’s a bit of a mystery how a relatively new upstart like Perpetual Entertainment, founded only two years prior in 2002, managed to get their hands on a license as massive as Star Trek, but they did.
In retrospect, development never seemed to be moving along smoothly at Perpetual. The company went through several rounds of layoffs starting in 2006, and while the company interacted well with the fan community on its message boards, the first screenshots of the game, indicating a more stylised, World of Warcraft-esque artistic direction, were met with a healthy dose of skepticism and some disappointment.
The layoffs continued into 2007, and it wasn’t long before Perpetual announced it was putting its other in-development MMO, Gods and Heroes: Rome Rising, on hold indefinitely while it concentrated production efforts and resources on the more lucrative Star Trek license. Shortly thereafter, Perpetual Entertainment closed it’s doors for good, enter; Cryptic Studios.
A veteran of the MMO genre having already produced City of Heroes and City of Villains for Korean publisher, NCsoft, Cryptic Studios snapped up the rights to develop Star Trek Online, as well as use much of the pre-production conceptual artwork created by Perpetual.
Cryptic’s plans for STO are ambitious, and the game’s development has moved at breakneck speed towards an early 2010 release date, but crucially, things seem to be coming together remarkably well… for the PC version of game at least.
You see, from the beginning Cryptic had planned to bring Star Trek Online to both the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. They’ve noted that the game itself and the engine are currently running on both platforms, so what’s the stumbling block? In a recent interview with Eurogamer, STO executive producer Craig Zinkievich stated that he believes Sony and Microsoft simply don’t understand MMO’s:
“In terms of actually developing the game on the consoles?” asked Zinkievich. “I mean Champions runs on the console right now; Star Trek Online runs on the consoles right now; our engine – the Cryptic Engine – runs on the consoles.”
“So I can guarantee that internally I can have Star Trek Online running on the consoles because I know I can, and we’ve done it. But it’s that [business] side that I can’t speak for.”
Chances of it happening: Assuming Sony and Microsoft can sort out their issues with the business side of letting third party MMO’s on their platforms, the chances of seeing Star Trek Online on consoles are pretty good, just don’t expect to see a release alongside the PC version though.
The Agency:
Developer: Sony Online Entertainment
Release Date: 2010
What is it?: After a brief flurry of media activity following it’s announcement in 2007, SOE’s gone very quiet on its spy-themed multiplayer online shooter, opting instead to keep their heads down and show more when they feel the time is right.
Suiting up as a member of either the suave and sophisticated “United Network of Intelligence and Tactical Experts” (U.N.I.T.E) or the rough and ready “Paramilitary Global Operations Network” (ParaGON), players will be plunged into a world of secrets, subterfuge and stealth, heavily inspired by spy thrillers like James Bond, The Bourne series, and perhaps even a hint of Austin Powers.
In truth, SOE has been hesitant to label the game “an MMO”, preferring to use the tag of “an online persistent shooter”, mainly because while you’ll certainly be able to party with up to three of your best buddies on missions and instances, the game uses a “hub and spoke” based world design system, with designated public areas, rather than a massive open world as you might find in a game like World of Warcraft.
Gamers will be able to choose between a first and third person perspective, and embark on missions of varying types such as assault, patrol, delivery, cross-over objectives, assassination etc. and change “classes” on the fly by suiting up with different gear specific to the style of play they wish to engage in.
If you’re already having nightmare visions of rolling dice and bullets not hitting their targets despite the crosshairs being locked on, you needn’t worry, SOE Seattle’s Kevin O’ Hara, Senior World Designer has stated that “a headshot’s headshot”. While there will be certain RPG elements in the game (such as the inclusion of stat-bumping “Operatives”), the game will be primarily skill based, meaning even the greenest of recruits will be able to take down veteran spies… with a little luck.
Perhaps the best news to gamers ears though, will be that SOE is aware that “shooter gamers” and console gamers in particular just aren’t used to shelling out $15 a month to play a game, as such, SOE are looking to have some sort of free-to-play model in place, with revenue coming from in-game item sales and in-game advertising.
Since the relatively lackluster launch of Everquest II, and the subsequent mishandling of Star Wars Galaxies, it’s fair to say gamers have been guarded in their expectations regarding The Agency. That said, while the game does appear to be taking something of a PR backseat to the potentially more lucrative DC Universe Online (also in development at SOE), and barring the departure of a few high profile employees, development on The Agency would appear to be moving along rather well.
