Sunday, April 29, 2007

Umbrella Chronicles: Wii developer interview

The guys over at Codename Revolution posted this interview this afternoon.



Executive summary: Wii users are noob.

A few quotes

"The Wii user likes easiness"
"We had to compromise to lower difficulty level"
"UC's original play system was similar to RE4"

I really hope they are still developing the RE4 like UC. Also known as Resident Evil 5, For the Wii.

Visceral

Obviously, the Wii remote is very intuitive when playing tennis, bowling, or even boxing. But there's a visceral element to the Wii, as well. There's something much more dark and satisfying about shaking the remote and nunchuck to finish off a strangulation execution. It's part the mimicry of the action and part the flourish you're allowed -- the expression of the move.

It's like watching a pro play DDR -- it's not just about tapping the directions with your feet, it's about making a whole dance out of it.

So, yeah, the Wii doesn't specialize in Mature games (and it doesn't have to). The graphics aren't as rich and detailed as the PS3 and the 360 but the environment feels so much deeper simply because of the control scheme.

I'm guessing Nintendo knew that.

Brain Waves: The new Wiimote

The Houston Chronicle posted a thought provoking article regarding the future of controllers. A prototype of a light saber and Darth Vader's mask has been developed.

Behind the mask is a sensor that touches the user's forehead and reads the brain's electrical signals, then sends them to a wireless receiver inside the saber, which lights up when the user is concentrating. The player maintains focus by channeling thoughts on any fixed mental image, or thinking specifically about keeping the light sword on. When the mind wanders, the wand goes dark.


How will this technology be used in the future?

Adding biofeedback to "Tiger Woods PGA Tour," for instance, could mean that only those players who muster Zen-like concentration could nail a put. In the popular action game "Grand Theft Auto," players who become nervous or frightened would have worse aim than those who remain relaxed and focused.


I am no so sure this will be fun for some people. I know Hammer has a hard time concentrating when we play Madden or Excite truck, cause I get into his head, however Some gamers are always looking for the next challenge to conquer.

EEG monitoring is a great way to make a game more challenging without a cheap ass cheating computer player, we have all been cheesed by a few.

Sony seeks money printer.

Tired of watching the Nintendo DS print money for the past two years, Sony has partnered with Hasbro to form super voltron money printer.

Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS) announced today that it is working with Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. on the trading card component of the highly innovative THE EYE OF JUDGMENT™ game for the PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system. The global relationship, which covers Japan, Europe, the U.S. and Asian markets, taps Hasbro’s core expertise in trading card games through its Wizards of the Coast subsidiary. Wizards of the Coast holds a patent on trading card games and the methods by which they are played and also produces MAGIC: THE GATHERING®, the world’s premier trading card game. Under the agreement, Hasbro will create, manufacture and distribute the trading cards associated with THE EYE OF JUDGMENT video game.

THE EYE OF JUDGMENT presents a new style of gameplay where the player brings creatures of trading cards to life for battle in 3D. Through use of a 3 x 3 board and trading cards, each encrypted with CyberCode, players conquer the field by selecting a card and placing the coded card in front of the PLAYSTATION®Eye for their respective creatures to come to life and battle. Each creature has various skills which will determine the outcome of the battle. Players take turns placing cards as they jostle for control of the board; the winner is the first player to conquer five of the nine fields.

“We are very excited to enter into a collaboration with Sony Computer Entertainment on trading cards for THE EYE OF JUDGMENT which will deliver a ground-breaking entertainment experience that uniquely blends the global popularity of traditional trading card games with next-generation video games,” said Phil Jackson, Group Executive of Hasbro Games. “Together we’re creating a virtual world that brings fantastic trading card-based creatures to life for unprecedented interactive battles that will appeal to millions of fans around the world. It is innovation at its best.”

“THE EYE OF JUDGMENT represents a totally new genre in gaming,” said Phil Harrison, Corporate Executive, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. and President, SCE Worldwide Studios. “Combining Hasbro’s clear market leadership in trading card games with the immense power of PLAYSTATION®3 and PLAYSTATION®Eye, is a powerful formula that will result in a revolutionary video game experience that will amaze and engage gamers around the world.”

THE EYE OF JUDGMENT is slated for release in fall 2007. The game has already received early accolades from media around the world as well as a prestigious Japan Game Award in the “Futures” division held at last year’s Tokyo Game Show.


Magic the Gathering + the PS3 Eyetoy + the PS3 hardware = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Video: Downloadable Games

Downloadable games are a thing I would like the gaming industry to push. It saves resources, cuts away the middle man and saves me a trip to the store, Saving all of us money. XBL arcade is a start, but the gaming industry must think bigger.

E3 2007 Rival Emerges

Shacknews reports a rival to E3 2007, this summer, in Santa Monica. The rival conference's preliminary name is E.I.E.I.O. - Expo for Interactive Entertainment: Independent and Original - Fun Fest 2007. Here is the full news item.

E.I.E.I.O. is in response to a pared down E3. Last year, E3 was the biggest gaming event of the year pulling gamers from all over the world and 400+ companies. This year, however, the conference is invite only consisting of 33 companies. Big press and Big game developers are solely invited.

At E3 2006, we learned the PS3 is overpriced, the Wii is super ownage, Gears of War is the bestest thing ever and Spore is the ultimate god complex game. Will the average gamer discover the same amount of information as E307? Probably not. The bigger the entity, the further away from the average gamer.

Quote from Gamecock:
Gamecock is all about promoting the artists and bringing original games into this bloated and originality-starved industry. Gamecock is talking about plans for an E.I.E.I.O. - Expo for Interactive Entertainment: Independent and Original - Fun Fest 2007 - to be held on the same days as E3. What do you think? It would be great to have an event that supports the "uninvited" - the industry's best and most talented studios.

Hopefully Gamecock follows through with this idea.

What's being played on Xbox Live

From Major Nelson's Blog.


Xbox 360 Top Live Titles (UU’s)
1 Gears of War
2 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas
3 Command and Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars Demo
4 Guitar Hero II
5 Call Of Duty 3
6 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures
7 GRAW 2
8 Oblivion
9 Crackdown
10 Pro Evolution Soccer 6


Let's take a look at #9 and #10.

Crackdown: I have been playing this for the last week. I now know why it is so popular. Online Co op. Hopefully developers will see this and include online co op to all of their games. I am looking at you Bethesda.

Pro Evo 6: This is the Pal? version of the great soccer game by Konami. This game is as unpopular in the US as it is popular in Europe.

The Wii online community is gr8!


Wiigg found a new social bookmarking site for the wii. You can read the post here.


The Wii's Internet channel opens the door for an entirely new kind of website, from social networking to streaming media. Instead of finding these sites on your computer, writing down the address, and then going to it on the wii, simply use www.wiifaves.com to manage all your wii-friendly bookmarks. Simply add it while you're on your computer, then check it out next time you're on the Internet channel. If you're looking for something new, search through other users' bookmarks to find quality and relevant wii-friendly web content.



Thats cool, now I want to play Games online.

Forza 2 demo the week of 5/1


According to Sliced Gaming, the Forza 2 demo will hit XBL marketplace sometime next week. Sweet. I hope my Mad Katz steering wheel gets here by then. You can read the full rumor here.


According to French websites www.xbox360france.com and www.xbox-attitude.com, Microsoft have confirmed that Forza Motorsport 2 will be complete and ready to go gold mid next week, and the demo will hit the Xbox Live marketplace at the same time.
I know one of the cars available in Forza will be a Buick Regal. I am partial to the Regal, since it was the first car I had ever owned.