At this year’s E3 Expo, DC Entertainment and Turbine showcased their upcoming MOBA; Infinite Crisis. As part of the demonstration, Turbine ran a little tournament to see who came out on top. A team by the name of compleXity dominated all in their wake and rose to the position of E3 Champions.
Now, it is time for the champions to face the creators. In a moment reminiscent of the early seasons of Yugioh, compleXity will face off against the staff of Turbine Games. Best of all, the match will be broadcast live AND free on Twitch.tv
The battle of the DC Multiverse will take place at 2:00pm EST (or 4:00am AEST), and you can watch it here.The match will take place on the brand new Coast City Map, which is available to people who have joined the Founders Program. The map will become available to everyone when the game exits its beta.
To get yourself in the mood for some Infinite Crisis action, then check out the behind the scenes video here. If are looking to sign up for the beta click here, and if you want to find out a little more about the Founders Program, then click here. Who do you think will win? Will the champions rise above the creators? or will the people who designed the game know too many tips and tricks to be beaten? Let us know in the comments below, and as always, for all the Infinite Crisis news as it becomes available, stay tuned to Capsule Computers.
Following on from today’s The Wonderful 101 Nintendo Direct Presentation, Platinum Games and Nintendo announced that their upcoming squad-based, action strategy game for Wii U would be receiving a demo. Furthermore, the demo would be available TODAY! The game’s director Hideki Kamiya, had previously expressed his wish to see a demo released before the game’s launch, and today is that day.
What are you waiting for? Go and download The Wonderful 101 demo right now! While you download it, you can check out the new 7 minute long trailer below. Let us know in the comments below what you think about the demo, and if you will be picking up the full game when it launches August 23rd. In the mean time, for all the Wonderful 101 news as it becomes available, be sure to stay tuned to Capsule Computers.
Tonight, Nintendo delivered a Nintendo Direct Presentation focused solely on their upcoming Wii U title; The Wonderful 101. With only a month until the highly anticipated game launches worldwide, it was the prefect time for Nintendo to hit us hard with information to get us excited, and that is exactly what they did. Over the course of the 15 minute presentation, Nintendo gave us some specific gameplay feature discussion. Here is what was said:
Firstly, there will be 100 heroes available in the game, but you will not start with all of them. One of your jobs is to collect these heroes as you progress through the story. As you collect more heroes, your powers and attacks will become stronger and more varied.
Aside from Finding heroes and defeating the invading GEATHJERK aliens, You will also have to save civilians in peril. You do this by drawing a circle on the GamePad around the citizens. Also, by transferring Wonder Energy to the saved civillians, you can recruit them into temporary heroes.
The Direct Presentation also dealt with how you will play the game. You can use your heroes in a “Team Attack” which involves all of your heroes all attacking the enemies at once (think Pikmin swarming the enemies). However, the real power comes from the Unite Morph Abilities. Unite Morph Abilities allow your heroes to bond together to create giant weapons. These abilities are triggered by you drawing on your GamePad, for example; drawing a circle will create the Unite Hand, while drawing a straight line will make the Unite Sword.
Unite Morph Abilities can also be used as puzzle solving techniques, allowing you to create ladders, bridges, hang gliders and other helpful contraptions. In addition, you can create up to FIVE Unite Morph constructs at any given time, allowing for some serious multitasking and combo-fighting.
The presentation also made a point of letting us know that the release date for Wonderful 101 is the 23rd of August. It did so by telling us 7 times through the 15 minute broadcast.
It was nice to see some gameplay information coming out about this game, and to top it all off Nintendo ended the presentation with a brand new 5 minute trailer that showcased a heap of the game’s story, and a few of the prominent heroes (check out the trailer on Nintendo’s official site here). Anyway, I know that my excitement for the game is palpable after watching that (not that it wasn’t before) how about you? Let us know your thoughts on The Wonderful 101 in the comments below, and as always; stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all The Wonderful 101 news as it becomes available.