Chances of it happening: Following SOE’s recent inclusion as part of Sony’s Worldwide Studios (they were formerly, and quite bizarrely part of the motion pictures group) it would seem that The Agency is a definite lock for a simultaneous release on PlayStation 3 and PC at some point in 2010. The big question is, how will it fare?
Age of Conan:
Developer: Funcom
Release Date: TBD
You’ve never played a massively multiplayer online role playing game like Age of Conan… unless you’ve played Age of Conan.
It’s dark, bloody, violent, brooding and scandalously sexy. Funcom sought to differentiate itself from the average orc and elf infested MMO in every way imaginable, starting from a presentation standpoint, and continuing on to the very nature of it’s brutal and gory real time combo-based combat system. Age of Conan does everything to embrace the license it’s based on.
In development since at least 2003, anticipation for Funcom’s gorgeous looking MMO reached fever pitch as the games release was pushed back not once but twice.
These delays proved to do little for the stability of the games launch however, as large numbers of players reported major technical glitches including bugs and performance issues. Those that endured through the early hitches were severely disappointed once they reached the game’s high level areas, only to find that content rapidly evaporated, leaving them with nothing to do.
Despite selling an impressive number of copies and posting high initial subscriber figures, Age of Conan began to struggle shortly after launch as players fed up with the technical problems they encountered simply left. Drastic action was needed, and it came swiftly.
In a high profile move, Age of Conan’s game director, Gaute Godager resigned his post, and was replaced by community fan favorite, Craig Morrison.
Morrison quickly set about fixing many of the issues identified by himself and the community, and over the course of the following year, Age of Conan slowly turned things around. Bugs were squashed, massive patches infusing the game with high level content were added for free, and game systems deemed to largely be “broken” by the community were fixed or removed entirely.
Age of Conan isn’t the same game it was when it launched in May of 2008. It runs better, runs smoother, and has more than enough content to keep gamers happy for a long time, but what is it that makes AoC perfect for a console release? Combat. It’s violent, visceral, and bloody, and it’s like nothing in any MMO you’ve ever played.
Combat in Age of Conan is combo based, requiring the player to follow a series of timed directional button presses in order to maximise the amount of damage they deal. Battle stance is also far more important and intuitive than most MMO’s, as a player will take more damage if hit from the side or behind, and also if attacked from an angle he is not protecting, It forces a more desperate form of combat in keeping with the game’s world, and you’re occasionally rewarded with impressive kill animations that result in you stabbing, disemboweling, or decapitating your opponent in fantastically satisfying fashion.
Chances of it happening: It’s really hard to say, you can’t help but think Funcom need to ensure the continuing survival of the PC version, including the launch of its first expansion, Rise of the Godslayer, before dabbling in the fickle markets of the console world. That said, we keep hearing the Xbox 360 version is still in production despite Funcom having multiple opportunities to admit its cancellation, as such, we’re led to believe it’s coming at some point. Just don’t hold your breath.
About the Author
For WoW Gold, Aion Kinah, game news, guides and articles, visit www.epictoon.com. Low prices, really fast delivery. Safe and guaranteed.
PES 2010 Ps3 Bug*** GOALKEEPER Diving XD
Ufc Undisputed 2010 – Coming In May
UFC Undisputed 2010
So you want to be a fighter? Step into the Octagon in UFC Undisputed 2010 to see if you have what it takes to be the best of the best. UFC Undisputed 2010 features the most authentic MMA action while boasting the best fighters in the world. After one round with all the new features and key improvements, you’ll embody the essence and spirit of a real fighter. Are you ready to be one?
UFC Undisputed 2010 is out on the 28th of May. You can pre-order UFC Undisputed 2010 now for Xbox 360, PS3 and PSP from GameXchange ready for the day of release. Check out some of the fantastic features and a short teaser trailer below.
“UFC Undisputed 2010 is the only mixed martial arts (MMA) videogame that delivers the action, intensity and prestige of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Step into the Octagon this May for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 to experience the most advanced virtual MMA action with more than 100 of the best UFC fighters in the world.
Navigate a roster of more than 100 UFC fighters, each fully rendered to convey a photorealistic appearance. Prominent UFC personalities, including the commentary team of Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg, veteran voice of the Octagon Bruce Buffer, Octagon Girls, referees, trainers and more return to showcase an authentic UFC videogame experience.
