THQ’s boss of core games, Danny Bilson has announced that the publisher is in talks with a major filmmaker regarding the production of a Saints Row movie. The film’s release will tie in with the third game in the series, which is currently in development. If all goes to plan they are set for simultaneous release.
With the upcoming Gamescom event this year in Cologne, Deep Silver has announced a special treat for all in attendance this year. Members of MAMM, Martial Arts Meets Media, who are responsible for choreography and motion capture in several scenes of Deep Silver’s new adventure game Lost Horizon, are going to perform on the Deep Silver stage on the Saturday of the fair.
Here is a bit of info from the the official press release:
Martial Arts Meets Media (MAMM), founded by David Török, consists of top-class, multiple award-winning Wushu athletes. Török himself, the current four-time German champion, created the intricate martial arts choreography for Lost Horizon. Twins Leyla and Necla, who took on the roles of the protagonists for Lost Horizon’s motion capture, will demonstrate some of their scenes to visitors live.
Perfect body control, spectacular combat techniques, top-notch acrobatics and a multitude of exotic weapons are going to leave the audience breathless. “In combination with the graceful movements and female elegance of Tai chi, Wushu is an athletic highlight that will capture everyone’s attention. We are proud to be able to show this fascinating sport through motion capture in Lost Horizon, and live on the Deep Silver stage at gamescom,” says MAMM manager Rainer Hoffmann.
Steffen Schamberger, Senior Producer at Deep Silver, says: “We are very happy that we were able to work with David and his team for the relevant scenes in Lost Horizon. With his professional support, we achieved an exciting, believable implementation of these sequences.“
Lost Horizon is the third title issued by Animation Arts, the developer of the award-winning Secret Files series. With its classic 1930s setting, fascinating locations such as Hong Kong, Tibet, Berlin, and Morocco, and the eventful search for one of humankind’s greatest secrets, Lost Horizon sure to bring in mystery fans back to their PCs for some solid storytelling and exploration.
A point and click title with graphics worthy of having top notch mo-cap actors sounds like a wonderful idea and I am excited to see how this will play out in Lost Horizon. On August 21 at 2 PM, the Wushu pros are going to show elements of Chinese martial arts at the publisher’s booth in hall 7.1, B041, as part of the Lost Horizon game presentation at this year’s Gamecom event. If you can’t make it to that, breathe easy as the game will be coming out to all on September 24, 2010.
Hello Everyone! I recently sat down with Hector Fernandez, Co-Founder of Streamline studios, who most recently brought us HoopWorld for the Nintendo WiiWare download service. Hector gave us a detailed breakdown on HoopWorld and the production that went on behind the scenes.
Enjoy the Interview!
Question 1. How did you first get your start in the industry and go on to co-found Streamline Studios?
My first “official” job in the industry was back in 2001, when I worked for EA University. It was during this time that my future partners at Streamline contacted me with a super cool demo reel. It literally blew me away, and I immediately became jealous. I thought to myself, “Here I am wasting away at EA, while these guys are making it happen!” I showed the demo reel to my boss at the time, who said, “These guys are 95% out of 100% awesome! We should hire them.” Within a few days I had given my two weeks notice and then in November I was on my way to join Streamline.
Question 2. What made you decide to release Hoopworld on the WiiWare download service?
WiiWare just seemed like the logical first choice for platforms given the audience and potential for a greater gameplay experience.
Question 3. When a player purchases Hoopworld, what can they expect? (Features and modes, Story, Gameplay, Multi-player)
I like to think of HoopWorld like a game-snack. A quick, pick-up and play experience that has 3 different game play modes; quick match, survival, and tournament mode. However, I feel that the real spirit of HoopWorld is found when playing against a friend – head to head. There’s something super enjoyable about talking trash while laying in a last minute 3 (or) using the shadow ball to take their points!
Question 4. What is the inspiration behind the graffiti painted and city setting of Hoopworld?
City setting? I think you mean jungle, right? 😉 For the logo, we were looking for a young, fresh, urban, energetic, and organic feel. Our designer Laura A. came up with it, and we just loved it!
Question 5. What is Basketbrawl and how does it play out in this title?
Basketbrawling is essentially kung-fu mixed with basketball. For anyone who has played basketball on a trampoline, in the pool (or) against someone you can’t stand; you’ve probably basketbrawled at some point.
Question 6. Power-ups look to be a lot of fun for the game. How will they play into the action?