In the midst of Paradox Interactive‘s Pan-Asia tour we were given the opportunity to meet with Gordon Van Dyke – project lead on Fatshark Games’ War of the Vikings –and be given a hands-off presentation and first look at the brutal online multiplayer close-quarters combat title, set for release Q1 of 2014 for PC.
After exchanging pleasantries, Gordon got right down to a presentation he had prepared, starting off with the announce trailer. This was a great introduction to the theme of the game and the job that was being a Viking back between the 8th and 11th century. And that’s something that should be reiterated; Viking wasn’t an ethnicity or race, it was a job. As Gordon put it; “People say ‘I have Viking blood!” No, you don’t! You have Scandinavian blood!” This wasn’t the only misconception that Gordon squashed and educated us on…through his research, he learnt many things about the often-misrepresented people who took on the mantle.
For instance, Vikings are always seen as simple brutes who lived for war, but they actually had a greater understanding of the world around them than most others. Interestingly, to that end, a Viking’s tomb was excavated, and inside they found the warrior buried with a Hindu amulet, which was probably acquired through trading. They were also extremely clean and carried combs with them. The unfortunate thing about their time, and the disadvantage we have in putting the pieces together on their history, is that they chiselled on stone and so much of their ‘written word’ was lost. But, that obviously doesn’t mean we don’t have solid facts on their existence.
Did you also know – and this is a nice tie in to War of the Roses – that the Vikings discovered York? And that visual we commonly have of them with their horned helmets is completely inaccurate – the fact of which is reflected in the game and the visual design of its characters. It’s thought that this depiction actually came out of the Victorian age, where monks who wrote the scripts for many plays would portray them as “children of the devil” and hence the horns were added to their now iconic image. As Gordon said; “if I grabbed [the horn], I could rip your helmet off” and seeing as everything they did was to stay alive, they would never have given themselves that disadvantage.
Moving on to the game itself, the developers working on the project consist of an entirely new team than that of War of the Roses. For those who are wondering, War of the Vikings isn’t a straight sequel or successor to WotR either, but is a new entry in the newly established “Paradox War” franchise. It is utilising much of the same tech that WotR did, but will not be offering the same experience. And being set hundreds of years earlier than War of the Roses (15th century), you will not be seeing guns of any kind added to the arsenal, unlike with WotR (post release).
There wasn’t a giant plethora of different weapons back then either, so this go around, the focus will be on fine-tuning and perfecting the feel of the axes, swords, etc., that the Vikings did have at their disposal and making the core combat mechanics as satisfying and as deep as possible. The basics of striking entails simultaneously pressing the left mouse button to initiate a swing and using your mouse movement to determine the direction of the slash – parrying works in the same fashion. The shield is assigned to the right mouse button, and so the two must be used in strategically timed combination in order to survive and defeat your foes.
If you’ve never played WotR before, then don’t fret because WotV will feature a tutorial mode that can be accessed offline, with its own play-space for you to practice in without the fear of complete noob embarrassment. There are skill upgrades and unlockable abilities that will be detailed in the future, but Gordon did state that they will not be the sort of all-empowering enhancements that create imbalance in matches, making you effectively invincible against a lesser opponent just because you have them.
Something new that will aid in differing the gameplay of WotR and WotV is a dodge system and the inclusion of special moves, which are one-button executables that are linked to a stamina system so you can not spam it. You still have to aim it much like a normal strike, but anyone can pull it off; the balance between accessibility and complexity has been a big focus for the team. Throwing weapons such as javelins and daggers are also included in the weapon base, and the pace of the action has been sped up when compared to WotR.
This was all relayed to us during the slideshow, but then we got to see actual in-game footage from pre-alpha, which is when we saw it all come to life. Something to note is you can achieve head shots with your throwing weapons, and the death animation system is dynamic – depending on where the final blow is dealt, and from what angle, your character will react accordingly. During the video, we saw the player character walking around with an arrow sticking out of the side of his head, and a decapitation happen right in front of us…brutal.