Encourage camaraderie by forming fight camps and leagues to participate in ranking and champion tracking systems. Join forces, train like real-life UFC fighters and go online to compete against other camps in the virtual UFC world.”
- GameSpy
UFC Games from GameXchange
Can’t wait till the release date? You can get your hands on UFC Undisputed 2009 used from just £11.99.
About the Author
Martin Wyatt | www.gamexchange.co.uk | GameXchange
UFC Undisputed 2010 Gameplay
FIFA 10 – The Next-Gen Soccer Video Game Experience
Here is my two cents on FIFA 10 video game;
Graphics: The graphics of this version of FIFA is superiorly much better than the previous versions of the game. The players look more realistic and can be compared to that of PES 2009(although it is much better). The player’s shirts, shorts, and hair move and their breath on a cold, snowy day can be seen. The facial features of the players can be seen more clearly. This is probably THE next-gen soccer experience.
Available Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, PC, Nintendo DS, N-Gage, PSP, Cell Phone, and the iPhone through the AppStore.
New Features:
- To make sure that the attacking team doesn’t have an advantage on the counter attack, the defensive line or “the defense” will be positioned deeper. This was done improve the realism of game play.
- 360 Degree Dribbling System – A new system which allows players to make more ‘precise’ passes. These ‘precise’ passes were not able to be made in previous versions of the game.
Improved Features:
- Manager Mode: Now, making a 5-star team is much harder. This means you can’t just buy many highly-rated players and expect your team to become a 5-star team. You have to gain experience with your team. Another cool thing is that your pre-season friendly matches are organized by your ASSISTANT MANAGER! I thought that this was pretty cool.
- A.I. has been improved.
- Set-piece delivery has been improved. This means that scoring goals or crossing from a free kick/corner is much easier.
David Ruther revealed the following features on his Twitter account:
- The wall defending against a free kick can be moved through use of the shoulder button.
- The game will not feature dynamic lighting.
- Cross-park passes are now generally a lot more driven, and will take about half the time to cross the pitch.
- You can assign specific stadiums to clubs.
- On cold days, it may snow, and players’ breath will be visible.
- There will be new crowd effects.
- There will be a new training mode, similar to the one in the PS2 version.
To watch a trailer for this upcoming game, please visit: http://europeansoccer-about.com/VideoGame
For more information on European Soccer, please visit http://www.europeansoccer-about.com. We offer the latest news, league, club, and player information in detail and can download great wallpapers of your favorite European soccer players for FREE. You can find great deals on Soccer Posters.
About the Author
Demo PES 2010 Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 Ps3 Playstation 3 Full Match Barcelona x Liverpool
New Generation DVD Players
If someone walks up to you and tries to explain that DVD player is now a thing of the past, taken him seriously, in fact very seriously! With the advent of powerful optical disk formats like HD DVD (high definition DVD) and Blu-ray Disc the visual media is set to take a generation leap.
Their popularity is soaring with each passing day as they are proliferating into the conscious of the common man through other popular media. Like the Blu-ray Disc is supported by the immensely popular PS3 and even the hugely successful (but controversial) movie ‘Da Vinci Code’ was also released on a Blu-ray Disc! This makes it one of the well known formats amongst the younger generation. But then the HD DVD format isn’t lagging behind by too much.
Microsoft’s Xbox 360 HD DVD player is already making waves in the market for almost a year now and being the cheaper amongst the two; HD DVD Player is preferred by users. Also the portable DVD players are much in demand in the market and quite a few of them support these HD DVD formats that make them all the more attractive to the user.
But if we talk about quality Blu-ray Disc is better by far as it has got a higher numerical aperture, much higher storage capacity (be it single layer or dual) and the data/video transfer rates are substantially higher in the Blu-ray discs as compared to HD DVD player or a normal portable DVD Player.
With top brands like Samsung, Philips, Panasonic, Pioneer, Toshiba and others equipping their DVD players and portable DVD players to support any one of these two highly powerful and advanced disc formats a marketing war between the two brands was almost inevitable. But in the Consumer Electronics Show held in Las Vegas, Nevada (USA) in January 2007 Warner Bros introduced Total HD discs, following the footsteps of global electronics giant LG. These highly advanced discs will be compatible with both, HD DVD players and Blu-ray DVD players.