We have 8 power-ups that effect the gameplay in various ways. They randomly pop-up in a mystery box that players run over, and can be activated by the player at any time. Power-ups are a lot of fun in HoopWorld and can truly change the dynamics of a match. For example, “The Bomb”, instantly knocks all of your opponents out with a massive explosion, while others protect you or give your team a boost. Most power-ups generally last for a maximum of 10-15 seconds. My personal favorites are the Golden Ball and the Shadow Ball, with the Golden Ball you score 5 points from anywhere on the court, while the Shadow Ball drains – 5 points from your opponents score. This is intense fun in the final seconds of a match!
Question 7. How much time and development went into making Hoopworld? Could you explain the process?
The Wiiware version took about 12 months. We had a co-development process with our partners at Virtual Toys that was very collaborative and unique in the sense that the coders were in Spain and we were in Amsterdam. We traded builds, talked over the phone and skyped, and met on a regular basis to discuss the game.
Question 8. There are many different characters and they each have a back story and personality. Could you explain what went into character development?
There is a HUGE back story for this, but the abridged version is that we started with only 7 character on the Xbox 360, and it always felt incomplete. As we entered the Wiiware development, we decided that we should simply create themed teams and more characters, rather than randomly mixing individual characters together. The themes came from the original character designs and snowballed into the teams and courts we have now. We wanted each of the characters to stand on their own, so we created an individual personality for the characters and a world for them to live in.
It all seems logical in retrospect, but when you’re in the thick of development, it’s easy to loose sight of how the small choices can have a great impact.
Question 9. What can we expect to see in the future from Streamline Studios?
More games, entertainment, and fun! I feel like we’re only getting started!
Question 10. Finally, what is your favorite part of developing games and being a part of Streamline?
Proving that tenacity, character, and dedication towards a dream can make it a reality.
Capsule Computers would like to thank Hector and the dedicated staff over at Streamline Studios for taking time to answer our questions about HoopWorld. We will be sure to bring all of our readers updates on all games from Streamline in the future. If you have not played HoopWorld yet, pick it up as soon as you can as it is a fun arcade-style basketball game with some great features. Check out our review on it as well.
Also let us know of what you thought in the comments below. Your feedback may even be read by a member of Streamline Studios and I am sure they would love to hear what our readers think of HoopWorld.
Brink, the all-new Bethesda Softworks FPS title in development by Splash Damage, received the first development video called “The Last Stand”.
The Last Stand explains Brink’s backstory and the motivations of the two factions in the game. This is the first in a series of 5 ‘making of’ videos that will be released over the oncoming weeks.
The famous manufacturer Razer today announced the release of the Razer Orca Gaming and Music Headphones. This stylish pair of headphones features a comfortable ergonomic design with quality sound and an ultra-sleek look featuring Razer’s distinct, venomous green colour. Razer unites the music enthusiast with the hardcore gamer to bring you the coolest pair of headphones to hit the streets.
“The Razer Orca marks Razer’s foray into the lifestyle audio world. We specifically designed the Razer Orca for the consumer who demands unmatched comfort and the utmost style, who also happens to game. We wanted a pair of headphones that could transition from your gaming den to the subway by adding a cool look to great gaming sound.” – Robert “Razerguy” Krakoff, president, Razer USA
From the Press Release:
About The Razer Orca
Equipped with a plug and switch cable, the Razer Orca provides a quick and convenient solution for seamlessly switching between gaming and listening to music. The Razer Orca comes with a shorter, standard braided cable for listening to music on the go, but also includes a braided 2 meter extension cable for a quick transition to desktop gaming. With enhanced drivers crafted to optimize both in game action and the thumping bass of your favourite artists, the Razer Orca excels in providing a dual-purpose solution for gamers and music lovers. Crafted for a secure yet lightweight feel, the circumaural design provides a comfortable fit for hours on end, letting you keep your style on lock in all situations whether it’s in front of your gaming rig or jamming out to your MP3 player.
Price: US $59.99 / €59.99 / $AUD TBA
Availability:
Razerzone – August
Worldwide – Q3 2010
Product Features:
· Connector: 3.5 mm jack
For more details check http://www.razerzone.com/
A Mafia II playable demo is now available for download on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, via the Xbox Live Marketplace, Playstation Network and Steam, respectively. The download is free (although is not yet available for Silver members on Xbox Live, as is standard practice on the Marketplace with new demos), and should provide a useful taster of the game before it’s release later this month.
Mafia II (from 2K games) depicts mobster culture in gritty ’40’s and ’50’s America, where you work your way into and up the Mafia. The game centers around Vito Scaletta, who’s beginning to make a name for himself on the streets of Empire Bay, proving very efficient, someone you can rely on to get a job done. But, when the crimes escalate as he and buddy Joe work to prove themsleves to the Mafia, greater rewards and a higher reputation lead to heavy consequences.