The end of the video was also the end of our time. The closed public alpha is starting on August 22nd to coincide with Gamescom, and there will be servers in Pan-Asia (victory!). The game looks like a hell of a lot of fun, with an amazing hit detection system (probably the best in the business) and tons of brutality!
You can sign-up for the War of the Vikings alpha right here. Also, check out our hands-off preview of Europa Universalis IV. And if you were lucky enough to have attended ‘the Platypus Homecoming Event’ on the 7th, let us know about the experience in the comments section below!
France taking over? Pfft, yeah right! Not happening in my game…
In the midst of Paradox Interactive‘s Pan-Asia tour we were given the opportunity to meet with Henrik Fåhraeus – project lead at Paradox Development Studio – and be given a hands-off demonstration of the grand-strategy game sequel Europa Universalis IV, set for release at $39.99 on August 14th via Steam, for PC, Mac and Linux.
Henrik gave us a good run-down of the major features of the real-time title, and what makes it different to other strategy games out there on the market, like Civilisation. Of course, if you are familiar with the series, then much of this will be established knowledge for you. So you can basically start a playthrough on any date between 1444 and 1821 – a time where nations arose, as opposed to the focus on families and bloodlines in their last game Crusader Kings II. The purpose, like in most world strategy games, is to expand and conquer.
Being an RTS, elements are always in motion, however you can pause the game to take a brief moment and assess your standing. The play-speed can also be altered on the fly, although you may want to take a slower approach in multiplayer games – which can include up to 32 players, who can join into an on-going game using the new hot-join functionality. There is a seasonal weather system in place that is not solely aesthetic, but affects combat as well. When provinces are besieged, they can be occupied but are not automatically owned by that attacking nation. From that point, negotiations must be entered with the invaders and invaded for the fate of that piece of land.
With this latest instalment in the series, skills can be attained and attributed to your country like in an RPG game. To achieve this, you must first learn the related ‘ideas’, such as exploratory concepts for example, enabling you to hire an explorer, assign them to a fleet and send them out to sea to explore the globe. Ideas are unlocked through the use of Monarch Points, which are broken up into three types: Administrative, Diplomatic and Military. The amount of these points that you gain on a monthly basis corresponds to your ruler and state of the nation.
Monarch points can also be used to change cultures and religions in an area. And you don’t have to imagine the consequences and conflict it can cause. Talk turned to the real-life implications of representations of religion and culture in Paradox’s games, to which Henrik could attest that there had definitely been issues with one nation in particular: China. In one case, although everything included was accurate to the time, politically, China took issue with Tibet being an independent country in Europa Universalis II.
Unfortunately, these things are to be expected…some Balkan nations (being half-Croatian, I can guess who) also took umbrage with certain details and there have been general complaints about just where borders should be drawn on the map. But a lot of research goes into these titles, the results of which are especially impressive considering no one on the current team has a degree in history or anything of the sort. Although, for the couple formative years of the series back in 2000-2001, a formally educated Historian was brought on board.
Going back to Monarchs, just like in real-life, they are not immortal (go figure) and must be replaced at one point or another. If you have a legal heir, then they will take over with some hopefully better statistics. If there is no legal heir to speak of, the dynasty will change and this process may initially breed internal turmoil. Henrik showed us a sneaky method of…”influencing” a terrible Monarch’s fate by putting him on the front-line and effectively leading him to the slaughter, so that he may be succeeded by a worthier ruler in a time of need.
Technology and its development is a big element in the game, with its most obvious effect being an upgrade to your unit types that is visually communicated. Exploration even more-so…the entire world is discoverable, although the uncharted zones will be greyed out until you set foot on them. The main form of income in the game is taxation, but you can also take advantage of trade routes for an alternate source of income – a feature which the team were never totally satisfied with in Europa Universalis III, but feel is most improved now. Generally, most trade routes will flow through China, although you can assign merchants and redirect trade along the path that suits you the most. Certain nations are very rich, and so there is a great strategic factor in choosing where to trade through.