Will this be the end of format war? Well it is a tough call to make, especially when a company like LG (who specialise in making home appliances rather than optical disc formats) decides to do something to douse the fire of format war, it is bound to get very intriguing.
About the Author
Fletcher Mak is an author, write various articles on different themes to expand information, because articles is a good way to send their information to needy people easily. You can get information about portable dvd players and other consumer electronics.
PlayStation 3 Leap-Year Bug Cripples Over 10 Million Players
25 Things About Me: Bayonetta
Game Podunk is proud to introduce the “25 Things About Me” series, where we reveal (and imagine) the twitter, myspace, and facebook life of our favorite video game characters, both established and new! Spanning the vast gamiverse, we bring you the characters and their list of 25 things about themselves, (of course) written from their point of view! Don’t be too surprised to find the list filled with interesting facts about them, as well as the blanks that we filled in with our (crazy) imagination. We hope you’ll have as much fun reading these as we’ve had writing them.
To start off our new series, here is Bayonetta from Sega’s upcoming action title of the same name!
1. My favorite color is black. Don’t tell me “black” is technically not a color. I don’t want to hear it. I’ve warned you.
2. I would love to hear a techno cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s Song, “Scarborough Fair” – a great song + a thumping soundtrack you can move to? Count me in.
3. I’m really into herbs. My favorites? Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme.
4. Those are also the names of my guns. Yes, I carry four at once, and no, I’m not exaggerating. With a body like mine, it doesn’t hurt to pack plenty of heat.
5. I never miss an opportunity to be stylish. Remember: Even something as dull as glasses can complete your look.
6. Fashion should be functional. Walk cutely, but carry a gun in your heel.
7. Sometimes I just like to let my hair down. And use it to summon a giant foot.
8. Did you know I can sprout butterfly wings to help me jump? Nothing like magic for a little pick-me-up.
9. I’m confident enough to show a little skin, especially since my clothes are actually my hair. Besides, a witch has no need for modesty.
10. Yes, I know I look like Sarah Palin, former governor of Alaska and vice-presidential candidate. But no, we aren’t related. So stop asking. My trigger heal is itching.
11. Who would win in a fight between me and Dante from Devil May Cry? Me, obviously.
12. Did I mention I can supplex a dragon? Have you ever seen Dante do THAT?
13. Yes, walking on walls is as fun as it looks! (But don’t try it at home without me.)
14. I can manipulate time. Sometimes a lady needs to take things a little slower for a change.
15. I love candy, especially Sour Patch Kids. Both sour and sweet. And I find chocolate both delicious and arousing.
16. My favorite thing to watch on TV is MMA, UFC, etc. – basically anything involving two sweaty guys pummeling each other with almost no rules… although I think it’d be even more entertaining if magic were involved.
17. How do I feel about leather? Well, I don’t really wear clothes in the traditional sense, but leather looks sexy, and if it’s sexy, it has to feel good.
18. Hmm… do I play with my food? No, but I do like to toy with my enemies – and make sure they go out with a bang.
19. Cars or motorcycles? Hogs, hands down. Really, what’s more sexy, a Volvo or a Harley?
20. My favorite animal is definitely the panther: black, sleek, sexy, dangerous and mysterious. You can say it’s just like me.
21. I’d say I hate angels, but then I might be out of a job. I have no problem taking jobs with angels on the hit list.
22. The Matrix (the original, of course) is one of my favorite movies. Although Trinity could have used some longer hair, in my opinion.
23. If I could meet any person, fictional or real, dead or alive, who would it be? Now, don’t assume that I’ll draw a blank – other than memories of my past – all else is quite intact.
24. A lady called Mata Hari back at the beginning of the 19th century catches my fancy. An exotic dancer who became a spy, both sexy and stealthy… Sounds like we could have been good friends.
25. I never miss an opportunity to practice my moves: even for witches, it takes practice to be perfect.
Although you may be dying to get your hands on me, you won’t get to play with me until January 2010.
Written and Contributed by rrquinta - Podunk Camper
About the Author
Game Podunk is more than a general game site! We’re a private reward community for video gamers where most of the contents and discussions are contributed by members just like you! Some say Game Podunk is a social news site, a deal site, or a gaming forum, but we say it doesn’t matter as long as it’s all about video games! Join us today to participate in game discussions, find exclusive member only offers, share videos, and more!
UFC 2010 Undisputed Debut Trailer [HD]