The playable demo lets gamers plunge into the ‘Buzzsaw’ level. The game spans across two era, with this particular level being set during the summer of the ’50’s- time considered the ‘Birth of Cool’. The demo offers a good look at the expansive Empire Bay, which features accurate period details, and also offers an introduction the characters. In this instance you play as Vito, accompanied by buddies Joe and Henry, as they embark on their assignment to take down a mobster known as ‘The Fat Man’.
Mafia II will be released on August 24 in North America, August 26 in Australia and New Zealand, and internationally on 27 August.
For more info on Mafia II, take a look at the official game site HERE
Hero of Sparta II
Company: Gameloft
Release Date: July 29, 2010
Price: $6.99
BUY NOW
Story:
Sequel to the major hit Hero of Sparta, Hero of Sparta II finds Argos back home in Sparta. After leaving Hell, he’s only got more of it. He must face new creatures and kingdoms to pay for his insolence. He must fight and pray his way through to come out the Hero of Sparta once again!
Sound and Graphics:
To start off, Hero of Sparta II sounds great and looks even better! Besides being optimized for iPhone 4, this game looks amazing on older-gen iPhones/iPod touch as well. It has an amazing environment to move around in and the soundtrack makes you feel as if you are Argos saving Sparta. Every slash, defeat and mini story sounds great! It looks and sounds like you’re actually in the world of Sparta with such great detail in every object Gameloft designed. After playing for an hour, I had to realize this isn’t Sparta and life doesn’t have epic music following you around. It’s great for when you want to escape to the world of fantasy and not come back for a long time. Gameloft always surprises us with better and better graphics. This game looks amazing and is definitely one I feel great playing.
[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’ image=’http://www.heroofsparta.com/hos-2/iphone/images/screenshots/us/screen003.jpg’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xV7BnbhwgHE[/pro-player]
Gameplay and Controls:
The game is meant for those that are quick thinking and lots of action. You’re Argos and you have to save Sparta once again. You fight against many different creatures, big and small and fire-breathing. There are many different combos when it comes to the controls. Lift the control up and you’re suddenly fighting this guy mid-air. Move it around a couple times and you’re slashing this monster to bits. Get a great opportunity for a shot, tap the skull in sequence and you either just killed the guy or took over the monster’s control. Yeah, this is a cool game and one I could play for hours. It takes only a small while to get used to all the controls, and once you know them this game is hours of entertainment. Defeating dragons, controlling creatures, facing gods and demons – This game has everything a fantasy fan would love! The controls are placed perfectly on the screen, with easy access to all of them. Play on different levels of difficulty. Try playing on Heroic.
Summary:
Hero of Sparta II deserves to be called a sequel. It combines a great-looking environment with amazing controls, music, sound effects and hours of fun and exciting gameplay. All in all, this may be one of the best games to arrive to-date in the App Store. Gods or demons, creatures or human, defeating them is great. Overall I give Hero of Sparta II an EXCELLENT rating of 9.5 out of 10 capsules.
Namco & Ninja Theory have now released the first of what seems to be a series of developer diaries for their new epic adventure game, “Enslaved: Odyssey to the West”. In the first installment the development team talks about Monkey and Trip, the two main characters. So tune in below and enjoy the new clip for one of this year’s most promising titles.
The newest reincarnation of Splatterhouse has been pushed back more times than I care to remember, but I am finally feeling that this game is finally coming out. Gamestop is now offering a nice 6” statue of the famous Horror mask for anyone that pre-orders the title.
To catch anyone up on what they need to know about the newest installment, here is a list of features for the game:
It is great to see this title from Namco-Bandai getting some attention finally and I have very high hopes for it to be great. Splatterhouse is set to release on October 26th of this year for the Xbox 360 & PS3 and is sure to bring out fans for this huge revival of one of the most loved franchises of the video game world.
Anyone who owns a copy of Sniper: Ghost Warrior probably will admit a few flaws in the title. Developer City Interactive has now announced news of a patch that hopes to improve upon many aspects of the sniping simulation game.
“We are pleased to deliver the Xbox 360 patch for Sniper: Ghost Warrior and give gamers the most realistic sniper video game experience to date,” said Marek Tymiński, CEO of City Interactive. “These improvements to Sniper: Ghost Warrior speak to our commitment to the game’s loyal community of fans, and assures future audiences of the production standard City Interactive adheres to.”
What is in the patch you may ask? Here is a list of all the features below:
Game A.I.
Multiplayer
Weapons
Improvements and adjustments galore that should make any owner of the game happy. The patch for Sniper: Ghost Warrior on Xbox 360 is now available for immediate and automatic download when players connect to Xbox LIVE with the game.