We briefly spoke about the challenge of making sure not to overwhelm the player, as there are many facets at play here – many of which are hidden away for that very purpose. Constant work is going into ensuring the interface is practical and allows for both beginners and expert players to get the most out of the experience. That being said, a tutorial has been integrated into the game – an aspect which Henrik admits the team has maybe overlooked before. Steam’s multiplayer matchmaking capabilities are being utilised as the game is being released solely on the platform.
Finally, we touched base on how the series can continue to evolve outside of visual quality, which is treading a fine line because the established features that are appreciated cannot be altered too heavily, but new features must be added to stay fresh (a Scenario Mode as I brought up is seemingly out of consideration as previous trials showed that people didn’t really play them much at all). Mostly, it’s just about looking at what isn’t working as well as could be and perfecting it for the next iteration. Henrik has no doubt that their success, in part thanks to the fans’ contributions through community interaction, can carry through for multiple titles to come.
For Europa Universalis fans, this entrant is looking to be the best yet, bar none. You can try out the Europa Universalis IV demo and make your pre-order right now. Also, check out our first look at War of the Vikings. And if you were lucky enough to have attended ‘the Platypus Homecoming Event’ on August 7th, let us know about the experience in the comments section below!
The upcoming free-to-play Command & Conquer (previously known as C&C: Generals 2) has a new developer diary detailing an old GLA favourite, the Bomb Truck, repurposed as the Nuke Truck. The video titled as Beyond the Battle Part 2 looks at the concept design, art production and final product of the unit.
The new take on C&C by EA Games sees a return to the series roots such as base building and resource collection whilst fielding large armies. The game features the European Union, Global Liberation Army and Asian Pacific Alliance factions.
You can check out the video below and beta application are now open.
Disney have been the studio responsible for many of the movies that defined our childhood. No matter when you grew up, I bet that you watched your fair share of Disney films. Today, Disney have given us the keys to the vault, and through the new Disney Animated app for iPad, allowed us an unprecedented look at the art from Disney’s animated movies past and present.
Disney Animated allows users to take a look back in time at all of Disney’s 52 animated full-length feature films, plus their upcoming feature; Frozen. In addition to giving fans a first-look access to the artistic process behind Frozen, Disney Animated brings a wealth of visual delight, including; over 750 interactive illustrations, 400+ short animation clips, 350+ high quality images from the Disney archives (including backgrounds, concept art and character sketches), hugely detailed (and super-zoomable) storyboards, 3D interactable artifacts, a colour map that shows the colour summary and frames from every scene from each movie all in one easy to navigate app.
It is hard to convey the magic and wonder that such an app can contain, but I think Disney Interactive Entertainment’s Senior Vice President, Mark L. Walker said it best with;
At Disney Interactive we are committed to building new, high-quality storytelling experiences that leverage digital technologies and platforms … Through the power of the iPad, we are bringing fans closer than ever to their favorite Walt Disney Animation Studio films and the art and technology of making those films. Disney Animated represents a rare moment when innovation, technology and art converge to create an experience that is entirely new.
Disney Animated definitely falls into the “premium” price category, at a whopping $14.99. This app isn’t meant for kids, but is targeted more towards budding artists who want to see how the big boys do it, and nostalgic adults who think back on their lives watching The Lion King and The Little Mermaid, or Toy Story and Finding Nemo. If you are interesting in how your favourite childhood movies came to be, then this app has all the answers you could dream of and more, so you would definitely get bang for your buck.
Are you interested in the artistic process or just want to relive some childhood memories, and will you be picking up Disney Animated? If so, grab it here and let us know in the comments below. As always, be sure to stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Disney News as it becomes available.
Welcome back for this week’s iOS Game Suggestions. If you missed last week’s, or are new to the suggestions, click on the link below and check out what cool games you should be picking up for your iOS device along with the introduction on how the suggestions work. (suggestions 1 has how it all works)
An average week on iTunes! As always, it started slow and ended with a little bang! There are many must-buy games this week in all departments, FREE, 99c and over 99c. This week I’ve suggested a total of 14 great quality titles. Make sure you check them all especially… Worms 3, Mikey Hooks, Abyss Attack, Swift Revenge, NFL Pro 2013, Ultima Forever just to name a few.
Break down below :
8 – FREE Games
3 – $0.99c Games
3 – Over $0.99c Games
As always for this week’s suggestions are all new titles that you should take a look at and consider spending your hard earned iTunes cash / time on. Well the Free games just below certainly should all be given a shot as they won’t cost you anything!
For The Cheapskates – FREE GAMES
MASTERABBOTT’S FREE GAME PICK OF THE WEEK!
Ultima Forever – Quest For The Avatar – Price : FREE – Publisher – EA Mobile (Ultima Forever™: Quest for the Avatar is EA Mythic’s new free online, multiplayer, action role playing game (RPG). Embark on epic online adventures with friends and begin your quest to defeat The Black Weep and become the Avatar of Renown.) on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Ninja Cats Vs Samurai Dogs – Price : FREE – Publisher –Eutechnyx Limited (Ninja Cats Vs Samurai Dogs depicts the epic showdown between the feline and canine races,set in a fictional world based on the Japanese medieval era. Guided by a wise Sensei, who provides tips, advice and guidance, you will seek to achieve victory over your oldest enemy.) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Protoxide: Death Race – Price : FREE – Publisher –Herocraft (Are global warming, abnormal weather, increasing number of cataclysms all over the planet, cocktails of earthquakes, tsunamis and blowing nuclear power-stations the reasons to think about incoming apocalypse? «Protoxide: Death Race» offers you their version of the “world after 2012”. ) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Tyrant Unleashed – Price : FREE – Publisher –Kongregate (Lead your Faction to Victory! Tyrant Unleashed is a futuristic combat CCG. Build your deck, upgrade your cards and battle thousands of players online! Tyrant Unleashed is a compelling combination of strategy and fast-paced battles. Create a deck of noble Imperials, ruthless Raiders, menacing Bloodthirsty, cunning Righteous and destructive Xeno to annihilate other players.) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
NFL Pro 2014 : The Ultimate Football Simulation – Price : FREE – Publisher –Gameloft (NFL Pro is back on your smartphone and tablet. As the only free-to-play football simulation game, NFL Pro 2014 is now more immersive, more realistic and more social.) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
MLB Ballpark Empire – Price : FREE – Publisher – MLB.com(The game that puts you in the executive suite managing your own MLB team and stadium is now available on the go. Your Facebook account is fully synced across all devices, so your progress will be accessible anywhere! Select your favorite MLB team and build your roster with hundreds of real MLB players. Build your team’s stadium just like in real life or mix your favorite elements together. You’ll find iconic ballpark favorites like the Green Monster, Monument Park, the Think Blue Dodgers sign, the Cubs W flag, and much more!) on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Amateur Surgeon 3 – Price : FREE – Publisher –Adult Swim (HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO OPERATE ON A MUTANT BEAR WITH A CHAINSAW?*If so, then you are wasting time reading this when you could be playing “AMATEUR SURGEON: TAG-TEAM TRAUMA” and LIVING THAT DREAM. As rookie surgeon Ophelia Payne you must cut your way to the heart of a dark mystery while saving lives using your trusty pizza cutter, stapler, car battery – and host of other inappropriate tools! ) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Paper Streets – Price : FREE – Publisher – Breaktime Studios (Build your own storybook city in Paper Streets – A completely new experience with simple gesture controls and vibrantly colorful streets to build out. ) on iPhone & iPad. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
For The Bargain Hunters – 99c Games
Swift Revenge – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Ayopa Games (Dive through insane vertical-scrolling levels packed with fiendish enemies, fearsome bosses and ingenious obstacles! Quest through space and time to defeat the evil megalomaniac, Doctor Crow. Unlock super skills and powerful weaponry to overcome addictive new challenges on every fast-action stage!) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Valkyrie – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Bitfrost Studios (This first-person runner is not for the faint-of-heart or the slow of reflex. You have to jump, you have to slide across light bridges and deactivate walls—all while running and collecting souls. You may want to keep both thumbs close to the screen at all times. ) runs on iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Abyss Attack – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Chillingo (Submerge into the deep blue and discover an endless underwater voyage unlike anything you’ve seen before. Explore an ocean floor illuminated by waves of colorful creatures and fight for survival against the sea’s dangerous leviathans.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Worms 3 – Price : $5.49 – Publisher – Team 17 (The follow up to the award-winning, best-selling Worms 2: Armageddon is here! Worms™ 3 has been designed and developed exclusively for iOS. DEAL yourself the advantage with a new, game-changing enhancement. Turn on the card mode and alter the start and end of each turn by the playing of strategic cards.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Mikey Hooks – Price : $1.99 – Publisher – BeaverTap Games (RUN, JUMP, SLIDE, and HOOK! Collect coins and find hidden Golden Shorts! Watch out for enemies and spikes! 6 unique environments with 36 levels. Over 220 fun disguises. Race against ghosts. Compete on Game Center. Earn achievements. Customize your controls. View your game stats) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
F18 Carrier Landing– Price : $3.99 – Publisher – RORTOS DI SIMONETTO (Flight simulator for mobile phones – Version 5.8: the most advanced flight system ever. Landing on an air carrier is one of the toughest tasks that a fighter pilot has to undertake. The flight deck is only 150 meters long, just enough to stop your F/A-18 Hornet. Become a Top Gun pilot and have fun doing stunts and the toughest maneuvers.) runs on iPad. BUY NOW
There you have it folks these games should keep you busy for quite some time well until next week at least. I’ll be back next week for another dose of iOS goodness, in the meantime if you would also like to suggest your own suggestions, please feel free to share them in the comments section below or in the iOS forum section on the site here.
Today it has been announced by Live Viewing Japan that they will be holding a special bi-coastal theatrical premiere for Hatsune Miku‘s special 6th birthday concert, the Hatsune Miku Magical Mirai 2013 Concert. The concert will first be held on August 30th in Japan and will then be presented to North American fans one day later on August 30th in theaters in Los Angeles and New York City.
The exact locations of the theaters in Los Angeles and New York City have yet to be announced, but advanced tickets will be sold for $20 each and will be available for purchase soon so fans of the virtual idol will need to keep an eye out for further details as the are made available.
Comic Book Heroes is a documentary that follows the life and trials of two talented Australians, Skye Walker Ogden and Wolfgang Bylsma, who have a crazy dream; to penetrate the American-dominated market of comic books and graphic novels. The pair, founded their company Gestalt Publishing 8 years ago, and since then have worked tirelessly producing high quality graphic novels.
Despite their hard work, the American comic book market is one of the toughest in the world to crack, and as the guys get older, the stresses of life set-in, so they make a bold decision: Head to San Diego Comic Con and work their way into the industry. The documentary follows their risky trip to the world’s biggest comic book convention, and the struggles that they face along the way. I wont spoil anything, but be prepared to see some of the industry’s big-wigs, like Kevin Smith, and the man himself Stan Lee.
Comic Book Heroes will be premiering on your TV screens on ABC1 this Tuesday 13th August at 10:00pm, with the second episode airing on the 20th at the same time. We have seen Comic Book Heroes and if you are into comic books or are interested in how the industry works from the inside, then this is something you don’t want to miss. In the mean time, if you want to know more about the guys, or about Gestalt Publishing, then check out their Official Website, as well as purchasing their books here.
Check back for our review of Comic Book Heroes, which will be going live over the weekend, and as always, stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the comic book news as it becomes available.
With this latest instalment in the series, skills can be attained and attributed to your country like in an RPG game. To achieve this, you must first learn the related ‘ideas’, such as exploratory concepts for example, enabling you to hire an explorer, assign them to a fleet and send them out to sea to explore the globe. Ideas are unlocked through the use of Monarch Points, which are broken up into three types: Administrative, Diplomatic and Military. The amount of these points that you gain on a monthly basis corresponds to your ruler and state of the nation.
